Chapter 18

Back with Akaza and Rengoku, the two were in constant battle. They were so quick that no one would be able to keep up with them.

But as the battle wore on, Akaza realized that he was having trouble keeping up with Rengoku, unlike the last battle where he had the upper hand.

As Akaza fought against Kyojuro, his thoughts came in rapidly, filled with irritation.

This is impossible! How is he stronger than me despite not having devoured a single human! Was it wrong to turn him into a demon?

A flashback appeared within Akaza's mind. The night where he reported to Lord Muzan after the Mugen Train event.

"Lord Muzan. I have turned a Hashira into a demon, just like you asked." Akaza said.

"Good. This will make up for you not killing the other Demon Slayers. With a Hashira as a demon within their ranks, I wonder how well this one will turn against them." Muzan replied.

Lord Muzan wanted a Hashira to become a demon so they can turn traitor and destroy the Demon Slayer Corps from the inside. Have I failed?

"Why? Why must you resist Kyojuro! Why can't you succumb!" Akaza yelled at him.

"I would never succumb to my demonic blood. If I do, I would become just like every other demon I fought against. Mindless. Soulless. A being with no heart." Kyojuro said.

There's no use talking with this guy. If I really want him to lose his sanity... Akaza's eyes moved to a small family minding their own, oblivious to what is going on outside.

Then I will make him lose it!

With such quick speed, Akaza moved to attack the small family.

"No!" Kyojuro cried out, already seeing what Akaza was about to do. He rushed to follow him.

"Blood Demon Art: Air Type!" Akaza flung air shockwaves towards the small family. The small family gathered together, screaming in fright and then an explosive cloud of dust and debris.

Kyojuro arrived too late. The house was destroyed and he saw the bodies of the small family crumbled beneath the debris. He stood there, shocked.

"Aw. Were you too late Kyojuro?" Akaza said in fake sympathy.

Kyojuro stood still, frozen, staring at the destruction before him. It wasn't the human blood that got to him nor the anger he felt. No. It was the fear of not being able to save this family on time. The fear of a possibility that this could have been his father and brother. The fear of not being able to save them.

"Honestly, you didn't give me a choice." Akaza said. Suddenly, he felt pain in his stomach. He looked down to see that Kyojuro had punched him in the gut. Akaza was thrown with such force that when his body was thrown against a building, a hole was created within a wall of a house.

Akaza sat up and his eyes widened in shock. He saw that Kyojuro's hair was no longer golden but a dark red, having the red tips become an even darker deep red. He has on horn grown above his right eye, the coloring from a deep red to an almost bright orange.

His eyes were different too. The whites of his eyes changed to a charcoal black, the red and orange coloring of his eyes still the same but the white pupil changed back to the black slit pupil. His red-orange claws appeared again and dark-red flame patterns appeared on his body.

Akaza watched as a now fully fledged demon Kyojuro slowly approached him, his demeanor filled with high intimidation.

This is bad! I have to get out of here!

Akaza ran far from Kyojuro but he wasn't quick enough. Kyojuro suddenly appeared in front of him and he swung his sword, cutting off both Akaza's arms.

Akaza jumped back and looked at Kyojuro.

"Going somewhere, Akaza?" Kyojuro said in a deep and low, intimidating voice.

Back with Daki, she struggled to get up but Nezuko's foot was still on her back.

How is this possible? I know I chopped her leg off, but it's piercing my back now.

Nezuko lifted her leg from Daki.

She regenerated it already? No way. If that's true, that would make your regeneration powers... greater than my own!

Nezuko stomped onto Daki's leg, cutting it in half. Daki screamed in pain. Nezuko's lips slowly went up in a smile, her eyes filled with manic.

Back with Tanjiro, he was still unconscious but the voice of his younger brother was heard.

"Brother!"

His brother's spirit was trying to wake him. He was crying.

"Brother... Please help her! If you don't... she'll never be the same!"

Tanjiro's eyes snapped open.

Nezuko's foot slammed down onto Daki's wrist, also cutting it. Daki cried out in pain. Nezuko then started to kick Daki. Daki had enough.

"Get off me, you brat!" Daki said as she used her belt to slice Nezuko, her head cut off.

Daki leaped away from Nezuko. "I'll chop you into pieces and stuff you into my belt."

Daki sent her belts towards Nezuko, silcing her. Nezuko caught one of Daki's belts and Daki gasped. Nezuko glared at Daki.

She stopped it... with her severed limbs? No, her coagulated blood is keeping them connected.

Then the blood that was splattered on Daki began to glow and then Daki was engulfed in flames. She screamed at the pain.

Her blood, it's burning me! Just like that day! Fire, Fire! Daki screamed out again. Nezuko's limbs reattached back to her main body. Nezuko smiled with satisfaction.

She jumped into the air and she dropped down onto Daki. She kept kicking Daki over and over, laughing in enjoyment. She then kicked Daki away, having her thrown into a building.

Akaza was running for his life. He has never been so afraid before! And this irritated him. Akaza stopped in his tracks and turned around. He saw Kyojuro running at him, full speed.

"Blood Demon Art: Air Type!" Akaza released air punches towards Kyojuro.

"Flame Breathing: Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!" Kyojuro used his technique to block Akaza's attacks, the coloring of the flame now a deep red-orange. But not only it blocked Akaza's attacks, but it stopped it completely.

Akaza saw this and came to a realization. His techniques are much stronger now due to his demonic form!

"Flame Breathing: Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!" Kyojuro released this attack straight towards Akaza who didn't have time to move. He screamed out as he felt his body burn due to the flames.

Back with Tengen, he was running towards the sounds of chaos. But his hearing was mostly focused on Rengoku. He sensed it. Rengoku has changed completely. The voice of his close companion was no longer cheerful but now has a deep and scary tone.

Hang in there, Rengoku. I'm coming.