The Upper Rank demons were the six strongest members of the Twelve Kizuki. While changes among the Lower Ranks were frequent, changes among the Upper Ranks almost never happened.
For the first time in over a hundred years, the Demon Slayer Corps had killed another Upper Rank demon. This was an unprecedented event.
Xijing naturally knew how staggering this was.
He looked over the devastated city district. He had marked out this area, using coded signals to indicate that it was a combat zone with no ordinary people present.
There was no need to worry about accidentally hurting anyone.
It covered an area nearly a kilometer across.
For ordinary people, that was an enormous area, no matter how one looked at it.
Yet now, it had almost been reduced to a heap of ruins. Broken timbers and shattered walls still collapsed from time to time, showing just how fierce the battle had been.
Even the boss he had thought capable of anything had suffered grievous injuries several times!
"Even so, boss, you still kept your opponent precisely within this one-kilometer area..."
Xijing raised his face to the sky, tears streaming down his cheeks.
Although he did not know how Lu You had regenerated severed limbs and healed his injuries, he felt no fear. Instead, his respect and admiration only grew.
Perhaps only someone this extraordinary could end the demons' rampage and bring this thousand-year-old conflict to a definitive close.
Meanwhile, the Demon Slayer Corps was still riding over on horseback... no, still on its way.
Several figures were racing toward Entertainment District City from the east. They wore Demon Slayer Corps uniforms, and beads of sweat the size of peas rolled down their foreheads.
"A Corps member has encountered an Upper Rank demon! All nearby Demon Slayer Corps members must immediately provide support!"
These were the Kasugai Crow's orders.
Even if they could not threaten the demon, they at least had to hold it back until Hashira-level swordsmen arrived.
Even at the cost of their lives!
"Upper Ranks really are a bit troublesome."
Unaware that a steady stream of reinforcements was on its way, Lu You could certainly feel the extreme weakness within his body.
He coughed twice.
"I still got too cocky, but there was no other way. I could use Malevolent Shrine when killing Pingshong, but against Gyutaro, I had to avoid using it as much as possible."
Lu You had his own reasons for using nothing but Reverse Cursed Technique to neutralize the poison and heal his injuries throughout the fight.
Pingshong had not belonged to the Twelve Kizuki. Muzan paid him very little attention, so naturally, there had been no chance of him looking through Pingshong's eyes.
But Gyutaro was different. Muzan might occasionally check what these Upper Ranks were doing.
He could see at a glance whether his employees were slacking off or working hard.
Although there was a distance restriction, Lu You did not know its limit.
If he only used Reverse Cursed Technique, he was, at most, an unusual human with absurd regenerative abilities. Though strong enough to kill an Upper Rank, he still did not count as a threat.
Just think of him as a demon who used a Breathing Style!
It was not as though there had never been one before. Right, Kokushibo...?
But if he used his Cursed Technique, an unusual ability with such devastating power would be enough to make Muzan send every Upper Rank to his doorstep.
After all, Muzan...
Was incredibly cowardly! Absurdly cowardly!
Even when he encountered Tanjiro at his weakest, the sight of his earrings had frightened him so much that he had not dared to act himself.
If even all the Upper Ranks together failed to kill Lu You, he would probably hole up in the Infinity Castle.
And not emerge for another hundred years!
"What kind of monster are you?"
Reduced to nothing but a head, Gyutaro watched his sobbing sister turn to ash and disappear, tears in his eyes. He could not help asking, his voice hoarse and bitter.
"Just an ordinary demon slayer."
"Ordinary? Hahaha, what a colossal joke. You... still have strength to spare, don't you...?"
"Who knows?"
Lu You replied calmly.
Gyutaro stared blankly. "I'm so envious. If only I'd been strong enough back then." Having said that, he simply turned into drifting ash and returned to Hell.
He would not say something like, "I'm sorry I couldn't make you use your full strength."
If he could, he would have wanted Lu You to hold back even more. Only then would he have had a chance to defeat him.
[You successfully defeated a powerful man-eating demon. It committed evil for many years and countless acts of slaughter. Template-Yuji Itadori expresses strong approval of you. Synchronization Value +5%]
"Boss! Boss! Thanks for all your hard work!"
His three underlings came running from a distance, tears streaming down their faces, and lunged at Lu You together.
Bam! Lu You sent all three flying, black lines appearing across his forehead.
If someone was going to hug him, it ought to be a pretty girl. Three grown men doing this-wasn't it disgusting?!
"Oh, right. I should check whether my wine has gone cold."
Lu You turned to leave, but stopped after two steps. He looked back at Xijing, rubbing his chin.
Then he decisively stripped off Xijing's upper garment and draped it over himself.
He returned to Kyogoku House, which was now deserted and silent. In the room, the warmed wine had yet to grow cold.
Only, the person who had played music would never appear again...
That was... wonderful!
Lu You laughed inwardly.
He sat cross-legged, recovering his strength and healing his injuries.
"You're saying that an Aoi Rank swordsman who passed the Demon Slayer Corps' final selection less than a month ago killed Upper Rank Six single-handedly.
"And the three of you Aoi Rank swordsmen stood nearby watching, without being caught up in it or suffering a scratch?
"Why do I find that so hard to believe...?"
The Kakushi named Goto was one of the Demon Slayer Corps' support personnel. He had been carrying out a rescue assignment nearby when a Kasugai Crow told him to come here, and somehow, he had ended up being the first to arrive.
He had worried that the demon might still be rampaging, but the city was silent now.
Three novice swordsmen had appeared and told him something about their boss having already killed the Upper Rank demon.
"Don't believe us? Come with us!"
Xijing thumped his chest and led Goto into the city.
But the moment they passed through the gates, the sight inside left Goto staring blankly, his heart trembling...
Was this really that world-famous Entertainment District?
Everywhere he looked, there were ruins.
It was like a city that had been carpet-bombed with artillery shells. Even the ground was riddled with craters. Entire rows of wooden buildings had been pulverized, leaving only broken walls and foundations visible.
Thin white smoke curled through the air, which smelled of scorched wood.
Dark red bloodstains covered the ground.
The terrifying pressure lingering at the site sent a chill through him. He swallowed.
Without realizing it, he adopted a respectful form of address.
"Where is that esteemed gentleman now?"
"Boss is resting."
Kasugai Crows swept through the clouds, some returning to headquarters, others heading across the country, as many official Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen were busy and frequently went out on missions.
Hashira-level swordsmen, in particular, almost never stayed at headquarters.
Somewhere.
On a pitch-dark country lane, Tengen Uzui was heading toward the area reported by his Kasugai Crow, where a demon was suspected to have appeared.
"Swordsman You has defeated Upper Rank Six!"
A Kasugai Crow passing high overhead relayed the information to Tengen Uzui's crow, which abruptly shouted it out.
"Defeated... an Upper Rank? Hahahaha! How flamboyant! Splendid, You!"
The Sound Hashira suddenly burst into laughter and quickened his pace.
He could hardly wait to finish this mission and return to headquarters to see Lu You.
It was not just the Sound Hashira. Every swordsman out on a mission, along with everyone at headquarters, received the news as countless Kasugai Crows cut across the sky, proclaiming it loudly.
In a quiet courtyard.
"You did it, You. I knew you could. You'll definitely change everything."
Giyu Tomioka gave a faint smile.
Mount Sagiri.
"An Upper Rank... What astonishing talent. It's only been half a year.
"Tanjiro, you must work hard to catch up."
Sakonji Urokodaki set the letter on the table and looked outside at Tanjiro, who was sweating profusely as he practiced his sword swings.
Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.
"He killed an Upper Rank? What an impressive person... I wonder whether this might allow us to collect an Upper Rank's blood."
At the Butterfly Mansion, the Demon Slayer Corps' medical department, the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho, spoke gently as she listened to the Kasugai Crow's report.
"Cough, cough!"
Amane supported Kagaya Ubuyashiki as he coughed violently. His condition had not originally been this bad yet, but this news was simply too staggering.
Overcome with excitement, he gripped Amane's hand.
"I understand. This is the most precious gift he has brought to the Demon Slayer Corps. It has been a hundred years, and an Upper Rank has once again fallen at our hands!
"Gyomei was right. Change will come in this generation.
"Perhaps even through him alone! Perhaps this thousand-year struggle can truly end in our hands!
"Amane, are the preparations for the Hashira Meeting complete?"
"Lord Kagaya, everything has been arranged."
"Good, good..."
As the news of Lu You killing an Upper Rank shook the entire Demon Slayer Corps, all the Hashira began returning to headquarters one after another.
The storm was gathering. Next stop: the Hashira Meeting!
Before you continue