Demon Slayer: Muzan, will you dance too?

"Mr. Izumi Kiyokawa!"

When Kiyokawa Izumi saw Tanjiro, all her questions were answered. When she saw the flame-like markings on the boy's forehead, she knew that the moment she had been waiting for had finally arrived.

Without his elder brother dying young, he should be the first swordsman besides Tanjiro to awaken his Demon Slayer Mark.

When he unleashed his ultimate technique, his state was extremely close to the conditions for activating his mark. Since the prerequisites had already been met, awakening his mark was a natural outcome.

In this state, the Flame Pillar might not be as strong as the Stone Pillar who has mastered the Transparent Technique.

But Kiyokawa Izumi was already close to unleashing the Seventh Form.

"Is there anything to eat?"

Kiyokawa Izumi quickly withdrew his gaze and looked at Kokushibo again—he, who had not yet joined the battle, was taking the time to adjust his state.

"That's... one of the Upper Moons?"

An incredibly heavy smell filled the air; this Upper Moon demon was undoubtedly the closest to Muzan.

Tanjiro, who was already in battle mode, quickly took out a rice ball from his pocket after hearing Kiyokawa Izumi's question, and looked at Kiyokawa Izumi, who was covered in wounds, with a slightly worried expression.

"Go help Giyu! He's fighting Upper Moon Four, Hantengu. Go and support him!"

Kiyokawa Izumi took the rice ball and began to gulp it down without any regard for table manners.

The fact that the boy was able to awaken his mark indicates that he encountered a very troublesome Lower Moon. Even with his awakened mark, he, who had only a basic grasp of Sun Breathing, did not have the strength to intervene in this battle.

His swordsmanship level should be between level three and four, and his initial mastery of Sun Breathing is estimated to be only level three.

With the addition of the markings, he may have already approached the level of a Pillar-class swordsman.

But it's still too much of a stretch to deal with Kokushibo.

Unable to get close, and even defense is incredibly difficult, staying here won't be of much use. It would be better to go and support Mr. Giyu, who is struggling in the fight.

A blank water jet would definitely struggle against a half-heavy dog.

"Mr. Kiyokawa Izumi... are you really alright?"

Large patches of clothing were stained red with blood; the amount of bleeding was truly worrying.

But the man in front of me was able to stitch up the wound without changing his expression.

"Nezha can stay here. Her Blood Demon Art is very useful... Don't worry, your sister will be fine as long as we Pillars are alive."

"I'll go help Mr. Yiyong right away!"

Seemingly sensing the determination in Kiyokawa Izumi's words, the boy nodded emphatically and followed the scent to support Mr. Giyu.

The toddler-sized Nezuko looked at Kokushibo not far away with great apprehension, then tilted her head to look at Kiyokawa Izumi. She wanted to help, but didn't know what to do.

Let's get back to the battle itself.

Even the Flame Pillar with awakened markings struggled to cope, and there was still a significant gap between him and Kokushibo.

How can I awaken the markings?

Mr. Beimingyu Xingming asked in a deep voice, as if this elder brother had also made up his mind.

Without awakening the markings, one cannot kill the evil spirit before them.

He just won't live past twenty-five; at his age, he might die suddenly on the spot.

But so what?

As pillars, they were already prepared to fight the demons with the determination to die.

Even if they die here, there will be successors to finish what they did not do.

"Mr. Xingming..."

Sensing his determination, Kyojuro gripped his Nichirin Blade even tighter.

"Your body temperature exceeds 39 degrees Celsius, and your heart rate exceeds 200 beats per minute... At your age, you are not capable of activating the markings; you may die on the spot!"

Kokushibo didn't mind telling him the method—even if he didn't, the Flame Pillar would have already told him.

Whether you say it or not, it's not that important.

The key question is whether or not to try it.

Are you absolutely certain you'll succeed? There's a very high probability you'll die on the spot!

Kokushibo repeatedly mentioned that he wouldn't live past twenty-five and that he didn't think the Rock Pillar could activate its markings; these were all part of his rhetoric.

You, who have honed your body to the extreme, are dying here. How can the rest of us hold me back?

Are you really willing to gamble on such a slim chance?

If you think you can scare away the Rock Pillar with just this, you are underestimating its determination.

"There are swordsmen who live past twenty-five, aren't there?"

Upon hearing this, a noticeable change in expression appeared on Kokushibo's ugly and terrifying face as images he didn't want to recall surfaced in his mind.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni!

That man, who inspired insane envy, was also the only marked swordsman to live past the age of twenty-five. Even on the verge of death, he was able to unleash the power of his peak.

With just one strike, he almost killed himself!

That man was as dazzling as the sun.

"Stripes?"

Himejima Gyomei began to use his breathing to increase blood flow, raise body temperature, and make his heart beat violently.

Without activating the Demon Slayer Mark, there's no way to defeat Upper Moon One.

Even if I die here, there's nothing to regret.

Young swordsmen like Kiyokawa Izumi are also excellent, and the future can be entrusted to him.

"Mr. Xingming, there's no need to rush. It's not time for you to risk your life yet."