"My poor little sister, he isn't someone you can handle. Your brother will protect you..."
Sure enough, here he comes...
A low, hoarse voice suddenly came from behind Daki. Her back rippled like water, and a pitch-black figure slowly took shape, its terrifying pressure beginning to emerge.
Whoosh! Every sash beneath Lu You's feet snapped.
His figure had already silently crossed more than ten meters, his black-and-red blade descending toward Gyutaro's neck like a guillotine.
Just because the Sound Hashira couldn't do it didn't mean he couldn't. If he seized the right moment, he might settle everything in one stroke.
Daki's head was still on the ground. If Gyutaro was beheaded too, the game would end right there.
Lu You had no intention of fighting fair against demons. If he were much stronger than his opponent, he would naturally have the leisure for a fair duel, but not now.
Clang! Sparks flew, and the web of his hand went numb.
Lu You's gaze grew grave. The Nichirin Blade he had expected to land had instead been firmly blocked by two strange, blood-colored sickles crossed before the demon's neck.
Gyutaro grinned.
"Blood Demon Art: Arc-Hopping Fool's Dance!"
The bloody light turned into countless tiny blades that exploded between the three of them, churning in every direction across a vast area. Great chunks of ground were torn up, and dust flew.
A figure shot backward, his white clothes covered in bloody gashes.
Fortunately, his eyes remained bright.
"You're a Hashira, aren't you, human? Only a Hashira could withstand my Blood Demon Art.
"But you're going to die now, you know. My blades are poisoned. Ehehe!
"How wonderful. Look at that handsome face of yours. Just thinking about how you're about to die feels so good!"
Gyutaro laughed, holding the two blood-colored sickles that had returned to his hands, blood dripping steadily from their blades.
His hair was black and green, and his skeletal body was a pale gray. His upper body was bare, loose blue trousers covered his lower half, and silk sashes were wrapped around both arms.
Calling him a human-shaped skeleton would not have been an exaggeration.
Of course, his bones were as hard as steel.
"Brother, this bastard actually dared to trick me! You have to avenge me!"
Daki picked up her head and reattached it, speaking indignantly, clearly furious.
"Don't worry, my adorable little sister. Look, that fellow is covered in wounds. The deadly poison on my sickles will numb him completely.
"Well, Demon Slayer? That helpless feeling isn't pleasant, is it?"
Mockery showed in his golden irises as Gyutaro laughed wildly.
Standing firmly a short distance away, Lu You frowned. To be honest, Gyutaro was considerably stronger than he had imagined. No wonder no Upper Rank had been killed in a hundred years.
Even the lowest Upper Rank had the strength of the late first tier, while the strongest Lower Rank was probably only just at the early first tier.
They were on completely different levels.
The gap was truly absurd.
His clothes were already stained with blood and reduced mostly to tatters, revealing many wounds left by the blood blades.
"He's harder to deal with than I remember. Is it because he went all out from the start? If Gyutaro had done the same in the original story, the Sound Hashira and the others probably would've died for sure."
Luck had played an enormous part in that battle in the original story. Even the slightest deviation would have made victory impossible for them.
Lu You grabbed his haori with his left hand and gave it a casual tug.
With a ripping sound, he flung the ruined clothing behind him, revealing his lean, muscular upper body, each abdominal muscle like cast iron.
Savage bloody gashes covered his upper body.
These were the wounds he had suffered when Gyutaro unleashed his powerful attack at close range.
"Fortunately, I'm no ordinary Hashira-level fighter either."
Watching from afar, Xijing was already stamping his feet in anxiety. He had never expected another demon. This Upper Rank had actually kept his true body hidden all along!
He released the other two people's Kasugai Crows. "Go get help! Hurry! Tell them we've encountered an Upper Rank and are locked in a desperate battle!"
His own Kasugai Crow continued recording the battlefield as always. Whatever happened, even if Lu You truly died in battle, his sacrifice absolutely could not go unknown.
On the battlefield, unaware that Xijing had begun seeking reinforcements, Lu You stared coldly at the two demons, his eyes clear as mirrors.
"There's something wrong with this brat..."
Gyutaro's pupils contracted slightly. Seeing that Lu You had no intention of advancing, he remained still as well. After all, dragging things out worked to his advantage.
The poison would spread.
Yet Lu You's continued refusal to fall puzzled him. Only when the wounds on Lu You's body began rapidly healing did he suddenly realize.
"This brat can neutralize poison and heal his injuries!"
I have to kill him right now!
Whoosh! The sound barrier roared.
Gyutaro shot forward like a cannonball, shaking the houses along his path.
Clang! The distinctively colored Nichirin Blade firmly caught the Blood Scythe. Their eyes met, followed by a fierce clash!
Flashing blades and countless cold glints that stung the skin surrounded the human and demon.
The blood that sprayed out from time to time turned into blades as thin as cicada wings, enveloping the surrounding several meters.
The wooden houses around them were pulverized in an instant.
"What? What's happening?"
Daki could only see two blurry figures clashing fiercely. Everywhere they passed, it was as though cannonballs had exploded, their shock waves whipping up violent surges.
The howling wind lifted her white hair.
"I can't see clearly... Why? Why am I so weak? But it's all right. My brother will take care of him."
Lu You was still so full of life despite being badly poisoned that Daki felt somewhat uneasy. Fortunately, she believed Gyutaro would absolutely be able to finish him off.
After all, the Upper Ranks had been invincible for over a hundred years!
The flying Blood Scythes cut through the night sky, circled through the air, and attacked Lu You's back, moving extraordinarily fast, no slower than high-speed missiles.
Meanwhile, the unarmed Gyutaro planned to take several of Lu You's attacks head-on in exchange for a chance to break the deadlock quickly.
"The poison is useless. I have to kill him head-on!"
Thinking this, he decisively hurled both Blood Scythes out, then controlled them to return after Lu You easily dodged them.
A sneak attack!
Of course, without weapons, he was also struck several times from the front by the Nichirin Blade. Blood sprayed, and nearly half his body was almost severed outright.
His healing was slowing, showing how severe his blood loss was.
But, "Here's my chance!"
The returning Blood Scythes instantly severed both of Lu You's arms. His two arms flew into the sky along with his Nichirin Blade, blood spraying everywhere! The smell of blood spread.
Lu You's eyes flickered.
"Hahaha, brat! You're the one who lost in the end!"
Gyutaro laughed wildly. Even though blood was still gushing from his wounds, that was precisely why he could take control of all the blood floating in the air.
Large amounts of blood gathered around his arms.
"Blood Demon Art: Circular Slashing Rotation!"
Be shredded into mincemeat!
Two savage, crimson tornadoes shredded everything around them as they hurtled toward Lu You. Houses along their sides exploded, dust danced wildly, and the fierce wind stung.
This move was all offense, with no defense!
Squelch!
In a flash, Lu You's arms actually grew back, and he firmly caught the Nichirin Blade falling from the sky.
His eyes were cold as ice as he watched the rapidly approaching storm of blood blades.
He said calmly, "All offense and no defense, huh? This is exactly the move I've been waiting for. Source Breathing, Third Form: Yin-Yang!"
The blade flashed like light.
Lu You traced a circular path like a taiji diagram before him, the rushing air forming a vibrating vortex.
Countless blood blades were swallowed, and he suddenly charged into it.
Then a brilliant gleam of blade light flashed from within, growing from a faint glimmer into dazzling radiance as it shattered every blood blade.
With both arms occupied unleashing his Blood Demon Art, the completely undefended Gyutaro froze for a second.
As he looked at the figure covered in bloody holes now right before him, the black-and-red Nichirin Blade shone with an unbearably piercing, cold gleam.
"You're the real monster here..."
Clang! It was like striking steel, but even steel would be severed by such force!
Squelch... Blood gushed like a fountain as Gyutaro's head flew into the sky.
"It's all right. As long as Daki's still here, I won't lose. In his current state, there's no way he can attack her too... I haven't lost yet!"
His tumbling head looked toward Daki from midair, only to see that figure covered in bloody holes already standing before his little sister.
How was that possible...
Daki's pupils trembled violently, her lips purple.
This man, this man... His body was healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Those horrific, surely fatal wounds actually vanished in moments.
"Actually, you're quite good at playing music."
"But goodbye."
The blade flashed past, and her head fell to the ground again.
Lu You slowly sheathed his blade.
"He killed them... Huh? He actually killed them... Holy shit!"
Xijing, who had mustered his courage and hurried over from afar, was instantly dumbstruck. His weak legs finally gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground.
Before you continue