Chapter 237

Meanwhile, on the battlefield outside.

Stone Pillar Gyomei Himejima stomped his right foot heavily on the ground, the heavy iron hammer swinging lightly in his hand as if it had no weight at all.

The trajectory of the iron hammer stirred up a gale, the air compressed into a tangible shockwave.

Akaza stood in place, his peach-pink hair pulled by the gale, an excited expression surfacing on his face: "Strong fighting spirit."

Voice not yet fallen, Akaza's figure had already vanished from the spot. His speed reached the extreme, instantly appearing at Himejima's side, right fist already poised and ready.

"Destructive Death: Annihilation Style!"

Although Gyomei Himejima was blind in both eyes, it was as if he could see the opponent's every move clearly.

He exerted force with both arms simultaneously, "First Form: Serpentine Rock, Twin Poles!"

The Broad Axe and Meteor Hammer simultaneously pincered toward Akaza, one left one right, sealing off all retreat.

Akaza's pupil shrank, body leaning back, dodging this fatal pincer by a hair's breadth. However at this moment, Himejima suddenly stomped his right foot heavily on the chain, fixing it in place.

"Second Form: Heaven Face Shatter!"

The Meteor Hammer at this moment suddenly changed direction, descending from the heavens, smashing down on Akaza's head with irresistible force. The air was torn, emitting a piercing whistle.

"Hmph, I sensed it long ago." The corner of Akaza's mouth hooked into an excited smile, "Destructive Death: Leg Type, Crown First Cut!"

He stomped his right foot heavily on the ground, his whole body shooting up like an arrow leaving the bowstring. Left foot stepping on the chain, borrowing force to kick the Meteor Hammer aside.

The massive reaction force sent him into mid-air, looking down from above at Gyomei Himejima.

"Destructive Death: Shatter Type, Ten Thousand Leaves Flash Pillar!"

Akaza roared, fist wrapped in terrifying momentum smashing down.

Right at this critical moment, Gyomei Himejima suddenly released the hands gripping his weapons.

"Abandoning weapons?" Akaza's pupil shrank.

Right at the instant Akaza's fist wind was about to descend, he suddenly sensed a suffocating oppressive feeling coming from behind. It was that chain that had been kicked away!

It traced a perfect arc in the air, forming a massive encirclement circle with the chain at the other end.

"What?!"

Akaza's pupil contracted sharply, but it was too late. The two chains instantly tightened, strangling in like two giant steel pythons.

"Hmph! Thinking this level can trap me?"

Akaza shouted violently, punching the air, the massive shockwave forcing his body to rise a few inches.

However he was still a step slow, the chain had already wound around his right leg.

Amidst the sound of metal friction, the chain violently tightened. Even with Akaza's physique, he could not resist this terrifying force.

"Crack!"

Akaza's right leg snapped in response, fresh blood spurting out. But his face not only lacked a pained expression, instead revealing an even more excited smile.

"Worthy of the Stone Pillar, this power and technique." His severed leg flesh writhed, a new leg growing out in the blink of an eye.

"Bang!"

Akaza landed steadily, the newly grown right leg showing not the slightest abnormality. He moved his wrist, emitting cracking sounds.

"Looks like I need to change tactics." Akaza narrowed his eyes, a human who can surpass demon power, this is the first time he has seen one.

He readied his stance, legs spread, sinking into a firm horse stance. An even more terrifying aura erupted from within him, dense patterns once again appearing on the ground.

"Destructive Death: Rapid Type, Ten Thousand Shadows!"

Akaza's figure vanished from the spot, only a "Bang" heard, the ground he originally stood on instantly collapsing. The air was torn, emitting a sharp whistle.

"Left side!"

Gyomei Himejima sensed danger, the chain in his hand sweeping horizontally. But Akaza's speed was too fast, vanishing again the moment the chain was about to touch him.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Continuous sonic booms exploded in the air. Akaza's figure flickered on the battlefield like a ghost, each appearance accompanied by a piercing sonic boom.

His speed was fast enough to dazzle the eyes, forming an encirclement circle around Gyomei Himejima.

"Destructive Death: Rapid Type, Chain!"

Akaza shouted violently, figure flickering in mid-air, fist tip wrapped in violent airflow striking straight at Gyomei Himejima's face.

This punch was heavy and powerful, even stirring up layers of ripples in the air.

"Fourth Form: Flowing Rock, Swift Conquest!"

The Meteor Hammer in Gyomei Himejima's hand whistled out, the chain tracing a perfect arc in the air.

"I've already seen it!" Akaza sneered.

"Bang!"

Akaza's fist struck Gyomei Himejima's chest squarely like a shell.

The massive impact force directly blasted him flying, plowing a long trench on the ground. Rubble flew, dust billowed.

Gyomei Himejima had not yet steadied himself, a body flicker flashing at his left side. "Bang!" Another heavy punch smashed into his side ribs.

The sound of bones shattering was clearly audible, Gyomei Himejima's body blasted flying again, smashing through several stone pillars before barely stopping.

"Cough"

Gyomei Himejima knelt on one knee, fresh blood continuously surging from his mouth.

Continuously enduring Akaza's heavy blows, even with the Stone Pillar's physique, he had now reached his limit. Every breath felt like swallowing blades.

"Die!" Akaza shouted violently, figure vanishing from the spot.

The sound of air tearing rose and fell, his speed having reached an inconceivable level.

Gyomei Himejima took a deep breath, the chain in his hand suddenly expanding, "Stone Breathing, Third Form: Rock Skin!"

The Meteor Hammer rapidly rotated in his hand, faster and faster. The chain tore through the air emitting a sharp whistle, forming an impenetrable defensive circle around him.

Each rotation stirred up a strong airflow, flinging surrounding rubble outward.

"You want to defend like this? Akaza's voice rang out all around, "But how long can you hold out?"

"What a demon can do, a human can also do! Gyomei Himejima thought to himself. His breathing rhythm began to change, and he devoted his whole body and mind to perceiving his surroundings.

The rotation speed of the chains began to slow, and tiny gaps appeared in the defensive circle.

"An opening!" Akaza's eyes shifted, he stomped his foot, and the ground instantly cracked. "Technique Expansion · Final Form · Blue Silver Chaotic Remnant Light!"

At this critical moment, Gyomei Himejima's presence suddenly vanished completely.

"What?!" Akaza's pupils shrank sharply, and a strong warning surged in his heart.

In an instant, the world underwent an earth-shaking change in Gyomei Himejima's perception. The flow of air, Akaza's breathing rhythm, the direction of his muscle contractions — everything became so clear.

Time seemed to be infinitely prolonged at this moment; Akaza's storm-like attacks became slow in his perception.

Gyomei Himejima gripped the chains tight with both hands, his muscles tensed to the utmost. "Fifth Form Wheel Punishment Ministry!"

He shouted violently, his whole body suddenly leaping up. The meteor hammer and broad axe in his hands swung out simultaneously, the whistling of the chains piercing the long sky.

"Bad!" Akaza sensed a lethal threat and tried to retreat and dodge, but it was already too late.

"Boom!"

The meteor hammer struck Akaza square in the chest, the tremendous impact directly smashing his upper body to pieces.

Flesh and blood flew, the sound of shattering bones clearly audible. Immediately after, the broad axe swept in from the side, cleaving the remaining parts of his body in two.

Akaza's body exploded in midair, blood mist filling the air.

The power of this strike was so great that even the surrounding ground was shaken into spider-web-like cracks. Rubble flew, dust scattered.

"It's over." Gyomei Himejima panted heavily, both hands still gripping his weapons tight.

Akaza's shattered body twitched a few times on the ground, then gradually turned to ash.

"Must go support as soon as possible"

"Must hurry and support Miss Butterfly and them." He wound the chains around his waist, turned, and strode toward the battlefield.

Just then, the earth suddenly shook violently.

"This is?!" Gyomei Himejima halted his steps, he keenly detected a powerful tremor coming from underground.

A crack spread outward in all directions at astonishing speed.

"Boom!!!"

A huge explosion resounded through the heavens. An air wave kicked up rolling dust, spreading outward with unimaginable power. The surrounding buildings collapsed inch by inch under this impact.

A huge deep pit appeared at the center of the explosion, its diameter fully dozens of meters. The bottom of the pit was unfathomably deep, pitch-black as if it could devour everything.

The ground under Gyomei Himejima's feet suddenly caved in; he hurriedly threw out his chains, hooked a still-standing stone pillar nearby, and swung himself out.

"Damn! Tanjiro and them are still underground!"

"Rumble."

A dull sound came from the bottom of the pit, and a mass of flesh and blood suddenly began to wriggle.

Scattered flesh and blood gathered together as if alive, gradually forming a human shape.

"Hehehe" Dio's laughter echoed from the bottom of the pit: "Upper Rank One is nothing more than this!"

Flesh rapidly recombined, bones grew instantly, eerie patterns emerged on the skin's surface. In the blink of an eye, Dio's body was restored as before.

Just then, a harsh metallic grinding sound came from the smoke. A maimed figure appeared behind Dio.

"What?!" Dio's pupils shrank, "You're actually not dead?"

In the smoke, Kokushibo's body was blown to pieces. Both his legs were reduced to one, his right arm completely gone, and a large hole blown in his chest.

But he did not die.

Dense blades crazily grew from his shattered body, like steel vines entwining flesh, forcibly fixing the broken body.

Six eyes opened simultaneously, golden pupils filled with towering rage.

"You" Kokushibo's voice was hoarse and low, "You actually dared to mock me!"

"Interesting! Dio grinned fiercely, "Let me see how much strength you have left now!"

He stomped his right foot, shattering the ground, his whole body rushing at Kokushibo like a fired shell. His fist erupted with terrifying momentum in midair, the air torn apart with a whistle.

"Moon Breathing, Second Form, Pearl Flower Moon Play!"

Kokushibo swung his right hand, countless crescent-shaped sword qi crisscrossing in the air. Where the sword qi passed, the air was torn into cracks.

"Useless!" Dio sneered coldly.

Dio let the sword qi slash his body. His flesh was constantly sliced off, yet regenerated at astonishing speed. With each regeneration, he pressed one step closer.

His legs suddenly exerted force, his whole body turning into a body flicker. The bone blades on his arms began spinning at high speed, emitting a piercing drone, like a meat grinder tearing toward Kokushibo's vitals.

"Bang!"

Bone blade collided with blade, sparks scattering. The air wave kicked up ground rubble, drawing arcs in the air.

But Kokushibo's figure suddenly became blurred.

"Disappeared?" Dio's pupils shrank, a chill striking from behind.

"You thought"

Kokushibo's voice suddenly sounded behind Dio, "That speed of yours could wound me?"

"What?!" Dio's pupils shrank.

Kokushibo had somehow flashed behind him. The eyeballs on the Hollow Crying God Gone Blade opened simultaneously, the blade emitting an eerie red light.

"Moon Breathing · Fourteenth Form · Ferocious Change · Heaven Full Crescent Moon!"

Blade light drew a perfect arc in the air. Countless crescent-shaped sword qi howled from all directions, weaving an airtight death net in midair.

"Wryyy!"

Dio roared, the ribs on his back suddenly stabbing out like steel spears thrusting backward. At the same time his arms turned into bone blades, colliding with the sword qi.

"Clang clang clang!"

Dense metallic clangs rang out as sparks flew in all directions. The Sword Qi was blocked, but the shockwave numbed Dio's arm.

Kokushibo's six eyes lit up simultaneously, and the Hollow Crying God Gone Blade swung out once more. "Moon Breathing, Sixteenth Form, Moon Rainbow Crescent Moon!"

This slash's power surpassed the previous ones; the blade light formed a blood moon. The air was torn apart, emitting a piercing whistle.

Dio was forced to retreat repeatedly, his body already bearing several wounds deep enough to reveal bone.

At This Moment, a muffled voice came from above: "Stone Breathing, Second Form, Heaven Face Shatter!"

"Boom!"

A gigantic Meteor Hammer descended from the heavens wrapped in terrifying momentum. Kokushibo dodged with a Body Flicker; the Meteor Hammer slammed heavily into the Ground, and the entire Underground Palace trembled.

Gyomei Himejima held his weapon, landing steadily between the two. Blue patterns surfaced on his forehead, and similar Demon Slayer Marks appeared on his arms.

"Demon Slayer Mark?" Kokushibo's six eyes narrowed simultaneously. "It seems you have reached that stage."

"Amitabha." Gyomei Himejima said in a deep voice, "I wanted to save this move for Muzan, but now it seems."

"I can't hold back!!"

He suddenly shouted, his entire body's muscles instantly swelling, the Demon Slayer Marks on his skin becoming even clearer.

The Broad Axe and Meteor Hammer danced Body Flickers in his hands, the Chain letting out a sharp whistle.

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

The Meteor Hammer descended from the heavens wrapped in terrifying force. Simultaneously the Broad Axe swept horizontally from the side, the Chains crossing in midair to form a giant metal net.

"Moon Breathing, Second Form, Pearl Flower Moon Play!"

Kokushibo lightly swung the Great Sword in his hand; dozens of Sword Qi intertwined into a net in the air. Where the blade light passed, even the air was torn.

"Clang clang clang!"

The sound of metal striking metal rang out incessantly. At This Moment, Dio seized the opportunity; the Bone Blades on his arms suddenly surged and slashed out together.

The three's attacks continuously intertwined in midair; every collision stirred up an Air Wave.

Amidst the billowing dust and smoke, only streaks of cold light could be seen Shining, accompanied by Deafening roars.

And at the edge of the deep pit in the distance, a hand suddenly grabbed the Ground. Tanjiro, covered in blood, climbed out of the pit with difficulty.

His gaze looked downward; Sanemi Shinazugawa lay there, a large hole torn open behind him.

"Mr. Shinazugawa!" Tanjiro's foot slipped, and he scrambled over to Sanemi Shinazugawa. His hands Trembling, he wanted to help him up but didn't know where to start.

"Why did you"

"Brat." Sanemi Shinazugawa opened his eyes with difficulty, grabbing his wrist: "You're more likely to kill those Bastards than me. Go. Kill them for us."

(Chapter End)