The air around them was heavy, thick with tension and the oppressive aura of Muzan Kibutsuji. His presence radiated malice, a suffocating force that pressed down on everyone in the battlefield. Despite their combined efforts, Muzan barely seemed fazed, his expression cold and calculating as he evaded their attacks with terrifying ease.
Gon, Killua, Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Rengoku stood side by side, their breaths heavy and labored from the ongoing battle. Aru, their unexpected ally, remained focused, his massive sword resting on his shoulder as he watched Muzan carefully, his eyes gleaming with a wild, dangerous energy.
"I've fought demons before," Aru said, his voice low and filled with a fierce intensity, "but this guy… he's something else."
Muzan's blood-red eyes flicked between them, his lips curling into a cold smile. "You're all nothing but insects, scrambling in the dark," he said, his voice dripping with contempt. "No matter how hard you fight, your efforts are meaningless. This world will fall to me, and all of you will die."
Tanjiro's fists clenched around his sword, his mind racing as he tried to steady his breathing. He had fought powerful demons before, but Muzan was different. His sheer presence made the air feel thick, almost impossible to breathe. But he couldn't back down. Not now.
"We won't let you win," Tanjiro said, his voice firm despite the exhaustion in his body. "We'll fight to the end!"
Gon, his fists glowing faintly with nen, nodded in agreement, his eyes burning with resolve. "You won't win, Muzan. Not while we're still standing."
Killua, his body crackling with electricity from Godspeed, added, "You've underestimated us."
Muzan's smile faded, his eyes narrowing as his aura flared with deadly intent. "Enough of this nonsense."
Without warning, Muzan's body blurred, moving with inhuman speed as he closed the distance between them. His claws extended, gleaming in the moonlight as he slashed toward Tanjiro with deadly precision.
Tanjiro barely had time to react. His instincts kicked in, and he raised his sword just in time to block Muzan's attack, but the force behind the blow sent him skidding backward, his feet digging into the ground. The impact reverberated through his entire body, but he held his ground, his teeth gritted in determination.
"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!" Tanjiro called out, his blade moving in fluid, graceful arcs as he countered Muzan's next strike.
But Muzan's speed was overwhelming. He dodged Tanjiro's attacks with ease, his movements swift and calculated. "You're slowing down, boy," Muzan taunted, his voice filled with cruel amusement. "You can't keep up."
Before Tanjiro could react, Muzan's claws lashed out again, aiming for his throat. But just as the strike was about to land, a flash of silver streaked across the battlefield.
Killua, moving at lightning speed with Godspeed, intercepted Muzan's attack, his claws meeting Muzan's in a burst of electricity. "Not so fast," Killua growled, his silver eyes narrowed in concentration.
Muzan's expression darkened, his eyes locking onto Killua. "Annoying child."
With a flick of his wrist, Muzan swatted Killua away like he was nothing more than a fly. Killua was thrown across the battlefield, his body slamming into the ground with a sickening thud.
"Killua!" Gon shouted, his heart racing as he watched his friend struggle to get back to his feet.
But Killua was already standing, wiping blood from his mouth with a determined grin. "I'm fine," he said, though his voice was strained. "Just keep fighting."
Gon's fists clenched even tighter, his aura flaring with renewed intensity. "I'll make you pay for that!" he shouted, charging toward Muzan with everything he had. "Jajanken: Rock!"
His fist, glowing with nen, shot forward with immense force, the ground cracking beneath him as he launched his attack. Muzan's eyes gleamed with dark amusement as he effortlessly dodged the punch, his movements so fast that Gon barely saw him move.
"You're too slow," Muzan hissed, his voice cold and sharp.
But before Muzan could retaliate, Aru rushed forward, his massive sword swinging down in a deadly arc. Muzan dodged the attack with ease, but the sheer force of Aru's swing sent a shockwave rippling through the ground, knocking Muzan slightly off balance.
"You talk too much," Aru said, his voice dripping with savage delight. "Let's see how long you can keep that up."
Muzan's eyes narrowed, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. "You're becoming quite the nuisance."
Aru grinned, his eyes gleaming with fierce determination. "That's the idea."
A Dangerous Gambit
While Aru clashed with Muzan, Rengoku joined the fray, his flames burning brighter than ever as he launched a powerful attack. "Flame Breathing, Eighth Form: Raging Sun!"
His blade ignited with fiery energy as he swung it toward Muzan, the flames cutting through the darkness like a blazing inferno. Muzan, now dealing with attacks from multiple directions, moved with deadly precision, deflecting Rengoku's flames and Aru's strikes with terrifying ease.
But even as Muzan fought them off, his aura continued to grow more oppressive, more suffocating.
"This is bad," Killua muttered, his eyes narrowing as he watched Muzan's movements. "He's not even using his full strength."
Gon, still catching his breath from his last attack, nodded grimly. "We need a plan. We can't just keep attacking blindly."
Tanjiro, his breathing steady but strained, glanced between Gon, Killua, and Nezuko, his mind racing. "Muzan's regenerating too fast. We can't just rely on our attacks—we need to find a way to stop his healing."
Nezuko growled softly, her eyes locked onto Muzan as she prepared to attack again.
Suddenly, an idea began to form in Tanjiro's mind. He turned to Rengoku, his eyes filled with urgency. "Rengoku-san, your flames… they burn hotter than any fire I've seen. Do you think they could slow Muzan's regeneration?"
Rengoku's fiery eyes blazed with understanding. "It's possible," he said, his voice strong. "But we'll need to hit him with everything we've got."
Tanjiro nodded, determination filling his chest. "We'll create an opening. Rengoku-san, when you see it, use everything you have."
Rengoku's lips curled into a wide, confident grin. "Understood."
Without wasting another moment, Tanjiro turned to Gon and Killua. "We need to distract him. I'll use my Hinokami Kagura to keep him off balance. Gon, Killua, if you can hit him with everything you've got, it might give Rengoku-san the chance he needs."
Gon nodded, his fists glowing with nen as he prepared for another attack. "Got it."
Killua smirked, his silver eyes gleaming with cold determination. "Let's finish this."
Together, the group moved into action. Tanjiro's blade ignited with fiery energy as he activated the Hinokami Kagura, his movements becoming faster, more fluid, as he charged toward Muzan. "Hinokami Kagura, Clear Blue Sky!" His blade slashed through the air, the flames dancing around him as he attacked.
Muzan's eyes flicked toward Tanjiro, his expression cold and calculating as he dodged the attack with ease. "You again."
But before Muzan could counter, Gon and Killua attacked from opposite sides. "Jajanken: Rock!" Gon shouted, his fist glowing with raw power as he punched toward Muzan with everything he had.
Killua, moving with lightning speed, zipped around Muzan, his claws crackling with electricity as he aimed for Muzan's vital points. "Godspeed: Thunderbolt!"
Muzan snarled, his body twisting unnaturally as he dodged both attacks, but the combined pressure from Tanjiro, Gon, and Killua forced him to remain on the defensive.
Aru, sensing the shift in the battle, grinned wildly as he swung his massive sword once more, his strength adding to the chaos of the fight.
And then, the opening came.
Muzan's movements, though still swift, became more erratic as he dealt with attacks from all sides. For a brief moment, his focus wavered, his attention split between too many opponents.
"Now!" Tanjiro shouted, his voice filled with urgency.
Rengoku, his fiery aura blazing like the sun itself, surged forward, his Nichirin Blade igniting with all the power of his Flame Breathing techniques. "Flame Breathing, Ninth Form: Rengoku!"
His sword slashed through the air, a massive wave of fire following in its wake as it barreled toward Muzan with devastating force.
Muzan's eyes widened, the flames blinding him as they closed in. For the first time, there was a flicker of fear in his eyes.
The flames engulfed Muzan, and for a moment, the battlefield was consumed by a roaring inferno.
The Aftermath
As the flames subsided, the battlefield fell silent. The smoke slowly cleared, revealing the scorched earth where Muzan had stood moments before.
Gon, Killua, and Tanjiro stood panting, their bodies trembling from exhaustion, their eyes locked on the spot where Muzan had been. Aru, his sword resting on his shoulder, grinned darkly as he watched the smoke dissipate.
"Did we…?" Gon started, his voice barely a whisper.
But before anyone could respond, a low, menacing laugh filled the air.
The ground beneath them trembled, and from the shadows, Muzan's form reappeared, his body already regenerating from the damage. His eyes were cold, his expression filled with a terrifying calm.
"You think you've won?" Muzan hissed, his voice dripping with malice. "This is only the beginning."
Tanjiro's heart sank. Despite everything they had thrown at him, Muzan was still standing—stronger than ever.
And as the group prepared for the next round of battle, they realized that the true nightmare had only just begun.