Chapter 197

Tenacity is the one hundred and ninety seventh chapter of Koyoharu Gotōge's Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Summary
The apparition of Tamayo inside Muzan Kibutsuji's head tells him that there is no need for them to be stronger than him to kill him. She says that just as he would do anything to survive, then they who had suffered at his hands would do anything to kill him.

Muzan notes that in regular circumstances he would not be concerned at the bright red blades of Demon Slayers as they were all weaker than the bright red blade of Yoriichi Tsugikuni and that regeneration would not be so exhausting for him.

He curses the medicines injected into him by Tamayo as they had now rendered him susceptible to such exhaustion and made the attacks of the Demon Slayers far more potent than they normally would be. Realizing that it is different from the poison used on Doma, Muzan notes that it would take some time for him to analyze the compound and counteract it.

Suddenly, he seizes up and stands still with his head looking at the sky and for a moment Tanjiro Kamado believes that the Demon has finally started to get exhausted and that Tamayo's medicine was beginning to take it's toll on him. Both he and Obanai Iguro attempt to capitalize on this opportunity and attack Muzan but a giant shockwave with lightning erupts out of the Demon's body and strikes everything in close vicinity to Muzan. Huge jaws erupt from Muzan's torso and run along ut diagonally to his back as he bares his fangs and glares at the destruction he has caused. With Tanjiro and Obanai left stunned and unable to move and Tanjiro experiencing seizures, meanwhile Kiriya, Kanata and Kuina Ubuyashiki also receive damage from the attack due to the Kasugai Crow being instantly killed in the blast and Tengen Uzui and Shinjuro Rengoku rush to their aid.

Bleeding from his nose, Kiriya hastily says that he is fine and asks if Tanjiro and Obanai are doing alright as Shinjuro wonders if Muzan somehow sensed their location to be able to cause damage. Kuina announces that there are twenty five minutes left until dawn and Kiriya asks for the Demon Slayers to hang in there and that a final victory over Muzan was within their grasp.

Tanjiro is still unable to get up and wonders if his lungs were damaged in the attack, seeing Muzan walk away in anguish. However the Demon stops in his tracks as Inosuke Hashibira jumps in front of him with his Beast Breathing, Fourth Fang: Slice 'n' Dice, saying that Muzan had really done it now and that he wouldn't stand for it any longer. Enraged, Muzan attacks Inosuke with Tanjiro calling out for him but is only able to weakly flail his whips about.

Panting, Muzan realizes that he has become too tired after using the shockwave as Inosuke, huffing and wheezing himself, says that Gyomei Himejima had lost his leg trying to protect them and that Giyu Tomioka had lost his arm. Continuing, he tells the Demon that he had taken the lives of other Demon Slayers he had shared meals with and Inosuke demands that he give them all their lives back and tearfully says that if he couldn't then he would pay for it with a million deaths.

Muzan launches an attack at Inosuke who manages to jump out of the way but just as he lands, Muzan sends his right arm whips into the ground to catch Inosuke from below, managing to ensnare the young Demon Slayer. Tanjiro attempts to get up and help his friend but is unable to and says that he will die first. Suddenly, Inosuke is saved by Zenitsu Agatsuma who slices through Muzan's arm whip and says that Tanjiro is still alive as he can hear his heartbeat.

Yelling at Tanjiro to continue fighting and to stay alive, Zenitsu tries to bolster his spirits and tell him not to die so that Nezuko Kamado could become human again and they could go back to the house they used to live in. Muzan smacks Zenitsu into a building but Inosuke quickly slices at his whip to prevent further damage. The Demon is infuriated and attacks Inosuke as well with Tanjiro desperate to help his friends through this fight.

Positing that it could be a Blood Demon Art affecting his nervous system, Tanjiro attempts to undo it by stabbing himself in a non-vital area with his Nichirin Sword. The blade sizzles as it enters his body and Tanjiro prays that it stops the shaking enough for him to help out in the fight.

A disheveled looking Muzan looks on as Zenitsu and Inosuke recover and notes that he is unable to raise his arms anymore as both Giyu Tomioka and Gyomei Himejima make their way to the battlefield to resume their fight with him, stopping at nothing to finally kill Muzan once and for all.

Events

 * Tanjiro and Obanai are stunned by a last-ditch shockwave attack from Muzan.
 * Inosuke and Zenitsu join the fight to stall Muzan.
 * There are 25 minutes left till dawn.
 * Muzan becomes too exhausted to lift his arms
 * Giyu, Sanemi and Gyomei get back up and make their way to resume the fight.

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