Anime/Manga: Bankai Starting with Demon Slayer

Zenitsu, having unleashed this move, was completely exhausted and swayed precariously, about to fall off the edge of the platform.

"You're wrong... Big brother..."

"This isn't something my grandfather taught me; it's my own style..."

"I really want to use this move...to fight alongside you...."

The head of the beast was burning rapidly; his life had come to an end.

"How is that possible! A piece of trash like you can create your own sword shape? Don't make me laugh!"

"Cough—!!"

Zenitsu suddenly trembled violently, and mouthfuls of blood gushed from his mouth.

The Fire and Thunder God Technique is the ultimate of the Thunder Breathing Techniques, and the burden it places on the body has exceeded the limits of human capabilities.

In addition, he had forcibly used Thunder Flash multiple times during the battle, and his body was now in unbearable pain.

The muscles ruptured, and the bones in his lower leg shattered into pieces.

He couldn't hold on any longer.

"It's over... Grandpa..."

Zenitsu's vision began to blur, and he felt his body leaning backward.

The section of corridor he was in had completely collapsed, below which lay the unfathomable abyss of the Infinite City, leading to nothingness.

Because he had lost feeling in his legs, he was unable to make any adjustments.

Zenitsu thought of his master, the old man who leaned on a cane, had a stern face, but would give him rice balls when he cried.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa... I'm still... so useless."

"Haha! So what if you created it yourself! At this level, you'll die with me!"

"In the end, the old man's Breath of Thunder still has to be cut off! Serves him right!"

"...It won't be cut off, child."

Just as Kagaku was cursing incessantly, an unimaginable figure shot up like lightning and steadily caught Zenitsu as he was falling.

“This…how is this possible…”

The voice of the beast vanished completely into the ashes, leaving no trace of its existence.

"who...."

Shan Yi opened his eyes with great effort.

Through a hazy, tearful gaze, he saw a figure that was both illusory and clear.

It was an old man dressed in a tan kimono, with a stern face that radiated boundless love.

Kuwashima Jigoro.

His strong hands, calloused from years of wielding swords, were now firmly supporting Zenitsu's shoulders, providing the last bit of support for his swaying body.

"Grandpa....?"

Zenitsu was stunned.

He knew his grandfather was dead, having died alone in that painful act of seppuku.

But now, that warmth emanating from your palm...

That familiar scent, with a faint tobacco aroma, felt so real.

"...Well done, Zenitsu."

The old man's steady voice rang out in front of Zenitsu.

"You are not a piece of trash! You are the disciple I am most proud of in my entire life!"

Those strong hands gently patted Zenitsu's head.

Just like under that huge peach tree, countless times he was encouraged to persevere.

"Waaaaaahhhhhh!"

On this brutal battlefield, on the edge of this collapsing Infinite City.

The newly promoted powerhouse who had killed the Upper Moon demon was now clinging to the old man like a three-year-old child, letting out a heart-wrenching wail.

Let's rewind to a few days ago.

When Kuwashima Jigoro made up his mind to commit seppuku, he spoke to Asuka:

"...Arashi no Suke, could you please introduce me to the wrong person?"

What does "kaishaku" mean?

"Seppuku is extremely painful. Even with a heart of stone, I cannot help but feel fear... I am worried that I will not be able to do it. Please, after I stab myself in the abdomen, cut off my head... Give me a quick death!"

“…I don’t want to.” Asuka calmly rejected the proposal: “I made a promise that my sword will not kill humans.”

"...Is that so? I'm sorry to have made you hear something awkward."

Kuwashima Jigoro no longer insisted and had made his final decision.

Whoosh—!

This fatal blow was swift and ruthless; he was confident it would pierce his abdomen, leaving him no chance of surviving!

But the excruciating pain did not come; the sword tip only pierced the skin of his abdomen.

Kuwashima Jigoro looked at the blade in shock and found that Asuka was incredibly fast, managing to grab the blade the instant he was about to stab her!

Blood dripped continuously from Asuka's palm, quickly staining the ground in front of Kuwashima Jigoro red.

He was both shocked and furious, his face darkening as he looked at Asuka: "...Arashihashi, what are you doing! Are you insulting me?!"

"Old man, I really don't understand what you're doing."

Asuka's hand was very strong, and no matter how hard Kuwajima tried, he couldn't break free of the knife from his grasp.

"Death is the easiest thing; living is the real hell."

"That's right, your disciple has become a demon, and the lightning swordsmen you painstakingly trained have become the Demon Slayer Corps' nightmare. So, are you planning to end it all and escape this situation?"

"To disgrace the Breath of Thunder, so you must atone with your death? Don't make a fool of yourself, old man. The dead have no right to define these things; only the living can comment on them."

Seeing that Kuwashima Jigoro's eyes began to flicker, Asuka used force to snatch his sword away.

"Perhaps your lord will regret your death, perhaps your colleagues will admire your fierceness, but those Demon Slayer Corps members who don't know you well will only treat this as a passing cloud, and no one will care about the glory of Thunder Breathing."

"And Zenitsu? You've simply left, but he'll remember this for the rest of his life, and every time he thinks about it, he'll be in immense pain. Is this the outcome you wanted?"

"How could I possibly mean that!" Upon hearing Asuka's words, and recalling Zenitsu's tearful appearance, Kuwashima Jigoro's expression turned grim, and he quickly tried to explain.

Asuka threw the knife aside and wrapped the torn strip of cloth around the wound on her palm: "But the outcome isn't decided by a dead man like you."

"Instead of thinking about escaping and dying, you should fulfill your responsibility as the Sound Pillar and fight Muzan Kibutsuji with your life on the line!"

"Life is only given to you once, so don't let it pass away meaninglessly!"

That night, Asuka said a lot of things; he never expected that he could say so many profound truths.

But upon closer reflection, these were merely his genuine thoughts after witnessing Kuwashima Jigoro's lack of appreciation for his precious life.

The two had a long talk, and he eventually persuaded Sangdao to give up his idea of ​​suicide.

But he made a suggestion.

“Zenitsu has great potential, but he has never had the will to fight. I think we can push him.”

In Asuka's plan, Kuwashima Jigoro will inform the Lord that he has faked his death, and the Lord will then announce his death to Zenitsu.

With such a huge stimulus, whether Zenitsu will succumb to despair or be reborn is something that Jigoro Kuwashima will be secretly observing.

If Zenitsu really can't take the blow, he will show up at the right time to explain everything. At worst, the two of them will fight to the death and die in Mugen Castle!

But now, looking at Zenitsu Agatsuma, who was covered in wounds and had just slain the Upper Moon demon, Jigoro Kuwashima couldn't stop his tears from falling.

"It's over... my child! You are my pride!"

Meanwhile, outside the Infinite City.

Former Flame Pillar Rengoku Makijuro, along with Uzui Tengen, who has recovered from the deadly poison but has lost an eye, guard the door of the new lord, Ubuyashiki Teriyaki.

"Did we succeed?! We've killed the Upper Moon again!"

The excited voice of Kiriya came from inside the house, which also caught the attention of Tengen Uzui.

"Ah...this batch of Upper Moons seems pretty easy to kill...how come two of them have died so quickly? I really want to have a spectacular battle..."

He turned his head to look at Maki Juro, who was silent and neatly dressed: "Guess which one it is? Upper Moon Five just died, so will this one be a bit higher?"

Before Makijuro could reply, the members of the Hidden Division inside the house released scabbards to warn the surrounding members on guard.

"Zenitsu Agatsuma! Upper Moon Six! Defeat!!"

Who? Yuzui Tengen felt a moment of disbelief.

Chapter 106 The Poisonous Knife of Justice

The central dojo of Mugen City.

The battle between Asuka and Kokushibo has entered its final, life-or-death race.

"quack--!!"

"Zenitsu Agatsuma! Upper Moon Six! Defeat!!"

Did it work? You crybaby.

The raven sent a message that the thunder on Zenitsu's side had subsided, which made Asuka's tense nerves relax slightly.

This momentary lapse in concentration allowed Kokushibo to seize the opportunity.

【Breath of the Moon - Moonbow - Lonely Moon】

The enormous alien blade unleashed several rainbow-shaped slashes that descended from the sky, each moon shadow powerful enough to slice through several platform buildings.

Asuka quickly parried, but the tiny crescent blades seemed to have a mind of their own, bypassing the defense and slicing off a large piece of flesh from his left shoulder.

"You're distracted." Kokushibo's six eyes were now as cold as gods: "Under my blade, any distraction is fatal."

"Oh, that's not necessarily true."

Asuka's lips curled into a smile.

"Haven't you noticed yet?"

"what?"

Kokushibo felt uneasy after being touched like that.

As the Zanpakuto came into prolonged contact with the opponent's demonic sword, the monstrous spiritual pressure began to penetrate deeper into it.

One by one, the eyeballs on Kokushibo's monstrous blade were turning gray.

"Your Zanpakuto... seems to be being eaten by me."

"And honestly, if it weren't for you incredibly resilient Ghost Moons, I really wouldn't know who to ask to test this ability..."

"Tear it apart, Raccoon."

What are you talking about?

Seeing that the birds' aura had changed, Blacksmith sensed something was wrong.

Does this kid still have a trump card up his sleeve? Sun Breathing, Crimson Blade, and the Demon Slayer Mark aren't even his limits?

What exactly is he?

These days... or even earlier, Asuka has been thinking about the development of Zanpakuto abilities.

He couldn't figure out where the limits of plundering lay, and no one could teach him.

He now clearly knows that he possesses three abilities.

Barking, roaring, and tearing.

This was a name he casually shouted out based entirely on his emotions, but now it is deeply intertwined with the Zanpakuto.

In its barking state, the Zanpakuto can slash out swarms of vicious dogs composed of the user's spiritual pressure.