|•| 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚂𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚎𝚛 |•| 𝕂𝕟𝕪 𝔽𝕒𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

XIV

    "Breath of Winter, Third form: Snowflake Shuricanes", Kiyomi ran towards Rengoku and unleashed sharp snowflakes at Akaza.

   "Hm? A winter user? It would be great to kill a winter user.. but you're a woman.", Akaza said while easily dodging the snowflakes.

   "Yeah.. I know you don't kill women. That's why I'll kill you myself.", Kiyomi said.

  "Takahashi! Don't fight him!", Rengoku yelled.

  "Haah.. Look. You heard him right? He ain't gonna kill me! You should be worried about yourself! Broken eye, broken ribs, wounded organs, yet you don't mind it and still keep fighting!!", she snapped, yelling at the hashira.
(A/N: 👁👄👁..)

   Rengoku looked at her, speechless.

   Kiyomi ran towards Akaza and swung her sword at him, but he just punched the attacks over and over, hurting her a lot in the process.

   "I told you I don't kill women.", Akaza frowned.

  "I know.", Kiyomi replied.

    "Breath of Winter, Eighth form: Ice Queen's Powers", she stomped on the ground as a big snowflake formed. Kiyomi swung her sword at Akaza, releasing huge icicles from nowhere. The icicles cut off Akaza's left arm.

   "You have a great fighting spirit! What is your name?", Akaza smiled as his arm started to grow.

   "Why would I give you my name?", Kiyomi raised a brow, "You tryna flirt with me? You know you already have a wife, right?", She joked.

   "Tch. I don't have anyone.", Akaza glared.

   "Oh right... Because she's dead.", Kiyomi smirked. Akaza's eyes widened as veins popped on his head.

   'I'm so sorry for saying that, mr. basketball...', she cried internally.

   "You're very annoying, you know?", Akaza frowned as he stanced.

   "Technique Deployment, Destructive kill: Obliteration Style", Akaza swung his fist at Kiyomi, but she suddenly disappeared.

   When the dust around slowly dispersed, Kiyomi was held by the waist by Rengoku, and they were beside Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Wolfie.

   "K-kiyomi-san!", Tanjiro cried out as Wolfie whimpered, worried for her friend.

   "You could've died there, Takahashi!", Rengoku scolded.

   "Thanks for saving me.. You said you wouldn't kill women? Liar!", Kiyomi smiled, releasing herself from Rengoku's hold.

   "So Kiyomi's her name? Become a demon, Kiyomi and Kyojuro! Both of you can be strong like me!", Akaza smiled, ignoring what Kiyomi had said.

   "No thanks. Oh! Would you look at that! I suggest you run away and hide like a coward in the dark! Look at that beautiful sunrise!", Kiyomi smiled mischievously.

   Akaza's eyes widened as he saw the sun starting to rise.

   'I need to get out of here!', he thought as he started running into the woods.

  Then, a sword suddenly pierced his chest.

   "Don't run away, you coward! Don't run awaaay!!", Tanjiro screamed.

   "The demon hunters will always fight you in the darkness of the night when it's advantageous for you!!", He yelled, "We're humans in flesh and blood!! Wounds don't just simply close up!! And the limbs we lose won't ever come back!!"

   "Tanjiro... That's enough!", Kiyomi said as she staggered. Tanjiro didn't listen and kept shouting words.

   Kiyomi then lost balance, but Rengoku managed to catch her.

   "Uwaaaaaaaahhh!!!", Tanjiro shouted as he cried.

   "Tanjiro... There's no.. point in shouting now. He's escaped.", Kiyomi said between coughs.

   "K-kiyomi-san! Rengoku-san! Are you okay?!", Tanjiro hurriedly ran towards the both of them.

  "I don't think I'm okay..", she sheepishly smiled. Then she turned to Rengoku.

   "I'm glad I managed to save you, Rengoku-san.", Kiyomi said, tears forming in her eyes. Soon, sobs came out of her mouth.

   "How did you think I was going to die?", Rengoku looked at Kiyomi.

   "I-it's because of my instinct... Waaaaah!! I'm so happy I saved you Rengoku-saaan!!", Kiyomi couldn't hold it anymore and broke down as she hugged Rengoku.

   Rengoku got surprised for a moment before he softened and hugged her back, "Thank you for saving me, Takahashi.", He smiled warmly. Kiyomi saw his smiling face and cried even more.



   'That's the face you made before you diiieeedd!!', Kiyomi cried.

   Later, all of them were taken to the butterfly estate by the kakushis.

   "Kiyomi-san, why did you suddenly leave when you were still not healed?", Shinobu scolded with a serious face.

   "Hehe, I'm glad you're back to yourself, Kochou-san. And I had to help them.", Kiyomi smiled, she couldn't move well because of the bandages around her body.

   "What do you mean? I'm always myself. And, how did you know where they were?", Shinobu tilted her head in confusion.

   "Instincts, I guess.", she used the same excuse from earlier.

   "Haah.. okay. I'll take my leave, see you later, Kiyomi-san.", Shinobu sighed as she stood up and left the room.

  "Hooh, I need something fluffy..", Kiyomi pouted. Fluffy things are one of her most favorite things. Just then, the door opened, revealing a worried wolf outside.

   "Wolfie! Hello!.. You're coat looks fluffy.. Can I hug you, pleease?", she pleaded. Wolfie nodded as she staggered towards Kiyomi, her leg still not healed.

   "Oh, your leg still isn't healed.. I know that'll heal!", Kiyomi beamed. Wolfie jumped onto her bed and landed on top, which made her cough and hiss in pain.

   I mean, who would not get hurt by a big wolf suddenly jumping onto you? And plus, Kiyomi was severely injured.

   'My pain disappeared in an instant. So.. fluffy...', she thought as she snuggled Wolfie. Both of them soon fell asleep.

   Meanwhile...

    "I see. How did she know? I'll talk to her about it when we meet. Thank you, Snow."

   "You're welcome, Oyakata-sama."

  Somewhere else...

   "Uggh... My whole body hurts.", Zenitsu whined.

   "Mine too..", Tanjiro mumbled.

   "Greahaha! I am not hurt at all!", Inosuke boasted.

   ".. Then why do you have bandages around you?", Zenitsu deadpanned.

   "Shut up, Monitsu!", the boar head growled.

   "Hm, maybe I should just change my name to Monitsu...", Zenitsu muttered.
__________

   So, in explanation, Kiyomi was in a different room from the kamaboko squad. Rengoku was also at another room, resting peacefully.

   See you at the next chapter!