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Chapter 35

"Inosuke! Are you okay?!"
I ask him, relieved when he seems unharmed.

He tensed up and shouted.
"I am not okay because of you saving me! I would've been fine on my own, M/N!"

"I know that!"

Tanjiro joined us as well.
"Y/N, can you form some sort of bubble so I can try to smell the demon?"

I nod, easily bringing up the bubble of still air. Tanjiro closed his eyes, using his ability to its full potential.
"Can you hurry a little? The wind's really working against me right now."

"Below!"
He called out.
"Directly below us!"

I drop the bubble.
"Inosuke, think you can get to it?"

"Don't order me around! I'm your boss here!"

"Okay, fine!"

"Watch this!"
He jumped as high as he could, readying his swords as Tanjiro and I moved aside.
"Beast Breathing : Second Form! Rip and Tear!"
He landed with a strong impact, his blade tearing the metal apart to reveal the demon's bone.

My stomach turned slightly at the disgusting sight, but even so, I readied my blade alongside the boys.

"Water Breathing : Eighth Form! Waterfall Basin!"
Tanjiro's sword was met with a wall of flesh.
The tumorous mass burst with limbs and we all jumped out of the way, Tanjiro grabbing the man before doing so.

The cabin regenerated, forming a large bowl that filled with thick flesh.
"He regenerates so quickly!"
I speak up, realizing something.

"Tanjiro! Inosuke! We're going to use our Breathing Forms and bending without stop until we get to the bone! Give it no time to regenerate! One of us cuts the flesh, the others immediately strike the bone!"

Inosuke seemed confident in this.
"That might actually work! I'll be sure to praise you for this if it works, M/N!"

"Thank you!"
Tanjiro looks at me, and I nod, taking a deep breath.

We all get ready to strike, and just as we're about to charge in, a burst of flesh comes once more, this one covered in big, glossy eyes, the demon's voice coming once more.

"Blood Demon Art : Eyes of Forced Unconscious Sleep."

Realizing what was bound to happen, I scream a warning.
"Inosuke! Slit your throat in your dreams to wake up! Do it as many times as you fall asleep!"

The shockwave knocked me back, and I followed my own instructions as I awoke with a shock.
Another wave came over, and I realized something.
If I shut my eyes, his spell won't work anymore!

Once more I slit my throat, but am unable to close my eyes fast enough.
Tanjiro and I quickly jump and land inside of the fleshy bowl, but he also failed to close his eyes fast enough, asleep on his knees.

Again and again I cut off my own head, and again and again we fail to be fast enough.
I have to do this! The eyes are waiting for me every single time! They're everywhere!
I move my blade to my neck once more, but my arm is suddenly pinned down.

I open my eyes to look up, seeing Inosuke.
"This isn't a dream, M/N, this is real! Don't be fooled by his trap! Don't be stupid! Don't die a fool's death!"

"I wear the hide of the lord of the mountain, so I'm too scary to look in the eye, right?!"
He cut off a part of the flesh, Tanjiro awake once more.

"You're right! Inosuke, with that mask on, it's hard to tell where you're looking!"

The eyes vanished, and Inosuke readied his blade to cut off the mass covering the neck bone.
Tanjiro got ready as well, but right as we prepare to strike, the man from before charges at him with one of the sharp needles.
"You won't interfere with the dream!"

"Tanjiro!"
I quickly get in front of him, feeling the immediate pain of being stabbed in my stomach. I use the hilt of my sword to knock him out, trying to breathe as painlessly as possible.

"Y/N!"
"M/N! Did he stab you?!"

I turn around towards them, the needle still imbedded into me.
"I'm alright!"
I grab the man and drag him away, much to Inosuke's displeasure.

"Why bother with him?"

"He's just a victim of the demon! We can't let him die. Tanjiro, Inosuke! You two hurry and cut off the demon's head!"

The mass around us grew vicious, and forced us to dodge all of the hands coming our way.
We severed as many as possible, holding out as long as we needed to.

"Tanjiro! Inosuke! Breathe well! We need to cut off his head once and for all!"
I pull the needle from me, gathering as much air in my lungs as I needed to stay alert.

Cutting the arms in our way we jumped out onto the other carriage, and I breathe deeply.
"I'll send us high into the air. We need to strike at the same time, got it?!"

They nod, and once we're high up, falling down towards the core, the mass grows its hideous limbs covered in eyes, Inosuke protecting us from them.
"I'm going for him! Watch my back!"

He dove down straight for him, and Tanjiro and I cut as many of the limbs and eyes as our attacks can hit.

"Beast Breathing : Third Fang! Devour!"
With the bone now uncovered, Tanjiro and I went straight for it.

Tanjiro's sword was bright and aflame, and I saw my own arms and blade glowing brighter than ever before, both our swords striking on either side of the thick bone, cutting cleanly in half.

The impact of our hits sent out a massive burst of energy, knocking the train off the rails as the demon screamed its last breath, a piercing sound that ached from the inside.

I grab a tight hold of Tanjiro and brace myself, Inosuke close-by.
"We're gonna roll over! Brace yourselv-!"
I double down, the pain my breathing has put off for so long now coming back in full-force.

"Is your stomach okay?!"
Inosuke asked.

"I'm fine! Protect the passengers!"

Another impact on the train knocked us all into the air, and I did my best to grab the man that had originally stabbed me.

I can't let him die. I can't die, either! I don't want anyone to die!
Spirits, Amaterasu, Mother... Please!

Don't let me die!

《 •|• 《♡》 •|• 》

End

● Chapter 35: ●
● "Stay Alive" ●