“Nezuko!! STOP!” Without thinking twice, Tanjiro ran head-on in the direction of the demon, ready to attack.

“What are Karaku and Urogi doing?! So infuriating!” Sekido angrily said, making another staff and trying to stab Tanjiro with it.

“Seraphic breathing, first form : absolute severance-!” In a blink of an eye Y/N was in front of him, cutting the staff in half and without even giving the demon time to think, she attempted a second slash, her blade coming in the direction of his neck in a fast speed.

He clenched his teeth in frustration, quickly backing away from them to avoid the cut as Tanjiro ran to aid his sister.

To avoid being electrocuted, Tanjiro used the bird-leg he had previously cut from one of the clones to grab the staff that was impaling Nezuko, rapidly pulling it off from her neck. 'Yes- I'll get this out!'

Sekido didn't waste time and went behind him, trying to stab his neck from behind. 'Uh-oh! Behind me!'

Y/N tackled them both, the three rolling out of strike zone, maybe there was a better way of helping out, but these demons move too fast for her to be able to think of a more logical way.

She didn't remember many details from the manga, so she doesn't exactly know which attacks Tanjiro and Nezuko will receive and which ones they will be able to defend themselves from, and if that's the case, it's better if she defends the two from of all them! If she can do it, then why hold back?

“Annoying! Annoying! Annoying! Stop fucking interrupting me-!” Sekido was starting to lose patience, though it's not like he had much in the first place.

Y/N got up from the floor, pointing her sword at him while exclaiming : “You will see! I will shove this staff up in your a-”

“THAT LOOKS FUN! Can I join in?!” Sekido interrupted her, jumping above them and fanning his fan-leaf down, a strong gust of wind instantly crushing everyone, the pressure making all the three go to the ground.

'The pressure-! It's crushing me-!'

And they passed out.

“Now… Finish them…!” The three clones approached them.

“Uh…” Y/N confusedly sat up from the floor, raising her hand like she was making a question to a teacher on a classroom. “…excuse me… I'm kinda alive?”

“Wha- WHY ARE YOU AWAKE?”

“My pain tolerance is better than most people, you need waaay more than that to make me pass out.” She nonchalantly responded, getting up and dusting her [skirt/pants].

'But that's still a troublesome situation, maybe I would be able to handle it if it were one or two, but I can't fight against three demons at the same time! I don't know how long Nezuko and Tanjiro will take to wake up too…'

“Haaah- It doesn't matter whether she's awake or not, let's just kill her…” Sekido said, letting out an annoyed sigh.

“Yeah, whatever, this isn't interesting.” Karaku boredly lift his leaf, ready to fan it up and down to crush them with another wind gust.

“Wait, didn't we had orders to not kill her?!” Urogi suddenly exclaimed.

“Haah???!” Karaku questioned, exasperatedly changing the direction of his attack as a last resort and making Y/N be thrown up to the sky instead of crushing her down.

“FUUUᴜᴜᴄᴋ ʏᴏᴏₒₒₒᵤ!” And she disappeared in the distance like team rocket after losing a Pokémon battle.

“Uh… the lord will forgive us for that… won't he…?”

.

.

.

.

Muichiro cut down a monster. “Oh! Lord Tokito! Thank you, you cut it down in the blink of an eye!”

“Kanamori!” Kotetsu, who happened to also be saved by Muichiro before and was following him now, happily ran to him.

“Young Kotetsu! I'm glad you're unharmed!… to be honest, I thought you were already dead.”

“Are you the one called Kanamori?” Tokito interrupted them, asking with a blank expression : “Are you done with my katana? Give it to me already.”

“Oh dear! This is horribly chipped!” He exclaimed as soon as he took a look at the blade.

“That's why I came to the village.”

“I see, I see! I'll get you another one!”

“…. That was fast.” Muichiro blankly commented.

“Good, huh? You should be thankful. Tanjiro and Y/N asked me to prepare your katana, and he wanted me to understand you… Y/N also said something about how I should forgive your actions because you're cute, but I'm not sure about that last part-”

“Tanjiro… Y/N…” Muichiro mumbled, trying to remember from where he heard these names from.

“So, I asked who was the first swordsmith on charge of you… Oh, right! Haganekuza!” He suddenly remembered.

The three ran in the direction of a wooden cabin. “Good! The fish monster isn't here! I was working on that hut!”

“There's a sword for lord Tokito inside it! Take it and go quickly to the village chief!” Kanamori exclaimed.

“No, I mustn't!” Muichiro snapped back.

“Huh? What?” The hashira suddenly grabbed his collar, yanking him back. “GUH! That hurts, and you're pissing me off!!”

“It's here.”

A vase waddled from behind some bushes. “Hyo! Very observant! Oh! You're a hashira?”

Upper moon five, Gyokko, came out from the vase. “Why is this hovel so important? What are you trying to hide? Hyo hyo!”

“Whoa! Gross!” Kanamori started to shiver in disgust.

“Gross! Whoa! He's definitely single!” Kotetsu also squirmed.

“Hyo hyo! Nice to meet you, They call me Gyokko. Mind if I talk a little before killing you? I'd like to show the three of you my creations tonight!”

“Creations…? What are you talking about?” Muichiro asked, you could see a trace of confusion in his overall cold expression.

“Here's the first one!” He clapped two of his gross little hands, another vase appeared beside him and something starting to come out from inside.

“I call this death throes of the smiths!” A grotesque scene of multiple dead corpses sewed together appeared, their heads and body parts completely out of place.

“Look first at the hands! Dirty hands with thick callouses like swordsmiths get! I put them in front on purpose!”

“Lord Kongoji… Tetsuo… Kanaike… Kotaro…” Kanamori whispered, trembling in fear.

“Aww… Tetsuhiro…” Kotetsu cried.

“Right! You get it!” I've made lavish and detailed use of five swordsmith! But I had no idea you'd be so moved! And running them through with swords brings out a certain smithiness! I left the hyottoko masks on to convey emotionless and absurdity! And to top it all off…”

He approached his 'creation', twisting off the katanas. “If I twist the katana like this, it goes 'gyaaah!”

“GYAAAAH-!” Traumatizing screams came from the dead bodies.

“NO! STOP THAT!” Kotetsu tried to run in his direction, Kanamori exasperatedly holding him.

“So…? Isn't it wonderful? A recreation of their death throes!”

“Hey….” Muichiro glared down at him. “That's enough, you bastard.”

He quickly ran in his direction, immediately taking a swipe in the direction of his neck, which the demon responded by swiftly getting inside the vase again.

Another vase that was on top of the ceiling of the hut started to shift. “I have to tell you more about my creations!” Gyokko came out from it, exclaiming : “Let me finish!”

'I see… he can travel between the pots!'

“My preference is that vase's-” Muichiro didn't give him time to finish and immediately jumped in his direction, the demon quickly got inside the pot again, his attack cutting the now empty vase in half.

'It moves fast! It got away again.' Muichiro landed on top of the ceiling, looking down to the ground to see another vase. 'Next- Over there! Another vase?! Where do they come out from?!'

“How dare you destroy my vase?! That was a work of art, you uncultured monkey!” Gyokko angrily exclaimed. “A muscle-head like you… couldn't possibly appreciate my work! But that's all right too!”

'No.. If he's running this much, it's because he will die if I cut off his head, unlike that dividing demon...' Muichiro thought, preparing another attack.

The upper moon suddenly grew a vase in one of his hands, two goldfish suddenly floating out from inside it.

'Goldfish?! What the-'

The fishes suddenly started to inflate like an pufferfish.

Thousand Needle : Fish Kill!

Muichiro's eyes widened when, just like the attack's name indicated, thousands of needles flied in his direction, he quickly jumped down from the ceiling and successfully evaded the attack.

“Waaah! Young Kotetsu!” Kanamori hugged the kid in an attempt to at least save him, more needles coming in their directions.

Without thinking, Muichiro quickly ran in front of them, being stabbed by the needles in their places, he kind of looked like a hedgehog now-

“Aaah! Lord Tokito!”

“You're in the way, go hide!” He coldly said, his back facing the two.

“I…. I'm sorry…”

The goldfishes started to fill up again, more needles coming in their directions as Tokito swiftly cut them up with his sword, Kanamori grabbing Kotetsu and running away with him in his arms. “Tokito!”

“Hyo hyo hyo! Covered in needles! You're a laughable sight! So… has the poison started paralyzing your arms and legs? It really is humorous, you save a worthless life and then lose yours in a worthless place.” Gyokko mockingly said.

Muichiro jolted, what he said seemed to move gears in his memories.

Whether you're there or not, nothing changes. Your life is that trivial.

'Who is that? I can't remember. Someone once told me the same thing. Who said that to me?.. It was summer…. It was hot. The house was open, probably because it was too hot. The cicadas were noisy even at night…'

“Hyo hyo! But even so, you're still a hashira! What shall I create out of you? The possibilities are thrilling!”

Muichiro attacked him in response. “Shut up. You're boring me.”

Gyokko created another vase in response, water being liberated from it and the hashira being completely engulfed by the liquid, trapping him inside like a big bubble in the form of a vase.

Blood demon art : Water Prison Pot.

“Death by suffocation is stylish and beautiful, and the feeling of danger at having a blade to your neck… this is tremendous.”

Muichiro tried to stab the water with his sword, no effect. 'No! I can't cut it.'

“I've stopped your breathing, which is a demon slayer's greatest weapon, it's wonderful to imagine your face contorting as you writhe in agony! Hyo hyo! It will be a great blow to the demon slayers if we destroy this village, and if we weaken the demon slayers, it won't be long before we take Ubuyashiki's head, hyo hyo!” Gyokko gave his villain speech, leaving Muichiro to drown alone and going in the direction of the wood cabin.

'With the amount of air remaining in my lungs… I can still manage to get off one attack…'

Mist breathing, first form : Low clouds, Distant haze!

No damage was made to the water prison.

'I can't break it even with a thrust technique… I guess that's to be expected with this chipped katana…' He tried to use another technique, but there was oxygen left to use. 'It's no use… I'm done for…'

'But it'd be nice if backup arrived. Master… I'm going to die. Send at least two hashiras.'

Why do you think that? No one knows what the future holds.

He suddenly was seeing Tanjiro standing in front of him.

'What…? No. Tanjiro never said that to me, who DID say it? My vision is fading… I'm about to die, I've run out of air….'

You must not decide on your own end.

'I don't want to hear that from you.'

It will work out somehow. Don't give up. Someone is sure to help you out.

'What? In the end, you're leaving it to someone else?! That's the worst thing to do!'

You can only do so much by yourself. That's why people combine their strength and work hard.

'No one can save me. Everyone is weaker than I am. I was supposed to do better, but I made a bad decision. I overestimated my strength because I am a hashira…'

You weren't wrong, Muichiro. It's all right.

'I made a lot of mistakes, I'm done for.'

Something suddenly slammed against the water prison. “Not if I can help it! Tokito! Hang in there! I'm gonna get you out! I'll save you!” Kotetsu, who had a knife in his hand, kept stabbing the water. “Argh! What is this?! It's soft and gross!”

'If I can't cut through it, then YOU definitely can't…

There are things you should prioritize over me… protect the village chief. But maybe that's impossible for you… At least take as many swords as you can and flee…'

Another fish monster with scythes instead of fins slowly approached the kid from behind.

'What are you doing?! Behind you!' Muichiro screamed inside the water, trying to warn the little boy. 'Look! Behind you!'

The fish attacked the kid, various slashes being given to his small body as he was thrown far away from the trapped Muichiro. “Gyaaah! Yeow! Aah! Blood!”

'What are you doing?! Get out of here, hurry!'

The fish stabbed the kid. 'The solar plexus. He's been stabbed in a vital spot, he's a goner…'

Kotetsu squeezed the wound in his stomach with his arms, his eyes squeezing shut from pain as tears threatened to fall. 'Please… someone-!'

“AAAAGH-” And Y/N, doing an oscar-worthy dramatic entrance, harshly fell on top of the monster-fish, it ended up softening her fall somehow-

“GYAAAAAH! A ANGEL FELL FROM THE SKY-!!” Kotetsu backed away in surprise.

“Jeez, stupid kid! I'm no angel-” She said with a tired sigh, getting up and stabbing the fish squished on the floor with her sword, instantly killing it.

“Ugh- WAAAAAAH-! Y/N! I WAS SO SCARED-” Kotetsu latched onto her leg while crying loudly.

“I get it-! You're staining my clothes with your snot, so back away-!” She tried to push him.

Muichiro blankly watched them. 'Is this really going to be the last thing I see before dying…?'

“Ah! Muichiro! You have to help him!!” He grabbed her hand, dragging her to stood in front of him. “Can you cut it?!”

“Not really-”

“Wha- But you're a swordsman, aren't you?!”

“Yeah but, if Muichiro himself can't cut it, then how come would I-"?

'So that's it… I'm done for….' Muichiro slowly started to close his eyes, but was startled when Y/N suddenly punched the prison.

“What are you doing, stupid?! Giving up so easily?! How did you become a hashira if you give up with the slightest issue?! You still have your sword, swing it! You're still alive, so fight-!” Y/N exclaimed, continuously slamming the water to keep him awake, he stared at her with wide-eyes.

She never got mad at him like that before….

Huh? Never? Before what? Did they even meet before?

Who is this person…?

He doesn't even know who she is, so why does she look as if she's about to cry…?

I said that I would help you, didn't I? So, it's normal for me to be sad!

My name is Y̸̧̡͍͋͘/̸͔̥̾N̸̺̱̈ͅ! You probably won't remember it by the time we are inside, but it's always good to do introductions!

I was so happy when you said my name before! That means we are friends, right?!

Who IS this person?

I'm Y̸̧̡͍͋͘/̸͔̥̾N̸̺̱̈ͅ!

I can't remember...

It's Y̸̧̡͍͋͘/̸͔̥̾N̸̺̱̈ͅ!

I think I-

It's fine, I can do this a hundred times over! I'm Y̸̧̡͍͋͘/̸͔̥̾N̸̺̱̈ͅ!

Muichiro didn't even realize that he was starting to unconsciously reach out to her, if it weren't for the water separating them, he would be able to hold her hand.

Y/N.

My first friend…. my only friend….'

Y/N backed away after confirming that Muichiro wouldn't try to give in again, taking a deep breath to calm herself down.

'Now that I think about it… how did Kotetsu even helped him in the manga…?' Y/N thought, going through all of her memories. 'Oh! Right!'

She drew as much air as possible inside her lungs, putting her mouth in the water and blowing bubbles of oxygen inside it.

Helping others often means you end up helping yourself. Human beings are creatures who can tap into an unbearable strength when helping others… Muichiro.

'Yes…. I know.'

Mist breathing, second form : eight-layered mist.

Muichiro managed to cut the prison, freeing himself from it as the water splashed everywhere.