Bab 10: Akaza's Death ; Before the end
Akaza, with an unremovable sinister smile, observed the three Hashira preparing to attack. "Do you think your spirit and strength are enough to defeat me? Let's see how long you can hold out."
With a swift movement, Akaza jumped towards Rengoku, his fist ready to strike. Rengoku, with sharp reflexes, leaped to the side while swinging his sword with full force.
"Second Form: Raging Inferno!" He created a wave of fire flowing from his sword, igniting with his fighting spirit.
Akaza jumped back, easily dodging the attack. "You need to be faster than that!" He took advantage of the opening to strike Gyomei, who was larger and stronger, creating shockwaves in the surrounding area.
Gyomei, with his solid posture, raised his hammer. "Third Form: Earth Shatter!" The massive hammer struck the ground, generating vibrations that shook the battlefield. The shockwave from Gyomei's attack hit Akaza, but the demon merely smiled, seemingly entertained by the assault.
"Interesting! But not enough!" Akaza moved his right hand, unleashing his Blood Demon Art: Crushing Hands. A sharp wave of energy shot towards Gyomei, but with incredible speed, Haru jumped forward.
"Third Form: Tidal Wave!" With full power, Haru attacked Akaza from the side, trying to divert his attention. Akaza staggered back, but his quick movements brought him back to his original position.
Rengoku and Gyomei seized the opportunity, attacking simultaneously.
"First Form: Raging Sun!" Rengoku unleashed a flurry of attacks, while Gyomei swung his hammer with tremendous strength. "Second Form: Rockbreaker!"
Akaza, trapped between the two assaults, deftly dodged.
"Do you think you can defeat me with ordinary attacks?" He launched a series of shockwave attacks, destroying the surrounding environment and creating chaos.
Haru tried to stay focused. "We must unite! Don't let him separate us!" He ran toward Rengoku and Gyomei, preparing his attack. "Let's strike together!"
Akaza, sensing a weakness in their formation, unleashed the Compass Needle technique. With this technique, he could feel the fighting spirit of each Hashira. "Your strength is fascinating, but I can sense a weakness among you."
As Akaza launched an attack towards Rengoku, Gyomei immediately protected his comrade.
"Get ready!" He raised his hammer to block the attack, but Akaza moved too quickly.
The shockwave hit Gyomei, knocking him back. "Gyomei!" Rengoku shouted, but at that moment, Haru dashed forward.
"Regain your strength!" He extended his hand, trying to channel energy into Gyomei's body. Vitality-filled chakra flowed, slightly healing Gyomei's wounds. If Haru had mastered medical ninjutsu, it would have been easy for him to fully heal Gyomei's injuries. Unfortunately, even trained ninjas found it difficult to master medical ninjutsu, let alone Haru, who had no foundation in ninjutsu; he could only channel wood-style chakra for simple healing.
Gyomei felt his wounds temporarily suppressed. "Let's defeat this monster!"
Akaza, seeing Gyomei recover, grew even more excited. "You are indeed strong, but this is just the beginning!" He launched an Air Type attack, creating shockwaves that floated in the air, directed straight at the three Hashira.
"Watch out!" With sharp instincts, Haru dodged using the Shunshin technique, leaping to the side.
Gyomei and Rengoku tried to block the attack, but the shockwaves shattered the ground beneath them, creating deep cracks.
"We need to find a way to attack together!" Rengoku shouted seriously.
Rengoku, with his unwavering spirit, raised his sword. He jumped forward, trying to draw Akaza's attention.
Gyomei followed with a crushing hammer attack. "Second Form: Rockbreaker!" The hammer struck the ground, producing a rumble that shook the battlefield.
Akaza, staggering, easily dodged Gyomei's attack.
"You are too slow!" He launched an attack using the Destruction Type technique, creating two circular shockwaves aimed at Rengoku and Gyomei.
"Rengoku, watch out!" Haru shouted, but it was too late. The shockwaves struck them, pushing them back. In the face of this crisis, Rengoku's heartbeat quickened, and his body temperature soared to 39°C. A mark resembling flames appeared on Rengoku's right cheek. As the mark appeared, he felt his power surge.
"Demon Slayer Mark!" Haru exclaimed in surprise, not expecting Rengoku to awaken the Demon Slayer Mark at this moment.
As if resonating, a wave-like mark appeared on Haru's right forehead. Feeling his own power increase, he quickly realized that he too had awakened the Demon Slayer Mark. He wasn't worried about the awakening of the mark; he wouldn't live to see 25 years due to the vitality of the wood-style chakra continuously fueling his body. The reason those who awakened the Demon Slayer Mark could not live beyond 25 years was that their bodies could not withstand the excessive consumption of life force. Except for Yorichi Tsugikuni, who was born with the Demon Slayer Mark, no one had ever escaped that curse. But now, Haru was confident he would be the second.
With their powers heightened, the three of them prepared for a final attack. Rengoku raised his sword high.
"First Form: Raging Sun!" Flames ignited from his sword, merging with Gyomei's strength as he lifted his hammer.
"Second Form: Rockbreaker!" Gyomei charged forward, creating shockwaves directed at Akaza.
Akaza, trapped between those terrifying attacks, tried to evade, but it wasn't quick enough. Rengoku and Gyomei launched a simultaneous assault, striking Akaza with tremendous force.
Akaza staggered, and Haru seized the opportunity, using Shunshin to appear right behind Akaza and behead him. But at the last moment, Akaza broke through his limits; even though his head was severed by the Nichirin sword, he did not die.
"Do you think this is over?" He launched one final attack that shook the arena.
"Huh!? How is he not dead after being beheaded?" Rengoku said, astonished.
"Some demons can remain alive even after their heads are severed, including Kibutsuji Muzan; they can only be killed by sunlight," Haru briefly explained.
"I see, that means we need to drag this battle until sunrise, right?" Rengoku said seriously.
"That's right, don't let him escape; the sun will rise soon," Haru said, looking at the sky, which was already beginning to brighten.
Rengoku and Gyomei nodded, fighting tirelessly. As Akaza attempted to escape, they would prevent him, even if it meant taking injuries.
Among them, Haru had the most severe injuries because he frequently used Shunshin to intercept Akaza, making him the one most often hit by attacks. But with his strong vitality, he continued to fight as if he were not injured at all. Even Haru himself doubted whether he was actually a masochist.
Despite that, they managed to drag the battle until sunrise.
The sun began to rise on the horizon, the first rays touching the ground. Akaza felt the change. "No!"
In the dazzling sunlight, Akaza's body began to burn.
"No! This can't be happening!" He struggled against it, but nothing could stop the power of sunlight.
With the last of their strength, they launched a simultaneous attack. In an instant, sunlight hit Akaza, and his body continued to burn. In the blinding light, Akaza turned to ashes. Haru, although tired, felt happy.
"We... we did it!" Rengoku gasped, his smile radiating. Gyomei nodded, looking at the rising sun. "Today, we finally made a new step, one step closer to exterminating the Demons." Exhausted, they sat on the ground and waited for Kakushi to clear the battlefield.
....
Kibutsuji Muzan stood in the dark laboratory, surrounded by various gleaming scientific equipment used for experiments. The usual silence that accompanied him was now filled with a palpable vibration of anger. He stared at the solution in the shaking test tube, which seemed to reflect his overwhelming emotions.
"The Demon Slayer Corps, always in my way!" Muzan shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. In an instant, he felt the torrent of rage flowing within him. As he focused on the experiment to find a way to overcome his weakness to sunlight, his control over Akaza suddenly slipped away. Initially, he suspected Akaza might betray him like Tamayo did in the past, but he dismissed that doubt, knowing well what kind of person Akaza was; he wouldn't betray him and couldn't possibly do so. Therefore, he immediately reviewed Akaza's last memories based on his control over the demon. Despite it sounding impossible that an Upper Rank Kizuki, who had never been defeated in hundreds of years, was dead, he had to believe it upon seeing the defeat of three Hashira.
Muzan vividly recalled how he had directed Akaza to ambush the Hashira using Enmu as bait. He thought it was a clever strategy, but the outcome was disastrous. Akaza, who was supposed to be the predator, had become the prey.
With swift movements, Muzan paced around the room. Each step seemed to shake the ground, creating an inevitable terrifying aura. He grabbed a test tube and crushed it in his hand, sending shards of glass scattering everywhere. "All of this is due to their incompetence!" he yelled again, his voice growing hoarse.
After calming himself, Muzan returned to his workstation, beginning to mix unknown substances.
...
Meanwhile, while Kibutsuji Muzan was furious and upset, Kagaya's mood could be described as one of goodness.
"Hahaha... finally,... finally... we are getting closer to our goal, Kibutsuji Muzan, I will surely eliminate you... cough... cough," Kagaya spoke with excitement that could not be hidden as he received the news of the Upper Rank Kizuki's death.
"Please calm down, Danna, take care of your health," Amane, who sat beside him, said with concern for her husband's condition.
"I'm fine, Amane," Kagaya replied softly.
.....
The Hashira gathered in a meeting room that was different from before. Though the annual meeting had just taken place recently, the significance of this event necessitated another gathering.
Ten Hashira sat on either side, waiting for Kagaya's arrival. The attention of the other Hashira was focused on Haru and Kyoujuro, who bore the Demon Slayer mark on their faces. Although curious, they refrained from asking questions until Kagaya arrived.
Time passed, and Kagaya entered, accompanied by his two daughters. Due to the curse, Kagaya's health continued to deteriorate; he had lost his sight and could only rely on his daughters to guide him. Despite his weakening body and the approach of death, Kagaya never despaired or complained. In fact, according to doctors, it was a miracle that Kagaya was still alive at this point, as examinations suggested he should have already passed away six months ago. But somehow, Kagaya remained alive, possibly due to his obsession with eliminating Kibutsuji Muzan.
"Good morning everyone, the weather is nice today. I hope you are all well," Kagaya said gently. Although he could not see, he spoke of the weather, which was quite ironic, but no one laughed. They all respected Kagaya from the bottom of their hearts.
"May Oyakata-sama always be healthy," they said sincerely.
"Alright, let's begin," Kagaya said, starting the meeting.
"As you all know, a few days ago, the Flame Hashira, Stone Hashira, and Wave Hashira (Haru) managed to kill an Upper Rank Kizuki."
The other Hashira nodded and continued to listen.
"Alright, Haru, could you tell us in detail about the Upper Rank Kizuki's abilities and the mark known as the Demon Slayer mark? How is it activated?" Kagaya handed the discussion over to Haru.
The other Hashira turned their gazes to Haru, eager to hear the whole story.
Kanroji Mitsuri looked at Haru with a flushed face and shining eyes. Not because she liked Haru, but rather she was simply enamored.
"The strength of the Upper Rank Kizuki is immense, and no one can defeat them one-on-one. Of course, it's possible to hold your own for a short time if we have activated the mark..." Haru explained.
The other Hashira frowned in dissatisfaction at Haru's claim that they couldn't defeat him.
"What Haru said is not wrong; if it weren't for the Stone Hashira's help, we would never have been able to kill Akaza before activating the mark," Rengoku spoke candidly, supporting Haru.
"Haru, what mark are you referring to, and how do we activate it?" Shinobu asked wisely.
"I hope no one will activate the mark," Haru sighed.
"Why?" Shinobu asked, frowning.
"Because anyone who activates the Demon Slayer mark won't live beyond 25 years; I believe Kagaya-sama also has some records about this," Haru said while looking at Kagaya.
"Indeed, what Haru said is true. The records in the Ubuyashiki family are incomplete; there is no method to activate the Demon Slayer mark," Kagaya confirmed Haru's statement.
"Not living beyond 25 years? Who cares? As long as I can eliminate demons, even if I only have one more day to live, it doesn't matter," Sanemi said with determination, and nearly all the Hashira nodded, except for Kanroji Mitsuri.
All members of the Demon Slayer Corps held a deep hatred for demons, including the Hashira, so they would do anything to eradicate demons.
Only Mitsuri had no hatred toward demons; her reason for joining the Demon Slayer Corps was to find a husband, and the salary from being a Demon Slayer was substantial enough that Mitsuri didn't have to worry about going hungry.
Seeing their determination, Haru knew it was futile to persuade them otherwise.
"Since you have all decided, I will tell you how to activate the Demon Slayer mark. To awaken the Demon Slayer mark, one must survive in life-threatening conditions, specifically a heart rate exceeding 200 beats per minute and a body temperature above 39° Celsius (102.2° Fahrenheit)..." Haru also explained that when a person awakens the mark, the mark will appear on others nearby as if resonating.
After hearing the conditions, the Hashira, especially Shinobu, finally understood why no one lived beyond 25 years after activating the mark.
"The decision is in your hands; I hope you think it through carefully. I sincerely apologize for not being able to help; if only my body were healthy, I would surely want to fight alongside you," Kagaya said with an apologetic expression full of guilt.
Due to his ailing body, even though Kagaya also wanted to fight on the front lines, he could not do so. The only thing he could do was provide comfort and support to the best of his ability and remember the names of fallen Demon Slayer members to pray for them.
"Oyakata-sama, don't say that. We hope you stay healthy and leave all the work to us," Sanemi said passionately. Among the Hashira, Sanemi was arguably the one who respected Kagaya the most.
"I know, Sanemi. You take care as well."
"Kagaya-sama, there's one more thing I want to share," Noah's words caught the attention of the other Hashira.
"What is it, Haru? Just say it," Kagaya said gently.
"Kagaya-sama, I know the hideouts of Upper Rank Six and Upper Rank Two."
As soon as Shinobu heard "Upper Rank Two," her body trembled with anger and hatred.
"Where? Where is he?" Before Kagaya could ask, Shinobu approached Haru and asked anxiously.
"Calm down, Shinobu," Haru said, trying to soothe her.
"Alright, go on, Haru..." Shinobu took a deep breath to calm herself before sitting back down.
Haru then described the locations of Upper Rank Two and Upper Rank Six. He also explained his plan to conduct joint training for all Demon Slayer members with potential to prepare for the final battle. During the meeting, Haru provided information about the abilities of the Upper Ranks and Muzan. He also mentioned that in just a few months, Nezuko would complete her transformation into a demon that was unafraid of sunlight and could walk in the daylight. He explained that they would use Nezuko to lure Muzan out. While Nezuko's transformation process was still incomplete, they needed to seize this opportunity to strengthen themselves.
Hearing this, they were shocked, but after Kagaya assured them that Haru indeed had the ability to see parts of the future, the Hashira finally believed him.
Although many might die during this training because there were not many strong Demon Slayers, including Hashira, on the front lines, they ultimately solidified their resolve that sacrifice was unavoidable.
The meeting ended on a tense note, and Kagaya wasted no time in calling the potential Demon Slayers.
If possible, Haru wanted to save all the Hashira, as it would increase the rewards upon returning to the Reincarnation Tower. As previously stated, the more one strayed from the plot, the more rewards one would receive, and in the original work, almost all the Hashira died. So, if he could prevent that, one could imagine how many reincarnation points he would earn.
As for letting Muzan win and annihilate the Demon Slayers, Haru would not consider it because he was sure Muzan would also kill him. And it was impossible for him to become a demon just to get close to Muzan. Muzan had absolute control over all demons, meaning he would lose his freedom after becoming one. Thus, he did not choose this option from the very beginning.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone