The four-arm demon lunged at Ryou, ferociously flailing his four arms. In response, Ryou's eyes turned red with three magatama as he activated his Sharingan.
The world around him seemed to slow down, with every detail flashing into his mind. With the enhanced perception granted by his Sharingan, he could see the demon's attacks clearly.
He effortlessly dodged each strike before executing his First Form: Wind Slash. His blade sliced through the air, creating a purplish arc accompanied by a sharp swish.
'Ding!'
The demon resisted the strike with one of his arms, which flew into the air but absorbed the force of the attack. Though it left a deep gash in its chest, it prevented the demon from being sliced in two.
'No wonder Kyojuro couldn't do anything to the demon. Its arms are as strong as iron. Its Blood Demon Art is the bane of the demon slayers,' Ryou mused, planning his next move.
'I still have a chance. Unlike its full-body coverage, just enhancing its arms has flaws. With the right strength and timing, I can end this. I need to act before the demon assesses my threat and changes its blood demon art!'
It would be troublesome to slay the demon's neck if its entire skin were enhanced to the level of iron.
Ryou didn't act immediately, he lowered the demon's vigilance by executing different forms of his breathing techniques.
"Aren't you going to help him?" the injured demon slayer asked.
"No," Kyojuro replied firmly. "I believe in him, just like he believed in me!"
'Weirdos,' the injured demon slayer thought. Taking turns to fight the demon seemed absurd to the demon slayer.
When hunting demons, they typically worked in groups, utilizing whatever methods necessary to slay their targets. But here, it was entirely the opposite. 'Is this the world of the strong?'
"Hahaha... Is this all you've got? I thought you were special, with your red eyes and your skill to withstand my full-power attack head-on, but you've disappointed me," the demon taunted, completely relaxed.
'It's now!' Ryou thought, performing his Eighth Form: Time Zone.
As soon as he entered the Time Zone, Ryou's body shifted into rapid mode while everything else seemed to slow down. Combined with the power of his Sharingan, it was as if someone had pressed a freeze button on the world around him.
'Third Form: Setting Sun.'
As his Nichirin sword ignited with golden flames, the air around Ryou seemed to shimmer with an ethereal glow, casting a mesmerizing vision of a setting sun upon the battlefield.
With a casual walk, he approached the demon before swinging his katana. The blade arced through the air, leaving a trail of golden fire in its wake.
The four-arm demon witnessed everything, but it couldn't even move its fingers; it could only watch in horror as the blazing blade cleaved through its neck.
Finally, the demon regained its movements, but its head was already sliding slowly from its neck, engulfed in flames. "No!" With a deafening roar of agony, the four-arm demon's form began to disintegrate.
As the roar of the demon subsided, all that remained was a pile of ashes, and that too scattered by the gentle breeze that swept through.
'+2 Demon Points!'
Ryou stood amidst the aftermath of the battle, completely relaxed, gazing up at the bright moon hanging high above in the night sky. He muttered, "I'm slightly exhausted,"
Just as he thought he could relax, Ryou felt a slight pain in his chest, and with a cough, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
'It must be from that initial attack when I withstood the demon's blows head-on. Though my Tekkai absorbed much of the demon's power, it wasn't one hundred percent effective.
The four-arm demon's Blood Demon Art was no joke.'
Ryou grimaced slightly, feeling a lingering pain. His Tekkai was at an advanced level, but he needed to strengthen his physique for it to work efficiently.
His skill had proven formidable enough to contend with lower-ranked demons, but against Upper Moons, he wasn't sure. Maybe it would be enough to take a few blows, but that would be the limit.
"Are you okay, Ryou?" Kyojuro asked, noticing him cough blood.
"Yeah. Nothing serious," Ryou replied, wiping the blood from his lips. Considering his physique, this wound would heal in no time.
"You guys are strong. You slayed the four-arm demon with ease. I'm envious. If I had your strength, I wouldn't be helpless against the demons, and I wouldn't have lost my partners!" the injured Demon Slayer lamented.
"With hard work, you can reach our level," Kyojuro encouraged. Then he turned to Ryou and said, "Ryou, I informed the corps. They will soon send Kakushi to clean this place."
"Good. He also needs treatment," Ryou said, glancing at the injured Demon Slayer. "Let's take some rest. We will leave once the Kakushi arrives."
Kyojuro nodded in agreement, instructing the injured Slayer to sit in a comfortable spot.
At that moment, both Ryou and Kyojuro suddenly became alert as they noticed someone approaching from a distance. As the figure drew closer, Ryou recognized him. It was none other than the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima.
With a hulking, muscular figure towering over 7 feet tall, Gyomei exuded a powerful aura. His sheer presence brought a sense of pressure upon them.
It was the unique aura of the strong. There was no doubt—he was the strongest human Ryou had encountered.
'No wonder there's no mention of a Four-Arm demon in the original story. It had the strength and skill to climb the ranks of the Lower Moons, but if it had met Gyomei, its fate would have been sealed,' Ryou thought.
"Gyomei-san!" Kyojuro greeted with respect.
"Kyojuro, you have grown strong," Gyomei commented, his hands in prayer gesture. He then turned his attention to Ryou. "You must be Ryou. Nice to meet you. I am the Stone Hashira, Himejima Gyomei."
"You two did a wonderful job. In fact, I didn't expect you two to slay the demon," Gyomei praised. "Only Hashira can deal with such demons, and even they may not always be certain of success."
"True! Thankfully, Ryou and I were assigned together for this mission," Kyojuro agreed, nodding in acknowledgment.
"Right now the Corps is extremely short of strong individuals, so keep up the good work and continue to improve yourselves," Gyomei encouraged. "You both have the potential to become Hashira."
"We will," Ryou affirmed, exchanging a glance with Kyojuro, who mirrored the same.
Gyomei then turned to the injured Demon Slayer, he spoke with a mild tone. "You've fought bravely. The Kakushi will arrive shortly and provide you with medical assistance."
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P@tre0n/FanficMortal