Chapter 48 The End
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"Lord Tengen, urgent information!"
A beautiful female ninja with a high ponytail hurried into the room.
"Urgent information?" Uzui Tengen stood up and took the document, quickly scanning its contents.
Standing nearly two meters tall, Tengen was a striking figure with short silver hair adorned by a headdress. His build was muscular yet agile, and his handsome features commanded attention. He was the Sound Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, and Yoshiwara Yuukaku was his jurisdiction.
"Upper Rank Demons fighting in Yoshiwara Yuukaku?" Tengen's eyes narrowed as he read. But then his brows furrowed.
Something was off.
Typically, Upper Rank Demons were rare, and seeing even one was unusual. But two appearing simultaneously was highly suspicious.
More importantly, the Twelve Kizuki, all direct subordinates of Muzan Kibutsuji, were unlikely to fight each other without cause.
"Is it a trap?" Tengen mused, then considered another possibility: "Could this be related to Aomura?"
Since the Pillar meeting, Aoki had been under his scrutiny. Alongside other Hashira, Tengen had analyzed Aoki's strength.
Defeating a Lower Rank Demon under the interference of an Upper Rank demon suggested that Aoki's power might rival that of an Upper Rank demon.
"Let's handle this with flair!" Tengen grinned, grabbing his dual swords and strapping them across his back.
"Hinatsuru, report this information to headquarters immediately and request reinforcements from the Lord. Make sure to mention that one of the combatants is suspected to be Aomura!"
"Tengen, what about you?" Hinatsuru asked, her voice tinged with concern.
Tengen's smile broadened, his eyes gleaming with resolve. "I'll go ahead!"
Both Aoki and the Upper Rank demons were critical targets.
He couldn't miss this opportunity.
...
Boom!
A massive hole erupted in the roof, with sharp blood blades slicing through everything around, sending debris and dust flying.
Aoki appeared behind Gyutaro and launched a punch with the force of a cannonball, shaking the air with thunderous force.
Gyutaro barely had time to react. His body convulsed, releasing a torrent of blood that formed into a series of slashing blades, encircling him like a larger meat grinder.
"Blood Demon Art: Leaping Beams!"
Aoki paid no heed, allowing the blood blades to graze his arm as he drove his fist into Gyutaro's head.
Bang!
Half of Gyutaro's head exploded, but he fought to remain standing, clutching his blood sickle and sweeping it backward.
Aoki's arm regenerated instantly.
"Aoki Style: Death!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The two clashed fiercely, fists meeting blood sickles in rapid succession.
Gyutaro gritted his teeth, his attacks gradually faltering.
His techniques were skilled, but his strength was significantly inferior.
...
"Too strong!" The short-haired young man clutched the roof tiles, trying to steady his trembling body.
He knew demons were far stronger than humans, but the demons before him today, especially the black-haired one, completely shattered his understanding.
"Can humans really fight such monsters?" he muttered.
Even from a distance, the oppressive aura made his limbs cold, crushing any will to resist.
The long-haired young man took a deep breath. "Demons are formidable, and the Twelve Kizuki are the worst of them. We ordinary members can't handle them, but the Hashira can!"
"The Hashira?" The short-haired young man looked unconvinced.
He had never seen the Hashira in action. No matter how strong they were, they were still human. Could humans truly contend with such powerful demons?
"Wait! It's reaching a climax!" The long-haired young man's eyes widened, ignoring his companion's doubts.
...
Bang!
Aoki's heavy punch sent Gyutaro's blood sickle flying. Gyutaro's body arched back, exposing a gaping wound in his chest.
"Aoki Style: Storm!"
Aoki's movements shifted, his attacks becoming as relentless as a storm.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Gyutaro's body erupted with holes, his face growing more maniacal.
Blood gushed from his wounds, condensing into a vortex.
To disrupt Aoki's recovery, Gyutaro needed to inflict massive damage in a single blow, buying enough time for him and his sister to escape.
But then...
Gyutaro's eyes widened in shock.
"Did you forget something?"
Before the swirling blood blade tornado, Aoki suddenly appeared above Gyutaro's head.
"Damn it! Damn it! Does his power know no bounds? Why? Why would such a demon exist?"
Gyutaro's face contorted with rage and despair as a cold wind swept by, severing his head in silence.
Blood spurted from the wound, forming a sharp blade storm that shot skyward.
Aoki reappeared to the side.
"It's time to end this. Aoki Style: Storm!"
Fists, elbows, legs, knees – Aoki's attacks rained down like a torrential downpour.
Gyutaro was flung into the air and then crashed heavily to the ground, his body resembling a shattered rag doll. All the flesh and blood were obliterated, and his regenerative abilities collapsed entirely.
"Cough... cough..."
Gyutaro's head rolled to the side, coughing up blood.
Aoki marveled, "You're still conscious!"
The stronger the demon, the less human it became. A fresh demon could lose consciousness from a head blow. After their body collapsed, even powerful demons like Daki would fall into a coma.
But Upper Rank demons seemed immune to anything short of true death.
"Where is my sister?" Gyutaro asked.
Aoki glanced at him, walked over to Daki, picked her up, and placed her beside Gyutaro.
Gyutaro's fingers twitched as he grasped Daki's hand, his expression softening. He looked back at Aoki, saying, "I didn't expect to die at the hands of another demon."
Aoki replied, "Don't worry. You won't be alone for long. Muzan Kibutsuji will join you soon enough!"
Gyutaro stared at him deeply before slowly closing his eyes. "I don't know the location of the other Upper Ranks."
"What a pity," Aoki sighed. He had hoped for more information.
But such luck was rare.
Aoki stretched his arms out over Gyutaro and Daki.
"Devour!"
An invisible vortex formed, swallowing them both in an instant.
[Strength +1.]
[Free skill point +1.]
[Kill Upper Rank Six: Gyutaro and Daki, and gain 1500 experience points.]
[Congratulations, you've leveled up!]
"Attribute points, skill points, 1500 experience points – quite the bounty! This is just from the Sixth Rank. What kind of reward would I get from killing Kokushibo?"
Aoki's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Of course, that was just a thought for now.
With his current strength, he likely couldn't defeat Kokushibo.
After a final glance at the two Demon Slayer Corps members watching from the distant rooftop, Aoki's figure vanished.
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