Chapter 244: Mutual Destruction? Mission Accomplished

Tanjiro felt the power within him boiling, a stream of heat unlike anything before surging from his dantian.

Suddenly, dense patterns like flames appeared on the surface of his skin.

"Boom!"

Tanjiro stomped hard, shattering the ground, and shot toward Dio like a shell from a cannon.

"Sun Breathing, Seventh Form: Solar Halo Thrust!"

"The World!"

A golden Stand appeared instantly, its fists raining down like a storm, but this time, Dio's movements were noticeably slower than before.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sound of metal striking metal rang out without cease. Sword light and fist shadows intertwined in the air, sparks flying.

But at this moment, Dio's right arm suddenly twitched uncontrollably, and The World's figure stiffened abruptly.

"Opportunity!"

Tanjiro's pupils shrank, his figure shifting instantly: "Sun Breathing, Fourth Form: False Rainbow!"

His figure suddenly split into three, three identical figures surrounding Dio in a triangular formation.

"Hmph, petty tricks!" Dio snorted coldly, The World's fist sweeping out horizontally.

"Bang!"

The three phantoms dissipated into smoke the moment they were struck. But just as Dio was stunned, a cold light flashed from behind him.

"What?!"

Before Dio could react, Tanjiro's Nichirin Blade had already slashed across his shoulder.

Fresh blood spurted out, Dio's pupils shrank slightly, and at this moment the burning sensation within him grew stronger, as if magma was flowing through his veins.

"The toxin's effect is stronger than I imagined!"

Dio's expression darkened, his right foot stomped hard, and his whole body turned into a streak of golden lightning, rushing toward the left.

"Muda muda muda muda!"

Dense fist shadows flashed in the air, striking toward Muzan's direction.

"Damn it! I was so close to escaping!"

Muzan cursed inwardly, over a dozen hideous bone spikes suddenly bursting from flesh and blood: "Get out of my way!"

Dio neither dodged nor evaded, The World's fist colliding head-on with the bone spikes.

"Bang bang bang"

The bone spikes kept shattering, but Muzan's offensive did not stop, more tentacles constantly generating from flesh and blood.

In the blink of an eye, dense tentacles covered the entire Space. The tip of every tentacle grew fangs, dancing wildly in the air.

The powerful pressure even shattered the surrounding rubble.

"It seems your condition is far from what it was, Dio." Muzan's voice carried mockery, "Those ridiculous fists, their power is more than half weaker than before."

"Enough to deal with you." A cold smile curved Dio's lips. He stomped hard on the ground with his right foot, using the recoil to shoot toward Muzan like a shell.

The World's fist cleared the way ahead, smashing all the blocking tentacles.

Seeing this, Muzan shot over ten thick bone spikes from his chest, straight at Dio's face.

"THE WORLD!"

Dio sidestepped to avoid the bone spikes, while The World's fist had already slammed into Muzan's chest.

In the moment time flowed, Muzan's body was blasted away like a rag.

"Clang!"

At this moment, a crimson sword light slashed from the side.

Tanjiro had somehow already gotten to Muzan's side, his Nichirin Blade wrapped in scorching flames slashing toward Muzan's neck.

Seeing this, Muzan wanted to retreat, but Dio's The World was already blocking behind him.

In the rush, Muzan could only extend his arm to block.

"Pfft!"

The moment the Nichirin Blade touched flesh and blood, Muzan's entire arm was severed.

"This damn Sun Breathing!"

Muzan roared in anger, dozens of bone spikes suddenly bursting from the severed arm, raining down like arrows toward Tanjiro.

Tanjiro tapped his foot, his whole body spinning at high speed like a top, the Nichirin Blade in his hand turning into a circular wall of fire, crushing all the incoming bone spikes.

"Muda muda muda muda!"

At this moment, Dio's The World burst out from the side, dense fist shadows raining down like a storm toward Muzan.

Muzan was forced to turn and respond, but just as he turned, Tanjiro's sword light attacked from behind again.

"Die!"

Muzan shouted furiously, his whole body suddenly swelling, countless tentacles bursting from his body surface.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Three figures moved quickly through the Ruins, every collision causing violent explosions, rubble flying, dust filling the air.

Muzan tried several times to escape into the Shadow and flee the Battlefield, but as soon as he made any move, Dio and Tanjiro would immediately stop attacking each other and launch a fierce assault on him at the same time.

Tanjiro's eyes were blood-red, the Nichirin Blade in his hand slashing out streaks of firelight, every sword precisely aimed at Muzan's vital points.

"You ants!"

Muzan flew into a rage. Although Dio was affected by the toxin, he kept entangling himself, giving himself no chance to catch his breath.

"Boom!"

Another loud bang, the three of them each retreated.

Several deep wounds exposing bone appeared on Muzan's chest, Dio's movements also grew more sluggish, and even Tanjiro's breathing became rapid.

"This won't do."

Intense pain came from the wounds on Muzan's chest; the power of Sun Breathing made his proud recovery ability sluggish as well.

At this moment, Muzan suddenly noticed a faint light appearing in the eastern sky.

His pupils contracted sharply, an unprecedented fear sweeping through his whole body.

"Damn it! Dawn is breaking!" Muzan's voice was distorted by anger, "You bunch of fools, do you want to perish together with me?!"

"That's right."

Tanjiro held his blade in one hand, his panting carried a hint of resolve, "From the moment I stepped in here, I was already prepared for this."

"Madmen! You're all madmen!" Muzan roared, "Once the sun comes out we'll all die!"

"Then let's die together."

Tanjiro stomped his right foot hard, the ground instantly exploding, "Sun Breathing Sun Halo Dragon!"

Crimson sword light differentiated in the air, turning into over ten dragon-shaped Sword Qi that enveloped Muzan.

"Puchi!"

The sound of Sword Qi tearing flesh rang out, Muzan's body was instantly pierced, rolling flesh sizzling under the scorching flames.

"The only one dying will be you all!" Muzan's voice suddenly turned sharp.

"Boom!"

Muzan's body suddenly swelled, skin cracking inch by inch, countless ferocious tentacles surging from the cracks, each covered in sharp fangs.

His body kept swelling and deforming, soon losing human form entirely.

In the blink of an eye, a giant flesh monster appeared before them.

Countless ferocious mouths squirmed on the flesh surface, fangs bared, emitting a nauseating stench of blood.

"Die! All of you, just die!"

Muzan's voice had completely changed pitch, filled with madness and savagery. Dense tentacles surged in all directions like a frenzied tide.

"Muda muda muda muda!"

Dio's The World initiated a fierce assault, dense fist shadows enveloping everything, intercepting all of Muzan's tentacles.

On the other side, Tanjiro tried to retreat, but it was too late.

A thick tentacle had already struck his waist, the tremendous force sending him flying directly.

Before he could adjust his posture in midair, more tentacles had already entwined him.

"Bad!"

Tanjiro gritted his teeth, his Nichirin Blade slashing out streaks of firelight. But the amount of flesh was simply too great, even the space to breathe was constantly being compressed.

"Become my flesh and blood!"

Muzan laughed wildly, even more tentacles attacking from all directions, Tanjiro was about to be completely devoured.

At this critical moment, a red mist instantly spread out.

"This scent is"

A cold light flashed in Muzan's eyes, dozens of tentacles suddenly changed direction, stabbing toward the source of the mist like lightning.

"Pu! Pu!"

Two figures emerged from the mist, Bone Spikes directly piercing through their bodies, blood spraying, Yushiro and Tamayo's figures finally revealed.

"Heh, hundreds of years have passed, your moves are still this naive." Muzan sneered.

Not giving the two any chance to react, the tentacle swarm directly pierced through their skulls, blood spraying in the air.

"No!"

Tanjiro watched the moment Tamayo and Yushiro were devoured, eyes bloodshot, the Nichirin Blade in his hand trembling violently.

But Muzan's tentacle swarm instantly entangled the two, tremendous force directly tearing them to pieces.

"Ants should have the awareness of ants." Muzan's voice carried mockery, "Since you dared deliver yourselves to death, then just go die!"

Just then, a violent tremor suddenly came from inside the giant flesh sphere wrapped in Muzan's flesh.

"Boom!"

A blinding beam of light suddenly burst out from inside the flesh sphere, tearing the wrapped flesh to pieces.

Where the beam passed, Muzan's flesh instantly vaporized, forming a Blood Mist in the air.

Tanjiro half-kneeled on the ground, scorching white steam rising from his mouth, flame-like patterns emerging on both cheeks. That beam was precisely ejected from his mouth.

"Blood Demon Art?!" Muzan's pupils contracted sharply, "You bastard, have you already completely mastered the power of a Demon?"

The eastern horizon had already turned pale, the first ray of morning light about to break through the darkness.

Boom!

Muzan didn't have the slightest hesitation, his body suddenly beginning to split, attempting to turn into hundreds of pieces of flesh to escape, but just as the flesh was about to disperse.

But just as the flesh was about to disperse, Dio's voice rang out: "THE WORLD!"

In the instant of Time Stop, Dio had already flashed before the flesh, The World's fists striking out like a violent storm, smashing all the dispersing flesh.

"Boom!"

Tanjiro seized the opportunity, the beam from his mouth ejecting again, vaporizing a large swath of Muzan's flesh.

Just as the three were deadlocked, the eastern horizon suddenly lit up with a golden light.

The morning sun rose, the first ray of sunlight penetrating the clouds, shining on the three.

"Aaaah!"

Muzan let out a miserable shriek, his flesh beginning to smoke under the sunlight, skin cracking inch by inch.

Tanjiro also felt a burning sensation, but a relieved smile appeared on his face: "It's over."

"Hahaha!" Muzan suddenly let out a wild laugh, "Even in death, you will all accompany me to the grave!"

Voice Not Fall, his laughter abruptly stopped, only to see the smoke steaming from Tanjiro's body dissipating.

Not only that, Tanjiro's skin, under the sunlight, instead glowed with a faint halo.

"This... this... no!" Muzan widened his eyes, "Why can you be under the sunlight!"

At this moment Muzan turned to look toward Dio on the other side.

Even more shocking to him was that Dio, under the sunlight, not only did not die, but a stone-like hard shell appeared all over his body, completely blocking the sunlight outside.

"How..." Muzan's voice was filled with Despair, "Why... why can you..."

Dio hooked a sinister smile at the corner of his mouth: "From the beginning, your ending was already destined."

"No! This is impossible!" Muzan let out a hysterical Roar, his huge body constantly crumbling under the sunlight, turning into countless ashes drifting in the air.

"I am perfect! I am eternal! I..." Muzan's voice abruptly stopped, the last trace of consciousness also dissipated with the wind.

Tanjiro gripped the Nichirin Blade tightly, his gaze shifting to the already petrified Dio.

Although he didn't know why, without any need for thought, his body had already instinctively reacted.

"Sun Breathing Round Dance!"

Tanjiro kicked off the ground, the Nichirin Blade in his hand turning into a crimson arc, straight for Dio's neck.

"Clang!"

But just as the blade was about to touch the stone statue, Dio's figure suddenly disappeared.

"Disappeared?!"

Tanjiro's Pupils suddenly contracted, his gaze quickly scanning the surroundings, yet he couldn't find Dio's trace.

"Could it be he Shifted somewhere?" Tanjiro gripped the Nichirin Blade tightly, maintaining a guarded posture.

But time passed second by second, yet Dio still did not Appear.

Tanjiro stood in the Ruins, his tightly gripped Nichirin Blade slowly lowering.

Everything before his eyes was like a nightmare—Miss Tamayo, Yushiro, and those sacrificed Demon Slayer Corps members had all left forever.

"Why..." Tanjiro gripped the sword hilt, his knuckles turning white.

To slay Muzan and Dio, too many had paid with their lives.

"Damn it!" Tanjiro Roared, at the critical moment, Dio actually didn't die!

At This Moment, a mechanical voice suddenly sounded in his ear:

【Do you wish to change all this?】

【Do you wish to resurrect your deceased comrades?】

Tanjiro gripped the Nichirin Blade tightly, and without hesitation nodded.

Next Second, a strong Dizziness surged, and Tanjiro lost consciousness.

Don't know how long had passed, Tanjiro suddenly heard a Roar filled with Anger: "Griffith!"

(Chapter End)