Loved | •Pillars X Reader•

29. please

"Genya?! You're alive? Are you going to put your body back together?"

"Well uhh.. upper moon 1's hair is over there. Can you get it and uhh help me eat it? I want to fight until the end.... I'll protect aniki... I don't wanna let him die."

"Alright... We'll fight together. To the very end."

"I see, so you have gotten your mark. How unfortunate."

"Unfortunate?"

Asked the beaten up stone pillar.

"Based on your looks.. I'm guessing your age is about 27.. more or less"

"And whats wrong with that."

He asked. Swinging his weapon around.

"I will lament your loss...

Every single marked person... Dies before reaching the age of 25.

Even if your mark appears... And increases your power.. in the end you're only borrowing living time."

Neither of the two had any distinguishable facial expression.

"You're past the age of twenty five. And for you mark only now... You are probably going to die sometime tonight. Your body. Your technique. You have devoted every day to get to this point. And now you'll vanish. Don't you think that's regrettable?"

"No."

"No?"

"Everyone who has been marked knows this story. Even if the mark never appeared, As long as I am part of the demon hunters, there's no guarantee that I'll see the next sunrise."

"So you knew.. you all knew."

"What is there to regret about my life now? You can't become a pillar with that kind of half-hearted resolution."

The demon still had no expression.

"But I wasn't talking about something as meaningless your life..."

"Your excessive insults. Are making my body seethe in anger."

"Why can't you understand.. you fool. By becoming a demon.. you can preserve your body.. preserve your techniques..."

Gyomeis face was full of anger. How dare this demon talk to him like this. Even consider that he would join his side. It truly disgusted him.

"There is nothing to understand. We humans find that living and dying as a human being preserves out dignity. Don't you dare force your pathetic worldview and call it supreme."

"Oh."

Gyomei had calmed down a bit.

"I realised this after we spoke just now, but you told a lie."

The demon looked a bit puzzled.

"Heh... What are you saying? I did not lie about any-"

"There must've been an exception. There must've been someone who lived past the age of 25 after receiving their mark."

Kokushibo looked stunned. Angered. Confused.

"You seem disturbed. Looks like my understanding hit the bulls-eye... Am I ri"

The demon went into to attack. But gyomei still held his ground. Though, it was obvious he wouldn't be able to defeat him alone. Anyone would be useful right now, sanemi, (y/n), giyuu any pillar. But it got him thinking.

My life can't be meaningless. I've helped people right? I've helped so many... I can't even remember all their names.

'gyomei-sama!'