Chapter 239: Blue Hisame

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Amidst the continuous sonic booms, the sword qi was completely shattered. Kokushibo's six eyes contracted simultaneously, an incomprehensible feeling surging into his heart.

He could feel something blocking Dio, but his gaze could not capture any physical form.

"What is this?" Kokushibo gripped Hollow Crying God Gone Blade, all the blades on his body beginning to tremble. "An invisible power?"

Dio stomped down, the ground instantly cracking. His entire body shot toward Kokushibo like a shell from a cannon.

"Kill!"

Kokushibo's six eyes lit up simultaneously, Hollow Crying God Gone Blade drawing a perfect arc in the air.

"Moon Breathing, Sixteenth Form: Moon Rainbow Crescent Moon!"

The blade light turned into a blood moon, sword qi pouring down like a galaxy. The air was torn, emitting a sharp whistle.

"THE WORLD!!!"

Dio roared, time freezing at this moment.

Flying debris hung in midair, even dust in the air motionless. Sword qi froze less than a meter from Dio.

Dio's figure moved through the frozen time, appearing behind Kokushibo in the blink of an eye.

"Though only one second, for me Dio it is already enough!" A fanatical light flashed in Dio's eyes.

A golden Stand instantly appeared, its double fists raining down on Kokushibo's entire body like a storm. Each punch struck a vital location, punch speed so fast only countless golden afterimages could be seen.

"Muda muda muda!"

Kokushibo's body was beaten into countless dents. The sound of shattering bones was clearly audible.

"Time resumes!" Dio growled.

The moment the world began turning again, all damage erupted simultaneously.

"Boom!"

Kokushibo's body was struck as if by an invisible giant hammer, lunging forward. Large amounts of blood spurted out, drawing arcs of blood in the air.

His entire body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, heavily crashing into the distant wall.

Countless bone spikes protruded from his body, attempting to fix his shattered body, but the damage was too severe; even his proud recovery ability could not repair it in time.

"Impossible" A trace of shock flashed in Kokushibo's six eyes.

Since Yoriichi Tsugikuni died, he had never felt this helplessness again. A long-forgotten fear surged into his heart.

"This is the power of a Stand!" Dio laughed wildly, "Before me Dio, your Moon Breathing is nothing but a mere trick!"

Tanjiro and Gyomei Himejima in the distance witnessed all this, shocked speechless.

Gyomei Himejima reacted first, his right hand swinging out fiercely, the meteor hammer wrapped in howling wind smashing toward Dio.

"Stone Breathing, First Form: Serpentine Bipolar!"

The huge iron ball tore through the air, emitting a sharp whistle. But just as the meteor hammer was about to hit, Dio's figure suddenly vanished from the spot.

The next moment, Dio instantly appeared beside the meteor hammer, grabbing the chain with his hand.

"What?!" Gyomei Himejima's expression changed drastically.

Dio yanked the chain hard with his right hand. This sudden force made Gyomei Himejima completely lose balance, his entire body flying forward uncontrollably.

At this moment, a firelight attacked from the side; Tanjiro had somehow already killed his way close.

"Sun Breathing, Third Form: Blazing Sun Red Mirror!"

Tanjiro's Nichirin Blade tore through the air, flames surging on the blade, turning into a crimson streak.

"Too weak!" Dio laughed wildly, "With an attack of your level, you want to injure me Dio?"

A golden world instantly appeared before Dio. It waved its right hand, easily deflecting Tanjiro's blade edge.

Tanjiro had not yet had time to sheath his sword and change moves when the world's left fist had already boomed toward his abdomen.

"Bang!"

A dull impact sound rang out. The world's fist, like a shell from a cannon, directly pierced Tanjiro's abdomen.

Blood spattered, the sound of shattering internal organs clearly audible; Tanjiro's body instantly bent into a bow, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

"Cough!"

A large mouthful of blood spurted from his mouth; his entire body flew backward like a shell, rolling far on the ground before stopping.

"Tanjiro!"

Gyomei Himejima roared fiercely. He gripped his weapon with both hands, all his muscles instantly tensing, the blue marks on his forehead becoming clearer.

"Dio!"

Though Gyomei Himejima was blind, at this moment his aura surged, killing intent almost taking substance.

"I will smash you to pieces!"

Gyomei Himejima roared, gripping his broad axe with his right hand and stomping down with his foot.

"Stone Breathing, Seventh Form: Rock Shattering!"

The broad axe drew a fierce arc in the air, carrying terrifying momentum as it slashed toward Dio, the axe blade tearing through the air with a piercing whistle.

This time the power exceeded all previous attacks.

"Your anger... good!" A cruel smile curved Dio's lips, "But, too slow! THE WORLD!"

Time stopped again. Gyomei Himejima's figure froze in midair.

The chain held in Dio's left hand suddenly surged.

Under the world's control, the chain wrapped around Gyomei Himejima like a spirit snake. The tough steel chain wrapped around him several times, tightly binding him.

"Time resumes!"

"What?!" Gyomei Himejima's face changed drastically,

He suddenly felt something tightly wrapping his entire body; before he could react, a huge force came from the chain.

"Crack!"

Amid the crisp sound of shattering bone, Gyomei Himejima's body was directly strangled into two pieces by the chains.

Large amounts of fresh blood spurted out, internal organs and bone fragments mixed together and scattered across the ground.

"No no!!" Tanjiro lifted his head with difficulty, and upon seeing this scene his pupils shrank sharply, tears bursting from his eyes.

He propped his hands on the ground wanting to stand up, but the wound on his abdomen made him nearly faint from even the slightest movement.

At this moment Dio stood before him, spreading his arms in an exaggerated pose: "An undying body, eternal youth and immortality!"

"And also, this unprecedented Stand Power!" The golden World manifested behind him, emitting a suffocating oppressive feeling.

"WRYYYYY!" Dio howled at the sky, "There is nothing in this world that can threaten me, Dio, anymore!"

Just at this moment, a fierce killing intent burst out from the ruins. Kokushibo's body rushed out from the rubble, six eyes glowing with blood-red light.

"I, the dignified Upper Rank One," Kokushibo's voice was deep and cold, "how could I stop here!"

"Clang!"

A sharp metallic grinding sound resounded through the underground palace.

The Hollow Crying God Gone Blade traced a silver light in the air, the eyeballs on the blade opening simultaneously: "Moon Breathing, Sixteenth Form, Moon Rainbow String Moon!"

Countless crescent-shaped sword qi whistled out, weaving in the air into an airtight net of death.

"Useless useless useless useless!" Dio laughed loudly, The World's fists striking out like a violent rain.

Every punch precisely shattered sword qi, stirring up layer upon layer of ripples in the air.

"THE WORLD!"

The instant time stopped, Dio flashed before Kokushibo, The World's right fist heavily smashed into his chin, sending his whole body flying into midair.

"Time flow resumes!"

"Boom!"

Kokushibo's body flew up directly under the tremendous force, not yet able to adjust his posture in midair, countless fist shadows had already enveloped his entire body.

"Ora ora ora ora!"

Amid the dense sound of punches, Kokushibo's body was smashed piece by piece.

Bones fractured, flesh and blood flew everywhere, even his proud recovery ability completely failed under this violent assault.

"Let me see," Dio looked up at the shattered Kokushibo in midair, "what the blood of Upper Rank One tastes like!"

Dio's blood vessels throughout his body suddenly swelled, bursting out from within like living things.

Dense blood vessels split in midair, turning into countless tiny branches, tightly wrapping around every piece of Kokushibo's flesh and blood.

"No!" Kokushibo let out an unwilling roar, but it was already too late. The blood vessels squirmed, absorbing his flesh and blood bit by bit.

Every drop of blood was assimilated by Dio's cells, becoming part of his power.

The distant battlefield suddenly fell quiet.

At this moment the surrounding smoke completely dissipated, moonlight pouring down like water.

Demon Slayer Corps members in battle, the other Hashira, even the Lower Rank sent by Muzan, everyone's gazes gathered on Dio without prior agreement.

Moonlight penetrated the clouds, falling on the shattered dome of the underground palace, a beam of silver-white light shining straight on Dio.

Dio spread his arms, letting the moonlight fall on his perfect body, his muscle lines like marble sculptures under the moonlight, emitting a suffocating oppressive feeling.

He could clearly feel his Stand ability evolving, the limit of time stop being greatly extended.

The distant Douma and Hantengu, seeing the situation was bad, turned and fled without hesitation.

"Want to escape?"

Dio sneered, "Before me, Dio, you don't even have the qualification to run away!"

His right foot stomped the ground shattering it, his whole body rushing out like lightning. The instant time stopped, Dio had already appeared before Douma.

"What's going on?!" Douma's vision blurred, and by the time he reacted, Dio was already right in front of him.

"Blood Demon Art: Mist Ice: Water Lily Bodhisattva!" Douma unleashed his Blood Demon Art without a second thought.

In an instant, three giant ice bodhisattvas formed in midair, simultaneously launching an attack at Dio.

"Muda muda muda muda!" Dio let out his signature wild laugh.

The golden World instantly appeared before him, twin fists striking out like a violent rain.

"Bang bang bang!" Fist winds whistled, the three ice bodhisattvas instantly smashed to pieces.

Ice shards danced in the air, the ice crystals reflecting moonlight not yet having fallen, The World's fist had already smashed toward Douma.

"This power. Impossible!" Douma's face changed drastically, just about to unleash Blood Demon Art, The World's fist rain had already poured down.

Amid the dense sound of punches, Douma's body was beaten into pieces, flesh and blood flying.

Dio's blood vessels throughout his body burst out again, winding toward Douma's fragments like hungry venomous snakes. The blood vessels squirmed, absorbing his flesh and blood bit by bit.

"THE WORLD!"

Dio shouted violently, the golden World instantly manifesting. Violent fist rain poured down like a storm, beating Hantengu's body into pieces.

But just as The World's fists were about to completely pulverize Hantengu, a strange color flashed in Dio's eyes, the feel of this body was somewhat off.

He leaped up sharply, The World's eyes instantly locking onto the surroundings. In a corner of the ruins, a figure only the size of a mouse was fleeing in panic.

"I see." Dio sneered, "No wonder he escaped from my hands last time.

Dio instantly rushed toward that tiny figure's side.

The World's hand shot out like lightning, grabbing that mouse-sized body in one grasp.

Dio squeezed hard with his right hand, fresh blood spraying out from between his fingers.

"Aaaaah! Please spare me!" Hantengu let out a sharp scream.

"Spare you!"

Dio sneered, his right fingertips suddenly turning sharp, directly piercing into Hantengu's skull, flesh buds extending from his fingertips, instantly taking control of Hantengu's nerves.

"Tell me Muzan's intel! His weakness! His goal!"

"In-Infinity Castle." Hantengu spoke with difficulty amid the agony, "Alternate Space Blue Spider Lily. Perfect"

Before he could finish, Hantengu's body suddenly began to crumble. His skin started to crack, and in the blink of an eye he turned into a pile of ash that drifted from Dio's fingers.

"Erased?" Dio's eyes narrowed. Even with his brain under Dio's control, Muzan could still remotely erase an Upper Rank.

But those few words had already piqued his interest.

"Infinite Castle Alternate Space. Blue Spider Lily." Dio repeated the words softly, "Is that your secret, Muzan?"

He turned, his gaze sweeping over the remaining Demon Slayer Corps members.

"I'll give you a chance." Dio spread his arms; in the moonlight his silhouette was like a demon god, "Submit to me, Dio, and I can grant you the power of immortality."

"Don't make me laugh!" Water Pillar Giyu Tomioka coughed up a mouthful of blood, yet still stood straight. He slowly raised his Nichirin Blade, the tip pointed straight at Dio.

"Even if you kill us all." Shinobu lifted her head, "The Demon Slayer Corps will never disappear! Someday, someone will completely eradicate monsters like you!"

Mitsuri Kanroji gritted her teeth: "New swordsmen will grow. Humanity will never submit, there will always be someone who stands up to fight monsters like you!"

The four Pillars leaned on each other, struggling to stand in a line.

They all bore severe wounds, yet the hands gripping their blades did not waver. Four Nichirin Blades flashed cold light in the moonlight.

"Interesting." Dio's mouth curled into a cruel smile, "Then let me see how long your resolve can last! WRYYYYY!"

"Since you've chosen death." A cruel glint flashed in Dio's eyes, "Then as you wish! THE WORLD!"

The moment Time Stop took hold, the world bent down and picked up the few Nichirin Blades scattered on the ground. The golden Stand casually weighed a blade's heft, then flung it hard.

The blades flew through the frozen air, finally stopping before the four Pillars, the tips mere centimeters from their bodies.

"Time Flow Resumes!"

"Pfft!"

Four Nichirin Blades pierced their bodies almost simultaneously, blood spraying as they collapsed together.

Dio walked slowly to the corpses; the veins on his right hand suddenly split, blood dripping onto the four.

"Now, are you willing to submit to me?" Dio's voice held a touch of amusement, "This is the new life I grant you."

The four bodies began to convulse, something writhing beneath their skin. Moments later, they opened their eyes.

"Master." The four knelt on the ground, heads bowed in salute.

Dio nodded in satisfaction, his gaze turning to the deep pit formed by the explosion. Two people still lay there — the badly wounded Tanjiro and Gyomei Himejima, severed at the waist.

Dio leapt down into the pit bottom, but the next instant his expression suddenly froze.

"What?!"

Dio's pupils contracted sharply; he saw only Gyomei Himejima's corpse on the ground, while Tanjiro, who should have been lying there, had already vanished without a trace.

(Chapter End)