Tengen, Inosuke, and Zenitsu were still in the secret room alongside Suma and Makio.
"Hey, you!" exclaimed Inosuke, pointing at Tengen. "The Worm Belt is scattered through the hole and escaped!"
"I saved everyone who was trapped here, so what's the problem?" thundered Tengen.
"We should go help the boss, if he's really fighting a demon!" said Inosuke.
"The boar's right, Tengen-sama," said Makio. "You should go after it, or there'll be more carnage."
"Fine. Let's go then!" exclaimed Tengen. The Sound Hashira grabbed Inosuke and Zenitsu, then jumped high, reaching the hole he created and getting inside.
"Hold on, Goku-kun! We're coming to save you!" he exclaimed, running faster than he could, but with a smile on his face.
"He's too fast, we can't follow him..." said Inosuke.
"Let's hurry anyway, Inosuke," said Zenitsu, still asleep.
Meanwhile, Goku was fighting Daki.
"It's time! Sun Breathing: Second Form -- Clear Blue Sky!" he exclaimed, getting inches away from Daki. (I got it! I can behead her!)
But suddenly, he coughed. "Hah!"
(The Sun Breathing... How is it possible? I know how to use it, so why did I just crumble to my knees...?) He wondered. (Maybe... Because I am tired, or because I don't have much energy left...)
"You're pathetic, Goku," said Daki. "You know, you're handsome, but you have no brain, and a woman like me doesn't like dumb boys! Now die, you insect!"
But then, when Goku was done for, he heard a voice. A very familiar voice.
"Hinokami Kagura: Dance." Tanjiro had arrived. And alongside him, there was Nezuko.
"T... Tanjiro-kun..." whispered Goku.
"Goku! Don't tire yourself out by talking, rest, for now..." said Tanjiro.
Nezuko, seeing Goku in those conditions -- coughing, bleeding, and in pain -- looked at Daki with hatred.
"Oh, so you're allied with Goku, huh?" asked Daki.
"Yes, we are," said Tanjiro. However, Nezuko didn't wait. She rushed towards Daki with tremendous speed, but the Upper Moon quickly cut her leg and sent her flying against a wall.
"She is the demon Muzan-sama told me to kill..." understood Daki.
"Don't you dare hurt my sister!" exclaimed Tanjiro. But suddenly, Goku grabbed him by the shoulder.
"Tanjiro-kun, let your sister fight for once," he said. "She can regenerate and can handle herself. You have to think about healing me."
Tanjiro slowly nodded. "I understand, Goku. How did you reduce like this?"
"First, she cut my shoulder while making a carnage. Then, I used Sun Breathing, but I had too little energy, and I forgot to breathe while I was going to land the final blow," explained Goku. "However, if you try to behead her, she can make her own neck a sash, so you have to do it quicker than she can do so..."
"However, I think I overestimated Nezuko-chan..." he added, standing up.
"You already recovered?" asked Tanjiro.
"Yeah. Even if I don't have regeneration, my wounds heal faster than yours or those of every other human. I can fight again," he said. "Anyway, look over there, Tanjiro-kun."
Nezuko was smashing Daki under her foot, but she was different. No bamboo in her mouth, bigger body, and a horn on her head.
"She lost control, I guess," said Goku.
"I have to stop her!" said Tanjiro.
"No, Tanjiro-kun," said Goku. "We have to stop her."
Tanjiro nodded. "Let's go."
After burning Daki's body with her Blood Demon Art, Nezuko sent her flying against a wall and into another house.
As she reached the Upper Moon, Nezuko saw humans, and for the first time, she wanted to eat them. She extracted her claws and canine teeth and tried to attack the first person she saw. But fortunately, Goku arrived just in time to block her.
"Come to your senses, Nezuko-chan," he said. Quickly, Tanjiro arrived from behind and stuffed Nezuko's mouth with his sword.
"Good job, Tanjiro-kun!" said Goku. "I'll try to calm her down..."
Nezuko was wriggling, trying to break free. (I was a stupid... to tell Tanjiro-kun to let her fight... What kind of stuff was in my head in that moment...?)
Suddenly, from behind, Goku heard a voice.
"You burnt my body... You filthy girl..."
Daki.
Nezuko wriggled even more, making Tanjiro smash into the walls of the house.
(What should I do? Calm down Nezuko-chan... Or fight Daki...?) wondered Goku. (Father... What should I do...?)
Suddenly, in his mind, Goku heard a voice.
"Follow your heart, my son. Always."
Suddenly, when Daki was going to attack the three of them, Tengen arrived, slashing the sashes.
"About time, bro!" exclaimed Goku.
"Calm that girl down," ordered Tengen.
"Yes," said Goku, turning back to face Nezuko. "Tanjiro-kun, forgive me for what I'm about to do..."
The boy charged and headbutted Nezuko so hard that she lost consciousness.
"Not this way, Goku-kun!" yelled Tengen.
"Did you have any other way in mind?" asked Goku.
"I don't know, maybe a lullaby?" proposed Tengen.
"I don't know any lullaby..." said Goku. "Whatever... Tanjiro-kun, bring your sister back inside her box. If this happens again, I won't headbutt her again; you'll handle it alone."
"Y-yes, I'm going..." said Tanjiro, slowly getting outside the house.
"Hey! Don't ignore me!" exclaimed Daki. But slowly, her head fell right into her hands.
"What? Tengen, when did you..." tried to ask Goku.
"When I slashed the sashes, I also severed her head," explained Tengen.
"Oh, I understand..." said Goku.
"That's not fair!" shouted Daki, starting to cry.
(Is she... throwing a tantrum?) thought Goku.
"You're a bad guy! You sliced my head!" yelled Daki.
(Why isn't she dying? I beheaded her...) thought Tengen.
Suddenly, Daki said something that shocked both Goku and Tengen. "Onii-chaan!"
Suddenly, from Daki's body, another demon started to emerge. Both Goku and Tengen rushed forward, trying to behead the demon before it could emerge. But it was worth nothing. Goku and Tengen found themselves on the other side of the room.
"What... What just happened...?" wondered Goku. Then, he heard a voice.
"Come on, there's no use crying. Can't you even reattach your head by yourself? You really are silly, Daki-chan..."
Goku slowly turned and saw the demon. Green hair, two red sickles, and a wasted body.
"Onii-chan, it was him! The tallest one! He severed my head!" cried Daki.
"Oh, really?" asked the demon. "Don't worry, we'll kill them and get away..."
Without thinking, Tengen rushed towards the demon, attacking him. But the demon countered, slightly hitting Tengen's forehead, which began to bleed.
"Tengen!" shouted Goku.
"Not bad, you blocked my attack... I was trying to kill you, you know?" said the demon. "You're so tall, handsome, and muscular... I can't even gain weight, and you're literally perfect..."
"He also has three wives!" exclaimed Goku.
"Really? This really pisses me off..." muttered the demon. "You piss me off! I'll kill you! Both of you! In the name of Gyutaro!"
Suddenly, the demon threw his sickles towards Tengen. The Sound Hashira dodged, but the sickles crushed through the ceiling and got outside.
Another opponent had just appeared. And he seemed even stronger than Daki.
Chapter 24 - End