Chapter 173

The Path of Opening a Steadfast Heart (がく) is the one hundred and seventy third chapter of Koyoharu Gotoge's Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Summary
Gyomei Himejima attempts to perform a Stone Breathing: Fifth Form - Arcs of Justice at Kokushibo but is interrupted by the latter's Moon Breathing: Sixteenth Form - Moonbow - Half Moon. The Stone Hashira is frustrated at the Upper Rank's never ending wave of techniques and senses that demon is too quick, picking him off exactly as he tries to fire off a technique.

Pondering over what it could be that the demon is seeing, Gyomei attempts to focus and refine his senses, saying that demons are mere transfigurations of the human form and anything they could do, a human could manage as well. Saying that his eyes could see human nature, Gyomei declares that he would not be misled. Kokushibo unleashes another attack and for a split second Gyomei, to his own shock, is able to see through him and discern his pulse.

Muichiro Tokito attempts to get in close to Kokushibo and slow him down so that he can create an opening for Gyomei or Sanemi Shinazugawa to cut off the demon's head. Gyomei notices this and coordinates with Sanemi to match Muichiro's run and distract Kokushibo from three sides, adjusting to Muichiro's plan on the fly.

Kokushibo sees this as an opportunity to defeat all three of them at once and unleashes a Moon Breathing: Fourteenth Form - Catastrophe - Tenman Crescent Moon at the Hashiras. All three manage to dodge his attacks however and Gyomei flings a Juzu bead right into the back of Kokushibo's right hand, shocking the demon just enough to halt his attacks and allow the Hashiras to launch their counter offensive. Sanemi attacks Kokushibo, forcing him back and Gyomei cleaves off the demon's right shoulder along with his arm and Muichiro finishes off this trifecta of attacks by stabbing Kokushibo clean through his abdomen.

Stunned, Kokushibo wonders how Muichiro had been able to dodge all his attacks while he was wounded. Deducing that this would only be possible if the child was also be capable of entering the Transparent World, Kokushibo acknowledges that Gyomei had also achieved such a state in the middle of their fight and had also taken his own eyes into account by manipulating his blood flow to throw off Kokushibo's attacks.

Undeterred since the Demon Slayers had been unable to sever his neck despite their clever maneuver, Kokushibo plans on analyzing their attacks to develop a counter and then render them demoralized. Gyomei and Sanemi charge at him and Kokushibo prepares to unleash another Sixteenth Form as Genya, looking demonic steps out from behind a Hashira and aims his transformed gun at the Upper Rank. He remembers Muichiro's advice to not hesitate and says to himself that as long as he is able to slow the demon down he is willing to go down with him. Genya fires his gun and Kokushibo quickly diverts his attack to block the bullets.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Kokushibo
 * Gyomei Himejima
 * Sanemi Shinazugawa
 * Muichiro Tokito
 * Genya Shinazugawa

Events

 * Gyomei and Muichiro enter the Transparent World.

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