Why does the world show a health bar? !

At this moment, it was just like that moment back then.

Li Mo thought of Tanjiro, far away on Mount Kumotori. That child should be asleep by now, right? Has he started practicing the Dance of the Fire God yet? Has he begun helping with household chores?

Then, the image of an older Tanjiro wielding a broken blade and performing the Dance of the Fire God appeared in his mind.

—That Tanjiro was very much like him now.

But…

Clang—

The broken blade was sheathed.

"Li Mo, what's your answer?"

Akaza asked again, already in a fighting stance. As soon as Li Mo answered, the attack would come in an instant.

The answer was crucial.

Li Mo no longer had the right to resist. Even though his fighting spirit still flickered, a swordsman without a Nichirin Blade was no threat. It was like how an adult wouldn't fear an unarmed child.

Akaza stared at him. The way he stood showed no intention of going to take Shinjuro's blade. His entire body was relaxed, showing no signs of the intense collision that had just occurred.

"My answer is already clear."

"Then you will die."

Akaza lost its patience. It appeared in front of Li Mo as if teleporting, then punched him in the chest.

However—

The expected scene of his head exploding like a watermelon didn't happen. Li Mo was sent flying like a kite.

What had it just hit? Cotton? No, this feeling was completely wrong.

Akaza hesitated. It was extremely confident in its control of strength. Against a human body, that punch should have shattered all the bones in his chest. The powerful force would have caused severe brain damage from the shockwave.

But Li Mo didn't seem affected at all!

It was as if—it hadn't even hit him?

Li Mo, who had landed back on the ground, shook his head and reset his dislocated shoulder, then charged forward!

"What are you hesitating for? Do you think I'm weak just because I lost my Nichirin Blade? Akaza, aren't you being too naive!"

His fist struck Akaza's head, sending the demon flying.

Akaza adjusted its posture mid-air, landing in a crouch. It roared, "How is this possible! Your strength is nothing like a human's."

"Are you looking down on five thousand years of martial arts, Akaza!"

Li Mo didn't give Akaza a chance to react. He charged forward, just like Akaza, using his fists as weapons.

Hand-to-hand combat began. The sensation of fist meeting flesh was unfamiliar to him, but as time passed, Li Mo gradually got used to it. The most primitive weapon of humans was also the strongest.

"Martial arts? Martial arts! What kind of martial arts is this? I've never seen it before. Is it from the mainland? What exactly is this?"

Today, Akaza had encountered too many surprises. Since when could a demon-slaying swordsman fight after losing his Nichirin Blade?

His strength was no less than Akaza's…

His speed was no less than Akaza's…

His skill was no less than Akaza's…

"Hahaha! Li Mo, meeting you has made me so happy! So that's it, that's it. You don't care about my pinnacle because you've already reached your own!"

With every punch, Akaza felt like it was hitting cotton. It understood now why Li Mo's hand-to-hand combat ability was no less than a demon's!

"You're dispersing my strength, aren't you!"

"My punches can shatter rocks, but they can't destroy a blade of grass! To put it simply, you've turned your body into a feather floating in the air!"

"This is truly exhilarating!"

"What is this technique called!"

Their fists collided again.

The demon's deep blue fist contrasted sharply with the human's yellow skin.

—Their strength was evenly matched.

Li Mo and Akaza both retreated simultaneously.

"You can call it 'Dispelling Force.'"

"Dispelling Force."

A giant tree can be toppled by a strong wind, but a blade of grass cannot. An adult can break bones from a fall, but a child falling from a height will not. A piece of wood in the air can be cut, but a sheet of paper cannot.

Ordinary people tense their muscles when facing an attack. The collision is a direct clash, and whoever is harder survives. However, the human body is too fragile. Its hardness is too low.

"Dispelling Force" is a technique that allows the body to relax, rendering the opponent's attacks ineffective. Akaza's combat instincts were sharp, and it instantly grasped the essence of "Dispelling Force"—turning one's body into a feather or a sheet of paper floating in the air.

"Dispelling Force, Dispelling Force! This is so interesting! Is this the path you've taken, Li Mo? Wonderful! I will respect you and kill you with the strongest martial arts.

Destruction Style: Eight-Layered Core!"

In an instant, Akaza's attacks came from all directions. The skills honed over centuries were fully displayed, and the opponent was a man who also used his fists!

A demon and a human in hand-to-hand combat!

Akaza had never been so excited, not even when fighting Kokushibo, Upper Moon One.

"I don't think you can kill me, Akaza!"

Bang bang bang—

Li Mo's fists intercepted Akaza's punches one by one. Using "Dispelling Force," he dispersed the impact of each punch, minimizing the damage to his body.

Using "Dispelling Force," he could unleash tremendous power in the instant between relaxation and tension. Li Mo successfully sent Akaza flying.

"I think your martial arts lack a soul. Why did you learn martial arts? Why did you learn these techniques, Akaza?"

"Of course, it's to pursue the pinnacle."

"No, that's not a reason. As a demon, you were once human. And humans are inherently lazy. Without a reason, they would never pursue the pinnacle of martial arts! Humans love beauty, power, and strength. But they would never purely pursue the pinnacle!

Even a martial arts fanatic only seeks the pinnacle for strength!"

Human nature is inherently evil.

Because the world is a big dye vat, filled with many colors. As a blank sheet of paper, a child, when stained with more and more colors, will gradually turn black.

You see, colors are so奇妙. White only exists when it's free from other colors, unaffected by others. But when all colors come together, they become black.

—Li Mo didn't believe that anyone in this world was born solely to pursue the pinnacle of martial arts. Even a genius like Yoriichi Tsugikuni had once been lost. Others need not be mentioned!

"Akaza! Do you remember your memories as a human? What was your original reason for pursuing martial arts? Do you still remember?"

The wind from their punches roared. As the two moved at high speed, the ground beneath their feet cracked.

Li Mo and Akaza's heads were so close that Li Mo could clearly see the smile on the demon's face.

The demon said, "How could I remember something like that?"

"…You don't remember anything? Akaza, do you know how I feel right now?"

They clashed, grappled, and as Li Mo's anger grew, another emotion emerged.

"What is it?"

"I'm starting to pity you."

"Why?"

"You've even forgotten your starting point. Isn't that pitiful?"

Starting point?

Akaza's fist hesitated for a moment, allowing Li Mo to land a blow on its head, sending it flying.

What was its starting point?

The demon had completely forgotten its origins. In its memories, there were only the years of rigorous training after becoming a demon.

Why did it become a demon?

Why did it learn martial arts?

Li Mo was a respectable opponent, someone walking a different path, an opponent it had to kill.

This man reflected on his starting point as he moved toward his goal.

But what about itself?

"Damn it, this feeling is so annoying!"

Anger surged again.

Was it because of the pain from Li Mo's punches?

Or was it the frustration of not remembering anything?

That didn't matter.

"The starting point doesn't matter. I'll find it after I kill you!

Destruction Style: Final Form—Blue Silver Chaotic残光!"

This was Akaza's ultimate move, the culmination of centuries of martial arts. A compass-like pattern appeared beneath its feet, and in an instant, hundreds of air bullets were fired in all directions.

Li Mo's vision was filled with a wall.

A wall made of air bullets.

Each air bullet was equivalent to one of Akaza's punches.

He had no time to dodge. In the sea of air bullets, he was like a small boat. Even with "Dispelling Force" dispersing most of the impact, the accumulated damage from dozens of punches per second was still significant.

The human body… was too fragile.

Li Mo had to agree with Akaza.

Dust filled the air. Not all of Akaza's air bullets hit Li Mo; many struck the ground, leaving craters as if bombarded by artillery.

Li Mo fell to the ground. Dust obscured his vision, but the pain throughout his body told him he was injured. Engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a demon as physically strong as Akaza, even with "Dispelling Force" dispersing most of the impact, had inevitably caused internal injuries. Now, they were erupting.

He was bleeding internally.

Li Mo could feel it.

"—!"

In an instant, Li Mo felt his abdomen being pierced. It was a strong arm. Akaza appeared before him, and he saw the demon's other fist coming at him.

In that moment, Li Mo blocked Akaza's other fist.

"See, Li Mo, the human body is so fragile."

"Yes, I know. But it's fine. I'm going to win."

Akaza's smile froze.

Because the fist that had pierced Li Mo's abdomen couldn't be pulled out. Li Mo had used the muscles around his abdomen to clamp down on Akaza's arm.

—How is this possible!

Then, it saw the broken Nichirin Blade being drawn again!

Yes, Li Mo still had one hand free.

Danger. Death.

Akaza felt the threat of death.

"How is this possible! I can't die here."

It struggled, but both arms were firmly clamped. Its other arm was blocked by Li Mo's arm and pinned under his armpit.

It kicked, its powerful leg striking Li Mo's thigh. It heard the sound of bones breaking, but Li Mo didn't budge.

Finally, it heard the chant of death.

"Sun Breathing—"

Hiss—

Akaza saw air escaping from between Li Mo's teeth.

Memories hidden in its bloodline surfaced. The flames emerging from the broken blade were so vivid.

"Circle Dance!"

The broken blade cut into Akaza's neck. Its powerful physique and formidable regeneration slowed the blade's progress. The broken Nichirin Blade moved slower and slower!

It almost stopped in its neck.

"Akaza, do you know what the meaning of 'Pillar' is?"

"It's to stand tall between heaven and earth!!!"

Li Mo roared like a beast. He felt it—that奇妙 rhythm. The broken Nichirin Blade in his hand suddenly burst into flames.

The crimson broken blade, bathed in flames, gradually changed into another color.

「Scarlet Blade」.

It had been born.

In that instant, the broken Nichirin Blade surged forward. No flesh, no matter how strong, could stop its advance.

Akaza's head flew high into the air.