Some moments later.
A large group of demon slayers approach the forest, an uneasy expression on their faces.
Leading them was a single slayer wearing a haori with a white-yellow gradient and red flame-like ridges.
"Rengoku-san, this feels wrong... No ordinary demon could kill so many slayers. Could it be an Upper Moon?" one of them whispered.
"Stay calm," said Senjuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira. "More Hashiras are on their way. Even if it's an Upper Moon, they won't survive against all of us."
Senjuro Rengoku is a younger brother of the former Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. He is now 58 years old.
As they reached the heart of the forest, a chilling sight stopped them in their tracks.
The ground was soaked in blood, scattered with the mangled remains of their comrades.
A hushed wave of whispers spread through the group, their fear palpable.
"How could this happen?"
"Who could've done such a thing?"
They glanced at the thick branch above, where two young women sat. The one in a dark red dress meticulously braided the flowing black hair of the other, who wore an elegant white dress like a bride.
"I didn't know you were so talented at this," said the woman in white, Eliza, with a serene, satisfied smile.
"You're abusing my powers again. You summoned me for your help doesn't mean you can order me anything you want," said the girl in a dark red dress, Jigen, in a masculine voice.
Once Jigen was done braiding her hair, he glared at the demon slayers.
In an instant, they froze where they stood, their eyes dull and lifeless.
Senjuro looked around in surprise, his eyes widened in disbelief. "W-What did you do to my team?"
Jigen leaped gracefully from the branch, landing with unnerving ease. His long hair and crimson dress billowed around him like a storm.
"Assume them as dead now," Jigen's voice grows cold.
"What you've done to my comrades… Who… who exactly are you?"
Jigen's crimson eyes blazed like molten fire in the night, cutting through the darkness. His voice was as cold as death itself.
"I've plunged them into an eternal nightmare… an infinite dream from which they'll never wake. Consider yourself lucky, Flame Hashira... I've decided to spare you, for now."
He took a step forward, the ground beneath him trembling slightly.
"I've never encountered a Flame Hashira before. Prove to me you're worth the title. Show me the strength that burned through legends."
His voice grew deeper, more menacing. "I am not merely a demon. I am the one who thrives in shadows deeper than the abyss… the ruler of spirits and the devourer of souls. I am Jigen, the Upper Moon 3. I am the Devil itself... the very devil that curses this wretched world."
Jigen— WITH THE INTELLECT OF GOD, BUT THE POWER OF DEVIL.
Eliza's voice, playful and teasing, cutting through the heavy tension between them, "I am Eliza, the Upper Moon 4. People call me the Witch of Fate due to my ability to manipulate anyone's fate."
Senjuro's hands trembled as he reached the hilt of his sword.
He remembers his older brother, Kyojuro Rengoku. He takes a deep breath and prepares himself to attack them.
In a blur of motion, he charged, his blade slicing through the air toward Jigen's neck.
But Jigen moved effortlessly, sidestepping the strike with chilling grace.
"Nice try, but you're pathetic! Can I ask you something?"
"What's that?"
Jigen says in a calm voice, "Do you remember your Tsuguko from ten years ago?"
Senjuro's eyes widened in shock, he hesitated, "Matsuda… How do you know about him?"
"He got killed… I mean… He got completely obliterated by my pathetic, stupid subordinate, Lower Moon 4," said Jigen, his voice eerily calm.
Eliza interjected with a mock gasp. "Wait, are you talking about me? And who's Matsuda?"
Jigen says without looking at her, "We're not talking about you. I said the lower moon, not the upper moon. He's the one who killed Matsuda, this guy's student."
Eliza put a finger to her chin, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Hmm… I don't remember that at all."
Jigen looks at her and says in annoyance, "Seriously?! Your memory is trash! I thought even you would remember that day, but even this stupid Hashira knows more than you, and he wasn't even there!"
"But what happened? I really don't remember," she said, blinking innocently.
Jigen sighs, "Listen, I am talking about Xeran, the Lower Moon 4, who killed this guy's student. He got killed by the Stone Hashira. Before that, he wanted to propose to you. And you, being you, humiliated him in his final moments. Now, does that ring a bell?"
Eliza's face lit up with realization. "Oh, that guy! Yeah, I remember now. Ugh… he was so disgusting. So, I twisted his fate and got him killed. Problem solved!"
Suddenly…
Two bullets shot through the forest, aimed at Jigen and Eliza.
The first bullet passed through Eliza like a ghost, leaving her untouched.
The second bullet froze mid-air, mere inches behind Jigen's head.
He turned slowly, his crimson eyes locking onto the shooter.
Standing among the trees was Koji, gripping his double-barreled shotguns, his gaze unwavering. Behind him, more demon slayers emerged, their expressions a mix of awe and fear at the sheer display of power.
With a faint metallic plink, the bullet dropped harmlessly to the ground.
Eliza extends her hand towards the arrived demon slayers.
">———BLOOD DEMON TECHNIQUE: ERASURE———<"
In the blink of an eye, the slayers vanished into nothingness, leaving no trace behind.
Koji and Senjuro froze, their eyes wide with shock.
"W-What just happened?" Koji murmured.
Eliza replied with a satisfied smile, "They're erased from this existence."
Jigen conjured a small voodoo doll resembling Koji, holding it delicately between his fingers.
As he prepared to tear it apart, Senjuro's eyes widened in realization. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, his blade slicing through the air.
In no time, Senjuro destroys the voodoo doll. He is a few inches away from slicing Jigen's head.
But Jigen disappears instantly.
Senjuro landed gracefully, scanning the area.
Jigen reappeared before him, his crimson eyes burning coldly. "Impressive reflexes," he said icily. "Now, prove to me you're worth my time."
"FLAME BREATHING, FIRST FORM: UNKNOWING FIRE"
"FLAME BREATHING, SECOND FORM: RISING SCORCHING SUN"
A blazing arc followed, faster and fiercer.
Jigen sidestepped with unnatural grace, each strike missing by mere inches.
"Rengoku-san, move!" Koji fired twin rounds of his shotguns.
Jigen ducked and twisted, avoiding both flames and bullets with ease.
Koji dashed forward, his hidden blade sliding from his slipper mid-sprint.
In a blink, Jigen vanished, reappearing behind him. "Stupid slayer! You think you can surprise me with your hidden blades in your slippers?"
Jigen can see through him, and everyone beneath clothes, muscles, bones, and even blood.
Eliza lets out a soft laugh, "If you consider this ability in some way, don't you think it's an illegal power?"
"Koji-kun, get away from him!" commanded Senjuro.
"No, Rengoku-San! I want to help y—"
Before he could finish his words, Jigen instantly appeared in front of him and punched him in the face.
"FLAME BREATHING, THIRD FORM: BLAZING UNIVERSE"
Senjuro immediately deflected his punch, but he couldn't react faster… his punch destroyed Koji's left eye and sent him into the air.
"FLAME BREATHING, FOURTH FORM: BLOOMING FLAME UNDULATION"
Jigen dodged his attack, but his face got a scar.
"FLAME BREATHING, FIFTH FORM: FLAME TIGER"
Jigen gets some minor scars on his body while dodging his attacks. The tension spread among everyone in the air.
"Brother, I can't be like you. You've saved so many people, but I couldn't even save one. I wanted to follow your path, to save everyone… But I can't even protect myself right now…" thinks Senjuro.
"FLAME BREATHING, SIXTH FORM"
"FLAME BREATHING, SEVENTH FORM"
"FLAME BREATHING, EIGHTH FORM"
Senjuro's strikes are relentless, but Jigen counters, delivering a crushing punch to his chest. The force sends him flying. Senjuro coughs blood, his ribs shattered.
"I got distracted a bit, but you're nowhere close to me. Tell me, how does it feel to see your death in front of you?" says Jigen.
Senjuro struggles to stand, his legs shaking with the weight of his failure.
He closed his eyes, his mind flooding with memories of his brother, Kyojuro Rengoku. "Brother… you're a legendary slayer… You saved so many from an upper moon… I'm nothing like you. I thought my death might mean something… but I was wrong. It feels… too low, not being able to follow in your footsteps."
Senjuro's heart sank, the weight of his inadequacy crushing him. "But I can hope for one thing… to see you again in the afterlife.
Everything changed after you died… this world became even worse. Since your death, the world has only gotten colder, darker. The extinction of the demon slayers… the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki…"
He took a deep breath, fighting to regain his focus. "SET YOUR HEART ABLAZE."
With those words, a powerful aura burst from Senjuro. His body pulsed with immense, fiery energy, his power growing tenfold as he prepared to unleash everything in one final, desperate attack.
"FLAME BREATHING, NINTH FORM: RENGOKU!"
Senjuro lunged at Jigen with explosive speed. Jigen blocked with his bare hand, but Senjuro's blade sliced his arm, narrowly missing his neck.
Jigen's eyes flickered in surprise. With lightning reflexes, he used his other hand to stop the sword just inches from his throat.
Koji, battered and bleeding from his destroyed eye, struggled to his feet, gritting his teeth
Jigen says in a calm voice, "I'm impressed, slayer! Yet so far to kill me. At least you've managed to slice my arm, and that's what matters. Farewell!"
In a flash, Jigen appeared behind Senjuro, leaping into the air and delivering a crushing kick to his head, obliterating it.
Koji's eyes widened in horror, his jaw dropping.
Senjuro's headless body fell to the ground, blood spraying out from him.
Tears streamed down Koji's face as he ran away, silent, unable to save Senjuro.
…
As Koji fled, Eliza asked calmly, "Aren't you going to stop him? He's running…"
Jigen says in a calm voice, "He's bound to death. My curse will haunt him… Although, I am waiting for only one person… Ren Hajime…"