BOOM!!
A violent roar exploded within the conference room.
The solid wood table shattered instantly under the combined attack of several Hashira.
Amidst the flying splinters, everyone got a clear look at the blurry gray shadow that had suddenly appeared in the room.
The impromptu attack didn't eliminate him, but it did slow the figure down.
Gray skin, a writhing and uneven body—it was unmistakably Upper Six, Kamaro!
To the members of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kamaro was no stranger.
From the battle in the Yoshiwara Entertainment District to the earlier kidnapping of Chinatsu Ryukawa, he was inextricably involved.
Perhaps the most unnerving thing was that this creature had managed to corrupt a large number of high-ranking humans.
Although his own strength was average, this was enough to prove why Kamaro could rank among the Upper Moons.
However, despite being an Upper Moon, Kamaro didn't seem loyal to Muzan.
He had even tailed Shoukyuu at the time of his birth.
And unlike the cunning, cold Kamaro from back then, the current Kamaro had vacant eyes and a stiff expression, like a manipulated puppet.
His body was slightly hunched forward, knees bent, and hands hanging at his sides in a bizarre, unnatural posture.
Most unsettlingly, his lips moved mechanically, repeating the same sentence over and over:.
"Hand over Shinichi Moriki... or... the Demon Slayer Corps will be utterly buried..."
The voice was monotonous and flat, devoid of any emotional inflection.
"You bastard!" Sanemi was the first to erupt in fury, the violent currents of Wind Breathing surging around him.
"Do you think this is a place where you can run wild?!"
Sabito and Giyuu flanked him on the left and right, the ripples of Water Breathing already flowing along their blades.
Their eyes met; years of tacit understanding meant they were ready to coordinate an attack without a word.
Although Gyomei Himejima was unarmed, his oppressive presence had already locked onto every possible escape route for Kamaro.
He chanted a Buddhist mantra under his breath, but his keen perception caught the abnormality in Kamaro.
"This demon... his aura is chaotic. Though his demonic energy is strong, it's extremely unstable, like a container about to shatter."
Tengen Uzui remained in front of Kiriya Ubuyashiki and the others, his twin blades crossed over his chest, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's.
"Something's not right with this guy. He's completely un-flamboyant, like he's being controlled by something."
Perhaps the one who reacted most strongly to Kamaro's words was Shinobu.
Her anger almost materialized into a tangible killing intent.
The Nichirin Blade she had just thrown was embedded in the floor next to Kamaro, an ominous purple liquid seeping from where the blade had pierced.
A blazing fury burned in her purple eyes.
"Don't even dream of it! Tell Shokyu to come out and face his death himself!"
"Shinobu, calm down," Kanae couldn't help but gently remind her sister upon seeing her state, but her own hand was already resting on the hilt of her Nichirin Blade.
Amidst all the Hashira's reactions—be it anger, vigilance, or preparation to attack—only Shinichi Moriki's expression was exceptionally calm.
He slowly took a step forward, positioning himself in front of Shinobu.
This subtle movement made Shinobu startle.
Her surging rage subsided slightly, transforming into a complex mix of emotions: worry, confusion, and a trace of reassurance from being protected.
Shinichi's black eyes were almost unnervingly calm, his gaze piercing straight into Kamaro's vacant, golden-yellow eyes.
His voice wasn't loud, yet it broke the tense atmosphere in the conference room.
"Shokyu, I know you can hear me. Listen well: those who covetously steal power will ultimately be consumed by it."
This sentence seemed to flip a switch.
Kamaro's mechanical repetition came to an abrupt halt.
His body began to tremble violently.
A flicker of clarity suddenly flashed through his once-vacant eyes—and in an instant, a touch of crimson emerged, rapidly taking over the golden irises.
"Shin...ichi... Moriki..." Kamaro's voice began to distort, no longer flat but laced with a kind of sharp static.
"I didn't expect... it's because of you after all... Heh heh... From the looks of it, you know quite a bit... I'll give you... a choice... Surrender to me... and I can... in the future... in the new world... leave a place for you... and your companions."
"A new world? A hell where life and death are overturned and Yomi is shattered? I don't think we'd be interested," Shinichi scoffed with a smile.
"Yomi?" Sabito keenly caught the keyword and looked at Shinichi.
Without explaining, Shinichi raised his turquoise Nichirin Blade.
A profound aura, completely different from Forest Breathing, began to emanate from him—it wasn't just the pure power of life, but a fluctuation of energy that was even more vibrant and yet unfathomably deep.
"Breath of Life..." Yuichiro murmured in a low voice, a look of reverence shining in his eyes.
"Master, is this the... Breath of Life you newly comprehended?"
Before his words could fade, Kamaro moved.
His crimson eyes were locked onto Shinichi, his pupils filled with a thick greed.
Like a marionette with its strings pulled, Kamaro lunged straight at Shinichi with a bizarre posture that defied the laws of physics!
He was so fast that he left an afterimage in his place!
"Shinichi, be careful!"
"Master!"
Several voices cried out at once.
But Shinichi reacted faster than anyone.
He didn't use any form from Forest Breathing.
In fact, no one could even see his sword technique clearly.
To the naked eye, Shinichi had simply gripped his sword and executed a straightforward thrust!
CLANG—!!!
The sound of clashing metal resounded throughout the conference room.
The shockwave blew away the remaining wood splinters and dust.
Cracks spread across the floor beneath Shinichi's feet, but his figure didn't move an inch.
In contrast, Kamaro had been pierced straight through the torso by this simple thrust!
But as if he couldn't feel pain, Kamaro raised his arms and clamped down hard on the Nichirin Blade, his savage face staring intently at Shinichi.
"Shinichi Moriki! I advise you... to think carefully!"
"Something's wrong. This thing has completely become Shokyu's puppet," Sabito said coldly. He had fought Kamaro before.
"His attacks have no form or technique; it's just a pure release of power."
"And his power is constantly increasing," Gyomei Himejima added.
Though he couldn't see, his keen perception could sense the abnormal swelling of demonic energy within Kamaro.
"Like a balloon being constantly inflated, he could..."
"Explode," Shinichi finished his sentence, his eyes incredibly sharp. "Shokyu, so you sent a suicide bomb just to disgust us?"
As if to verify Gyomei and Shinichi's speculation, Kamaro gave a wicked smile.
Then, his body suddenly began to swell.
Dense black patterns appeared on his gray skin, writhing like living things and emitting a heart-palpitating, ominous aura.
Shinichi's pupils shrank.
In that instant, he made a decision.
"Everyone, fall back!" he shouted sternly, simultaneously taking a step forward and yanking his Nichirin Blade from Kamaro's chest.
"Shinichi! What are you doing?!" Shinobu tried to grab him, but Shinichi was too fast.
Perhaps this was the first time Shinichi had truly used a form of the Breath of Life, or perhaps, this was the first form he had created on the spot.
There was no flashy move, no dazzling special effects.
Shinichi simply held his Nichirin Blade vertically before him, took a deep breath, and gripped the hilt with both hands.
In that moment, the entire room seemed to "come alive," as a dense life force surged with Shinichi's breath.
A faint, milky-white luster appeared on the blade of Shinichi's Nichirin Blade.
"Breath of Life, First Form: Blade's Radiance!"
An indescribably brilliant blade of light illuminated the entire room, simultaneously engulfing the continuously swelling body of Kamaro.
The moment he touched the light, Kamaro let out a bloodcurdling shriek.
...
At the same time, within the Infinity Castle!
"ARGHHHHHHH!!" A pained howl rang out.
Shokyu clutched his eyes and fell to the ground in a wretched state.
At the same time, a towering rage swept through his heart.
"Shinichi Moriki! I kill you! Nakime, mark the locations of the entire Demon Slayer Corps for me! I'm going to tear them all to shreds, along with their souls!"