The Demon Queen

Wind and Stone🌙

Kokushibou took a step backwards. "This is bad, Sakura," he said and prepared himself. "There's two of them and the man with the spiked ball is very advanced ... I don't remember the last time I encountered such a warrior."

"You two've got no time to talk!" the Slayer named Sanemi yelled and sent a Wind Breathing attack at us.

With a grunt, Kokushibou quickly countered the attack with a barrage of crescent moon-shaped blades. They broke through the wind, cutting off the trails of the deadly gusts, and proceeded to curve upwards to smash into the ceiling.

"Wind Breathing and Stone Breathing ..." Kokushibou said. "Luckily for us, I'm very familiar with your Breathing styles." He looked at Sanemi. "I developed my own methods through a lot of training with the Wind Hashira long ago."

"I don't care what you did long ago! You're dying tonight!" Sanemi yelled.

Suddenly, the spiked ball from the Stone Hashira smashed into the floor at our feet. Kokushibou and I got out of the way in time, but the attack came way too close, considering that we couldn't regenerate anymore.

Right when we landed back on the floor, both Hashiras sent an attack at us. Even though our senses remained heightened like a demon's, and our speed and stamina were much higher than the average human, we were bound to get tired from all of this. All we did was jump around, dodging attacks or sending our own back at the Hashiras, that did nothing but block what was coming towards us. Before we knew it, the room we were standing in was completely destroyed. The walls and floor had gaping holes in them and the ceiling was falling apart.

"I'm getting sick of this ..." I growled under my breath. My voice got louder. "And I'm tired of you!" I yelled at the Hashiras. "I'm tired of all of you trying to kill us! And now you've destroyed my home, too! I've had it! You're gonna pay!"

A rush of exhilaration came over me and I sped at a superhuman speed towards Sanemi. My immediate and harsh sword swings caught him off-guard, pushing me into an offensive position. It was as if my sword was controlling me. It glowed white like the sun with flames around the blade that Sanemi's wind couldn't disturb.

"Moon Breathing: Sixteenth Form," I heard Kokushibou say as he clashed with the Stone Hashira. His blade erupted with irregular crescent moons that flew throughout the room.

The Stone Hashira shot his spiked ball through the crescent moon blades and spun around to pull out a knife and slash Kokushibou in the shoulder.

Kokushibou screamed in pain.

"Michikatsu!" I yelled and started to turn my head in his direction.

"Look at me, bitch!" Sanemi laughed and slammed his sword into mine, pushing me backwards.

A fury as great as the one I felt when Gyutaro died burnt within me. My eyebrows dug into my brow bone and my eyes flashed with anger. "If he dies ... if he dies ..." I growled.

I heard a slashing noise followed by Kokushibou screaming again. His psyche couldn't cope with his new mortal body.

"I WON'T LET YOU KILL HIM!" My voice erupted from my body. A new power overcame me as my sword's colour changed from a blinding white to red.

Sanemi's eyes widened. "Red ...?" he uttered.

I put my weight on my back foot and kicked Sanemi in the stomach with all my might, sending him soaring back until he smashed against a wall. I then unleashed a massive Sun Breathing attack, cutting through the room and separating the Stone Hashira from Kokushibou.

"Michikatsu!" I called as I sped to his side. He was panting, holding his bleeding shoulder.

"Sakura ..." he said. "I don't ... want to be ... human ..." He grit his teeth.