Chapter 61: The War in the Castle of Infinity

There was darkness... Then, there was light. Thats when Lukeas realize he was standing in a completely different environment.

Tatami slides were everywhere, the ground, the ceiling the walls.. And it expands out into a confusing confusing tapestry of walls and blocks.

"The infinity Castle" Lukeas muttered.

"You know the name of this place?.... Say... Who are you?" suddenly Lukeas felt an incredible amount of bloodlust behind him causing him to jump away and quickly face the origin of the voice.

It was a demon... He was wearing a beautiful kimono, he have jet black hair.... And six nightmarish eyes.

'Shit- wait.. Actually isn't this a good opportunity?' Lukeas thought and he slowly started calming down and looked back to Kokoshibo without showing any more fear.

"Im Lukeas Mercer.. From a land far far away." Lukeas finally replied as he drew his sword and took his stance. "And im here to fight you Kokoshibo"

And Kokoshibo who have been quiet till now spoke. "Ah.. You know about me.. Perhaps my Legacy still lives.. But what deeply puzzled me is..... Why is a demon wearing the uniform of the demon slayers?"

Suddenly Lukeas felt the atmosphere got even heavier and he also noticed Kokoshibo speaking in a much lower voice as his six eyes turned from an uninterested gaze into a sharp look of disdain.

"Doesn't matter... I'll get rid of you.... Traitor" the upper moon 1 muttered as he drew his blade and vanished from his position as he delivers a fast and deadly slice towards Lukeas knees.

'Well.. Shi-'

.

.

.

.

In the bloody battle field littered with carcasses of thousands of monsters Arthur sat in silence on top of the biggest corpse.. A chimera..

The top of its head was caved in and has been destroyed.. As if it got hit by a gigantic sledge hammer with a forceful shot and died.. But Arthur knew it was Lukeas..

He grit his teeth as he failed to find him. Even after going all over the place.. And since most of the monster have died already from Lukeas fight he didn't encounter much trouble from it.

Although he haven't checked one place tho as it an irrelevant place since not only is going far from the horde's general direction its also unlikely that the monster would follow Lukeas there..

But he stand up anyway.. It's not like he's gonna loose anything.

And after running for seven minutes Arthur found something unusual.. The foot prints of the monster suddenly changed direction..

And he could also noticed a faint shape of a human's print in the dirt. Following it he saw a tree that seems to hace been thrown into something or someone... And more human footprints.

Seeing this Arthur was overjoyed.. He can finally exact his revenge!!

But suddenly he frowned... The foot prints ended abruptly.. Not only only the human.. But also even the monster's.... it was as if everything flew away in the sky.. The only thing that was left was a staff on the ground with intricate design.

Not giving a shit to the staff his sword was a hundred times better than that shit. So he chose to ignore it and instead Arthur started to look around..

And he saw a strange twin tree that leans on each other creating something like a fantasy door to another world.. Although he can still see beyond the passage...

Then he look back on the ground.. The foot prints ended exactly under it.. Suddenly he have a suspicion..

Slowly he reach his hands into the passage and...

Nothing happened.. Arthur even went as far as to step forward and move through it.. But he remained.

"Are you the one who have been fighting the horde all by your self?" Suddenly Arthur heard someone spoke behind him causing him to unsheathe and slash his sword towards it.

But the man dodge it in a casual manner without even using a lot of movement.

"Hoh.. Seems like I spooked you... My bad.. You're still probably on guard after that wave. And it's became my habit to conceal my presence.." The man said..

And finally, Arthur got a good look at the man. He was wearing a dragon head shaped helmet and a beautiful yet terrifying armor.. Whats more Arthur noticed an insignia on the man's chest..

'He's a general...' Arthur thought as he drop his hostility. Then he thought of replying to the man's question.. He grinned in satisfaction.. "Oh.. it's fine.. And yes... I'm the one who have been protecting the kingdom and faced the mad monster wave all by my self" Arthur smiled even wider.

"Haha! Good job kid! Come! Me and my troops have already dealt with the remaining monsters.. And the next wave wont come soon.. And dont worry.. I decided you dont need to participate anymore.. And also you'll be rewarded!"

Hearing this Arthur was even mood elated as he think Lukeas doesn't even don't deserve it."Ahh! Thank you general! I greatly appreciate it!"

The general patted him in the shoulder and mentioned him to come along as they started walking to the direction of the headquarter.

But the general isn't just simply walking... He was looking at everything they are passing by... The corpses of the monsters the ground, the trees, the grass, and of course.. Arthur's general appearance.

'Most of the monsters are killed by a blunt force weapon... And this kid used a sword... Is he lying?' The general thought as he narrowed his eyes... 'Hehehe.. Lets see where this will end.'

But the general played along..... For now...

.

.

.

[First phase: 3rd form: Spiking Wind Pressure]

Lukeas unleash slash after slash of his sword.. And each slash getting faster and faster until he reached the 20 slashed in under a seconds.

And of course Kokushibo managed to block and avoid all of it.. But some did graze him a bit. 'Fast' his six eyes narrowed. Then he tighten his grip to his sword.. 'Moon breathing Third Form: Loathsome Moon, Chains' and perform to wide slashes in front of him.

Lukeas manage to see it coming and jump back in a burst landing a 50 of meters away from the demon. And the moment his feet landed he quickly took stance.

[Storm Breathing: First phase: Second form: Distant lightning]!

And suddenly in a blink of an eye Lukeas appears infront of Kokushibo and thrust his sword forward giving him a little surprise before the demon step to the side and avoided it and raised his sword up.

Suddenly Lukeas entire body stopped in mid thrust.

[First phase: Eight form: Suddenly Silence]! He thought before shifting his weight a little and '[First phase: Seventh form: Sudden Lightning Flash] and quickly dashed 10 meters away like a lightning and barely avoiding Kokushibo's attack

".... I haven't met someone as skilled as you... Young demon" Kokushibo said as he gaze at Lukeas..'I was one hundred present sure that he's finish.. But he suddenly stopped mood thrust and dash away... How did he do that...'

What Lukeas did was make used of his incredible muscles and making used of his biokinesis to allow him to muster the strength of every fiver of his muscles and every part of his bones to stop his movement. He calls this [First phase: Eight form: Suddenly Silence].

With this technique he can pretty much stop mid attack and quickly change his trajectory to do another attack.

"Oh yeah? I guess I'm just built different-" Lukeas replied playfully as he controls his breathing.. But then a blade suddenly slashed Lukeas face open before he could even react.

His blade have become longer, larger and branches out like a tree.

But once again.. Kokushibo found himself surprise as Lukeas faded away like a mist. And instead found the slayer mid air..

'[Storm Breathing: Movement Technique: Obscuring Form]'

And while in the air Lukeas twisted his body. [First phase: Ninth form: Rain drop] and with a swift move he fall sword first Towards Kokushibo performing an aerial thrust similar to the insect breathing.

And in Kokushibo's eye.. He found this move stupid. 'Thats suicide' Kokushibo then sliced towards Lukeas who was in midair. "[Sixteenth Form: Moonbow, Half Moon] " and with a upward slash Kokushibo sliced Lukeas in half and send six curved slashes crashing down several meters in front of him, powerful enough to leave craters in their wake... But suddenly he turned around and once again attacked.

"[Tenth Form: Drilling Slashes, Moon Through Bamboo Leaves]" Kokushibo slashes and created three rotating circular saw-like slashes with crescent moon blades following their path.

And Lukeas who actually used [Obscuring Form] found himself face to face with an incoming Moon Blade that have materialize due to Kokushibo's blood-demon art.

"Fuck!" he curse as he once again stopped mid motion and blitz away traveling 50 meters in seconds... He have used the [Storm Distant lightning] to get to safety instead of just using the [Sudden Lightning Flash] as that move are design for small distance dash.

But he could still see the dozen of moon shape blade chasing him.

And the moment he landed he changed the way he grips his sword. [Storm breathing: Second phase: First Form: Blinding Thunder Clap] and just like how he jump away in a flash.. He blitz towards Kokushibo with an even faster speed. And slashing the moon blades thar he came in contact with.

And instantly he have reached Kokushibo and deliver a downward cut, diagonal cut, and horizontal cut in a quick succession.

Kokushibo blocked it all although he took multiple steps back to not fall from the force. 'it's getting stronger' he thought as he parries the last slash and counter back.

Making Lukeas step to the side to avoid it. But once again the moon blade that Kokushibo produced almost hit his thigh. But before it did he managed to used the [Obscuring Form] to get to safety..

And the two Sword Master Exchange blows after blows. Countering, striking, and chasing each other in the vast infinity castle.. And they're actually enjoying and at the same time taking in each other's technique and learning to each other.

But they didn't show mercy to each other.. No.. They even got even more and more forceful with their attacks aiming to destroy each other with glee.

.

.

.

The group of hashira could feel tremors and rumbling coming from afar..

"The Storm Hashira is Fighting the Upper Moon one.. All units.. Do not approach the south east side of the castle" suddenly a crow explained what is happening.. Giving them a rough idea about the rumbling throughout the place.

"Me, Gyomei, Sanemi, Rengoku, Muichiro and Uzui will Focus on the Demon king! Shinobu! Kanoe! Inosuke! Go and take care of the upper moon 2 like we've planed! And Zenitsu! Go find the upper moon 6! Giyu! Tanjiro I'll trust you with the upper moon 3! And the rest of the hasira take care of the Biwa demon!" Kagaya the master of the demon slayer corp ordered as he run forward in an amazing speed as his figure was like being engulf in mist.

Muichiro also seems to have vanish from his position and appeared near the demon king and sliced his size. But muzan avoided this easily.. But Muichiro was also expecting his attack to miss.. So he set him up to a trap.

The moment Muzan avoided him a deadly morning star covered in spike was sent flying Towards Muzan's head.. And he raised both of his arm to blocked it.. But at this moment. The master of the Demon Slayer suddenly appeared behind him and slashed his neck.

But instead of going cutting through it.. It only produced a deep clanging sound as if failed to cut through.. And at this moment Muzan twist and slashed his claw towards Kagaya..

But the Master jump back. And instead Muzan was met with a Kunai aiming right to his left eye. "Fu-"

*Puchhss*

It pierce through.. And the demon king quickly pulled it out and regenerates his eyes.. But he found a problem... Although he have regenerated his eyes.... It remained blinded..

"You bastard!" He turned his eyes towards the Ninja who smiled at him and posed in a flashy way.

"You sure you wanna keep your attention to me?" Uzui asked with a smile...

Muzan felt something to his left.. He was blinded in that side so he didn't see the spiked ball heading right at him making him stumble as it hit his head.

"Arrgg!!" Muzan spun his body then the tendril on his back extends out.. Lashing in a circular manner making the hashira jump away to avoid it.. And suddenly Muzan skin was covered in slits.. Then it all opened up revealing a blood red irises that stares at every direction.. Each gaze sending shivers down their spine..

"Yuck! That's shits gross!" Uzui being Uzui express his displeasure from the obviously not so flashy look of Muzans body.

Of course this cause him to be the first target of Muzans attack as the demon king jump forward in incredible speed attempting to grab the sound hashira by the throat.. But Uzui doesn't even look worried. As he sped away in safety while throwing small pellets to the demon king.

Seeing the pellets Muzan sliced them up.. Only to get blinded by the explosions that errupted from the small pellets.. And everyone toom this advantage and strike.

Each hitting the part Lukeas told them to hit.. Before all this shit happened. And speaking of Lukeas...

Currently Lukeas is breathing heavily with his clothes in tatters. He have long gave up on regenerating his clothes as it always get shredded by the demon he was fighting.

The area was also greatly destroyed with craters and slashes all over the place.

"Fuck..." Lukeas grimaced and pants..

'If only theres a mana in the air I might have been fairing better!' he curse.

That's right. Lukeas have been out of mana since a year ago.. This is because theres no mana in this world.. And without a mana in the air he can't recover his own..

Since the moment he merge his core and his heart and lungs. His mana regeneration is base on taking the mana he breaths in and infused it in his blood to turn it into a mana blood.

His lungs gather the mana he take in the atmospheres and sends it into his heart and hus heart distributes it with each beats.. And since Second gear works by making his heart beat so fast his blood flow also increases.. And since his blood contains literal energy it makes his body hotter.. And then his bloods deliver the mana into his cell to make him powerful and this is repeated dozen of times in a span of seconds.

And the heat, the damage, and the used of his skill like the [Second gear], [Second gear:Magnum], [Outburst] and all skill the requires mana blood actually reduced his mana with each used. And since this world have no mana.. He ran out of them and he found this out quite too late already..

"You seems distracted" Lukeas heard Kokushibo spoke.. But before he could come to his senses a sword reach his chest.. Although he managed to lean his body back.. And prevented himself from getting completely sliced apart.. Although his Chest was cut open together with his heart..

But he regenerated it quickly and also counter attacking by sending a sliced toward Kokushibos leg.. I'm hopes of impairing his movement.

But if was hopeless as the demon quickly step back and sliced back at him.

But it's not entirely hopeless as Lukeas used the [Obscuring Form] to change positions and suddenly his sword turned into a spear. '[Storm breathing: Second Phase: Third Form: Endless Rain]!' and quickly Lukeas started thrusting the spear. Raining a barrage of thrust to the surprised demon..

Send endless attacks in a fast and precise manner. This attack he made was created so that he can keep thrusting his spear until he's either force to stop.

And throughout this process Kokushibo blocked and dodge most of his attacks.. But as Lukeas keeps raining down his spear attack to him more and more of it get pass his defense and reach his body.. Giving him deep stabs and cut that he would quickly regen.

And suddenly the spear change direction

[Second Phase: Second Form: Violent Breeze]! And Lukeas then performs a horizontal slash with a violent force of the wind breathing and the crushing power of the stone breathing, and the stability of the water breathing.

And this took the Upper moon 1 by surprise and it completely went pass his defense and deeply embed itself in his neck.. But it was not even close in cutting it completely.

"Shit!" Lukeas curse as he foun it almost impossible to pull his spear out. And taking this chance Kokushibo swung his sword towards him forcing Lukeas to let go of his weapon to avoid the abnormal sword the upper moon have..

And though he did avoid the sword he also have to avoid the flock of moon blades that was coming right at him..

But it seems to be impossible to dodge and so Lukeas took a different stance. Similar to that of akaza and punch one the moon blade with all his might. [Storm breathing: First phase: third form: Spiking Wind Pressure] and he punch the next one. Then the next, and again, and again.. He unleash a barrage of punches and destroyed the moon blades in an increasing speed.

When he stopped the nichirin gauntlet he was wearing was emitting a faint smoke..

"So your breathing is the combination of almost all the breathing style.. Whats more.. It can be used to other weapon other than a katana and posses different phases... What a formidable style.. I'd say it's better more complicated than my style" Kokushibo muttered as he pulled the blade of the spear out of his neck.

'Will he be able to fight Yoriichi?.... Heh.. Impossible' Kokushibo thought as he thinks back to his brother. Then his closed his eyes for a bit and opened them..

"Show me more of your cards" Kokushibo challenges as he took his stance one again. With an even more determination to win.

"Sure" Lukeas replied as another weapon materialize from his hand.

He then strike the ground with the end of his staff before taking his stance once again..

They gaze at each other for a while and with a burst of movement they both once again clashed...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Author here haha! This is probably the longest chap in this story at the moment haha! I suppose this is for reaching 300k readers!! Yey!! And also.. What do you guys think of the fight scene? Let me know what you think!!