𝒜ℊ𝒶𝒾𝓃 | 𝒮. 𝒮𝒶𝓃ℯ𝓂𝒾 ✓

𝓣𝔀𝓮𝓷𝓽𝔂 𝓢𝓲𝔁

You expected a loud thud, but it never happened. Looking down, your eyes landed on a lower ranking member of the corps— almost passed out after the fall.

"Oh, sorry about that." You dusted the dirt on your uniform, and after the a few seconds you saw the familiar face of Tanjiro's friend after the Natagumo Mountain incident, Murata.

There are a lot of slayers beside you, but no signs of any pillars nearby. Your crow stilled by your shoulder, hiding from the crowd of people that surrounds you.

"Everyone needs to keep moving. We still do not know how many enemies there are, stay close." You announced as you draw out your sharp sword— newly forged and the dull sides are no more.

The sky blue tint of your weapon shone lightly, accompanied by speckles of snow lazily distributed all throughout the sword. You wondered what happened when you and the white haired pillar got separated, how his rough hands lost yours.

You moved with your pack, running into the endless maze of this fortress with small beads if sweat decorating your forehead. Your senses are heightened, but so far the demons you have encountered are weak as a bat— and you fear that you are getting farther to where Muzan is.

"Search for the injured, I won't be accompanying you any longer." Your gaze is sharp, as the slayers nodded quickly, knowing that this is a crucial situation where everyone needs to work together and sort their differences for awhile.

You turned right while the rest turned left, the small whisper of your crow indicating directions to where Muzan might be.

"This is endless." You muttered, patience on thin ice as you searched. You did not bother looking at the demon coming after you, cutting their heads cleanly and returning to your tracks.

"Ara, [Name]-chan long time no see."

You stumbled on your path, the adult voice sounding so unfamiliar yet it knows your name. A cold breeze hits you as you faced whoever is talking.

The air got knocked out of your lungs as your 'deceased' friend stood before you. Fangs decorated his face pale as the moonlight right now, you studied his sharp silver claws as it scratched the material of his flimsy kimono.

His pupils are not like a human, it's in slits just like a demons. But the vibrant color of white leaving you frozen with fear.

"You are alive, Taki?" You breathed shakily, afraid that he had come to get his revenge. You left him to run for your life that night, left him to be demon food, left him to increase your chance if survival.

His snow hair had gotten longer, grayer and had more volume, moving past his shoulders and ending on his waist area.

"Did you have fun this past years? It's been so long since we pickpocketed strangers and went to the market every morning. Why don't we chat a little?"

No. This is not happening, he really is your friend who you thought is long gone. But here he is, in his full demon glory. How did he survive?

Taki noticed your deep expression, as if on cue— he knew what you are thinking.

"I escaped just like you did. You are not the only smart one here you know? I had to sacrifice the other to run as well."

"No! You are supposed to be dead, why did you turn to a monster—"

"Shut up [Name]. How does it feel to grow up in a nice household? You even inherited his surname, you think you are a noble and a hero now that you've taken this path?"

Taki clenched his fists, the pale skin turning even impossibly whiter as he lashed out. But you are puzzled at this point, how did he knew your teacher? And how did he knew you are a slayer now?

"Your teacher is the one who is killed by a lower moon right? Unfortunately that lower moon is the one who found me while I escaped."

"You mean you are that demon's underling? Why are you telling me this!" You growled lowly, dragging the sword to slice his throat to prevent him from speaking.

"Fourth Form: Snow God's Melody."

Your attack is merciless, riplling through the air in mere seconds before Taki dodged the blow with a speed you never knew he learned.

"You shouldn't interrupt people you know? Muzan had taken me after the lower moons were eliminated, and now I stand by his side. He even gave me a droplet of his blood." He chuckled, eyes glowing as emotions took over him.

The laughter died down, his face now serious and his deep scarlet eyes are now focused on eliminating you. You are unaware of his blood demon art, and soon you'll experience it.

His hair is growing longer in length in a rapid rate, and in a flash the strands came diving in your direction— eager to pierce your innards to make you howl in pain.

You used your fourth form again, a gust of cold melody cutting the strands and turning the tips into ice.

"Impressive, you really have grown to be a strong woman [Name]." He hummed as he praised (more like mocked) you. You are starting to fume even more, the anger not subsiding as you evade the barrage of attacks.

A good distance of 10 meters is hus range, but you are not sure if your attacks would reach him as well.

You freezed every section that came after you, using different breathing methods as you struggled to stay on your feet.

One of the sharp strand escaped the eyes, dugging painfully in the skin of your shoulder as you winced. The wound stained your uniform and patterned haori red, while Taki is still unscathed.

"So? How does it feel being stabbed by an old friend.. It doesn't feel good does it?"

You whimpered slightly, the strand digging deeper to the wound. You are still busy fighting off the other strands, as distance is not an issue anymore.

Taki can move and caught up to you if you decided to move 10 meters away from his reach, and you had no choice but to fight him head on.

Your old friend is basically on par with a higher moon now, and it will be a tough job to shake him off. The exhaustion of running from end to end has caught up on you, and there is no fucking way you'll lose.

..