Chapter 55: Domineering Fighting Spirit
The moment the words fell, the ground beneath Ryuji's feet exploded, and his figure lunged forward rapidly.
There were no probes, no feints; he chose the most direct, most violent, and purest frontal assault!
Armament Haki covered his fist like ink, then wrapped around his entire arm. His right fist, pulled back to its limit, swung out violently, heading straight for Akaza's head.
A wild laugh had crept onto Ryuji's face at some point, and a red light flickered in his eyes:
"Fist Breathing Style, First Form: Fist Bone!"
"Hahahaha! That's it! That's more like it!"
A smile of pure ecstasy also bloomed on Akaza's face, his golden pupils reflecting Ryuji's rapidly enlarging figure.
That fighting spirit, refined to the extreme, made the blood throughout his body begin to boil!
He had faced many Hashira; Ryuji was by no means the strongest, but he was definitely the one most to his taste.
This was the true posture of an ultimate martial artist!
Akaza didn't dodge either. He stomped his right foot heavily backward and assumed a counter-attacking stance.
"Technique Development!"
Buzz!
A massive snowflake-shaped formation instantly expanded on the ground with Akaza at its center.
"Destructive Death: Compass Needle!"
Just as Ryuji's fist was about to touch his face, Akaza's fist moved!
Striking second, but arriving first!
BOOM!!!
Two equally hard fists collided in mid-air in the most primitive and savage way!
A terrifying airwave exploded outward from the two of them, forming a sunken crater.
The surrounding trees were blown backward by the airwave, and rubble flew everywhere!
Crackling sounds echoed as they punched deep holes into the trees.
With one strike, both men retreated simultaneously.
Ryuji left a trail of footprints in the ground before stabilizing himself, taking a deep breath to steady his surging blood.
His arm was already starting to go numb, and his upper garment had been shaken into shreds. This was a specially made Demon Slayer Corps uniform that even an ordinary demon's claws couldn't tear.
To think it was destroyed just by clashing fists once!
As expected, the Upper Ranks were much stronger than they appeared in the original work... But, he could fight!
The endurance and strength brought by his One piece Physique, combined with the enhancement of the Breathing Technique and his mastery of the two types of Haki.
This was the core that allowed him to fight Akaza!
"Wonderful! Simply wonderful! How did you do it? To be able to concentrate your power to such a degree?"
Akaza brushed the dust off himself and excitedly shook his arm, his golden pupils full of admiration.
He once again extended his right hand, which had already fully recovered:
"Join us! Become a demon! Let us explore the peak of martial arts together!"
Bloodshot veins crept over his blue sclera; he hadn't been this excited in years!
The last time was when he challenged Kokushibo!
"Your fighting spirit is domineering, fierce, and peerless... It's wonderful!"
"Join us, become one of the chosen!"
Looking at the excited Akaza, Ryuji simply tore off the shredded remains of his clothes and said softly:
"I told you, don't keep asking questions when you already know the answer..."
He crouched low and appeared before Akaza almost instantly, starting with his right fist again:
"It's the same answer as before: I refuse!"
Bang!
Ryuji's pupils contracted slightly as he watched Akaza, whose arm he had shattered, fly backward and crash into the ruins of a house once again.
He was clearly adapting to his power better than before... Demons really are ridiculous creatures.
It looked like this would be a long fight; he needed to conserve some Armament Haki.
"But why?"
Akaza climbed out again with a confused expression, quickly rushing toward Ryuji.
Passively taking hits wasn't his style.
"I've killed so many Hashira, and not a single one has ever agreed! Why is that?"
"Watching people with talent like yours age and wither away... it's a pain I cannot tolerate!"
Appearing above Ryuji's head almost like teleportation, Akaza's fists glowed with a brilliant blue light:
"Destructive Death: Air Type!"
Boom!
The invisible shockwave generated by the punch was sensed by Observation Haki, and Ryuji used a swing punch to deflect it.
It blasted a half-meter deep hole into the ground.
Ryuji raised his hands, continuously dispersing the invisible shockwaves thrown by Akaza, and shouted back:
"The reason is simple: because they are Hashira, they are the Demon Slayer Corps, and they are humans destined to send you and Kibutsuji Muzan to hell!"
Tap.
Akaza landed in the distance and sighed softly with his head down: "So that's how it is? I understand..."
As soon as he spoke, his right fist, glowing with deep blue light, was already in front of Ryuji. His speed had increased significantly!
His right hand thrust straight for Ryuji's heart:
"Then, let me kill you... while you are still young and strong."
Ryuji didn't dodge. He clasped his hands into a hammer and raised them high, leaving his chest wide open in a life-for-a-life gamble:
"Old timers should just stay in their coffins!"
Boom!
Ryuji looked at the severed arm on the ground and curled his lip; his reaction was truly fast.
"Fist Breathing... is it a derivative of Stone Breathing? No wonder you dare to go head-to-head with me..."
Squatting on the ruins, Akaza shook his newly grown right arm, his eyes narrowing slightly.
When he had aimed for the heart just now, it felt like he was hitting solid rock.
If he hadn't pulled back in time, his head would have been the one smashed. It seemed he needed to get serious... "You have earned the right for me to go all out."
Saying this, he jumped down from the ruins, stood before Ryuji again, and took a stance:
"Now, Round Two begins!"
Hearing this, Ryuji's expression became serious. Going all out? He wasn't going all out just now?
The power scaling couldn't be that off, could it?
"Don't get distracted!"
Akaza's pale face was almost pressed against Ryuji's as he shouted: "Go all out... I can sense the fighting spirit in your body hasn't been fully ignited yet!"
"Destructive Death: Air Type!"
Ryuji's pupils shrank to pinpricks as he watched the fist, glowing with deep blue light, get closer and closer to his eyes.
At the critical moment, he barely managed to dodge the strike using Paper Arts.
So fast!
Slash.
The corner of Ryuji's eye instantly split open, and blood flowed out.
"Ignite that fighting spirit!"
Akaza shouted and kicked Ryuji!
Boom!
Ryuji was sent flying by the immense force of the kick, snapping three or four large trees before finally coming to a halt.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
"Not bad! Not bad! Your bones are very hard! Harder than any Hashira I've ever met!"
Akaza looked at the rising Ryuji and said with a smile: "So, hurry up and release that fighting spirit, or else you really will die."
Ryuji was speechless. It sounded like he was hiding some secret weapon.
Are you kidding? If he had one, he would have used it long ago!
Seeing that Ryuji didn't speak, Akaza's brow furrowed, but then he seemed to realize something:
"It seems you haven't mastered that kind of fighting spirit... What a pity. I'll ask you one last time: will you become a demon?"
Ryuji wiped the blood from his mouth, took a deep breath, felt his stamina and Haki recovering, and said softly:
"I refuse!"
Akaza was somewhat surprised by Ryuji's words:
"You're not even trying to stall for time? Some Hashira use answering my questions to buy themselves time."
Ryuji raised his right fist and pointed it at Akaza, saying coldly:
"I don't think there's any point in that. If I won't, I won't. A refusal is a refusal..."
Akaza looked at Ryuji with full admiration, then shook his head and sighed:
"I am truly saddened that such a unique Breathing Technique is about to disappear..."
Before his voice finished echoing, Akaza's figure instantly vanished from the spot!
The next second, he appeared on Ryuji's right, a whip-like kick containing terrifying power already sweeping toward his neck!
Observation Haki had long since captured Akaza's movements. Ryuji simply covered his left arm with Armament Haki and blocked it in front of him.
Boom!
Another dull, heavy explosion.
Ryuji blocked the kick and swung his right fist, smashing it into Akaza's face!
The shattered cheek took a full second to recover.
"What is your name!"
Akaza said as his fists turned into a sky full of phantoms, raining down on Ryuji like a violent storm!
"Destructive Death: Disorder!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The airtight shadows of fists instantly enveloped Ryuji, each punch enough to easily shatter a giant boulder!
For a time, the entire mountain forest was filled with the dense explosions of fists hitting flesh!
Ryuji's arms became the sturdiest of shields, parrying the incoming attacks one by one. The ground beneath his feet continuously cracked and sank, forming a massive crater.
Akaza became more excited as he fought; his punches grew faster and his power increased!
"Wonderful! Your defense is impeccable! But how long can you hold it!"
Boom!
A heavy punch broke through Ryuji's defense and landed solidly on his chest.
Ryuji groaned, a trace of blood leaking from his mouth, but he used the force of the blow to jump back and open up some distance.
He looked at his struck chest; the skin was bruised, but the injury wasn't that severe.
Coughing up blood was just due to his internal energy being shaken.
Across from him, Akaza was completely unharmed, the smile on his face growing even more radiant.
This was the advantage of a demon.
Tireless, uninjurable, and possessing terrifying regenerative powers.
But when it came to stamina... he was not like an ordinary Hashira!
Feeling the pain in his body recover quickly, he stared intently at Akaza. Had it already begun?
The properties of Armament Haki.
Akaza's recovery speed was no longer as exaggerated as before. At the very beginning, his severed arm had recovered almost in an instant.
But the shattered cheek just now took a whole second to recover... It was slower!
Plus, the sun could come up at any time... Relying on the endurance and recovery brought by his One piece Physique, he would drag this out!
He could win!
But he couldn't just defend. If he only defended, his Armament Haki might run out before Akaza's recovery speed dropped enough.
He had to attack!
With that thought, a flash of madness crossed his eyes.
Akaza tilted his head. "I'm a bit disappointed. It would have been great if you could master that fighting spirit... With the next strike, I shall kill you."
He took a Destructive Death stance and said softly, "Tell me your name. I will remember you as I climb to the highest peak of martial arts."
Ryuji spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and said in a low voice:
"My name is Ryuji..."
As he spoke, he concentrated Armament Haki into his fists, bent his legs slightly, and lowered his center of gravity.
"...The Hashira destined to kill demons like you."
"Oh?"
Akaza's eyebrow twitched. He hadn't expected that even at this stage, Ryuji could still attack... Truly, wonderful!
"Come! Ryuji, remember my name, I am Akaza!"
The next moment, Ryuji moved.
Not retreating, not defending, but launching an active charge once again with a posture even more violent than before!
"Hahaha! That's it!"
Akaza laughed and met the charge!
This time, it was no longer a simple clash of power.
Ryuji's fists no longer sought the heaviness of a one-hit kill; instead, they became faster, denser, and more cunning!
He abandoned most of his defense, pouring all his energy into the offense!
Trading injury for injury!
Risking life for life!
Boom!
Akaza struck Ryuji's shoulder with a punch, but at the same time, Ryuji's fist slammed hard into the side of Akaza's face!
Crack!
Half of Akaza's cheek along with his neck bone were crushed inward, and he was sent flying, spinning through the air.
But while still in mid-air, that horrific injury was already healing rapidly; by the time he landed, he was as good as new.
However, it was much slower than the previous instantaneous recoveries!
"Hahahaha! Yes! That's it! This is how it should be to be interesting!"
Akaza's battle lust was completely ignited; the demon blood inside him was roaring, cheering!
The two collided again!
Fist against fist, leg against leg!
There was no technique to speak of, only the purest, most primitive venting of power!
The human and the demon were like two drunkards in a heated brawl; both would rather take a punch than retreat an inch!
They had the momentum of 'whoever retreats is a coward'.
They howled as they traded frenzied blows, each punch leaving significant damage on the opponent.
Every one of Ryuji's punches could tear a huge hole in Akaza. As for defense... as long as it wasn't a vital spot and didn't affect his movement, he didn't even use hardening.
This was to reduce the consumption of Armament Haki, thereby concentrating it on his fists.
All to allow the properties of Armament Haki to take effect faster!
"I acknowledge you, but how much longer can you hold out!"
Akaza laughed wildly as he regrew his arm that had been shattered into a blood mist, though this time, it took him a full three seconds.
He also noticed the slowing of his recovery speed and understood that this was Ryuji's doing.
Every one of Ryuji's attacks left a horrific wound, and each time, some special fighting spirit would enter his body.
He could feel it all.
But he still believed he would be the ultimate victor for no other reason than because he was a demon!
Demons are naturally stronger than humans!
"Long enough to beat you to death!"
Ryuji's low growl rang out, followed immediately by a heavy right hook.
But only half of his palm was still covered in Armament Haki.
His Haki was nearly depleted!
Boom!
Akaza's right arm was struck by a punch, and the arm bone shattered instantly.
Without thinking, he swung his left fist toward Ryuji's chest, intending to kill him once and for all, but this time, the recovery speed of Akaza's right hand was slower than ever!
Ryuji noticed this, a red light flashing in his eyes.
He tilted his body slightly, letting Akaza's punch tear away some flesh from his chest, yet he advanced instead of retreating!
Boom!
Another punch landed solidly on Akaza's not-yet-recovered right arm!
Crack!
This time, the entire arm along with the shoulder was blasted apart by Ryuji, turning into a cloud of blood mist!
The pupils of both combatants constricted simultaneously!
However, one was in shock, while the other was in excitement!
The recovery speed was starting to fall behind!
Ryuji felt as if he had been given a sudden shot of adrenaline; power surged into his exhausted, pained body, and he could even re-coat his entire fist with Armament Haki.
"It looks like I've won!"
The counterattack begins!
Ryuji seized the opportunity, his fists raining down on Akaza like a violent storm!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
"It's over, Akaza! Aaaaaah!"
Ryuji roared, the red light in his eyes glowing terrifyingly bright.
Every punch landed precisely on Akaza's wounds, giving him not a moment's respite to recover!
"Over? No! I am Akaza, the one who will become the pinnacle of martial arts!"
Akaza's eyes were blood-red as he roared, gathering power in his remaining left hand:
"Destructive Death: Annihilation Type!"
Akaza met Ryuji's fist head-on, throwing his strongest strike!
"Fist Breathing Style, Third Form: Fist Bone Impact!"
Ryuji's eyes narrowed as he also concentrated all his remaining Armament Haki onto his right fist. The last of his Haki almost materialized into substance, refusing to yield!
"Akaza!"
"Ryuji!"
The human and demon roared each other's names, throwing their final punches at the same time.
Buzz!
A peculiar aura erupted from Ryuji's body.
A red and black fighting spirit suddenly appeared before Akaza's eyes, incomparably domineering!
How... how could it erupt at a time like this!
Akaza's eyes widened. It hadn't come out after fighting for so long, yet it erupted in this situation?!
He couldn't think any further; he felt as if his head had been struck by a heavy hammer, leaving his entire being dazed.
Boom!
An unprecedented explosion shook the entire mountain!
The ground beneath them shattered completely, and a giant crater over ten meters in diameter was instantly formed!
The terrifying shockwave turned into a visible white ring of air, leveling everything in the vicinity!
Dust and smoke filled the air.
When everything gradually settled.
In the center of the deep pit, Ryuji's right arm, which had pierced through Akaza's body, was dripping with blood, the muscles torn and the white bones clearly visible.
"Ha..."
Akaza coughed up blood. He wanted to say something, but that fighting spirit from before still had him dazed, and the injuries on his body began to recover at an extremely slow pace.
Ryuji was in too much pain to speak. With his vision blurred by blood, he watched Akaza slowly retreat and then collapse on the ground.
However, he was still alive!
Watching this, Ryuji couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Did he still fail?
Really... Sizzle.
The sound of burning echoed. Perhaps the pain from the burning cleared Akaza's head; he scrambled on all fours, pathetically crawling into the shadow of the only remaining tree to hide.
Without his body recovering and being scorched by the sun... at this rate, Akaza really would die!
Ryuji looked up slightly, watching the sunlight piercing through the clouds in the sky, and his lips slowly curled upward.
The sky has cleared!
"Oh my? Lord Akaza... you look quite pathetic."
A familiar voice rang out, and the smile on Ryuji's face instantly froze.
It was Doma!
Looking at the suddenly appearing Doma, he couldn't help but laugh again: "Hahahaha..."
However, this smile was tinged with bitterness. This heaven-defying matchmaking... Upper Rank Two and Upper Rank Three were actually teaming up.
Aren't they rivals?
Muzan, are you leading the team yourself!
"Hmm, as expected of the child Lord Muzan has taken an interest in, to be able to beat Lord Akaza into such a state..."
Doma stood in the shadows, covering his face with his paired fans, glancing at Akaza who was still recovering.
The smile on his face seemed to deepen:
"Pity there's not much time. Bye-bye."
As he spoke, he waved his fans, and an ice blade flew out rapidly, heading straight for Ryuji's neck!
Although the ice blade was shrinking under the sunlight, it was still enough to easily take his head.
Am I going to die?
Damn it, if only I had trained longer, if only I could have exchanged for a Devil Fruit, if only I had more Armament Haki... In an instant, he thought of many things.
But he quickly put them out of his mind, becoming completely honest with himself.
If you lose, you accept it.
There are no excuses... besides, he had done his best. He did what he could and left the rest to fate; unfortunately, fate wasn't on his side.
This journey ends here... "Sound Breathing, Fourth Form: Constant Resounding Slashes!"
A pair of dual blades connected by a chain blocked Ryuji, shattering the ice blade!
A reassuring figure appeared before Ryuji's eyes.
It was Uzui Tengen!
"Honestly, I let you out to clear your head, and you go and get yourself into such an unflashy state?"
Uzui Tengen looked at the two demons in the shadows with extreme vigilance.
"Upper Rank Two, watch your breathing, it's poisonous..."
Ryuji whispered a reminder, then dragged his battered body, first using his Breathing Technique to stop the bleeding.
"Oh my..."
Doma looked at Uzui Tengen, grabbed the still-recovering Akaza, and turned to leave. Veins bulged on the forehead of the being dragged Akaza.
His eyes were blood-red as he stared at Ryuji, as if wanting to burn Ryuji's image into his mind.
Damn it... if it wasn't for that domineering fighting spirit that erupted at the end, he couldn't have had his chest pierced!
If it wasn't for the dissipating clouds, if it were in the dead of night, he would have taken Ryuji down long ago!
Next time, I will definitely smash your head!
As Akaza was thinking, he suddenly heard a roar; it was Ryuji!
Supported by Uzui Tengen, Ryuji watched the shadows of the two demons disappearing and roared out in anger:
"Next time, I will definitely smash your heads!"
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