"Those are...temari balls?" You said.
The demon girl laughs and starts throwing the temaries again.
While they were going around, it was about to hit Tamayo and Yushiro, but it went to another direction. But as the temari ball went to a different direction, it hits Yushiro's head making it splatter.
"Yushiro...! Damn it. Nezuko take the lady sleeping in the back room somewhere safe outside!" Tanjiro said, and nezuko nods.
"It's too dangerous outside! We have a basement, so take her there!" Tamayo says.
"Understood! Nezuko!"
Nezuko ran to get the woman. You stood besides Tanjiro and focused on the flying temari balls.
"Tanjiro..."
"This demon is giving off a different scent. Is it stronger? It's a really thick scent!" He said.
"Just stick by my side and focus" you said.
The balls come back to the demon woman and chuckles.
"The demon hunter wearing hanafuda-like earrings...it's you, isn't it?"
Tanjiro was a bit shocked.
"Miss Tamayo! Please find a place to hide! I'm the one those demons are after!"
"Tanjiro, I want you and (y/n) to fight without worrying about us. We'll be fine without your protection. Since we're demons"
"Tanjiro, straight ahead. Get ready"
He focuses back on the demon woman.
"All right. It's all over for you now!"
She throws a temari ball with such speed.
She threw it faster then before. And she threw only one. No doubt it's gonna go after Tanjiro.
As the ball goes straight towards Tanjiro, Tanjiro gets ready as he stabs the ball forward instead of striking it sideways.
He thrusted the ball that easy? Wait no, somethings got to be wrong here.
The ball then starts making movement again as it comes out of Tanjiro's sword and comes back to the demon girl.
Something is obviously moving that temari ball.
"Yushiro...Yushiro!" Tamayo called out for Yushiro, as Yushiro was able to regenerate his head bad.
"La..."
This freaked out Tanjiro.
"Lady Tamayo! Didn't I tell you? That we shouldn't get involved with those demon hunters! From the start! My blindfold technique is still a work in progress! I know you're well aware of that yourself! I may be able to conceal the presence of the buildings and people, their scent, but it's not like I can mask their very existence! The greater our numbers, the more traces we'll leave, and the greater the odds that Kibutsuji will discover us! Anyone who ruins the time I spend alone with you... I despise such people! I despise them with a passion! It's unforgivable!"
The demon woman laughs and started taking off her haori and kimono.
"Hey, he's babbling! What fun this is! What fun this is! To be killed by me, one of the twelve demon moons...you should be honored!"
Twelve demon moon...? Don't make me laugh, you're not even that strong to me.
"Twelve demon moons?"
"They serve directly under Kibutsuji!" Tamayo says.
The demon girl starts to laugh as she grew arms and started bouncing more temari balls.
"Now then, let's keep playing! Until morning comes! Until you die!" She started throwing the temari balls at Tanjiro and you.
Focus. Concentrate your breathing. Stay calm.
Temaries were everywhere in the small room. Making it a bit more difficult to avoid. Dodging everywhere and blocking every ball, you used your form.
"Breath of Dragon, First form, Iron Claw!"
Your sword hardens, as you created a huge slash on almost all of the balls. You had to be careful with using your moves with people close by you.
Damn, I didn't get them all. They keep moving everywhere. There's another demon not seeming to do anything, but he may be the reason for these temaries movements.
Some of your moves are dealt in open space areas, but in this case you had to be careful.
The temari balls misted away, but there were still some coming towards you and Tanjiro's way. Soon the balls hit Yushiro and Tamayo.
"Miss tamayo! Yushiro!"
Tanjiro was about to make go to their side, but he couldn't because of the temari balls.
"We'll be healed soon enough! So don't worry!"
"Hey! Moron demon hunters if you look at the arrows, you can tell which direction they're going! Dodge the arrows!" Yushiro said.
"Arrows?"
"I knew there was a demon controlling these temari balls. But we can't seem to see the arrows you're talking about!" You said.
"Seriously, I'm going to lend you two my sense of sight! That should at least enable you two to behead that temari woman! Yushiro throws two talismans at your heads.
Soon you and tanjiro both see the arrows moving around. The temari balls started moving towards you two while you both were dodging it.
"Thanks, Yushiro! We can see the arrows now, too!" Tanjiro said.
"Then hurry up and defeat her!"
"Tanjiro, I'm going outside!" You said.
"Right back at you!"
Nezuko then comes back in the room.
"Nezuko, let's go outside! Take care of the demon up in the tree, while me and (y/n) take care of the other one!" Nezuko nods then goes outside and takes care of the other demon in the trees.
"So they're only after you?" You asked.
"Yeah..."
"The demon hunter wearing hanafuda-like earrings...and it seems that you must be the dragon pillar. Hehe I guess I'll be bringing two heads to him"
"Dragon pillar?"
"Hahahaha what fun this is!" The temari demon starts throwing the balls.
You and Tanjiro went opposite ways as the temari balls went through different directions, chasing you and Tanjiro.
Soon you see that the temari balls stopped, assuming that Nezuko found the demon in the trees. You cut all the balls and head straight for the demon.
But you see that tanjiro took care of that. You see the flow of his technique, it looked like your brother's.
He didn't go for its head.
"Miss Tamayo! Are these two demons closely related to Kibutsuji?" Tanjiro asked.
"Most likely"
"Then, I'm going to extract blood from them for sure!"
"Then you should probably hurry, demons like them can regenerate fast!" You said.
The demon woman's arms started incinerating.
"Hahaha you think you're going to extract blood from us? I don't know what you're scheming, but I won't allow you to do anything to displease him! If you think you can extract blood from us twelve demon moons, then have it!"
You huffed out of little amusement. The demon looks at you.
"Huh? What's so funny you little insect?"
"You talk big, saying you're a part of the twelve demon moons, but I see how you can't really create that much of a huge damage. There's a difference. So in the end, you're basically a nobody"
"You're looking down on me!? Fine! You'll be the one I kill first, then let's see who's the nobody!" The demon started growing back her arms again in no time.
"Watch your backs! Don't let your guard down for a second! If those two really are twelve demon moons, then they're undeniably more formidable than any demon you've killed until now!" Yushiro said.
"Right! Understood! (Y/n), watch my back! And don't let your guard down for a second!" Tanjiro said.
That should be my line...I've never really faced any of the moon demons before, but I'm just sensing that this woman isn't all too strong. If Tanjiro literally cut off her arms that easily, then there's no problem with cutting her head off for me.
"Understood" You said.
"All right! Let's do our best!"
"Lady Tamayo! Let's use those three as decoys and escape!" Yushiro said.
Tamayo gasps in horror from Yushiro's suggestion.
"I'm just kidding!" He said as a joke, though I don't think now would be a good time for that.
"I'm going to bring your heads to him!"
Tanjiro started to sweat, and soon was bumped by Nezuko from the trees.
"Nezuko!"
The other demon comes out from above and smirks.
"Now then, why don't all of you die at once?" The demon throws a ball at you and Tanjiro along with Nezuko in his arms.
"Tanjiro—!" You weren't quick enough as you had to dodge the ball.
But luckily Tanjiro dodges the ball in no time securing Nezuko.
"Are you okay, Nezuko?"
"Hey, demon hunter!" Yushiro calls out to Tanjiro.
"You get rid of that arrow man first! We'll take on the temari woman with your sister and lover!"
"Understoo—h-hey, wait! (Y/n) not—!"
"Just go!"
"Right! Nezuko, whatever you do, don't push yourself too hard. I'm counting on you two"
Soon the two were off. While Tanjiro was going to take care of the arrowed demon, you and Nezuko were going to take care of the temari demon.
You focused on the woman but you turned to see Tanjiro get pushed around by the arrows. You were about to go help him, until you sensed a temari ball go straight for your head, but you dodged it quickly.
"Hahaha, hey, redhead! Pay attention over here! Don't forget that I'm killing you first!"
You started to get irritated by that demon.
Though you remembered that you weren't alone. Nezuko and Yushiro were here to help.
Nezuko was dodging the temaries, while Yushiro ran towards the demon but then disappears.
"He vanished?"
Yushiro started attacking her till she was on her knees.
"You hurt Lady Tamayo! I'll never forgive you for that!" He said.
"Tamayo? Hey, Susamaru, the one over there...wouldn't that be Tamayo the fugitive? What a great souvenir she'll make" the arrow demon says.
"Is that right?" The temari demon throws the balls again. Nezuko soon went head on for it.
"Idiot!"
"You mustn't kick it!"
Nezuko then loses a leg from the ball. The demon laughs and kicks her back in the house.
"Shit! Nezuko!"
"Hahaha what fun this is! What fun this is! I like kemari, too! Yahaba! Will five heads be enough to take home?"
"No. We're taking three. The demon hunters, and the fugitive. We have no use for the other two" he says.
The temari demon starts throwing temari balls at you now. You focused and dodged the balls. You started running to the demon.
Stay calm. Focus breathing.
"Hahaha, you think you're gonna kill me that easily just cause your a pillar?" The temari demon started creating a mass of dust from the ground, making you lose sight of the demon.
You stopped and stood still focusing where the temaries will strike. You sensed the temari balls coming for you.
You dodged and strike each one of them.
Even if dust hides your existence, I can still find you.
"Ridiculous! It's child play for me to evade a linear attack like this! Locating you is a breeze, as well!" Yushiro disappears and starts running for the temari demon.
You watched where Yushiro was going, but you felt that the demon knew where he was going.
"I can see you clear as day!"
"Watch out!" You tried to make it in time to help Yushiro.
That was till Nezuko came out of no where and kicked the ball back. This time her leg didn't come off.
"Ehaha. What fun this is!"
"Nezuko...!"
"Hey, you! Don't be so rash just because you're immortal!" Yushiro said.
Nezuko just stares at Yushiro for a while.
"Wh-what's wrong?"
Nezuko then rubs Yushiro's head gently making him blush.
"What do you think you're doing? Here it comes!"
A temari ball comes at you three but then Nezuko kicks the ball back each time.
"Look at her. Lady Tamayo..."
As Nezuko kicks the ball back, the temari woman felt the force come back to her. This pissed her off to the point of doing the same as Nezuko.
It's been going back and forth.
"You little brat!"
"Unbelievable...Lady Tamayo, is this..."
"I used a healing serum on her. Nothing more. Made exclusively for demons. It doesn't make one physically stronger. What we're seeing is Nezuko's own power. Without her devouring human blood...solely on her own...Nezuko is gaining strength at a rapid rate"
Nezuko kicks the ball back straight through the wall, creating a hole.
"Ahahaha, you're an amusing little girl! This time, I'm going all-out against you!" She brings out her temaries again.
"I wonder how long you can hold out!"
"Breathe of Dragon, Second form, 30-pound dragon!"
A whirlwind dragon forced the demon girl up in the air cutting off her arms again.
"Damn you! Stay out of this!"
She regrew her arms again, and as she was about to strike you along with Nezuko, Tamayo stepped in front.
"Twelve demon girl there"
"You're in my way too! Step back, you damn fugitive!"
"Just tell me one thing please. Are you aware of Kibutsuji's true identity?"
The temari demon jolted in fear.
"What the hell did you say?"
"That man is nothing but a coward. He lives in constant fear of something"
"Stop it. Damn you! Stop it!"
"Do you know why it is that demons can't band together? The reason why demons cannibalize each other? It's to prevent other demons from banding together and attacking him. He manipulates demons to act this way. Demons like you"
"Sh-Shut up! Shut up, shut up! No way is he that petty! The power he wields is mind-blowing! There's no one stronger than him! Not lord Kibutsuji!" Soon she realized that she said his name as she dropped her temaries, and covered her mouth out of fear. You never seen a demon this frightened before.
What's going on...
You then smelled the scent of blood and see that Tamayo was casting a blood art spell.
Yushiro quickly covers your mouth with a rag.
"Don't inhale Lady Tamayo's spell" he said.
You obliged and covered your mouth.
"You've uttered that name out loud, haven't you? That will trigger the curse. I do feel sorry for you, but...farewell"
The temari demon started running away screaming.
"Please forgive me, please forgive me! I'm begging you! Please! Please forgive me!"
The demon's body started to look bad, and soon giant arms started coming out of her own body. This surprised you a lot. Everyone witnessed the horror.
What the hell...is this?
The giant arms started crushing the demon girl's body, until there was nothing left of her. When it was over, Tamayo went up to the only thing left behind the demon. Her orange bloodied kimono.
"Did she just die?" Tanjiro said.
"She will die momentarily. That's the curse. Her physical body will be destroyed by Kibutsuji's cells still in her body. In general, battles between demons are futile. It's pointless. Because they can't inflict fatal wounds on each other. Only sunlight and swords of the demon slayers can do so. Kibutsuji alone appears to be able to destroy demon cells" Tamayo says.
Yushiro quickly runs to tanjiro and covers his mouth.
"Don't go inhaling Lady Tamayo's spell! It's harmful to the human body! You got that?"
Tanjiro nods.
"Tanjiro...she is not one of the twelve moons. The twelve demon moons have numbers engraved on their eyeballs, but this demon doesn't have one. Most likely, the other demon isn't a member of the twelve moons, either" Tamayo says.
You walked up to her side.
"I figured as much. Those demons were too weak. I only used two of my forms and they were easily sliced off by it" You said.
"Too weak? At that level?"
"If Lady Tamayo says so, there's no mistake. Still, who knew there were such stupid demons? She physically injured Lady Tamayo. She got exactly what she deserved" Yushiro said.
Tamayo injects the syringe in the demon girl's arm and takes her blood.
"I hope this blood will be instrumental in developing the healing serum. I'm going to take care of Nezuko. Not only did I medicate her, she also inhaled my spell inadvertently. (Y/n), did you inhale my spell as well?"
"Oh, not as much. Yushiro gave me a rag just in time before anything happened" you said.
"Good. I'm so sorry" Tamayo went to Nezuko.
Yushiro gasps.
"Don't move a muscle! You're on your own now! I don't want to leave Lady Tamayo's side! Not for a second!" Yushiro said, then went running after Tamayo leaving just you two alone.
"Yushiro is an odd person, isn't he?" You said.
"Ah!" Tanjiro looked at you astonished.
"What...?"
"You used "person" instead of "demon." Did they finally grew close to you?"
You looked at Tanjiro, then away and shrugged. He smiles. That's when it came to him.
"(Y/n), are you okay? Are you hurt?" Tanjiro asked.
"Idiot, I should ask you that. Here let me help you" you try to help Tanjiro up, but Tanjiro waves his hand at you.
"Oh, uhm I'm fine really I can get up"
You glared at him and he nervously just let you do your thing.
"I saw you..."
"Huh?"
"I saw you get pulled left and right from that arrowed demon. You made me worried you know" you said.
"But I'm okay now, so don't worry, okay? I'm still breathing right?" He chuckles as he puts his hand on your cheek.
You looked at him with a surprised look. How can he really laugh at this time now? Tanjiro looks at you again and started to worry as he moved back a little.
"Hey, (y/n), is everything all right? W-was there something I said to offend you or anything?"
You didn't say a word as you just quickly hugged him lovingly.
"(Y-y/n)...!"
"Yes...you are still breathing...thank gods" you hugged him tight, and Tanjiro smiles and hugs you back.
Later he looks back at what was left of the temari demon. He hears a voice. He walks up to grab the temari ball and places it next to the dead girl.
"Here's your mari" he said.
You looked at the dead splattered demon.
"She thought that she was a part of the twelve moons" You grumbled.
The sun started to come up and the only thing the temari demon had left was an arm that incinerated.
"She acts like a little kid. Deluded into thinking what she believed. Deceived...compelled to fight...and now, she was killed by the Kibutsuji curse. There's no salvation. Even after they die, not even their bones will remain. Is this the price they pay for killing others?"
"I...I really don't know..."
"That man...Kibutsuji...this is how that man treats even those who revere him! He's a true...demon!" Tanjiro grits his teeth.
"...yeah"