Nezuko clenched her teeth as she, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Kyojuro, and Giyu walked through the rubble of yet another town. The half-moon shone mercilessly, illuminating the horror before them.
"We were too late," Nezuko murmured touching a piece of scorched wood, it was still warm to the touch... the last of the fires must've only just gone out.
It was a brutal scene of destruction, the buildings were piles of stones and fallen wooden beams that had all been burned beyond recognition. The remaining corpses of the town's inhabitants had all been turned to ash.
Months had passed. Every week it seemed another random town was hit. There was no rhyme or reason, it was gone. All of the towns that were hit had been small, unnoticeable to the outside world, and hardly missed. They were by no main roads or important routes and with no correspondence, no one noticed their brutal destruction.
Muzan. Nezuko felt it in her bones, this entire town reeked of the man's cruel intentions and cold demeanor. He probably massacred these people without blinking. It made Nezuko's blood boil just thinking about it.
"HEY!" they heard Zentisu cry from a few meters away, "Hey! He's still alive!"
They all raced over to where Zenitsu was pulling a wounded man out from beneath a pile of rubble. The man's legs were twisted at abnormal angles and his face had been burned gruesomely. Nezuko ran to the two's side and knelt, studying the man who was stirring weakly.
"Does he remember anything?" Inosuke asked eagerly.
"He's hardly conscious, show some decency!" Zenitsu reprimanded his comrade.
"He does not look too good," Kyojuro announced grimly. Giyu said nothing.
Seemingly stirred by human voices, the man's eyes flickered open and glanced at the demon slayers, his eyes distant and clouded in pain.
"Where... where'd they go?" the man rasped, his voice sounding like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together.
"They who?" Nezuko asked softly kneeling beside the man.
"The men?" the man asked looking around, his eyes held a glassy look, "Where'd they go?"
"What men?" Nezuko asked.
"Speak clearly!" Inosuke demanded.
"The ones... the monsters," the man murmured weakly. "The ones who were attacking. Are they gone? Is it safe?"
Nezuko nodded, her eyes dark, "Do you remember what happened?"
The man's eyes were full of tears as his breaths became strained, "It was terrible. There was one with... so many eyes. And the one with the fans was... eating, he was eating people. And the white one with the stripes just killed all of the men trying to fight. We couldn't - I couldn't... and then some of us turned into things and they - they attacked each other! There was a fire and... and a man. He was so calm and so clean... like it was... like he was on a business trip. He was so calm..."
Nezuko's gaze was fierce as she thought of Muzan's cruelty.
"We need to get him to a doctor," Zenitsu cried as the man began to lose consciousness.
"There's nothing nearby," Giyu stated simply, his voice held a sorrowful tint to it.
Nezuko looked over the man's wounds and then closed her eyes.
"Tanjiro," she thought, blasting her thoughts outward, begging her brother to answer, "Nii-chan, what's going on? People are dying. There's so much suffering. Please answer... what's going on?"
Nothing. Only cold emptiness on the other end of the connection.
"He's gone," Zenitsu's voice roused Nezuko from her concentration. She looked down at the man and realized that his chest had fallen still. He had survived only to suffer and die a few hours later.
Nezuko said nothing, her gaze solemn.
"Why the hell are we always so far behind these guys!?" Inosuke demanded, "They're always one step ahead of us and we're left burying corpses and following cold trails like scavengers!"
"If this continues... " Zenitsu's voice died off before he could murmur his thoughts.
"We're going to kill him," Nezuko's voice almost sounded out of place coming from the small girl. Her face was shadowed by her long locks of brown hair that hung around her face as she looked down at the dead man. "We're going to kill Muzan."
"Well... yes, but I'm afraid we don't have anything to go off of," Kyojuro stated. "That is the hope of every demon slayer."
"It's not a hope," Nezuko stated standing up and looking to the horizon, her hand on her sword's hilt, "It's a vow. "
The group returned to headquarters, disheartened and antsy. Everyone could feel the anticipation in the air... the feeling that something was about to happen. They returned to find familiar faces awaiting them.
"Mr. Urokodaki!?" Nezuko cried running up to the goblin-masked man. He was standing beside many other older people awaiting something in the garden of the butterfly estate.
"Master?" Giyu asked, walking up calmly.
"What are you doing here?" Nezuko asked.
"The demons seem to be unifying," Mr. Urokodaki answered cryptically. "They're no longer attacking randomly, they are now targeting specific people."
"What?" Nezuko asked, puzzled.
"They attacked all of us," Urokodaki explained gruffly, gesturing to the other people mulling about, "Aiming to destroy the mentors of future demon slayers."
"Indeed, not quite flamboyant of them!" a familiar voice announced.
"Uzui!?" Zenitsu cried jumping away as he realized the ex-sound pillar was right behind him.
"They attacked my house too," Tengen explained smiling, "They were quite weak though and weren't expecting the power of my mighty wives!"
"Are you alright?" Nezuko asked.
"Flamboyantly so!" Tengen smiled.
"Why would a bunch of demons attack old folks?" Inosuke demanded angrily.
"To end the demon slayers," Giyu answered, "If there are no teachers, there will be no students."
Kyojuro looked pale, "Tell me, has anyone heard from the Rengoku family?"
"I have," Urokodaki nodded slowly, "They were attacked, but it seems that they are alright now."
"Where are they?" Kyojuro asked looking around.
"Inside, I believe. Your father sustained a serious injury but will live, so I'm told," Urokodaki explained calmly.
"Thank you, kind sir!" Kyojuro announced, small sparkles emerging around him, "Now I must go check up on them!"
The flame pillar quickly made his exit, striding into the estate.
"Mr. Urokodaki, are you alright?" Nezuko asked concerned, "They didn't hurt you, right?"
"I am fine," her master nodded.
"U-uh... Sir..." Zenitsu's tentative voice interjected, "Have you seen Gra- I mean, Master Kuwajima?"
A solemn silence met Zenitsu.
"I have not," Urokodaki said finally, "However, I think you should go to the insect hashira... she will tell you of your master."
Zenitsu said nothing but quickly ran into the house, seeking Shinobu.
"What happened?" Nezuko asked.
"All I know is from mere rumors, so I cannot say," Urokodaki answered.
Nezuko looked to where her friend had run off, concern filling her heart. She talked a bit more with her master before slowly stepping into the estate. She had a terrible feeling in her heart. She passed hospital rooms where ex-hashiras and mentors were being treated for wounds inflicted by the demon attacks. In one, she spied Kyojuro talking fervently with a young boy who looked just like him - his brother Senjuro, while their father slept in the bed beside them.
Nezuko then stumbled upon Kanao, unable to find Zenitsu she looked to Shinobu's tsugoku. The girl had never even spoken to her and Nezuko wasn't even sure if the girl could talk.
"Hey," Nezuko greeted walking up to the girl who was sitting at one of the doorways calmly. Kanao looked at her with her distant eyes.
"Um, I'm looking for my friend, Zenitsu, you remember him, right?" Nezuko asked, "Have you seen him?"
Kanao flipped a coin and caught it, studying the round metal piece before answering, "Yes. I saw him talking to Shinobu-san a few minutes ago. He's in the western wing of the hospital I believe."
Nezuko wanted to go find her friend, but suddenly she had a strong urge to ask this girl questions.
"So, you flipped a coin to see if you would talk to me?" Nezuko asked politely, "Do you do that for everything? Am I being rude? I'm probably being rude..."
"No," Kanao answered, "When I have to make a decision, I flip this. In this case, 'heads' was don't talk and 'tails' was talk."
"That's cool, why do you do it?" Nezuko asked sitting down beside the girl.
Kanao only looked at her and Nezuko recognized something in her eyes. There was a blankness to them like she lacked control... like she didn't trust the voice in her heart. With a startling realization, Nezuko realized why the look in Kanao's eyes was so familiar - it was the same look Tanjiro had. The look of someone who had snapped and wasn't listening to the voice within them.
"Could I borrow the coin?" Nezuko asked. Kanao looked at her apprehensively and then handed the small coin over.
Nezuko stood up and ran into the small garden on the side of the house holding up the coin, "Kanao... I think you should listen to the voice in your heart, I know that it's there..." an image of Tanjiro with Muzan's hand on his shoulder flashed in Nezuko's mind and Nezuko put on a forced smile. "You don't trust yourself... but you should! So! I'm going to flip the coin to see if you're going to listen to that voice in your heart!"
Nezuko flipped the coin upward... accidentally using too much force, the coin rocketed upwards, spinning viciously. "Oh gosh! I didn't mean to flip it that high! Uh- uh, let's make it heads! Heads, okay?" Nezuko cried trying desperately to track where the coin was.
With immense effort, Nezuko managed to catch the coin. She ran over to Kanao and prayed that the coin was heads, she hated herself for thinking it, the thought only pained her heart, but she imagined that Tanjiro somehow sensed that she was doing this... this was as much for him as it was for Kanao. When Nezuko lifted her hand, the heads of the coin was looking back at her.
"It's Heads!" Nezuko laughed joyously looking to Kanao who was looking at the coin, eyes wide.
"How... how did you make it come up heads?" Kanao asked gingerly taking the coin from Nezuko.
"Just chance, I guess," Nezuko shrugged, she then grinned, "But even if it was tails, I would've just kept flipping it until it was Heads!"
Kanao looked up to the girl, "Why?"
Nezuko's eyes grew distant at the question, after a moment she spoke; "You remind me of my brother."
Kanao did not react to this.
"He doesn't trust himself anymore... Muzan's made him too afraid to listen to the voice in his heart. I figure that if luck dictates that you should listen to that voice... maybe fate will do the same for my brother," Nezuko explained, her voice distant and whimsical.
Kanao only stared at the girl.
"Oh, listen to me ranting. I didn't mean to... I have to go find Zenitsu! Oh, I'm sorry Kanao! I'll talk to you later, okay?" Nezuko asked running back inside and down the hall.
Kanao watched her go, her face full of confusion, "Okay," she answered softly as the girl vanished from sight.
Nezuko raced down the hallway, cursing herself for getting distracted. She stopped dead when she heard crying, her heart falling into her gut. Slowly, she approached the last room in the hallway and pushed the ajar door open further. Zenitsu was kneeling on the ground, clasping a piece of paper and crying.
"Zenitsu?" Nezuko asked tenderly as she looked at her friend. Zenitsu sniffed and cried a bit more, unable to form words.
"Zenitsu... what happened?" Nezuko asked coming to her friend's side and kneeling beside him. She put a hand on his shoulder, her large eyes full of nothing but concern.
"It's... it's Gramps," Zenitsu sobbed finally looking down at the paper in his hands that was wet with tears.
"The demons got him?" Nezuko asked horrified.
"No..." Zenitsu shook, "No... he... he committed seppuku!"
Nezuko's eyes grew even wider and without hesitation she pulled Zenitsu into a hug, closing her eyes as she listened to her friend sob.
"Why?" Nezuko asked after a moment.
"Kaigaku..." Zenitsu shook, anger lining his voice. The name meant nothing to Nezuko but she had never heard such emotion in Zenitsu's voice.
"What did Kaigaku do?" Nezuko asked holding the boy close.
"He... he became a demon!" Zenitsu cursed as tears ran down his face, "The thunder breathers produced a demon! Gramps atoned by... by committing seppuku alone!"
Nezuko tightened her grip. If the old man committed seppuku alone, that meant he had no second... that meant he had suffered greatly. She couldn't... she couldn't imagine the pain Zenitsu was going through. There were all sorts of grief and all sorts of loss... she couldn't compare any of them to another. She couldn't imagine how she would feel if that had happened to Mr. Urokodaki, the very thought made her want to cry.
Nezuko wanted to tell Zenitsu that it was alright... but none of it was alright. Nothing about their lives was alright!!
"I'm going to kill him," Zenitsu swore with a shaky breath, taking Nezuko by surprise. "I'm going to kill Kaigaku for what he did."
Nezuko looked at the wall, thinking of her own vow to slay Muzan, "You will," she assured Zenitsu, anger in her own voice, "I know you will, Zenitsu."
They sat there for a while longer, Nezuko holding the blonde as he sobbed in grief and anger.
Nezuko couldn't sleep. The hashira had been called back for an emergency meeting, to deal with the numerous demon attacks. Nezuko and the others were staying at the butterfly mansion again, trying to stay out of the way of the many other old demon slayers that were now calling the butterfly estate home. Nezuko had been given a nice bed and she had tried everything in her power to settle her mind but no matter what Nezuko did, she was unable to sleep.
Finally, she stood up and walked around. The night air was cool and calm and it hardly stirred as Nezuko walked into the garden. Nezuko stood still, staring up at the starry sky and the full moon. The moon was huge tonight and it filled Nezuko with a sense of wonder as the silver streams of light touched her face. It felt almost like the moon was looking down, watching her.
She thought of the many things that had happened. The hundreds of innocent lives that had been lost in Muzan's attacks. Zenitsu's master. The other demon slayers who had died. Tanjiro... and his silence.
"Momma," Nezuko murmured staring at the sky, listening to the night silence that engulfed her, "I don't know what to do. I can't find Tanjiro... I can't find Muzan. I don't know what I can do. How do I kill someone I can't find? People are dying and I can't help them. What can I do?"
There was no answer, but the moon continued to shine.
Nezuko sighed and closed her eyes.
SNAP
A twig broke and Nezuko went on high alert, looking around for the culprit. It sounded like it had come from one of the bushes to the left. Something suddenly flew from the bushes and hid in another set of shrubbery.
Nezuko instinctively reached for her sword, and then remembered she had left it in her room... she cursed herself for being an idiot.
"Who's there?" Nezuko demanded.
"Nezuko..." a weak voice asked timidly. Nezuko knew that voice. Slowly something emerged from the bushes, crouching fearfully; it was Tanjiro.
Nezuko's eyes widened and she ran forward collapsing in front of her brother completely confused and lost for words.
"Tanjiro!?" she cried cupping his face and staring at him, it was him. His eyes were full of tears and terror, "Tanjiro! What are you doing here? How'd you get here!? What happened? Where've you been?" Nezuko sobbed gratefully.
She didn't know how this was possible but he was here, in her hands... was there someone looking out for her after all?
"Nezuko..." Tanjiro sobbed. Suddenly Nezuko felt the connection between her and Tanjiro and tears burst from her eyes as guilt and terror entered and filled her being.
"Tanjiro, what's wrong..." Nezuko's voice died away as she took in her brother's condition. He was covered in blood. His claws were stained with the scarlet substance. His face too was covered with it, particularly around his mouth. Her brother was shaking viciously and crying.
"Tanjiro..." Nezuko shook in horror, "Did you... did you eat - "
"No!" Tanjiro sobbed shaking his head fervently, trembling even more, "No!"
Nezuko grabbed her brother by the shoulders, she was overjoyed that he was there... but his fear and guilt was overpowering any happiness in this reunion.
"What happened?" Nezuko asked softly.
"I don't want to..." Tanjiro whimpered holding himself, "I don't want to..."
"What? Nii-chan it's okay, what happened?" Nezuko asked.
"I don't want to eat!" Tanjiro cried holding his head as if he was trying to block out a voice, "Please don't make me!!"
Absolute guilt and sympathy slammed into Nezuko as she pulled Tanjiro in for a hug, squeezing him for all he was worth. Muzan... that monster, he'd tried to force Tanjiro to eat humans, she could feel it. He must've escaped and by the claw marks and large slashes torn in the fabric on his black kimono, it must've been difficult and painful.
"Please..." Tanjiro whimpered from Nezuko's embrace.
"Tanjiro... Tanjiro, look at me!" Nezuko ordered pulling away and trying to make eye-contact with her brother, "Nii-chan, it's alright now. You got away. You got away from him."
"I don't want to be strong," Tanjiro sobbed, still covering his ears, "Please don't make me."
"No one's going to make you," Nezuko assured him, "Listen to me; you're safe now. You got away from Muzan."
How far had he run? Was the blood on his clothes his own!? Nezuko couldn't calm him down so she did the first thing that came to her mind. She took off the checkered haori that she had worn ever since she had found it and draped it over Tanjiro like a blanket.
"Tanjiro, look at me," Nezuko soothed as she adjusted the haori around his shoulders. Tanjiro was looking at the haori with recognition, his tearful eyes entranced by its familiar pattern, "You're alright. I'm here, you're okay, "Nezuko's voice was still and soft even though she was full of mixed emotions.
Tanjiro looked to his sister, he spoke again, his voice choking as he shook, "Not safe... Not safe!"
Suddenly Tanjiro whimpered again and clenched his head, his terror increased and Nezuko looked around - he must've smelled something.
"HELLO!? Please! We need help!!" Nezuko cried, begging that someone inside heard her call, "Come on," she urged Tanjiro, "We have to get inside."
Tanjiro, however, looked petrified as he stared at the ground, unable to move as his empty eyes away from the grass below him.
"Nii-chan?" Nezuko asked desperately trying to get him to look at her.
"Tanjiro," a cold voice reprimanded. Nezuko looked to her left in terror as she realized whose voice that was. Tanjiro shook, unable to look. Nezuko felt his terror flood into her blood, turning it to ice.
Muzan stood calmly in the garden, scowling angrily at the boy.
"Muzan," Nezuko spat standing up and planting herself between Muzan and her brother. She was unarmed! What was she supposed to do!?
"Tanjiro, come here," Muzan ordered swiftly.
"Don't listen!" Nezuko snapped looking back at her brother, "Nii-chan, you do not have to listen to him!"
Where was everyone!? How couldn't they sense that this monster was right here in the garden!?
Tanjiro was still sobbing, shaking terribly.
"If you refuse to obey then what's about to happen is your fault, Tanjiro," Muzan chided.
"You lying BASTARD!" Nezuko screamed her rage compiling within her, "None of this is Tanjiro's fault! It's all yours! Tanjiro! Don't you listen to a filthy word that comes out of his mouth! You're not to blame for anything!"
"Such anger," Muzan chuckled, "It's disgusting, really."
A mass of flesh suddenly raced towards the defenseless Nezuko who watched it in horror. Suddenly, a sword flashed and Muzan's attack was cut apart by -
"Mr. Urokodaki!" Nezuko cried gratefully.
"Never go anywhere without your sword," Urokodaki scolded Nezuko sternly, throwing her the familiar sheath and sword. Nezuko caught it and ripped the sword out of the sheath, her confidence returning.
"It's okay Tanjiro," Nezuko soother looking back to her brother who was watching it all in horror, "I won't let him get past me."
"It's disgusting because small insects like you think you have a right to interfere with a matter between me and my pet," Muzan sighed, sounding bored. He looked past the two demon slayers, his unsettling eyes resting on Tanjiro. "You've misbehaved again Tanjiro, I'm very disappointed."
"Say another word to him and I'll rip your filthy tongue out with my bare hands!" Nezuko spat in rage.
"Calm yourself Kamado," Urokodaki snapped sternly, "Get control of your emotions! This isn't the fight to lose your self-control in!"
"I will give you until the count of three to come back, Tanjiro," Muzan instructed simply, "After that, people are going to die."
"Tanjiro!" Nezuko instructed in a strong voice, looking back to her brother who was terrified.
"One," Muzan breathed softly. Tanjiro flinched at the sound of that tone.
"Tanjiro! Run to headquarters! Run to the hashira! Tell them what's going on!" Nezuko cried. She had to get him away from here, Muzan had too much power over him.
Tanjiro was stationary, his eyes darting from Nezuko to Muzan in confliction.
"Two," Muzan murmured.
Urokodaki was tempted to attack the demon lord, but everything about the man's scent screamed danger. It was like no demon he had ever smelled before... nothing even comparable to the power of the lower moons he had fought.
"Go, Tanjiro!" Nezuko cried, her voice cracking, "I'll be alright! You have to trust me!!"
Something seemed to finally shake Tanjiro out of it and he scrambled to his feet and ran to the fence before vaulting over it and heading towards what he hoped was headquarters.
"Three," Muzan sighed, annoyance tinting his tone. The attack came so quickly, Nezuko hardly processed it but suddenly her instincts screamed at her to duck and she did so as Muzan's next flesh attack barely missed her neck, instead, cutting off a few strands of hair. Urokodaki had avoided the same attack and with a fluid motion had also slashed it apart. Nezuko ran forward, trying to close the distance between her and the demon king but another attack pushed her back as she scrambled to avoid the blow.
She glanced at Muzan's face and realized in horror that he was smiling - toying with them. Muzan then tilted his head and flailed out another attack, this one aimed for the doorway of the butterfly estate. Someone lept out of the way; Kanao. The young girl flipped in midair, landing on her feet and cooly cutting Muzan's next attack apart.
Suddenly, there were swordsmen everywhere. The retired demon slayers all flew out of the building, some still in their night attire, but all of them decked out in swords. They lunged for Muzan who calmly raised a hand and unleashed a gruesome array of barbed fleshy tentacles from his fingers along with the fleshy monstrosity he had unleashed with his other hand. The attacks were easily avoided by the amazingly skilled veterans but they still kept them all at bay.
"You are all quite annoying," Muzan sighed. He lashed out again, still not moving his feet and remaining absolutely stationary.
"Nezuko!" Zenitsu cried running to Nezuko's side and raising his golden sword, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Nezuko answered looking at her opponent.
"This guy has some super-powered aura," Inosuke chuckled avoiding a few attacks with great agility, "IS THAT THE BEST YOU GOT YOU DEMON!?"
One of Muzan's attacks flew for an older demon slayer but the flesh attack contorted as a shot sounded out. Standing in the destroyed doorway was the demon slayer, Genya, his eyes narrowed as his gun was raised. Behind Genya stood a nervous Senjuro, trembling as he watched his Father jump into the fray. Shinjuro Rengoku had his side wrapped in gauze but the ex-hashira wasn't backing down.
Kanao ducked under another attack and slashed that one away, marveling at the calm demeanor of her enemy.
"Be careful Kanao!" Aoi cried from the doorway. The blue-eyed worker of the butterfly estate cursed her cowardice, she should be out there... helping!
Genya fired another shot that was easily deflected, "Damn," he cursed.
"Father! Watch out!" Senjuro cried as his father jumped over an attack, the old man's face was no longer full of its familiar hatred or despair... in fact, the ex-flame pillar looked calm and in his element, something Senjuro had never seen before.
Still, despite the incredible skills of the men and woman attacking the demon lord, Muzan only looked bored.
What chance did they have?
Nezuko took a deep breath and thought of her training; the kagura dance. Now was her chance, she could do this -
Suddenly, there was a scream and all present turned in horror as a blue and white hand ripped through the chest of one of the retired demon slayers. The hand was pulled out revealing Akaza, smiling as he stared the other slayers down. There was another scream cut short as an old woman was decapitated cleanly by Douma, his golden fans now flecked with scarlet blood and a grin on his face.
"Upper three and two!" someone cried.
"Keep your composure!" someone else retorted, their voice strained.
"Kill them, but leave the girl with the hanafuda earrings," Muzan ordered simply.
"I suppose that means that the other young girl's mine," Douma smiled eyeing up Kanao who kept her face untouched by any emotion.
"Master - " Nezuko began, her voice trembling.
"Remain calm, Nezuko," Mr. Urokodaki instructed from where he stood in front of her, his voice surprisingly soothing, "You mustn't lose yourself to emotion."
"What do we do?" Zenitsu asked nervously.
"Slice and chop," Inosuke cackled.
Someone else landed behind Muzan, a tall man with six gleaming eyes - Kokushibo. Nezuko shivered as she recognized the upper moon. However, what made her tense was seeing what Kokushibo held in his hand; they had caught Tanjiro. Kokushibo's hand clenched the collar of Tanjiro's kimono along with his checkered haori. The boy was limp, a deep wet scarlet covered the front of him and only his fearful eyes told Nezuko that he was alive.
"I found him, my lord," Kokushibo stated simply. Muzan looked back and chuckled, turning and crouching down before Tanjiro, pausing his attacks instantaneously. He pushed a few bangs out of the boy's face and smiled cruelly.
"Yes, well done. We have what we came for," Muzan stated standing up, "Take him home."
Tanjiro's pupils dilated in horror and he suddenly snarled and reached upwards with his claws before ripping into Kokushibo's arm with his long nails. The Upper Moon didn't flinch as his scarlet blood flew. Muzan instead calmly stomped down on Tanjiro's leg making a sickening crack and causing the boy to scream.
"STOP IT!" Nezuko screamed, lunging forward, her sword shining in the moon's light.
Her movement was mirrored by all of the other demon slayers who surged forward with her like a tidal wave, their eyes and swords glistening in the moon's light. Muzan glanced at them and his flesh attacks suddenly shot out viciously once again.
The pillars were looking over a map spread on the floor and marking off where the demons had attacked, looking for some correlation or pattern. All of them had images of decimated villages burned into their memory. Many of them were thinking of old friends, masters, or family in Kyojuro's case, who had been directly targeted by Muzan.
There was a slam as the door to the outside flew open and standing there, panting as if they had run a long way, were the three girls of the butterfly estate, Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho. The three girls all looked to Shinobu.
"Muzan's attacking the butterfly estate!" all three cried in unison.
There was a moment of shock until all of the pillars flew to their feet.
"What!?" Sanemi demanded.
"He's attacking the estate!" Naho repeated.
"Kanao told us to tell you before she went to fight him!!" Sumi cried.
"She and Nezuko can't hold him off!" Kiyo panted.
The pillars needed nothing else. They all ran out of the building, Shinobu in the front as her thoughts flashed desperately to Kanao. Kyojuro thought only of his father and brother who were still there. Sanemi's thoughts flashed to Genya who was there as well, recovering from his last mission. The rest of them ran simply because Muzan was before them... what other chance would they have to kill the lord of the demons!?
The war had begun.
(Y'all wanted Nezuko and Tanjiro to meet up? Hahaha, wish granted? What's that? You didn't want more angst? HA! That's not gonna end for another few chapters.)