Chapter 65 "Brother, let go!"...
In the swordsmith village.
Demons are wreaking havoc on the village. To avoid unnecessary casualties, Giyu Tomioka makes a decisive decision to gather and protect the swordsmiths who do not have the ability to kill demons at the village chief's residence.
The air was thick with the scent of demons, a strong and menacing aroma that almost certainly indicated that the demon in question was the Upper Moon demon.
Giyu Tomioka, Mitsuri Kanroji, and Tanjiro encountered Upper Moon Four, Hantengu. Meanwhile, the Tokito brothers and Genya Shinazugawa, after successively defeating the monsters conjured by their Blood Demon Arts, also encountered the elusive Upper Moon Five, Gyokko…
It must be said that as the originator of many derived breathing techniques, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's guidance to the Demon Slayer Corps members has been remarkably effective, as evidenced in the current battle.
Even so, the Upper Moon is not easy to deal with.
His body felt like it was burning in fire, his heart was beating at an abnormally high rate, but along with that came a significant and noticeable increase in his strength.
This is the "stripes" that Yoriichi Kudo mentioned before.
Yoshiyuki Tomioka developed wave-like patterns on his left cheek. He endured the side effects of activating the markings and rescued a villager who couldn't escape in time from the rubble before the house collapsed.
"Leave as soon as possible."
The black-haired swordsman escorted him to safety, his expression grave, and gave him concise instructions. His blade still bore traces of congealed blood, and he was about to return to the battlefield.
As if remembering something, the villager who was about to escape stopped and shouted in the direction of the black-haired swordsman: "Tomioka-sama, Yoriichi-sama is also at the hot spring."
He knew that the girl brought by Lord Water Pillar had gone to the hot spring, and he also happened to know that the mysterious Lord Sun Pillar had been soaking in the hot spring to recover his health before that.
Tetsujin had never been so glad that he was so gossipy and liked to inquire about things based on hearsay, such as that girl being a woman whom Lord Water Pillar greatly admired...
So if we tell Lord Water Pillar this news now, he will be very happy.
Yoshiyuki Tomioka's movements indeed froze for a moment. He first gritted his teeth, his cheeks taut.
However, it must be said that upon hearing these words, he immediately calmed the growing anxiety in his heart and threw himself into the battle against the demon without any worries.
He encountered a demon on his way to retrieve the sword and was forced to stay close to protect the swordsmith, unable to go directly to Aori's side.
Although the hot spring is in a remote location, no one can guarantee that the demons created by the Upper Moon's Blood Demon Art haven't gone there, and Aori... Aori simply can't handle it.
And now, she is in the safest place.
Without a doubt, Yoriichi Tsugikuni is the most skilled swordsman in the swordsmith village and the one most capable of protecting Ori.
…………
Upper Moon Four's multiple clones and Upper Moon Five's unpredictable Blood Demon Arts prevented the battle from ending quickly, and even led to a stalemate at one point.
However, Tanjiro Kamado's sense of smell played a decisive role, leading to the best possible outcome.
He gasped for breath, watching the Upper Moon gradually turn to ashes, his face, a blend of youthful innocence and maturity, unable to conceal his excitement: "Mr. Tomioka, we finally..."
Before he could celebrate any longer, a terrifying thought occurred to him, and his lips trembled slightly: "...Miss Aori?"
Giyu Tomioka nodded slightly, sheathed his sword, his deep blue eyes still showing no joy. Without lingering, he quickly headed towards the hot spring.
A few moments later, several more figures followed.
********
Tokito Yuichiro and Tokito Muichiro have more complex feelings for Yoriichi Tsugikuni than for the others.
Everyone respectfully calls Yoriichi Tsugikuni "Yoriichi-sama," but if Tokito Ichiro and Tokito Muichiro were to follow suit and call him that, it would seem too distant.
But they don't seem to have a very suitable name, after all, they are really many generations removed from Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
When Yoriichi Tsugikuni was instructing the "Pillars" on their training, after learning their techniques, for some reason, Yuichiro Tokito and Muichiro Tokito noticed a change in his expressionless face.
He seemed lost in thought, as if lost in some distant memory...
—I just never expected that our next meeting would be like this.
The once smooth ground was now riddled with ravines carved by swords and blades; hard boulders shattered into fragments, scattered haphazardly around them; even the surrounding plants were not spared…
Yoriichi Tsugikuni protected the girl with one hand, revealing an unprecedented sharpness. He leaned forward, poised to strike, and the veins on his hand holding the sword were bulging.
In contrast, there is an Upper Moon that no one except Giyu Tomioka has ever seen.
Kokushibo's broad hands gripped the girl's waist tightly. He knelt on one knee, but did not appear weak. His six pupils showed visible madness, and his expression and movements were ruthless.
They each held a knife, facing each other menacingly, yet seemed to be holding back something and choosing not to attack immediately.
The girl's eyes were closed, her face was pale, her petite body was wrapped up and squeezed in the fabric, and her wet hair clung to her pale neck, leaving wet streaks.
You could tell she was very unsettled; her brows were furrowed weakly, making her look both innocent and pitiful, like prey trapped in a spider web, unable to break free at all.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Kokushibo appear to be vying for the girl's ownership, baring their claws and fangs, neither giving an inch.
This was precisely what Giyu Tomioka couldn't tolerate. He didn't understand why things had turned out this way and only wanted to know how the girl was doing. Before he could even utter the words that were about to come out, Ichiro Tokito, who had followed closely behind, beat him to it.
With bloodstains on his face, he gritted his teeth and said, "Let her go!"
Tanjiro Kamado, who arrived last, was completely stunned by the scene before him.
This was the first time he had ever actually seen the legendary Upper Moon One, Kokushibo. However, both the Upper Moon's appearance and aura made his blood feel as if it had frozen.
However, the next second, he did not smell the scent that he loathed from the bottom of his heart on Kokushibo's body—the unique fishy smell of a demon after eating a human.
Tanjiro Kamado knew that thinking about these things was completely pointless, but he couldn't control himself.
He was filled with confusion, and his voice was hoarse: "...What happened?"
This sound seemed to break the deadlock.
Yorimitsu gritted his teeth, seemingly forgetting Kokushibo's earlier angry rebuke, his mind filled only with thoughts of Oori, who had inexplicably fallen into a coma: "Brother, let go!"
Kokushibo seemed to be enraged; his chest heaved violently, and his distorted features made it seem as if he was about to launch an attack at any moment.
He spoke in a sinister tone: "—Let go!"
With a subtle movement, an arm adorned with coral beads slipped out from the ill-fitting yukata. Oblivious to the movement, Azhi's pink and white fingers dangled to the ground, gathering dust.
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Author's Note: Sorry for the late update _(:з」∠)_ Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2023-07-05 15:57:18 and 2023-07-08 23:38:23!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Mu Sheng, and a severe case of chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) patient for 10 bottles;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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