"Muzan Kibutsuji has made his move!"
After spitting out a massive mouthful of blood, Ubuyashiki Ikeda's already pale complexion turned even more ghostly, devoid of any trace of color. The blood he had coughed up was a dark, turbid crimson, staining the charms and maps spread out before him.
A sharp, stabbing headache—as if dozens of fine needles were being stirred around inside his skull—struck him, making it nearly impossible to remain upright.
"Lord Ikeda!"
Riko, who had been tending to him by his side, gripped his wrist with a look of frantic concern. But Ubuyashiki Ikeda simply waved her off. A faint smile played on his lips, though his voice was hurried and breathless.
"I'm fine, Riko... don't worry."
Just speaking those few words left him gasping for air. It was clear his condition was far from the "fine" he claimed. With Riko's help, he used a trembling finger to wipe the blood from his lips. A strange, feverish flush appeared on his pale face—a manifestation of extreme excitement intertwined with profound anxiety.
"In the twenty-odd years since I was born, this is the first time I have truly and clearly envisioned Muzan Kibutsuji. I saw him... I saw that man screaming hysterically in some hidden place. This means that, in this world, an existence has appeared that fills him with dread. I can feel it... cough, cough... I can feel the terror radiating from his very being! He is afraid. He is terrified of the youth who appeared in Yoshiwara. Riko, that boy... he might be the key to decapitating Muzan Kibutsuji! We must... we must protect that boy and bring him back, no matter the cost!"
Hearing Ubuyashiki Ikeda's words, the Water Hashira, who had been sitting on the porch guarding the room, spoke up softly. He was a handsome man with smooth, long hair and a gentle smile that seemed permanently fixed on his face.
"Master, is that boy truly worth you using your 'Precognition' ability so many times? Forgive my impudence, but you have used it far too frequently of late. If this continues, your body truly will..."
"Tsunayoshi, it's alright. As long as we can bring that boy here safely in the coming hours, then no matter how many times I use my foresight, it will have been worth it."
"Master! You have already done enough. In the days since Rengoku Mujuro's message arrived, you have already dispatched three Hashira to intercept that boy—the Wind Hashira, the Stone Hashira, and the Roaring Hashira. Including Rengoku Mujuro himself, who is essentially the Flame Hashira, that makes four. If four Hashira are sent there, what about your own safety?"
Ubuyashiki Ikeda replied softly, "My life is of no consequence. A successor to take my place has already appeared. Tsunayoshi, I understand your feelings and I am grateful for your concern. Having you by my side is enough for me. But I am not a swordsman; I cannot fight Muzan with my own hands. The true future lies with all of you. From the day I was born, I have been prepared to be the kindling that is burned away. So, whatever the future holds, please do not blame yourself. I beg of you..."
As he spoke, Ikeda coughed up more blood. This time, he didn't even stop to wipe it away, turning instead to Riko with urgent instructions.
"Riko, please issue an order immediately. Have all members of the 'Kakushi' near Yoshiwara go on the highest state of alert..."
His voice was weak, yet it carried an undeniable sense of urgency.
"Tell them to support the Hashira at all costs and assist Izumi Kiyokazu and the other two in their withdrawal! Also, instruct the Wind and Stone Hashira not to get bogged down in battle. Once they have secured the boy, I will have the Kasugai Crows guide them. They are to split into three different routes..."
Watching Ubuyashiki Ikeda continue to cough up blood, the Water Hashira's fists tightened. At this moment, he only wished his master would cherish his own health a little more. At the same time, a flicker of dissatisfaction toward the boy his master placed such high hopes in began to grow in his heart.
Is he truly worth the Master going to such lengths?
In the mountain forest about thirty li outside of Yoshiwara, Izumi Kiyokazu felt a slight sense of relief as he watched Doma frantically dodging before him.
The Doma of this era, currently holding the position of Upper Rank Six, was far inferior to the Upper Rank Two Doma from the original story, both in terms of raw strength and combat experience.
Even so, Kiyokazu did not let his guard down for a second. He was well aware of his current situation. The only reason he could continue to trade blows with Doma was by pushing his body to the absolute limit with Sun Breathing, while the burning wisteria logs behind him continuously restricted Doma's fighting space.
Kiyokazu could sense Doma's intense loathing for the rising wisteria smoke. Even if it meant risking a strike from Kiyokazu's blade, the demon refused to inhale even a single puff of the purple haze. Based on this, the lethality of wisteria toward the Doma of this period was certainly not to be underestimated.
I just need to keep this up. Once the wisteria fire burns even brighter and the Roaring Hashira recovers enough to fight, stalling until dawn won't be a problem!
But until then, he couldn't let the demon open up any distance. He couldn't give Doma a single moment's reprieve to unleash those troublesome Blood Demon Arts!
"Total Concentration: Sun Breathing!"
Kiyokazu didn't shout the words aloud; he spoke them in the silence of his mind.
As his lungs pumped like bellows, the scorching breath he inhaled and exhaled began to circulate through his entire body in a specific pattern, washing away the fatigue and soreness in his muscles.
This was the true power of Sun Breathing—it encompassed the strengths of almost every other Breathing Style. The sharpness of Wind, the fluidity of Water, the solidity of Stone, the intensity of Flame, and the explosiveness of Thunder... as long as Kiyokazu held the concept in his mind, he could manifest any of them at will.
With his agile and ever-changing swordsmanship, his nearly limitless bursts of speed and stamina, and his unpredictable footwork that left Doma flustered, Kiyokazu was a whirlwind of destruction. Combined with the dark-red glow of his Nichirin Sword, every swing carried a solar-like heat that instantly evaporated and scattered the fine ice crystals Doma tried to condense around him.
"Oh my, really now... you're quite a handful, aren't you? I've never seen a swordsman like you before..."
Doma's face still wore that same false smile of pity, but the astonishment in his rainbow-colored eyes and a hint of imperceptible irritation were steadily mounting.
After being pursued and hacked at by Kiyokazu for some time, Doma decided to capitalize on his powerful demon physique and regenerative abilities. He intended to tank a strike or two in order to create an opening for a counterattack.
But the moment that glowing red blade drew near, he realized he had made a catastrophic mistake.
Unfortunately, by then, it was already too late.
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Demon Slayer: Starting by Snatching Daki(175 Chapter- Ongoing)
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