Chapter Text
Exterior - The Beach, Main Lobby - Continuous
...NINE...
Niragi/Venom's countdown echoed through the silent courtyard. It was the sound of an execution clock. Arisu knew they had no choice.
ARISU (Whispering, drenched in sweat) Usagi... don't look at him... look for an escape route...
...EIGHT...
The eyes of the other survivors, once filled with fear, began to change in some. Desperation pushed them to pick a side... and siding with the strongest monster was better than a meaningless death.
...SEVEN...
A few men began to move slowly, splitting up to encircle Arisu and Usagi. They had fully become "The Hounds."
USAGI (Gritting her teeth) What do we do...
...FOUR...
...THREE...
...TWO...
ARISU (Grabbing Usagi’s hand) RUN!!!
...ONE!!!
As the final count dropped, Arisu and Usagi bolted like arrows released from a bow. They didn't run for the exit, but deeper into the ruins of the hotel, using the complex terrain to their advantage.
NIRAGI/VENOM (Laughing with satisfaction) HAHAHAHA! THAT'S IT! RUN, LITTLE BUNNIES! RUN! AND YOU LOT! BRING THEM TO ME!!!
The "Hounds" gave chase instantly. The twisted hunt had begun. Footsteps, shouts, and the sound of crashing debris filled the dark, smoky air.
Niragi/Venom didn't rush to follow immediately. He was savoring the chaos he had created... enjoying his newfound power.
But then...
ZWOOOOM—!!!
The air in the center of the lobby... right above Momoka's body... twisted violently.
It was like the dimensional rift that had sucked Eddie in before. A tear in reality formed. That high-pitched, ear-splitting screech rang out again.
Before anyone could react... a man's body was spat out of the rift. He slammed down on one knee, cracking the concrete floor beneath him.
He wore a purple hexagon-patterned kimono stained with blood—both his enemies' and his own. His tall, imposing frame bore several grievous wounds, but they were knitting themselves back together slowly, steam rising from the regenerating flesh.
But the most terrifying thing was his face... Six Eyes. All wide with confusion and utter rage. Engraved in the middle pair of eyes were the kanji for "Upper Rank" (上弦) and "One" (壱).
Kokushibo.
He was still panting heavily from a battle that had occurred just a split second ago. In his hand, he gripped a grotesque katana... a blade made from his own flesh, covered in unblinking eyes.
KOKUSHIBO (Muttering to himself) ...What is this? The Wind Hashira and Stone Hashira's attacks... they were not this powerful... Where... is this place?
The entire hunt ground to a halt. Every eye—Arisu, Usagi, and the Hounds—stared at the newcomer who looked just as terrifying as the monster they already feared.
Niragi/Venom narrowed his eyes. He sensed a different aura... not human, but not like him either. It was the aura of a predator who had survived centuries of slaughter.
NIRAGI/VENOM Seems like... we have a lot of uninvited guests tonight... Who the fuck are you? Part of the game?
Kokushibo’s six eyes snapped to focus on Niragi/Venom instantly. His demon instincts screamed... the black figure before him smelled of death, evil, and bloodlust... but it was not a demon he recognized. It did not carry the scent of Him... Muzan.
But to Kokushibo... whatever it was... it was an anomaly that needed to be removed.
The flesh blade in his hand trembled. All his eyes locked onto the new enemy.
KOKUSHIBO (Voice cold and commanding) Demon...
KOKUSHIBO Your appearance is repulsive... but your aura... is strong...
He stood to his full height slowly. The rift behind him had closed, leaving him trapped in this unknown new world... with interesting new prey.
NIRAGI/VENOM Strong? HAHAHA! You haven't seen anything yet!
Kokushibo didn't reply. He simply raised his blade into a stance. The air around him turned ice-cold.
KOKUSHIBO I do not know what you are... and I do not care...
KOKUSHIBO Since you stand in my way... perish.
The tension in the air was palpable. Every survivor... whether fleeing or hunting... stood frozen like statues. They had become mere spectators in a festival of unimaginable horror.
Arisu and Usagi watched in dread. Kokushibo was arguably more terrifying than Venom. His six eyes and alien sword looked like something out of a nightmare.
Niragi/Venom showed no fear, only excitement at facing an unknown foe.
NIRAGI/VENOM HAHAHAHA! What are you blabbering about?! If you want to die, come get some! I'll tear you apart and eat you whole!
KOKUSHIBO (Coldly) Absurd.
No more words. Kokushibo launched himself at Niragi/Venom with superhuman speed!
KOKUSHIBO Moon Breathing, First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace.
The katana in Kokushibo’s hand flashed in the darkness. He drew it with merciless precision, creating a singular, horizontal slash. But along the path of the blade, countless chaotic crescent blades materialized.
SLASH! CRACK! THWIP-THWIP!
The attack was too fast and erratic for the human eye to follow. Niragi/Venom screamed in pain for the first time since bonding!
NIRAGI/VENOM ARGHHH!!! WHAT THE FUCK!?
The black substance on Niragi/Venom’s body was sliced away like hot butter, revealing Niragi’s skin underneath. A massive gash opened up, deep enough to expose bone! It wasn't just a scratch; it was a devastating wound.
Fresh red blood sprayed from Niragi/Venom’s body like never before.
VENOM (Panicked voice in head) He... he cut us! I've never felt this before!
NIRAGI (Confused and terrified voice in head) What are you saying!? It hurts! It fucking hurts!
The wounds began to heal rapidly, but not instantaneously like before. Kokushibo didn't stop there. He spun and swung his blade again!
KOKUSHIBO Moon Breathing, Sixth Form: Perpetual Night, Lonely Moon - Incessant.
Kokushibo unleashed a wild storm of slashes in multiple directions. Countless crescent moon blades spiraled out, tearing into Niragi/Venom like a tempest that cut everything in its path.
SLASH-SLASH-SLASH-SLASH!!!
Niragi/Venom didn't even have time to scream. He was slashed repeatedly until his body looked like it was being shredded from the inside. Black substance flew off in chunks, revealing a mangled Niragi underneath.
NIRAGI/VENOM NO! IMPOSSIBLE! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU!?
KOKUSHIBO (Standing perfectly still) Just a demon...
Kokushibo showed no emotion. His six eyes remained calm. He sensed the black figure before him was durable... but directionless and untrained.
NIRAGI/VENOM (Roaring with rage) YOU... MUST... DIE!!!
Niragi/Venom gathered all his remaining strength. Dozens of black tendrils shot out from his back in a frenzy! Steel whips, sharp spikes, and symbiote blades formed simultaneously, attacking Kokushibo from every direction!
It was the most violent and sudden attack Niragi/Venom had ever unleashed!
Interior - Corridor of The Beach - Continuous
Arisu and Usagi, having put some distance between themselves and the crowd, heard the battle intensifying until the floor and walls shook.
ARISU (Panting) What is happening out there...
They looked back through a gap in the crumbled wall. What they saw... made their blood run cold.
The image of two monsters fighting fiercely... the invisible flashes of sword strikes... and the symbiote attacks that looked like giant octopus tentacles...
USAGI (Trembling voice) What kind of game... is this?
Dozens of thorny tendrils and blades rushed at Kokushibo from all sides. It was a formless storm of destruction, crushing the concrete floor and debris around him into dust.
But Kokushibo... stood calm.
His six eyes tracked every single trajectory perfectly. To him, this wasn't a storm... it was the pathetic flailing of prey.
When the first tendril was less than an arm's length away... he moved.
KOKUSHIBO Moon Breathing, Sixteenth Form: Moonbow, Half Moon.
Kokushibo didn't dodge... instead, he swung his blade downward, creating a massive multi-slashing attack that crashed down from above like a falling sky.
What followed wasn't a fight... it was a massacre.
A dome of giant crescent moon slashes erupted around Kokushibo. It was a whirlwind of lunar blades spinning madly, shredding everything that entered its range.
Every symbiote tendril that rushed in... was minced into tiny pieces in a blink!
SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!
No screams. Only the sound of flesh being pulverized. The black substance that once looked so formidable dissolved into the air like morning mist.
When the lunar storm settled, Kokushibo stood in the same spot, sword held in a finishing stance. Not a single scratch on him. Conversely... Niragi/Venom’s body, standing a distance away, was riddled with countless wounds, barely holding together.
VENOM (Voice filled with genuine terror) RUN! WE MUST RUN NOW! THIS THING... IT'S NOT HUMAN! IT'S NOT ALIVE! IT IS... DEATH!
NIRAGI (Screaming in thought, insanely) NO! IMPOSSIBLE! NO ONE IS BETTER THAN ME! NO ONE!!!
The internal conflict caused Niragi/Venom’s body to tremble violently. The black substance tried to separate from the critically injured Niragi to flee for its life, but Niragi held onto it with madness and arrogant pride.
Kokushibo watched the scene with indifferent eyes. He sensed the fear... and the weakness.
KOKUSHIBO It is finished.
He vanished from where he stood...
Like the wind... his figure appeared behind Niragi/Venom in an instant.
KOKUSHIBO Moon Breathing, Eighth Form: Moon-Dragon Ringtail.
The katana was swung just once... a simple, horizontal slash... but perfect.
...Schwing...
Everything went silent.
Niragi’s head... half of which was still Venom... flew into the air. His eyes were wide with disbelief and panic. Then, it fell to the ground with a wet thud.
His headless body stood still for a moment... before the symbiote mass let out a final, mournful shriek and rapidly dissolved off the corpse. It became a puddle of critically injured, terrified black slime. It quickly slithered away, disappearing into the darkest shadows of the ruins, fleeing for its life.
Niragi’s body, now free of the symbiote... collapsed to the floor... stone dead.
Kokushibo slowly flicked the blood off his blade. He glanced at the corpse with empty eyes.
KOKUSHIBO Weak... just a fake demon with no substance.
He sheathed his sword... and turned slowly.
His six eyes... now focused on the remaining survivors... Arisu, Usagi, Chishiya, and the others who stood frozen like statues.
Niragi’s hunting game was over...
But for Upper Rank One... a new hunt...
...had only just begun.