The Sun Will Always Rise Again

Chapter 32: Staying Together

Concentrate! Control your breathing! Unleash the most precise, final form!, Tanjiro's head snapped up again, a determined look present on his face, Total concentration! Then, he launched forward.

"You still don't realize how futile it is?", Rui asked, sounding annoyed at the boy's advances while he sent another set of spider threads his way.

Tanjiro however, was able to block all of them, the strings clashing with his sword.

Your eyes followed his every move as Rui's threads were further digging into your skin. You were just so captivated by the way Tanjiro spun through the air, that it made you forget all about the pain you were currently under.

Water breathing! Tenth form! Constant flux!, Tanjiro pushed down his sword and finally managed to cut through two of Rui's strings, I slashed them! I was able to slash the threads!, he thought as his face slightly lit up at this achievement.

Even though you would have loved to share the excitement about this with him, you knew better...Your head shot towards Rui, to observe his reactions. His eyes only widened for a split of a second. Then, his face normalized again as if nothing had happened.

I can do it! If I can keep closing the distance between us, I can defeat him!, Tanjiro sprinted closer and closer to Rui and constantly slashed the strings heading his way.

You got gradually more nervous. Even though you knew everything would probably turn out fine in the end, there was this small voice in your head, telling you to just do something and help.

So, you tried it again, pulling at the threads that captured you. However, it was completely futile. I would just get more hurt by moving..., you thought grimly staring at your left hand, which still held the power of Kyogai's claw attack. Unless..., an insane idea plopped into your mind.

Without another thought, you started twisting your left hand around. The only thing you needed to have free was this hand, if you could get it out of the imprisonment, it could help Tanjiro!

You tried to suppress the tears that were threatening to roll down your face as you continued to wiggle your hand around, causing the threads to cut through your skin more and more. At this rate, you were almost willingly hurting yourself. It did not matter though...you would manage to heal your wounds eventually and if it was just pain...you would be able to get through it!

You were strongminded to get your hand out of this – even when it was starting to feel numb already from all the blood loss – until that confidence was shattered when a cold voice entered your ears.

"Hey...You don't think these threads are at maximum strength, do you?", the threads around Rui's hands started to turn red, "Blood demon art...cutting thread cage." He pulled his hands up, creating a roundish globe made out of his strings around Tanjiro. There was no way out of it...and the threads were closing in, trapping the boy inside.

"NO!!", you shouted and tried ripping your hand out of your restraints with more force this time, making a bunch of blood douse from your deep cuts down to the ground. As you could feel the threads almost cutting your hand off, your head snapped back to Tanjiro. "No!! Tanjiro- please!!", frustration was pouring from your voice. You were terrified something would go wrong right now. Then, you turned to the still sleeping Nezuko. You hoped she would wake up soon, because if she would not, you would have another problem!

Rui eyed you for a split second, before he addressed the boy in his cage "I have no more use for you. Goodbye."

Tanjiro only faintly heard your cries as if they were miles away from him No good! I can't slash these threads! I'm still not getting enough rotations. These are giving off a totally different scent than the other threads! But I can't afford to lose, no matter what!, a dozen of images flashed before his eyes. From his family, friends, people he had met, the battles he went to, the happy times with his siblings and you. Your face was prominent in a lot of his memories together with Nezuko. He would not be able to save the one's he loved, that dawning realization made his blood run cold, I'm gonna die. I'm gonna lose! I'm-