|•| 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚂𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚎𝚛 |•| 𝕂𝕟𝕪 𝔽𝕒𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

XXVII

   Then she remembered what had happened and immediately sat up, startling the three. She then abruptly hit her head harshly on the ground.

   "I'm SO sorry I broke an arm, Kotetsu-kun! I didn't mean to do that! I promise!! Please don't kill me!", Kiyomi begged while bowing and crying.

   "I-it's okay Kiyomi-san. I think I can fix that. But besides that, you managed to take a hit at the powerful Zeroshiki!", the young boy exclaimed.

   "*Sniff... More like I managed to break the doll that was a hundred years old and I need to go to jail and get tortured and die and go to h3ll and perish...", Kiyomi mumbled while wiping her tears away, which made the two's sweat drop at her words.

   "You won't go to prison, Kiyomi.. And you're even stronger than me!", Tanjiro comforted, Kotetsu nodded in agreement.

   "And with that, no food for you today!", Kotetsu said to Tanjiro as he sulked. Kiyomi just giggled before patting Tanjiro's back.

   Six days later...

   "Agggh!!"

   "Gaaaah!!"

   "Ooowww!!"

   "I'm gonna diiiee!!"

   Whines from Tanjiro and Kiyomi were heard in the forest, they were failing at winning against the Zeroshiki doll.

   "Both of you are too slow! That was utter crap!! The two of you would've died already if those were real swords! Those are just wooden swords so get your acts together! I'm going to have the doll to hold real swords starting tomorrow. No food for you both today as well!", Kotetsu scolded. Tanjiro and Kiyomi cried from the pain.

   'Now I know what Tanjiro felt like.. This boy doesn't know a person's limit! My bones are broken.. It h#lla hurts!', Kiyomi cursed in her mind while Kotetsu kept telling them to stand up and fight again.
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   Tanjiro and Kiyomi haven't eaten for six days. Kotetsu also let them battle the doll together instead of taking turns, but they still lost to the doll. They managed to survive because of the rain, and Kiyomi was on the verge of fainting. She has a small stomach -probably because of her past illness taking away her appetite that she got used to it-, so she easily gets full yet easily gets hungry .

   Meanwhile, Nezuko and Wolfie are playing together under the shades of trees so Nezuko wouldn't burn.
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   The next day, Tanjiro and Kiyomi were fighting the doll as usual, and they made a new technique.

   Tanjiro went in the front of the doll while Kiyomi went from behind.

   "Now Kiyomi!", Tanjiro yelled as Kiyomi swung her sword towards the doll's neck, but the doll dodged and swung its sword at her. She moved fast and stepped on the sword of the doll as she jumped up high.

   "Now, Tanjiro!", Kiyomi yelled while she was at the sky. Tanjiro dashed at the doll and swung his sword towards the neck, but the doll blocked it and Tanjiro only cut its first arm.

   Kiyomi fell from the sky and tried to slice its head off, but the doll once again blocked, leading her to only cut the third arm.

   "You landed blows, Tanjiro-san and Kiyomi-san!! Both of you earned some food!!", Kotetsu cheered as the two cried in happiness.

   "Rice balls with plums!! Tea! Super high quality!!!", Tanjiro yelled as he and Kiyomi was slowly lifted up by Wolfie.

    Later...

    Tanjiro and Kiyomi were happily eating and drinking their food and tea that they deserved. Of course, Wolfie gets food too.

   "More please.", Tanjiro said.

   "There is no more.", Kotetsu shook his head.

   "Here, Tanjiro. I'm full, so you can have mine.", Kiyomi handed her last rice ball to Tanjiro.

   "Eeh? But didn't you only eat one?", Tanjiro said.

   "I have a small appetite, so I'll easily get full. Here, take it.", Kiyomi smiled. Tanjiro beamed in happiness as he happily took the rice ball after thanking her.

   Later, Kiyomi and Tanjiro got into training again, but Kiyomi insisted that they take turns because she knew this was the part that the doll finally breaks.

   "The doll only has three arms off, so this should be easy!", Kotetsu cheered.

    Kiyomi started first. She dashed towards the doll and swung her sword, aiming for its arms, but the doll blocked her sword and pushed her away, crashing her to a tree.

   "Are you okay, Kiyomi-san?", Kotetsu called.

   "Owowow.. I think I finally broke the last bone in my arms.. I don't think I can fight the doll. It's Tanjiro's turn.", Kiyomi hissed in pain as she looked at her bleeding arm.

   'I was supposed to fake an injury  so that I won't accidentally break the doll and won't earn the sword instead of Tanjiro, but this is not a fake injury!... Eh, at least Tanjiro will get his sword.', she frowned for a moment before shrugging her shoulders.

   Now it was Tanjiro's turn. (Let's skip the fight, shall we? I'm too lazy..)

  "Cut it down!!! I don't care if you break it!! I'll fix it for sure!!", Kotetsu yelled to Tanjiro who almost finally beat the doll.

   Tanjiro swung his sword towards the doll's neck, completely cutting its head off, which it revealed an ancient sword.
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   To Be Continued