Gemini and Kagane headed into the forest where Muichiro was likely sent flying to and saw him defending Kotetsu from a giant fish-like demon.
"Whoa…freaky fish." Gemini said.
"It's certainly grotesque." Kagane said.
The two watched as Muichiro sliced off the demon's head, only for it to regrow soon after. The Mist Hashira then switched targets, slicing a vase on its head in half, causing the demon to fall to the ground and begin to turn to dust.
"A vase? It must be a demon's Blood Art." Kagane said.
"Looks like Nedris was right again. Hantengu isn't the only demon in the village." Gemini said. "This one's probably an Upper Rank like he is."
"The question for now is where they are right now. They have to still be in the village to control monsters like that. I know I only dragged you out here to get Muichiro…but if there is another Upper Moon around, we need to deal with them as soon as possible." Kagane said.
"Kotetsu…you gotta help us." Gemini said.
"I'm sorry. I was attacked after Mr. Kanamori got attacked too." Kotetsu said.
"So…they must be close to that workshop Haganezuka's been working out of." Gemini said.
"Then we don't have much time to waste." Kagane said as the trio departed towards the workshop with Kotetsu in tow.
In the forest, Tanjiro was reeling from taking the attack for Gemini as he was dealing with the remains of the demon Superbia had hammered off.
"So…that's how it works." Tanjiro said finishing them. "They don't get stronger infinitely. The ones with characters in their mouths are the strongest versions. Joy, Anger, Sorrow and Pleasure. They divide any further…they weaken." he realized before turning around as the Joy demon flew at him while charging another sonic blast with Superbia grabbing onto its back.
"Hurry and strike, slayer!" the Vice Angel said, as he grabbed the demon's jaw and, with a quick and heavy yank, dislocated it, interrupting the attack. This simultaneously gave the demon a chance to throw Superbia off his back.
"Hahahahaha!" the Joy Demon laughed as his injury healed as he slashed at the two with his talons. "How do you like my talons? Are they swift? Are they powerful? They're strong enough to smash diamonds!" he called out as he slashed at the two of them and knocked them around. "Go! Tremble. Tremble as your blood gushes from every orifice!"
Superbia growled as he summoned his war hammer to his hand. "Sever this hellspawn, slayer. I shall crush what is left."'
"It won't work. This demon will keep regenerating. Even if you sever its head." Tanjiro said. "Even so…we need to get back to everyone else." he said before the Joy Demon flew at Tanjiro as blood could be seen gushing.
"Hahahahaha!" the demon laughed as Tanjiro smirked.
"I got you." Tanjiro said.
"Huh?" the demon said before his face split open much to his shock. Both Tanjiro and Superbia ran at him as he fixed his face and charged another sonic blast only for Tanjiro to slash him across the jaw, canceling it out.
"What is Urogi doing over there?!" Sekido asked. "How hard is it for him to kill one measly boy and a fallen angel?!"
"Aw lighten up. We're all just having some fun." Karaku said as he had Nezuko pinned down.
"I do not enjoy this, Karaku. And Aizetsu, finish off that one." Sekido said looking to the Sorrow Demon who had his spear lodged in Genya's body.
"Somethings wrong though. He's so weak, it's almost saddening… but he hasn't fallen over." the blue-eyed clone with the spear said.
"Your…opponent…is still here!" Genya said as he fired his shotgun into the demon's neck. "Hehehe…ugh!" he said as the demon continued to pull the spear out until it came all the way out as he began to bleed out.
"A slow and painful death it is. Such a sad thing to witness." Aizetsu said as his head reattached.
"No, Genya!" Mark called out.
The group remaining at the inn soon stopped as soon as they heard Genya began to mutter something.
"That chanting… The Amida Sutra?" Nedris said.
"How saddening that those are your last words." Aizetsu said.
"He's still alive! Split his head in two already!" Sekido ordered.
"I was just about to do so. Stop yelling at me." Aizetsu said as he went to do so only to find the boy gone.
"Well…how about this?" Genya said about to strike only for Sekido to bang his staff on the ground as the lightning was striking Genya again as it did the group earlier. As he was shocked, however, David lunged at the demon only to slice off a hand, canceling the spell as Genya was knocked to the next room with Aizetsu.
"Aw man…it looks like Aizetsu's having the more fun fight. Sorry, but you can't entertain me anymore!" Karaku said as he kicked his foot through Nezuko's body.
"Hang in there, Nezuko!" Mark said as he raced over.
Nezuko however managed to recover and deal a kick to Karaku's head, splitting his jaw off and ripping her right arm off in the process, the blood from it splattering on Karaku's face, allowing Nezuko to use her Blood Art on him as she grabbed his right arm before twisting it off as she then used his fan against him, sending him flying.
"Okay, never mind then. You go, girl!" Mark said. "That leaves Mr. Grumpy," he said, facing Sekido. "Let's see how many pieces I need to cut you into!"
"Insolent children!" Sekido said, slamming his staff on the ground as he shocked Nezuko, Mark, David, Sectonia, and Nedris.
"Damn…as long as he has that staff…" Sectonia groaned before looking out. "Huh…is that…"
They managed to get a glimpse of two figures flying towards them. One was Superbia while the other was Tanjiro, his sword lodged in Urogi as he worked on piloting him like a miniplane.
"And there's our main man!" Mark said in joy.
Tanjiro then flew Urogi right into the wall.
"Now Urogi? What is going on here?" Sekido said as he lifted his staff to strike Tanjiro only to pierce a familiar bird-like foot. "Urogi's foot…"
"We noticed it earlier. You hellspawn…your spells don't affect each other. At least, your lightning doesn't anyway!" Superbia said, smacking off Sekido's head.
"Are…you all okay?" Tanjiro asked.
"Besides some minor shocks, we're all good," David said.
"This demon…looks like it can't divide into any more than he already has. Anger, Sorrow, Joy, and Pleasure are the only ones it can divide into. Also, if you slash their tongues, it takes longer for them to regenerate." Tanjiro said.
"Noted. We'll keep that in mind." David said.
"It doesn't seem like anything we do fazes them. Even with their heads removed, they regenerate with ease." Sectonia said.
"Seems like a battle of attrition. The fact we have to fight all of them at once doesn't really help either." David said.
"I know. It was difficult facing them and at times it was impossible. But whatever the case, do not let them merge." Nedris said.
"They can merge too?! This guy's just a barrel of fun, isn't he…" Mark sighed in aggravation.
"Hey…you guys…seem to be having fun." a voice said as the group looked and saw Karaku jumped above. "How about I join in?" he said, swinging his fan as the pressure pushed them against the floor.
"Gods be damned!" Nedris said before hearing a bell ring. "The village…!"
"Yeah…we should have known they'd target it too." David said.
"Maybe Gouto got to the chief in time?" Sectonia asked.
"That has to be one of the reasons if one of the villagers is ringing the bell." Nedris said. "Please be safe, Master Tecchin."
"They will…cause the floor is about to…" Mark said as the floor under them broke through, the hole shaped just like the leaf fan that sent them downward.
The group of slayers lied there as the three demons regrouped above them, all three ready to strike the final blow.
The village meanwhile was in a panic as many demons roamed the streets as the villagers ran in fear.
"Hurry…hurry! Village in danger!" a lone crow cawed as a certain figure was running with all their might to the village's aid.
"It was lucky I was stationed near the village or I never would have made it. Who knew?" Kanroji called out as she ran towards the village. "All right…I'm going to give it my all!"