On the road.
Two figures dressed in colorful butterfly-patterned haori were rushing towards Shikoku Island.
The scenery around them flashed by.
Shinobu Kocho turned to look at Kanae, who was standing beside her, her face filled with worry and her breath slightly ragged, and said:
"Sister, we need to slow down. At this pace, you won't make it to Shikoku Island!"
"But... we don't even know what kind of situation Teiichi is facing right now! If we're too slow, it might..." Kanae raised her hand and clutched her clothes at her chest, her words filled with unconcealed worry.
Shinobu Kocho lowered her eyes slightly, unwilling to hurt him, but she had no choice but to tell the truth.
"Given the distance from the Butterfly Mansion to Shimizu City, even if we maintain our current speed, we won't be able to get there before dawn!"
Upon hearing this, Kanae felt a pang in her heart, and her pace quickened involuntarily.
Noticing that her sister had quickened her pace again, Shinobu Kocho quickly spoke up:
"Don't worry too much, sister. Tanjiro said he's at Cape Ashizuri and Teiichi to return to Shimizu City overnight. They might not run into him."
Upon hearing this, Kanae lowered her head slightly, clutching her clothes at her chest, her fingers turning slightly white from the force.
The idea of forbearance isn't entirely without merit, but...
The unease that filled her heart made it impossible for her to calm down!
However, Kanae showed no sign of slowing down and continued to take large strides.
Shinobu Kocho had no choice but to lower her head and silently follow Kanae as they continued running forward.
After a long while, noticing the increasingly heavy breathing beside her, Shinobu Kocho finally spoke again:
"Sister, I know you're worried about Teiichi's situation, and I am too, but if you keep running at this speed, you won't even reach Shikoku Island!"
This time, Kanae finally made a move.
Kanae bit her lower lip, gazing ahead with worry, and her steps finally began to slow.
Shinobu Kocho breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this and continued speaking:
"Don't worry, didn't Kasugai Crow already go and inform Mr. Himejima? Everything will be fine!"
Shimizu City.
A tall figure draped in a kasaya stood atop the clock tower.
Black crows flew in from afar.
Noticing the Kasugai Crow's movement, Himejima finally looked up and asked:
"So, have you found Kato's location yet?"
"Gah... Gah... Here! Here! In this direction! In this direction! Hurry up!! Hurry up!!"
Kasugai Crow cackled loudly, flying ahead to guide the way forward for Himejima.
The anxious words sent a chill down Himejima's spine. Without asking any more questions, he leaped down from the clock tower and ran quickly in the direction from which the Kasugai Crow's voice came.
Did Kato encounter the Upper Rank?
Himejima asked as he ran forward quickly.
" Upper Rank!! Upper Rank!! All six are here!! All six are Upper Rank!!!"
"Ah!!"
The excruciating pain emanating from his neck, as if burned by the Nichirin Blade, pierced his very bones, constantly assaulting Doma's nerves and forcing Doma out a agonizing scream.
The sharp edge of the Nichirin Blade pressed against the golden folding fan, slowly and steadily advancing backward, each subtle movement accompanied by his increasingly violent trembling and groans.
The colorful pupils reflected everything before them.
His gaze passed over the Demon Slayer and landed on two figures still rushing towards them.
In just two more seconds Kokushibo and Akaza will arrive!
That way, I can be saved!
but...
Does that Nichirin Blade take two seconds to cut off its own head?
Doma calmly felt the progress of the Nichirin Blade against his neck.
ah!
Has it already been cut in half?
It looks like it won't even take two seconds, not even one!
but...
Perhaps I too can break through the limits of demons, like Akaza, and survive even if my head is chopped off...?
Doma calmly thought to himself that, being devoid of emotion, he felt no fear of death.
Death was less real to him than the physical pain he was experiencing at that moment.
The Nichirin Blade continued its steady, methodical advance.
At this critical moment of life and death, suddenly, Teiichi's body stiffened slightly, and the Nichirin Blade, which was falling downwards, abruptly stopped.
The hairs on my body stood on end, constantly sending dangerous signals to my brain.
It looked like the neck was only a third away from being cut off.
Teiichi gritted his teeth.
He quickly sheathed his sword and retreated.
"Snap--!"
Almost at the same instant, a dazzling bolt of lightning ripped across the sky, instantly covering the spot where Teiichi Yi had been standing.
Lightning isn't powerful enough to kill, but...
" The First Form: Dark Moon: Night Palace!"
" Destructive Death - Disorder!"
The dark red moon blade and the bright blue fist attacked again.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!...
The three clashed fiercely.
Blades clashed, sparks flew, and a resounding clang echoed...
Clang!
After another collision, Teiichi looked toward the source of the lightning.
The chilling gaze made the group tremble slightly, and they couldn't help but feel a chill run through their bodies.
The one hiding further away, even more frightened, lay prone on the ground.
"How terrifying! I'm doomed!! I'm going to be killed!!!"
What to do? What to do?
Gyokko unconsciously twisted her body backward before looking at the figure beside her.
"Hey! Hantengu, did we just do something not very good?"
bite!
The tin staff fell to the ground.
"I told you, I'm not Hantengu, I'm just Sekido!"
He explained his identity with Sekido and resentment; as the embodiment of anger, he knew nothing of fear.
"So what if I did it! What can those Demon Slayer do to me when they're being harassed by Kokushibo men?"
Having said that, he turned his head Sekido to look at the figure beside him.
"Hey! Karaku! Stop grinning like an idiot and hurry up and blow this annoying wind away!!"
Karaku laughed, "Hahaha... this Demon Slayer also uses wind! How interesting! I should be the one to face him head-on!"
"What nonsense are you spouting? You'd only get slashed by this Demon Slayer in the past!"
"What's there to be afraid of? I won't die if one of them cuts me! And at worst, we can just stipulate that Demon Slayer can't use knives, right?"
He Sekido angrily, "Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and blow this wind away!"
"Hahaha..."
Karaku smiled but didn't say anything more.
He gently raised his fan with his right hand, and a blue light gathered at the top of the fan.
Then, with a sudden downward swing, the azure light transformed into a whirlwind and roared out.
The sudden surge of wind caused the howling wind in my ears to momentarily disrupt my concentration.
Then.
Whoosh--! Whoosh--!
Listen to the howling wind that rose again.
He looked Sekido at the Karaku.
Karaku also sensed that something was wrong.
The smile on his lips vanished.
The fan was raised again, then lowered; raised again, then lowered again...