Chapter 113 113: So, I Lost...

Fortunately, Gojo Satoru had already repaired the cursed technique burnout in his brain with Reverse Cursed Technique.

The moment Tanjiro's next slash came, Gojo retreated several steps, his expression sharpening. His hands formed the sign once more.

"Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void."

This time, he expanded his Domain to the absolute limit.

The infinite space of Unlimited Void unfolded with him at the center, spreading outward in an attempt to swallow Ashura Kannon whole. If his Domain shell could completely envelop Asuramaru's Domain, then there would be no outside for the enemy to break through.

It was a precise adjustment.

A brilliant move.

Unfortunately, compatibility was merciless.

Unlimited Void still had almost no effect on Tanjiro Kamado. At most, it could cancel Ashura Kannon's sure-hit effect and force the battle back into direct combat.

And direct combat was the worst possible choice against him.

Tanjiro stopped his relentless assault.

He stood still inside the overlapping Domains, gripping his sword with both hands. Clear currents surged along the edge, spiraling into whirlpools that circled his body with quiet, deadly rhythm.

"Water Breathing, Eleventh Form: Water Melody."

His figure vanished.

Water roared.

Tanjiro shot forward, wrapped in rushing currents like a fierce water dragon. In a blink, he had closed the distance between himself and Gojo.

Gojo had no time to overthink.

He raised one hand.

"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."

A crimson point of light formed at his fingertip. It dragged a red trail through the air, streaking toward Tanjiro like a meteor.

At this range, it should have been impossible to avoid.

Black Demon Power surged in front of Tanjiro, shaping itself into a barrier. Instead of blocking Red head-on, the Demon Power shifted its angle and forced the crimson sphere off course.

The technique was redirected.

But the adjustment slowed Tanjiro for a fraction of a second.

That fraction was enough for Gojo.

He shifted aside.

A flash of sword light passed between them.

When Tanjiro turned back around, Gojo Satoru's right arm had already been severed.

Blood spilled down his side.

Gojo did not panic. He immediately tried to heal with Reverse Cursed Technique, but the process was far more difficult than it should have been. Something inside his body was attacking him. Demon Power crawled through his flesh, gnawing at his brain and organs, weighing him down with layer after layer of suppression.

His output was dropping.

His healing was being obstructed.

If this continued, his brain would be destroyed.

If he could no longer expand his Domain, he would only die faster.

For the first time in a long while, Gojo Satoru had encountered an opponent this troublesome.

He exhaled, then smiled.

"If we keep fighting like this, I'm definitely the one who dies in the end."

His remaining hand rose.

"As expected of the strongest in history."

The air changed.

"Then let's finish this quickly."

Gojo crossed his fingers before him.

"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue."

Behind him, a blue singularity appeared, pulling space inward.

"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red."

A crimson force bloomed beside it, violently repelling everything around it.

Blue and Red collided.

Their opposing forces overlapped, compressed, and merged into one impossible mass. The fusion gathered before Gojo into a purple sphere nearly two meters across, radiating pressure so terrible that space itself seemed to groan.

Gojo pointed at Tanjiro.

"Hollow Technique: Purple."

Purple launched.

The imaginary mass tore forward, dragging everything along its path into ruin. The sea-like surface split beneath it. The air screamed around it. Wherever Purple passed, destruction followed.

Tanjiro stood before it, his gaze unwavering.

"I'm counting on you, Asuramaru."

He sheathed his Nichirin sword.

Not far away, Asuramaru laughed softly.

"You're already dead, and you're still ordering me around?"

Even so, she moved.

Demonization.

Ittō Shura.

Both states activated at once.

A demon horn sprouted from Tanjiro's forehead. Pale purple patterns spread across his face, and his eyes changed into a faint, eerie violet. His aura rose in one breath, climbing to a level that could no longer be described in ordinary words.

In Asuramaru's eyes, it was almost as though that boy had returned again.

At that moment, Tanjiro surpassed his limits.

Demon Power and Cursed Energy surged to their highest output. His reconstructed body began to crack under the strain, blood seeping from countless wounds.

Everything around him faded.

The sea, the sky, the Domain, even the world itself turned gray and white.

It was as if time had stopped.

Facing the incoming Purple, Tanjiro stepped forward with both hands on his sword.

"One-Sword Rakshasa."

In a single instant, the sixteen forms of the Hinokami Kagura were unleashed.

Flames roared like the descent of a fire god.

A blazing tide rushed toward Hollow Purple, ready to collide with that imaginary mass head-on.

Then, in the next moment, black mist surged.

Tanjiro vanished.

Space folded beneath Asuramaru's power, and his figure crossed the distance in an instant, appearing directly in front of Gojo Satoru.

"What?"

Even Gojo had not predicted that.

Teleportation was already too late.

Tanjiro's sword came out.

Endless flames, radiant as sunlight, poured across Gojo's face. For a brief instant, the figure before him seemed less like a swordsman and more like a deity descending through fire.

That single moment of distraction decided everything.

The sword passed through Gojo's neck.

His head flew.

Only then did Gojo realize what had happened.

"So, I lost..."

His vision blurred.

His consciousness sank toward darkness.

Then, in the next instant, he was standing upright again.

His body was completely unharmed.

Yuji Itadori stood beside him, looking at him with obvious concern.

"Are you okay?"

Gojo froze for a moment.

Then he reached up and touched his neck.

After confirming that his head was still attached, he let out a strange little laugh.

"Getting decapitated feels terrible. I do not recommend it."

The words had barely left his mouth when he noticed something ahead.

Behind Tanjiro, around the enormous sword that stood at the center of Ashura Kannon, a new sharp sword had appeared.

A figure walked out from within it.

Gojo looked at that figure.

His Six Eyes widened.

For a rare moment, he wondered whether he was seeing things.

But no matter how he looked, there was no mistake.

That person was him.

The same body. The same Cursed Technique. The same Six Eyes. Even with his own perception, Gojo could not find a single difference.

Only now did he truly understand how terrifying the legendary Asuramaru was.

Asuramaru spoke then.

"Although you lost, you were not bad."

Her crimson eyes rested on him.

"I can feel the desire hidden deep in your heart. For that reason, I'll give you one chance to use my power."

She paused.

"But remember this. It will only be a portion."

"To receive praise from you, what an honor."

Gojo's lips curled.

He had completely abandoned the idea of defeating that first Sword Master for now. That man was simply not an opponent a human could overcome by ordinary means.

Even so, curiosity still won.

"Can I at least know that Sword Master's name?"

"Tanjiro."

Asuramaru's voice carried a hint of pride.

"Tanjiro Kamado."

"Tanjiro Kamado, huh?"

Gojo smiled in satisfaction.

"I'll remember it."

Then, as if his near-death experience had never happened, he leaned closer with shameless enthusiasm.

"By the way, what's going on with that other me over there? Come on, tell me. I just got my head cut off. I deserve at least one explanation."

Asuramaru gave him a sideways look.

This man's nerve was impressive in the worst possible way.

Still, she was in a decent mood, so she answered.

"That is the effect of my Domain. Past Sword Masters and enemies I have slain are recorded by Ashura Kannon and can be used by me."

Gojo's expression froze.

.....

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