Chapter 57

I ripped out the icicles in my left shoulder and leg as fast as I could, ignoring the pain. Blitzing toward Akaza, who only now realized I wasn't done for, I pushed more cursed magic into my hands. When I got within reach, I planted my weight on my toes, grabbing his left hand. Without a moment's hesitation, I pulled him towards me, my right hand forming into a lance that sliced through his neck, cutting half of it clean off. I threw his body as far as I could, away from the village.

'They're stronger than I expected… why haven't they wiped out the Demon Slayer Corps yet?' I thought while making my way towards Doma. The answer eluded me as I kept replaying the fight in my head. 'If every Upper Moon demon had this kind of power, Muzan should have crushed the Corps by now.'

I spotted Doma again, he was already standing, and to my surprise, seemed completely unfazed by what I'd done. 'His speed is insane.'

Getting into a stance, I prepared to charge. Doma responded by smiling and pulling out another war fan. 'Two war fans now… does it double his strength?' I cursed under my breath. I didn't know enough about his techniques. All I knew was he had some kind of connection to Inosuke and Shinobu, but beyond that, I was going in blind.

I dashed forward, faster than before, catching Doma off guard. I closed the gap and tore off his right shoulder, using it as a weapon to impale him through the chest.

Before I could capitalize on the attack, I felt something coming at me from behind. I dodged, turning just in time to see another Doma. 'Twins?'

Then something grabbed my leg. I looked down and saw a third Doma freezing my left leg. "Shit!" I stomped with my right foot, crushing his head into ice shards, breaking free just as one of the others launched "Frozen Lotus" at me.

I dodged the incoming attack, retreating to another part of the clearing, but the clone I'd stomped on was already regenerating and getting back on his feet. 'Triplets?'

One of the Doma clones laughed, his voice echoing around me. "Fufu~ Ryou-kun, you've still got so much fight left in you! I guess that deserves a reward."

I crouched lower, expanding my senses. There was something different about him now, another clone appeared alongside Akaza from the direction I threw him in.

"I don't have siblings, if that's what you're thinking." Doma said, his grin widening. "This is my technique, Crystalline Divine Child. It allows me to create clones of myself."

'Clones...' I scowled.

"You should join us, Ryou-kun." he added, extending his hand. "As a demon, you could heal from anything. You won't die of old age, either. It'd be perfect."

Akaza remained silent, already taking his stance. I mirrored him, tightening my posture as I spoke.

"Why does Muzan want Eri?"

Doma lowered his hand while another clone answered. "Hmm~ Not like you'd understand, but the girl can walk in the sun and be around Wisteria flowers. She might be the answer to his goals."

I clenched my fists, my frown deepening. "After catching her scent on you, I realized she isn't a demon, so what exactly is she, Ryou-kun?" Doma prodded, but I stayed silent.

Before I could make a move, I noticed something, light breaking through the trees. The sun was rising. 'Already? I couldn't have been out for a few minutes!'

"Oh, what a shame, Ryou-kun~ looks like we'll have to continue this conversation later."

I wasn't about to let them get away that easily.

With a quick surge of cursed magic, I blitzed straight towards the retreating Akaza. I pierced him through the chest, right where Tanjiro had once stabbed him with his katana. Then grabbed his face with the same arm, and dragged him into the sunlight.

Doma and his clones didn't stop, even as Akaza panicked. 'Just a bit further…!'

Akaza thrashed in my grip, breaking a few of my fingers, but the sun hit his legs, and the skin began to sizzle. I didn't stop, forcing him further into the sunlight until he flailed wildly, burning alive. I threw him to the ground, and as he tried to rise, I pierced his chest with my arm, holding him down as he burned to ash.

"You bastard! Coward!" he spat, the words coming out between pained gasps.

I leaned over him, watching as his body slowly turned to nothing. "Funny, isn't it? Someone nearly unkillable calling things unfair?"

His lower half had turned to ash, his arms crumbling next.

"Say… why didn't you demons wipe out the Demon Slayers if you're all this strong? Tell me, and maybe I'll spare you."

The fear in his eyes was unmistakable. "We were ordered not to!" he shouted, his voice frantic.

"Why?" I pressed, my grip tightening.

"Muzan… Muzan didn't want the rest of the world to know yet! I told you everything, now help me!"

I grabbed his head with both hands and lifted it toward the sunlight.

"Fuck you." I muttered before ripping his head off and holding it in the sun. He disintegrated in moments, leaving nothing behind.

I collapsed onto the ground, finally releasing Total Concentration Breathing. The moment I stopped reinforcing my lungs, blood surged into my throat, and I coughed out a few mouthfuls. 'I really need something to patch me up.' I thought, grimacing. With no other options, I decided to turn to Muramasa. If it could heal at least some of the damage, it was worth the risk. 'I swear, if this kills me...'

Once I confirmed no one was nearby, I summoned Muramasa and rested the katana across my lap, sitting down properly. Closing my eyes, I focused on circulating my cursed magic to both my wounds and the sword. 'Never actively tried to do this before.' I thought, but surprisingly, it seemed to be working. The sensation was strange, like someone stitching me up with needle and thread, but there was also a nagging feeling, like something was being pulled away from me. 'Guess that's what life force feels like.'

I concentrated on that sensation, leaning into the strange balance between healing and loss.

When I opened my eyes again, I found myself surrounded by an eerie glow. Ahead of me was a forest, and though flames flickered through the trees, they weren't burning. The trees stood tall and untouched, but as I looked around behind me I saw tress, had already turned to ash, crumbling away as if consumed by an invisible force. 'Those must be the parts of me that's been sacrificed already.' I thought.

as I started walking toward the inferno, the heat grew more intense. As I stood in front a tree with fire raging on it and touched the bark, feeling the warmth of Amaterasu's blessing in the flames. "Sorry, but I need to give something up."

The moment I spoke, the flames that were flickering around the trees disappeared, and the tree I touched, along with the others around me, turned into ash.

I opened my eyes again, this time to the bright light of the sun overhead. I groaned and took a deep breath, noticing that the pain in my lungs had disappeared, though my right side still ached. I glanced down at Muramasa, letting out a sigh. "I should start listening to Buddha's advice." I muttered.

Just then, I heard voices calling my name. I stood up, looking toward the sound, and saw Eri running toward me.