丨Soar丨 Kimetsu no Yaiba x OC｜

Chapter 44

"GET OUT OF MY WAY!!!" Akaza roared, the sunlight was inching closer.

Clutching her eyepatch, Chizuko lowered her head. Honestly, she had no idea how Kyojuro and Senjuro would react to her secret.

"You are very brave!" Kyojuro's warm hand found its way to ruffle Chizuko's hair, "And you will always have my approval no matter what! Have faith in yourself! Young Suzuki! I believe in you! And so does everyone else!"

Tanjiro staggered towards the trio, "Inosuke!!!! Help them!!!!! Hurry!!!!"

"Beast Breathing, First Fang, Pierce!!!" Inosuke sprinted pass Tanjiro, raising his twin blades, aiming for Akaza's neck.

Boom!

Kyojuro, Chizuko and Inosuke, who were the closest to Akaza, were flung backwards by the massive shockwave.

Tanjiro's mouth fell agape, what just happened!!? His eyes widened, did Akaza just blast his own arms off!!? Anger escalated in him, Akaza is running away.

"R-Rengoku-sama..." the bones in Chizuko's arms were fractured, the pain in her ribs didn't subside, she was devoid of any strength. Still, she stood, tumbling to where Kyojuro was.

Chizuko tripped over, blood oozed from her knees that were scarred by the gravel on the ground. Yet she stood immediately, stumbling until she reached Kyojuro.

"R-Ren..." Chizuko couldn't take it anymore, she broke down in ugly, guttural sobs as she collapsed on her knees. She felt as if her heart was ripped apart piece by piece in a slow and almost taunting manner. The agonising pain seemed to come from the deepest part of her soul, shattering her from the core.

"WHERE ARE YOU GOING!!? YOU COWARD!!!" Tanjiro howled from afar, hurling his sword at Akaza, "DON'T RUN AWAY!!!"

Akaza halted in his tracks as Tanjiro's sword penetrated his chest, eyes wide with disbelief. He didn't understand what Tanjiro was saying, he wasn't running away, at least not from the demon slayers. The fight was over, Kyojuro would die soon. And if he were unfortunate, he would have accidentally finished off Chizuko as well, which would probably upset Muzan not just for a bit, but that didn't matter for now. Anyways, he had won, hadn't he?

"Us demon slayers are humans! Humans with flesh and blood! Our wounds don't heal quickly! Loose limbs don't grow back!" Tanjiro yelled, his gentle voice was rough with unfamiliar rage, "And yet you only fight us at night! When you are at advantage! Why are you running away!! You are just a coward who is afraid to admit that you lost!! That Rengoku-san is much stronger than you!! That he fought until the end!! That he protected everyone!!"

Chizuko's hands were trembling, she fumbled through the remaining bandages she had, almost dropping the bottles of medicine. It was as if the faucet to her tears was broken, she couldn't stop tearing even if she was on the verge of dehydration. I can stop his bleeding, Chizuko pressed on Kyojuro's wound, but the vast amount of blood staining the bandages bursted the bubbles of her hope. Chizuko squeezed her eyes shut, if the gods can hear her, please perform a miracle, let her stop his bleeding.

"It is your DEFEAT!!" Tanjiro bellowed, "The victory belongs to Rengoku-san!!!!" he then fell to the floor, breaking down in heart wrenching wails.

It should have been her, Chizuko couldn't help but sob as she listened to Tanjiro's words. If she hadn't been sick, if she hadn't passed out, if her sword hadn't been snapped, then Kyojuro might have had the chance to live. Please, gods, please let him live, Chizuko begged. Kyojuro had a family to return to, she would rather it had been her. As Akaza had said, she wasn't to live for long. If one life had to be sacrificed tonight, why not take her worthless life instead? Why was she, the ill girl, spared? Why were good lives go to waste?

"Suzuki... Kamado... Don't cry so hard," Kyojuro spoke up suddenly, smiling for the two kids, "You two are injured badly. Your ribs may pierce your lungs if you keep on crying, Suzuki. And Kamado, the gash on your belly would open up... If the two of you die, I won't have my victory anymore."

"Come here," Kyojuro gestured to Tanjiro, "Let's have a little chat at the end."

"You first... Kamado," Kyojuro took a deep breath, "I was reminded of something in my dream on the train. Go to visit House Rengoku, there are many scrolls from the previous flame hashira. My father often reads them, but I didn't... I have no idea what is written down, but there is a possibility that the Hinokami Kagura would be recorded."

"P-Please, Rengoku-san! St-Stop your bleeding first!" Tanjiro stopped Kyojuro from talking, "Chizuko-san!! I-Is there a way to stop it? C-Can he use his breathing?"

"No, I am going to die soon," Kyojuro answered for Chizuko, "But I have something important to say, please listen."

Knowing it was Kyojuro's last wishes, Chizuko and Tanjiro muffled their cries, giving Kyojuro the quietness he needed.

"Please tell Senjuro to follow the path his heart thinks is right... and my father to take care of himself... and..." Kyojuro paused for a bit to catch his breath, "I believe in your sister, Tanjiro... I saw how she shed her own blood to protect humans... You both are members of the demon slaying corps, stand tall and be proud, no matter what others may say! No matter how weak or unworthy you feel... keep your gear heart burning, grit your teeth and keep going forward! Do not just curl up into a ball and cry! Time won't stop for you while you wallow in grief."

The dawning sun shone on Kyojuro, illuminating his golden hair, "Don't worry over my death, I am a hashira, it is my job to shield the juniors. Any hashira would do the same, we wouldn't allow the young buds to be plucked... Tanjiro... Boarboy... and Blondie... You will keep learning and growing! And I believe you will become the pillars of the demon slaying corps someday!"

"I believe in you," Tanjiro tried his best to hide his sob.

"And Suzuki..." Kyojuro reached to ruffle Chizuko's hair, he knew this would be the last time he'd be petting her head, "I know what you are thinking... It shouldn't have been you... You are still so young... You still have a long life to live, I believe your disease will be cured, do not ever loose the hope of living!"

"Remember the first day we met?" Kyojuro's smile grew wider, "I remember it clearly... Kocho had written a letter to me a few days prior, asking if I can assist you in walking out of the shadows of your past... And upon meeting you... I decided that I shall take you under my wing, to show you the kindness the world has to offer! Bit by bit you did grow up, challenged with perhaps more difficulties than I faced..."

"You never gave up... Suzuki, you never gave in to fate... Just as how you gritted you teeth that day... catching up to me and Kanroji despite barely having received any training... Your tendency to work hard... to be kind... to bear everything... I admire that," Kyojuro gently covered Chizuko's eye with her eyepatch, "Sometimes my heart aches watching you... You have to grow up too soon... Do not fear of asking us for help, Chizuko, we are here for you, and I promise we won't feel burdened! Everyone sees you as their little sister... I'm sure Iguro and Shinazugawa feels the same... even if they don't show it."

"My time is up. But Suzuki, Kamado, Boarboy and Blondie, your times have just started! Live your life with blazing hearts and passion! Or else... I would be angry when we meet again someday... a long long time later," Kyojuro chuckled to himself, staring into distance, until he seemed to see someone and smiled wholeheartedly for the very last time.

Chizuko calm facade crumbled, she never thought it was possible to burst into more sobs. Someone had stabbed her soul, twisted and turned the dagger, leaving an incurable wound. Did the gods not hear her prayers? Why did it have to end like this? Why did it have to be today?

Kyojuro is gone, her big brother is gone, another family member of hers is taken away.

Zenitsu started explaining something, but Chizuko couldn't hear him. Her head spun, and she fell sideways.

"Chizuko-san!!? Are you alright!!?? Chizuko-san!!!!! Don't die!!!!" Tanjiro's worried cries was the last thing she thought she heard.