Chapter 71: Till The Sun Rises Part 1

Our attacks were finally starting to take a toll on Muzan, albeit slight. Muramasa's cursed edge was gradually slowing his regeneration. Whether the others could sense this shift, I wasn't sure, but I could see it.

"Soul-Rendering Flash: Twilight Requiem!" I shouted, executing a powerful overhead slash that split Muzan in half for a fraction of a second before he healed again. Just as he lunged for Mitsuri, who was unaware of the danger, I focused on slicing through the whips he sprouted from his back. 'Just need one shot.'

Suddenly, a giant spiked ball crashed down, destroying the whip aimed at Mitsuri. "Forgive me for being late." Gyomei Himejima announced as he positioned himself protectively in front of her. I smirked and cut off Muzan's arms with a quick sweep. "About time you arrived! Tanjiro, how long?"

Tanjiro, who had just joined Gyomei, replied. "Two hours, Ryou-sensei!"

I glanced down at the hiltless Muramasa, feeling its sharpened base digging into my palm with each strike. My hand was slick with blood, but I could ignore the pain if it meant finding an opening. "Muzan's healing is slightly weakened, he doesn't heal for about a quarter of a second."

Gyomei nodded, readying his flail. "Then we hold him off until sunrise, or we end him with our blades."

Muzan scoffed, meeting our determined gazes with a chilling smirk. "You really think you'll win?" As we charged at him, he raised a vial of blood to his lips.

"Soul-Rendering Flash: Flicker Strike!" I darted forward, pouring every last drop of cursed magic into the blade. In a flash, I slashed a deadly arc, moving so fast that it felt like a ripple of shadow tearing through the air. The strike severed his arms and cut through the whips attempting to ensnare us. Muzan growled, locking his eyes onto me. I raised an eyebrow. 'Must've been either my or Eri's blood.' I almost lost control of myself at that thought before calming down, I launched another attack, but while Muzan evaded, his head was cut off by Sanemi. It healed again. 'Half a second now.'

Muzan transformed one of his arms into a long tendril lined with multiple sharp mouths. At the tip, a giant, razor-sharp maw opened, swinging toward Mitsuri and beginning to somehow suck her in. I watched as Mitsuri tripped, her eyes widening in fear as a whip sprouted from Muzan's elongated arm. My heart raced as Eri's terrified face flashed in my mind. My control slipped further.

I halted my charge, using Shundo to arrive just in time to absorb the full force of the blow aimed at Mitsuri. The attack sliced down my right side from shoulder to waist. Blood gushed from the wound, splattering onto Mitsuri, but I ignored her reaction as I felt the wound slowly close and start to slowly scar over. Shock filled the faces of the Hashira. "Focus! We've passed the one hour mark! Those who need to rest, do so!" In the background, I noticed Tamayo, Shinobu, and Muichiro tending to the injured.

Muzan was starting to show signs of annoyance, and I could see confusion on his face. I scanned our surroundings, aside from the rubble, there was lots of blood. Surprisingly little came from the Demon Slayers and me, most of it was Muzan's. I frowned and turned to Tanjiro, cutting through another whip in my path. "Tanjiro, do you smell anything off about the blood around us?" Judging by Muzan's reaction to attack faster, something was wrong.

Tanjiro hesitated before sniffing the blood on Muramasa. His expression shifted from confusion to alarm. "It's poisoned." Those who heard him paled slightly, and Muzan's frustration became palpable. I cut off another dozen whips aimed at us with renewed effort.

"I see. Mitsuri, see if you can find Tamayo or Shinobu and report this to them." Gyomei instructed. Though Mitsuri was reluctant, she nodded, promising Obanai she would return. I joined the fight alongside Kyojuro.

"Good to see you again." Kyojuro tiredly greeted me with a nod before turning his attention back to the battle.

Inosuke, who had placed Eri with Tamayo earlier, Zenitsu and Kanao arrived shortly after, bringing talismans from Yushiro and Tamayo that concealed our presence. It worked for a time, but it seemed Muzan was adapting and growing more urgent.

After some moments of fighting, Gyomei suddenly spoke up. "He has multiple brains and hearts! They aren't fixed!" The other Hashira agreed with his assessment. 'Seems like they can do what Kokushibo could.' I thought while dodging and cutting several whips. "His regeneration has significantly reduced! We are in the final push!" The others nodded in agreement.

I stepped forward, ready to unleash another powerful attack when a whip thicker than my arm shot out in front of me. I was launched into a building, briefly losing the function of my organs. Coughing up a torrent of blood, I slowly began to heal, the damage to my shoulder was almost mended.

Standing back up, I realized I wasn't the only one caught off guard. Everyone was either buried under rubble or trapped in buildings. I stumbled toward Muzan, who was fixated on Tanjiro, blocking his view of the fallen Kanao. I glanced down, my left leg was twisted unnaturally from the knee down. 'Fuck.' I twisted it back into place, feeling the healing accelerate slightly. Wobbly, I stood and began to make my way toward them.

They started fighting and moved faster than I had ever seen, but I grit my teeth and pressed on. 'Why can't I overpower him?! At this rate, I should be able to win with a hand tied behind my back!' It didn't make sense, most of my injuries were healed or healing. A soft whisper echoed in my mind, more felt than heard. 'It's not enough.'

I looked down at Muramasa with a surge of hate. Stopping in my tracks, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. When I opened them, I focused on the fight that was barely visible through the chaos. 'I have no cursed magic left. If I use any more, I'll be drawing on my lifeforce.' Images of Eri flashed in my mind like a slideshow, each frame depicting the fear in her eyes, the faint hope that her otousan would save her, her tear streaked face, and the lifeless body of a child. I grit my teeth hard enough to hear them crack. 'Fine, If you want my life so much, then take another half.'

The blood I had been leaking flowed into Muramasa's blade in response, and my body began to heal at a faster pace. Along with it, I regained a quarter of my cursed magic reserves.