章 34: Chapter 34

In an instant, everyone's vision was covered in blood. But no one panicked at all; they all used defensive sword skills.

"Breath of Flame, Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!"

"Breath of Water, Eleventh Form: Calm Waters!"

"Breath of Stone, Third Form: Stone Skin!"

Even those without defensive sword skills blocked every oncoming bloody crescent blade with incredibly fast sword swings.

*Clang, clang, clang!*

The harsh clash of iron weapons echoed like firecrackers, and the defeated bloody blades scattered toward the buildings in every direction.

The bloody blades easily shredded through the wooden structures, leaving gaping holes as the buildings crumbled at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Some of the ordinary people who were putting out fires got caught in the chaos, their screams and cries mixing with the crackling sound of the burning flames.

"What?! My strongest move! It didn't even make you move a step!" Gyutaro's eyes widened in shock, his pupils shrinking into pinpoints as bloodshot veins appeared.

How could this be?! Impossible! Could it be that each of these Hashira is stronger than me?!

No, no, not all of them are strong! It's those three... The auras of those three are different from the others.

They're strong—ridiculously strong. They blocked all my attacks and even managed to help the others!

I have to escape! My sister's head has already been chopped off. If mine gets cut too, we'll both die.

As long as I escape, my sister will survive even if she ends up in the demon slayers' hands!

*Escape!*

Gyutaro instantly targeted the weakest-looking Hashira.

"Blood Demon Art: Flying Blood Sickles!"

"Breath of Water, Eleventh Form: Dead Calm."

Giyu Tomioka drew his sword, his face expressionless. In an instant, a strange tranquility spread within the radius of his blade.

"What?! My Blood Demon Art failed?!"

The bloody blades from Gyutaro's sickles collapsed, turning into mere blood the moment they reached Tomioka.

"Breath of Water, First Form: Water Surface Slash."

Giyu struck with another technique. Gyutaro's hands were severed instantly.

"My hands! They were cut off in an instant! Damn it!"

"Breath of Stone, Second Form: Upper Smash!"

The blind monk, Gyomei Himejima, took the opportunity to rush forward, slamming Gyutaro in the chest with his meteor hammer.

Gyutaro's entire body crumpled like a rag doll as he crashed into a nearby gatehouse, shattering it upon impact.

"Breath of Flame, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!"

Shinjuro Rengoku followed closely behind, slamming Gyutaro with his sheathed Nichirin sword, driving it directly into his chest and pinning him to the ground.

"Aahhh!" Gyutaro screamed, his eyes wide with panic.

What happened? The attacks were coming so fast that I didn't even have time to react!

It's over... It's all over... Lord Muzan!

"Don't give him a chance—chop off his head!" Sanemi Shinazugawa shouted, charging forward, swinging his blade at Gyutaro's neck without hesitation.

*Clang!*

The neck of an Upper Rank demon was much tougher than that of a Lower Rank demon—it was as hard as steel.

"Aahhh!"

Gyutaro's eyes bulged, his veins swelled, and his skin started to split, preparing to use another "Circular Sickle Flash."

However, the Nichirin sword in Kanae Kocho's hand pierced his body instantly. The sword exuded the floral fragrance of wisteria, and the phantom of wisteria flowers enveloped Gyutaro.

"Take this!"

*Snap!*

Gyutaro had no ability to resist—his head was cut off like tofu.

"..." Gyutaro's face was full of fear, but he could no longer speak.

As he looked at his sister, Daki, she was kicked in the head by the demon slayers.

Sanemi looked at the two severed demon heads and spat, "The neck was really tough."

"Oh... that was easy. I didn't even use much force, and I didn't get a scratch," Tengen Uzui stretched his arms, bored.

"Weren't you the one who set the fire?" Tomioka said coldly.

"Hey, I didn't want to set a fire either, but there was no other choice. Tomioka, do you know how to talk nicely?" Uzui complained.

"Although it was wrong to start a fire, it did save a lot of people. If the fire hadn't scared away the onlookers, the demon's Blood Demon Art could have caused many casualties," Shinobu Kocho agreed.

"So, what do we do next?" Giyu Tomioka asked.

"By the way, these two demon heads haven't disappeared yet," Sanemi noted, looking at the two severed heads that were slowly turning into ash.

"Well, Upper Rank demons are stronger than other demons. It's no wonder their heads take longer to disappear," Shinjuro said.

"I wonder what it would be like to chop off Muzan Kibutsuji's head," Sanemi said, eager for a chance.

"Don't worry, the rest of the Demon Slayer Corps are hunting demons all over the land. Lady Yae gave us fifty paper cranes."

"The paper cranes are sure to find the demons. Even if Muzan is hiding in Infinity Castle, once we've killed most of the demons, the paper cranes will all point to the same place."

"Exactly. The only demon left will be Muzan, and the cranes will only have one place to go."

"As long as Muzan Kibutsuji is still on this land, it's only a matter of time before we find him," Tengen Uzui said, patting the Vision on his waist.

"When that time comes, I'll be the one to make the first strike."

"Brother! Why were you killed?! You were so powerful, why were you killed?! Now I'm going to die too!" Daki cried.

"No matter how powerful I am, I can't take on eight Hashira at once! I didn't want to get my head chopped off either!"

"You couldn't handle eight Hashira, but you've eaten fifteen of them. It's just eight! How could you be so useless?!"

"What? You also ate seven Hashira! How come you couldn't even take on one?!"

"It's all because of you! What do we do now?! Lord Muzan won't want useless demons like us! It's all because of you!"

"What... It's pointless to argue now. If it weren't for me, if it weren't for me, you would have..."

"Okay, both of you, stop arguing. You're going to die soon anyway."

Shinobu Kocho squatted down, looking at the bickering demons.

"Kibutsuji Muzan, we already know from the gods that you can receive the memories of demons when they die."

"Soon, the Demon Slayer Corps will cut off your head. As long as you are still in this world, you won't escape—not even Infinity Castle will save you."