Chapter 88: The Other Shore Flowers Bloom — See You in the Next Life

Looking at Akaza before him, who had already overcome decapitation, Zero merely let out a soft sigh.

Things had unfolded exactly as he had expected, as if everything had been foreseen.

Then, he recalled the Sun Wheel Scythe into his 【Nano Space】, preparing to continue fighting Akaza just like this.

However, Tanjiro did not think the same way.

Seeing Zero put away the Sun Wheel Scythe, he thought Zero had given up.

The Upper Moon demon had now overcome decapitation — what were they to do?

Apart from sunlight, there was probably no way to slay him, but dawn was still some time away…

Inosuke was thinking the same thing.

But the words Rengoku Kyojuro spoke next were what made them realize they had been overthinking.

"Don't worry, Kamado boy, boar-head boy — Zero will handle it. I believe in him!" Rengoku Kyojuro explained.

Then, they saw Zero throw a punch that collided with Akaza's fist once again.

Destruction Kill — Waning Form!

Akaza's headless body, still clinging to its obsession, threw a devastating punch that collided with Zero's, producing a massive explosion.

The blast's aftershock kicked up a huge cloud of dust around them.

When the dust settled, the three of them only saw half of Akaza's body smashed to pieces — and then rapidly regenerate.

Yet, although Akaza had overcome decapitation, he was still at a disadvantage.

Zero swept through with a hurricane kick, kicking Akaza flying once more, then pressed the advantage, flashing behind Akaza and kicking him up into the air.

Then, legs gathering force, he kicked off hard, leaping up, and struck him down again with another kick, slamming him into the ground.

Boom!

A crater was smashed into the ground; Akaza stood up from the crater, his head fully regenerated as well!

"I haven't lost! I can still keep fighting! Come on!" Akaza roared.

Zero said nothing, charging at Akaza again and unleashing a barrage of punches.

Gale- and rain-like fists rained down on Akaza's face!

In an instant, Akaza's face was bruised and swollen, but it quickly healed on its own.

But it was precisely because of these attacks that some strange memories surfaced in his mind…

He vaguely remembered that, a long time ago, someone had beaten him down just like this.

'I've already beaten you, a sinner, once, so it's fine…'

"What is this…" Akaza was utterly bewildered.

When Zero's final punch landed on Akaza's face, Akaza was sent staggering back several steps, as if falling into some kind of memory…

"Akaza! Didn't you say you hadn't lost yet?! Then come on! Fight back! A fair and square battle!"

Akaza stared at the Zero before him, as if seeing a certain blurry figure overlapping with him…

But Zero gave him no time to think, charging in once more.

The storm-like assault came again; Akaza stopped overthinking and gathered the 【Compass Needles】 beneath his feet, activating his technique!

Destruction Kill — Final Form — Blue Silver Chaotic Residual Light!

In an instant, hundreds of blue missiles gathered together, all surging toward Zero!

While he himself prepared to take the chance and leave!

Dawn was almost here! Continuing like this would be very unfavorable to him!

Although he had overcome decapitation, he still feared sunlight!

But how could Zero let him get away.

All those attacks struck Zero's battle armor, yet failed to halt his advance!

In one surge he reached Akaza and took him down.

Gripping his neck with one hand, he lifted him up.

"Let me go!"

Destruction Kill — Void Form!

Akaza, grabbed by the neck and lifted up, swung both fists, attacking Zero in rapid succession.

Zero remained utterly unmoved.

He spoke: "Akaza… no, Koyuki — how long are you going to remain so lost?! Your fiancée, Koyuki, she… has been waiting for you for a very long time…"

Zero was gambling, applying his earlier guess to Akaza.

"Koyuki… who is that? Koyuki… who is that again… I…"

Then, Zero gave a sudden heave, hurling Akaza aside and slamming him into the ground.

Akaza stood up, preparing to launch another attack!

Since he couldn't escape, then he would kill anyone present!

Suddenly, Akaza felt his hand being held by someone.

'Please stop, Koyuki-kun…'

Akaza turned his head and saw a young woman in a kimono, with a pair of peach-blossom eyes, holding his hand, her eyes misty with tears.

"Who are you?" Akaza asked, bewildered.

He didn't know her, yet upon seeing her, his heart ached unbearably.

Everyone present found it strange — why was Akaza acting like this?

There was clearly nothing beside him.

"Let go! Let go of my hand right now!"

"Please stop fighting, and come with me to the other shore…"

"No! I must kill them!"

"Why… why do you so desperately want to become stronger?"

"Because if I don't get stronger, I have no way to bring medicine back to my father! If I don't get stronger, I can't win when people come for revenge! If I don't get stronger, I'll be caught by the Enforcement! If I don't get stronger, I have no way to protect…"

At this point, Akaza stopped, and a flood of memories poured into his brain.

"I… I…"

Akaza suddenly remembered why he despised the weak so much!

Because the weak never face a match fairly and squarely!

Because the weak only resort to despicable tricks like poisoning.

Because the weak…

"I… I remember now…"

Lacking endurance, giving up at the slightest setback…

Using the "fists of protection" to kill, staining his master's precious Soryu dojo with blood…

His father's final words, he couldn't keep them either…

"It's all right, Koyuki, thank you…"

An aged figure appeared beside Akaza.

At that very moment, Akaza's figure seemed to suddenly transform into another appearance.

He became a young man with short black hair, blue irises, pale pink lashes, and three deep-blue tattoos on each wrist marking him as a sinner.

This was Koyuki during his human days.

"Father…" Koyuki looked at his father, knelt down, and sobbed: "I'm sorry, Father, I… I couldn't start over, I couldn't do it…"

"You have already done very well…"

Just then, the aged figure changed into yet another appearance.

"No matter what you become, a son is a son, a disciple is a disciple — even in death I would never abandon you… though I cannot take you to heaven."

"Master…"

"Koyuki-kun, thank you, it is enough."

"Koyuki… waaah… aaaaaa…" Koyuki could hold back no longer; he threw his arms around his fiancée and wept: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I couldn't protect you, I wasn't by your side when it mattered, I'm sorry! I couldn't keep a single one of our promises… forgive me… waaah…"

"The fact that you can remember us is wonderful, the fact that you can become Koyuki again is wonderful… welcome back, my dear…"

On the horizon, the pale white of dawn gradually appeared.

The blazing sun rose slowly, and Akaza… no, Koyuki slowly emerged from his grief.

He stood up, bowed to Zero, and said: "Thank you…"

Zero released 【Armed】, and recalled 【Dark Alloy Battle Armor】 into 【Nano Space】.

He said nothing, only smiled and nodded at Koyuki.

Moreover, perhaps it was an illusion, but Zero seemed to see a woman beside Koyuki, also bowing to him.

She opened her mouth and said something.

Zero had already read the meaning from her lip movements, and smiled and nodded back at her.

Afterwards, Koyuki turned and bowed once more to Rengoku Kyojuro and the others: "I'm sorry…"

Warm sunlight fell upon Akaza's face.

In the end, holding Koyuki's small hand, with a smile on his face, he crumbled to ash beneath the sunlight…

The battles this night truly rose and fell one after another.

If Akaza's time could be turned back, perhaps none of this would have happened…

Two people who loved each other…

Zero watched the slowly rising sun and thought: "I wish you a new life in your next chapter… may the Blue Blue Bianhua bloom, and see you again in the next life."

In that instant, Tanjiro smelled the genuine gratitude and apology emanating from Upper Moon Three, and could no longer hold back — he burst into tears.

Inosuke, his voice thick with sobs, asked: "Fishcake Gonbatarou, why are you crying! Waaah…"

"Inosuke, aren't you crying too?"

"I'm not crying! How could I… how could I possibly cry… he was clearly a demon… a demon who ate so many people… I… I…"

Rengoku Kyojuro felt that the events of this night had made him very sad, but he quickly let it go.

Although Upper Moon Three had hurt so many people, still…

It reminded him of words his mother had once said to him — as a strong one, one must protect the weak.

At that moment, behind Zero, he seemed to see his own mother, Rengoku Ruka, smiling at him with a beautiful smile.

"Mother, I will continue to keep our promise, and protect every single person!"

"I believe in you, Kyojuro — you have done very well!"

Sunlight shone upon every one of them.

Zenitsu, carrying the wooden box with Nezuko inside, walked over from a distance.

Rengoku Kyojuro gathered himself together and said brightly: "Young men, we should head back to the Demon Slayer Corps! Straighten your backs, and keep walking forward!"

Before long, members of the Hidden arrived at the scene, picked up a stretcher, and laid Tanjiro upon it.

Zero supported Rengoku Kyojuro and followed them as they left.

Suddenly, as if remembering something.

He asked Tanjiro on the stretcher: "Tanjiro, where is your sword?"

"Sword?" Tanjiro glanced at his scabbard and realized the blade was gone.

With no other choice, Zero ordered a few other members of the Hidden to help search for Tanjiro's sword — he knew Hotaru Haganezuka's temper all too well.

A moment later, the Hidden members found Tanjiro's sword, inside the derailed train's engine.

Holding a sword…

It could still be called a sword, I suppose — only a hilt and a? -shaped blade remained…

It had been completely crushed into several pieces by the train…

"It's… it's over… my sword broke again…" Tanjiro lay on the stretcher, on the verge of tears, thinking that Hotaru Haganezuka definitely wouldn't let him off this time!

Seeing this, Zero sighed and said, "Tanjiro, you… leave it to fate… this sort of thing, I can't help you either…"

Those words immediately plunged Tanjiro into the abyss, as if he could see a white soul drifting out of his mouth.

"It's over… it's over… my sword…"

He was even wondering in his heart why Big Brother Zero's weapons forged by Hotaru Haganezuka had never broken even once, yet his own kept breaking one after another…

………

Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.

"Caw! Zero Hashira Zero, Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyojuro joined hands to slay Upper Rank Three! Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyojuro is injured! Teammates Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inosuke, and Zenitsu joined hands to protect all 200 passengers of the Mugen Train, not a single death! Caw! …"

"Caw! Zero Hashira Zero, Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyojuro joined hands to slay Upper Rank Three! Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyojuro is injured…"

The Kasugai Crow loudly announced the battle results three times in a row at the Demon Slayer Corps.

The Demon Slayer Corps was stirred up once again; upon hearing the news, the swordsmen's morale soared to an unprecedented height!

Butterfly Mansion.

"Oh my, Zero really is amazing~ he slayed another Upper Rank demon!"

"Sister, how do you know it was Brother-in-law Zero who slayed the Upper Rank demon and not Mr. Rengoku?"

Kocho Shinobu was a little puzzled.

"If it had been Mr. Rengoku who slayed it, then he wouldn't have been injured…"

Kocho Shinobu didn't need to hear the rest — she already understood what her sister meant.

After all, Upper Rank demons are that powerful…

Zero's Residence.

"Really? Really?! Zero and the others slayed another Upper Rank demon?! That's amazing! It's wonderful that everyone is safe! Tanjiro and the others worked really hard too!"

Upon hearing the news, Xiao Mili wished she could be at Zero's side right now, hugging him and kissing him fiercely.

Upon receiving the news, Aunt Kui Zhi was so happy that tears streamed down her face.

"Zero, Tanjiro, Nezuko… it's wonderful that all of you are safe!"

"Mother…" Takeo and the others saw their mother crying and thought something had happened.

"It's nothing, I'm fine. Come help me quickly — Zero and the others will be back soon."

"Yes, Mother."

……

"Is that so? As long as they're alive, that's enough!" Tomioka Giyuu said with a smile upon hearing the Kasugai Crow's report.

"Amitabha, this is truly heartening news! It seems this monk must also keep working hard!"

Upon learning the news, Himejima Gyomei prepared to intensify his own training.

Shinazugawa Genmuya, who was nearby, heard of this and became even more determined — he had to prove himself to his older brother.

At the same time, he planned to find time to seek out Zero and ask him to teach him to grow stronger!

"Tch, didn't expect that guy Zero to just keep getting stronger… I won't lose to you! I will definitely slay an Upper Rank demon too!"

Bang!

Shinazugawa Sanemi swung his blade swiftly, slicing through all the wooden posts before him.

"Upper Rank Three, huh…" Iguro Obanai stood on the rooftop, lost in thought.

Muichiro listened to his Kasugai Crow's report without much expression, still maintaining his blank stare at the sky.

………

Elsewhere, in the rear grove of the Ubuyashiki Residence.

Ubuyashiki Yoya and his wife were sweeping the graves of the swordsmen.

Upon receiving this news, Ubuyashiki Yoya was so overcome with emotion that his whole body trembled.

"Once again… once again an Upper Rank demon has been slain! My children, you truly worked so hard… cough, cough…"

"Husband, please don't get too worked up. my lord Zero said that although your curse has been cured, you still need to take better care of your body!" Ubuyashiki Ubuyashiki Tianyin reminded him from the side.

"I… I'm fine! Ubuyashiki Tianyin, once they return, come with me to see them…"

Ubuyashiki Yoya was so overcome with emotion that he could barely speak clearly.

"Yes."

………

【Koyuki: Thank you!】