"Lower Rank Five—Rui"
As Aoki severed the spider father's neck, its body disintegrated into ash.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations, host, on killing a mid-level demon. Combat power increased by 40 points."
"Total combat power: 1895 points."
"Overall Rating: A-level."
Inosuke, having recovered slightly from being held by the spider father, looked at Aoki and Giyu Tomioka.
"Who… who are you?" Inosuke asked, recognizing Aoki from the final selection.
"You… you!" Inosuke grabbed his broken Nichirin Swords and charged at Aoki. "Finally! Let's fight! Boar Rush!"
Aoki, regarding Inosuke with a look of mild amusement, activated Susanoo as Inosuke approached, knocking him to the ground with a single blow.
"Save it. You're already badly injured. You're lucky to be alive. And you want to fight me?" Aoki said, rubbing his forehead.
Giyu Tomioka, seeing Inosuke rise, produced rope and quickly bound him to a tree. He then looked at Aoki. "Finished."
Aoki: "..."
"What the hell? Tied up?" Inosuke realized he was bound. "What happened? So fast."
He yelled at Aoki. "Fight me! You defeated that Upper Moon. If I defeat you… no, both of you… I'll be the strongest!"
Giyu Tomioka looked at Inosuke with a look of disdain. "Go back and train, you idiot."
Inosuke was momentarily stunned, then yelled, "What did you say?! You call me an idiot?!"
Aoki: "..."
"That wasn't an Upper Moon. Didn't you know?" Giyu Tomioka said.
"Of course I know! That trash wasn't an Upper Moon! Tanjiro said he was, and I just repeated it!"
Aoki's eyes widened at the mention of Tanjiro. He instantly appeared before Inosuke, startling him. Inosuke tried to move but couldn't.
"Tanjiro? You mentioned Tanjiro? He's here?" Aoki asked urgently.
"Yeah."
"Is he the one with deep red hair, a flame-shaped scar on his forehead, carrying a wooden box on his back?"
"Yeah."
"Where is he?"
"He was flung away… that way." Inosuke pointed.
Aoki grabbed Inosuke's shoulders, his urgency palpable. If an Upper Moon was present and Tanjiro encountered them, the situation was dire.
Without hesitation, Aoki ran in the indicated direction, leaving Giyu Tomioka behind. He activated the Flying Thunder God technique on the kunai he'd given Tanjiro.
He landed, expecting to find Tanjiro fighting, but the forest was empty. He picked up the kunai from the bushes. He prayed Tanjiro was safe.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain, Tanjiro, battered and bruised, held a broken Nichirin Sword. Before him stood a pale young man in white clothes adorned with spiderwebs, blood-red eyes, and "Lower Five" inscribed on his left eye.
The boy, barely a teenager, filled Tanjiro with dread. Above them, Nezuko was bound by thick webs, bleeding from the constrictions. She was unconscious but alive.
The boy was Rui, one of the Twelve Kizuki, Lower Rank Five.
Tanjiro's thoughts: "Focus. Control your breathing. Use the most precise final form."
He rose, clutching his broken sword.
"Total Concentration!"
He launched himself, spinning through the air like a rollercoaster.
"Still don't understand? It's useless," Rui said coldly, raising his hands. White threads extended from his fingertips, slicing towards Tanjiro.
Tanjiro's previous sword had broken from striking Rui's threads. The sword's strength depended on the user's power and the difference in strength between the user and opponent. Rui's threads easily cut Tanjiro's sword, highlighting the power disparity.
But this time, the threads didn't overwhelm Tanjiro. He cut through them, though not severing them, allowing his attack to continue.
"Water Breathing, Tenth Style: Constant Flux!"
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