Chapter 22

"Is that all you've got, Gyokko?" I taunted, wiping a bit of demon-fish guts off my Odachi. "Your art project's looking a little... underwhelming."

The fishy freak didn't take kindly to my critique. He let out a screech that would make a certain banshee proud and his pots started glowing again.

"Thousand Needle Fish Kill!" he shrieked, and suddenly the air was filled with a second wave of those creepy needle-fish. Seriously, dude, do you have an obsession with needles or something?

Kanae-san, ever the graceful badass, leaped into action. Her katana whirled around her like a protective tornado of flower petals.

I nodded, grateful for the assist. With Kanae-sankeeping the fishy firing

Second Form: Honorable Shadow Plum!

Needles pinged off her blade, scattering harmlessly. "Akio-kun, focus!" she called out, her voice cutting through the chaos. "I'll hold them off!"

I activated my Mind's Eye, peering through the swarm of fish to see Gyokko's true form lurking inside one of his pots. His slimy body pulsed with dark energy, his grin a grotesque mockery of a smile.

Okay, so this guy's got some serious regeneration skills, I thought, analyzing the situation. Chopping off his limbs isn't gonna cut it. I need to hit him where it hurts.

I watched as Gyokko shifted between his pots, a flickering image that made my head spin. This guy's teleporting skills are giving me a headache. Note to self: invest in some motion sickness pills.

But even as I dodged needle-fish and cursed Gyokko's teleporting antics, a plan started to form in my mind.

Precision is key, I realized. I need to focus my energy, channel it into a single, devastating strike. One that can bypass his regeneration and hit him where it really counts.

I gripped my Odachi tighter, feeling the familiar hum of power within.

Time to get serious, fishy-face.

Gyokko, realizing his fishy minions were no match for my lightning-infused swordsmanship, decided to switch tactics. With a flick of his wrist, a giant water bubble engulfed me, cutting me off from Kanae-sanand the rest of the battlefield.

"Welcome to my Water Prison Pot!" he cackled, his voice echoing ominously within the watery confines. "Let's see how you breathe now, little insect!"

The water pressed in from all sides, heavy and suffocating. I tried to take a breath, but my lungs filled with the salty liquid. Oh, great. First needles, now drowning. This demon really has a thing for torture, doesn't he?

Outside the bubble, Kanae-san was still gracefully deflecting the endless stream of needle-fish, her movements a blur of petals and steel. She glanced at my predicament, a flicker of concern crossing her face. But I could see the trust in her eyes. She knew I'd find a way out.

And I did.

Instead of panicking, I closed my eyes and focused on my Mind's Eye. The world around me slowed down, the water molecules becoming visible, dancing and swirling in a chaotic ballet.

Alright, Akio, time to get scientific, I thought, a smirk playing on my lips. Let's see if we can't turn this fishbowl into a hot tub.

I took a deep breath, the rhythm of Black Lightning Breathing calming my racing heart. I visualized the energy within me, the black lightning crackling beneath my skin, eager for release.

If I can channel that energy into the water…

Fifth Form: Dark Bolt Thrust (Go no Kata: Kuroi Kōsokudō)!

With a surge of adrenaline, I lunged forward, my Odachi aimed at the heart of the watery prison. Black lightning coursed through the blade, electrifying the water around me.

The effect was instantaneous. The water molecules began to vibrate, their bonds breaking apart under the intense energy. Steam hissed and bubbled, the water turning from a suffocating prison to a scalding sauna.

Zzzt-KRAKOOM!

The bubble exploded, sending a shockwave of steam and shattered water droplets in all directions. I stumbled out, drenched but unharmed, my Odachi still crackling with black lightning.

Kanae-san, who had expertly cleared a path through the remaining fish-demons, smiled at me. "Impressive, Akio-kun," she said, her voice filled with admiration.

I grinned back at her, wiping the water from my face. "Hey, when life gives you lemons... or in this case, a giant water bubble... you make lemonade. Or, you know, electrified steam."

Gyokko, however, was not amused. His fishy face contorted in rage, his multiple mouths twisting into a grotesque snarl.

"You... you dare defy my art?!" he shrieked, his voice a chilling echo in the night.

Oh boy, here we go again, I thought, bracing myself for his next attack. Time for round two.

Gyokko's rage boiled over, his fishy face contorting into a mask of pure fury. "You think you can escape my grasp so easily?!" he shrieked, his voice echoing across the now-steamy clearing.

With a guttural roar, he unleashed his next attack. The pots lining the lakeshore shuddered, and massive tentacles, thicker than tree trunks, burst forth, their slimy surfaces glistening in the moonlight.

"Octopus Vase Hell!" Gyokko cackled, clearly enjoying the chaos he was creating.

The tentacles thrashed through the air, their sheer size and power. Trees splintered, rocks crumbled, and the ground shook beneath their onslaught.

"Whoa, someone's been working on their biceps," I quipped, narrowly dodging a tentacle that would've flattened me like a pancake.

Kanae-san, ever the picture of grace, leaped into action. Her movements were a blur of motion as she activated her Sixth Form: Whirling Peach.

Spinning like a graceful ballerina on a warpath, she weaved between the tentacles, her katana slicing through their flesh with surgical precision. Each strike was a calculated dance, her body weight adding momentum to her blade, severing the monstrous limbs with surprising ease.

"You go, girl!" I cheered, dodging another tentacle that nearly took off my head. "Show this octopus-wannabe what a real flower can do!"

Kanae-san maintained a steady gaze on the undulating tentacles. She glided with almost magical grace, her weapon a flurry of petals and steel.

Thanks to her, I had a moment to catch my breath and assess the situation.

Okay, so this guy's got more tricks up his sleeve (or should I say, vase?) than I thought, I mused, my "Mind's Eye" scanning the battlefield. Time to come up with a plan B... or maybe C, at this rate.

Gyokko's laughter echoed through the chaos, his voice filled with sadistic glee. "Struggle, little insects! Your efforts are futile!"

Oh, we'll see about that, fishy-face, I thought, a defiant grin spreading across my face. You might have the tentacles, but I've got the lightning.

Gyokko, realizing that his tentacle party wasn't exactly going as planned, decided to crank things up to eleven. With a shriek that could shatter glass, his already-creepy form morphed into something even more disturbing.

Scales, sharp and iridescent, sprouted from his flesh, covering his body in a grotesque armor. His movements became a blur, a chaotic dance of unpredictable strikes and impossible angles.

"Killer Fish Scales!" he screeched, his voice a mix of glee and madness. "Witness the true power of an Upper Moon!"

He darted around the clearing, his attacks coming from all directions. One moment he was in front of me, the next he was behind Kanae-san, his claws slashing and his scales flying like deadly shurikens.

"Whoa, slow down there, buddy!" I shouted, barely dodging a swipe that would have taken off my head. "This isn't a rave, it's a demon fight!"

Kanae-san, bless her heart, was keeping up, her movements a graceful counterpoint to Gyokko's chaotic frenzy. But even she was starting to look a little strained.

Time to bring out the big guns, I thought, my grip tightening on my Odachi.

I took a deep breath, focusing my Mind's Eye. The world slowed down, the demon's movements becoming almost sluggish in my enhanced vision.

His muscles, his bones, his organs... even the individual cells that made up his demonic body. It was both fascinating and slightly nauseating.

With high focus, I channelled my energy, the black lightning crackling within me, eager for release.

Let's see how you regenerate from this, fishy-face.

The clearing fell silent. Even Gyokko seemed to pause, his grotesque form momentarily still, as if sensing the shift in the air.

I stood my ground, my Odachi held steady. The poison coursing through my veins was a persistent distraction, but I pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.

This is it, I thought, my heart pounding in my chest. Time to show this demon the true meaning of power.

I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the crisp mountain air. Total Concentration Breathing kicked in, my blood roaring in my ears, my muscles tingling with anticipation.

My Mind's Eye pierced through the illusion of Gyokko's monstrous form, revealing the intricate network of cells and molecules that made up his being. I could see the flow of his demonic energy, the subtle weaknesses hidden beneath his grotesque exterior.

I channelled that power, feeling it surge through my veins, crackling beneath my skin. The air around me grew heavy, charged with an almost palpable energy.

Kanae-san, sensing the shift, gracefully retreated, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and apprehension.

"Akio-kun..." she whispered, her voice barely audible above the growing hum of power.

I didn't reply. I was too focused, my mind and body in perfect sync. The black lightning coiled around my Odachi, its power growing with every breath.

The temperature of the blade seemed to drop, a chilling contrast to the burning energy it contained. It was like holding a piece of the void, a weapon forged from the heart of a dying star.

Gyokko, sensing the danger, let out a guttural roar. "What is this power?!" he shrieked, his voice laced with fear.

I didn't answer. I simply raised my Odachi, the black lightning dancing along its edge.

The battlefield held its breath, the air crackling with anticipation.

It was time to unleash the storm.

With a guttural roar, I charged forward, my Odachi raised high. Every muscle in my body pulsed with the raw, untamed power of Black Lightning Breathing.

Seventh Form: Wrath of the Black Lightning God!

But this time, I focused every ounce of that energy, every bit of that power, into a single, concentrated point.

My Mind's Eye pierced through Gyokko's defenses, exposing the complex dance of his demonic cells. I could see his vulnerabilities, the flaws in his regenerating skills.

I swung my Odachi.

The blade, now glowing with Black Lightning's concentrated energy, sliced through the air. There was no sound, no fanfare, just a silent, deadly precision.

The black lightning surged forth, not in a wave, but in a concentrated beam, piercing through Gyokko's flesh and bone. It wasn't just cutting; it was disintegrating, ionizing the very atoms that made up his being.

Gyokko's eyes widened in horror, his grotesque face frozen in a mask of disbelief. There was no scream, no time for a final, dramatic monologue.

His body simply crumbled, dissolving into a cloud of ash that scattered in the wind.

Silence descended upon the clearing. The only sound was the gentle lapping of the lake, the water now calm and undisturbed.

I stood there, my Odachi lowered, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The black lightning faded, leaving behind only a faint tingling sensation on my skin.

I had done it. I had defeated an Upper Moon demon.

(To be Continued...)

Over9000words throws confetti in the air, their voice booming with excitement. "Marvelous! Spectacular! That was an electrifying battle, Akio! You and Kanae-san make a formidable team!"

Akio shrugs nonchalantly, leaning back with a smirk. "Eh, it was pretty easy, to be honest. Gyokko was all talk and no bite. Or maybe it was all bite and no brains. Either way, he didn't stand a chance against my Black Lightning."

AI-sensei clears their throat, a hint of disapproval in their voice. "While Akio's victory is commendable, I must remind him that humility is a virtue. Boasting about one's accomplishments is unbecoming of a true Demon Slayer."

Akio rolls his eyes playfully. "Relax, Sensei. I'm just having a little fun. Besides, a little confidence boost never hurt anyone, right?"

Over9000words chuckles. "True that, Akio. But don't let it go to your head. There are still plenty of challenges ahead, and you never know what surprises the Demon Slayer world might throw at you."

Akio grins. "Bring it on! I'm ready for anything. And remember, folks, if you enjoyed this electrifying chapter, don't forget to leave your comments, power stones, and add this story to your library. Your support keeps the black lightning flowing!"

End of Chapter 22