Demon Slayer: The Second God Who Walks the Earth

Kyojuro was somewhat shocked.

"Legs are stronger than arms! Hahahaha!" Akaza shouted at Kyojuro with a loud laugh. Its severed upper body had now been restored to shoulder height, and its compass had adapted to Kyojuro's current speed.

"Destructive Kill - Footwork - Flowing Light!"

Suddenly, Akaza's kicks converged in one place, followed by several rapid and fierce kicks, which exploded with blue light.

Although Kyojuro blocked its attack, his body was still kicked away.

"Mr. Purgatory!"

"Gulu Gulu Big Eyes!"

Tanjiro and Inosuke, standing behind Kyojuro, called out to him worriedly. At that moment, they could only hate their own weakness and inability to participate in Kyojuro's battle.

Kyojuro, who had been kicked away, spun around in the air and landed steadily on the ground. Although he was seriously injured, his physical strength and ability were better than before.

"I will not allow you to harm any human! Flame Breathing Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!"

Gripping his Nichirin Blade tightly, Kyojuro charged at Akaza once more, his rapid thrusts causing the surrounding flames to bite at Akaza like a ferocious tiger.

The same move, but this time it was even more powerful than before.

The scorching heat hit him, but Akaza opened his mouth and burst into laughter.

"Hahahaha! It's so great to have met you! Kyojuro! You are the only Pillar I've ever met who can make me use my full strength! Among all the Pillars I've met, none are stronger than you. I, Akaza, would like to call you the strongest!"

Akaza grinned and shouted at Kyojuro, getting into a fighting stance just as the Fiery Tiger was about to reach it.

"Destroy the Demon Core Eightfold Core!"

Blue streaks of light attacked Kyojuro's Flaming Tiger from all directions. Because Akaza was missing an arm, the power of his attack was somewhat reduced.

Kyojuro charged forward with his Flaming Tiger, enduring eight consecutive attacks, until he reached Akaza and then unleashed a devastating attack on him.

Just then, Akaza's right arm grew back after all this time, and a smile appeared on its lips as it approached Kyojuro.

"Destruction and Chaos!"

With rapid swings of both fists, the Flame Tiger unleashed a powerful blow at the same point at extremely high speed. Even weakened by the Eightfold Core of the Demon Core, it finally couldn't withstand the attack and dissipated.

Akaza's fist collided with Kyojuro's Nichirin Blade once more, and then the two figures separated again.

"Hahahaha, that's awesome! Kyojuro, you'd better take this next move or you'll die!"

Akaza laughed loudly and squatted down, then crossed his fists in front of his chest.

"Destruction Kill O Final Style O Blue Silver..."

Just as Akaza was about to throw a punch to launch an attack, a white line suddenly appeared on the horizon, and then the shadows of the distant mountains were gradually dispelled, and the sunlight rapidly approached.

So engrossed in the battle, Akaza even lost track of time.

Noticing the white line in the distance, Akaza felt fear and stopped his attacking hands.

Damn it! Why now of all times!

Akaza cursed inwardly, glanced at Kyojuro and Tanjiro in the distance, and reluctantly turned and fled into the forest behind him.

"Next time we meet, I'll definitely settle things with you! Just you wait, Kyojuro! I'll come find you!"

As Akaza ran towards the forest, he turned and shouted to Kyojuro.

"Huh...huh..."

Watching Akaza flee and feeling the sunlight bathing him, Kyojuro's tense spirit finally relaxed, and his flaws, which he had been exploiting without reservation, were revealed at this moment.

My lungs were burning with pain, and my body felt like it was about to boil. My heart was pounding loudly and much faster than usual. My right abdomen and left eye, which had been injured by Akaza, were also throbbing with pain.

Even so, Kyojuro did not fall down; he turned and walked toward Tanjiro and the others.

"Mr. Purgatory!"

Tanjiro and Inosuke rushed towards Kyojuro after the battle ended, each supporting one of his arms.

Using breathing techniques to stop the bleeding from the wound on his right abdomen, Kyojuro felt a little better. He then turned to Tanjiro and the other man and said, "Don't worry about me for now. There are quite a few injured passengers too. If you have the strength, go and take care of them. I've already stopped the bleeding with breathing techniques. Just stay here for a while... cough cough... and I'll be fine."

Despite his physical pain, Kyojuro still gave Tanjiro and the others some instructions.

"But……"

With tears streaming down his face, Tanjiro didn't want to listen to Kyojuro and wanted to take care of him first.

“Your injuries aren’t minor either, you can rest for a while… don’t worry about me…”

Kyojuro broke free from Tanjiro and Inosuke's hands and slowly leaned against a large tree. If he could, he would like to take care of the injured passengers, but he was too tired now.

When he was fighting Akaza, he felt he could hold on a little longer, but as soon as the battle ended, all the pain and exhaustion rushed into his body, and he almost collapsed for a moment.

Kyojuro leaned against the tree, panting heavily, his right eye gradually blurring...

I... I think I fulfilled my responsibilities well...

A thought flashed through his mind, and the intense fatigue caused him to collapse and lose consciousness.

While he was unconscious, he had a dream in which he returned to the past. His mother was not sick, and his father was not as dejected as he was now. He patiently guided him in swordsmanship, and the whole family always had smiles on their faces.

Then he became a pillar, and his father proudly praised him, while his mother and Senjuro were also very happy.

He then took in many stepsons, all of whom called him "Big Brother." He trained them all into strong individuals capable of standing on their own. In the end, together they vanquished all the demons, and the lord's health improved. Everyone lived happily ever after...

How wonderful...

"Quick! Lord Purgatory is over here!"

"He's unconscious. His condition isn't good. Quickly, take Lord Rengoku to the Butterfly Mansion!"

Chapter 56 Injury

"Lord Purgatory... is seriously injured..."

Looking at Chiba Yo before her, Kanzaki Aoi said with a sorrowful expression.

how so……

Chiba Yo's mind went completely blank for a moment before he ran quickly toward the Butterfly Mansion.

Having just returned to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, Chiba Yo found that Kyojuro had not yet returned, nor did he see the other Pillars or Tanjiro. Just then, Kanzaki Aoi passed by, so Chiba Yo casually asked her about it, and that's when he learned the unfortunate news.

Rushing into the Butterfly Mansion, Chiba Yo realized that he hadn't asked Kanzaki Aoi Kyojuro where his hospital room was.

Just as they were getting anxious, two members of the hidden team walked over from around the corner of the corridor.

"Lord Purgatory has finally woken up. He's been unconscious for three days."

"Yes, Lord Purgatory's injuries are indeed too severe this time. His left eye is injured and we don't know if it can recover. His right abdomen was almost pierced through. His body temperature has been high and his heart is beating very fast."

The two members of the stealth team chatted as they walked.

"Excuse me, which ward is Professor Rengoku in?"

Hearing the conversation between the two hidden team members, Chiba Yang immediately ran in front of them and anxiously asked.

The two hidden team members were startled by Chiba Yang's sudden appearance. After realizing it was him, they quickly apologized: "I'm sorry, Lord Chiba! Lord Rengoku is in the third ward on the left."

After finding out the location, Chiba Yang immediately rushed to the third ward on the left. He forced himself to calm down and then gently pushed open the ward door.

Noisy sounds are definitely not a good thing for patients.

Pushing open the door to the ward, Chiba Yo saw Kyojuro lying on the bed with a bandage wrapped around his left eye. Beside the bed were the Lord and his two daughters, with Shinobu Kocho standing nearby.

"teacher……"

Chiba Yo looked at Kyojuro with concern and slowly walked into the ward.

"Yang is here." Kyojuro turned to look at Chiba Yang, his voice slightly weak, but still revealing his optimistic and sunny disposition.

"How could it have turned out like this?" Chiba Yo walked to the bedside, knelt down, and looked at Kyojuro with heartache.

"Kyojuro encountered Lower Moon One on the Mugen Train, and after defeating Lower Moon One with Tanjiro and the others, he encountered Upper Moon Three."

Kyojuro single-handedly stopped Upper Moon Three, protecting all the humans on the train and buying time until dawn, but he was injured in the process.

Kagaya, who was standing to the side, explained to Chiba Yang in a low voice that he had come to stay by Kyojuro's bedside every day during the three days that Kyojuro was in a coma, and had also learned about what had happened from the crow.

Upper Moon Three...

Chiba Yo silently made a mental note of this debt.

Then he asked with concern:

"How is the teacher's injury now?"

"I feel much better now," Kyojuro replied with a smile.

“Mr. Purgatory, your body temperature is now over 39 degrees Celsius, your heart rate is 210 beats per minute, and the wounds to your left eye and right abdomen are very serious. You are only out of danger at the moment, which is not as good as you said.”

Upon hearing this, Shinobu Kocho couldn't help but expose him.

Kyojuro didn't say anything upon hearing this, as he didn't want others to worry about him.

"Can the teacher's injury be healed, Shinobu-neechan?" Chiba Yo asked Shinobu Kocho upon hearing this.

“If you want to live like a normal person, the treatment isn’t too difficult, but you need time to rest and recuperate before you can fight,” Shinobu Kocho replied.

Chiba Yo breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.

"How long will it take, Kocho?" Kyojuro asked Kocho Shinobu with a frown.

He was hoping to recover quickly so he could continue hunting demons. He was afraid that if the time dragged on too long, the humans in his vigilance area would be harmed by the demons.

"It will take at least three months, that's assuming you're in good physical condition," Shinobu Kocho replied to Kyojuro after a moment's thought.

"This is taking too long! What if demons appear in my warning zone during this time? I don't think my injuries are that serious; I should be fine after two weeks of rest," Kyojuro said.

Upon hearing this, Kagaya said to him, "Don't worry, I will temporarily assign your guard zone to other Pillars. Just focus on recovering from your injuries, Kyojuro."

Yaozai spoke gently as he told Kyojuro the solution.

"My lord, I'll take charge of the teacher's guard area!" Chiba Yo said to Kagaya immediately upon hearing this.

"Alright then, I'll tell you the extent of Kyojuro's surveillance zone in a bit." Kagaya agreed after hearing Chiba Yo's words.

Kyojuro felt relieved after hearing the solution. Although he wanted to protect humanity himself, he knew that his injuries were serious. He knew Chiba Yo's strength and felt more at ease having him in charge of his assigned area.

"My lord, I have other matters to report regarding this mission. It seems I have awakened the mark I mentioned earlier." With the issue of the restricted area resolved, Kyojuro, recalling his condition during his battle with Akaza, spoke to Kagaya.

Upon hearing Kyojuro's words, Chiba Yo was not pleased by his increased strength, considering what his lord had said and what he had learned from Tamayo.

Chiba Yo already knew that it was almost certain that the mark swordsmen wouldn't live past the age of twenty-five, but he, who was born with the mark, might not be affected. In addition, he was the first mark swordsman to appear in this era, and Kyojuro was likely influenced by him. At this moment, he felt a little guilty and sad, and even began to hope that he would not live past the age of twenty-five like Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

However, what he didn't know was that it was precisely because of the appearance of the markings that Kyojuro was able to hold on until dawn during his battle with Akaza.

The others in the ward had no idea what Chiba Yo was thinking at that moment. After hearing Kyojuro's words, Kagaya smiled and said to him, "We already knew about this when you were still unconscious a couple of days ago. Let's talk about the mark in a few days when you're feeling better. For now, just focus on your treatment."

Kagaya has already sent the crows to summon the other Pillars. He plans to discuss this matter with all the Pillars in a few days when Kyojuro is feeling better.

"Yes." Upon hearing this, Kyojuro said nothing more and agreed.

After giving Kyojuro some final instructions to rest and recover, Kagaya left with the support of his two daughters. Shinobu Kocho went to prepare medicine for Kyojuro's injuries, leaving only the master and apprentice in the ward. However, there were two members of the Hidden Team outside, who were responsible for taking care of Kyojuro and would come in to help if he needed anything.

"I wish I could go with the teacher..."

Chiba Yo said with guilt and regret.

Chapter 57 Blessings

"Don't say such capricious things, Xiaoyang. As pillars, each of us bears our own responsibilities, and we can't just do whatever we want."

If you really come with me, who will deal with the ghosts in your designated area? And what should people who encounter ghosts do?

I am very satisfied with the result. Being able to protect all the passengers on the train is enough to make me feel no regret and extremely happy.

I'm sure you feel the same way, right?

Kyojuro spoke softly to Chiba Yo, a smile on his face revealing a happy expression.

Kyojuro's words left Chiba Yo speechless; his words had indeed been somewhat willful.

Remembering the grateful look on the face of the family he had saved, Chiba Yo lowered his head.

Just then, there was a knock on the ward door.

Chiba Yo got up and opened the door. A member of the Hidden Team stood behind the door, holding a large bag that looked quite heavy. It was unclear what was inside.