Infinite: The Main God Space Starting from Naruto

Chapter 220: Regret for refusing the invitation from the Upper Three.

"Mr. Rengoku." Tanjiro's throat tightened.

"It's perfect!" Tsubaki Kamishiro trembled with excitement, a fanatical smile spreading across her face. "Lord Dio's blood can bring the dead back to life! This is power beyond human comprehension!"

As he spoke, he pulled out a short knife he always carried and, without hesitation, slashed his wrist. Blood flowed down his arm, gleaming eerily in the moonlight.

"Drink my blood, Lord Rengoku!" Tsubaki Kamishiro raised her bleeding wrist, a maniacal grin on her face. "Let Lord Dio's will flow through your entire body!"

"Snap!"

Kyojuro Rengoku didn't look at his wrist; instead, he grabbed Tsubaki Kamishiro by the neck and lifted him high into the air.

"Ugh!" Tsubaki Kamishiro was lifted up, but instead of showing any pain, he revealed a fanatical smile. "To offer everything to Lord Dio... what an unparalleled honor."

"Gurgle gurgle"

As the sound rang out, Tsubaki Kamishiro's blood was being continuously absorbed into Kyojuro Rengoku's body.

Kyojuro Rengoku's rotting skin began to heal, maggots fell off one by one, and that face that Tanjiro knew so well was reappearing.

With a "bang," Tsubaki Kamishiro's body was carelessly thrown to the ground.

Kyojuro Rengoku bent down to pick up Tsubaki Kamishiro's Nichirin Blade. He slowly raised his head, a strange smile playing on his lips: "Tanjiro, it's been a long time."

"Mr. Purgatory, you still remember me."

"I remember everything," Kyojuro Rengoku said, stroking the blade of his sword, "including what I did as the Flame Pillar. Looking back now, it was incredibly foolish."

Tanjiro's pupils contracted: "What?"

"Think about it, why do we risk our lives hunting demons?" Kyojuro Rengoku shook his head, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Just because they killed a few people? How laughable, how utterly laughable. The weak are dominated by the strong!"

He raised his hand, looking at his palm that had returned to normal: "Back then on the Mugen Train, Upper Moon Three appreciated my talent and invited me to become a demon. But I foolishly refused. Looking back now, it was truly a mistake."

"I feel so wonderful right now, power is surging through my body, and eternal life is flowing in my veins..."

"Mr. Rengoku! Wake up!" Tanjiro shouted. "This isn't your idea! It's Dio, that monster, controlling you!"

"Control?" Kyojuro Rengoku laughed. "No, Tanjiro, I'm more clear-headed than ever before!"

Tanjiro stared intently at the person in front of him. The face was still the same as he remembered, but the madness and distortion in the eyes sent a chill down his spine.

He took a deep breath, gripped the hilt of his sword, assumed the starting stance of the Breath of the Sun, and pointed the blade directly at Kyojuro Rengoku.

Kyojuro Rengoku watched Tanjiro's actions with great interest: "Oh? You want to fight me?"

"You're just a monster disguised as Mr. Rengoku." Tanjiro took a deep breath, his eyes hardening. "Mr. Rengoku... certainly wouldn't want to see himself become like this!"

"As a swordsman of the Demon Slayer Corps," he stomped his right foot on the ground and crouched slightly, "I cannot let you continue like this."

Tanjiro's aura suddenly changed, a fiery aura surged from his body, his breathing gradually became steady, and his heartbeat and breathing were perfectly synchronized.

"Complete Collection - Hinokami Kagura - Seventh Form" Tanjiro grips his swords with both hands, his body like a compressed spring, "Yanghua Thrust!"

His figure vanished instantly, leaving only a deep footprint on the ground.

A sharp whistling sound came from the air, and Tanjiro transformed into a streak of crimson lightning, aiming straight for Rengoku Kyojuro's heart. This attack pushed his speed to the limit.

"Heh, compared to the Breath of Flames, the Breath of the Sun is indeed more powerful." Kyojuro Rengoku's lips curled into a smile. "But..."

"I have now surpassed humanity!"

He slammed his right foot into the ground, shattering it instantly, and charged forward, unleashing a magnificent fiery slash.

"Flame Breathing - First Form - Shiranui!"

With a loud clang, sparks flew as two completely different forces of fire collided in mid-air, sending scorching waves of heat spreading outwards.

"Hmm!"

Tanjiro felt a numbness in his arm and was thrown back several steps by the enormous force, crushing the bluestone slabs on the ground to pieces with his footsteps.

Kyojuro Rengoku stood motionless, a faint glow still lingering on his sword: "How was it? Did you feel it? This is the power that Lord Dio bestowed upon me!"

"So strong!" Tanjiro's hand gripping the sword trembled slightly. The power of that attack far surpassed the level of Kyojuro Rengoku in his memories. Kyojuro Rengoku was now even stronger than he had been in life. However...

"Mr. Purgatory, your Breath of Fire has lost its flavor."

"It's gone bad?"

"Yes." Tanjiro looked directly into those glowing red eyes. "Your sword has lost its will to protect others. The Flame Breathing technique is now nothing but flames of destruction and slaughter."

"Is that so?" Rengoku Kyojuro's eyes blazed with a brilliant red light. "I no longer need to rely on breathing techniques! The power granted by this immortal body far surpasses any breathing technique!"

"Flame Breathing - Third Form - Myriad Flames of Air!"

Rengoku Kyojuro raised his Nichirin Blade high, its blade wreathed in crimson flames. He held the blade with both hands and slashed down fiercely from above, unleashing a torrent of intense fire like a waterfall.

Tanjiro's pupils contracted, and he suddenly exerted force with both legs. He leaped into the air, using the momentum of the ascent to dodge the fatal blow.

"Hinokami Kagura, Ninth Form: Sunset Turn!" Tanjiro spun in mid-air, his Nichirin Blade slicing an arc as it slashed toward Kyojuro Rengoku's neck.

"How naive!"

Instead of retreating, Rengoku Kyojuro advanced, stomping his foot and soaring into the sky like a cannonball.

"Flame Breathing - Second Form - Ascending Blaze!"

The blade in his hand traced an upward arc, aiming straight for Tanjiro's chin.

"clang"

With a deafening crash, the two swords clashed in mid-air, sparks flying everywhere. The immense impact sent Tanjiro flying backward.

Tanjiro adjusted his body in mid-air, and just as his feet touched the ground, he heard Kyojuro Rengoku's voice coming from above.

"Too slow!"

Before anyone knew it, he had already taken to the air, the blade in his hand wreathed in scorching flames as he slashed down.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sounds of metal clashing rang out continuously, sparks flying everywhere. The two figures moved swiftly in the moonlight, each exchange unleashing a tremendous shockwave.

After a fierce strike, their blades clashed once more. Cold sweat beaded on Tanjiro's forehead, and his arm trembled slightly under the immense pressure. He could feel the force from his opponent's blade was stronger than before.

Just then, something unexpected happened!

"Pfft!"

Suddenly, Kyojuro Rengoku's hair grew out as if it were alive, transforming into countless blood-red tentacles that attacked Tanjiro.

"What?!" Tanjiro was caught off guard when a tentacle wrapped around his right arm.

He tried to break free, but felt a sharp pain. The fangs had pierced deep into his flesh and were beginning to frantically suck his blood.

"Hinokami Kagura: First Form - Waltz!"

Tanjiro endured the excruciating pain and pulled back sharply, his wrist spinning rapidly. The blade drew a perfect arc in the air, and with a flash of cold light, the eerie strands of hair were severed.

However, in that opening, Rengoku Kyojuro's sword had already sliced ​​through his chest. Blood splattered, and a wound appeared.

"Well"

Tanjiro staggered backward, panting heavily. Sweat and blood mingled and dripped down his chin; the continuous high-intensity battle had made his heart pound and his body temperature rise rapidly.

He looked up, and just then, he noticed a detail—several nicks had appeared on the blade of Rengoku Kyojuro's sword.

"I see." A glint flashed in Tanjiro's eyes.

It was a standard-issue knife belonging to an ordinary squad member, utterly incapable of withstanding such intense impact. And each clash of breathing techniques left a new wound on the blade.

Kyojuro Rengoku was completely unaware that he had at this point completely lost the ability to resonate with the Nichirin Blade.

"The opportunity is now!" Tanjiro suddenly stood up, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly with both hands. His gaze was fixed on the notch in Kyojuro Rengoku's blade, and he shot out like an arrow.

"clang!"

The two swords clashed again, and Tanjiro's blade struck the notch precisely. A piercing metallic scraping sound rang out, and sparks flew as the notch widened further.

Just as the two were locked in fierce combat, Tsubaki Kamishiro, who was lying on the ground some distance away, suddenly began to twitch on her forehead.

Kamishiro Tsubaki's body began to twist and deform, something surging wildly beneath his skin. Moments later, he had completely transformed into a corpse-like being, his empty eyes flashing with an eerie light.

"To complete Lord Dior's mission..."

He mechanically stood up, picked up the wooden box that had fallen to the ground, and the glass bottles containing Dior's blood gleamed with a faint red light in the moonlight.

Meanwhile, Tanjiro's battle with Kyojuro Rengoku intensified.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

With each clash of blades, the notch on the standard-issue knife widened a little.

Suddenly, the earth began to shake.

"Click. Click"

Strange sounds suddenly came from the surrounding cemetery, as if something was struggling to break through the soil.

I'm currently reading the error-free version! This is the first time I've published this novel.

"What?!" Tanjiro's expression changed drastically.

Countless pale arms emerged from the soil, followed by twisted figures. They staggered out of the tomb and then quickly scattered in all directions.

"This is...!" Tanjiro's heart sank. If these undead people stormed into the town... he had to stop them!

"Where do you want to go?" Rengoku Kyojuro's voice rang in his ears. A sharp blade of light swept across, forcing Tanjiro to retreat.

"clang!"

Tanjiro watched anxiously as the undead gradually disappeared into the night, moving towards the town!

"Get out of the way!" Tanjiro shouted urgently. If they were allowed to rush into the town, the consequences would be unimaginable!

"Heh," Kyojuro Rengoku smirked, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Why care about the lives of the weak? Survival of the fittest—that's the truth of the world!"

"Mr. Rengoku!" Tanjiro's voice choked with emotion. "I know you're still in that body! You once said you would protect the weak. How can you just stand by and watch these monsters harm innocent people!"

"The past is over! Now I only serve Lord Dio." Kyojuro Rengoku sneered. "Come on! Let me see your resolve!"

Screams could be heard sporadically in the distance. Tanjiro's heart pounded. Every second of delay could mean the death of more innocent people.

"Damn it. Damn it!" His breathing became rapid, his chest heaving violently. "This can't go on."

"Breath of Flames, Sixth Form: Purgatory!"

At that moment, Rengoku Kyojuro roared, shouldered the blade, and charged forward like a cannonball.

The ground beneath his feet cracked inch by inch, and flames coiled around the blade, as if trying to ignite the air itself.

A hint of seriousness flashed in Tanjiro's eyes. He took a deep breath and stomped his right foot heavily on the ground: "Hinokami Kagura: Hinokami!"

His figure flickered in the moonlight, leaving a clear shadow in every position, as if a dozen Tanjiroes had appeared at the same time.

"A phantom?" Rengoku Kyojuro's pupils contracted.

The next second, Kyojuro Rengoku suddenly tilted his head back, his throat gurgled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. The blood turned into a fine mist in the air, and his eyes were fixed on the flow of the blood mist.

"There!" A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes as he sliced ​​through the blood mist with his blade, aiming straight for one of the figures.

It was just air.

"What?!" Rengoku Kyojuro's pupils shrank.

Just then, he felt a chill down his spine, turned around abruptly, and slashed out with his blade.

"Breath of Flame: Flame Tiger!"

A giant tiger formed from flames roared and pounced on Tanjiro. A scorching wave of heat rushed towards him, distorting the air itself under the intense heat.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Tanjiro's heartbeat roared in his ears, as if it would burst out of his chest. Each beat made his blood burn even hotter, as if it were about to ignite.

"what!"

A low growl emerged from the depths of his throat, and red patterns suddenly appeared on his forehead, burning like flames.

"Hinokami Kagura: Dance of the Crescent Moon!"

Tanjiro's figure instantly split into three afterimages, dodging the fire tiger's pounce.

At the same time, Tanjiro suddenly exerted force with his feet, and his whole body shot out like an arrow, the blade drawing a perfect arc as he slashed upwards towards Rengoku Kyojuro.

"Snap!"

With a crisp sound, the standard-issue sword in Rengoku Kyojuro's hand finally succumbed to the enormous impact, and the blade shattered inch by inch.

"What?!" Rengoku Kyojuro's pupils shrank sharply.

Before he could react, a second slash sliced ​​through the air, aiming straight for his right arm. The blade swept across, blood splattered, and his entire arm fell to the ground with a thud.

Without pausing, Tanjiro's slash aimed straight at Kyojuro Rengoku's head. Time seemed to stand still at that moment, the blade gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

"Goodbye, Mr. Rengoku," Tanjiro murmured to himself, a hint of pain flashing in his eyes.

But just as the blade was about to strike, a crazed red light suddenly flashed in Rengoku Kyojuro's eyes. He opened his mouth, revealing a set of sharp teeth.

"I will not die!"

With a roar, Rengoku Kyojuro bit down on the incoming blade with his teeth. The blade sliced ​​open his lip, his teeth shattering under the immense impact, and blood flowed down the blade.

But he seemed oblivious to the pain, holding on tightly.

"How...how is this possible!" Tanjiro's pupils shrank, staring at the scene before him in disbelief.

A mad light flashed in Rengoku Kyojuro's eyes, and a beast-like growl escaped from deep within his throat. Blood dripped from his chin, turning into steam before hitting the ground.

Just as Tanjiro was in shock, Kyojuro Rengoku's right leg suddenly shot out. His knee slammed into Tanjiro's abdomen like a cannonball, and the air whistled sharply at the impact.

"Bang!"

With a dull thud, a tremendous force traveled through his flesh and bones. Tanjiro felt as if his internal organs had shifted under the impact, and he uncontrollably coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Tanjiro's legs carved two deep furrows in the ground, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself to steady himself.

"This is the power Lord Dio bestowed upon me!" Kyojuro Rengoku grinned indistinctly. "Even if my body is shattered, I can continue fighting! This is immortality!"

He raised his newly grown right arm, but the dark lines suddenly began to fade, and the new flesh and blood were rapidly shrinking.

"What?" Rengoku Kyojuro's smile froze.

Kyojuro Rengoku looked down at his wounds, his expression grim. "Is it because I haven't absorbed enough blood?"

Tanjiro took a deep breath; this was a perfect opportunity. He bent his knees slightly, ready to launch an attack.

"boom!"

A deafening artillery barrage suddenly came from afar, and the earth shook violently.

Flames burst across the night sky, illuminating half the horizon, while thick smoke rose, carrying the smell of gunpowder.

Kyojuro Rengoku's lips curled into a cold smile. "Looks like you'll have to make a choice." He took a step back, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Is it to hunt me down, or to save those ants?"

After saying this, Kyojuro Rengoku turned around and disappeared into the night.

"Wait!" Tanjiro stopped in his tracks just as he was about to chase after them.

If he continues to pursue Kyojuro Rengoku, those who need protection will...

"Damn it!" Tanjiro clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm.

He took one last look in the direction where Kyojuro Rengoku had disappeared, then turned and ran towards the camp.

(End of this chapter)