Clang!!
A piercing metallic clash echoed through the forest.
Shinichi pupils contracted as he noticed a pea-sized chip on the blade of his sharp Nichirin Sword.
In contrast, the rope armor on Rokuro arm only bore faint marks.
Rokuro grinned cruelly.
Before Shinichi could react, he grabbed the blade of the Nichirin Sword with his large hand and yanked it backward with force.
Caught off guard, Shinichi was pulled directly in front of Rokuro.
In this critical moment, Shinichi decisively let go of the Nichirin Sword.
His fingers curled and his nails transformed into sharp black claws.
Five claw-like streaks of light shot straight toward Rokuro face.
Clang!
Unsurprisingly, Shinichi attack was easily blocked by Rokuro once again.
Thanks to his formidable rope armor, Rokuro could essentially ignore Shinichi attacks, while Shinichi had to endure the relentless onslaught from Rokuro.
Rokuro fighting style was straightforward—powerful punches and kicks.
Although not particularly fast, the sheer force behind his attacks was terrifying. Shinichi had no choice but to dodge frantically.
However, aside from Rokuro, Shinichi was also surrounded by several agile and deadly strangling ropes and spiked maces, all poised to strike.
Suddenly!
Thud!
Shinichi was momentarily distracted and a rope pierced through his thigh, causing his movements to falter.
Crack!
A crisp sound of bone breaking echoed and a torrent of hot blood splattered before Shinichi eyes.
His eyes widened, veins bulging on his face as he looked down to see Rokuro thick arm piercing through his chest.
Instinctively, Shinichi raised both hands and gripped Rokuro arm tightly preventing him from pulling it out.
"You fearless brat, tell me, what drove you to such length?" Rokuro asked casually, intrigued by Shinichi continued struggle.
Hot blood gushed from Shinichi mouth, staining his fangs.
Hearing Rokuro question, Shinichi forced his head up and grinned ferociously.
"For revenge! To slaughter every last one of you Demons! Including that Muzan!!"
At the mention of that name, Rokuro golden pupils instantly contracted.
A wave of extreme fear surged through him, and his grip unconsciously tightened.
Crack!!
A downpour of blood followed as Rokuro tore through most of Shinichi chest.
"HOW DARE YOU!? HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU UTTER THAT NAME IN MY PRESENSE!? YOU HAVE SOME NERVE!"
Rokuro voice suddenly became frantic, his entire demeanor a mix of shock and rage.
At the same time, he was astonished that aside from the Twelve Kizuki, there was a Demon who could speak that name without suffering the curse backlash.
"DIE!"
Rokuro no longer hesitated.
He charged at Shinichi, who was convulsing on the ground, like a cannonball, the Nichirin Sword still in his grasp.
ROARR!!
Bang!!
Maru-ni, the small Shiba Inu who had just regained its form through his Demon transformation, slammed into Rokuro with all its might, successfully knocking him off course.
However, in an instant, Maru-ni was sliced in two by Rokuro furious swing of the blade.
But before Rokuro could catch his breath, a greenish blade aura had already reached his back.
"Breath of the Forest, Third Form: Thorn Strike!"
Thud!
The sharp Nichirin Blade pierced through Rokuro seemingly indestructible rope armor.
"AHHHHHHH!! You damn pests! When will this end? Get away from me!!" Rokuro roared, swinging the Nichirin Blade backward in a fierce slash.
Elder Moriki who had been building up his strength, naturally wouldn't let go of this rare opportunity to attack.
Ignoring the incoming blade, he gripped the Nichirin Blade even tighter, his eyes glowing with a greenish light.
A unique life force began to gather around Elder Moriki.
"Breath of the Forest, Second Form: Willow of Life!" Elder Moriki shouted in a low voice.
The Nichirin Blade embedded in Rokuro body began to shine with a dazzling green light.
Thud!!
Rokuro slash deeply cut into Elder Moriki shoulder, causing blood to gush out.
Yet, Elder Moriki didn't falter in the slightest. The green light from the Nichirin Blade in his hand grew brighter and brighter.
In an instant, green willow branches began to sprout from the wound in Rokuro body.
At the same time, Rokuro felt his strength start to drain away in a bizarre manner.
"What the hell is this?! Old man, get away from me!"
In a panic, Rokuro kicked Elder Moriki in the chest with all his might.
The heavily injured Elder Moriki had no choice but to let go of the Nichirin Blade and was sent flying backward, landing on the ground.
"What's with these branches?!" Rokuro frantically pulled out the Nichirin Blade that had pierced his body, but the willow branches sprouting from his flesh only grew more numerous and dense.
No matter how hard he tried to remove them, he couldn't stop their growth.
Rokuro was shocked because the branches seemed to be continuously draining his strength and even inhibiting his body ability to heal.
The wound from the Nichirin Blade showed no signs of recovery.
In his panic, a drop of cold sweat appeared on Rokuro forehead. He looked up and saw that the moon above was already setting in the west.
Dawn was not far away!
"Damn it! I can't keep fighting these pests! I need to leave! I need to get out of here!"
Without hesitation, Rokuro clutched the wound that was still sprouting branches and turned to flee.
With the formidable physique of a Lower Moon Demon, he could easily leap over ten meters in a single jump.
But just as Rokuro had run a few dozen meters, the sound of something cutting through the air behind him startled him.
Although he reacted in time, the willow branches in his wound slowed him down by several times.
Thud!
"Gaaah!! Cough!!"
A large amount of blood suddenly spurted from Rokuro mouth.
A sharp Nichirin Blade had pierced through his neck. The force of the throw was so powerful that it not only impaled Rokuro but also pinned his entire body to a thick old tree.
At the same time, Shinichi, covered in blood, was bent over, his body still in the throwing position.
Gasping heavily, Shinichi barely managed to lift his head, his eyes bloodshot.
His clothes had been torn apart by Rokuro, revealing his shattered chest where flesh was visibly regenerating and even his internal organs were clearly visible.
"You... bastard! What... did you do... to my... Maru-ni?!" Shinichi furious roar, with his chest torn open, sounded like a hoarse voice coming from a broken musicbox, blood flowing at his mouth.
Yet, it was this very appearance that made Shinichi look as if he had just returned from hell.
Not far from Shinichi, the small Shiba Inu Maru-ni breath was faint, the life force of its body severed by the Nichirin Blade was fading rapidly.
Ever since he inexplicably transformed from a human into a Demon, Shinichi heart had been consumed almost entirely by vengeance, with Maru-ni being his only remaining companion.
But now...
Rokuro throat made a gurgling sound as his hands gripped the Nichirin Blade that had pierced through his throat.
Slowly, with great effort, he pulled out the blood-soaked blade inch by inch.
His golden eyes locked onto the figure dozens of meters to the east, deeply imprinting the appearance of this traitorous Demon into his mind.
Boom!
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" Shinichi roared with utmost fury.
But Rokuro keep running away.