𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐞? [KNY] [Giyushino]

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 14: 𝓟𝓸𝓲𝓼𝓸𝓷

Giyu POV:

I blinked furiously, trying to get the blurry world to clear. Pain shocked my body as I tried to make sense of my surroundings.

Shinobu and Naomi were dueling a few feet away from me. Shinobu was sweating and looked exhausted, but Naomi could just as well have been dancing. I looked down at my body and saw my veins, purple.

Poison.. Needles.. I vaguely remembered falling unconsious after being stabbed by something. It couldn't have been Naomi.. her Blood Demon Arts wasn't medical and she wouldn't have time to prepare a poison..

Shinobu.

She probably had poison prepared at any moment. And she was a doctor, specializing in poisons.. she had treated me enough for me to know that her needles were sharp and thinner than others. 

Would she really do this? Poison me? Even if she hates me, in the middle of a battle? There was no way she could kill Naomi. She didn't even have her mark awakened.

Also, where was Shigeru? That weak new pillar. He may have fooled everyone else but he couldn't play tricks with me. I could tell from the way he held his sword to his stance that he wasn't a qualified fighter. Yet he always returned from his missions successful. Some people really did have it all.

I couldn't believe Shinobu was dating him. Well, actually, I could believe it. Who wouldn't choose Shigeru? He was friendly, outgoing, handsome... or at least that was what Mitsuri said when she was fangirling.

I was dragged back to the present by a female scream. I opened my eyes to see Shinobu crouching beside me.

Shinobu POV:

I stared at Giyu's state. I'd only assumed the poison was only going to take away some of his stamina, since it was specialized for demons, but Giyu's veins were purple, a sign of poison in his blood.

I realised that demons were tougher than humans, so I remembered that when I made the poison, I named it "Blood Mal." It stood for Blood Malfunctions, designed to slowly eat away at your blood. Demons couldn't heal wounds without blood.

But it worked with humans too. I hadn't made a human antidote, since I never even considered using it on a human. My own stupid mistake. And now it was going to cost Giyu's life.

"Please... don't..," I fumbled around in my supplies for an antidote for poison. Hurridely, I injected it into Giyu's body, but it wasn't working. He was turning paler by the second.

I couldn't be deferred for long. Naomi could launch a suprise attack at any second, and I would be dead. But I couldn't leave Giyu. Without medicine, he would be dead in a few minutes, or less.

Naomi's evil laugh ringed out again and it made my veins pop out even more. I injected another antidote needle into Giyu and then spun around to charge at the demon.

New pure, raw fury channeled my blood and pushed me on. I slashed my sword at her. She dodged, but I went on, using multiple slices. I managed to get a scratch on her.

I knew Giyu wasn't going to survive this night if I didn't kill Naomi now and immediantly treat him at the Butterfly Mansion. But Naomi was barely tired and I just couldn't match up to her strength. She wasn't even using her blood demon arts yet.

Shigeru.. my only hope was Shigeru.. if he could slay Naomi for me, I would be able to treat Giyu and drag out his time a little...

But hope would not keep me alive. I could only do with what I had.

I fought back my best, and my mark appeared, so I was able to advance further on Naomi, but I still wasn't able to get any major wounds on her. And my poison didn't work on her.

I shot a glance back at Giyu. He was now deadly white, the only other colour in his skin was purple. His eyes were closed.

"No!" I retreated from Naomi and hurried to Giyu, immediantly feeling for his pulse.

It was there, but so faint I could barely feel it.

In that moment, everything felt hopeless. The only path I could see was darkness. One of us woudn't survive to see another sunrise. 

"Don't... don't leave me..,"