Akaza stared at the swordsman before him, somewhat dazed.
He could feel that the instant the mark appeared on his opponent's forehead, his strength and speed had increased astonishingly.
The places cut by that Nichirin Blade actually could not regenerate quickly.
What surprised him even more was that, within the perception of [Compass Needle], his opponent's fighting spirit had vanished completely, just like that of the swordsman with crimson hair.
In his daze, a thought suddenly occurred to Akaza-
Could this be the "Supreme Territory" I've pursued for a hundred years?
Caught up in surprise and thought, Akaza completely overlooked the faint, peculiar fragrance in the air and focused all his attention on Kyojuro Rengoku.
If that swordsman with crimson hair were the only one capable of possessing such astonishing strength without giving off any fighting spirit,
then Akaza would still have held firmly to his belief that demons were certainly stronger than humans.
But seeing this swordsman, who had not been strong enough when they first met at the train station, reach such a level in so little time, Akaza inevitably began to doubt himself.
Could humans truly grow at such an astonishing rate?
Could my hundred years of pursuit, my desire to grow stronger, really amount to nothing?
Wait!
Akaza suddenly realized that he had spent hundreds of years tirelessly pursuing greater strength.
But why can't I remember at all why I'm so obsessed with becoming stronger?
He seemed to have wanted to grow stronger so that he could protect something.
But what he had wanted to protect...
No, I can't keep thinking about this!
Akaza did his best to bury all his doubts.
An outstanding swordsman still stood before him.
And nearby stood that powerful swordsman who had killed so many of the Twelve Kizuki in succession.