Demon Slayer: Muzan, will you dance too?

Being constantly frustrated and disappointed has almost become the norm for Kiyokawa Izumi.

The sound of my heart pounding violently seemed to echo in my ears, hot blood was flowing rapidly through my body, my skin felt slightly warm, and my senses became more acute.

His swordsmanship, honed through rigorous training and countless life-or-death battles, combined with sweat and blood, has resulted in his flawless skill at this moment.

Under such pressure, Kiyokawa Izumi was able to feel that his swordsmanship had improved.

Training the regular members this morning was really boring.

He felt no pressure whatsoever, and his entire body was full of openings.

The battle with Giyu Tomioka is what he truly desires.

The speed and power of the knife swings can be increased.

The sound of metal clashing was incessant. Before the afterimages had even disappeared, the Nichirin Blades that had just missed each other clashed again, and sparks seemed to fly everywhere.

Large beads of sweat slid down his forehead, but he didn't have time to wipe them away.

The brand-new black haori was already covered in scratches, and the muscles on her otherwise fair arms were already bulging.

In such a high-intensity, high-frequency confrontation, breathing inevitably becomes rapid.

Kiyokawa Izumi was somewhat excited at this moment. He had a premonition that if he could break through Tomioka Giyuu's flawless defense, his swordsmanship level would undoubtedly see a great improvement.

"cough--"

As their figures separated, Giyu Tomioka stood ramrod straight, while Izumi Kiyokawa coughed softly, somewhat unwillingly.

His injuries had not yet healed, and he was so engrossed in the fight that he almost had to resort to breathing techniques.

He could sense that Giyu Tomioka wasn't going all out; he was simply testing his swordsmanship.

However, because he had already mastered the state of total concentration and normality, his physical abilities completely overwhelmed him.

In terms of swordsmanship alone, Kiyokawa Izumi is inferior.

To the onlookers, he was able to withstand the water jets.

But that's not the case. Giyu Tomioka's desire to attack wasn't strong, and he wasn't treated like a demon in a life-or-death battle.

Kiyokawa Izumi, who launched repeated attacks, not only failed to break through Tomioka Giyuu's defense, but was also constantly forced to defend himself by the opponent's counterattacks.

The gap is obvious.

Kiyokawa Izumi even suspected that even if it were his elder brother standing here, he probably wouldn't be able to break through Tomioka Giyu's almost impenetrable defense.

Even with the Sharingan, he didn't find many opportunities.

"I've heard you've gained new insights into water breathing; would you be so fortunate as to witness them?"

Kiyokawa Izumi took a deep breath. How could he be satisfied without witnessing the Eleventh Form?

"Water Breathing: Complete Collection!"

Giyu Tomioka looked at him hesitantly, but after a moment, he still adopted a defensive stance.

"I can't help it..."

Kiyokawa Izumi gripped the Nichirin Blade tightly, hesitating whether to use the Third Form: Silent Three-Stage!

His current limit is reached through three bursts of power.

Using this tactic can also close the gap with these pillars.

I wasn't affected by feelings of being unable to accept defeat; I simply wanted to push my limits and challenge what could be considered the strongest defensive skill.

"call--"

When he saw that Kiyokawa Izumi's breathing rhythm had changed significantly, Tomioka Yoshiyuki frowned deeply.

After a moment, Kiyokawa Izumi finally gave up.

His current body is not capable of using the Third Form.

Using this move with its severe side effects during a sparring match would do more harm than good.

When faced with a demon and with no other choice but to retreat, one can only resort to this desperate measure.

But it's unnecessary now.

It will worsen lung injuries and prolong the time required to master the full concentration and normal range.

not worth it!

"It's a real shame that I couldn't push myself to the limit in water breathing!"

Kiyokawa Izumi's figure vanished from the spot in an instant, and the chaotic sword light attacked in a flash, but without exception, it was all blocked.

"Type 11: Calm and Tranquil (Nagi)!"

His blood-red pupils contracted slightly, as if he had figured out the principle behind this move—Tomioka Giyuu was not completely still, nor did he possess some kind of mystical domain that could automatically nullify the demon's Blood Demon Art.

Without those eyes, he probably would have really thought that Giyu Tomioka was truly still.

"An extremely small area, an extremely fast and precise parry... it wasn't that he was truly still, but rather that the sword-wielding motion was too fast!"

Kiyokawa Izumi's eyes are capable of noticing even the smallest movements, and then breaking them down and analyzing them one by one.

But the action itself isn't the key!

It's not that you can use this move just by memorizing these movements.

The real core is probably to enter that state of tranquility, or perhaps it can be described as selflessness.

Enter a transcendent state, with a high degree of focus and no distractions, to anticipate the subtle signs of the opponent's attack, and then block or deflect them.

Achieving defensive stillness through precise movement.

At this moment, Giyu Tomioka is like a calm body of water, capable of absorbing all attacks.

If he were to use a complete, unworn Nichirin Blade instead of a broken one when facing the final form of Upper Moon Three, would he really have a chance to catch it?

"This year's class is full of monsters, am I the only ordinary person?"

Giyu is firmly ranked in the top five among the Nine Pillars, and has a chance to be in the top three. Even so, he has the strength to completely suppress Kiyokawa Izumi.

Calling them monsters is no exaggeration.