Demon Slayer: Muzan, will you dance too?

The speaker was naturally Kiyokawa Izumi, who, having seen through Iwahachi's thoughts, spoke up to stop him.

"Perhaps there's only one special case: Yoriichi Tsugikuni. You, who forcibly activated your Demon Slayer Mark, may not live to see dawn."

"In comparison, let me do it!"

Kiyokawa Izumi accepted the price of unlocking the markings calmly and acceptingly—even if there was no solution, it didn't matter; she just couldn't live past twenty-five.

These side effects are acceptable to him.

Driven by willpower, the weary body began to move again. Hot blood boiled within, as if a flame was burning inside, and waves of heat emanated from it, even raising the temperature of the hilt of the knife.

The violently beating heart made a dull sound like the beating of a war drum.

Both body temperature and heart rate are increasing at a visible rate.

Like Kyojuro, who used the ultimate technique, Kiyokawa Izumi is also very close to the realm of the Mark. Although he cannot be the first swordsman to awaken the Mark, it is not a problem for him to achieve the instant awakening of the Mark under the right conditions.

"Swordsmanship Lv5 → Lv6"

"Surpassing the ultimate, skill approaching the Tao, you have already stepped into the realm of the superhuman."

A dark silver vortex shape appeared on Kiyokawa Izumi's arm. Along with the exponential increase in his physical abilities, he could vaguely sense that his life force was rapidly draining away.

This kind of overdraft technique is indeed bought at the cost of one's lifespan.

During this period of adjustment, he also absorbed and deconstructed Kokushibo's swordsmanship techniques.

It was impossible to perfectly replicate it, but I still managed to learn something.

His already mastered swordsmanship was thus touched, marking his initial step into the inhuman realm.

Unlike Kokushibo, who was enhanced by fusing with Blood Demon Art, Kiyokawa Izumi, who did not become a demon, forged her own unique path.

"Could I borrow your Blood Demon Art to help me activate the Crimson Blade?"

The dark silver blade came into Mizuko's sight, and a calm, somewhat gentle voice slowly drifted over.

Even with the markings activated, there was no unimaginable aura that erupted; the clear spring remained ordinary and unremarkable.

Mizuko instinctively gripped the Nichirin Blade with her tender hands. The sharp blade cut through her delicate skin, and hot blood flowed out, quickly staining the entire blade.

Bright and blazing flames roared up, and Kiyokawa Izumi's Nichirin Blade changed color at a speed visible to the naked eye. When an identical crimson blade appeared before his eyes, Kokushibo was even stunned by it.

It stared blankly at the unchanging Qingchuan Quan, yet a feeling of extreme unfamiliarity washed over it, making it involuntarily think of that man.

He was just an ordinary man, nearing the end of his life.

Just like an ordinary old man who is not worth mentioning, but the moment he made his move, it was as if he was facing the entire world, not just a simple Nichirin Blade.

That feeling is something it still remembers vividly.

The sense of humiliation and shock is etched into my bones.

When I saw Kiyokawa Izumi again, a familiar feeling welled up in my heart. Not only had I successfully activated my mark, but I had also mastered the Crimson Blade!

Changes that make it uneasy have already occurred.

"The Fourteenth Form - Calamity - Full Moon in the Sky!"

The countless blades of wind that were suddenly unleashed were like vortexes parallel to the ground, sweeping outwards at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, accompanied by countless irregular crescent moons whistling in.

This was not a reckless slashing out of fear, but a precisely woven web of death, leaving the opponent no way out and no room to dodge.

The scope is so vast that it's hard to imagine.

Faced with this move, both the Flame Pillar with its awakened markings and the Rock Pillar with its mastery of transparency found it very troublesome—they wouldn't be killed by this move, but it would be difficult for them to withstand it without injury.

It's inevitable that it will be consumed.

Its overwhelming power carried an undisguised killing intent.

Is it because you feel uneasy, or because you're thinking about that man?

His figure flashed past in an instant, and when everyone came to their senses, he, standing at the front, calmly and casually swung his Nichirin Blade.

The sword draw was unremarkable, neither extremely fast nor employing any flashy or complicated techniques.

In the blink of an eye, the blade of wind that entered three inches in front of him was easily neutralized by Kiyokawa Izumi.

It wasn't just an improvement in physical function; Kokushibo, with his six eyes fixed on Kiyokawa Izumi, suddenly realized that this young swordsman's swordsmanship had surpassed the limit.

Seeing him reminds me of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

It's just because, with his three-piece set activated and his unimaginable swordsmanship, he's too similar to that man!

It's not that his strength is already comparable to Yoriichi Tsugikuni's, but there's no doubt that he has taken the first step towards that realm.

In the blink of an eye, one slash multiplied into dozens, using minimal force and precise movements to block all of Kokushibo's attacks.

How exactly did they do that?

Kiyokawa Izumi's current display of skill left Kokushibo somewhat bewildered.

"There's nothing surprising about it; it's simply because we're living in harmony with nature and in oneness with the universe."