Tsunami of Dead Tears: Part 1

Chapter 21 (FINALE)

Tanjiro turned to the red-eyed demon. It arched it's back and delivered a very crude and improper Water Surface Slash. Due to the poor execution of the technique, the slash only cut in front of the demon, not in a 360 degree circle like it is supposed to.

Tanjiro, seeing this as an opportunity, rushed towards the shadow, holding his blade in front of his chest to block the attack. As he dashed through the shadow's crude Water Surface Slash, he curled himself into a position to sever it's umbilical cord, but felt a sharp flare of pain on his right leg.

The shadow had cut him.

When Tanjiro tried to block the shadow's strike, he held the sword in front of his chest. Unfortunately, Akihiro hadn't mastered the technique, so the shadow's blade was aimed lower, down to the waist. That way, the shadow's strike went under Tanjiro's block, slicing an ugly slash into his leg.

Clutching his wound, Tanjiro tried to step away, but the shadow was already sprinting towards him. Tanjiro tried to back off, but the shadow already held it's sword behind itself, ready to deliver another Water Surface Slash.

Desperate, Tanjiro tensed his heels, conquering the pain. He sprung up, above the shadow as it swung it's sword. Tanjiro held his blade in a mid-air stance and sliced the shadow's umbilical cord, making the shadow dissolve into nothing.

Tanjiro landed on his side, dust and grime flying all over him. Tanjiro resisted the urge to pass out and stood back up on his feet. Akihiro walked towards him, blade in hand.

Blood Demon Art: Opprobium...

Akihiro's mask twisted and contorted. As it became more and more distorted, a long nose protruded from it. As the contorting stopped, Akihiro's mask was morphed into a violent depiction of Urokodaki's mask.

He had literally mocked and ridiculed Urokodaki's image.

Akihiro swung his sword at Tanjiro rapidly, Tanjiro barely able to keep up with his pace from his limping. As they fought, Tanjiro could hear faint whispers from Akihiro's mask.

500 more times! Do it again! Stop that shaking! Your effort is pitiful! You crawl like old people screw! What are you even doing here?! 

Tanjiro, at that moment, felt a deep sense of pity for Akihiro. A boy that wanted to fight for humanity, but in the end, humanity rejected him..

Tanjiro stumbled on his feet and fell on his back. He managed to sit up, but by that moment, Akihiro clashed on his blade. He pushed lower at Tanjiro's face. Akihiro's blade had somehow heated up to a dangerous degree. Tanjiro could feel the tips of his hair charring at the touch of Akihiro's katana. His demonic strength was just too much for Tanjiro to bear. He knew he needed to do something, and he needed to do something fast.

"Urokodaki loved you as a son!" Tanjiro blurted out. "It was his faults as a father that made you this way!"

Akihiro paused at this. Tanjiro took advantage of the situation and rolled away from him, getting back up.

"You slithering devil!" Akihiro yelled. "You said that just to get away!"

"No..." Tanjiro muttered, his breath short and his strength shorter. "Although I did take advantage of your stalling, I meant it. He loved you once."

"ONCE!" Akihiro yelled. "By the time I was strong enough to love him back, as a son, he had already given up as a father!"

"I know! It's cruel, and you've been wronged, but he realized what he had done! That's why he let himself die in your hands!"