Chapter 19 - True Wood Breathing: Sixteenth Form

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Last Chapter of the Volume is on my pages. Set for next weeks release!

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About moments before Ai died and was resurrected, the clash between Akaza and Rengoku commenced.

Rengoku used the Grand Flame Breathing, Ninth Form, Purgatory's End, and dashed towards Akaza, flames wrapped around his blade and body, burning, melting everything in his path with a pure heart.

And Akaza himself was the sight of destruction; long before he had reached the shockwaves from his punches that attacked Rengoku. A storm was blowing, swirling, trying to erase the flames that rose against it.

But it didn't matter how hard the storm blew; the flames tore everything that stood in their way, burning the shockwaves, force, and air until they reached their destination.

There wasn't a large blast, but the moment those two clashed, silence reigned in the air. They stood against each other, and they both felt the after-effects of the blows.

Rengoku coughed out blood, feeling his chest cave in, his ribs break, his shoulder, arm, wrist, and even his katana nearly fall from his grip, but he turned it to the floor, putting his other hand on the hilt, stopping himself from falling.

"Brilliantly done…Rengoku…" Akaza grinned, and a line of blood appeared on his neck before his head slid off, falling to the ground.

Rengoku fell on his knees, gasping for breath, closing his eyes, "You were powerful too…Akaza."

On the lower floors,

Ai grabbed the broadswords in her hand, and she was about to rush in, to attack again, when a scarlet and turquoise line connected her to Akaza.

[Meeting at Crossroads has been activated.]

[Danger. The User is in Life-threatening circumstances.]

[Danger. The System is authorized to take control of the Users body.]

Before the Upper Demon One and Ai clashed, a small change appeared in Ai's body, a red dot appeared on her forehead, and her eyes had lost her emotions. It was as if the girl brimming with life had become half dead.

"You were dead."

"Yes. And Ai Senju was resurrected," 'Ai' said, letting go of the broadswords divided into two each. The four swords floated around her as if they had formed a magnetic pair with her.

"No one could be resurrected. Even Sun Breathing can't do that," Upper-Rank One narrowed his six eyes, cautiously looking at the girl.

His senses had reached the point of a transparent world; it all allowed him to see their intention, muscles, body, and n to the point where he saw the blood of his descendants and found out that the two were related.

Yet, when he saw this girl now, it was as if she was beyond this world. He couldn't even tell that she was there if he hadn't fixed his six eyes and all his senses on her.

"Wood Breathing. It's impossible to be done by any ordinary human because Wood Breathing Consumes Lifeforce to increase a human's strength, defense, agility, and healing powers. But for Ai Senju, it's different. She's immortal and possesses infinite lifeforce, more than enough to use Wood Breathing."

"That still doesn't explain the resurrection," Upper-Rank Demon could see that this one was buying time for some reason. He had no idea why, but resurrection was one thing that even he was curious about.

As for the other Hashira? They knew she was buying time because they could feel an energy transfer into their body, healing their wounds, somehow hiding from the sight of Upper Demon.

"Every Breathing diverges from Sun Breathing has always been true. It is the same reason why none of the other Breathing Techniques are as strong as Sun Breathing. But Ai Senju's Wood Breathing, which needs constant Life-force, can't be reached, no matter how much you try to diverge from Sun Breathing. Because it's a Breathing Technique on the same level as Sun Breathing."

"Haha…Hahahahaha…Hahahahahahaha! Same Level as Sun Breathing!!" For the first time, the Hashira felt that the Upper-Rank One that had remained in control for so long had lost control. His maniac laughter seemed to show his emotions for the first time.

He grits his fangs, "Arrogant child! I make sure you remember not to boast ever again!"

Crossroads,

'What is this?!' Ai panicked for a moment, not realizing what was going on. She had come to crossroads many times before, but this was the first time she had come to such a strange Crossroads.

It wasn't between Heaven or Hell, but somewhat between reality and death. Akaza was in front of her, and his body was behind her, and he seemed to be fighting against her to get back to his body, which wasn't dying.

'This never happened before….'

Ai stopped, remembering the only other Demon she saw regenerate his neck, 'Right. I was dead at that time.'

"It's not my time to die! I will become stronger! Much stronger!!" Akaza lashed forward, punching with strength behind his even stronger punch than before.

Ai stood before him, taking a stance similar to his own, "I don't have my sword, but I won't let you go back and kill Rengoku and the others! If you want to go back! Then you'd have to go through me!!"

Akaza's expression remained blank, filled with a single desire to become stronger, 'What a…nuisance.'

"Hakuji!! That's enough!!"

'Huh?' It wasn't just Akaza who was stunned by the sudden turn of events, even Ai was, but then she understood whoever this was had something to do with Akaza, someone he knew in his life.

"Let go of my hand. Who are you?"

"Stop this. Let's leave this place," The young girl holding his hand entreated, hoping he would hear her voice.

"No…I must become stronger. I'll kill anyone who gets in my way."

"But why…? Why do you want to be strong?"

"Because…if I am not strong. I can't bring it back…medicine for my father."

The three of them could tell that their surrounding had changed, and now they were in an old room with an older man sitting up on the futon.

"If I don't become stronger, I can't steal someone's wallet and get away."

"If I don't become stronger, I can't win when my victims retaliate."

"I can't win when the magistrate's office punishes me."

"But Hakuji…."

Ai looked towards the girl's saddened eyes and then watched as the magistrate's office punished him, and when he got back, he heard the news that his father had hanged himself. She could read the letting he was given, why he committed suicide, and Akaza's anguish. His retaliation against the world, everyone he fought against, everyone that fought against him.

Fighting, fighting, until he came across who grinned and praised him for it.

"You have got promise. You beat adults without a weapon! Impressive!"

Ai gently sat down, tilting her head, watching his story with a smile on his lips. His resistance, even when he got beaten, was his romance.

"I…couldn't imagine living another year…or another after that. My mother was that way too. She didn't want to see me die…I believe that is why she killed herself. And I knew that my father had given up…I was so weak."

"But you could see my future…as if it were just a matter of fact. You talked to me about the next year and the year after that. I was thrilled."

"Will you…marry me?"

"Yes. I will become stronger than anyone and protect you for life."

(His tragedy)

Some put poison in the well! They did it because they couldn't beat Keizo or you face to face. They did something horrible! They even killed Koyuki!!

"I remember…I felt nauseous that day…my stomach was churning, and my skin was crawling with a bad premonition."

"Once again, a crisis had visited the people most important to me…and I wasn't by their side."

(His Fury)

After the Master of the Soryu Dojo and his daughter were poisoned…the surviving student attacked the neighboring dojo…kissing 67 of its members with his bare hands.

Most of the bodies were mangled beyond recognition and were missing entire body parts. It was a brutal scene with jaws, brains, eyeballs, hands, feet, and innards scattered around, stuck to the ceiling and walls. The surviving maid lost her mind, and the account was so unbelievable that the records were disposed of as mere fabrication thirty years later.

(His meeting with Muzan.)

"I heard there was a fuss about a Demon. But I don't remember placing one around here, so I went to all the trouble of coming to see. But you are just a human…how boring."

"Move, or I'll…kill you."

Mizan appeared in front of him, and he widened him when Muzan's hand tore through his head, and he pulled back, "I am thinking about making 12 powerful Demons. Can you withstand the amount of blood I am giving you?"

"Don't care anymore…I don't care about anything…."

"I became a Demon, lost my memories, and again began seeking strength. There was nothing lest to protect. I didn't even want to live in a world without my family. Over the hundred years, I committed senseless acts of carnage. It's a sad, laughable…and ridiculous story."

Ai looked up at him, only to see him turn to walk towards the Reality. She closed her eyes, breathing in, and jumped back up, standing in his way, "Akaza…Hakuji. I cannot let you."

"Weak…you are weak…." Akaza blitzed forward, throwing a punch towards her stomach, only for it to be blocked by Ai.

"I hate weak people…weak people don't confront you head-on."

He threw another punch, filled with anguish and hate, "They put poison in the well. They're ugly…the weak…."

"Weak…lack forbearance. They soon give in to desperation…I killed people with fists meant to protect."

"I got blood all over my master's beloved Soryu Style. And I couldn't fulfill my father's last wishes."

Akaza kicked her back, but strangely, Ai let go of him; she turned in the air, landing on her feet, looking at the reality, "The one you hated the most was…."

Akaza's head restored, half of it, and he, whose body had been fighting against Tanjiro and Giyu, who came here to help Rengoku move, attacked himself, destroying his restoring body.

'Stop that…I lost. I lost…against Rengoku…I suffered total defeat.'

"You…" Ai looked towards Akaza, his father, master, and wife, waiting for him, "Hakuji…I hope one day…you get to be with them again."

"AKAZA!"

Akaza and Ai widened their eyes, hearing the voice, and Ai moved, punching the Will of the First Demon by its face. She looked over her shoulder, grinning, "I won't disturb your reunion any longer."

Akaza—Hakuji Sakumo knelt, burying his face in his wife's arms as tears escaped his eyes, "Thank you…."

Ai grinned, and her body shot forward towards Muzan's will, and she appeared in front of it, grabbing it by its face, "We don't belong here."

Instinctively, she knew how to control the ability she hadn't been able to in the moment of her need, and the two of them disappeared from the Crossroads.

Lower Floors,

"Is this the Wood Breathing you talked about? One that was as strong as Sun Breathing? All you can do is run away!"

'Ai' dodged most of the attacks and blocked as many as possible. It was almost as if she could see where the sword would come from, and it didn't matter how many variations Kokushibo put in his moves. She dodged all of them.

But then, she stopped, and something about her changed; her eyes had light again.

(Thank you. System.)

[Moon Breathing Technique has been analyzed.]

[Crescent Moon Blades Demon Art has been analyzed.]

[Unlocked Demon Arts Section.]

Ai narrowed her eyes, "Sorry about that. I was busy somewhere else. Now we can fight, and I'll show you. True Wood Breathing Technique."

"Doesn't matter!" Kokushibo rushed forward, slamming his hand forward, but it broke apart before reaching Ai. He took a step back, and his body started breaking apart on itself, making Ai put down the sword.

"I see…they defeated you long ago. Was it my declaration about Sun Breathing that made you hold on a bit longer? If so. Then allow me to show you. True Wood Breathing allows me to put an end to this struggle."

Ai closed her eyes, sucking in a cold breath, "True Wood Breathing: Sixteenth Form: True Several Thousand Hands."

With her words, the whole of Infinity Castle trembled, and a state rose from beneath the Four Hashira, raising them and Ai higher and higher until it dwarfed everything. There were a thousand hands on the back of the Buddha statue, while the two main hands were clasped as if in prayer.

"He is here…but let me flashily open the curtains to climax, by destroying this place."

Kokushibo widened his six eyes, staring at the hand among the many that came towards him, and even more that spread out in all directions, detecting every demon in every corner.

'Wood Breathing…Heh.'