Akaza looked at the Hashiras, knowing he didn't stand a chance of defeating them.
It wasn't for them he had come here, though.
It wasn't for them that he had allowed Muzan to resurrect him.
Right after coming into being, and knowing what Muzan had accomplished, Akaza had immediately gone for the kill… his fist exploding his own skull to smithereens.
Resurrection?
A chance to live again?
No.
These weren't the things Akaza wanted. At least, not anymore.
Even before dying, the only reason he had liked being a demon so much was that he could keep growing stronger and stronger. He could continue to work on his skills, perfecting them. He could keep learning, meeting new opponents, and having fun.
But that all had been an illusion.
Akaza had learned of that illusion through sweat, blood, and… death.
It was in the moment of his death that he had finally realized how wrong he had been to think that he had been a demon.
No.
It was Kai Stormborn.
It was the alien who had shown him what a true demon meant.
Attitude.
Akaza remembered that word.
Even in the darkness and emptiness of his death, he had remembered it, repeating it to himself, over and over.
When Muzan had brought him back, Akaza had still been contemplating that single word.
Even if resurrection meant resuming all that he wanted to accomplish in his last life, he didn't want it. Because, now, he knew that as long as he lived under Muzan's shadow, he would never be honest to his ideals; he would never be a… demon.
It was then that Muzan revealed the purpose of resurrecting him and Gyutaro.
It was then that Muzan had told them who the alien was and what he had accomplished.
And, as if waking from a nightmare — a nightmare that somehow sadistically felt good — Akaza had stopped trying to kill himself, agreeing to become a part of Muzan's War.
It was all to meet Kai again.
Akaza wanted to see how far he had come in realizing the kind of demon he was — in life and, then, in death. He wanted to see how far Kai had come in his path.
He wanted to see whose demonic attitude was the best!
And, what better way to do that other than fighting it out — to the death?!
Akaza's finger twitched.
Each cell in his body was commanding him to return.
He had felt this twitch inside him right after resurrection.
If it were before, then perhaps he wouldn't have been capable of resisting it.
Now, knowing what he truly was, Akaza found it easy to disobey Muzan.
In this world, only he was the demon who could do so.
In this world, only he could admit doing so.
Because that was his demonic attitude.
No one could control him.
Not even his creator.
Akaza's eyes narrowed.
He didn't look at anyone but Gyomei.
"Where is he?" he asked for a third time, closing his eyes. "In three seconds, I will start killing."
One…
Instantly, the temperature in a mile radius dropped to zero.
With a crackling sound, a thin layer of ice began appearing over everything, freezing the Demon Slayers.
Two…
"So much talk from a mere No. 3?" Sanemi roared, mocking, ignoring the frost altogether. "Go! Run back to your Master! Dog."
Three…
Akaza's eyelids twitched.
Then, defying the command within his Source, they shot open.
Time stopped.
From Akaza's feet, a snowflake-like pattern emerged.
In the still time, the pattern expanded, covering all the Demon Slayers, going beyond before stopping at the same mark as the boundary of the frozen space.
Akaza bent his knees, outstretching his left hand's palm and making a fist with his right hand.
Then, he punched.
Then, blood showered.
Gyomei's knuckles shattered as Akaza's fist landed on them.
With a BOOM, the only Hashira who had reacted on time, putting himself in front of the Wind Hashira, was sent flying.
Time resumed.
Blades came for Akaza's neck, catching up with Gyomei's earlier appearance like shadows.
Akaza's entire body twitched this time.
Resisting and crushing all the commands to stop fighting and return, he passed right through those attacks.
Then, he punched.
Then, blood showered.
Blood drenched Tengen's chest even as his blades plunged into Akaza's shoulders.
From all around, the rest of the Hashiras and the group of Tanjiro and others pounced upon him.
Something was wrong, they all had realized.
Akaza, the Upper Rank Three, shouldn't be this strong.
Even the Upper Rank One hadn't felt this strong with his three eyes open.
It felt as if they didn't work together to take him down, then the war they had just avoided would end with someone dying anyway.
However, simultaneously, and ironically, it felt… dishonorable.
That, in itself, was a ridiculous feeling, given Akaza was a demon.
Not only a demon, but an Upper Moon, dead-set on killing one of them.
Yet…
Yet…
Unbothered by the struggle the Demon Slayers were experiencing, freezing time again, Akaza snatched his hand off the Sound Hashira's blade, regenerated, and subtly shifted his footing.
Then, he punched.
Then, blood showered.
The Mist Hashira took the punch on his back, coughing up blood.
Gyomei's massive axe traced a blinding path across the space and beheaded the demon.
Time stopped.
The snowflake-like pattern on the ground pulsed brighter.
With a pop, Akaza's head regenerated… almost as fast as Muzan himself.
Then, he…
"STOP!"
All the Hashiras, the Demon Slayers, and Akaza himself stopped at their places.
Eyes, carrying hate, anger, and blood in them, shifted to see who had roared.
The Hashiras' brows rose.
Akaza frowned.
Far away, with his hands crossed against his chest, was… the Flame Hashira — Rengoku Kyojuro.
And, from his appearance, it didn't seem he had even moved from his place.
Rengoku looked at Akaza and… smiled.
"I can see," he said. "I can see him in you. You were the one who fought with Kai, weren't you? Seeking revenge? No. No. You… seek peace. You… seek a rematch."
Akaza's pupils stirred.
The snowflake pattern didn't disappear, but he let go of his stance, standing straight.
Rengoku unlocked his hands and unsheathed his sword.
"Haha!" The Flame Hashira laughed. "I fought him! I cannot call him, but…"
Flames surged around him, melting the ice and the snowflake beneath his feet.
"But…" Rengoku roared, grinning. "If you want to see where he stands, you should start with defeating me!"
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