Eight ribbons, sharp as guillotine blades, descended with unstoppable force.
Tong Gu gripped Daki's neck with a fierce twist, a crisp crack echoing through the air. Without hesitation, he flung her into the air, gripping his sword with both hands as an immense surge of power erupted from within.
He did not flinch or evade but swung his blade with unparalleled force at the descending ribbons.
Swish!
Slash!
The ribbons split in two under the strike, but their sharp edges, manipulated by Daki's Blood Demon Art, grazed Tong Gu's shoulders, leaving deep wounds.
Boom!
The enormous impact crashed down, obliterating this corner of the vibrant red-light district in an instant. The courtyard Tong Gu had purchased, along with neighboring brothels and taverns, was reduced to rubble.
As Daki's shattered body floated midair, her twisted throat regenerated rapidly. Surveying the destruction she had caused, she felt a thrill of delight. Though she had hidden here for so long, a part of her always harbored the urge to completely demolish the district.
The sight of the towering swordsman bleeding from his shoulders only stoked her excitement.
If I devour him, I'll become even stronger!
Suddenly, the swordsman looked up. Their eyes met, and Daki felt a chill grip her heart.
Desperately, she tried to manipulate her scattered ribbons to shield herself, but before she could react, a series of blade flashes illuminated the night.
Daki felt a sudden lightness. Her torso was severed cleanly, her arms falling away.
"AHHH!"
Daki screamed hysterically, unable to accept what had just happened.
The only consolation was that her head remained intact—her neck had not been severed.
After hacking away her limbs and torso, Tong Gu did not immediately go for the head. Instead, he hoisted Daki's upper half, leaped to the rooftops, and sprinted toward the Kyogoku House under the moonlight.
---
If the twin demons of Upper Rank Six had a weakness, it would undoubtedly be Daki herself.
Gyutaro was a formidable Upper Moon, with extraordinary speed, skill, perception, and Blood Demon Art abilities. Even among the Hashira, only a select few could hope to defeat him one-on-one. Factoring in his deadly poison, the odds became even slimmer.
However, Gyutaro's overindulgence in his sister was a glaring vulnerability. He allowed her to fight freely, stepping in only when she was overwhelmed.
That was their greatest weakness.
Tong Gu hadn't forgotten to sever Daki's head. Rather, he was deliberately creating an opportunity to confront Gyutaro in a more suitable location. In essence, he was leading the twins to their grave.
As Daki's body slowly regenerated, her gaze glinted with both malice and cunning.
Suddenly, Tong Gu's steps halted. With an air of certainty, he declared,
"This is it—your storage room."
Daki's expression shifted. Only now did she realize they were in the Kyogoku House's vicinity.
How does he know about my storage room? Are there more Demon Slayers nearby?
While she was lost in thought, her limbs finished regenerating. She immediately lashed out, her ribbons slicing toward Tong Gu's arm.
But Tong Gu had been closely monitoring her movements. With a sharp shake of his arm, he shattered her attack, flinging her body to the ground with tremendous force.
Crash!
As Daki smashed into the earth, Tong Gu gripped his sword with both hands, raising it high above his head. His breathing slowed as he drew in deep, powerful breaths.
The intensity of his breath was such that even Daki felt a faint breeze against her skin. She stared at him in terror, sensing an inexplicable growth in the already imposing swordsman.
Tong Gu's muscles tensed as his heart thundered like a war drum. His body radiated heat, his skin glowing faintly red.
Among all the techniques Tong Gu had learned, this one—a simple vertical slash—was the one he had practiced the longest.
It required no tricks, no embellishments—only raw power and unmatched speed.
Beneath his feet, the ground pulsed in rhythm with the earth's vibrations. Tong Gu's entire being synchronized with this rhythm, channeling all his strength into the strike.
A towering aura enveloped him, paralyzing Daki with fear.
Earth Breathing, First Form: Gate of Hell!
"Onii—"
BOOM!
A blinding white shockwave erupted, cutting off her words mid-cry. Daki's head separated from her body, the enormous blade cleaving into the ground with such force that the earth itself seemed to split open.
Rumble!
The ground cracked open, revealing a massive chasm as if the gates of hell had been wrenched apart. From above, Tong Gu could see a vast underground chamber filled with countless skeletons.
Daki's severed head and torso fell into the sea of bones. She stared at the sight in sheer terror, wailing uncontrollably.
Tong Gu understood that this marked the beginning of her "second phase." Wasting no time, he pulled out a compact silver capsule and tossed it to the ground.
With a pop of smoke, Tong Gu carefully retrieved a heavy silver box weighing over ten kilograms. Approaching the edge of the chasm, he rested one hand on a detonator at his waist.
"This thing's powerful enough to take down even Upper Rank Six. Consider yourselves honored."
He casually lobbed the box into the pit and prepared to leave.
"Oh? What did you just throw into that hole?"
A playful voice cut through the silence, freezing Tong Gu in his tracks.
His pupils contracted as every hair on his body stood on end. He hadn't sensed anything with his Third Form, Tremor Sense!
Tong Gu's body stiffened. Slowly, he turned around, careful not to provoke the lethal aura emanating from the speaker.
Standing a few steps away was a slender figure dressed in red.
White-blond hair, iridescent pupils, and a serene smile—Doma exuded an almost divine presence. Yet the blood-red kanji in his eyes revealed his true nature.
Upper Rank Two—Doma!
Tong Gu's breath hitched. Encountering a second Upper Rank demon, and Doma no less, was a worst-case scenario.
Doma covered his mouth with a fan, chuckling softly.
"You trespassed on my territory, meddled with my precious ripening fruits, and now you're hunting my carefully nurtured allies. Why so surprised at my appearance?"
Tong Gu's heart sank. He realized now that the "distinguished guest" Daki had mentioned recently was none other than Doma himself. Another horrifying possibility crept into his mind.
Doma seemed to read his thoughts, flashing an innocent smile.
"Scary, isn't it? If you had taken my precious Nanae while I was away, I'd be beside myself. Don't you think, Minai-chan?"
Tong Gu froze in shock. From the pit, Gyutaro's faint voice was already soothing Daki. Yet Tong Gu could only stare in horror at the scene before him.
Doma's chest bulged grotesquely, and a small head slowly emerged.
The face was delicate, the features faintly familiar—it was the young girl who had led the demon away that night, Minai Shinkawa!
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