The group continued to give chase after Hantengu's tiny form.
"(You're not getting away!)" Tanjiro thought as he and the others managed to cut Hantengu off who then tried running as Tanjiro let out a roar and swung his blade as it was engulfed in Nezuko's flame. "(It's tiny…and hard to target!)" he thought as his blade made contact, causing Hantengu to scream in pain, his tongue showing the kanji for fear. "(All right! I can do it!)"
As Hantengu's neck was being cut into, he let out a scream that was like nails on a chalkboard.
"(What a horrible voice! My ears! But… I can do it! I can behead it!)" Tanjiro thought.
Nedris looked on before it turned to one of dread as she saw someone appear behind Tanjiro. "No. No. No. Tanjiro, move! MOVE!"
Nedris's call came too late as the figure materialized a double blade bone dagger from his flesh and pounded it on one of the drums on his back as it shook the area, and appearing were five snake-like dragon heads made of wood as Tanjiro was seen hanging onto one of them.
"What's happening now?!" Superbia said.
"It's as I feared…" Nedris said.
Everyone soon saw an entirely new face where Sekido once was. It was a short and muscular young boy with short black hair that spikes up at various angles around his head and narrow gold eyes with the kanji of "Upper" and of "Four" engraved into them. On his back were series of drums connected to each other that are inexplicably floating behind his back, with each drum having the kanji of "hatred" displayed on them. He also carries around a bone-like dagger in each hand.
"Another one?! You gotta be kidding me, where did he come from?!" Genya asked. "I'm positive that was the staff demon just a second ago!"
"It is him, but due to absorbing the other aspects of Hantengu. He is now, Zohakuten." Nedris said.
"Learn to keep your mouth shut." Zohakuten said.
"I see no reason to listen to a narcissistic demon such as yourself, who's killed countless innocent people." Nedris glared.
Zohakuten, at Nedris' response, gave a piercing glare which paralyzed the group in place. "You brutal fiends who torment the weak… you're atrocious, offensive…and despicable! Damn you all, you awful villains!"
"I can't move my body… this hellspawn may be younger than the others, but his power is much greater." Superbia remarked.
"That's because unlike the other four… Zohakuten is the primal manifestation of Hantengu's hatred." Nedris said. "And he is able to use all four of their abilities through those dragon heads."
Zohakuten then banged on one of his drums, allowing some of the wood dragons to surround Hantengu, protecting him.
"Oh no you don't-!" Mark tried to intercept Zohakuten, only to be paralyzed by a glare.
"What's wrong?" Zohakuten asked. "Answer me. Do you have a problem with what I'm doing or can I continue with my duty here? Well? Do you, awful villains?"
"Every time you use that phrase, I find it more unbelievable." Mark snorted. "What makes you think we're the awful villains here? As I recall, you're the ones invading the village."
"And yet, you were the ones who tried to decapitate a weaker being. One so small he could fit in the palm of your hand. Only a pure fiend would do something like that." Zohakuten said.
"Weaker? Are you blind? Or are you just ignorant of your own ego?" David asked. "I'm a city boy, and I've seen people like you all of my life. People who think they know better than us, act like they're better than us, and think everyone around them are the cause of their misfortunes."
"Is that all you have to say?" Zohakuten asked.
"Oh no. I have so much more to say, so much that your head will be left spinning by the time I'm done." David said. "You're just saying all that stuff so you can brush off your own accountability. No one is purely innocent of their sins, least of all you! In fact, that attitude of yours makes me want to grind you into dust right now."
Zohakuten's expression twisted into a snarl of rage as he pounded one of his drums, causing his wood serpents to lunge towards the group as they leveled their swords and met the charge head-on.
Back with those opposing Gyokko…
Kagane panted as he blocked another volley of needles sent at him by Gyokko's fish, the projectiles falling to the ground.
"Hyo, hyo, hyo! Once again, I must praise you for the inspiration you've given me!" the Upper Rank cackled. "I'll be sure to incorporate it into my future artwork. But for now…I think it's time I find out what's inside that shack." he said, slinking back into his vase, but not before he sent out another swarm of fish. "I'm sure these will keep you entertained!" he said as he rolled his vase towards the shed.
"(No! If Hotaru or Hayase are in there, they'll be defenseless.)" Kagane thought. "(Hayase will be fine, I don't doubt his skills…but even still, if he is interrupted, David will never get Masakado back.)"
Kagane tried to fight his way past the fish Gyokko sent his way, but there were just too many as Gyokko made his way to the shack. He then opened the door and found Kozo blocking his path.
"No, you don't! I won't let you inside!" Kozo said.
"Hyo, hyo! Why do you even bother? Could it be that you actually think you can fend me off somehow? Hyo, hyo, hyo! Well, that's…comical!" Gyokko said as he materialized an orange vase.
Kozo tried to attack to no avail as Gyokko sent out a blast of water from the blast as it injured Kozo and broke his cleaver as he was sent to the ground.
"What good will it do you to frantically defend this sorry shack? The village chief wouldn't be here, right?" Gyokko asked before he noticed Hotaru who was polishing Tanjiro's blade.
"Extraordinary steel! What an extraordinary sword!" Hotaru said.
"(That human is young. The body of someone not yet 40. Surely he's not the chief.)" Gyokko thought.
"Such brilliant craftsmanship! It's stunning!" Hotaru said.
"Hmm… Hey, you human there!" Gyokko called.
"Who is the creator? By what kind of person was this sword forged? Why did he carve this single character rather than his own name? No! I understand! I understand why!" Hotaru said, ignoring Gyokko which irked him.
"(Damn him! What kind of focus is that? He's so immersed that he's unaware of me! I…I don't like this! Even I've never concentrated this hard! As an artist, I feel inferior!)" Gyokko thought before launching another attack, this time onto Hotaru, but he was unfazed by it.
"Stop it! Mr. Haganezuka!" Kozo said.
"(What the…)" Gyokko thought before launching a third attack as it resulted in completely breaking Hotaru's mask, revealing a handsome young man.
Despite the injuries inflicted on him, Hotaru still continued to polish Tanjiro's sword.
"(No matter what I do, this man refuses to stop!)" Gyokko realized as his expression was one of fury.
"I know why he didn't do it…why he didn't carve his name into this perfect sword." Hotaru declared. "This single character…tells me this sword was forged with nothing but pure determination! I understand it now…this sword was forged for this sole purpose, and nothing else!"
"Mr. Haganezuka!" Kozo pleaded, only to turn and realize that the demon, while looking absolutely enraged, was not attacking.
"(I can't stand this guy. It would be child's play to horrifically slaughter him. But what I want right now is to make that man abandon that sword!)" Gyokko thought. "(I want to shatter his concentration!)"
And so, Gyokko's focus was entirely on Hotaru Haganezuka, paying no heed to the third human inside of the shed, who kneeled in the corner, working on a sword more powerful than the Upper Rank could imagine…
Back outside, Gemini and Muichiro were still trapped inside of the water pot, Kagane preoccupied with destroying Gyokko's fish.
"Mr. Tokito! Ms. Gemini! I'll get you both out! I won't let you die! Both of you, hang in there! I'll get you out, no matter what! I'm going to save you!" Kotetsu said, trying to stab the water pot. "Crap! What is this? It's all rubbery and disgusting!"
"You should move aside, boy." a voice said as Kotetsu looked at the figure.
A sword was quickly drawn as the pot was cut wide open.
"You both were lucky…that I finished my crafting." Hayase said as he held the water slaying blade in his hands.
"Hayase…I…." Gemini said as she tried to catch her breath.
"You I'm not surprised about getting caught considering who your master is." Hayase said.
"Did…you finish it?" Gemini asked.
"You almost suffocated and all you think about is a sword?" Hayase asked before sighing. "Yes. I'm carrying it on my back right now. Though honestly, I doubt you would have needed my help anyway?"
"Why? What are…" Gemini said as Muichiro was slowly rising up.
"I've seen that look before. It's one…who's awoken to his true self." Hayase said.
"He's right. Look at Muichiro's eyes." Kagane said as Muichiro's eyes were full of life once more.
Muichiro Tokito….the son of a woodcutter in the mountains. He once had a twin named Yuichiro, who was hateful against the world after their mother and father died. The two lived on their own and rejected others, well Yuichiro did anyway. However, fates changed when a demon arrived that night. While Yuichiro perished, Muichiro lived on and chopped up the demon to be killed by the sunlight. Since then, he lived with total amnesia of his brother and everything. Least…until now.
"You all need to hurry. Haganezuka is holding on thanks to his focus on polishing that blade. But that demon, he doesn't strike me as the patient type." Hayase said.
"Wait, you're not joining?" Gemini asked.
"No…" Hayase said, looking at the blade strapped to his back. "I have a delivery to make." he said before taking off. "David…hold on, you crazy boy. I'm coming."