Akaza did not answer Sukuna's question. His mouth hung slightly open as he stared at Sukuna in shock. He was looking at Sukuna's fighting spirit.
If Shinobu's fighting spirit was long and tempered, if Kokushibo's had reached the highest realm, then the terrifying fighting spirit radiating from Sukuna at this moment was telling Akaza something else entirely. It was telling him what lay beyond the highest realm.
Even though Akaza had never seen anything beyond the highest realm, he could feel it. This had already surpassed that peak.
Is this the man Muzan-sama is looking for?
Seeing Akaza staring blankly at him without answering, Sukuna let it slide. His mood was good. And this Upper Rank Three had delivered himself to Sukuna's doorstep. A fight would happen regardless. There was no need to rush.
Sukuna walked slowly toward the shore. At the same time, he crooked a finger at Akaza and released his killing intent, speaking arrogantly. "I'll give you one chance. Attack me with everything you have."
Sweat dripped from Akaza's brow. He did not even have the state of mind to exchange words with Sukuna. He immediately dropped into a fighting stance and roared, "Technique Expansion: Destruction Kill: Compass Needle!"
Hearing the term "Technique Expansion" from Akaza's mouth, Sukuna was momentarily confused. He thought it was a mix between Domain Expansion and a technique. But then he remembered he was no longer in that world. Here, "technique" likely referred to a Blood Demon Art, and "expansion" probably had nothing to do with Domains.
Sukuna could also see the snowflake patterns radiating evenly in all directions from Akaza's body. Except for the word "expansion," this technique had nothing to do with Domain Expansion.
Even Shinobu, standing off to the side, could feel it. After using Technique Expansion, the pressure Akaza gave off was completely different from just moments ago.
"HAH—!"
Akaza bellowed. The ground beneath his feet fractured and crumbled. Spiderweb cracks spread in an instant.
Akaza shot forward like a cannonball. At the same time, he gathered power into his right fist and swung it fiercely at Sukuna's head. The compressed air formed a powerful shockwave. Destruction Kill: Air Type!
Akaza was certain. Even among the Upper Ranks, none would dare take a serious blow from him head-on!
But Sukuna, not far away, did not even blink.
The terrifying wind pressure, strong enough to push back any hashira, collapsed abruptly less than half a meter from Sukuna's face.
Like a surging wave crashing against a coastal rock, instantly shattering into nothing. No matter how towering the wave, it could not move the rock an inch.
That attack was over, just like that. Sukuna calmly picked up his discarded Demon Slayer Corps uniform and put it on under Akaza's gaze.
Though Akaza controlled his expression well, inside he was screaming. Impossible! There is no way this is possible!
Before the storm in his heart could settle, instinct had already driven Akaza's body to keep fighting.
Akaza closed the distance to Sukuna. He twisted his body and poured power into his right leg. His entire leg swung down like a battle axe at Sukuna. Destruction Kill: Leg Type: Flashing Cluster Light!
In an instant, a dense storm of kicks rained down on Sukuna. But Sukuna continued doing his own thing, casually raising an arm to block and deflect, precisely interrupting each and every one of Akaza's kicks.
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!
The collisions between Akaza's leg and Sukuna's palm produced dull, thunderous impacts that echoed through the night.
Akaza felt as if he was not kicking a body of flesh and blood. The feedback from his leg told him he was trying to shake a mountain.
Each of his kicks, capable of shattering bouldrs, was effortlessly neutralized by Sukuna. None of them landed.
"Damn it!"
A powerless sense of frustration mixed with humiliation rose in Akaza's heart. He changed tactics instantly, stopping his Leg Type: Flashing Cluster Light. His face twisted into a snarl as he stomped down and poured all his power into both fists.
Destruction Kill: Annihilation Type!
Sukuna could tell. This Upper Rank Three was on an entirely different level from anyone he had faced before.
Just his earlier attacks had already surpassed Gyomei Himejima and Kyojuro Rengoku in their Marked states. And this appeared to be an even stronger full-powered strike.
This time, Sukuna did not respond with deflections or blocks. After all, his opponent had just shown him the upper limit of this world's strong. It was only proper to return the courtesy.
Sukuna raised his hand and clenched his fist as well. Cursed energy cycled rapidly. Pure cursed energy flickered around his knuckles.
Though Akaza could not see the change on Sukuna's fist, he could feel something happening. Some kind of power was at work.
But he had no time to think. All he could do was throw everything he had at Sukuna.
The moment Sukuna's single fist collided with Akaza's two fists, the clash of power Akaza had anticipated never came.
BlackFlash
Because his power could not even begin to compare to Sukuna's, amplified by Black Flash. The moment they made contact, he had already lost. Completely, undeniably lost.
Even in that instant, Akaza struggled. But the bones in both his arms had already been utterly shattered on impact.
Shredded by the force of Sukuna's strike, Akaza's ruined arms slammed into his own chest like two heavy cannonballs, blasting him backward.
The impact sent Akaza skidding across the ground for over ten meters. He finally stopped after snapping two large trees.
Sukuna reflected that it had been a while since he had thrown a proper punch. His form was still there. He did not go after Akaza immediately. He instead took the time to calmly finish pulling on his pants.
Shinobu, who had witnessed everything, stood with her mouth hanging open. Her sword nearly slipped from her hand.
That was a member of the Twelve Kizuki. Upper Rank Three. The third strongest demon under Muzan Kibutsuji.
A demon she knew from personal experience she could never hope to defeat.
And Sukuna had utterly crushed his full-powered strike with a single simple punch.
This shook Shinobu even more than Sukuna's fight with Gyomei Himejima.
She also realized the true problem. Sukuna was far stronger than she had ever known. Perhaps he had simply never faced an opponent strong enough to force him to reveal his full power.
Even though the wounds on his arms and body were rapidly regenerating, the serpent of despair coiled around Akaza's heart in their absence.
Akaza was not invincible. He could not beat Muzan. He could not beat Kokushibo. He could not even beat that bastard Doma. But this was different. This feeling was different from all of those.
And the Sukuna who had just defeated him was now standing over him, looking down. "Get up."
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Stone the fic