The gigantic Shōkyū towered like a mountain of flesh.
Every swing of his fist smashed craters several meters deep into the ground, and his roars echoed through the Infinity Castle, shaking the ruined pavilions around him until they trembled and creaked.
Shinichi's figure weaved between those massive fists.
Bluish-green and milky-white blade light intertwined as he slashed again and again at Shōkyū's limbs and torso.
Every strike brought up a spray of dark-red blood, but to Shōkyū's current enormous body, those wounds meant almost nothing.
On top of that, his regeneration was terrifying.
The cuts had barely opened before they squirmed shut and healed in the next instant.
"Is this all you can do, Shinichi?" Shōkyū's voice actually came from the chest of the flesh giant, deep and muddy.
"Didn't you say you were going to wear down my strength? But why do I feel like… I'm only getting stronger?"
Shinichi swung his blade and cut through an incoming thorn whip, then looked up at him.
"Don't get cocky. This is just the last flare before you burn out!"
That was what he said, but Shinichi's expression remained grave.
After Shōkyū's body grew larger, he had lost some of his agility.
He was slower now, but in exchange, he had gained overwhelming strength and defense.
In other words, with Shinichi's strength alone, killing Shōkyū would likely be difficult.
But Shinichi was not alone.
Out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to catch sight of something, and his heart eased slightly.
On the surface, however, he kept up the intense battle posture, constantly slipping through Shōkyū's attacks and counterattacking in the gaps.
He needed to draw Shōkyū's full attention and leave him no room to worry about anything else.
While Shinichi and Shōkyū fought fiercely, at the edge of the battlefield, the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps were quietly gathering.
The first to get close was Shinobu Kocho.
Her figure moved through the ruins like a ghost, deliberately avoiding any line of sight Shōkyū might notice as she circled behind a collapsed stone pillar.
Her shoulder was still wounded, but her violet eyes were astonishingly bright.
She stopped and gave her older sister, Kanae Kocho, a small nod not far away.
Kanae immediately understood.
She turned and moved forward side by side with Sanemi Shinazugawa.
Sanemi's brows were tightly furrowed as he lowered his voice and asked, "Will this really work?"
Kanae's lips curved slightly.
Her gaze fell on the bluish-green figure inside the empty circle.
"I believe in Shinobu, and I believe in Shinichi."
Sanemi said nothing more.
He simply tightened his grip on his sword and followed beside Kanae, quietly pushing forward.
On the other side, Kyojuro Rengoku strode through the ruins.
Every demon in his path was cut down by his fierce Flame Breathing, but this did not draw Shōkyū's attention, because Shinichi had just cut off Shōkyū's wrist, making him roar in fury.
Kyojuro grinned.
"Umu! I feel a little guilty. I suppose I should be more careful."
Not far away, Gyomei Himejima advanced in silence.
His towering body was like a moving fortress. Although he was blind, every step he took was extremely precise.
He suddenly stopped, turned his head slightly, and said to Kyojuro beside him, "Kyojuro, circle around with me. I need your Flame Breathing as cover for the suppression."
Kyojuro froze for a moment before immediately nodding in understanding.
"Understood! Leave it to me!"
...
Farther away, the Tokito brothers rushed out from a narrow passage, their bodies still covered in dust and blood from the previous battle.
Yuichiro poked his head out and glanced at Shōkyū and Shinichi fighting inside the empty circle.
Then he turned back and smiled at Muichiro.
"Master's really going all out."
Muichiro nodded, but still reminded him, "Brother, don't talk. Be careful not to get noticed. Everyone is closing in on that big thing."
Yuichiro immediately shut his mouth.
After exchanging a glance with his younger brother, the two quietly circled around to Shōkyū's rear flank and each found a suitable attack position.
Obanai Iguro and Mitsuri Kanroji approached from the other side.
Thick bandages were still wrapped around Mitsuri's waist, and her steps were somewhat slow, but she gritted her teeth and made no sound.
Obanai stayed beside her in silence.
When he noticed something off with Mitsuri, he suddenly reached out and supported her waist.
Mitsuri froze and turned to look at him.
"Don't push yourself," Obanai said without looking at her. His voice was calm, but it carried a faint trace of concern.
Kaburamaru, coiled around his neck, moved closer to Mitsuri's face and flicked its tiny tongue.
"You'll need to save your strength for later."
'Obanai-san is so gentle…'
Mitsuri's face flushed slightly.
She gave a soft "mm," and her steps became noticeably lighter than before.
Tengen Uzui, Giyu Tomioka, and Sabito circled around from the final direction.
One of Tengen's twin blades had already broken, leaving him with only a single lonely blade, but he still held it firmly.
Giyu gripped his water-blue Nichirin blade tightly in his right hand, while Sabito walked between the two of them.
All three had their eyes locked on the battle inside the empty circle.
"Everyone's moving in sync. That thing is being pinned down by Shinichi," Tengen said quietly, his voice carrying a trace of seriousness.
"We need to act as soon as possible."
Giyu adjusted his breathing, his body making the final preparations for a charge.
"We wait for Shinichi's signal."
Sabito nodded in agreement.
All the Hashira-level swordsmen quietly moved into position.
Each of them hid among the shadows and the ruins, waiting for that fatal strike.
And inside the empty circle, Shinichi was still fighting bitterly.
Shōkyū seemed to sense something.
Even while fighting, his huge body shifted slightly. His perception was not as sharp as Shinichi's, but that faint sense of danger still made him vaguely uneasy.
Shinichi noticed Shōkyū's abnormal reaction, but his expression did not change in the slightest.
He cut through another thorn whip and shouted loudly, "Shōkyū! What are you afraid of? Didn't you call me an insect? If you're this timid even against an insect like me, how can you possibly think you're worthy of the power of Yomi?!"
Sure enough, Shōkyū flew into a rage.
"Shut up!"
The roar had barely fallen before a massive thorn whip behind Shōkyū came crashing toward Shinichi.
Facing this attack, Shinichi did not dodge.
In that instant, his body erupted with extraordinary strength, and he forcefully raised his blade to block the huge thorn whip head-on.
A clear voice rang out from the edge of the battlefield.
"Now!"
It was Shinobu's voice.
Shinichi's heart tightened as the Transparent World erupted instantly!
He could "see" it!
Every Hashira-level swordsman had already reached their planned position.
They were scattered around Shōkyū like a massive ring, surrounding the flesh monster completely.
"Good! Now!"
Shinichi let out a low roar, and the Nichirin blade in his hand burst with a light brighter than ever before.
"Shōkyū!! You have nowhere left to run!"
His voice exploded like thunder.
Shōkyū's body stiffened sharply.
He raised his massive head, his hideous crimson eyes sweeping around him.
At some point, the Hashira-level swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps had quietly closed in.
Each of them stood in a different position, the Nichirin blades in their hands glowing with different colors, forming a tight encirclement with no gaps.
Shinobu Kocho stood to the southeast, the slender Nichirin blade turning lightly in her hand, her violet eyes filled with icy killing intent.
Kanae Kocho stood to the west, pink blade light blooming like cherry blossoms, gentle yet deadly.
Sanemi Shinazugawa stood beside her, emerald-green ripples of Wind Breathing flowing around his body like a storm ready to break.
Kyojuro Rengoku stood to the northwest, orange-red flames leaping along his blade and warping the air around him with heat.
Gyomei Himejima was hidden behind Kyojuro, raising both his Nichirin spiked flail and great axe, their weight as heavy as a mountain.
Obanai Iguro and Mitsuri Kanroji stood to the northeast, Serpent Breathing and Love Breathing intertwining as they released a dangerous aura.
The Tokito brothers stood on the southeastern flank, the blade lights of Maple and Mist reflecting off one another like two swords ready to strike at any moment.
Giyu Tomioka and Sabito stood to the southwest, water-blue tides flowing between them with perfect understanding.
Tengen Uzui stood directly to the south, pointing his only remaining blade at Shōkyū, his signature brilliant smile hanging from the corner of his mouth.
One figure after another lit up in the darkness!
More than a dozen colors shone like countless stars, trapping Shōkyū in the center.
For the first time, a trace of wavering appeared in his heart.
"When…?"
Directly in front of him, Shinichi stepped forward, the light on his Nichirin blade growing brighter and brighter.
"Shōkyū, the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps would never let a comrade fight alone."