Naomi's P. O. V:
"You may not be the strongest, but what you lack in strength, you make up for in speed. You're even faster than Shinobu, and that's something you should be proud of," Giyu says as we stand on the porch of the Butterfly Estate, his arms around me. "You are the strongest person I know, and I'm proud to be called your lover."
"Naomi...! Naomi...! Hey, wake up! This is no time to be napping. We gotta go help Kamado!" My eyes peel open as Tengen's face swims into focus. Immense relief glimmers in his eyes as he sees me waking up.
"T-Tengen..." I stutter, wincing as I sit up. He looks worse for wear than I do. His white hair is all over the place, headband tilted and he's covered in wounds. Not to mention, missing his left hand. The smell of smoke fills my nose as the Sound Hashira helps me to sit up. I gasp once I take in all the flames around us. "What the bloody hell happened? And where's Tanjiro-kun?!" It was then I notice the redhead wasn't there.
I faintly hear the sounds of fighting and screaming, and I see Zenitsu fighting the white haired demon girl, trying to sever her neck as he zooms in the sky with a powerful Thunder Breathing technique.
"I do believe he's fighting Gyutaro on his own. We gotta go lend him a hand." I flicker my gaze down to Tengen's stump of a left wrist and hood my eyes. He sweat drops slightly as I couldn't help the pun in his words. "Errr, you know what I mean, Nao. Anyway, do you think you could stand? If not, I'm gonna have to leave you here."
I realise something and gasp, jerking my head to him, "Wait a minute, Tengen! How are you still alive?! I thought Gyutaro's poison killed you?!"
I'm pretty sure he was dead the last time I checked...
He smirks cockily at me as he responds, "Heh! I just simply forced my heart to stop and played dead. It seemed to have fooled even a demon into thinking I was actually dead."
"Only you, Tengen," I say with an exasperated shake of my head.
"Now, come on! I need your help to defeat Gyutaro," Tengen urges as he helps me to my feet. I pick up my sword and smile determinedly as I nod my head.
"Let's end this!" I say before we turn and use our full speed to head for Tanjiro and Gyutaro. When we find them, I gasp as I see the green haired demon about to take out Tanjiro's left fuschia eye with his Blood Sickle. I unleash my full speed and get in between Tanjiro and Gyutaro, shocking the both of them to gasp out loud as I block the curved blade, my pink hair swaying about my face, anger burning in my pink and purple eyes. My lip pulls back in a snarl, reverberating over the street. "That kick hurt, and you almost killed my baby, you son of a bitch!!"
With that, my body moves n a blur as I throw Gyutaro away with a flourish.
Tengen appears beside me, one of his blades gripped in his mouth, shocking Tanjiro and Gyutaro even more. Tengen brandishes his twin swords with a flourish as I do the same with my single sword, making it appear easy with his one good hand.
"Uzui-san! Suishou-san!" Tanjiro exclaims in immense relief.
Tengen says with a crazed look on his face, eyes wild, "I've finished my Musical Score Technique! We're going for the win! Naomi, follow my lead!"
"Right behind you!" I say as I take off after my friend.
"Don't make me laugh!" Gyutaro shouts. He fires several Blood Sickles at us.
I follow Tengen as he cuts a path through them, counting as he goes. "Ichi! San! Shichi! Go! I! Kin! I can read it! That filthy score of yours!"
"Amazing!" Tanjiro gasps as he follows us.
Gyutaro jumps away from Tengen and I and sticks to a roof of a building in a crouch. He suddenly yells, "Don't give me this crap!"
Gyutaro launches himself off of the roof and toward Tengen and I. He swings each of his Blood Sickles for us. Tengen and I block them, creating an explosion. I easily keep up with the males as we dance around each other while deflecting the green haired demon's Blood Sickles.
Gyutaro kicks us both away and sends more Blades of Blood out to us. Tengen and I flip around just in time to deflect them. They crystallise whenever my sword hits them.
Tengen and I block Gyutaro's blades as he launches himself for us once again, then we go flying forward. Tengen, Gyutaro and I cry out as we deflect each other's blades, explosions ringing out from Tengen's swords.
As Tengen and I continue to battle it out with the demon, Tanjiro charges towards us. Tengen kicks me back in time to avoid a Blood Sickle going for my stomach, only for it to pierce his own, then his left shoulder.
"Don't stop!" I yell to Tanjiro as Tengen and I continue to push back against Gyutaro.
"Jump!" The Sound Hashira adds.
The Kamado does just that, nichirin blade held at the ready.
Gyutaro thrusts one of his poisoned sickles into Tanjiro's jaw. Despite his obviously broken fingers which are purple, Tanjiro musters his strength and thrusts his blade into the side of the demon's neck.
But it gets lodged in only halfway.
Tanjiro gives a cry of exertion then, and I see a mark that resembles a Demon Slayer mark in the form of flames forming over his forehead scar. His strength is enhanced and Tanjiro pushes his sword further into the green haired demon's neck.
I see a few obis about to slice into Zenitsu, but they were cut before they could reach him as Inosuke looms beside them, blood spraying from the nose holes in his boar mask.
How the bloody hell did he survive?! Is he a freaking immortal I didn't know about?!
However he survived, I'm just glad he's alive and is able to help us.
Gyutaro clenches his teeth tighter as Tanjiro's blade slides further along his neck. But he's unable to counterattack. Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke all give war cries as they force their nichirin blades through the demon's necks.
Seemingly at the same time, the boy's swords slice both demon's heads off and they fly through the air, spraying blood, stunned, disbelieving expressions on their faces, mouths agape.
The siblings' heads hit the ground with squishy thuds before they bounce along the ground. Gyutaro's and his sister's heads finally roll to a stop right next to each other as they face one another.
I also notice the third eye missing from the demon girl's head.
Tengen and I slump on our hands and knees, pain dancing through my body.
There's no way I'm going to die here. I have to get back to Yu-kun. I promised him I would once I'd slain the demon in this district. I'm not about to break that promise.
Tanjiro is coughing sharply, his fuschia eyes wide as blood spills down his jaw, eyes and face. I know he's in so much pain, he could barely move. I'm surprised he was even able to behead the Upper Rank in his state.
That's one tough kid, that's for sure.
I gaze at the Kamado in concern as he continues to cough sharply, trying to get air back into him. The Blood Sickle may no longer be in his jaw, but because there's so much poison coursing through his body, Tanjiro is barely able to move.
Tengen and I see Gyutaro's body getting ready to explode poisoned blood and we turn toward the Sun Breather. He's unable to stop coughing.
Tengen yells at him, "Kamado, get up! It's not over yet!"
Tanjiro begins swaying in place as I add, "Run! This isn't over yet!" I get the feeling he's so wracked with poison that Tanjiro is on the verge of blacking out, so he's barely able to hear us.
Not. Good.
Tengen and I scream, "RUUUNNN!!"
Just as Gyutaro's body explodes with poisoned blood.
The last thing I remember was the Sound Hashira grabbing me with his good hand and throwing me beneath him on the ground to shield me from the powerful explosion of poisoned blood.
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I know, I know, a cliffhanger!! I can't believe the episode ended just like that!
But the final episode is gonna be forty five minutes long! Who's ready?! And who else thinks this is one of Demon Slayer's darkest battles at the moment?!
Tengen and Naomi aren't as close as she is with Sanemi, Shinobu, Mitsuri or Muichirou, but they're good comrades, and I feel like they may have gotten closer since the Entertainment District Arc. And I don't think Tengen is protecting Naomi with his life just because of his promise to Giyu.
I'd love to know your guy's thoughts on Tengen's and Naomi's friendship!