The Demon had transformed into a gargantuan tiger. Consequently, its neck—the vital weak point—was obscenely thick.
I wonder if a Nichirin Blade can even slice through that.
Mist Breathing
Fourth Form: Advection Slash
As I parried the Demon's strike, Amano utilized her breathing. With a fluid, flowing motion, she launched a surprise attack aimed at the creature's throat.
Splaaaaaash!
Droplets of blood sprayed as a long, jagged gash was carved across its flesh.
However.
■■■■■■■!!!!!!
The neck was naturally thick, and as the blade bit in, the Demon twisted its massive frame to avoid a fatal depth.
And it began to regenerate instantly.
Its restorative power was far superior to any Demon I had faced before.
The Demon did not miss the opening left by Amano after her failed surprise attack; it hoisted a massive forepaw to strike.
Moon Breathing
Second Form: Pearl Flower Moongazing
I swung my blade in a wide, rhythmic succession of arcs to draw the Demon's ire away from her.
Schriiiiiick!!!!
■■■■■■!!!!!!
It's tough. The hide is so leathery that even a Nichirin Blade doesn't pass through easily.
Furthermore, it's managing to keep its neck out of harm's way by a hair's breadth. Combined with that exceptional regeneration...
I'll have to call this one 'Sandbag Version 2.'
Moon Breathing
Fifth Form: Moon Spirit Calamity
My blade moves with such agility and speed that it appears still, shredding the creature even faster.
Mist Breathing
Second Form: Eight-Layered Mist
Amano, too, continued her assault from the flank, layering slash upon slash.
The Demon stumbled under the relentless dual onslaught.
Its wounds were piling up. Yet, the beast refused to yield its neck. At this rate, no matter how many injuries we inflicted, it would simply regenerate unless we severed the head. We were trapped at square one.
The stalemate applied to the Demon as well. If it focused on Amano, it had to endure my steel; if it attacked me, I parried every strike. Moreover, Amano's style—Mist Breathing—is specialized in evasion. No matter what the damn thing tried, it couldn't land a hit on her. We were all at a deadlock.
A literal state of equilibrium.
Of course, a prolonged battle would favor the Demon with its infinite stamina, but I was confident in my own endurance as well.
The Demon seemed to realize this instinctively.
"Blood Demon Art: Tiger Calamity — Sand-Wind Black Tiger."
Determined to end this quickly, the Demon entered its second phase.
Blood coalesced, dyeing its body a deep, ink-like black. A sandstorm began to swirl violently. Having learned from our previous exchanges, it completely blocked our approach until the transformation was complete.
■■■■■■!!!!!!!
As the Demon completed its metamorphosis and roared, a scalding sandstorm exploded outward.
Dammit. Now it's switching to area-of-effect attacks?
Moon Breathing
Sixth Form: Perpetual Night, Lonely Moon - Incessant
Mist Breathing
Third Form: Scattering Mist Splash
Amano and I cleared the black sandstorm with wide-range slashes. However, Amano couldn't deflect it all; numerous lacerations opened across her body from the abrasive winds.
"Ugh!"
She staggered, seemingly pushed to her limit. It was clear Amano couldn't hold out much longer.
I have to finish this now.
Leaping into the air, I traced a massive half-circle intended to gouge out its throat.
Moon Breathing
Fourth Form: Full Eclipse - Crescent Moon
Schriiiiiick!
■■■■■!!!!
Too shallow again. Did it twist its neck just in time to avoid the lethal blow?
The Demon repositioned, aiming its sandstorm directly at Amano to finish her off.
I won't let you.
Moon Breathing
Third Form: Loathsome Moon, Chains
Two slashes to either side intercepted the sandstorm. But the Demon, refusing to be outdone, gathered an even greater vortex of sand.
Moon Breathing
Blood Demon Art
Second Form: Pearl Flower Moongazing
Sand-Wind: Tiger-Striated Bird
The Demon shaped the gathered sand into the form of a bird and launched it. I swung my blade repeatedly to neutralize the grit.
Mist Breathing
Fifth Form: Sea of Cloud and Haze
A torrential discharge of sword pressure poured forth, like a sea of mist drowning the landscape.
■■■■■!!!!
But once again, the Demon contorted its neck and evaded.
Tch.
I need to take that head, and fast.
If I attack head-on, this creature will always find a way to squirm out of a lethal strike.
Amano's stamina is nearly depleted.
I can't drag this out any longer.
A frontal assault is useless. This thing will never let itself be cut.
Right.
I have to deceive it. However, I possess no techniques for deception.
Then I shall create one right now.
Hooooooh.
I closed my eyes and reached into my memory.
To the twelve movements Yoriichi once showed me.
Specifically, the fourth.
Sun Breathing, Fourth Form: Fake Rainbow.
Combined with...
The bewildering mist Amano displayed to me....
■■■■■■!!!!!
I have it.
When I opened my eyes, the Demon's attack was already inches from my nose.
In less than a second, I would be shredded by that forepaw.
But it didn't matter. Because the vision was complete.
Hooooooh.
Moon Breathing
Seventh Form
Kyoka Suigetsu
@@@
Two beasts are fiercely vying for my throat.
Just like the tiger I hunted before—I don't know why these beasts always aim for the neck.
Of course, I couldn't dodge every claw. But these wounds are nothing.
Yet, they are both so ferocious. Particularly that 'Mountain Lord' of a tiger. Every time I try to attack the female, he lunges for my throat with even greater savagery. Despite that, he never lets my blade touch him.
I feel as though I shouldn't let this drag on any longer.
Blood Demon Art: Tiger Calamity — Sand-Wind Black Tiger.
I utilized my art to end this quickly.
With the magic unleashed, I finally see a chance to catch those tigers. At the very least, the female seems exhausted; she is stumbling.
■■■■■.
However, the Mountain Lord remained unscathed.
Even though I poured everything into my art, he refuses to let me strike, and instead continues to aim for my life. If I had been just a moment slower, I surely would have been torn apart.
Is it even possible to hunt this creature?
.....
Fine then. Let's see.
I swell my body further.
I will not lose to a tiger again.
I will not lose anyone else.
I will not lose my life to a tiger ever again.
The Mountain Lord closed his eyes for a moment, as if to catch his breath.
Whether it was an opening or a trap, I didn't know, but if I didn't kill that Mountain Lord now, I might never get another chance. I could kill the exhausted female at any time.
I used the sandstorm to propel my back, rushing in to kill him swiftly.
He opened his eyes, but it was too late. The distance between the tip of my blade and him was practically zero!
Is it over...?
Sssshhh.
The moment my blade touched his body, his form dissolved like a mirage, vanishing like mist.
And then.
Slash.
As fresh blood sprayed, strength left my body as if I could do nothing, and I felt a buoyant sensation of floating.
My head simply tumbled to the ground.
The Mountain Lord, whom I thought I had struck from the front, was suddenly standing off to the side.
Have I...
...lost?
No. I cannot lose this time. Not again...
"My Moon Breathing, Seventh Form: Kyoka Suigetsu. Its effect is 'Absolute Illusion.'"
At that moment, the Mountain Lord looked down at me and spoke words I could not understand.
Wait a moment.
How... how can a tiger speak the language of men? Just how.
It was then.
Something caught my eye. Reflected in that violet-shining 'fang'—which I had assumed was the tiger's tooth—was a glimpse of something.
What should have been reflected was a man.
But the reflection was not a human head.
It was.
The head of a tiger.
The head of the tiger I had killed so many times before, the head of the beast I had hated so much.
I see...
The tiger... was me.
The fangs were blades. The tigers were humans. The real beast... was me.
I was the monster.
By the time I realized it, my body was already crumbling into dust.
Yes, as if determined to leave nothing behind.
They say a tiger leaves its skin when it dies, and a man leaves his name.
But I couldn't even remember what my loved ones had left for me.
My vision began to burn.
Ah. I see a fire. A fire that seems to consume everything under the moon...
That's right... my son.
Your father... will be a little late, it seems.
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