In the dead of night, Shinobu awoke with thoughts of yesterday's meeting running through her mind. As she remembered his words and his behavior towards her, she couldn't help but feel a mixture of hurt and anger.
She recalled his face during the meeting, the pain and anger etched onto his features. It was painful to see him like that.
In the quiet of her room, Shinobu sat up and let her mind drift to the past, to when she first met Y/n. She remembered the spark of attraction that she had felt for him, the way he made her laugh and the way he seemed to understand her like no one else had before.
She recalled the deep conversations they had, the sense of shared experiences and interests they shared. Despite all the hardship of the recent events, she remembered why she had fallen with him in the first place.
-One Year Ago-
Y/n, a quiet, reserved demon slayer, was patrolling the icy mountain pass, looking for any signs of demon activity. As he trekked through the snow, he spotted a lone figure sitting on a nearby ledge.
The figure was a beautiful young woman with deep purple eyes, and
Y/n couldn't help but be drawn to her. He made his way closer, and as he approached, he heard the sound of her whispering quietly to herself.
He couldn't make out what she was saying, but there was something about her tone that was hypnotizing. As he listened closely, Y/n's curiosity got the better of him, and he broke the silence by saying;
"Greetings, Insect Pillar."
The woman's eyes snapped to him, and he was struck by the intensity of her gaze.
"What do you want?" she asked, her voice cold and distant. Y/n felt a pang of disappointment; her response had been almost dismissive.
He was about to turn away when he noticed the lack of comfort in her eyes, but he couldn't turn his back on someone who was clearly in distress.
He took a deep breath and decided to try again, this time with more empathy. "I just wanted to talk," he said, his voice calm and measured. "You looked like you might need a friend."
At his words, the woman's eyes widened slightly, as if she had been taken aback by his kindness. She studied him for a moment, the silence between them growing heavy. And then, finally, she spoke.
"Why?"
He simply said "I don't know and I don't care. Just kinda seems we need to talk. Is it destiny?"
"How'd you even.." Shinobu looks at him, sitting next to her.
"Ah, I'm assuming you haven't recognize me." Y/n was a bit dissapointed.
.
"Ah, yes. You're.. the new Tsugoko." Shinobu remembers, turning her eyes forward.
"You're really pretty, you know." The young man said, still looking at her eyes.
She reads his tone and expression.
'Is he being genuine?' Shinobu thought to herself. Her expression was one of surprise and embarrassment.
She had never been called pretty before, and the unexpected compliment caught her off guard. She lowered her gaze, feeling shy and awkward.
However, there was also a small hint of gratitude in her eyes - she appreciated Y/n's kind words, she had never thought anyone would say that, bur they made her feel warm and fuzzy inside.
"The sun's gonna rise. It's the end of your patrols, right? You should rest, Shinobu-san." He said, every word, and everything he said was genuine.
-Present-
She remember his genuine look. a face full of kindness and respect. using it to only cover and bottle up his emotions. They really do have alot in common.
Out of nowhere, Shinobu heard the distant sound of earth shaking, the low tremor of vibrations that traveled through the air. And with it, she heard the sound of blades clashing together, the metallic ring of metal on metal, the sound of swords striking each other in a fierce battle.
Feeling a sense of urgency, Shinobu quickly put on her haori, knowing that she needed to go and investigate. She knew that she had no idea what she was going to find, but she couldn't ignore the sound of battle.
She made her way through the halls, her footsteps echoing in the darkness, as she grabs a mochi. She rounded the corner and got out of the mansion. making her way to the source.
Back to the main fight...
The sight was one of awe and wonder as Y/n appeared from nowhere, a giant fiery dragon blazing in the night sky. He met Kokushibou's countless crescent moons, the two forces striking each other in a battle of epic proportions.
As they clashed and battled, the air was filled with fire and smoke, the ground shaking beneath their feet. Y/n rushed forward, his fiery sword beating furiously, the flames surrounding him.
"Amazing. still..." The demon whispers.
He met Kokushibou head-on, the two exchanging powerful blows, parrying and attacking one another, as the whole forest has gone into a huge crater.
"Your technique lacks something."
With the help of his scabbard, Y/n slashed Kokushibou across the arm and chest with lightning-fast strikes, his blade cutting through the demon's flesh and causing him to stumble backwards, his body smoking and bleeding. Yet Kokushibou regenarates again. like it was nothing.
'pant'
'sigh'
"Pathetic. You... earn to bathe in the blood of your enemies. but you hold it back." Kokushibo whispers, as he finally managed to get him exhausted.
"What are you even waiting for? Come on, brat. aren't you supposed to be the legend? the chosen one,
Y/n Tsugikuni."
The battle had taken its toll on Y/n. His clothes were torn and bloodied, as were his skin and muscles. His blade lay on the ground, still smoking from the heat of the fight. He was panting, wheezing, his breathing heavy and labored. His heart was beating so fast, it felt like it was going to burst through his chest.
Kokushibou stood in front of him, his body still smoking from the fiery attacks, his expression grim yet empty. He seemed to have said something, but Y/n's eardrums were ringing, and the only sound he could hear was the beating of his own heart.
Y/n felt defeated, his body bloodied and his spirit broken. He had fought with everything he had, but it was not enough, it was never enough. He stood there, staring at the demon in front of him, a sense of powerlessness washing over him like a wave. waiting for the inevitable.
Kokushibo lowered himself to Y/n's level, crouching before him, the blood dripping from his body. He raised a hand to Y/n, his touch cold like ice. The blood dripped from his hand, pooling in Y/n's, and the demon hissed,
"Drink it. Drink my blood, and let your body be transformed. Become one of the demons, and never be defeated again. Let the power of Muzan flow through your veins and give in to your desires."
However, Y/n's eardrums had been damaged by Kokushibo's loud ass attacks, and he could hear only the pounding of his own heart and his breathing. He looked at the blood, his mind running wild, trying to understand what Kokushibo had just said, but he could not hear anything. He was confused and dazed, the exhaustion of the battle weighing on him like lead.
Shinobu lands on a tree branch. she saw him standing there, panting and struggling to rise, his body battered and bloodied.
And then she saw Kokushibo offer Y/n a taste of his power. She knew what he was doing, knew that he was trying to corrupt his soul, to turn him into a demon. And she knew that Y/n, being the gentle soul that he was, would never do such a thing.
But her heart sank as she saw the confusion and uncertainty on Y/n's face. In an instant, she was on her feet and running, knowing that she had to stop the conversion before it was too late.
She felt a sense of panic and urgency coursing through her, a sense of dread washing over her as she realized what she was going to do.
As she landed between the two, She launched herself into a spinning kick, her leg flying forward in a sharp arc. Her foot connected with the demon's hand, sending the blood spilling to the ground, and in the same motion, she swung her up, following with another kick to the head.
It was a question mark kick, a high-level technique that most fighters would have struggled to pull off, but for Shinobu, it was almost second nature.
She knew that this was useless, that it's only a waste of stamina. but she couldn't help but think that it was the only way to get him away from Y/n. her sword was only used to thrust anyway, so her options was limited.
Kokushibo stumbled back, his eyes wide with surprise as he regarded the blood splattered on the ground and the blood dripping down his hand.
he looks back to the figure who did it, and was furious. he couldn't let her get away after wasting so much demon blood.
Y/n's expression was one of confusion, his mind still reeling from the demon's offer. He turned to Shinobu as she landed between the two of them, and his eyes widened in surprise.
He got to see her move like that again, so graceful and precise. He saw her kick, sending the demon's blood flying, and he saw her land, stepping back to her stance, ready to fight. In that moment, Y/n realized just how fortunate he was to have her by his side.
"Can you move?" Shinobu whispers, still unaware of Y/n's capablity to hear as of right now.
The latter saw the Insect Hashira's lips move, he couldn't make of what she just said. Instead, he points to Kokushibo with his half-severed finger.
"Uppermoon.. One." He said, still standing.
"Moon Breathing."
Mirror of Misfortune, Moonlit
Kokushibo stood near them, his katana poised for an attack. With a sudden burst of speed, he swung his katana forward in a crescent-shaped slash, a powerful arc of steel that sent out a wave of straight and crescent slashes, each one spreading further and further, expanding outward towards them
Shinobu drew her sword and Y/n grabbed his katana, both assuming a stance to defend themselves. the sun pillar was exhausted. he had a feeling that if he uses the sun style again, his lungs are gonna burst.
"Insect Breathing."
"Modified True Flutter: Shadow Plum"
"Flame Breathing."
"Fourth Form: Blooming Flame"
With a swift movement, Shinobu rotated her forearm, releasing a rotating sword slash that intercepted several of Kokushibo's slashes. Y/n followed, his katana moving in the same fluid motion, adding to the defense. The two's movements were in perfect coordination, their skills complementing each other.
The rotating slashes deflected Kokushibo's, sending them flying in different directions, but his attack continued, his blade swinging faster and faster, forcing them to work even harder. their swords moving with a beautiful grace.
Y/n was exhausted, his body bearing the weight of the hours of fighting he had endured earlier on his own. The wound Kokushibo's attack had inflicted was still open, the flesh torn and raw. He felt his body heavy, it was a struggle to move.
"GHRRHAA!" The crimson slayer mark appears yet again. growing from his chest to his left cheek. but just like earlier, it gave him power. at least for now.
Despite the pain and the exhaustion, he knew that he needed to keep moving. He tried to ignore the pain, focusing on the task ahead.
He moved his legs, waist, hip, body and arm just to perfect one single slash, as his body feels heavier with every step. the pain was unbearable. the blood of his torned flesh still drawing. and it made him scream in pain to the point that he no longer possess to care anymore, as he slashes, slashes, and slashes the incoming crescent moons.
Shinobu also gave it her best. thrusting and stabbing each and every crescent moons, reflecting it back to the owner.
As the sun neared the horizon, Kokushibo's expression shifted to one of frustration. He knew this fight couldn't continue indefinitely, and he had to end it quickly.
.
.
.
"Hinokami Kagura."
Fake Rainbow
A figure stood behind him, covered in rainbow searing flames.
-___-___-___-___-
Hellow, again! Nice to see you. How're you doing?
Did you enjoy this chapter?! Please do leave a comment down there! It really keeps me going with the updates!!!
Welp, see you next time on...