Chapter 82: Future Options |
Shinobu didn't feel that kind of pressure, but the other Hashira were seriously injured, and Tamayo couldn't move.
Essentially, they were left one-on-one.
Muzan still couldn't harm the Insect Hashira, but Shinobu hadn't developed her Devil Fruit ability to the point where she could kill the reborn Progenitor of Demons.
And preventing an escape wouldn't be easy...
"Shinobu, take this!" the exhausted Makomo cried out, tossing her blade.
While the life-force absorption of the Mori Mori no Mi still functioned, the Nichirin Sword attacks were completely ineffective. Since only the Insect Hashira could continue fighting Muzan, the wounded Makomo handed over her blade without a second thought.
"Only you remain... neither demon nor human, but a completely different being with a strange body... your flesh could make me even stronger," the Progenitor of Demons said calmly. At this moment, of all living things, he only cared about Shinobu.
Muzan had learned about the Insect Hashira's unusual abilities from Doma's deathbed memories. It was something entirely different from Breathing Techniques and Blood Demon Arts. Even he had failed to determine the true nature of this strange power.
Not a single attack had worked on the Insect Hashira.
"Just how strong is this Muzan?" Mitsuri exclaimed in genuine frustration.
She had the impression that the notorious Progenitor of Demons was stronger than all the defeated Upper Ranks combined.
"Relatively speaking, he's very lucky," Yeruashi smiled, as hundreds of events played out in his head. "Among hundreds of thousands of future variants, there was only one where Muzan turns the situation to his advantage after accidentally obtaining Tanjiro's cells and an even more accidental stabilization of the scattered forces in his body—and in such a short time, no less."
This ending to the arc didn't suit Yeruashi, but dealing with the Progenitor of Demons himself wasn't his style either. Not to mention that Muzan died in nearly a third of the future options, while in the rest, he either escaped or won.
So be it...
"Let's just watch."
Yeruashi decided not to intervene after all.
Meanwhile, the struggle had already resumed below.
Shinobu was clearly inferior to Muzan in speed and strength, holding her ground only because of her Logia-type Devil Fruit ability.
Muzan's only real option was to swallow Shinobu's body in one go, but the effective life absorption of the Mori Mori no Mi deterred him and forced him to keep his distance. It was impossible to say for sure who would digest whom first if he dared to consume the Insect Hashira whole.
And in the very heat of their battle...
Tamayo's exhausted gaze fell upon the Flame Hashira.
Like the other Hashira, the heavily wounded Tanjiro couldn't intervene in the clash between Muzan and Shinobu.
"Tanjiro, do you want to win at any cost?" Tamayo whispered softly.
"Yes. What must I do?" Tanjiro answered in a determined whisper, forcing his head up and thinking of his younger sister.
"You will gain the chance to influence the outcome of the battle if you accept all my power and become a demon," Tamayo said.
Become a demon...
"I agree," Tanjiro exhaled and nodded after a moment's thought.
He was well aware that he might never see the sun again, might go completely insane, or even start devouring people after turning into a demon. However, that was nothing compared to the chance to kill Muzan. In the worst-case scenario, he was even prepared to follow the Progenitor of Demons into the afterlife!
At the very least, Muzan would no longer walk this earth.
"Good," Tamayo replied with equal resolve. She pulled the Flame Hashira toward her with a spatial thread and ruthlessly thrust her elegant palm into his chest.
But instead of starting to voraciously consume Tanjiro's flesh and blood, she instead poured all her remaining strength into him.
It was a gamble of sorts.
If it failed, they would both die.
And if it succeeded, she would die anyway.
However, Tanjiro would gain unprecedented power.
"Tamayo-sama!" Yushiro roared, realizing where things were heading.
She replied only with a gentle smile.
Then, she began to rapidly crumble into ash.
At the same time, all her power transferred to the Flame Hashira.
Boom!
Simultaneously, Tanjiro's body began to undergo monstrous changes. It was as if the world had turned upside down as the unique body of the Sun Breathing user became a vessel for the power of the Progenitor of Demons.
It all happened so fast that Tanjiro only lowered his head for a couple of breaths; when he jerked it back up, those watching saw eyes with sharp, vertical pupils.
Following that, fangs appeared instead of human teeth!
"Brother!" Nezuko jumped up in alarm and immediately tried to head down, but Yeruashi stopped her.
"Don't worry, the victory will be theirs," he said, comfortingly patting the girl's head.
The future variants where the Progenitor of Demons was defeated assumed exactly this turn of events!
If Tamayo did nothing, Muzan would win. If she absorbed Tanjiro, he would escape, and she would lose her mind, becoming a second Muzan.
Only Tanjiro, with his pure heart, was capable of maintaining his sanity after such a transformation to help defeat Muzan, and then find the strength not to follow the path of the Progenitor of Demons himself.
"Muzaaaan!" Tanjiro growled, lunging into the thick of the battle.