The Path of Opening a Steadfast Heart (
Summary[]
Kokushibo uses Sixteenth Form: Moonbow Half Moon.
Gyomei attempts to perform Stone Breathing, Fifth Form, but is intercepted by Kokushibo's Moon Breathing, Sixteenth Form: Moonbow, Half Moon, summoning downward striking slashes around him and Sanemi. The Stone Hashira grows frustrated by how many forms his Breathing Style has, and most concerning is the battle's current direction; Kokushibo is too fast for them, he cannot attack in return, and despite his every action being based on anticipation, the battle's pace is too fast for him. Making any mistake means Kokushibo will pin him before getting the chance to attack.
As the demon is seemingly predicting the moment he attempts to use a technique, Gyomei wonders what kind of divine power Kokushibo is using, what his eyes see and what he is seeing. Despite the tides of the battle, he resolves to find out, acknowledging that demons are just transformed humans; anything they can do, humans can as well, and he declares that his blind eyes can see a person's true nature, never to be misled.
Gyomei sees into the Transparent World.
As they continue, Gyomei watches Kokushibo performing an attack, and to his shock, he can perceive his pulse and see through his bones and muscles for a moment. At the same time, Muichiro resolves to get inside the demon's attack range; if he can slow down Upper Rank One's movements for even a second, it will enable Sanemi and Gyomei to behead him. Having lost an arm and with the bleeding continuing to worsen, he does not have much time left and pushes himself to act while he can move. Suddenly, Gyomei yells out Sanemi's name, and simultaneously, all three Hashira charge towards Kokushibo; Muichiro realizes that the other Hashira are adjusting to his plan.
Seeing this, Kokushibo remarks they have no option left but a frontal assault, which he can use to wipe out the three all at once. Using Moon Breathing, Fourteenth Form: Catastrophe, Tenman Crescent Moon, he envelops the area before him in swaths of large, rotating slashes covered in crescent blades. Muichiro pushes himself to squeeze between the gaps of the attack, while Sanemi resorts to ducking beneath the slashes instead. Gyomei suddenly throws a bead from his rosary, hitting Kokushibo's hand.
Muichiro stabs Kokushibo, losing his left leg.
Though it doesn't harm him, he questions if he threw it at the moment he swung his chain and how it got past his vision. Kokushibo then bends back to avoid Sanemi's Dust Whirlwind Cutter, but has his right arm destroyed by Gyomei's flail instantly afterwards. As he heals his arm and attempts to determine how Gyomei slipped past his view, his torso is unexpectedly stabbed by Muichiro, who loses his left leg and is slashed in the neck while doing so. However, his carotid artery isn’t harmed and allows Muichiro to keep fighting.
Kokushibo questions how the wounded Muichiro slipped past his attacks; at first, he believes it was due to Gyomei’s bead slowing him down, but he soon realizes that Muichiro’s eyes now see the same world as he does. He also determines that Gyomei is seeing through the Transparent World as well; though he only began using it in the middle of the fight, the Stone Hashira has already begun fighting while taking his vision into account, manipulating his blood flow to disturb his attack pattern.
Kokushibo blocks Genya's shot.
Despite the unexpected developments of the battle, Kokushibo remains confident as none of their blades have reached his neck; if he can understand their plan, it will fall apart quickly. As he raises his katana to perform Moon Breathing’s sixteenth form, Muichiro resolves to hold on no matter what happens to him. Genya appears from behind the cover, his eyes now red and yellow like Kokushibo’s and bearing a mark on his head. He recalls Muichiro’s previous words allowing him to shoot at Kokushibo despite being in the bullets’ path, to pay him no heed anymore; if he can stop Kokushibo from moving, he must shoot without hesitation.
Pointing his now altered shotgun, Genya fires at Upper One, who reacts by slashing away the bullets.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Events[]
- Muichiro Tokito, Genya Shinazugawa, Sanemi Shinazugawa and Gyomei Himejima vs Kokushibo.
- Gyomei senses that Kokushibo's vision is giving him the advantage. Attempting to learn how causes him to inadvertently see into the Transparent World.
- Muichiro, Sanemi, and Gyomei attack at once to avoid Kokushibo's wide-sweeping attack, resulting in Muichiro stabbing his katana into the demon at the cost of his leg.
- Kokushibo determines that Muichiro and Gyomei are seeing into the Transparent World.
- As Kokushibo attempts to wipe out all three Hashira, Genya, now appearing like Kokushibo, fires his shotgun to distract him.