Chapter 86: Goodbye, Enmu!

Shu! Shu!

Inside the Infinite Train, Zero and Rengoku Kyōjurō darted back and forth through the last seven carriages.

Since Zero activated the He blade, he temporarily suppressed Enmu’s regenerative power, making this battle relatively easy for both of them.

Thus, they changed their battle strategy: Shinobu and Nezuko only needed to protect the passengers’ safety.

Zero and Rengoku Kyōjurō would simply cut off the tentacles within the eight carriages, giving Tanjiro and Inosuke time.

The scene shifted to Tanjiro and Inosuke.

They were alternating attacks against the arms created by Enmu.

But there were too many, and they struggled to defeat them quickly.

“Damn it! These arms are such a nuisance!”

Beast Breathing. Second Fang. Blade Cross Slash!!

Inosuke landed from midair, crossing his two swords and slashing downward.

Boom!

The metal plate on the train floor instantly shattered, revealing the demon’s cervical vertebrae.

“It’s the demon’s neck!” Seeing the exposed vertebrae, Tanjiro immediately launched his attack.

Water Breathing. Eighth Form: Waterfall Pool!

Splash!

His fierce strike hit the demon’s cervical vertebrae, sending multiple torrents of water soaring upward.

But suddenly, an anomaly occurred.

Tanjiro’s attack did not sever the demon’s neck as expected.

Instead, a flood of arms tightly shielded the cervical vertebrae.

“Blocked!!”

Suddenly, more fleshy walls and arms surged forth, launching a counterattack against Tanjiro and Inosuke.

Seeing the situation turn dire, Tanjiro rushed forward, grabbed the conductor, and pulled him and Inosuke to safety.

“We can’t cut the demon’s neck this way!”

He shouted to Inosuke: “Inosuke, coordinate our breathing! One attacks forward, the other immediately severs the bone!”

“I see! That’s a great idea—I should praise you!”

“Thank you!!”

Both prepared for another attack.

But as Tanjiro took one step forward, a colossal tentacle shot up before him, covered in dream-eyes inscribed with the character “Dream.”

Blood Demon Art: Forced Sleep Gaze!

Anyone who locks eyes with these dream-eyes falls into Enmu’s dream—only suicide within the dream can awaken them.

“It’s a Blood Demon Art! Lock eyes and you’ll fall asleep!”

Tanjiro met the dream-eyes’ gaze and realized danger—he shouted before falling into the dream: “Inosuke, in the dream, cut your own neck to wake up...”

Before he finished speaking, Tanjiro was already trapped in the dream.

In the dream, he raised his Nichirin Blade and slashed his own neck—immediately waking up!

But things were far simpler than Tanjiro thought.

In the dream, the self-decapitated Tanjiro had barely awakened when his eyes met the dream-eyes again—and he fell back into the dream.

“Idiot! After waking, close your eyes immediately—or you’ll just get trapped again!”

He slashed his neck again in the dream, woke up—and met the dream-eyes once more...

Repeating this cycle, Tanjiro could no longer distinguish reality from dream.

In reality, Tanjiro kept his eyes tightly shut, believing he was still in the dream, and raised his Nichirin Blade to his neck, preparing to slit it.

Sssch!

Inosuke arrived just in time, severed the surrounding tentacles, and gripped Tanjiro’s arm to stop him from his foolish act.

“This isn’t a dream—it’s reality!! Don’t fall for this stupid trap! Don’t throw your life away!”

“Inosuke?!”

“Yahahaha! I’m wearing the Mountain Lord’s mask—these things can’t see my eyes!”

Then Inosuke swung his twin blades, shattering every dream-eye around him.

Tanjiro suddenly remembered: Inosuke wore a mask—no one could tell where his gaze was directed, so he never fell for it.

“Good! Now I’ll sever the demon’s neck! Iyaahahaha!”

Nearby, the conductor Tanjiro had saved held a pickaxe, his eyes filled with murderous intent.

“Don’t ruin my dream!” He lunged at Inosuke, driving the pick straight for his vital point.

“Inosuke!!” Tanjiro shouted, yanking Inosuke aside and taking the blow himself.

Plosch!

The pick plunged fully into Tanjiro’s abdomen, blood gushing out.

The conductor tried to yank the pick free for another strike, but Tanjiro delivered a palm strike that knocked him unconscious.

“Santaro!!”

“I’m fine! We must cut the demon’s neck now!”

Beast Breathing. Fourth Fang: Shattered Blade Rain!

Inosuke understood the urgency and swung his twin blades in rapid succession against the train floor.

The demon’s cervical vertebrae, hidden beneath the fleshy walls, was once again exposed.

“Father, bless this strike—let me sever the demon’s neck!”

Tanjiro, right behind him, shifted Water Breathing into Flame God’s Dance and slashed at the vertebrae.

Flame God’s Dance. Azure Heavens!

A circular slash wreathed in flame descended from above, instantly severing the cervical vertebrae.

The train’s front separated from the eight carriages behind it.

“Gaaaaaahhhhh!!”

Enmu, decapitated, let out another piercing scream.

As if preparing for a final desperate act, countless tentacles erupted from the eight carriages, attacking the passengers, ready to devour them.

But Zero and Rengoku Kyōjurō moved faster—he slashed every tentacle in the blink of an eye.

Since Enmu was fused with the Infinite Train, losing his head meant the train had lost control and would soon derail.

“The train’s going to flip, Inosuke...”

At the front of the train, Tanjiro’s abdominal wound worsened from violent shaking.

Just as he was about to be thrown out, he jammed his Nichirin Blade into the train floor.

But due to untreated wounds and ruptured vessels, he lost his grip on the blade—and was flung out of the train cab.

“Damn it! Kyōjurō, buy me three seconds!”

“Mm! I understand!”

Instantly, Zero kicked through the train window and leapt out.

Rengoku Kyōjurō continuously used battle techniques to stabilize the carriages, minimizing damage.

[Battle Mech: Activate]

Boom!

A massive mech descended from above.

Zero swiftly entered the mech’s cockpit, piloted it to leap onto the first two train carriages, and slammed them down, dragging the runaway train backward.

Though this prevented derailment, the violent force caused the mech to slide along the tracks.

Even sparks of red flame erupted beneath the mech’s feet from friction.

Sssch!

Crack!

[Warning! Warning! Mech legs damaged!]

[Warning! Warning! Mech arms damaged!]

Inside the mech cockpit, the screen flashed red alerts: legs and arms suffering varying degrees of damage.

“Damn it, stop... STOP ALREADY!!!”

Zero clung to the mech’s control lever with all his strength.

He knew: if he let go, the train would escape his control and derail.

As Zero gritted his teeth and held on, the train’s speed slowly decreased.

Seconds later, the train finally stopped sliding—all passengers were unharmed.

He exhaled in relief, placed more [Energy Crystals] into the cockpit, and activated the mech’s [Auto-Repair Program].

[Repair Program Activated]

[Estimated Time: 3 Hours]

The sky had not yet fully brightened.

Thankfully, everyone was safe—for now, nothing more to worry about.

“Zero, are you alright?”

Rengoku Kyōjurō came to Zero’s side and asked.

“I’m fine.”

Zero waved his hand, indicating there was no problem.

Rengoku Kyōjurō glanced again at the mecha crouched beside the train, his eyes seeming filled with excitement.

Tell me, which man could resist the allure of a mecha?

“Zero, I never expected your steel beast to be this powerful—thank goodness you’re here! Hahaha!”

“It’s nothing. Let’s go see how everyone is.”

“Mm!”

On the other side, Tanjiro, thrown clear, lay on the ground, adjusting his breath to dull the pain.

“Are you alright, Sanjiro?! Hold on!” Inosuke leapt down from above the train and rushed to Tanjiro’s side to check his injuries.

“Inosuke… you’re alright… that’s good…”

“Of course I’m fine—thanks to the demon’s flesh acting as a cushion, bouncing me right back! How’s your stomach…?”

“I can’t move yet… go save the others first… the conductor…”

“Hmph! That guy’s foot is pinned—he’d be better off dead!” Inosuke felt deeply irritated, remembering how the conductor had stabbed Tanjiro.

“He’s already been punished enough… save him… please…” Though reluctant, Inosuke did as Tanjiro asked.

“……Hmph! Fine, I’ll go! Who else is gonna be your boss? This is a little brother’s request! After I pull him out, I’m going to pluck every single hair off his body—from head to toe!”

Though reluctant, Inosuke did as Tanjiro asked.

Not long after Inosuke left, a lump of flesh crawled out from beneath the train.

It bore only one eyeball marked with the character 【Lower One】 and one arm.

And it was turning to ash, slowly vanishing.

Akaza’s heart burned with resentment as he stared fixedly at Tanjiro ahead.

In his view, his plan had been flawless—Tanjiro, this brat, had ruined everything!

Not a single one of the two hundred passengers had been eaten, and not a single demon slayer had been killed!

“My body can’t regenerate… why? Why?! This plan was perfect, yet it failed…”

“I won’t accept this… I haven’t even used my full strength… the chance to merge with the train and devour so many humans—all wasted…”

“And those two Pillars… especially the white-haired one with the scythe—why is he so strong? Is this what a Pillar’s power truly is?”

“Am I going to die? Am I losing? I wish I could start over… I really, truly wish I could start over… This must be a nightmare…”

Regardless of the outcome, resentful Akaza ultimately turned to ash and vanished.

“Tanjiro, hold on—I’ll bandage you first!” Zero opened a medical kit, took out medicine and gauze, and applied emergency treatment to Tanjiro’s wounds.

“Young Kamado, you’ve mastered Total Concentration: Constant! Impressive, very impressive!”

“Big Brother Zero, Master Rengoku…”

Rengoku Kyōjurō watched Tanjiro’s outstanding performance with deep satisfaction.

He taught Tanjiro how to use Total Concentration: Constant to stem his bleeding.

“Alright, Tanjiro, I’ve treated your wounds. Once you return to the Demon Slayer Corps, rest well—your injuries will heal.”

“Yes… thank you, Big Brother Zero, thank you, Master Rengoku—I’ll work hard…”

BOOM!

A figure descended from the sky, landing behind them with a thunderous crash, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Tanjiro, lying on the ground, lifted his head slightly. When the dust cleared and he saw the figure’s true face, his pupils shrank.

“Upper Rank Three?! Why is he here…?” Tanjiro was filled with confusion and shock!

Everyone present except Zero felt the terrifying aura and oppressive pressure radiating from Upper Rank Three.

“Akaza?!” Zero hadn’t expected the arrival of his old acquaintance!

“Long time no see, Zero! Finally found you again—become a demon and fight alongside me, hahaha!”

“Yeah, Akaza, long time no see~ How’s that idiot idiot grandson of ours doing?”

Akaza’s eyes blazed with battle lust as he saw Zero.

His entire body surged with bloodlust, as if ready to burst free!

He didn’t hear a word of what came after.

But when he noticed the other person beside Zero, his battle lust intensified further!

He saw the seasoned battle aura on that man—though not as potent as Zero’s crimson aura, it was infinitely close to the highest realm.

“Another strong one… heh… Hahaha!”

Yet soon, Akaza’s gaze turned sharp and disgusted.

He saw the weakling shielded behind the two strong ones, and felt a wave of nausea.

Killing intent surged!

He lunged forward, diving from midair, and punched straight at Tanjiro.

“Get the hell away from me!!”

THUD!

Zero kicked out with his leg, meeting Akaza’s fist head-on.

Flame Breathing: Second Form—Flame Sky Soar!

Immediately following was Rengoku Kyōjurō’s upward slash, carving a gash across Akaza’s chest and forcing him back.

Under the combined assault, Akaza leapt swiftly backward.

He gently touched his wounds and his fractured left arm, praising: “Excellent coordination, Zero—your strength keeps growing. You were always meant to become a demon, hahaha!”

In an instant, his wounds healed automatically, regeneration complete.

Then his gaze turned to the other man. “Your sword is impressive. You’re a Pillar too, right? What’s your name?”

“I am Rengoku Kyōjurō, the Flame Pillar of the Eleven Pillars!”

“Kyōjurō, why don’t you become a demon and fight alongside me? I can tell—you’re strong too!!”

“I refuse. And I hate you.”

Beside him, Zero was utterly speechless—he couldn’t understand why Akaza always acted like a salesman, relentlessly pushing people to become demons…

He grew tired of the nonsense, drew his Sun-Crescent Scythe, and prepared to strike first and kill Akaza.

But before he could move, Rengoku Kyōjurō stepped forward to stop him. “Zero, let me fight him first—I want to know just how far I am behind an Upper Rank demon!”

Zero paused, considered it, then agreed. He stepped back slightly, yielding the space to Rengoku Kyōjurō.

It was better this way—sometimes, real combat experience is more valuable than any observation.

Seeing Rengoku Kyōjurō challenge him, Akaza laughed excitedly: “Hahaha! How delightful! Then…”

Technique Unleashed: Destruction Art—Luo Zhen!

Beneath Akaza’s feet, a twelve-pointed snowflake-shaped technique array unfolded, marked from 【One】 to 【Twelve】.

His right hand opened into a palm aimed at Rengoku Kyōjurō; his left fist rested at his waist.

“If you won’t become a demon, then I’ll kill you!”

…………