With a Flame in my Heart [Rengoku x Fem Reader] -DISCONTINUED-

Nineteen - じゅうきゅう

Y/N took a shaky breath. Her ivory-gold sword fell to the charred ground. Kyojuro picked her up and watched their opponent disintegrate.

"May you rest in peace," he quietly said, and walked off to find Tengen and the three juniors.

Y/N was once again unconscious in Kyojuro's arms. He picked up her sword and tucked it in her sheath, trying his best not to harm her in the process. Y/N took small breaths, her chest slowly rising and falling. Kyojuro had sustained several wounds from Daki's obi sashes. One was running across his abdomen and another was on his left arm. Several small cuts were peppered across his face, but his resolve remained strong. He held Y/N, wishing he knew how to cure poison.

"Inosuke!!!" Tanjiro yelled from afar. Kyojuro ran towards them and saw Inosuke lying on the ground. He had a deep wound in his chest, and the same poison that Y/N had in her system seemed to be infecting the boar-headed man as well. Tanjiro and Zenitsu were kneeling over him with tears. Inosuke didn't seem to be moving. Nezuko was sitting beside Tanjiro with a blank look on her face. Kyojuro ran towards them, heavily breathing.

"What happened?" he asked Tanjiro worriedly. More tears spilled from his crimson eyes.

"He's poisoned... none of us know how to stop it..." he quivered, placing a rough hand on his friend's limp arm. Kyojuro started to say something, but was interrupted by Nezuko.

"Hmmmph!" she grunted, and extended her hand towards Inosuke. Her familiar pink flames erupted around the group, engulfing Y/N and Kyojuro as well as the three juniors. Kyojuro opened his mouth in surprise, trying to shield his beloved in his fiery cloak. Y/N slowly opened her eyes, seeing Nezuko's pink demonic fire swirling around her. She shut her eyes tight, waiting for the pain to reach her body. She soon learned, though, that there was no pain. The flames subsided and disappeared into the ground. Inosuke groaned.

"Inosuke? Are you okay?" Tanjiro cried. The boar-headed man stayed silent for a bit, then he growled.

"Arrghhhhhhh! I'm hungry! Feed me!" he grunted, sitting up angrily.

"Inosuke! I'm so glad you're awake!" Tanjiro exclaimed, crying tears of joy. Y/N opened her eyes again, unsure of what was happening. Kyojuro smiled.

"Y/N-chan, are you okay..." he whispered, careful not to be too loud. Her vision refocused and she saw Kyojuro smiling brightly at her. She felt no poison in her system anymore, and she suspected it may be because of Nezuko's Blood Demon Art. She sighed in relief.

"Yeah, I'm okay," she said, sure of herself. Kyojuro hugged her tightly. She felt some tears fall on her face.

"I thought you were going to die... I guess we're even now, huh?" he joked, easing up the tension in the air. Y/N giggled.

"Yeah, we are. Now put me down! I can walk by myself!" she squeaked. Kyojuro laughed heartily and set her down. Tanjiro stood up with Zenitsu and Inosuke.

"Nezuko-chan! You did it! You saved Inosuke and L/N-san! Wowwww, you're so amazing!" Zenitsu praised her. Nezuko hid behind Tanjiro, who laughed.

"Come on, we need to go find Uzui-san. I don't know if he's okay or not!" he told the group. Y/N closed her eyes and concentrated, listening for any sounds related to Tengen. Almost immediately, she picked up on the sounds of his three wives screaming and panicking.

"That way!" she pointed in the direction in which she heard the racket. They ran towards where Y/N was pointing.

"Tengen-sama! PLEASE DON'T DIE ON US! WE WORKED TOO HARD AND OUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY IS COMING UP! WE HAVE SUCH A BIG SURPRISE PLANNED FOR YOUuuuu..." Suma sobbed, crying into Tengen's chest. Makio got angry.

"Stop yelling! Stop crying! He would want us to move on, but never forget him! Don't act like he's gonna die just yet!" She slapped Suma on the cheek. Hinatsuru sat beside Tengen.

"Hey, girls, s-settle down. I d-"

"TENGEN-SAMA!!!!! DON'T LEAVE US!" Suma wailed. Tengen frowned. He opened his mouth to say something again, but nothing came out. He had a dumbfounded look on his face.

"I think the poison reached his tongue," Y/N said, trying not to laugh. Nezuko stepped forward, ready to do her little trick.

"This is not something to laugh about, Y/N-chan!" Makio yelled at her, stomping up to her and raising her hand. She was about to slap her when Nezuko's pink flames surrounded Tengen. Suma and Hinatsuru jumped off of him in a panic.

"TENGEN-SAMA!" Suma cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. Y/N waited patiently for Nezuko to finish doing her thing while Kyojuro held her. Makio knelt down, unaware of what was happening before her very eyes.

"IT'S NOT EVEN CREMATION TIME! HE'S NOT EVEN DEAD YET!" Suma yelled into Nezuko's face, pulling on her arm. The little demon seemed unfazed by the heartbroken wife. She closed her fist and the fire dissipated into the air. Like Y/N and Inosuke, Tengen no longer had any poison infecting his body. Kyojuro helped Tengen up with a smile.

"Tengen-sama?" Hinatsuru whispered, peeking out from behind her hands. Tengen smiled gently.

"I am indebted to your sister, Kamado," he said. "I take back what I said at the last Hashira meeting. This proves her place as a Demon Slayer. You know, maybe we should get her a flashy uniform!"

"Thank you, Uzui-san!" Tanjiro bowed. Tengen ruffled his hair. His three wives surrounded him in a frenzy, They clung onto him, yelling prayers to the gods. Suma bowed down in front of Nezuko, shedding tears before her.

"Hmmmm?" Nezuko asked.

"I'M SORRY! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE STOPPED YOU! THANK YOU FOR SAVING TENGEN-SAMA! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" she wailed, grasping Nezuko's arm.

"Hey! Suma! Tengen has something to say! Stop screaming like a baby for once in your life!" Makio yelled at her, dragging Suma away from the little demon.

"THANK YOU!!!' she called. Nezuko 'hmmphed' very pridefully, happy with what she did.

Tengen coughed, and motioned for the group to come over to him.

"Because of my state, I have a difficult decision. Will I retire from being a Hashira or will I keep fighting? Now, I've thought about it, and I think it is best for me to retire. I can finally give you three-" he gestured towards his wives, "-the lives that you deserved from the very beginning. I also know that Oyakata-sama will understand, for he is a very understanding person. Therefore, I am no longer a Hashira."