Chapter 43: The Rematch
Notes: Part 4 of the Infinity Castle Arc. OK, spoiler alert of sorts for the chapter, Akaza was apparently waiting for Tanjirou to reach the current location, so he could dive-bomb him. Giyuu was battling regular demons up until the moment Tanjirou's group caught up to him.
On the way, they crossed paths with Tomioka-san.
"Tanjirou-san." he greeted.
"Tomioka-san! I'm glad to see you well." Tanjirou smiled.
"What happened? A crow said you won against Upper Moon Two."
"Shinobu-san got hurt during the fight. Thanks to Kanao and Inosuke, we managed to take down the demon." Tanjirou explained, "And I was looking for someone with medical knowledge to look after Shinobu-san."
Suddenly a tremor shook the corridor they were in.
"What is that tremor?" Tanjirou asked, worried, reaching a hand behind him, to make sure Shinobu was still there.
"Where is it coming from?" Inosuke growled, "Let me at them! I'll take their head!"
"Stop! Calm down!"
Tanjirou's nose caught a familiar scent.
'Is someone still fighting? Did someone die? …No, that's not it. It's coming closer…This scent…'
"From above!" Tomioka-san called, "Stay back, everyone!"
A man landed before Tanjirou.
"It sure has been a while. I'm surprised you're alive, being the weakling that you are. Kamado Tanjirou!" Akaza charged him.
"Akaza!" Tanjirou raged, backing away.
'Shit, if I make a wrong move, Shinobu will get more hurt!' he thought, as he avoided another punch from the demon.
'Sun Breathing; Fifth Form: Fire Chariot!'
Tanjirou leaped over Akaza, spinning in a circular motion, bringing his sword up from under the demon's left armpit.
'Come on, come on, come on! Go! Go! Go! I have to at least cut his arm off or I won't be able to get to his head!'
With a shout and adding more strength to his arms, Tanjirou cut off Akaza's arm, to the demon's surprise.
'I got him and I dodged his attack! This will work. I can still fight. I couldn't aim for his neck! But next time…'
Akaza spun around, bringing his right fist to strike at him from the side of his face.
'Sun Breathing; Fourth Form: Fake Rainbow!'
He landed behind Akaza, having cut him across the face on his way to safety.
The demon turned to face him. Tanjirou's cut surprised him. But there was a strange calmness on his face.
"'This boy isn't weak. Don't insult him.' I now recognise the truth of Kyoujurou's words." Akaza said, "You are certainly not weak. I will show my respect for you." he took that same stance from then, "Okay, let's get started. It's time forour little celebration…."
Tomioka-san realising Tanjirou would be at a disadvantage while carrying Shinobu, struck first with Flowing Dance, as Tanjirou passed Shinobu to Kanao and Inosuke.
"Whatever you do," he told them, "keep yourselves and Shinobu safe."
His words, his voice, commanded their total attention and compliance. Even Inosuke didn't say anything against not entering the fight.
"The Water Pillar, huh? Excellent! It's been around fifty years since I lastencountered one."
Tomioka-san deflected the attack with a form Tanjirou had only seen twice, against Rui and during their spar. The one Giyuu taught him that same day.
"I've never seen that technique before. The last Water Pillar I killed never used that."
'Sun Breathing; Third Form: Scorching Crimson Mirror.'
Tanjirou came up from Akaza's side, delivering two horizontal slashes, only to find the demon behind him.
'He…disappeared!' he thought, his senses telling him of the danger he was in, 'Behind me!'
Quickly, he dodged the attack at his neck with Fake Rainbow, just as Tomioka-san cut off Akaza's right arm.
'Sun Breathing; Fourth Form: Fake Rainbow.'
A punch was directed at Tomioka-san and as Tanjirou tried to get Akaza's feet,
'Sun Breathing; First Form: Waltz!'
the demon kicked back. Tanjirou blocked it partially with his blade, but the attack did land, barely a scrape, opening his nose.
'I blocked it…with my sword…' he thought, then he was shocked by the blood from his nose, 'He scraped me…!? Just barely! But it was so slight…! And this power…!' he thought, 'I need a moment to see.'
He glanced at Tomioka-san, who was keeping up with Akaza.
'Okay. I can do it.'
He drew in a deep breath, focusing.
"Elegant! This is finely developed swordsmanship! Splendid! Wonderful! Give me your name! What is it?! I want to remember you!"
"I will not give my name to a demon. Names are not to be shared. And I hatetalking, so don't talk to me."
"Ah, okay. So you hate talking? But I love talking! So, I'll ask you again and again! For your name, over and over…!"
Akaza kicked him back through the walls.
Tanjirou looked up, surprised, concentration broken.
"Water Pillar!" he called, catching himself at the last second.
"I was hoping you'd call his name, Kamado Tanjirou." Akaza said.
He punched at Tanjirou, while the Sun Pillar used Sixth Form: Burning Sun, to defend against it, being thrown back into a room by the two techniques connecting.
"Nice moves. You've trained so hard in a short time span to reach this level so quickly. Let me praise you. But man, all things considered, Kyoujurou did an amazing good job. You were nothing but a weakling lying down on the ground that night. Nothing more than a weed. But my goodness! Look at you now! Your growth is stunning! I'm feeling pure happiness! My heart is leaping!" Akaza laughed in delight.
'Now's my chance. Now, while he's uselessly talking.' he thought, 'I need to calm my heart and mind down.'
"I wonder what would have happened if Kyoujurou had died that night. He won't ever get stronger than when I saw him then. And he had that dumb worldview about wanting to stay a human."
Tanjirou froze. All his preparation to calm his heart and mind gone.
"What was that? What did you say? You, you ass. Shut it. Don't say…another word. Don't talk about Rengoku-san." he said, coldly.
Tanjirou could feel it, the anger, boiling to a dangerous degree. He wondered how he managed to keep so calm with Douma, who had taken someone so dear to him.
And then he realised; Shinobu was there. And he had a promise to keep to Kanae.
But now? Akaza was going to be the recipient of that combined anger.
And a tiny part of him was scared this would kill him.
"Why though? I am praising you guys here. Both you and Kyoujurou."
"No. You're just casting insults. You only just spit on everyone's face, regardless of who you're facing." he said with a scary calmness.
"You're misunderstanding something, Tanjirou. The only people I despise are the weaklings. I only spit on the faces of the weak. Yes. I am repulsed by weaklings. They make me vomit. The laws of nature dictate that they will be eliminated."
"Everything you said is wrong. And the fact that you're standing here right now is proof. Newborn babies are the weakest than everyone else. They need someone to help them in order to live. You're the same, Akaza. You may not remember it. But you were a baby. Someone protected you and helped you too. That's why you're alive now." he countered calmly, "The strong should aid and protect the weak. Then the weak will become strong, and in turn they will aid and protect those weaker than them. That is the law of nature." he said passionately, "Akaza! Your way of thinking is unforgivable. I won't let you do as you like any further!" Tanjirou declared, watching the displeasure on his opponent's face.
Suddenly, Akaza struck at the air behind him.
He looked back as if he expected to see someone there.
'What? Did he just swing to open air?' Tanjirou wondered, confused.
"Tanjirou. You really are unpleasant." the demon said, turning back to look at him.
Then he charged forth, with a punch ready to strike.
Tanjirou barely managed to avoid it.
'He's incredibly…unbelievably…fast…! No, not just fast… This isn't fast… To be more precise this is… This feeling…this accuracy…it's…' as Tanjirou was coming to a realisation, Akaza was right in his space, 'Below!'
He sensed the attack from below and just barely managed to intercept the blow.
'Even if I managed to predict his movements and intercept the blow, he's so powerful, I can't get away unscathed! These unparalleled precise techniques…! They pierce through my openings as acutely as a compass without fail. What's more, these attacks aim for my vital points as if they're being attracted by magnets. How? What is it? What are they reacting to that attracts them? Think and remember. There should be something if I try and deduce it from all of Akaza's words and movements to this point.' Tanjirou thought as he dodged a kick from Akaza.
'Sun Breathing; Eighth Form: Soaring Flame Haze!'
Akaza dodged, but still his neck was nicked by his attack.
"Ahahaha! That's a fun, interesting technique." he charged Tanjirou with punches, "It looked like the blade got longer and reached me even after I was sure I completely dodged it. How'd you swing you blade? The tip was wavering like it was trapped in a haze. That part intrigues me."
'While Douma was more powerful, he was more carefree. What Akaza lacks in power, he makes for with his persistence and quick attacks.' Tanjirou thought, deflecting attack after attack, 'I won't be given the time to meditate and enter the see-through world state. What I need, is to focus while fighting.'
"Do you know about repetitive motions?"
Tanjirou felt like smiling.
'Father, mother, Nezuko, Takeo, Hanako, Shigeru, Rokuta, Shinobu… I'll set my heart ablaze!'
He kept thinking about his family deflecting and attacking Akaza, using Himejima-san's repetitive motions to calm his heart and mind, instead of raising his focus higher.
Slowly, he calmed his heartbeat.
He swung down, but quickly drew his sword away, as Akaza's hands reached to intercept it, making the demon look surprised at Tanjirou's move.
Instead, he used the momentum to headbutt Akaza.
"Nice headbutt!" the demon said, surprised.
Tanjirou drew another breath and kicked Akaza in the face, making him stumble a couple of steps back.
At the counterattack Akaza tried to make, Tomioka-san appeared, cutting off the demon's hands.
"Welcome back, Water Pillar!" Tanjirou smiled towards the man.
"I am angry now. There's a searing pain in my back. Great job blasting me all the way back there, Upper Moon Three." the man said, with calm fury.
Tanjirou watches as the two face off, as Tomioka-san's mark appears.
"Water Pillar…" he said, softly.
The two attacked and Akaza matches his increased speed immediately.
He draws a deep breath.
'So fast! Both of them. But…Akaza matched Tomioka-san's increased speed immediately. If the fight is prolonged, the human will lose because his stamina can't last forever. Besides, the ultimate goal is to defeat Muzan. We can't take an entire night to beat Akaza. Hurry. Beat him now. Fast! I gotta hurry or everyone will die. They'll all…' his hands shook by the strength he put on his sword, 'Calm down!' he relaxed his stance, 'Think. Don't panic. Definitely don't ever abandon your thoughts, Sun Pillar. Why are Akaza's attacks able to be as accurate as magnets? How can he react to attacks even when they're from behind or from his blinds spots?'
And then, he remembered.
"Your battle spirit is quite polished. You're getting close to supreme territory." he had said to Rengoku-san.
'Akaza used the words 'battle spirit' during his fight with Rengoku-san. What is battle spirit? Does Akaza sense something with this battle spirit the same way I can sense things with smell?'
"It just kinda tingles at the area the enemy is looking at." Inosuke had explained how his heightened sense of touch worked.
"So that's why you were able to notice Gyuutarou's attacks, Inosuke. That's really amazing considering you got stabbed badly from behind."
"My skin is tougher than human's after all. So it doesn't matter whether it's from behind or not. If anyone merely looks at me, I can tell that they're looking." he laughed.
"Let me give it a try!"
"Alright!" he laughed, flipping over himself in excitement.
Tanjirou stared hard at his friend's back.
"You're looking at my right shoulder."
"Wow, you're right!"
"I can tell right off the bat if they're looking, especially when they do it with the intent to kill. After all, if you're gonna get hurt you're in big trouble! If they wanna kill me, the skin on my body pricks and stings all over."
'That's right. Inosuke also sharpened the sensitivity of his skin. He can sense things that the eye can't see. And then, what were we talking about back then…'
"But if the guy does the opposite and doesn't have any intent to kill me, it becomes real hard to notice the guy." he had said, frustrated, "That goddamn little old hag! I was really scared of that old hag from the Wisteria Crest House…! She just sat behind me with those rice balls by the time I looked at her!"
"Don't call her 'old hag'. It's Grandma or elderly lady."
"Old Hag Lady!"
"Hey!"
"So I thought about this. If I can get close to a guy without showing any killing intent, then they won't notice me. Then that means there's nobody I can't kill!"
"Hmm, but well, that was because Grandma had no intent to hurt you, right Inosuke? I think it's very difficult, impossible even, to kill any demon without showing any murderous intent."
"Well, that's true. If you give a wimpy blow with no intent to kill then you can't cut through that tough demon's neck off."
'There's something I can use from this. It was a really childish conversation, but I feel like there's some kind ofpoint in it. What is this battle spirit that Akaza supposedly senses? Is it different from murderous intent? The determination to fight your opponent? The will to fight? The time it took to train? The intensity of the training? The amount of training? Is it similar to how I use my sense of smell to detect and predict movement? That fighting compass Akaza uses in his fights, is there a way to interfere with it and throw it off?'
'Sun Breathing; First Form: Waltz!'
He saw an opening and made a move on the back of Akaza's neck, only for Akaza to catch his sword with his left hand, leaving Tanjirou open to an attack.
"Your flank's wide open, Tanjirou!"
'There! It's coming!'
He smelt the fist coming to his side and swung his body upwards, avoiding the blow, barely getting scraped and his sword slipping through the demon's grip as Tomioka-san struck at the demon.
Tanjirou drew back.
'Battle spirit, magnet, compass, instinct, murderous intent, impossible, supreme territory. I see. So that's what's happening. Father warned me.'
"Reaching the state of mind to see the crystal clear world, isn't easy. And for someone so kind and empathetic to others like you, reaching that in the middle of the battle will be difficult. So, whenever you try to see in the midst of a fight, remember to clear your heart and mind. Your emotions run deep, son. Don't let them mindlessly lead you."
'Yes. Attacking with anger, for revenge, will let Akaza know I am striking. I fight only to protect, to defend, because I have to. That's why a moment ago, I was able to dodge one of Akaza's unavoidable attacks. The one blow that seemed like it was clinging to me. That hit would most likely have taken my life. Both Akaza and Tomioka-san are trading blows while taking momentary rests. He may have protected me from what would have been a fatal blow, but not even Giyuu-san made it in time when I was open at that moment. Yet, for some reason, I never thought that this whole fight could be completely impossible, that I might not be able to do it. I felt it for just a moment. I entered for just a moment…the 'see-through' world. I saw his whole body as if he was transparent.The same way I smelled Upper Moon Four in his own heart. I don't know if I saw it or if I smelled it. Dodge. I was so focused on that, that I closed off my other senses. And my body moved faster than I ever moved before. I entered this state in training easily, because I was facing a fellow human that I had no intent to hurt. And Douma because I was given enough time to meditate and calm myself. Hurry! While Giyuu-san is fighting him. I will use this to the best of my ability and defeat Akaza.'
Tanjirou watched Akaza and Tomioka-san fight, Akaza gaining on the Water Pillar.
'When I enter the see-through world my father taught me about, my movement prediction and evasion speed, increased dramatically. I could observe the movements of my opponent's lungs and contraction of their blood vessels. And I saw the contractions of their muscles more clearly and faster. I might be able to aim for Akaza's head if I close off this 'battle spirit' that Aakaza is probably detecting.'
"Looks like you've used all of your water forms already. That's enough. let's end this now. I'm amazed at how you lasted this long!"
He thinks he hears Akaza talk. He isn't sure what was being said. His focus was on seeing his opponent.
'Make sure… Make sure of this… and watch closely… Pay close attention…' he thought.
Tomioka-san's sword snapped.
"Farewell!"
Akaza punched Tomioka-san in the gut.
Tanjirou had moved and cut his arm in the blink of an eye, before the punch connected.
He felt his forehead get hotter.
He saw Akaza use his technique again.
'So this is the place father was talking about. I see. This is…the see-through world. What is this? It's weird. Time is just moving slowly…wait, or do the movements just seem slower?'
Everything moved in slow motion, no hit landed on him, as he was able to avoid them all, finding himself behind Akaza after he punched Tomioka-san into a wall.
"Well done. You are impressive. I'm not surprised that you're still alive. You somehow managed to dodge a number of fatal blows. Don't die like Tanjirou. You should become a demon, too, Water Pillar."
"Akaza. I will cut your head off right now." Tanjirou said calmly.
He can smell Akaza's shock to find him alive and Giyuu's exasperation at him revealing himself. A punch he ducks under. He can smell the demon's distress as he used his technique but couldn't find Tanjirou.
'Sun Breathing; Ninth Form: The Setting Sun.'
Tanjirou flipped in the air, facing Akaza upside down in the air, and swung his sword in a upwards, circling motion, that cut off the demon's neck. He landed and kneeled before the demon.
He watched Akaza try to reconnect his head in its place.
'His head! He's trying to put it back on?!' he thought incredulous.
"Stop, Akaza." he said calmly, "It's over. You lost."
He saw Giyuu-san throw his sword and knock the head off.
He watched it crumble.
'His head disintegrated. It's over. We won…' he sighed in relief.
He drew a deep breath and relaxed.
'Ow! My eyes are aching! I'm dizzy! My muscles are getting numb, shaking… My body is at its limit now.' he thought, 'That was intense.' he sighed.
Suddenly, the body activated Akaza's Blood Demon Art.
Tanjirou stared in shock and barely avoided an attack to his head.
'It's still moving! The body hasn't crumbled! The decapitated neck got sealed off! Ughh! My eyes! My head is spinning!'
He blinks and then he gets kicked into the wall.
'Water Breathing; Eighth Form: Waterfall Basin.'
"Kagh!"
He somehow managed to soften the collision, minimising the damage, but getting stuck.
'No way! This…This can't be…! He's not dying even though his head's been cut off! Is there some kind of special condition, like with Gyuutarou and Ume and the Primal Emotions demon? No, that's not right. His head crumbled into nothingness. Akaza's trying to change something. He's trying to turn into something else…! He's trying to make his head no longer a weak point. Just like Muzan! This fight isn't over! I can still fight…' he tried to get himself out from the wall.
Everything turns black for a moment, the last thing he knows is Akaza's body turned towards him and Giyuu-san's voice screaming his name.
He drew a sudden breath and opened his.
'I passed out? During a battle?!' he looked around and saw Akaza's body, 'His head! Guah! His head is starting to regenerate! Even though I cut it off!'
He sees him about to punch Giyuu-san.
"STOOOOP!" Tanjirou screamed and burst out of the wall.
Akaza turned towards him.
'I'll cut your head again and again! No matter how many times I have to cut off your head, I'll win together with Giyuu-san against you, Akaza!' he swung his sword at the demon, only for it to slip from his hands, 'Oh no, no, no! My sword went flying out of my hands! My grip… I can't put any strength in my hands. But I can still fight!'
He punched Akaza in the face.
There was something about the look in his eyes.
Tanjirou recognised the stance, the same destruction style from the train.
'He's about to release his destruction style he used against Rengoku-san. He's going to bring Giyuu-san into his attack range and then…! I'll take Giyuu-san outside the attack range!'
He turned and ran towards Tomioka-san.
"Don't worry, forget about me…!" the Water Pillar started to shout, but Tanjirou had built enough momentum, grabbed him and dove to the other side of the room.
As they fell, Tanjirou saw Akaza.
The demon had a peaceful smile on his lips before he used his technique on himself, the shockwave pushing the two Pillars further away from him.
'He did it to himself… He used his own attack to… Why did he attack himself? Why…? For a moment I smelt the scent of gratitude from Akaza. Why did he smile?' he watched the body move, 'Where is he going? Where…does he want to go? Ah… His feet stopped…'
He watched it fall to its knees, struggle with itself and then tilt to the side.
"Ah…" he saw him raise his hands.
Tanjirou slowly made his way to Akaza and laid a hand on the demon's shoulder as it crumbled.
"I hope you rest in peace." he said. Then Akaza was gone, "He disappeared… It's…over…" he breathed out, "Next…I have…to hurry…to Muzan…" he mumbled, only for everything to go black and fall face first to the floor.
Notes 2: An explanation! While Douma was stronger than Akaza, the 'Tanjirou vs Douma' fight feels easier to the 'Tanjirou vs Akaza' fight, because Douma as a mainly long range fighter, could be cornered and defeated more quickly by a close combat fighter, like a swordsman, if he's caught unawares for long enough and have disregarded his opponent as a threat, whereas Akaza is a martial arts master, a close quarters fighter, who has just his fists as his weapons, giving him a certain freedom of movement against a swordsman, who has to direct their attacks through their sword. Douma had the freedom of drawing a fight out as long as he likes, until his opponents tired out, or he got bored of them. He plays cat-and-mouse. Akaza attacks straight away, aiming to win from the start. We don't really see Douma pitied against Akaza to measure their strength differences. Douma doesn't treat Akaza's attack as something serious to get worked up over, letting Akaza strike him, and it's only Kokushibou stepping in and putting Akaza in his place that resolves the moment in the manga chapter 99 or the anime season 3 episode 45.