Storm of Swords (Female Rimuru X Demon Slayer)

Ch 17: Aftermath

RIMURU POV

Tanjiro and i have successfully beheaded the lower moon five.

Tanjiro collapsed from exhaustion, and I fell to my knees, trying to catch my breath.

Rimuru: (man, that was exhausting. Oh yeah, we should probably get his blood)

As I pulled out a knife to get a sample, I heard a thud in front of me and tanjiro.

We looked to see what it was and saw nezuko on the ground.

Rimuru/Tanjiro: NEZUKO!

I collected the blood sample and gave it to yushiro's cat.

I then helped tanjiro up and we slowly walked toward nezuko.

Tanjiro: we won, we actually did it!

Rimuru: Yeah, we sure did. By the way, those moves you use against that demon. Was that?

Tanjiro nods.

Tanjiro: it was the hinokami Kagura, i recalled our family's ritual that father performed, and it manifested into a technique

Rimuru: That was impressive

Suddenly, tanjiro grasped his chest in pain.

Rimuru: tanjiro?! What's wrong?!

Tanjiro: My whole body is aching, and my vision is getting blurry

Rimuru: tanjiro, hang in there

Tanjiro and i flinched as we sensed the presence of a demon very close to us.

Rimuru: (What the!? Im sensing the pressence of something evil behind us. Didn't sense anything coming...)

Tanjiro: (The scent of blood got stronger! And it didn't give off the smell of ash like usual...)

Rimuru/Tanjiro: (That could only mean he's still alive!/don't tell me, he survived that?)

Rui: Did you both think you'd defeated me?...

Once we heard the voice of the demon, we both quickly turned around and saw it was still alive, and it's using its threads to lift his head.

Rui: ...did your delusion bring you a brief moment of joy? I cut my head off myself using my own threads. before you two could do the job yourselves, and if I had done it a moment too late...

The demon glanced at me with rage and broke what was left of inosuke's swords.

Rui: ...you would've actually killed me. I don't know what you're planning to do with my blood or what the deal is with that cat, but it doesn't matter. Because I will kill you both

Tanjiro barely managed to raise his sword to the demon but failed.

Rui: Oh and don't worry, I don't want your sister anymore, I haven't been this enraged in a long time

The demon began to approached us as it reach out and reattached its head.

Tanjiro and I began walking backward as we didn't have enough strength to fight.

Rui: I wonder why you both weren't burned to cinders earlier in that explosion. Me and my threads and I were the only things that were set ablaze. I don't know if it relates to her power, but it has enraged me all the same

Rimuru: (Now that he mentioned it, how did we not get burned by nezuko's flames?)

I quickly shook off those thoughts.

The demon created more of those red threads.

Rui: Now I can care you all up with no regrets

I quickly took a breath to recover my stamina as fast as I could.