Chapter 233: Giyu Tomioka, Give Me Back My Life!

"Boom—rumble—rumble"

Heavy tracks crushed the ground as the tank column advanced steadily. The turrets turned with an ear-screeching metallic friction.

"The latest British-made weapon, the Mark V Tank." Dio's voice came from above. "How is it? This is a new toy recently introduced by the military."

On the armor plates, several Corpse Puppets held heavy machine guns, their pitch-black muzzles aimed at everyone.

The tank turret turned, emitting a piercing metallic friction sound, and the main cannon aimed at Gyomei Himejima standing at the very front.

"Rat-tat-tat!"

Orange-red flames spurted from the cannon muzzle, and at the same time, the Corpse Puppets on the armor plates pulled their triggers, and dense rain of bullets poured down.

"Careful!" Tanjiro shouted.

"Amitabha."

Gyomei Himejima took a deep breath, his chest heaving violently. A white stream of air exhaled from his mouth, forming fine water mist in the air. He pressed his palms together, stepped down with his foot, and the ground instantly cracked.

"Stone Breathing · Third Form · Rock Skin!"

The chain in his hand instantly unfolded, drawing silver arcs in the air. The chain spun faster and faster, finally forming an impenetrable defensive barrier before him.

"Clang-clang-clang!"

Bullets struck the spinning chain, sparks flying. Every bullet was firmly blocked by this shield woven from chains.

Tanjiro stared dumbfounded for a moment: "So strong!"

At this moment, the tank's tracks emitted a piercing friction sound; the tracks turned, and the massive steel body suddenly accelerated.

"Crack-crack-crack!"

The machine gun continued to sweep wildly, Gyomei Himejima was forced to retreat; although the chain's spinning speed did not decrease, the defensive range was shrinking.

"Not good!" Tanjiro stepped down with his foot, about to rush forward to help.

"Clang!"

Six blood-red Great Swords instantly blocked before him, cold light flickering on the blades. Rengoku Kyojuro stood there, six arms swinging simultaneously, blade light weaving into a net.

"Your opponent is me." A glint of light flashed in Rengoku Kyojuro's blood-red pupils. "Don't think about helping others."

Sanemi Shinazugawa kicked off the ground, which instantly cracked. His whole body shot out like a shell, the Nichirin Blade in his hand breaking the sky with a sharp whistle.

"Wind Breathing · Second Form · Claw Claw · Koto Wind!"

Obanai Iguro followed closely behind, his body in a strange twisted posture, like a poisonous snake emerging from its hole.

"Serpent Breathing · Second Form · Venomous Fangs of the Narrow-Headed!"

The auras of Wind Breathing and Serpent Breathing intertwined. The two men's blade light flashed almost simultaneously; the Corpse Puppets holding guns on the armor plates had not yet reacted before being sliced in half.

"Bang! Bang!"

Several corpses fell to the ground, and the heavy machine guns in their hands fell with them.

Gyomei Himejima seized this opportunity, and the chain in his hand suddenly tightened.

"Stone Breathing · Second Form · Heaven Face Shatter!"

The Meteor Hammer roared as it smashed toward the tank's cannon barrel.

"Boom!"

The tremendous impact directly smashed the cannon barrel into two, metal fragments flying everywhere.

Sanemi Shinazugawa had already landed on another tank, fierce airflow coiling around the blade. "These pieces of scrap copper and rotten iron, dare to be arrogant in front of me!"

The metal tracks instantly broke, parts flying everywhere.

At this moment, dense Corpse Puppets surged from all directions. They moved in unison, clearly intending to exhaust everyone's stamina with numbers.

"Hmph, no matter how many come, it's all the same." Sanemi Shinazugawa gripped the hilt, a fierce light flashing in his eyes. "Just chop them all down."

Up high, Dio looked down at the battlefield. Watching the Hashira charging left and right among the corpses, a disdainful smile appeared on his face.

"It seems the toxin concentration is still not enough."

He clapped his hands, and several Corpse Puppets immediately understood. They quickly manipulated the mechanisms, and more poison mist sprayed out from the surrounding devices.

Gray-white smoke poured down like a waterfall, soon enveloping the entire battlefield.

"Cough cough." Sanemi Shinazugawa covered his mouth and nose. "Damn it, this poison mist is thicker than before!"

The others were not faring well either. The poison mist irritated their lungs, and every breath brought a severe burning sensation. Even covering their mouths and noses with wet cloth could not completely block the toxin's erosion.

Dio watched everything below, the corners of his mouth slightly raised. He turned and walked toward the depths of the palace.

"I suppose Muzan Kibutsuji can't wait either." Dio pushed open the door of the Underground Palace, his voice carrying a hint of playfulness.

At this time, on the battlefield

Giyu Tomioka and Sabito's Nichirin Blades collided again, their appearances still exactly as in memory.

"Water Breathing · First Form: Water Surface Slash!"

Giyu Tomioka stepped back, water-like ripples coiling around the blade. He knew this Sabito was merely a walking corpse, but every time he swung his blade, his heart trembled involuntarily.

At this moment, a large amount of poison mist surged in, and a sudden intense burning sensation came from his lungs.

"Cough cough."

Just this momentary hesitation, Sabito's attack had already arrived before him. The Nichirin Blade descended with fierce momentum, and Giyu Tomioka barely raised his blade to block.

"Clang!"

The two blades were locked together, sparks flying.

At this moment, a figure attacked from the side like lightning. It was Makomo!

Giyu Tomioka wanted to dodge, but the poison mist affected his reaction speed.

The blade swept across, blood spattered, and a deep wound appeared on Giyu Tomioka's left arm.

"Hmph" Blood-red light flickered in Makomo's eyes. "Is this the strength of the Water Pillar? Truly disappointing."

At this time, Sabito's offensive became even more fierce, the Nichirin Blade continuously attacking with howling wind.

Giyu Tomioka blocked again and again, his arms already going numb. Every time their weapons met, he was forced back a step by the tremendous force.

"Clang!"

Blades clashed, sparks flying. Giyu Tomioka stumbled underfoot and retreated three steps before steadying himself.

Sabito advanced step by step, his Nichirin Blade screeching against the Ground.

His blood-red eyes stared fixedly at Giyu Tomioka, his voice icy and piercing: "Do you remember that day of the Final Selection? "I shouldn't have saved you.""

Giyu Tomioka's Pupils contracted sharply.

"Because of you, I died!" Sabito suddenly Roared, his Nichirin Blade Breaking Sky with a Whistle as it slashed toward Giyu Tomioka's neck, "Because of your weakness, because of your incompetence, I died!""

Giyu Tomioka raised his blade to block, but under the Impact of the poison, his movements were Slow by a beat. The blade grazed his shoulder, adding another wound. Fresh blood dripped down his arm.

"If I were alive" a flash of savagery crossed Sabito's eyes, "the current Water Pillar would be me! I will become the strongest Water Pillar!"

"I " Giyu Tomioka wanted to say something, but his throat felt as if something were blocking it.

"It's all because of you!" Sabito Roared, unleashing six consecutive slashes in an instant, Blade Light as dense as Lightning, each strike more ferocious than the last.

Giyu Tomioka parried with difficulty, but was still shaken by the final blow until his tiger's mouth went numb, his Nichirin Blade nearly slipping from his hand.

"Return my life!" Sabito Roared, "Give my life back to me!"

The Nichirin Blade in Giyu Tomioka's hand trembled slightly, his palm already soaked with cold sweat on the hilt. Every word Sabito spoke was like a sharp blade, constantly piercing his heart.

The blade in his hand grew heavier and heavier, as if it would crush his body. Guilt, self-reproach, resentment—these emotions swelled in his chest, nearly leaving him breathless.

Sabito's blade descended with fierce Killing Intent, about to land on Giyu Tomioka's Skull.

Just then, a voice suddenly Resounded In Mind. It was words Tanjiro had once said:

"We live not only for ourselves. Those who carry on another's trust should all the more continue moving forward"

With a "Crack," he gripped the hilt tightly, and the blade that had been on the verge of falling suddenly steadied.

Clang!

The blades of both sides collided, and both retreated a step at the same time.

Seeing this, Sabito's eyes flashed with a hint of rage: "Still Struggling? Then let you see true Water Breathing!""

"Water Breathing · Tenth Form · Constant Flux!"

Turbulent water swirled around Sabito's blade, and on the other side, Makomo simultaneously unleashed the same technique.

Two fierce Blade Lights intertwined in the air, like two raging dragons tearing and lunging at Giyu Tomioka. The air was Torn, emitting a sharp Whistle.

Giyu Tomioka gazed at this move. The essence of Water Breathing was displayed here to the fullest, nearly touching the highest realm of this Breathing Technique.

But

At this moment he took a Deep Breath, both hands gripping the hilt. A clear Qi surged from within his body, and his gaze became incomparably calm.

But at this moment his heartbeat reached its peak, and a blue Demon Slayer Mark suddenly appeared on his forehead.

"Water Breathing · Eleventh Form · Dead Calm!"

His blade lightly sliced through the air, without earth-shaking momentum, without fierce Killing Intent, like a fallen leaf lightly skimming the water's surface.

But this seemingly plain strike completely dissolved the opponent's surging offensive.

"Sabito." Giyu Tomioka looked directly into the other's eyes, "You're right, I owe you a life. If you want it, I can return it to you at any time."

He gripped the hilt tightly, his voice becoming Determination: "But this life no longer belongs only to me. Tanjiro, Master Urokodaki, Rengoku, everyone who trusts me—I carry their expectations. I cannot betray your life-saving grace, nor can I betray their trust.""

"So." Giyu Tomioka raised his Nichirin Blade, solemnity in his eyes, "Let me use this life to protect more people!"

"Shut up!" Sabito's eyes were Blood-red, his state mad, "What right do you have to say such things!"

He stomped his foot, and the Ground instantly Shattered. His whole body like a Shell fired from a cannon, he lunged at Giyu Tomioka with fierce Killing Intent.

Makomo also flanked from the other side, forming a pincer movement.

A hint of sadness flashed in Giyu Tomioka's eyes; he took a Deep Breath and gripped his Nichirin Blade tightly. Gentle water patterns slowly flowed along the blade.

"Water Breathing · Fifth Form · Benevolent Rain of the Drought."

This strike was delivered extremely Slowly, like gentle rain.

But Sabito and Makomo were completely unable to react; their Skulls had already been severed from their bodies.

No blood spattered, no cries of pain, everything was as gentle as spring rain.

"Sorry" Giyu Tomioka sheathed his blade and stood.

Sabito's Skull rolled on the Ground, his blood-red eyes gradually regaining a trace of clarity. He looked at Giyu Tomioka's back, a hint of relieved Laughter flashing in his eyes.

(Chapter End)