Tetsu no Sosuke paused, then remembered that wasn't the case.
"What do you mean?" Tetsu no Sosuke knew she was talking about Akaza. Events in that battle had unfolded too quickly: Akaza had appeared, then Kokushibo had launched a sneak attack. All he could do at the time was find a way to hold Kokushibo off so the others could defeat Akaza as quickly as possible.
Later, when he reunited with everyone, Akaza was nowhere to be seen.
He had assumed Akaza was dead, but suddenly remembered that, in the original story, he had also broken through his limits.
He had only died in the end because he had regained his memories of the past and no longer had anything to live for.
With Shinobu Kocho saying this now, could Akaza still be alive?
"I don't know the details," Shinobu Kocho said. "We only learned the next day that several members of the Hidden had been eaten that night. The demon who attacked was powerful, but he seemed intent only on breaking out, rather than slaughtering the Hidden en masse. The few he killed had simply happened to be in his way."
Tetsu no Sosuke frowned slightly.
Kanae said softly, "Don't trouble yourself over this right now. Whatever happens, your priority is recovering. You can think about all this once your wounds have healed. Besides, the Master knows about it too. He'll take it into account..."
Tetsu no Sosuke nodded. "My only worry is that we'll end up with another... Kokushibo."
At those words, Shinobu Kocho felt a lingering shudder of fear.
A demon like Kokushibo, who could not be killed no matter what they did, was truly terrifying!
His strength had reached a level that left them feeling utterly hopeless.
Fortunately, sunlight could still destroy him.
Looking back now,