Chapter 136: Kokushibo

After just a few exchanges, Kyojuro was thoroughly beaten by Roa. Every move he made was easily countered by Roa, which wasn't exactly a pleasant experience.

But while it wasn't pleasant, there was definite progress. Tanjiro Kamado watched the two of them spar from the sidelines.

The two of them moved quickly. At first, Kyojuro wondered if he should hold back, but he soon realized that if he didn't go all out, he couldn't keep up with Roa's speed. So, he threw himself into the fight with everything he had.

Even so, the match was completely one-sided.

Of course, Roa wasn't just beating Kyojuro up. He would occasionally leave an opening, testing whether Kyojuro could seize the opportunity. Unfortunately, while Kyojuro could see the openings, he couldn't capitalize on them.

In the end, it came down to basic attributes. Even someone with Kyojuro's special physique could only go so far.

After thoroughly beating Kyojuro, Roa finally decided to let him off the hook.

Kyojuro, however, was all smiles. He said to Roa, "You're really strong. I knew it. Handsome young man, I'll be counting on you from now on."

Roa nodded without saying much and began instructing Tanjiro Kamado in the Sun Breathing technique.

During the day, the Hashira usually rested, as their patrols and hunts took place at night.

So, during the day, the Hashira had more free time.

At one point, the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, showed up. After Roa gave the brash young man a thorough beating, Tengen thanked him with a look of gratitude.

Roa humbly said things like, "No need for that," "We're all family," and "It's only right to look out for you," leaving Tengen deeply moved.

Roa secretly gloated. He had beaten Tengen up, and the guy was thanking him for it.

After dealing with Tengen, Roa turned his attention to Tanjiro Kamado, who was looking at Tengen and Kyojuro with envy.

Roa couldn't help but roll his eyes. Were they all masochists? Did they all want to be beaten up by him?

After training everyone, Kyojuro sincerely invited Roa and Tanjiro Kamado to stay for a meal. Roa hadn't forgotten the money he had paid for food earlier, so he nodded, planning to get his money's worth.

Mitsuri Kanroji returned after a long practice session, drenched in sweat. Her chest, with its two prominent peaks, caught Roa's attention, and he couldn't help but glance a few times.

The weather was hot, but it shouldn't have been this intense.

It was clear that she had been practicing for a long time.

To put it bluntly, Mitsuri Kanroji's figure is quite impressive, far superior to that of a certain blue-haired individual.

Of course, lolis have their charm, and mature women have theirs. Roa expressed that lolis are soft and very comfortable to squeeze, while mature women are fragrant and equally pleasant to touch.

Ahem, in any case, if he had to choose, he said he'd take both.

Setting aside his scattered thoughts, Mitsuri Kanroji's eyes lit up the moment she saw Roa. She waved at him and called out, "Big Brother Roa!"

Her smile was as radiant as ever, exuding a sense of purity.

Roa nodded at Mitsuri Kanroji and gestured for her to come over.

Kyojuro Rengoku brought out the food from inside and placed it on the table, smiling at everyone. "Everyone, dig in. Don't hold back; there's plenty."

Without further ado, everyone began eating.

The meal was so intense that it felt like the heavens and earth were overturned, and the sun and moon lost their light.

All Roa knew was that when they finally left, Kyojuro Rengoku's father looked extremely displeased.

Roa's appetite was naturally large, and Kyojuro Rengoku and Mitsuri Kanroji also had substantial appetites. Then there was Tanjiro Kamado, whose dietary demands had increased since he mastered the Sun Breathing technique.

This single meal nearly broke Kyojuro Rengoku's father. The old man was usually quite demanding when it came to money, but when it came to spending, he was incredibly stingy.

When saying goodbye to Mitsuri Kanroji, Roa suddenly thought of something and directly told her, "Come train with Tanjiro Kamado later. I'll guide you. We're both naturally strong, so we should have some common ground."

After saying this, Roa gave Mitsuri Kanroji a smile.

Then, as usual, the "Steam Princess" effect kicked in.

After the meal, it was back to training. Roa stood by, offering guidance, and time quickly passed.

As the sun began to set, Roa and Kyojuro Rengoku prepared to take their respective posts for guard duty.

It was another round of patrolling the mountain. This time, Roa had learned his lesson: if he didn't catch anyone after half a day, he'd simply make another round in the surrounding area.

He brought a chair from the town and sat on it, bored, with an oil lamp placed beside him. The mountain was now lit by this single source of light.

Summer brought many insects, and Roa was annoyed. He activated his Golden Eyes, and in an instant, the noisy mosquitoes fell silent.

They all seemed to go mad, disappearing without a trace.

The Dragon Clan's bloodline was inherently superior, naturally intimidating weaker species. However, Roa's use of it was truly groundbreaking.

Using his bloodline to repel mosquitoes was uniquely Roa's style.

Lazily leaning back in his chair, he took out a wine flask from his waist. It contained commercially sold grape wine. For a country that claimed to live comfortably, Roa doubted they could grow grapes to make wine. This small, poor country couldn't even dream of growing fruit. The wine must have been imported from abroad, though from which country was unknown.

In any case, acquiring it had cost him a small sum.

He opened the flask and pretended to sniff it, catching the faint aroma of grapes and the strong scent of alcohol.

Roa looked up at the moon, feeling poetic. He cleared his throat and recited, "Grape wine in a luminous cup, eager to drink as the pipa urges me on horseback."

At that moment, Roa's eyebrows twitched as a cold voice came from beside him.

"You've got some nerve. As a Demon Slayer, you're the first."

Roa turned to see a figure that had appeared out of nowhere.

The figure wore a purple and black patterned kimono with black hakama pants, and had long, deep red hair tied in a high ponytail. There were red markings on the left side of his forehead and the right side of his neck.

The attire resembled that of someone from the Warring States period, but when Roa looked up and saw the figure's face, he felt a chill run down his spine.

The figure had six eyes, with red sclera and golden irises. In the center of the left and right irises were the characters "Upper Rank" and "One."

Having six eyes on a single face, all staring directly at Roa, was not a pleasant feeling.

Without further ado, the figure coldly stated, "I am Upper Rank One, Kokushibo."

Roa nodded, tossed aside his wine flask, and stood up from the chair.

"Roa."

The two locked eyes, and Roa forced himself to endure the discomfort of staring at Kokushibo's six eyes.

Kokushibo's six eyes scrutinized Roa, taking in every detail.

Kokushibo nodded and murmured, "I see, I see. Another special physique? Physical abilities far beyond ordinary humans. Hmm, not just that. Your heart and other parts are quite unusual."

Roa stared back at the six eyes, his aura surging. He took a deep breath, drawing in a large amount of oxygen. His blood and magic began to flow.

Upper Rank One, Kokushibo.

With markings, the Transparent World, and mastery of Moon Breathing, his strength was undeniable.

But today, Roa intended to take him down alone, ensuring he wouldn't leave this mountain.

Kokushibo's cold golden eyes met Roa's fiery golden ones. Kokushibo's gaze was piercing as he spoke in a displeased tone, "You give off a very unpleasant aura."

With that, Kokushibo's hand gripped the hilt of his katana.

Kokushibo's katana was more than just a sword. The sword, hilt, and guard were all covered in eyes, and the scabbard itself was tumor-like, appearing grotesque.

When Kokushibo drew his katana, Roa felt a wave of discomfort. But discomfort aside, he had to act.

Gripping his Nichirin Sword tightly, Roa activated both the Transparent World and Thunder Breathing in an instant. His aura completely shifted, and his overwhelming fighting spirit was concealed.

The moment Roa's right hand grasped the Nichirin Sword, all his presence vanished like a bubble. Kokushibo stared at the blond youth before him, curiosity evident on his face.

As the brother of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, a powerful Upper Rank who had become a demon three hundred years ago, how long had it been since he'd encountered such a strong Hashira?

He didn't know. Time had erased much of his memory, but it couldn't erase his obsession with that figure.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni, that man.

Roa's movements reminded Kokushibo of Yoriichi, of that boy who possessed unparalleled talent yet spoke in riddles.

Yoriichi's swordplay was as smooth as flowing water, flawless in every way.

But Yoriichi was dead. Such a monster couldn't possibly reappear. There could only be one Yoriichi Tsugikuni in this world. When he died, aside from Muzan-sama, there was no one left who could rival him.

Thinking this, Kokushibo's hand slowly reached for his waist, gripping the grotesque katana.

But in the next moment, a thunderclap rang out. Before Kokushibo could draw his sword, a flash of lightning appeared before him. Roa's Nichirin Sword transformed into a bolt of lightning, slashing fiercely at Kokushibo's neck.

The lightning-wrapped Nichirin Sword was blinding, illuminating the dark night. The ferocious sword intent erupted at that moment. The speed of this strike was so fast that even Kokushibo, with his Transparent World activated, barely managed to react.

The cold touch of the Nichirin Sword turned into a searing pain the moment it cut through Kokushibo's skin. Kokushibo's three pairs of eyes stared at Roa as he coldly said, "Impressive speed. Even I must commend you. But it's not enough!"

"Fifth Form: Moon Spirit Calamitous Eddy!"

Roa's eyebrows twitched as a series of invisible slashes came at him. The slashes were fast and powerful.

At such close range, even with Roa's tough body, taking these slashes would inevitably injure him. Besides, if he could decapitate his opponent with a single strike, Kokushibo wouldn't be Upper Rank One.

Roa's Nichirin Sword transformed into lightning as he unleashed a swordsmanship technique. The sword, originally aimed at Kokushibo's neck, changed direction. With the Transparent World's enhancement, even the invisible slashes were pierced through. The Nichirin Sword, now a bolt of lightning, dispersed all the slashes.

Kokushibo sneered. He was about to speak when Roa suddenly kicked at him.

Kokushibo frowned slightly, sidestepping the kick. Roa vanished in a flash of lightning, and in the next moment, Kokushibo felt a powerful force coming at him.

Before Kokushibo could react, Roa was already swinging his fist at his head.

This was undoubtedly a suicidal move. Kokushibo was about to act when he noticed Roa's right hand, still holding the Nichirin Sword, thrusting toward his chest—aiming directly at his heart.

The choice between protecting his heart and taking a stab from the Nichirin Sword was obvious.

"First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace."

Kokushibo's grotesque katana transformed into a circular slash, aiming to intercept Roa's thrust. The circular slash was surrounded by irregular crescent-shaped swords. Kokushibo's intent wasn't just to block Roa's strike but to severely injure him in one move.

However, Kokushibo underestimated Roa's strength. While the circular swords would be troublesome for most, they were merely average for Roa. As Kokushibo moved to block the thrust, Roa's fist accelerated, delivering a powerful punch to Kokushibo's forehead.

The force of the punch sent Kokushibo flying backward like a broken kite. He crashed into a tree, shattering it and dissipating the violent energy.

The already sparse area was now completely barren.

Roa's punch was incredibly powerful, comparable to Tanjiro's headbutt multiplied by Kokushibo's strength.

Meanwhile, all of Kokushibo's slashes were blocked by Roa's Nichirin Sword in that instant.

Kokushibo struggled to his feet, his kimono now covered in mud. He stared at Roa expressionlessly and coldly said, "Boy, you've made me angry."

In an instant, Kokushibo vanished.

"Third Form: Loathsome Moon, Chains."

Kokushibo's presence disappeared, but his aura remained concentrated. Even with Roa's Transparent World, Kokushibo's speed was almost unbelievable.

In the blink of an eye, Kokushibo appeared before Roa, his grotesque katana raised. The sword's edge gleamed as he delivered a diagonal slash.

Roa expressionlessly parried the strike. In terms of raw strength, Roa hadn't lost to anyone yet.

The Nichirin Sword clashed with Kokushibo's grotesque katana, but at the moment of impact, Kokushibo's face showed a hint of mockery.

Roa's eyebrows twitched as he sidestepped to the left. The diagonal slash was still accompanied by crescent-shaped swords, which shot toward Roa from all sides.

Roa's wrist tightened, and his blood surged. The Nichirin Sword in his right hand deflected Kokushibo's slash, dodging some of the crescent swords.

But he was still grazed by a few.

Roa gritted his teeth. Kokushibo's abilities were annoying. With his markings and Transparent World activated, his physical attributes far surpassed those of Upper Rank Three.

As Roa pushed Kokushibo's grotesque katana away, Kokushibo stepped forward with his right foot, stabilizing his stance. Gripping the katana with both hands, he unleashed another crescent-shaped slash.

This was a double-strike technique.

Roa's eyebrows twitched. He stopped engaging and vanished in a flash of lightning.

The slash missed, but Kokushibo wasn't discouraged. By the time Roa reappeared, he had put some distance between them.

Kokushibo frowned at Roa and said, "Human swordsman, do you only know how to hide? If that's the case, you might not leave this mountain alive."

Roa sneered, "If that's all you've got, you might not leave this mountain either."

Kokushibo's three pairs of golden eyes stared at Roa as he coldly said, "Human, I admit you're strong. But against an immortal like me, what chance do you have?"

Roa's lips twitched. The same old rhetoric.

Always relying on immortality, speaking with arrogance. It was nauseating.

Seeing the hostility in Roa's eyes, Kokushibo gripped his grotesque katana again and said, "Then, human, prepare to die."

"Seventh Form: Mirror of Misfortune, Moonlit."

In an instant, four massive slashes appeared on the ground. The speed of the slashes rivaled Thunder Breathing's First Form. The already uneven ground was completely destroyed, and debris flew everywhere. Roa's eyebrows twitched as the slashes appeared before him in the blink of an eye.

Roa drew his sword and slashed, hastily using a swordsmanship technique. Though he hadn't built up momentum, the power of his strike was enough to shred the four slashes.

Kokushibo was now truly enraged. He gripped his grotesque katana, and the sword flipped, releasing a bone-chilling cold into the air.

"Tenth Form: Drilling Slashes, Moon Through Bamboo Leaves."

Kokushibo's attack was still a slash—two massive, elliptical, saw-like swords that shot toward Roa. The swords were accompanied by crescent-shaped edges.

Countless crescent swords surged toward Roa.

The powerful slashes destroyed everything in their path. By now, there were no trees left in the forest. The battle between Upper Rank Three and Upper Rank One had completely devastated the area.