In Which The Hashira Fail And Muichiro Gets Force Adopted By Kokushibou

One

Muichiro Tokito was sprinting down a hallway as fast as he could, Gyomei Himejima keeping a steady pace a few feet ahead of him. The infinity fortress was constantly trying to split them up so they could be picked off one by one by the hordes of demons swarming the sprawling hallways and Muichiro had to be constantly aware of his surroundings to keep this from happening.

"Kibutsuji's nearby! Don't let your guard down!" Gyomei shouted at Muichiro without looking back at him. Muichiro understood why he didn't, they couldn't waste any time. Every second they spared to even look at someone as you talked to them was a second that man regained a bit of his strength.

"Ok!" Muichiro shouted back.

And in those brief seconds he wasted to respond to the slayer ahead of him his focus dropped slightly and Muichiro missed the slight shift in the walls that signaled movement. He got slammed head on by the wall beside him, having wasted his reaction time on an unnecessary response.

"TOKI-" Gyomei paused, before turning around and shouting out in horror as he felt a burst of unnatural wind and the air being forced out of Muichiro's lungs violently. "TOKITO!"

Muichiro tried to push himself off the wall but it was moving too fast. Should I ask for help? I've got no time to react! I'm sure he'd help if I- no, finding Muzan is more important. Muichiro frantically thought. "Never mind me, go!" Muichiro shouted in hopes Gyomei would listen to him, they were running out of time.

Muichiro frantically looked behind him to see where the wall was pushing him. He braced himself for impact as he frantically thought another wall, I'll be crush-

before being forcibly shoved straight through the wall. Muichiro was mildly surprised he wasn't squished by the impact but quickly forgot about that once he turned around.

Muichiro's heart missed a beat when he heard a figure that stood behind him speak. "You came. . . demon slayer."

It was a demon, and a tall one at that. Muichiro took a few seconds to examine it. They appeared to be a tall male with six eyes and reddish black hair. The demon radiated power that the upper rank he had previously beaten couldn't compare to.

This demon had very clearly eaten hundreds of humans.

For some a nerve wracking moment Muichiro prepared for the demon to rush him. However instead of attacking Muichiro, the demon fixed his six eyes on him in confusion. "Hm? You. . . for some reason. . . you seem familiar."

That kanji. . . upper rank 1!? The kanji for upper moon and one stared down at Muichiro as the demon who's eyes they belonged to thought something over. "Hm. . . I knew it. . . I see."

Muichiro felt his heart begin to rapidly pound in his chest. This. . . is upper rank 1. He can't be compared to any of the other upper ranks. He's profound. Majestic, even. For some reason he hadn't attacked yet so Muichiro once again took the advantage seconds the demon wasted to glance at the katana at his waist. His sword is distorted, but. . . he has a katana. A demon slayer? And a considerably skilled one at that. . .

Still, he had to fight. Muichiro grasped his sword in his hands and prepared to either attack or defend, however his hands wouldn't hold the katana without trembling. I can't stop shaking! My body doesn't want to fight. Muichiro warily looked at the upper moon. This is the first time this has ever happened to me.

Muichiro tensed and tightened his gripped his sword tighter when the demon spoke up again. "You. . . your name. . . what is it?"

"Muichiro. . . Tokito." Muichiro hesitantly replied.

"I see. Well. . . the Tsugikuni name must have died out." Muichiro couldn't read what emotion the demon was feeling. He was also confused about what this Tsugikuni name had to do with the current situation.