A Big Brother's Back

Even with Yuji already struck down, the brawl between Naoya and Choso pushes on. The aspiring Zenin heir and the Death Painting trade blows and convictions alike. When Naoya sneers at how much punishment Choso can absorb, Choso replies that his duty to nine younger brothers is precisely what keeps him standing.

Naoya clarifies he meant Choso's technique and durability, then disappears. Choso has packed Flowing Red Scale into the muscles around his eyes to follow the speed, but Naoya counters the counter and quietly carves a wound with a concealed knife, gambling that steady bleeding will end things. He scoffs at sorcerers who show off weapons and at his own brothers leaning on theirs.

The fight turns to family. Naoya states that elder brothers weaker than their juniors may as well die, while Choso argues that older siblings act as guides regardless of strength. Choso proposes Naoya is only strong because his brothers are weak, then reveals his own strength came from having no one ahead of him, forcing him to learn from his own missteps. Since Death Paintings hold blood from both humans and cursed spirits, Choso converts cursed energy into blood and never bleeds out.

Choso raises a wall of blood, feints a slow Slicing Exorcism, and fires Piercing Blood. Some blood clings to Naoya's hakama and drags his legs down. Choso lines up his finisher and looses Supernova, a move refined over 150 years, scattering blood every direction into Naoya. As Choso apologizes that he cannot grasp how Naoya never loved his brothers, Yuta returns hauling an unconscious Yuji, beats Choso to the floor, and remarks that Naoya looks injured.

The installment closes the fight of Choso against Naoya Zenin in Shibuya during the Culling Game Arc. Choso and Naoya share the cover, and the events reached Episode 49. Toji Fushiguro comes up in the brothers' argument. Choso's arsenal here covers Blood Manipulation alongside Supernova, Convergence, Slicing Exorcism, Piercing Blood, and the Stack form of Flowing Red Scale. Naoya relies on Projection Sorcery, and Yuta brings Reverse Cursed Technique.