"Well done! Tanjiro!"
Under the night sky, seeing Ume's head cut off by Tanjiro's blade, Uzui Tengen was first stunned, then rushed forward ecstatically, punching Tanjiro's chest hard.
"You actually defeated an Upper Rank?!"
He couldn't describe his excited feelings at this moment in words.
After nearly two hundred years, the Demon Slayer Corps had finally defeated an Upper Rank demon once again!
This was absolutely a milestone victory of great significance!
Even though she was only the weakest at the bottom of the Upper Ranks, this was still a genuine Upper Rank demon!
Tonight! The two of them had truly proven through this battle that so-called Upper Rank demons were not invincible after all!
"Lord Sound Hashira, this wasn't my accomplishment alone. Without your help, I definitely couldn't have defeated her by myself no matter what..."
Facing Uzui Tengen's praise, Tanjiro scratched his head shyly, replying quite embarrassedly.
"Haha! I really didn't see it before—you're quite the smooth talker?"
"No, I mean it seriously..."
"Alright alright, stop with that. Let's clean up and head back. Tonight was truly dangerous...
Right, while you're at it, start thinking about how you'll face everyone's questioning at the celebration banquet later..."
"Y-yes..."
"Hey! You two!"
Just as Uzui Tengen and Tanjiro were about to turn and leave, Ume, kneeling on the ground holding her own head, suddenly called out to them from behind.
"Hmm?"
Hearing the voice, they turned back simultaneously, looking at her in confusion as they spoke the same line in unison.
"Why aren't you dead yet?"
By normal logic, shouldn't she have disintegrated and completely vanished by now?
Could it be that this demon... had also overcome the weakness of decapitation?!
"Tanjiro, be careful!"
"I understand!"
Just as the two drew their swords again to face the enemy with full alertness, they saw Ume, kneeling on the ground, suddenly... start crying?!
"Uwaaah~~"
Tears flowed down from the corners of her head's eyes, and Ume opened her mouth wide, crying and shouting at the same time:
"How could you two do this to me! Why?!
I was dragged to the dojo to practice every day before dawn, only sleeping after the dogs went to sleep, working hard for nearly two hundred years to finally have this little bit of strength—why do you two get to use cheats to beat me as soon as you show up?!"
...Huh?
Her sad crying complaint directly confused Tanjiro and the other.
What do you mean dragged to the dojo? What do you mean practicing from dawn to dusk? What do you mean using cheats to beat her?
What was this she-demon even talking about? And why hadn't she died yet?
"Um... I'm sorry?"
Although somewhat unclear about the situation, Tanjiro still subconsciously apologized.
"What's the use of saying sorry! Especially you! You scar-faced ugly brat! You're the most excessive one!"
"Huh? M-me?"
Ume raised her head with both hands, glaring fiercely at the confused Tanjiro with her eyes, loudly scolding:
"It's you! That thing on your forehead is definitely one of those Demon Slayer Marks, right?!
Why can you ugly things just grow a scar on your foreheads and suddenly become so strong, while we can't?!
And that strange change you had before! You bastard definitely entered the supreme domain just now, didn't you?!"
This she-demon actually knew about the existence of the supreme domain?!
"So why is it like this! Why did I practice for so many years without any feeling for it, while you ugly bastards can just open it whenever you want?! This isn't fair at all!"
"I-I..."
The more she spoke, the sadder she became in her heart, and Ume finally couldn't hold back and completely broke down crying, throwing her head back and shouting:
"O—ni—i—chan!"
"Someone's bullying me! Hurry up and come help me kill them!!"
"..."
At the same time, in the bedroom of Michikatsu's Tokyo residence, Gyutaro, who had been sitting at the desk helping Michikatsu handle official documents, suddenly stopped the fountain pen in his hand.
"What is it?"
Detecting the change in his aura at the first moment, Michikatsu, who was reading documents in another chair, turned to look over.
"My lord, something urgent has come up. I'm afraid I must leave for a while."
Rising from his seat, Gyutaro bowed his head slightly.
"Is it work-related, or personal?"
"It's personal. Ume has encountered some trouble."
"Personal matters..."
Sensing the urgency in his aura, Michikatsu instantly understood everything. He nodded lightly and said:
"Then let Amei send you there. Handle it quickly and return.
Later, we still have a gathering to attend."
"Yes."
Nodding, Gyutaro removed his suit jacket and gloves, opened the door and walked straight out.
In the corridor outside the bedroom, the doors of Infinity Castle had already opened.
"..."
"This girl has a brother?!"
Inside the movie studio, hearing Ume's sudden cry, Uzui Tengen immediately sensed something wrong.
"Not good! The situation may have changed! Tanjiro! Let's kill her quickly first!"
As his words fell, he didn't hesitate, immediately rushing forward, raising his dual swords to slash fiercely at Ume's body!
CLANG!
At this critical moment, a biwa sound suddenly rang out.
[Biwa?]
Before Uzui Tengen could figure out where this sound came from, a door suddenly opened before him.
Immediately after, a figure burst out from within, fiercely slashing a blade down at his head!
[Damn...]
Caught off guard, Uzui Tengen almost instinctively retracted his dual swords, holding them above his head!
CLANG!
Kneeling on one knee, the loud clash of metal echoed through the silent night sky for a long time. The tremendous force transmitted from the blade instantly split the webbing between Uzui Tengen's thumbs and forefingers, blood slowly flowing down his wrists.
But before he could catch his breath, soon a second blade came from below, precisely striking at the junction of his dual swords, directly forcing his arms to spread to both sides, his chest completely exposed!
[Not good!]
In the next instant, having completely lost his defensive capability, Uzui Tengen could only watch in despair as the figure before him kicked fiercely at his chest!
"Gack!"
His chest nearly caving in, his lungs suffering heavy damage, his breathing nearly stopping—under this kick, Uzui Tengen's entire body instantly flew backward more than ten meters, heavily crashing into the building ruins behind, his fate unknown!
"Lord Sound Hashira?!"
Shouting this, Tanjiro couldn't go check on Uzui Tengen's condition, but instead watched this figure walking out from the suddenly opened door with extreme vigilance.
This was a man with dark green long hair.
He held a katana in each hand, his appearance quite ordinary, his long hair tied in a small ponytail at the back of his head. He wore a sky-blue dress shirt on his upper body, straight black suit trousers below, and a pair of shiny leather shoes on his feet.
His entire appearance looked very capable and efficient, his aura giving off the impression of a secretary or butler.
[Who is he? Is he another Upper Rank demon who came to provide support?]
[The demonic aura on him is so strong... much much stronger than Upper Rank Six!]