The fight was finally over. Muzan had been defeated. A new day began. Everyone cried with emotion.
"We did it! Muzan is defeated! We've won!"
"We're not done yet! Let's go and help the wounded!"
Every survived slayer rushed to the Hashiras' side. Slowly, Muichiro got outside his hideout, clutching his missing hand. "Did we... win?" he wondered. "It seems so..." said Rengoku, panting heavily.
A bunch of slayer reached Gyomei, who was severely wounded. "Himejima-san, hold on!" said a slayer. "No... Don't waste medicines on me. It's too late for me. Go heal who can still be saved," said Gyomei. "But... Himejima-san..." said another. "You'll only waste precious supplies, do as I say..." repeated Gyomei. "Think about the younger fighters. This is my last request..."
Suddenly, Gyomei had a vision. He saw the kids he once cared about. "Sensei!" said one of them. "We always wanted to apologize for that day. We know we hurt your feelings, please forgive us!"
"I... I forgive you, of course..." said Gyomei. "Let's all go together..." they said in unison. "Yeah, let's go..." muttered Gyomei.
In that moment, Gyomei Himejima, the strongest member of the Demon Slayer Corps, died peacefully, with no regrest, and after fulfilling his duty.
Far away from there, Obanai was holding Mitsuri, who had lost both of her arms. "Iguro-san... Did we win?" she asked. "Yes, we did. Muzan is dead," said Muzan. "I don't feel anything, so I guess I'm about to die..." muttered Mitsuri. "Probably, I'll die too, you're not alone," said Obanai.
"No, you can't die yet... Sorry if I wasn't very helpful..." said Mitsuri. "No, this isn't true. Don't say this," said Obanai. "Do you remember the first time we met? I was lost and you helped me," said Mitsuri. "No, it was the opposite. You were such a normal girl that you were the one to save me. You laughed for the smallest things and your laugh was like the sound of bells. You must've tried hard so become a Hashira, but you never showed it."
"Waaah! I'm so happy! I really care about you, Iguro-san!" cried Mitsuri. "If we were reborn as humans... Would I be your bride?" she asked. "O-of course..." answered Obanai.
And in that moment, Obanai and Mitsuri died too, peacefully and in each others' arms.
As for Sanemi, he was standing in a black space. In front of him, there were Genya and his siblings. "Genya..." he muttered. Then, he turned and saw his mother. "Mother... Why don't you join them?" he asked. "Because I did terrible things to our family, I can't go in the same place as them..." she said. "Fine. I'm coming with you then," said Sanemi. "I'll carry you on my shoulders and we'll go to hell."
Suddenly, Sanemi woke up, all bandaged and displaced. "He woke up! Shinazugawa is awake!" said a slayer. "Urgh..." grunted Sanemi. Inosuke and Zenitsu got healed too. But what about Goku?
"Where is Goku? Is he okay?" asked Giyuu. "Wait, Tomioka- san, you can't move!" said a slayer. But then, Giyuu noticed it. Goku was sitting on the floor, without his left arm and two fingers of the right hand. And his heart wasn't beating anymore. Goku was dead. In that moment, Giyuu's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm sorry, Goku," he said, kneeling to Goku's corpse and hugging it. "Sorry if I wasn't able to protect you. At least, you'll now see your father in heaven... I'm very, very sorry."
Suddenly though, for no apparent reason, Goku's eyes opened. Both of them. Slowly, his left arm grew back, and so did his two fingers. "HAHAHAHAHAHAH!" he laughed, maniacally. Giyuu stood back. In that moment, the thing that most of all should not have happened, happened: Goku had fully turned into a demon due to the prolongued activation of the demon form. "My right eye... I can see from my right eye..." he said. "And my arm is back..."
"AHAHAHAAHAHAH! I SHOULD'VE BECOME A DEMON MUCH EARLIER!" he laughed, showing his sharp teeth. "Stay back, all of you!" exclaimed Giyuu. (Goku has fully become a demon... We have to stop him!) he thought. But then, seeing sunlight, Goku shielded himself. "Urgh... Sunlight..." he grunted. "Whoever can still fight, grab a sword and fight!" said Giyuu. "Boss, how did you..." muttered Inosuke. "We have to kill Goku before he kills someone else!" said Giyuu
Rapidly, Giyuu grabbed his sword and stabbed Goku in the flank. But somehow, Goku stopped being burned by sunlight. "Seems like I'm immune to the sun!" said Goku, punching Giyuu aside. "Goku, pull yourself together!" exclaimed Zenitsu. In response, Goku jumped towards them and attacked Inosuke.
(We're friends. No, we're brothers. After Tanjiro's passing, you promised us to protect us. Even before, we made another promise: If someone starts to take the wrong path, we'll stop him.)
"I can't do it, Goku..." said Inosuke. For the first time, Inosuke called Goku by his name. Bu then, when Goku was about to attack again, someone hugged him from behind. It was Nezuko. "Aniki... I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry if I wasn't able to fully comprehend you. After onii-chan died, I started to see you as my onii-chan... Pull yourself together!"
"Why you always have to suffer? Why do good people always get stomped? Why?"
Nezuko's words touched Goku in the heart. She pushed her aside and started to scream. "UUUAAARRRGGGH! WHO THE FUCK AM I??" he shouted. "WHY DO I ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE IDENTITY CRISIS? WHY AM I ATTACKING MY FRIENDS?"
Suddenly, he punched himself. "Stop right that, useless body of mine..." he said, trying to stop himself from hurting his friends. His left arm was about to attack Zenitsu, but his right arm stopped it. "I said stop, goddammit..." repeated the boy. "I'm a Hashira... I shouldn't do this..."
Suddenly, from behind, someone else hugged Goku. Someone the boy always loved.
Shinobu.
"I should've hug you much earlier, Goku-kun..." she said. "Do you remember our first meeting? You were blushing like a tomato. You were so shy and awkward, I found you funny. In a good sense, of course. Please, pull yourself together... I promise I'll love you, even without an arm or an eye... Even if you finish in a wheelchair, I'll love you, I promise!"
In that moment, Goku stopped. In front of him, his father appeared. "Come back to us, my son." And in that moment, Goku fainted in Shinobu's arms, as if for magic.
Chapter 74 - End.