He was that fast?! And he's not even a lower moon yet.
" Look what you've done to my family… "
His fingertips touched together, weaving an intricate webbing of refined silk.
Meanwhile, my hand reached down grasping at the handle of my blade.
I spied his sister observing us with the corner of my eye.
"You're dead!"
He lashed his hand out indignantly , whipping streaks of white.
Clink!
The edge of the blade screeched, grating against the wire before recoiling my arm.
"Just how strong is this guys silk!"
My eyes darted around looking for an escape.
Then I saw it.
His foot entrenched itself within the ground with a certain subtlety.
I remember this movement!
His fingers twitched just like before, aiming to dice my body. A fatal attack which had seared itself into my memory. I prowled low, assuming an all too familiar spider-like stance.
Tsk…All that time as a spider really rubbed of on me.
Woosh!
Dozens of strings zipped out latching onto all the trees surrounding me.
I knitted my body through tightly meshed gaps and swung at Rui.
"I got you!"
Well I thought I did get him… However, my arm crumbled in front of me, the faint glint of webs vanishing into my flesh, right before my very eyes.
"I've had enough of you, farewell."
Blood Demon Technique: Cruel String Poison
I tried to stop my forward momentum, feet skidding on the ground kicking up dirt. Unfortunately I couldn't stop in time, crashing into the steel-like webbing.
"Oh shi—"
*
Here again…
Rui's monotone voice faded in the background as I tried to piece together what just happened.
He gave me no time to ponder however, launching his assault, yet again.
I reached the same point as last time, his fingers twitched, yanking at the strings, his monotone voice signaling his next move.
Blood Demon Technique: Cruel String Poison
In perfect synchronisation, I launched my own counterattack, hacking downwards at the circular webbing laced with poison.
Wind Breathing First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter
The lines flaired in the air, pushed away by a torrent of turbulent wind.
My katana moved horizontally aligning the blade with his neck.
But as my arm followed its intended trajectory, minced flesh flung, spraying streams of blood out from every direction.
And just like that , my world turned black yet again.
*
"Third times the charm."
Replaying out the same sequence of events as the previous fights, I made it past his blood demon technique, used my breathing form and actually managed to reach his neck in time.
I swung faster than I ever conceivably could, the green edge lost in the white flesh of the demon.
His head flew up spiralling, getting lost in the tree canopies.
But his body didn't follow suit.
His head reeled back into his hands and he twisted it back on, catching me off guard.
"How could I forget…"
"You've really pissed me off now!"
"Did you seriously believe you could win? How foolish."
"I cut my head off with my strings way before you could ever reach me. Now I'll teach you a lesson."
Blood Demon Technique: Cage of Murdering Eyes
A hemisphere of string rapidly enclosed around me.
In an act of desperation I used wind breathing to slice omnidirectionally.
But my breath caught.
The sheer tension of the strings snapped my blade.
And then, I died before my brain could even process anything.
*
"I'm getting tired of this…" I couldn't help
but mumble aloud.
This is my sixty-ninth attempt, it's clear I vastly overestimated myself going into this mountain.
Every time I sever his head, he simply reattaches it back on every time. Any limb can easily be sewn back on.
I forgot why he seemed so easy in the anime, it was because Nezuko burned his strings. But for me, who's fighting him solo, I have to not only avoid the web traps slowing my attacks, I have to do it fast enough to prevent him from avoiding my final blow. I'm not Giyuu to one shot him with ease.
The only way to kill him, is to cut him before he does it to himself.
"Look what you've do—"
"I don't care!" I lunged ahead, my body acrobatically manoeuvred through all of his strings.
"How dare you cut me off!"
Before the webs even released, I already poised myself for each attack.
"Argh! How are you avoiding my attacks?!"
He grew more restless and frantic with each passing moment, slinging out more and more lines of web.
My body leaned forward, I withdrew my blade from its sheathe and whipped the blade out with near perfect efficiency.
All my failed attempts culminated into this strike.
But just as I had expected, it wasn't fast enough.
The instance my blade touched his neck I knew I failed.
My blade cleaved through with little resistance.
He feigned his death. The moment his head pulled up, I flashed to his body, avoiding the net of wires set to prevent my movement.
His face reeled in horror as I evaded his trap and got closer.
"You really think it's that simple
to kill me?! You're really started to piss me off now?!"
"Yeah, yeah I've heard it all before."
He quickly snapped his head back into place, fizzling as it fixed onto his neck.
"I'll kill you!"
Blood Demon Art: Chopping Wheel of Threads
His fingertips necrotised turning black, shooting a ruthless onslaught of strings at me.
"I can do it this time." I whispered to myself.
This attack is what lead to me dying countless times, It took a while but I figured the only way to escape — is by innovating my own wind breathing technique. Leading to an attack which works by creating a low pressure field around me with sheer force.
Wind Breathing: Vacuum Vortex
I reversed the grip of my blade and gyrated, spinning like a tornado. Hundreds of strings, snapped, tore and stretched around me creating a vacuum in the sea of glimmering white threads which swarmed towards me.
"You managed to cut my flawless strings…"
He sent more threads piercing into me but they shredded upon contact with my attack. However, one did slipped through and grazed my cheek.
With one last lunge I swiftly stepped forward and finally decapitated him.
I stumbled forward out of breath, looking up at the tree, I noticed the last demon had already left, jumping away on the trees in the midst of my battle.
"There's one more but my bodies not responding."
Pushing through the fatigue, I chased the direction she last went, however she was long gone.
Nevertheless, I continued scouting but my legs didn't listen, my eyes grew weary and groggy and I stumbled my way through the forest.
"I can't let her escape…"
Thud
My world began spinning and I collapsed.
…
"Wake up! Wake up!"
"Hey he's waking up!"
Slapping me awake was a man whose face was covered by a draping black cloth, revealing only his eyes. Beside him were a couple others who were dressed the same.
"Huh… What? Who are you?"
"We're Kakushi who come to help injured demon slayers, you're injured right now so try not to move so much."
"How long have I been asleep?"
"You've been here for a day since we got the mission to recover you. It looks like you've been poisoned."
Did I get poisoned from that graze on my cheek?
"Wait, a whole day?! I've been sleeping for that long!"
I was about to ask another question but I was interrupted, my eyes widened as I realised who it was.
"Tch! I came all the way here for that lousy demon."
A slurred voice grumbled out and when I turned to look, I saw a man with vibrant orange hair with red tips, his white Haori with flames ridges emblazoned on the bottom swayed.
He walked towards me with a unstable gait.
Wrapped around his hand was twine rope, dangling a pottery bottle with the kanji for sake painted on with large black font, the contents inside released swishing noises with each step.
Why would they send a drunk Hashira here to help me out… Is my life not valuable to Ubayashiki.
"A kid like you actually managed to kill all those demons singlehandedly?" He said with a glint of envy in his bright orange eyes.
"Yeah, what of it." I said slightly boastfully.
"Don't get full of yourself, you're talented… But just barely, talent is decided the moment you're born, judging by your injuries you struggled a lot, you will never see the day you become a Hashira."
"What did you say?! I'll become a Hashira easily, you stupid drunkard!"
Even though I didn't intend to continue speaking, the Kakushi tending to my wounds, covered my mouth in a hurry.
"Rengoku-sama please ignore his disrespect, he didn't mean anything by it."
"Hey idiot! what are you doing talking to him like that?! He's the flame Hashira!" He whispered in my ear.
Shinjuro took a swig of his sake and mumbled to himself, "… Just another talentless brat like my son." And began to dash away.
Honestly, I'm not talented at all. And I am most certainly nowhere near his sons talent… Wait a minute, his son? I can learn flame breathing if I ask him right? Would Kyojuro be willing to teach me? He did teach himself after all.
"Don't go please! I have a question for you!"
"Huh? What is it?"
"Can I train me in your dojo? I want to learn fire breathing."
"Ha! What's the use in that? What's the point in learning a cheap imitation." He scoffed, fading into the distance.
"Please! At least let me train at you're residence!"
But as expected, he didn't respond.
It was worth a shot I guess, I gave a last pitiful request but it's useless, there's no getting through to him. But I still want to meet Kyojuro.
When I got up to chase after him however, my lungs involuntarily spurted out blood and my body collapsed.
If I could feel pain, I would probably be in agony, I'm assuming that my new wind form was extremely strenuous doing a number on my muscle and joints, judging by the overbearing fatigue and that's not to mention the fact I'm currently poisoned from Rui's strings.
"Hey! What are you doing trying to move with those injuries?!"
"I don't feel any pain."
"Sure. Keep on trying to act tough and see where that get's you. We need to get you treated as soon as possible, so just stay still while we transport you to the butterfly mansion to heal up."
…
I layed on soft cushioned bedding the aroma of wisteria and disinfectant lingered in the air and my eyes closed.
One would typically be relaxed and comfortable but for me it was the total opposite.
Why are you still here, you've already bandaged me up and forcefully fed me that bitter medicine! Also, What is she doing sitting on my bed?! Can't you just let me sleep in peace!
"So you've beat five demons in one day all by yourself. You're on track to become a Hashira and you've only just started."
"Uh… yeah, I guess I got lucky."
"It's funny you say that, because I've heard you singlehandedly killed most the demons in that forest." She said softly, leaning so close I could see my reflection in her violet eyes.
"I know it's difficult in our line
of work but be more careful with your injuries. I've heard from the Kakushi that you tried to tough out the poison."
"You need to be more considerate about your life, I still remember how easily you were willing to throw it away in the final selection."
The door suddenly slammed open with a bang.
"Why are you dragging me here over again Kumeno!"
"You cut yourself during the mission that's why!"
"What, why is Kousei's here? I thought you were going sight seeing in the mountains."
" Sanemi, Masachika ?"