•|• Avatar •||• Hashibira Inosuke x Reader •|•

Chapter 9

With fear in my eyes, I glance at Tanjiro, and he seems just as confused and terrified as I am.

I see the headless body charge towards Nezuko, and I immediately land a strong blow on it, keeping it away.

"You stay back!"
I yell at it, seeing Tanjiro fight the...

WHAT THE HELL?!

DID THAT HEAD JUST GROW A PAIR OF ARMS?!

I'm still for a moment, and unfortunately get struck in the stomach, sending me down to the ground in a new wave of pain.

Thankfully, Nezuko came to my aid and kicked back the body as I got up.

Seemingly stronger than before, we're both sent flying as it kicked us far from Tanjiro, charging at us.

I shakily get up just in time to hold it off as I used my airbending to launch the rocks from the ground at it.

It wasn't much but I could stun him for a while this way!

Me and Nezuko both took quite the blow from this guy, and we now didn't even have time to strike again as he kicked us around.

"Nezuko! Y/N!"
Tanjiro's voice is loud as I can hear him approach, and I'm thankful that he's alive.

"Get away from them!!"
He charges and tackles the body, but in the process he goes flying over the edge alongside it.

"Tanjiro!"

His scream made Nezuko immediately go and luckily grab him in time, and I help her bring him up.

"Are you okay?!"

He nods and hugs both me and Nezuko, happy we're mostly unharmed.

"What did you do with the weird head?"

He says nothing and gets up, Nezuko and I following behind.
We get back to the temple, where I can see the head stuck to a tree by Tanjiro's hatchet. It had quieted down, no longer screaming as it just... sat there...

Once we approach, Tanjiro takes out his knife to end him.
He's breathing heavily, hesitant in his decisions. And honestly I can't blame him.

I'm startled as I see a hand go to grab Tanjiro, blasting air out of habit.

He turns around, startled by my movements as we see a man with a tengu mask, wearing a sky-blue haori decorated in clouds.
I grip my staff tighter, afraid we'd have another fight coming for us.

He stares at me for a moment before looking back at Tanjiro, seemingly unphased by what I've just done.

"That knife won't do the job."

"O-Okay... How do I kill him then..?"
Tanjiro asks, still shaken up by the fight, whatever adrenaline we had in us now dying down.

"Think for yourself. Can't you solve your own problems?"

I grip my staff tighter and try to get a peek at the man, but not even my great eyesight can see past his mask and head covering.