Time seemed to freeze at that moment.
The icy blade pressed firmly against Tengen Uzui's neck, its sharp killing intent making every cell in his body cry out in trembling agony.
He had lost.
Tengen Uzui's mind went blank.
He had not even seen his opponent move.
In the realm of speed he took the greatest pride in, where he was like a "god," this boy nearly ten years younger than him had utterly crushed him in an almost humiliating fashion.
This was no longer a gap in technique or experience, but an absolute gulf between their levels of existence.
Cold sweat streamed down his temples.
"I... I meant no harm!"
For the first time, this flamboyant God of Festivals spoke in an almost dry, strained voice, trying to explain.
"This mission is special. I need female Corps members to infiltrate Yoshiwara's Entertainment District... I've lost contact with my three wives there, and I suspect an Upper Rank demon is lurking there!"
He rattled off the mission details at top speed, trying to prove that his actions were justified and ease that deadly pressure.
Sasuke's gaze did not waver in the slightest.
Of course he knew about Yoshiwara, and he knew about Upper Rank demons.
But none of that gave the man before him a reason to do whatever he pleased here.
"Your mission has nothing to do with me."
Sasuke withdrew the Wakizashi with a crisp, decisive motion, as though that silent confrontation between Hashira, worthy of going down in the Demon Slayer Corps' history, had been nothing but an inconsequential bit of child's play.
"But you cannot touch anyone from the Butterfly Mansion."
With that, he turned to leave, seemingly having lost all interest in the man he had defeated.
The humiliation of being ignored mingled with the