Muzan will come someday.
Please, use me as bait to take Muzan's head.
Why do you think that way?
I just feel it.
There's no logic to it. The other children
wouldn't agree to using me as bait.
This is a mission I can only entrust to you.
That man won't die even if you cut off his head.
I believe the only thing that can destroy Muzan is sunlight.
Even if you destroy his head and he doesn't die, it'll become a battle to hold him off until sunrise.
Giyuu!
If that's your request,
Thank you.
I pray that no more of my precious children will die.
So, you thought you could corner me like this?
You're all headed to hell.
You annoying Demon Slayers!
Tonight, I'll make you all my prey!
The ones going to hell are you demons!
I won't let you escape!
Let's do this.
If you can.
Tanjiro Kamado!
Defeat them!
Muzan must fall!
Where am I?
Everything's upside down and all over the place!
Is the enemy's castle
a constructed space?
I can't grasp the situation.
Tanjiro was fighting so fiercely.
But...
I don't know how long he can keep it up.
Calm down, Zenitsu!
Y-Yes!
Stay close!
Ugh...
Ah...
AHHH!
There!
You'll be crushed to death!
Unleash your technique and cut through to the core!
There's something controlling this building!
My footing is bad.
It's hard to brace myself against the fall!
The whole thing...
is at a vanishing distance!
You see the darkness
Shake your head
Like a light
Leave all the mirrors
To the moon
Ha, ha, ha!
Are you okay?
Yes, thank you!
You saved me!
Water Breathing, Flowing Dance!
Everyone, come on!
This game...
Hmm...
Giyuu-san is incredible!
He reads my slightest movements and predicts my techniques!
Then he counters with his own techniques, moving so we don't clash!
This guy is unreal!
What's with that smug look?!
Nnnn...
This must be...
the demon's stronghold that Shinazugawa and Iguro mentioned.
If so, Kibutsuji's goal in gathering us here is to wipe out the Demon Slayer Corps, including the Hashira.
From here on, we must be even more vigilant.
Yes!
Let's go!
Like this...
Where's Oyakata-sama?
He was caught in a moment of carelessness.
It was the end for him.
That man...
I can't believe he'd make a mistake that would let a demon find him.
To sacrifice himself...
Exactly.
There was no way to avoid it.
Oyakata-sama was always encouraging me when I was attacked by a demon and my mind was on the brink.
The other Hashira were doing the same at that moment.
Like a father.
Yes, I know.
Muzan took not only my brother but our father as well.
Damn you, Muzan!
I'll slaughter you! I'll send you to hell!
Rest assured.
We all feel the same.
Oyakata-sama...
We couldn't protect him.
Stupid
Hell yeah!
What is this place?
My Nezuko and the others...
Big brother...
Please, big brother, stay alive!
I heard a sound...
That guy might be nearby.
I smell blood.
Where am I?
Demon Slayers...
Quit the Demon Slayer Corps.
You're trying so hard,
really trying so hard,
but you'll probably die fighting Muzan.
Live a normal girl's life and find happiness.
I want you to live until you're an old lady.
You've done enough.
No!
I absolutely won't quit!
I'll definitely take down Muzan!
Tell me!
What kind of demon was it?
Who killed her?
Himejima-san! Tell me!
Please!
To have this happen...
I can't live with such injustice!
Himejima-san!
It was a demon covered in blood from head to toe.
Hey there.
Nice to meet you.
My name is Douma.
It's a nice night, isn't it?
Smiling brightly without a care.
Speaking calmly and gently.
Help... Help!
Help!
Shh... I'm talking, aren't I?
Hm?
Are you okay?
Whoa! You're fast!
Are you a Hashira?
Oh, don't worry! Just leave them there; I'll eat them properly later.
Here you go.
When you use those bones, they're sharp and precise.
I am the leader of the Eternal Paradise Cult.
My goal is to bring happiness to everyone in the cult.
I'll eat that child cleanly, without leaving anything behind.
This is the demon who killed my sister!
Everyone's happiness, you ruined it!
That person was begging for help!
So I saved her, didn't I?
That child is no longer in pain,
no longer suffering, no longer afraid.
That's why I'm eating her.
She'll live on with me.
For eternity.
I take the feelings of the believers,
their blood and flesh, and save them,
guiding them to a higher plane.
You don't seem sane.
Is your head okay?
You make me sick.
Ugh...
Oh, I see. Poor thing. You must have gone through something painful.
Let me listen. Tell me about it.
Pain? There's no such thing! You killed my sister!
Don't you recognize this haori?!
My breathing is stopping.
I can't see it yet.
That's some pull.
I couldn't stop it with my hands.
Repel technique!
Puzzle High-Con!
So strong...
High-Lostack is getting overwhelmed.
Fast, so fast!
But it's just brute force.
You can't save your sister with raw power.
The neck!
I have to cut the neck!
You can't kill with strength alone, but what about me?
Let's see if this poison works on an Upper Rank.
Sister, please...
Sister...
This poison is stronger than the one used on Rui's mountain.
As expected, information was shared.
The poison is extremely potent.
They're adapting the information for each demon.
That man was lost too...
This is fun!
Eating poison is so interesting!
I'm getting addicted!
Think the next mix will work?
Let's try it!
Right.
Sounds good.
Well...
This was within expectations.
Is the talk over?
Come at me anytime.
I said try it,
but the same technique is boring.
Slower than before, huh?
Like this...
Pure white hair is a sign of innocence.
This child is special.
She must hear the voice of God.
My parents' stupidity was hopeless.
Otherwise,
they wouldn't have created such a dull religion as the Eternal Paradise Cult.
I felt sorry for them,
so I always played along.
I never once heard the voice of God.
At first,
I was worshipped and prayed to by everyone,
and it honestly troubled me.
Children came crying to me,
saying they were suffering, in pain.
Adults would ask me what to do,
and I worried if their heads were okay.
After telling me their tragic life stories,
they'd bow and beg me to guide them to paradise.
I cried.
Poor things.
Paradise doesn't exist.
It's a fairy tale humans made up in their delusions.
Neither God nor Buddha exists.
These people, living for decades,
can't understand such a simple truth.
When you die, you become nothing.
You feel nothing.
Your heart stops,
your brain stops,
and you rot back into the earth.
That's the fate of all living things.
They can't accept such a simple truth.
Being stupid is painful, isn't it?
I want to make these pitiful people happy.
I want to save them. That's why I
was born.
Fifth try... no good. It didn't work.
It's becoming less effective. How many more times can you mix poison?
Oh, you're out of breath. Sweating a lot. You okay?
This is the strength of an Upper Rank.
The poison isn't working at all.
Its resistance builds up abnormally fast!
The poison is starting to affect you.
Tough, huh? You inhaled my Blood Demon Art earlier.
Argh! No way! You're too small!
Why are my hands so small?
Why didn't I grow taller?
If I were just a bit bigger,
could I have cut off the demon's head and defeated it?
The longer your arms and legs, the more muscle you have,
giving you an advantage.
My sister was small, but she was stronger than me.
Himejima-san is amazing. If he came to help, everyone would feel safe.
The words my sister would have said at that moment...
I know them.
Is this really the end?
No choice, huh?
The Demon Slayers will probably lose to that demon.
She told me to give up.
Get a grip!
I won't forgive crying!
Sister, stand up!
I can't stand. I'm exhausted.
My throat is slashed, and I can barely breathe.
That doesn't matter. Stand up!
Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho!
If you decide to defeat it, defeat it. If you decide to win, win!
Win at any cost, with me and Kanao.
That's what we promised, right?
Kanao...
Sorry, sorry. It hurts because I only half-cut it, right?
The Demon Slayers can do it properly. Keep going!
You're standing? Really standing? Wow!
Are you really human?
Your collarbone, lungs, and fat are cut,
and with your size and that amount of blood loss, you should be dead.
Listen! There's blood in your lungs, making gurgling sounds!
That must be unimaginable pain!
I'll quickly cut off your head,
so don't push yourself.
You can't be saved anymore, so don't be stubborn.
If you're going to aim, go for the vital point—the neck.
If you can drive poison into the neck, there's still a chance.
Insect Breathing,
like this...
Huh?
A chaotic mess!
"Movements buried in the firing of death."
"An aura strong enough to split a bridge."
So fast... I can't read the attacks...
So low...
The path to happiness...
I believed it stretched on forever and ever.
Only when it was destroyed did I realize that happiness was resting on fragile glass.
And just as we were saved,
I wanted to grow stronger to protect someone else's unbroken happiness.
That's right, we made a promise.
Yes, we promised.
To defeat the demons.
Together, to take down as many as we can.
So that no one else has to feel the same pain we did.
Even if our strength is weak,
even if we can't cut a demon's neck, defeating just one demon could save dozens of people.
If we can defeat an Upper Rank, we could save hundreds of people.
It's not about whether we can do it.
It's about what we must do.
Are you angry?
Yes, I'm angry.
Tanjiro-kun, I've been angry for a long, long time.
My parents were killed. My sister was killed.
Even Kanao's fellow Tsuguko were killed.
Those girls,
if they were still alive,
if they hadn't been killed by demons,
they'd be living happily with their families.
It really pisses me off.
Don't screw with me, you bastard!
Why isn't the poison working on this guy?!
You damn idiot!
The foolishness of persevering despite everything being futile.
That's the fragility of humans, and the beauty of humans.
You're someone who makes me feel uplifted.
Let's live together forever.
Any last words?
I'll listen.
Go to hell.
Master!
He's definitely here somewhere.
That guy has to face me, no matter what.
Loved ones and precious people...
You vaguely feel they'll be alive tomorrow, the day after.
But that's just a wish.
Flower Breathing!
There's no such thing as an absolute promise.
Fourth Form!
Crimson Hanagoromo!
Phew, that was close, close!
They're always alive, by my side.
For some reason, people tend to believe that.
Don't get in the way while I'm absorbing them.
Oh?
You didn't fall for the bait.
Did this kid just use sign language earlier?
Did she tell you about my abilities?
In just a moment, that's impressive.
But it's pointless.
Such a hard worker, huh?
Man, even so,
tonight is a great night.
One fine feast after another keeps coming.
Ah, truly,
a wonderful night.
You're there, aren't you?
Come out.
I know you're there.
You need to learn how to talk to your brother.
To your senior.
Have you grown a bit more mature?
Still looking as pathetic as ever, huh?
It's been a while.
Zenitsu.
Kaigaku... you, who became a demon...
I no longer think of you as my brother.
Ah!
Water Breathing... Wind Slash...
Free Flow!
Do it!
Draw the blood!
Yes!
This world is insane.
The entire building is pulsing and writhing,
like it's alive.
It's trying to crush Giyuu-san and me.
We need to join up with the other Hashira as soon as possible
and head toward Muzan without getting separated.
Death!
Shinobu Kocho, death.
Due to combat with Upper Rank Two.
Death.
Yes.
What's the status of the other Hashira and the slain Demon Slayers?
They're in the center of the twelve-layered shield.
The Hashira are fighting demons, over ten of them.
Beyond that wall, more than thirty demons are approaching.
It continues.
What incredible power.
This is...
the infinite demon castle.
We were lured
into this infinite demon castle.
However,
we weren't just lured here.
Father made meticulous preparations
to face this day, to connect our fates.
He arranged the Hashira to rush to each other's aid,
and ensured the strongest Demon Slayers became Pillars,
entrusting Kasugai Crows with messages and waiting for the right moment.
With the help of Tamayo-san and Yushiro-san,
and to make it complete,
our parents and sisters gave their lives as well.
We won't lose this battle.
In this vast space, five immense forces radiate as if exerting their power.
Are these the Upper Ranks?
One of them is active at the same location where Shinobu was.
Upper Rank Six and Agatsuma are fighting together.
Upper Rank... Are there other Hashira?
No! It's just Agatsuma alone!
One Hinoe-rank slayer against an Upper Rank is tough.
Go help immediately!
You haven't changed, huh?
Short and pathetic.
Still such a weakling.
Have you gotten used to being a Hashira?
Hey, have you learned to use anything other than the First Form?
You got into the Upper Ranks by filling in the gaps,
and you seem pretty pleased about it.
Heh, you've learned to talk big, haven't you?
Why the hell did you become a demon?
Hahaha, to you,
someone with the talent for Thunder Breathing, why become a demon?
Because you became a demon, Jii-chan...
Jii-chan died by seppuku.
He cut his own stomach alone, without a second to assist.
When you commit seppuku, if no one cuts off your head, you suffer for a long time before dying!
He died using his own throat and heart!
He became a demon after mastering Thunder Breathing!
Who cares? So what? Should I feel sad?
Should I repent?
I don't bother with people who don't value me.
I always
no matter the time,
side with those who properly value me.
If that old man died suffering, good riddance.
I did so much for him,
but he didn't respect me.
He called a piece of trash like you a successor alongside me, that damn old man.
A former Hashira or not, I have no use for a senile old man.
Jii-chan wasn't senile. If I'm trash, you're scum.
Me, who could only master the First Form, and you, who could master every form except the First.
I feel so sorry for Jii-chan, who had no worthy successors.
You and I...
Don't you dare compare us!
Thunder Breathing...
Fourth Form!
Genius!
You're too slow, scum.
I got cut. This guy's fast.
His movements are like a different person.
I'm not wrong.
Kneeling to an overwhelmingly strong opponent isn't shameful.
As long as you survive, there's always a way.
You're not defeated until you die, even if you grovel or rub your head in the dirt.
Even if your house burns down, you drink muddy water, or your theft is exposed,
as long as you live, you can win someday. I'll show you victory.
That's what I've believed and followed.
Become a demon.
Do you desire even greater strength?
If you earn his approval,
you could join us.
The stronger the swordsman,
the longer it takes to become a demon.
It took me three days.
To turn someone who uses Breathing into a demon,
they need to receive a large amount of his blood.
And there are those whose bodies resist becoming demons,
but what about you?
What a generous offer.
But betraying that trust is absolutely forbidden.
If you betray it,
your head will roll alongside Douma's.
A tearful farewell.
That...
The terror that makes every cell in my body
scream and cry out.
Compared to that, this small fry is nothing.
Even with gained strength, you can't match an Upper Rank.
Agatsuma, this guy is trash.
Always crying and whining.
No skill, no guts.
Help me!
That damn old man called a weakling like you a successor alongside me.
Kaigaku,
Jii-chan...
He was a bit bigger than you,
but you and I being together?
No way in hell.
You deserve to die.
Both you and that old man deserve to die.
I could only master the First Form,
while you mastered every form except the First.
That's why Jii-chan
saw both of us
as joint successors of Thunder Breathing.
But you,
you wanted to deny that even by becoming a demon.
Thunder Breathing, Sixth Form.
Here we go!
Five consecutive strikes in a single breath.
You landed a big hit!
You can't even tell good from evil anymore!
I can tell good from evil.
What's wrong?
You're Muzan's favorite, aren't you?
Someone who received five vials from Muzan,
show me that power, you dragon!
What's wrong?
Are you out of steam?
Come on, hit me with it!
Thunder Breathing,
First Form.
Heh!
Thunderclap and Flash.
Hahaha!
Just charging straight in with that basic form?
You think that'll hit me?!
Thunder Breathing,
Third Form.
Thunder Swarm!
Like this, Aria!
I won't hold back!
How's that?
The sharpness of my blade, honed by my techniques,
cuts through skin and flesh,
resounding like a deadly poison!
Those who value and recognize me are good.
Those who undervalue and reject me are evil.
Got it? This is my power!
I became a demon!
Whether it's one strike or eight,
you, who can only do that, a successor?
What a ridiculous mistake!
Ya!
This is...
the answer you came up with...
I knew it...
I knew, but...
Zenitsu! This is... the end!
Thunder Breathing...
Sixth Form!
Rumble and Flash!
The explosive strikes will keep burning through your body!
Burn my power into your eyes and body!
I surpassed Thunder Breathing by becoming a demon!
I'm special!
I'm different from you!
Different from all of you!
As expected, Jii-chan made a mistake!
Kaigaku, you bastard!
A brother like you!?
The First Form of Thunder Breathing is the foundation of all forms, right?
If you can't use the First Form, then no matter what,
mastering the other forms doesn't mean much.
And yet, that guy Kaigaku acted so high and mighty.
He didn't become anything great.
He'll probably die soon.
Take that!
Even if you hit an Upper Rank,
don't cause trouble, you trash. Having someone like you around is such a pain.
I knew full well that Kaigaku hated me,
and I hated Kaigaku too.
But I respected him, from the bottom of my heart.
You worked hard and always looked forward.
I was always watching your back. You were special.
To Jii-chan, you were a special and precious person to me, but...
that wasn't enough, was it? No matter the time,
I could hear the sound of your discontent.
There’s a hole in the box that holds the happiness in your heart.
Happiness keeps spilling out.
If you don’t notice and patch that hole quickly, you’ll never be fulfilled.
Jii-chan.
I’m sorry.
Our paths...
have diverged.
Still got some strength left…
What?
I’m sorry,
big brother.
This place...
Ngh…
You didn’t escape…
What was that technique…?
Too fast…
A form I don’t know!
What did you use?
Damn it… damn it!
That old man really favored you, huh!
He taught you alone and not me!
No…
He created a seventh form.
That guy,
who could only use the First Form,
surpassed me.
Guh!
I can’t take it.
I can’t accept that fact.
To lose to a guy like that…
Am I losing?
It’s driving me insane.
No,
it’s not a loss! He’ll fall and die too.
That guy has no strength left.
He’ll die with me!
Those who don’t give to others will eventually receive nothing.
Someone who only takes ends up with nothing.
Because they can’t create anything themselves.
Dying alone is fitting, isn’t it?
Where am I?
Jii-chan!
I’m sorry.
I couldn’t get along with Kaigaku.
I even wrote him letters,
but he never replied.
If I hadn’t been there,
maybe Kaigaku wouldn’t have turned out like that.
Please forgive me.
I couldn’t repay you at all.
While Jii-chan was alive,
I wanted to become a Hashira,
to make you proud,
I’m sorry.
Jii-chan, I’m sorry.
You came to hate me.
Say something, Jii-chan.
What the—?
It’s tangled around my legs.
What are these?
Damn it!
Zenitsu.
You are my pride.
Shut up, Murata! Don’t act like you’re above me!
Stay sharp and watch your surroundings. If someone weaker than me gets taken out, I won’t forgive them!
I’m a demon, so why should I care about teamwork? I’m using the blood-stopper, but if the cracks on my face don’t heal, I’ll dodge even the urgent ones.
You hear me?
Don’t scare someone who’s already weak.
I’m using the blood-stopper too, but the bleeding won’t stop.
Stop it!
You’ll be fine! I’ll definitely save you!
You won’t die!
Hang in there, Agatsuma!
Keep fighting! Keep fighting!
The Upper Rank you fought hadn’t fully mastered their techniques or abilities yet.
You got lucky.
If this fight was a year later, you’d be dead instantly.
Don’t say depressing things!
I’m not saying anything wrong!
What’s that?
Yelling like that brought a demon!
Perfect timing.
Shinobu-san,
we’ll definitely win.
Everyone will,
we will.
What’s this shaking?
Giyuu-san!
Stop!
Calm down!
Is someone fighting again?
Is someone else going to die?
It’s been a while.
You did well to survive this long,
a weakling like you.
Um…
Tanjiro.
Yakada!
Aaaah!
Huh?
Ugh…
If Muzan dies, the other demons die too.
Then Kibutsuji Muzan is still alive.
Muzan’s power is probably being suppressed by Tamayo-san.
Even if it’s suppressed, it doesn’t react to Yushiro-san’s eyes.
Before Muzan’s power fully recovers,
we have to defeat him no matter what.
But in this infinite castle,
can we really find Kibutsuji Muzan?
No need to rush. You’re doing well.
He’ll definitely show himself. He came to me, didn’t he?
That’s the kind of man Kibutsuji Muzan is.
Understood, Father.
I’ll definitely finish this.
We need to find him before the Hashira’s strength runs out
and settle this.
Absolutely! Defeat Kibutsuji!
Please!
Got it.
I’m leaving this to you guys.
Go for it!
Now’s the time! Show the world what you’re made of!
Ora!
Mana… thank you.
Everyone’s fighting so hard.
Don’t cry.
Never stop moving forward.
We won’t lose.
Yes.
Lord Kirie,
you’re truly admirable.
Even amidst the pain of losing your father,
you take command of the Demon Slayer Corps
and carry out your mission with resolve.
Hey, Rengoku-san.
Exactly.
To inspire the children of the Corps
to stand so firmly like this.
I, too, as a mentor…
must keep running forward.
Protecting lives with my own.
You seem to be in pain.
The drug that Tamayo, the demon working with the Master, created…
I used it as instructed, but
will Nezuko really return to being human?
If Nezuko becomes human again, Muzan’s greatest desire will crumble.
The dream of a perfect being he’s pursued for over a thousand years,
overcoming the sun, will be reset to nothing.
Nezuko is the only one in all these years who doesn’t burn in sunlight.
Final Phase.
The words keep echoing in my mind.
On this journey,
my heart trembles.
My pulse races. This long battle might end tonight.
To think I’d be alive to witness it.
Feel it. Ever since you brought your demon sister,
it’s like a massive gear started turning.
If all the battles up to now were part of a giant machine,
you and Nezuko, two small gears, clicked into place,
and the stalled situation suddenly surged forward.
Don’t lose, Nezuko.
Don’t lose, Tanjiro.
Don’t lose, everyone!
Hinokami Kagura!
Here we go!
Go! Go! Go!
I can’t cut their arms!
I can’t cut their necks!
It’s gone.
I dodged the attack.
It’s working.
I can fight.
I couldn’t aim for the neck.
Hinokami Kagura! Sunflower Thrust!
Hah… Hah… Hah…
Hah… Hah…
Tanjiro… your techniques are finely honed.
Your skill is no exaggeration to say it rivals a Hashira.
To face an Upper Rank Three like this…
That day, in the snow, filled with despair,
weeping as you carried your sister,
you, who could only save your sister’s life…
Reveal your intent.
Technique Deployment.
Shall we begin?
Idle.
Ugh!
Destroy it! What’s that!
Water Breathing, Eleventh Form.
Dead Calm.
A technique I’ve never seen.
The Water Hashira I killed before didn’t use it!
Ah! Hinokami Kagura, Fake Rainbow!
It’s gone! Behind! Hinokami Kagura, Solar Heat Haze!
Water Breathing, Second Form, Water Wheel.
Hinokami Kagura.
Ember!
Red Blade, Hundred Rocks!
Kamuro Sanctuary!
I broke through! I have to win properly!
Just a graze…
Just barely…
And yet this power…
Dual Wield!
A masterfully honed swordsmanship!
Magnificent!
State your name!
What’s your name?
I want to remember it!
I don’t have a name worth giving to a demon!
I hate talking, so don’t speak to me!
I see…
You don’t like to talk?
I love talking!
I’ll ask as many times as it takes!
Your name!
Ugh!
Now, Crystal Statue.
Guest Room.
Flowing Light Army!
Kiiz.
That’s your name?
Hinokami Kagura!
Fire Gate!
Wholehearted Strike!
Shoot it out!
Great moves! To reach this level in such a short time.
I commend you! And Tanjiro did a great job.
That night, you were an utterly weak person lying on the ground,
nothing but a weed.
But look at you now! Your growth is astonishing!
I’m genuinely thrilled! My heart dances!
Today, Jiro, it’s good you died that night.
If you hadn’t, you might not have become this strong.
You held onto worthless human values…
What did you say…
You’re just spitting on everyone.
You’re mistaken, Tanjiro.
What I hate is the existence of the weak.
I only spit on the weak.
Yes, the weak make my skin crawl.
Equality?
Being trampled is just the natural order.
Everything you’re saying is wrong.
Your very presence here proves it.
Everyone is born a weak infant.
We can’t survive without someone’s help.
You were like that too, Akaza.
You may not remember,
but you were protected and helped by someone,
and that’s why you’re alive now.
The strong protect and help the weak.
And the weak become strong,
then help and protect those weaker than them.
That’s the natural order.
Akaza, I won’t forgive your way of thinking.
I won’t let you have your way anymore.
You learn by being helped.
It’s not about comparing yourself to others.
The opponent you fight is always yourself.
What matters is becoming stronger than you were yesterday.
If you keep that up for ten or twenty years,
you’ll become something great.
And then,
you help others in turn.
Fast, but not just fast.
No, it’s more than just fast.
It’s this feeling.
This precision, this…
Demon Slayer Technique.
Acute Strategy.
Done.
Even if I predict their moves and block their attacks, the power is too overwhelming to nullify the damage.
Precise and flawless techniques, like a rushing ban, they strike with certainty.
The attacks aimed at my vital points feel like they’re being drawn to a target.
I panicked. What’s going on?
What are they reacting to and being drawn toward?
Recall it. Think.
There must be something.
If I can piece together Akaza’s swordsmanship up to now,
Tch!
Ugh!
Hinokami Kagura, Keen Takero!
Hahaha, what an interesting technique!
The blade I clearly dodged seemed to extend.
What kind of swing was that?
That blade tip swayed like a shadow.
Fascinating!
Hinokami Kagura.
Salt End!
Damn it.
It’s coming!
Nice cut!
Get away! Get away! Get away!
No good, I can’t let go!
Giyu-san!
I’m pissed off.
My back’s been aching for a while now.
You really sent me flying far, huh.
Upper Rank Three.
I...
don’t want to draw my sword if I can help it,
nor do I like sparring with just anyone like a fool.
But now, meeting an opponent who overwhelms me after so long,
I realized my senses have been sharply honed in such a short time.
My dormant senses were jolted awake, drawn to the place where this opponent stands.
I understood how much a life-or-death struggle can push one’s potential.
I get it now.
…Kiyesa…
Asakao’s attack… it’s gotten faster!
Water Breathing, preparing to strike with the Death Form.
Fast, both of them.
But Giyu-san’s increased speed was quickly matched by Akaza.
A wound!
Is that all your strength amounts to?
More! Hit me harder!
[Music]
Earth Form!
Three-Strike Hit!
Earth Form!
Rippling Stone!
Destruction Instant Scream!
Giyu!
Akaza!
Calm down!
Think… don’t panic…
Never give up on fighting!
Natural!
Why are Akaza’s attacks so precise, like they’re at home?
Why does he always react to attacks from behind or any angle?
Think!
His fighting skills are so refined.
Close to the realm of mastery.
During the fight with Rengoku-san,
Akaza used the term “fighting spirit.”
What’s fighting spirit?
Just like I can sense things through smell,
Akaza is sensing something through fighting spirit.
It stings, doesn’t it? The places the enemy targets.
That’s why Inosuke noticed Gyutaro’s attack.
Even though it came from behind, that’s amazing.
It’s because my body’s senses are sharp.
Whether from behind or not, I can tell when someone’s watching me.
Show me.
Alright.
You’re looking at my right shoulder, aren’t you?
Spot on, that’s amazing.
Especially when someone’s staring with intent, I can tell right away.
Things that spark my instincts are dangerous.
That intent feels like it’s piercing through my skin.
Right, Inosuke sensed invisible things with his honed skin.
He felt things that couldn’t be seen.
What did we talk about after that?
That time,
it happens, doesn’t it, that little guy?
The old lady at our flower-patterned house was terrifying, suddenly…
She was sitting behind me, crushing a rice ball.
Don’t call her “old lady,” call her Grandma. I thought to myself,
if you approach without intent, they won’t notice.
Then no one would be impossible to kill.
Hmm, hmm.
But that’s because the grandma didn’t have any intent to harm Inosuke, right?
I think it’s impossible to defeat a demon without intent.
Yeah, that’s true.
A weak strike without intent
wouldn’t cut through a demon’s neck, right?
It was a trivial conversation,
but I feel like it hit on something certain.
Akaza’s ability to sense fighting spirit.
What is fighting spirit?
Is it different from intent?
The will to fight, honed over time?
Or is it quantity?
Something like my ability to predict movements through smell.
Akaza’s battle compass.
Is there a way to disrupt it?
This game…
Huh?
What do you think about when you perform Hinokami Kagura, Dad?
If it’s hard for you, I’ll take over next year.
I’m worried about your health.
Thank you, Tanjiro.
But these past few years, I haven’t found Kagura painful.
It’s strange, but when I was learning Kagura from Grandpa,
I was younger, healthier, and stronger, yet I got out of breath and it was tough.
Once a year, at the start of the year, the Kagura we performed
from sunset to dawn was an exhausting, endless task.
Repeating the twelve forms until dawn, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of times.
I think I had a lot of unnecessary movements back then.
The key is proper breathing and correct movements.
Using minimal motion to exert maximum power.
When you do that, your mind gradually becomes transparent.
Transparent?
At first, you have to memorize the movements and pick up the sensations.
You open up to others, recognizing every detail of your body, down to each blood vessel.
It’s truly painful then, feeling like struggling endlessly leads only to a dead end.
After learning and absorbing so much, you discard what’s unnecessary.
You keep only what’s needed for the movement and close off the rest.
Close off?
When people try to listen closely, they often close their eyes, right?
In that moment, you select only what’s most necessary.
Eventually, you can open and close the blood vessels and muscles in your body
as quickly and easily as blinking.
At that moment, a path of light opens up.
When your mind becomes transparent, you start to see a transparent world.
But this is a realm reached only through relentless struggle and suffering.
Can I reach that place too?
If you keep up your efforts, Tanjiro.
Look, it’s done.
Thank you.
Before Dad passed away from illness,
there was an incident where a bear attacked and ate a person
in the mountain next to ours.
We lit bonfires around the house
and strung ropes with bells around.
Tanjiro,
Yes.
Follow me.
Okay.
It’s a pity to kill a beast, but I won’t allow it to come any closer.
Anyone who intends to harm my family, no matter who they are, will face no mercy.
If you ignore this warning,
I will take your life.
The bear’s neck, as thick as a human torso,
fell with the sound of the bell, cleanly severed.
I couldn’t follow it with my eyes,
but I think Dad
likely struck twice in the blink of an eye.
Otherwise,
it’d be impossible to sever that neck with the width of that axe.
Dad’s scent didn’t waver at all.
Before and after cutting the bear’s neck, there was no fear,
no hesitation, no intent to kill.
Did you see it clearly?
Don’t forget what you just saw.
Dad wasn’t someone who flaunted his strength needlessly.
I realized later
that he was letting me observe and learn.
So that I could learn from his great skill, seeing the transparent world.
Dad, Grandpa, and Great-Grandpa surely did the same.
Never give up. Keep thinking.
No matter the obstacle, you’ll break through with relentless effort.
I didn’t meet Mom,
but for some reason, I didn’t think it was impossible.
For just a moment, I felt it.
For just a moment, I entered it.
That world.
The transparent world.
My body seemed transparent.
It was the same when Hantengu was hiding in his own heart.
I don’t know if I saw it or sensed it.
Focus.
I focused solely on that and closed off other senses.
My body moved faster than ever before to win.
When I entered the transparent world Dad taught me,
my movement predictions and attack speed surged dramatically.
I could see the enemy’s muscle movements, blood flow, and contractions clearly.
I also understood my own muscle contractions faster and more precisely.
Akaza is probably sensing fighting spirit.
If I can close off my mind, I might be able to aim for his neck.
I haven’t given up yet.
I’ll bring down the night.
Striking from the side and beyond.
To cut their arm mid-attack and stop it.
The sound of breathing is different.
Hair and eyes too…
I was saved by Tanjiro.
Every cell in my body,
down to the deepest parts,
is screaming to kill this guy right now.
Something has changed in him.
He’s dangerous.
He’s focused on Tanjiro.
Back.
Point-Blank Full Awareness.
Great Silver Afterglow.
His attack speed is increasing again.
The power is intensifying.
Can I block it?
It’s coming.
Even Dead Calm couldn’t fully block all the attacks.
Impressive. You’re still alive, as expected.
Did you somehow manage to dodge the fatal blow?
You won’t die like Kyojuro or Tanjiro.
Become a demon, Giyu.
Oh… haven’t you noticed?
There’s no fighting spirit behind you… from Tanjiro?
To fight with all your strength, you gain invincibility,
and the joy of that can’t be measured.
If you can still move, aim for it.
Take his neck before he notices.
Akaza! I’m going to cut your neck now!
Reading my moves so openly?
He’s alive…
No way, this guy survived that attack!
No, it’s fine.
No matter the attack, my Destructive Satsu monitors everything.
The stronger the opponent’s blade, the stronger my compass reacts!
What…
What’s this strange presence?
It’s like he’s become a different creature.
This guy…
His fighting spirit is gone? No fighting spirit!
He’s coming! Is he coming?
Hinokami Kagura, Active Transition.
Idiot!
I’ve never seen a human without fighting spirit in hundreds of years.
Even Akaza always had fighting spirit.
Yet, in that moment, this guy had no fighting spirit at all.
It’s like facing something that shouldn’t exist, disorienting my senses.
My senses were thrown into chaos.
My compass didn’t react.
But that’s not the issue.
In the battlefield,
you must not hesitate.
When facing something new,
you must understand it instantly
and deal with it.
I can do that.
I was supposed to.
But
he grasped something and surpassed my speed.
Centuries of martial arts mastery were shattered head-on.
In those eyes, there was no hatred, no anger, no intent, no fighting spirit.
What those eyes likely saw was the realm of death’s light I sought.
Nothing less than the state of selflessness.
I vaguely felt that such a state existed.
Yet I still haven’t reached it.
Not yet!
I can still fight!
I’ll become stronger!
He’s still trying to take my neck!
I can’t let it end!
Not in a place like this…
I’ll become stronger.
I have to become stronger than anyone else, stronger!
Even stronger…
It’s crumbling. It’s over.
We won.
I’m dizzy.
Muscle fatigue?
My body’s at its limit.
Are you okay, Tanjiro?
My body’s starting to break down.
This is…
Three!
It’s still moving… my body hasn’t collapsed!
The neck’s cut is sealing!
It’s regenerating!
Bam!
No way… no way…
It won’t die even after its neck is cut!
Is there some condition,
like with Gyutaro?
No, it’s different. The head is crumbling and cut.
It’s trying to change now.
Into something else, like Muzan.
Like Muzan,
its neck is no longer a weak point.
The fight’s not over! Keep fighting!
More…
Tanjiro!
Shinigami…
Of course!
It’s beyond a mere fight!
Water Breathing! Death Form!
Strike!
It’s regenerating!
Even without a head!
At this speed!
My left ear can’t hear at all.
My right side has no sensation.
I can still move, but how useful will it be?
Wait!
I’m… still alive!
If you want to kill Tanjiro, you’ll have to beat me first!
Annoying…
Stop it.
Who are you?
Hakuji-san, please stop.
Let go, let go of my hand.
Who are you?
Let’s stop this.
Let’s go to the other side.
No way.
I have to kill those people.
I have to kill them.
Why?
I have to become stronger.
Anyone who gets in my way, I’ll kill.
Why?
Why do you need to become stronger?
Because if I’m not strong,
I can’t bring back medicine for my body.
Medicine for my father.
I have to become stronger.
If I’m not strong, I can’t escape with a stolen wallet.
I have to become stronger.
If I’m not strong, I can’t win against enemies at home.
I have to become stronger.
If I’m caught by the authorities, I’ll face harsh punishment.
I already have three thief tattoos on both arms.
Next time, they’ll cut off my wrists.
Get out of my way! Get out!
If you’re going to cut, then finish it!
Even if both my wrists are cut, I still have my legs.
I’ll bite with my teeth!
No matter what, I won’t get caught next time!
Committing crimes at just eleven years old,
even grown men would lose faith.
Taking hundreds of lashes, yet still standing!
You’re a demon!
Say whatever you want!
That’s right! I’m a demon!
They say I was born with teeth!
Borrowed!
This body!
Call me a demon, you bastard!
Hakuji!
I heard you got caught again,
and your father hung himself in despair!
He’s dead!
Ha!
Hakuji…
Live properly.
You can still start over.
Are poor people
not even allowed to live?
Father…
This world is absolute garbage.
Let everyone die.
Why do these worthless people get to live,
while my father had to die?
He wasn’t a burden.
What’s there to apologize for?
My father didn’t do anything wrong, did he?
Even taking his daughter’s punishment
wasn’t painful.
Even if he was beaten senseless in ignorance,
or had his bones broken,
I could endure it for my father.
For hundreds of years.
Sensation.
Work honestly.
Shut up, damn it.
It’s not enough.
Medicine is so expensive.
It kept getting worse.
My father…
His back was starting to cave in, bones protruding.
I wanted to feed him something nutritious.
I would’ve been fine dying.
For my father.
Impressive.
I came because a kid was about to be killed,
and you’ve already taken down seven grown men. You’ve got guts.
Beating adults barehanded—you’re one hell of a guy.
Who is this? What am I seeing? Is this my memory?
Why don’t you come to my dojo? I don’t have any students.
Shut up, old man, I’ll kill you!
That tattoo…
You’re a thief from Edo, huh?
Banished from Edo with a public beating and ended up here, right?
So what?
What’s it to you?
Well, first, let’s start over.
Come on!
Don’t come near me, you old bastard!
Man, you’re tough.
Taking all those hits and waking up without passing out.
I’m Keizo, the master of Soryu, a martial art fought barehanded.
I don’t have any students, so I make a living doing odd jobs like this.
The first thing I want you to do is take care of my sick daughter.
I’ve got work to do, so I’m entrusting her to you.
My wife recently took her own life because of Koyuki’s illness.
It’s been tough.
It’s my fault for being useless, causing hardship for both my wife and daughter.
Is it okay to leave a thief like me alone with your daughter?
A thief like you beat up those punks to a pulp, so it’s fine.
It’s similar.
I see.
This is it.
Hakuji, I’m sorry.
How’s Koyuki doing?
Is it okay for her to be up?
She’s definitely looking better than this morning.
Her fever’s gone down a bit.
Oh, this guy…
His name is…
He won’t tell me his name no matter how many times I ask.
Hey, don’t just stand there!
Sit here.
Find out his name before I get back.
Um…
It’s okay.
I’ll definitely heal her, save her, protect her.
My life was just a worthless mess of spewing filth.
Garbage.
Huh?
Thank you.
You don’t have to keep saying it. Just rest without worrying.
Sorry for causing you trouble.
It’s fine.
Should I close this?
It’s fine as is.
Koyuki was really frail.
I had to stay up all night, changing the towels or bandages on her body,
giving her water, and naturally carrying her when going to the doctor.
I was used to taking care of my father’s illness, and my body was unusually resilient,
so it wasn’t too hard.
I’m always sorry.
Why do sick people always apologize?
Sorry for causing trouble.
Sorry for the noisy coughing.
Sorry for not being able to work properly.
It should be their own choice to die.
The coughing doesn’t stop.
If they could just breathe normally, they’d choose to.
The one suffering the most should be the person themselves.
I’m always sorry.
Because of me, you can’t even train properly.
Or go have fun.
I don’t want to go have fun.
Ever since I was little,
I’ve been training out there during my free time,
so don’t worry about it.
They say there’ll be fireworks tonight,
so go see them.
Yeah.
If your fever’s gone down,
shall we go to the bridge together?
Yeah.
Even if we can’t go today,
there’ll be fireworks next year and the year after.
There’ll be fireworks tonight.
You can go see them then.
The only troublesome part of her illness was how Koyuki would cry out in pain during our conversations.
Her condition must have been worsening, but her crying always made me feel uneasy.
What a thing.
For a commoner, not even a samurai, to own such a large plot of land and a dojo,
it’s said an old man, saved from bandits by Keizo, was so impressed by his Soryu skills
that he gave him the land and an old dojo with no heir.
But those who wanted that land and dojo for themselves weren’t happy.
The neighboring swordsmanship dojo harassed the Soryu dojo.
Because of that, no students came to the Soryu dojo.
But through training here and caring for Koyuki,
my heart was saved.
Three years later, I turned 18.
Koyuki was 16, and she rarely relapsed,
able to live a normal life.
Hurry up a bit.
Yes.
Hey, Hakuji, will you take over this dojo?
Koyuki says she likes you too.
Ha!
With the thief tattoos on my arms, I couldn’t easily imagine a future for myself.
Let alone a future where someone would accept me like that.
Maybe, like my father said,
I could live an honest life from now on.
A faint hope that I could start over
swelled uncontrollably large.
At that time,
I never dreamed that the two people I’d give my life to protect would be brutally killed.
I went to visit my father’s grave to report my engagement.
I returned to the dojo before sunset,
but I felt like vomiting even before hearing anything.
My instincts were screaming.
A bad feeling made my skin crawl.
Someone poisoned the well.
They knew they couldn’t beat you in a fair fight, Keizo,
so they resorted to this.
It’s too much, too cruel!
Even Koyuki-chan was killed!
Whenever someone important to me is in danger,
I’m never there.
I promised,
but is it really okay with me?
Do you remember when we talked about going to see the fireworks as kids?
Uh, yeah…
What?
Those small talks with you, Hakuji,
brought me so much happiness.
Even if we couldn’t see the fireworks this year,
you said we could go next year or the year after.
I couldn’t imagine a future where I’d be alive next year or the year after.
My mother was the same. That’s why she took her own life, not wanting to see me die.
She killed herself.
I knew deep down my father had given up too.
I was too weak.
But you, Hakuji, could see my future.
As if it was the most natural thing.
You talked about next year and the year after.
It made me so happy.
I want you, Hakuji.
Will you marry me?
Huh?
What the hell?
It’s not a blade!
It’s worse than that!
Ah!
Killed 67 people.
Method: head destruction by brute force.
Organs destroyed.
Most of the pain
was crushed, leaving no trace of form,
with large parts of the body missing.
Blood, jaws, brains, eyeballs,
limbs, and organs
splattered on the ceiling and walls, a living hell.
The victims weren’t from the dojo.
I came all this way,
and it’s just a human.
How boring.
Move.
You…
About twelve,
I’m planning to make strong demons.
Can you withstand the amount of blood I’ll give you?
Well…
Whatever… it doesn’t matter…
Everything…
I became a demon, lost my memories, and sought strength again.
More! Hit me harder!
To think there’s not a single thing left to protect?
In a world where I lost my family, I didn’t even want to live.
Repeating meaningless slaughter for over a hundred years,
what a pathetic, shameful, boring story.
What a pointless tale.
Even if I die, I won’t go to the same place as those three.
How dare you make me remember that past?
Human life,
weak, fragile, feeble.
They die quickly.
They break.
They disappear.
Not dead yet.
No way.
Now…
I have to do it.
If it regenerates here,
there’s no turning back.
Lies are evil.
This guy’s still moving?
I’ll cut its neck as many times as it takes!
We’ll win!
Giyu-san and I, together, against you!
My shoulder…
It’s dislocated…
My strength…
Start over.
Boy.
I hate the weak.
The weak
don’t fight fair and square.
They put poison in the well.
Despicable.
The weak
lack resolve.
They give up quickly.
They killed people with the weakness I wanted to protect.
They defiled my precious Soryu dojo with blood.
I couldn’t even protect my father’s dying wish.
That’s right.
The ones I wanted to kill were…
Bad, bad, bad! My sword flew away!
I don’t want to punch, it won’t stop!
Akaza is about to use the technique he used on Rengoku-san.
He’s dragging Giyu-san into an attack range.
Don’t care! Focus on me!
I have to kill…
The weak ones…
I hate!
It’s me.
Myself…
Why did I attack myself?
Why…
For a moment,
I smelled gratitude from Akaza.
Why did he smile?
Enough! Stop!
Don’t regenerate!
The fight is over! I lost!
In that moment, I was overwhelmed!
A fair and splendid technique!
Perfectly reading the enemy’s moves, striking at the last second!
Cutting in before the enemy finishes their attack!
It’s over!
I want to go to hell honorably.
Where do I want to go?
My legs stopped.
Father…
Are you okay now?
Not in pain anymore?
It’s alright, Hakuji.
Thank you.
Sorry, Father.
Sorry, I couldn’t start over.
I failed.
Doesn’t matter.
No matter what you become, a son is a son.
A disciple is a disciple.
I won’t abandon you, even in death.
To heaven,
I can’t take you.
Ha…
It wasn’t about becoming strong.
Is this the end for you, Akaza?
Akaza…
That’s right.
I want to become stronger, stronger.
So what if my neck was cut?
The fight? Doesn’t matter.
I’ll kill them all.
I can still become stronger.
I have to keep my promise.
Huh…
Hakuji-san…
Thank you.
That’s enough.
Huh…
It’s okay.
It’s alright now.
Akaza…
I’m glad you remembered us.
I’m glad you returned to the old Hakuji.
Welcome back, Hakuji.
Yo, Hakuji!
Welcome back!
I’m back… I’m home…
Welcome home… my love…
He’s gone.
It’s over.
Hurry.
Next is…
Tamayo’s…
location.
Tanjiro, Giyu, Upper Rank Three, intense battle, intense battle.
Akaza’s presence is gone.
When defeated,
Akaza…
Weren’t you supposed to defeat me?
Abandoning the path to greater heights?
Why give up?
What weakness.
If only that were there, Akaza’s…
Did he really die?
I got a weird feeling, but it must be my imagination.
Akaza was probably turning into something else entirely.
Since he’s dead, we’ll never know.
Uh, what was it?
Oh, right, right.
I was asking for your name, wasn’t I?
Die already, you bastard!
Listen!
Guide them to the place with the most momentum!
Got it?
Teach them a little pain!
You, you’re done for!
I’ll definitely take you down!
Thank you, Mitsuri!
Absent.
127 layers.
Muzan absent.
Where is he? Where is he?
Layers 90 to 100 are also
each without Muzan.
133 layers.
Layer breached! Muzan absent.
Our crows will definitely find you.
We’ll tear this castle apart
and hunt you down no matter where you hide.
Multi-structured object moving northeast.
Shoichi, a new structure is moving toward the sun.
Don’t let it escape.
We’ll become one.
To this extent…
No… but…
I won’t lose.
Go to the crows!
To Nezuko’s side!
No annoying demons left!
You’ll never reach me.
You might feel good about taking down the Upper Ranks,
but unless you defeat me, it’s all the same!
You’ll die pointlessly without ever seeing my face!
I’ll make you regret living, you foolish, meaningless lot!
Writhe and suffer in agony!
And in this world, your demon-slaying talents will be stained with death!
Don’t die.
Don’t you dare die!
Thirty…
I was dreaming you were by my side,
looking up at a nostalgic blue sky.
Living is beautiful in itself,
you said with a smile, that’s enough.
The confidence left in my heart leads to that painful path.
Running through your darkness.
Caught in a sad night.
Like your desire and mine,
surpassing that day’s flight in one leap.
You can…