Unforgiving World (Tanjiro x OC)

Chapter 25

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The tension was high, the air was thick and the floor was shaky. Five demon slayers versus two Upper Rank demons. What could go wrong? They'd find out in a few moments, for sure. With Tanjiro, Zenitsu and Inosuke by their side right now, things were bound to look up, though Amaya had always learned to keep her expectations low enough so there wasn't too much room left for disappointment.

"You can summon all the underlings you want... but there'll still be no blissful future waiting for you! You're all going to die anyway... so stop staring with those sparkling eyes!" muttered Gyutaro, his eyes sharp as they scanned his newly achieved targets. Amaya swallowed at Gyutaro's confidence, paying attention to every inch of her surroundings, though that proved to be hard with the demon's deafening presence.

All she did hear, was the rattling of a sword. Amaya looked down at a crouching Tanjiro in front of her, noticing how his hands shook despite one of them being tightened to the hilt of his blade with gauze. She sighed and gently nudged his back with the bottom of her foot, hearing him inhale sharply before breathing out at a much calmer rate, Amaya's message being clear to him. 'Calm down', is what she said according to him, so that's what he would try to do.

"We're going to win! Us the demon slayers!" exclaimed Uzui loudly, Amaya's gaze landing on him instead. He was smiling. Why was he smiling? And why did it lift her spirits so much? Uzui just couldn't stop surprising her it seemed. "No way can you win! Not when the hashira who's your only hope is ravaged by poison along with his Tsuguko!" denied the belt demon, her name still not familiar to the demon slayers. Though her claim seemed to have thrown Tanjiro off guard, a gasp escaping his lips.

Uzui and Amaya had been poisoned? Oh no... That can't be good! They could die! Would they die? He didn't know, so he couldn't stop himself as he turned around to face the two people in question with a worried glance. Amaya was frowning and she was heard clicking her tongue, looking at the belt demon in annoyance. "I feel fine, though! It's only a small scratch, like hell I'd die from something like that!" protested the purple-haired female, a boisterous laugh sounding from Uzui next.

"You heard her! We're going to win easy, you dumbass bottom-feeders! I'm at the top of my game when I'm shackled by poison in my system!" cheered Uzui once more, though the belt demon wasn't happy with their declarations. "Oh, spare us your bravado!" grumbled the female, Uzui clearly having none of it. "Shut up! Don't you dare underestimate humans! All four of these demon slayers are my brilliant Tsuguko! They have relentless grit!" boasted Uzui, lying through his teeth.

Inosuke laughed from behind them, putting his hands on his hips in pride. "Yeah, we do!" claimed the boy, Uzui smiling at his cooperation. "Even if their limbs fall off, they won't let go! And I've already identified how to bring you down! Beheading you at the same time! Both of you at the same time! Am I right?" laughed the hashira, his persona reminding the other demon slayers of a certain someone they knew. Tanjiro couldn't help but feel as if Uzui measured up to Rengoku's very self, his eyes sparkling in admiration.

Amaya sighed as some of the tension left her shoulders, Uzui's presence finally being able to calm her almost completely. He was right. Even with their wounds, they wouldn't stop, he could count on that. "Otherwise there'd be no reason to disperse your respective skills rather than assimilating your weak sister into yourself! HA HA! Easy-peasy, you two!" On second thought... Uzui was still kind of like a child...

"I see! It's that simple! We've as good as won, huh?" added Inosuke, steam practically blowing from his mask as he flexed his muscles in impatience. Gyutaro smiled and crouched lower, scratching at his neck as he took Uzui's words to heart. "All those demon slayers perished because they couldn't do that simple thing. Not even the hashira! Fifteen for me and seven for my sister. That's how many we've devoured!" Amaya huffed at his words, the only thing they fueled were her anger, not her fear.