Screen 1 – Rui's Web of Death
The dome of razor threads tightens.
The sound alone is terrifying—
a metallic hum of blades vibrating, hungry for flesh.
Rui raises one finger.
"Let's start with the loud one."
His threads snap toward Inosuke.
---
Inosuke vs Rui – First Blood
Inosuke charges head-on.
"COME AT ME, THREAD BOY!"
The threads carve trenches into the ground—
then slice across Inosuke's arms and chest.
Blood sprays.
Inosuke barely blocks the last strike, blades cracking.
"DAMN—THIS GUY—IS STRONG!"
Rui looks bored.
"You're too noisy to live."
He pulls his hand, threads tightening—
But Papyrus leaps between them, bone plates forming armor around him.
"BONE BODY ARMOR! ACTIVATED!"
The threads slice across the bones, stripping layers off like peeling bark.
Papyrus screams, "THIS IS NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR!"
He holds the defense long enough for Inosuke to roll free.
His armor collapses into bone dust.
Papyrus coughs. "I WILL REQUIRE… A MOMENT."
Rui looks at Papyrus like an insect.
"Your tricks won't save you."
---
Papyrus Bleeds
Rui flicks two fingers.
Two threads lash across Papyrus' torso.
CRACK
His spine shows for a moment—bone chipping off from the impact.
Papyrus staggers, clutching the wound.
"THAT WAS VERY RUDE…!"
Rui's expression never changes.
"You're not even worth killing."
He shifts his attention to Tanjiro.
---
Tanjiro's Desperation
Rui releases a cross-shaped burst of threads toward Tanjiro.
Tanjiro dodges but one thread slices through his shoulder—
skin splitting open, muscle exposed, blood dripping fast.
He gasps but keeps moving.
"I can't… fall back…!"
He swings:
"Water Breathing… Fourth Form—"
Rui tightens the threads instantly.
Tanjiro's blade rebounds violently, sparks flying.
"Your sword can't cut my family's bond."
Tanjiro grits his teeth.
"I don't care—if it's for your family, then why—
WHY DO THEY LOOK SO TERRIFIED!?"
Rui pauses.
A crack appears in his expression.
Something dark, ugly, begins to simmer.
"You know nothing about us."
---
Sans Steps In
Rui releases a killing volley—
dozens of threads aimed to slice Tanjiro to ribbons.
But they stop.
Mid-air.
Frozen by blue force.
Rui's eyes widen.
Sans steps forward, hands in pockets, blue flame flaring in his eye.
"Kid's right.
They're not a family.
They're prisoners."
Rui's voice drops several degrees colder.
"You… can stop my threads?"
Sans shrugs.
"I don't like bullies."
Rui sneers.
"Muzan feared your presence… now I see why."
Sans tilts his skull.
"Muzan? That guy sent you?
Huh. Guess he's still scared of skeletons."
Rui's aura explodes—
cold, suffocating, murderous.
"Then die first."
---
The Thread Storm
Rui unleashes everything.
The entire dome becomes a spinning cyclone of white death.
Trees shred. Rocks split. The ground gets carved into ribbons.
Tanjiro grabs Papyrus and Inosuke, pulling them into cover.
Papyrus screams, "WHY IS THE ENTIRE FOREST ATTACKING US!?"
Sans teleports through the storm, slipping between threads with impossible timing.
Bones erupt around him, blocking paths, redirecting threads.
But Rui adapts. His threads bend around the bones—
changing direction mid-air like serpents.
Rui smirks.
"You can't dodge forever."
Sans' single eye narrows.
"Wasn't planning to."
---
A Break in Rui's Calm
Sans flicks his hand.
A massive bone spear erupts beneath Rui, aiming for his heart.
Rui dodges—barely.
His cheek gets grazed.
A line of red blood drips down.
Rui freezes.
No demon has drawn his blood in years.
Slowly… his lips curl into a smile.
"You made me bleed."
He raises his arms.
"Now I'll peel the flesh off all of you."
---
Tanjiro Finds His Resolve
As Rui focuses on Sans, Tanjiro steadies his breathing.
"I must find a way.
If I can't cut the threads…
then I must change the flow."
He enters Total Concentration.
Steam rises from his body.
Papyrus weakly calls out, "TANJIRO! PLEASE CUT THAT TERRIFYING CHILD!"
Inosuke struggles to stand. "I'M NOT DONE YET—THIS REAL FIGHT STARTS NOW!"
Rui pulls his hands wide.
The threads glow blood-red.
"Let's end this."
The dome begins to collapse inward.
A killing cage.
There is no space to dodge. No escape. No time.
Unless someone breaks Rui's focus.
Sans grins.
"Hey kid…
You ready for a gamble?"
Tanjiro nods.
Papyrus raises a shaky hand. "CAN I SUGGEST WE DO NOT GAMBLE WITH OUR LIVES!?"
Too late.
Rui unleashes the final attack.
The killing threads close in—
To be continued.