After the thunder came absolute silence.
The spear of lightning that pierced heaven and earth unleashed an unrivaled surge of destructive energy the instant it struck Gyutaro's neck.
That was not cutting.
It was purification. It was erasure.
Tengen Uzui was forced to shield his face with what remained of his blade to keep from being swallowed outright by that terrifying torrent of lightning. At point-blank range, he felt how that power not only severed Gyutaro's neck but also vaporized nearly half of his incredibly tough upper body in an instant. Webs of lightning covered his charred remains, giving off constant, explosive cracks.
Gyutaro's gaunt head shot into the sky, propelled by the lightning, the sickly terror on his face frozen forever.
Almost at the same instant.
On another battlefield.
Tanjiro's blade swept past, drawing a spray of scalding blood and cleanly severing the head, its face filled with shock and incomprehension.
At the last moment, Zenitsu also unleashed strength beyond his limits. His figure became a returning bolt of golden lightning, his blade delivering a second cut to Daki's neck to ensure the beheading was complete.
Inosuke clung tightly to Daki's body. Only when he felt that strength disappear completely did he release his grip, utterly drained, and collapse to the ground alongside the headless body.
Two heads, in different places and in different ways, were severed at the same time.
The battle was over.
Before the joy of victory could rise in anyone's heart, something strange happened.
The two heads tumbling through the air did not immediately begin to disintegrate as other demons had.
As though drawn by an invisible pull, they flew toward each other, finally meeting in midair before tumbling together onto a ruined rooftop.
"Useless! You useless Big Brother!"
Daki spoke first. Her beautiful face