In the battlefield, Gyomei, Sanemi, Giyuu, Obanai, Rengoku, Mitsuri and Shinobu were fighting Muzan, while Muichiro remained with Goku, attending him to wake up. (He's even faster than before...) thought Gyomei. (I can't protect Himejima-san anymore... Soon, I won't be able to move anymore...) thought Obanai. Mitsuri got slightly hit by Muzan's attacks. (I can't see him...) she thought. (I'm relying only instinct and luck, and even if I barely helped, I'll be the first one to fall!)
(He's though... I promised Goku-kun not to die...) thought Rengoku. (Instead of attacking him, I should try to block his arms with my sword...) thought Mitsuri. But suddenly, something hit her. The girl fell on the floor, and Obanai rushed to her side. (I thought Kanroji had dodged it...) thought Gyomei. "Tend at her wounds," said Obanai, calling a slayer. "Yessir," said the slayer. "Wait, Iguro-san... I can still fight!" said Mitsuri. "No, you can't. You've done enough," said Obanai. "That's not true! I didn't help at all!" said Mitsuri. "I'm counting on you, slayer," said Obanai, leaving. "Don't get youself killed, Iguro-san!"
(Sometimes, I wish we met in normal circumstances. No, that's impossible for me. Until I die and reincarnate in a body with no dirty blood. I'll have no right to stay with you, Kanroji. I belong to a family who killed for greed. With the stolen money, we have lived in houses, eat and lived a luxurious life. My clan is stingy, cheating, and disgusting.)
Muzan attacked again, and Sanemi, who was in front of him, had to lower himself to dodge. Suddenly, Obanai arrived and sliced one of Muzan's arms. Then, he kicked it away to prevent instant regeneration. However, Muzan regenerated the arm and attacked again. Giyuu almost got fatally hit, but Obanai, Sanemi and Gyomei protected him. "Don't distract, Tomioka!" exclaimed Shinobu. (Right now, I'm useless... I should go check on Goku, since I can't fight against this monster...) she thought. (We'll resist until down!)
(They're resisting more than I thought, but soon, they'll fall... An hour and fourteen minutes until sunrise...) thought Muzan. Suddenly though, something stabbed him in the back. The Demon King turned and saw Goku, with both eyes closed, in his demon form and with the mark. (He... He stabbed me with a type of poison!) he realized. Quickly, Muzan attacked the spot where Goku was, but the boy disappeared. "Sorry if I've been useless until now," he said, opening his left eye. "I'm ready to fight now."
"What... What did you injected inside me?" asked Muzan. "Nothing, just a little drug who'll make you age nine-thousands years," said Goku. Then, Muzan saw something: Behind Goku, there was Yoriichi. They had the same exact stance. Goku was holding his two katanas in both hands, his right eye was still covered by the pink-gray tumour, but somehow, it seemed not to work. (Why isn't he dying...? Is it Tamayo's fault again...?) wondered Muzan. Then, from above, Chachamaru - the cat created by Tamayo - was about to land on Muzan. The Demon King sliced him, but Chachamaru's potions finished right on the Hashiras' body, who regained their forces. "I don't know how, but a cat just helped us!" exclaimed Sanemi. "Again that goddamned woman... It was Tamayo," said Muzan. "Just give up and die, everybody!" said Muzan. "Don't make me laugh!" said Goku.
From afar, Obanai had finally awakened his Demon Slayer Mark, and his katana had turned red. The Serpent Hashira jumped high to avoid being hit by Muzan. Suddenly, Muzan's arm got cut. From three different spots, Inosuke, Zenitsu and Kanao arrived. "GUESS WHO'S BACK, BOSS!" exclaimed Inosuke. "Inosuke-kun, my friend!" exclaimed Goku, blocking one of Muzan's attacks. "Are you still alive?" asked Gyomei. "Like hell I'll die, dumbass!" exclaimed Inosuke.
Suddenly, Obanai arrived and attacked Muzan. "He's regenerating slower!" said Rengoku. "Even Muzan needs time if he's hit by a red blade!" said Sanemi. "Guess what, motherfucker! I've got two red blades!" exclaimed Goku, dashing forward. In that moment, Goku was using everything:
Demon form, Transparent World, Mark, Sun Breathing, everything.
"Sun Breathing: Thirteenth Form -- Perpetual Light!" he exclaimed, cutting as many Muzan's arms as possible. At the end of the attack, Muzan was incapacitated to regenerate instantly. "YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" he yelled. "JUST DIE ALREADY!"
Goku dodged the attack and landed on the floor. (His demonic side is taking advantage on his human side...) thought Shinobu, who was afar the battlefield. Suddenly, she heard a voice. "Kocho..." it was Muichiro. "Tokito, you're here too?" she asked. "Yes... I can't fight, since I lost a hand, but... I was helping the wounded slayers..."
"Yeah, I should too," said Shinobu. (Please, Goku-kun, don't die... I wanna go on a date with you after this is over!)
"Sun Breathing: Second Form -- Clear Blue Sky!" Goku attacked again, with Muzan barely dodging. Then, he kicked him, but with his two swords, Goku shielded himself. While he was flying away, Rengoku grabbed him on the fly. "You okay, Goku?" he asked. "Yes, I'm okay, aniki..." said Goku. (Aniki...? He called me aniki...?) repeated Rengoku, in his mind. "Let's go, aniki, let's fight together," said Goku. "We're friends, aren't we?" he asked, turning to face the Flame Hashira.
"Yes," said Rengoku. "Yes, we are."
"Caw! An hour and three minutes until dawn!" exclaimed Rin. "Hell yeah! Your minutes are numbered, asshole!" said Goku, dashing towards Muzan alongside Rengoku.
"Sun Breathing: Third Form -- Raging Sun!"
"Flame Breathing: Third Form -- Blazing Universe!"
The two of them attacked simultaneously, wounding Muzan in the chest. "You dirty gnats!" exclaimed Muzan, attacking them and forcing them to jump back. (He has five brains and seven hearts... That's why he doesn't die...) thought the Sun Hashira, using the Transparent World. Suddenly, Muzan released a very powerful attack, hitting all of the Hashiras and opponents. Gyomei crushed against a wall, with his right leg missing. Giyuu was fainted on a wall, his right arm disattached from the body. Rengoku was knocked unconscious on another wall. So was Obanai. Sanemi had crushed through a window, unable to move. Zenitsu, Inosuke and Kanao were laying on the floor. Goku was the only one conscious, but he had lost his index and right fingerts on his left hand. Shinobu grabbed him on the fly.
(He's the worst off of all, despite being the strongest...) she thought. Goku spat blood. (I... I can't move... The tumour on my right eye in getting worse, and my two fingers are gone...) thought the Sun Hashira. Suddenly, he broke free from Shinobu's grip. "Goku-kun..." she muttered. "Protect the others. I'm the only one who can still fight, so I will," said Goku. He grabbed his sword and put it between his teeth. Then, with his right hand, he grabbed his other sword. "You can still fight, I see..." said Muzan. "You better be ready, because I'll hold you in place until the others recover..." he said.
"Why don't you die?" asked Muzan. "Die? Are you kidding me?" Said Goku. Suddenly, his skin became darker, and his teeth became sharper. Goku drank another potion of his blood. Then, he screamed:
"I REFUSE TO DIE!"
Chapter 72 - End.