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Chapter 41

"And you're so tall. Jeez, how big are you? Over six feet! I bet women fawn all over you."
He cracked his neck, a horrid sound that echoed in the small room, the woman still sobbing in the corner like a small child.

"I must admit I'm jealous. Truly, jealous. So just die already. I hope you go painfully. Maybe if your stomach cut open..."

She suddenly screamed.
"Gyutaro! It's not just him! There's more! You gotta kill the ones that burned me, too!"
The demon broke down in tears again, her voice no longer imposing, just weak and miserable.

"I fought as best as I could, I really did! But they ganged up on me, Gyutaro!"

"Tsk... My adorable little sister... left with no head on her shoulders. We can't have that, oh no. I'll kill everyone who messed with her."

He readied to strike.
"And when you go, don't forget that it was Gyutaro that took your life!"
In a flash, he threw his weapons throughout, dust rising and Uzui and him no longer in sight.

From behind, footsteps emerge, and we're relieved to see our comrades.
"Inosuke!"
I shout, seeing Zenitsu by his side.
"Zenitsu, too! Wait... is he asleep?!"

Tanjiro warned them.
"Go in and help Uzui! Hurry!"

Inosuke seemed unharmed, much to my relief, as he confidently raised his swords.
"Leave it to me and rest up! Me, Lord Inosuke! I'm gonna be reeeeeeal flashy!"

"Y/N, help me put Nezuko in her box!"

I nod, and we search through the rubble to find her wooden box, whose definitely seen better days. We gently set her inside, a makeshift cloth muzzle having to do for now. Tanjiro's heaving all this time.

"Are you ok? You're breathing really heavy."
I worry, setting a hand on his shoulder, breaking him out of his thoughts.

"If I can still move, I can still fight. I'm staying in it until the end. How about you?"

I smile at him.
"In it till the end. C'mon, let's go help them."

He nods.

《 •|•》

Reaching the site of the battle, following the explosions that deafened the forest, we land onto the ground, right between Gyutaro and Uzui.

"Tch. No matter how many Low-Rankers you bring, you're all going to die. So don't get too worked up."

He's far more imposing than the female demon. His misshapen body, his thick, suffocating aura, everything about him is more frightening than her. Are they connected? Two demons sharing a rank? Is that possible?

"Ha! We're the Demon Slayer Corps... You think we're gonna give up that easily?"
Uzui's voice is loud and clear, albeit somewhat worn out.

"You can't win if your Hashira is poisoned!"

My eyes widen and my head snaps back to Uzui.
Poisoned?
To my surprise, he really was. His eyes were tired and veins popped across his skin, but he smiled. He was still confident, even with poison running through his blood.

"Listen up, demonette! We'll win, and we'll do it easily! I may be poisoned, but I'm still more than your equal! Don't underestimate us humans!"
His voice boomed through the place, sharing that same passionate brightness Rengoku once glowed with.
"These four are the very best of all my minions! They'll stand true till the very end! You cut off their limbs, and they'll fight with their teeth! You stand no chance against a Hashira, the Avatar and three powerful swordsmen!"

Uzui radiated confidence, filling me with a sense of  strength. As if his very sound had the power to strip your mind and heart of lingering fear.

"Besides, I've already figured out how to beat you! I just have to cut off both your heads at once! I'm right, you know I am! Otherwise, you would've already absorbed your sister and unified your powers, but that'd make you vulnerable, wouldn't it? You two are so simple!"

He laughed.
"Many slayers died trying to accomplish that simple task. Even some Hashira... I've eaten fifteen of you... My sister seven more."

"Yeah! Until dawn breaks, none of you are safe. And a long night is always on our side! So just give up now!"

In a crackling flash full of a burning heat, Zenitsu flashed through the room and out the roof, the obi-demon after him.

"Leave the worm-woman to us! You guys handle the mantis! Let's go!!"
Inosuke cheered, waving to us one last time.

"Watch yourselves!"

"I- You too!"
I shout back, gripping my sword tighter.

We get ready.
Heavens, my hands are shaking... My skin is covered in goosebumps.
It's an Upper Rank, it's no surprise.

Stand firm.
Uzui is poisoned, Tanjiro's bound to hit his true limit if he overexerts himself.
I have to protect them.
The second he shifts, I'm going to swing my sword. The tiniest breath, and I'm attacking.

Before I know it, he's right in front of me, and I throw myself backward, narrowly having missed a scythe to my throat. A burst of explosions and clashing of metal begins the second Uzui has a clear path.

Damn it! Protect, Y/N, not get protected!
What am I doing?!

A swarm of obi cover the top, and Tanjiro and I know what to do.

"Hah, you were lying about their abilities as Tsuguko. They're nowhere near what you said they were. That won't do, that really won't do!"

《 •|• 《♡》 •|• 》

● Chapter 41: ●
● "Nezuko" ●