There he is, basketball head.

He didn't let us have time to process his grand entrance, before jumping at high speed towards the weakened Tanjiro in the floor, looking at the way that his hard is positioned, he's going to make a hole in his head.

Seraphic breathing, first form: Absolute Severence.

His arm was cut in a flash, the severed member falling to the floor before I changed the direction of the sword to go to his neck instead.

He quickly dodges the attack and jumps back a few steps, his eyes wide open in surprise.

'I can only use it one more time.'

"You…!"

I look both ways to guarantee there's no one around me and then ask pointing to myself: "Me?''

☆

that human…her battle spirit is weird, the physical part is weak, but the mental part is at its peak, normally they are meant to grow together-

☆

"Can you stop looking at me now? Though you do are kinda of my type, I can't go out with a demon ya know?"

"Wha- I'm not looking at you because of that! You- You know what?! Shut up! Stay put here and don't move a muscle!"

'He doesn't murder women, so he's resorting to ordering me to stay still hoping it works? Pfft-'

Rengoku steps in, saying: "Now, why would someone as powerful as you attack the wounded first?"

"I thought he might interrupt the conversation we're about to have."

"What are we going to talk about?" Rengoku frowns. "This is our first meeting, but I already hate you."

"Ah! Me too! I hate you too!"

"Shut up! I already told you to be quiet! Jeez, you have quite the annoying gremlin with you, huh?" He says while looking at Rengoku, who puts his arm in front of me in a protective way in response.

"Oh my, he said you are annoying Rengoku!"

"I'm talking about you! Anyway…. I also hate weak humans, when I see weakness, my skin crawls."

"You and I have very different values."

"Aha, then I have a great idea….why don't you both become demons?"

WHY ARE YOU OFFERING TO ME TOO?

Is it because I was annoying him purposefully, and now he wants to turn me into an immortal punching bag? But he doesn't hit women- but does it count when the woman is a demon? Should I ask?

"Hmm… No, thanks."

"Nope."

"I can tell your strength by looking. You guys are hashiras, right?" He says while looking at us, specifically more at Rengoku.

"You've developed your fighting spirit to the edge of perfection."

"I am the flame hashira. Rengoku Kyojuro."

Wha-

Should I say my name too? Ah, whatever. To hell with it.

"L/N Y/N, and I'm not a hashira at all."

"I'm Akaza, let me tell you Kyojuro, Y/N, why your power will never reach perfection. It's because you are human. Because you age. Because eventually, you'll die. Become a demon. If you do, you can train for hundreds of years and keep getting stronger."

"Growing old and dying, is what gives beauty and meaning to the fleeting span of a human life. It's precisely because we age and die that your life have values and nobility. Strength is not a word that means much in regard to the flesh."

He turns to look at Tanjiro.

"This boy isn't weak. Do not insult him. I'll say it again… You and I value different things, I have many reasons for not becoming a demon."

Everything was silent.

......

….

…

Where's the fight? Why are you guys looking at me-

Oh, wait! They want me to do a speech too?!

"Er…uhh… I can't become a demon because…. I don't wanna."

Damn, I really suck at this.

"I see."

Technique development, Destructive Death: Compass needle!

"If you both won't become demons, then I will have to kill you."

"Y/N, stay back!" Rengoku exclaims to me before entering in battle position.

Flame breathing, first form: Unknowing fire.

I side eye Tanjiro, he was still in the ground with a surprised face.

Oh right, he can't follow their speed at this point in the history.

With my current power, I also can't.

But… I have already watched this fight a hundred of times before. I died here a hundred of times. So I know exactly what's going on.

"The other hashiras that I've killed didn't have flames. Still, none accepted my proposal. Why is that? As someone who also walks the path of the warrior, I do not understand it. One cannot simply decide to become a demon, you must be chosen." Akaza says as he jumps in the air.

"But you, who worked so hard to build such magnificent talent, would simply let it whiter away! Such a waste! It's hard for me to accept! I can't stand it! Die for me Kyojuro, do it while you are young and strong!"

Destructive death: Air type!

He starts to strike the air, sending some weird wind bullets in Rengoku direction.

Flame breathing, fourth form: Blooming flame undulation!

Rengoku then suddenly appear in front of the demon, rapidly cutting down their distance.

"Such amazing speed!" He exclaims as they started to trade blows in great speed.

'I need to jump in at the right timing. Not too late. Not too early. If I do it wrong, I will end up just getting pierced together with him.'

"And your wonderful sword technique, time will steal it all, Kyojuro! Aren't you sad?"

"That's how it goes! It's normal. That's what it means to be human!"

Tanjiro tries to get up to help.

"Stop. Don't distract him."  I say, he flinches in response.

Flame breathing, fifth form: Flame tiger

Destructive death: Disorder.

Just like in the manga, a powerful blow was traded between them.

As the dust cloud that formed dispersed, we could finally see Kyojuro with his eye smashed, and Akaza with a deep cut in his shoulder.

Rengoku missed his neck.

"Don't die yet. Kyojuro."

☆

"Tanjiro, let me ask something, what's the first thing you want to do when we finish all of this?"

His eyes go wide in response.

"Why are you asking In this situation?!"

A gentle smile crept up in her face. "I mean, Rengoku did say he would take us as his tsuguko right? I sure we would learn many things."

"I don't get what you mean!"

Ignoring his exasperated expression, Y/N kept talking. "He said we would stay at his state, right? I wonder how his family is! Staying with you guys there would probably be fun! Oh! We could cook together too! I am quite bad at it, though… There are so many things I wanted to do together with you and the others!"

"What are you-"

He is interrupted by Rengoku suddenly exclaiming. "I will fulfil my duty! I won't let anyone here die!"

"Such fighting spirit! Even with those wounds, you are full of determination and spiritual fortitude! Your stance has no weakness! You really should become a demon Kyojuro, then you could fight with me forever."

"I will be back in a while, okay?"

Y/N says with a smile. A smile that said, 'everything will be alright.'

Flame breathing, ninth form: Rengoku.

Technique development, destructive death: Annihilation type!

The last and strongest form of the celestial breathing.

A form who covers my lack of strength and speed.

Definitely not enough to kill Akaza. But....enough to get in front of them in time.

Seraphic breathing, fifth form: Reality rupture.

With the impact, an enormous cloud of dust appeared in the area.

Silence.

Silence.

Silence.

As the dust settled, the silhouette of the three could finally be seen.

Rengoku was standing some meters away from them with a scared expression.

And Akaza had his arm across Y/N's abdomen.

A eerie smile appeared in her face as she slowly said, blood spilling from her mouth. "I thought you didn't kill women."

His eyes go wide as he quickly pulls away from the girl, falling to his knees with his hand covering his mouth like he was about to vomit.

Y/N didn't wish to use his trauma against him like that, but she needed to buy more time, at least, until the sun rises.

"N-No, I- Euggh-" Akaza says while trembling, his expression like he just saw hell.

Y/N's body falls limp to the floor.

"Y/N!" Tanjiro quickly exclaims as he runs to the girl, slight lifting her up so she could sit in the ground, Inosuke also running to her aid.

"H-help, you need help! I-"

Her glossy eyes scanned the area, as she saw Rengoku still standing there with a shocked expression, her expression suddenly brighten.

"Haha…HahaHaha! I did it! He's alive! I changed something!"

"I don't understand what you're trying to say!"

Her laughter kept going, even though she sounded happy, in this situation, it was just….sad.

But then, her voice slowly got weaker, as she stopped laughing, her eyes also started to close.

"Please don't close your eyes! D-don't- not again- I can't- I can't do this again! Please don't!" Tanjiro exclaims, panic obvious in his voice as he slight shook her weak body to no avail.

Inosuke was standing there, without knowing what to do at all to help. Some tears were visible falling under his mask, as someone who grew in the mountains, he was supposed to be used to death, but…he just couldn't stop crying.

'I'm such an idiot.'

'Even though I already died so many times… I'm still scared…'

'Everything we have gone through, every moment we spent together, all the progress we made. All of it will be erased.'

'Even when I do my best... i'm not enough.'

"I…. I'm sorry…. I wanted to…spend more…time…with everyone…"

"We still can! We will stay together! Like we have always been until now!" Tanjiro exclaims back, some of his tears falling in her bloodied face.

"… Really?.... I'm so….happy…" A small smile appeared on her face, as her eyes totally close.