A Clap of Thunder (Demon Slayer X Male Reader)

Chapter 37: Arrival

"Damnit!" Sanemi swung again and again. "I can't even scratch him!"

"Moon Breathing: Third Form: Loathsome Moon, Chains..." Kokushibō sliced ahead, but then he felt a familiar force throw off his crescents and blade strikes away.

"The Demon Slayer Corps will never disappear until all of the demons are eradicated from this world." Gyomei arrived, swinging his axe as Sanemi was on the ground behind him.

Gyomei began to swing his spiked chain ball, then he threw it towards Kokushibō, who side stepped to avoid the blow. The chain ball crashed onto the floor, leaving a small crater behind.

Kokushibō looked back to see the axe coming up behind his neck as he immediately placed his sword behind him as both weapons clashed.

"He swung both weapons at once..." Kokushibō thought. "Such efficiency...it's hard to believe..."

"Moon Breathing—"

"Stone Breathing: Second Form: Upper Smash!" Gyomei stomped on the floor as the chain ball then appeared above Kokushibō again as he sidestepped to avoid it once more.

When Kokushibō managed to regain his footing, the chains appeared all over his sides as it wrapped around his upper body area, mostly his neck and blade, which was placed between the chain and his neck to avoid a beheading.

"I can't break these chains...!" Kokushibō tried to slice the chains with his blade, but he was forced to kneel as the chains snapped on his previous location, small strands of his hair interlocked between them.

"The chain, axe, and iron ball are all made of pure iron. This is an extremely high-grade weapon..." Kokushibō thought as he finally began to go on the attack towards Gyomei. "It's best to go within his striking range..."

Kokushibō's blade neared Gyomei's neck, as he sliced ahead, the tough Demon Slayer jumped over the crescents and swung his axe, which then sliced Kokushibō's back and tore off parts of his kimono.

Kokushibō then turned to Gyomei, then realized his sword was stuck. He looked back to see his sword being held back by Gyomei's chains. Gyomei, with a flock of his fingers, made the chain snap the flesh blade in half.

Using what was left of his blade, Kokushibō rushed in, but he realized that Gyomei had gotten to him quicker, so he changed forms midway and prepared a defensive form.

"Stone Breathing: Fourth Form...!"

"Moon Breathing: Second Form..."

Gyomei began to slam his iron ball and swung his axe at the same time in a shattering clash with Kokushibō as the demon began to unleash his own strikes and crescents to block and weave through Gyomei's attacks.

"Volcanic Rock, Rapid Conquest!"

"Pearl Flower Moongazing...!"

After the assault, Kokushibō held his blade horizontally as the blade regenerated quickly as he looked at Gyomei, who now had a sword injury on his face.

"Attacks are useless..." Kokushibō began. "Everything you break will regenerate right away..."

"I wanted to save this for when I fight Muzan, but there's no waste in using it here!" Gyomei crossed his arms as a earthquake-like mark engraved itself on his forearms.

"I see. You too bear a mark." Kokushibō said. "What a pity."

"A pity?" Gyomei questioned.

"At a glance, were I to guess your age...is around 27, right?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"...Those with marks, without exception, die before the age of 25. You may as well die this very night. You have mastered your techniques and body to such a degree, don't you think that is tragic?"

"I don't. All that stuff, that is old news."

"You already knew?"

"Even if my mark didn't appear, as long as I am in the Demon Slayer Corps, there is never a promise of tomorrow. What's the use of trying to preserve my lifespan this late in the game? Nobody with a resolve like that becomes a Pillar."

"I'm not taking about something as dull as your lifespan." Kokushibō stated. "Becoming a demon means the ability to preserve those techniques. I cannot comprehend you..."

"Stop trying to make your notions seem flawless. I just realized it while you were talking, but you lied about something."

"What's that? What falsehood did I say?"

"There was an exception, wasn't there? A person who bore a mark and lived past 25."

There was a moment of silence, but this was all Gyomei needed as a confirmation.

"You're shaking. It looks like my guess hit home, right—?" Gyomei then instinctively raised his chain, as Kokushibō already had appeared and struck the chain with ferocity.

"Hah...hah..." Sanemi stitched his wounds as he finally stood up with difficulty and now a windmill mark bore on his right cheek.

Sanemi launched himself to the battling Kokushibō, as the demon pushed off Gyomei with a swing of his blade and turned to Sanemi, who struck Kokushibō's flesh blade with the intent to kill.

"He bears a mark as well...is every Pillar of this age marked?" Kokushibō thought as he jumped back and Sanemi and Gyomei stood side by side.

"Let's do it, Himejima-san!" Sanemi said, pointing his blade towards Kokushibō.

"Hmph. It won't matter. I can still handle two marked Pillars. It won't change the outcome—"

Kokushibō widened his eyes as he saw you arrive in style, as your kimono flew elegantly into the air as you kneel down in front of Gyomei and Sanemi.

"You're late!" Sanemi smirked.

"So both of you got marks? Sweet!" You take out your blade as you begin to swing it around through your fingers before finally making a stance. "It's been a while, Michikatsu!"

"How...do you know that name...?" Kokushibō asked.

Meanwhile, Genya was able to reach to his destined goal. He managed to get a lock of hair between his teeth and he managed to swallow it. He felt dizzy but then he woke up in pitch black darkness.

Kokushibō.

"This voice...!" Genya looked at a shadowy figure ahead. "It's Muzan!"

It is not yet time. Do not let them come here.

"All of this from a lock of hair? This is the purity of Upper One's blood..." Genya thought as he then awoke again in the real world.

"First Form: Thunder Clap and Flash!" You slice Kokushibō's flesh blade in half as the Upper Rank leaned his head back to avoid the forward slash, both swordsman looking at each other, Kokushibō under and you above. "Third Form: Thunder Swarm!"

From above, you launch five arched slashes as Kokushibō deflected what he could as he leaned further back with his broken blade. With most of your slashes, you tore off Kokushibō's kimono.

"Go for the neck!" You yell at Gyomei and Sanemi, who ran towards Kokushibō as you fell forward and land elegantly behind.

"That's it..." Kokushibō began, almost smiling.

Gyomei and Sanemi then got attacked from all over. Their bodies began to bleed out as they stop midway charge and began to assess what the hell just happened there.

"How did he reach here...?" Sanemi thought. "He's still all the way over there!"

Kokushibō stood, holding his sword horizontally and looked at you with the intent to kill. You gulp slightly as his sword was now twice as huge. He was much stronger than Douma, his aura was just far superior than any demon that you've encountered.

"You tore my kimono. You couldn't even kill an infant with the likes of that." Kokushibō was looking down on you. "Once I have put you down, the rest will be trivial."

End of Chapter