Night. Cold, eerie, and quiet — until the red rune blazed open once more.
"Tch... another one?" Sanemi hissed, wiping demon blood off his blade.
The four warriors stood over the smoking remains of the last hell-creature. Wind howled through the trees. And then it stopped.
Silence.
Akaza (staring at the portal):"That doesn't feel like the others. That feels like something worse."
From the blood-soaked portal, a figure emerged. Towering. Armored. Cloaked in hellfire. The armor was twisted, but familiar… a mockery of the Slayer's own.
Its eyes burned red under a horned helm. In its hands, a great cleaver hummed with dark runes.
Gyomei (calmly):"...That's not just a demon."
Kokushibo (serious):"It's another Knight. Like the last one. But more… refined."
Sanemi (scoffing):"What, did Hell decide to upgrade?"
Akaza (cracking his neck):"Perfect. I was starting to get bored."
Outside the Barrier — The Spectators
From behind the magical perimeter, the rest of the Demon Slayer Corps and demons stood watching.
Tanjiro (tense):"That thing… It's thinking. It's not mindless like the others."
Nezuko (growling lowly):"Nhh…"
Muzan (arms folded):"Something powerful is it?"
Tengen:"That ain't flashy. That's nightmare fuel."
Doma (grinning):"I'm honestly hoping Akaza gets crushed, just a little. For fun~"
Shinobu:"I'd rather collect samples after they win."
Murata (panicking):"THAT THING LOOKS LIKE IT EATS PLANETS!"
Inside the Barrier – The Battle Begins
Gyomei (calm):"Same plan as last time. But sharper. Stronger. No mistakes."
Sanemi:"Yeah yeah, don't die, don't get in my way — I got it."
Akaza (to Kokushibo):"You take high, I go low?"
Kokushibo:"Naturally."
They lunged.
Sanemi's Wind Breathing whipped up tornadoes around the knight.
Akaza's fists thundered against metal like cannon fire.
Gyomei's flail cracked into the Knight's ribs with divine weight.
Kokushibo's Moon Breathing formed a web of slashes in the air.
But the Dread Knight was faster than anything they'd faced. It parried, dodged, and with every strike — it adapted.
Sanemi (skidding back):"This bastard's learning mid-fight?!"
Gyomei (breathing heavy):"It's mimicking our styles…"
Akaza (grinning):"Good. Then it'll understand when it loses."
Kokushibo:"Let's end this."
They moved in sync.
Akaza launched a feint kick to the ribs, drawing its guard.
Kokushibo rained six simultaneous slashes from all angles.
Sanemi followed with a gust-laced piercing strike to the knee.
Gyomei's flail crushed the Knight's helm, shattering part of the mask.
Akaza (laughing):"NOW we're getting somewhere!"
But the Dread Knight roared — its broken helm revealing a charred skull and glowing runes carved into bone. It swung the cleaver, cutting a crater through the earth. Kokushibo blocked — his katana cracked under the weight.
Kokushibo (gritting teeth):"Enough.""Demonic Art: Six-Fold Moonfang Barrage!"
Six spectral blades formed behind him, swirling with blood and moonlight.
Sanemi (shouting):"GYOMEI, GO!"
Gyomei:"Stone Breathing: Fifth Form – Arhat's Judgment!"
His flail collided with the runes on the Knight's chest, breaking their glow.
Akaza (blood demon art surging):"Compass Chaos – Second Stance!"
He slammed his fist into the Knight's exposed jaw — ripping the head clean off.
The Dread Knight crumbled, its body spasming, then disintegrating in black smoke.
Aftermath
Sanemi (panting):"Holy… hell."
Akaza (wiping blood):"Better than last time."
Gyomei (solemn):"We've grown. But so has Hell."
The four stood silently, watching the remains turn to ash.
Tanjiro (relieved):"They… they did it."
Nezuko (smiling faintly):"Mmhm."
Tengen (wide-eyed):"Okay. That was flashy."
Mitsuri:"I was so worried…"
Muzan (quietly, to himself):"They don't need the Slayer forever."
Doma:"Boring. But impressive."
Shinobu (noting reactions):"Interesting growth... both human and demon."