Six days later, night, the Butterfly Mansion.
Aomori stood motionless in the courtyard, his eyes slightly closed. He held a sword in each hand; one blade was purplish-black, and the other was a clean, brilliant silver. Near the hilt of both swords, the phrase "Destroyer of Demons" was engraved.
These were the twin Nichirin Swords custom-forged for Aomori by the Swordsmith Village.
Ittou Shura!
Aomori's aura suddenly surged. Power burst forth from every single cell and channeled into every muscle fiber. He could clearly perceive his dense network of capillaries constantly undergoing rupture and repair.
After his Spirit and Physique attributes had both reached 30, Aomori's control over these two aspects further intensified, resulting in a significant increase in his overall strength.
Maintaining the extreme state of Ittou Shura, Aomori began practicing the new swordsmanship he had mastered.
With his left hand, he executed the Thunder Breathing Style, and with his right, the Sun Breathing Style, which he had adapted into the "Light Breathing Style."
A purple and a white sword light flashed across the air. The fleeting brilliance made it impossible to discern the blades' trajectories.
In less than two seconds, Aomori collapsed to his knees, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
"As expected, it's not possible?"
In his normal state, Aomori could barely manage to use two Breathing Styles simultaneously and execute a true dual-wielding technique, though it wouldn't last long. He hadn't expected that upon entering the extreme state of Ittou Shura, he couldn't even sustain it for two seconds.
This confirmed that while using Ittou Shura, Aomori could only engage the enemy using one Breathing Style.
"What a pity. I was hoping to give Muzan a surprise."
One minute later, Aomori exited the Ittou Shura state. His formidable aura receded, and he entered a state of weakness.
Aomori forced himself to stay alert and cast several Healing Spells on himself, regaining just enough strength for basic self-defense.
"The duration of the weakness is about five minutes, then?"
Given that Aomori still had Absol and Pidgeotto at his disposal, a five-minute period of weakness was marginally acceptable.
With this, Aomori had a clearer assessment of his own strength: he should be an even match for Muzan in his previous state—truly deserving of the nickname, Kakashi's brother, Kakado.
Tomorrow was the day to assess the strength of the Hashira. He wondered how much their power had grown now that they had mastered the Second-Stage Breathing Style.
Aomori sat cross-legged and entered a state of Meditation, quietly awaiting the dawn.
...
The next day, the nine Hashira assembled at the Headquarters Training Ground One.
Over the past few days, Aomori had become the de facto leader among the Hashira, thanks to his exceptional strength and personal charisma.
Aomori disliked small talk and got straight to the point: "Today's assessment task is very simple: use every method you have to defeat me."
"A friendly reminder: don't even think about holding back, or you will regret it. This assessment is relevant to the selection of personnel for the final attack on Muzan's main base. The winners will dine, and the losers will eat dust!"
At this statement, the Hashira's fighting spirit soared. No one wanted to lose the opportunity to face Muzan.
"If you're ready, then come at me with everything you've got."
Aomori stood calmly and securely in the center of the training ground, awaiting the Hashira's attack.
After exchanging glances, the one to initiate the attack was not Sanemi, but the elder pillar, Gyomei.
His Nichirin Sword was unique, consisting of a heavy battle-axe and a flail connected by a long chain. Despite its weight, he controlled it with perfect ease.
Under the guidance of the chain, the axe and flail assailed Aomori from different directions.
"Good power, but useless if it can't hit the target."
Aomori drew his twin swords. The blades deflected the axe and flail from tricky angles, allowing him to neutralize Gyomei's offensive with minimal effort.
He was applying the profound principles of the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist to his swordsmanship!
Flower Breathing, Third Form: Scattering Petals!
Mist Breathing, Fifth Form: Sea of Clouds and Haze!
Kanae and Muichiro launched their attacks simultaneously and were repelled by Aomori. However, the visual effects created by their swordsmanship did not vanish; petals and mist still swirled around Aomori.
"What made you think these tricks could confuse me?"
Aomori smoothly dodged the chain that Gyomei intended to use to bind him, instantly shattering the carefully poised attacks of the other Hashira. Facing Aomori, who seemed utterly flawless, the Hashira felt they had no point of entry.
"Hmph. I told you these little tricks wouldn't work." Sanemi pointed his sword tip at Aomori. "Everyone just use all your strength and cut him! I don't believe he has three heads and six arms!"
The Hashira's determination did not waver, and Aomori responded with only a faint chuckle.
Accustomed to fighting solo, the Hashira's sudden need to cooperate resulted in poor coordination. Aomori seized their openings and brutally schooled them several times.
On the first day, the eight greatly strengthened Hashira suffered a crushing defeat.
The assessment continued on the second day. As time passed, more and more Hashira understood the importance of cooperation, eventually launching a counterattack that finally posed a threat to Aomori. The result was Aomori's Demon Slayer uniform being shredded.
By the third day, the perfectly coordinated Hashira finally managed to press their Nichirin Blade against Aomori's neck.
"You have passed this assessment."
"Hoo~"
There were no cheers or shouts, because they were all too exhausted and had fallen asleep.
The next day, the Hashira Meeting was held again, though Kagaya was absent.
"Today, I will primarily share my intelligence with everyone and assign your upcoming missions."
"Among the Twelve Kizuki, let's not discuss the Lower Ranks; dealing with them is a single-cut affair. But you must be cautious when encountering the Upper Ranks. It will require the cooperation of at least two Hashira to defeat them. If you meet one alone, run immediately. The characteristics and abilities of the six Upper Ranks are as follows…"
"Currently, the Upper Rank Six, Gyutaro and Daki, have a clear hiding place. Muichiro, Tengen, and Sanemi, the three of you will resolve them. Upper Rank Two is the leader of the Eternal Paradise Faith. Send people to locate him. Once found, dispatch one or two sharp-witted male Demon Slayers to confirm his existence and monitor him. Remember, retreat immediately the moment it gets dark and swap out personnel the next day."
"The other Hashira will each lead a small squad to openly and aggressively cleanse the areas recently reported to have demons. Remember, be provocative!"
"This operational plan is called 'Startle the Snake by Hitting the Grass.' Does anyone have any questions?"
Aomori took a sip of tea, scanned the room, and asked.
The Hashira shook their heads in a daze.
"If any sudden situation arises, I will notify everyone through my Kasugai Crow. Barring any unexpected incidents, everyone will assemble in Tokyo City seven days from now. I hope to see all of you complete and intact."
"Yes, sir!"
"Namu Amida Butsu…"
After everyone else had left, Kanae suddenly asked, "Are you going to cleanse the demons with us?"
"No. I have a few doubts, and I need to find someone to clarify them."
"Alright, then. See you in seven days."
"Mm. See you in seven days."
Kanae took her own squad, including her younger sister Shinobu, and headed toward Mount Natagumo, where intelligence reported frequent demon sightings.
That very night, Aomori, carrying his Kasugai Crow, departed the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters alone.
At this point, there were only 10 days remaining until the end of the dungeon, and the decisive battle with Muzan had just begun to unfold.
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You can read the ahead chapter on Patr if you're interested: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]