- Y/n Tsugikuni -

Chapter 24 - Past Noon -

"Hinokami Kagura."
Solar Heat Haze

After masking himself in fire, Tanjiro tries to behead the uppermoon, his blade now stuck on his neck, but not even half of Kokushibo's neck was cut.

"Very funny. It's a Kamado. What, were the pillars busy?"

Kokushibo grabs the latter on his neck, and starts choking him. Tanjiro struggled to break free, his body wracked with pain, but Kokushibo's grip was too strong. It was then that the young demon slayer remembered a technique he had learned long ago.

"Water Breathing."
Splashing Water Flow, Turbulent

With a desperate effort, he gathered his strength, his foot placed on Kokushibo's abdomen.

"Get.. off!" In a burst of power, he swung himself back. pushing him away.

It took the demon by surprise, and he loosened his grip, just for a moment. It was all he needed, and Tanjiro was free.

The sun was rising higher and higher in the sky now, and Kokushibo knew he only had moments left before he would be consumed by the light. He turned and ran, his footsteps carrying him into the woods. He had to find a place to hide, somewhere he could escape the sun's rays.

But as he ran, he refused to go quietly. He stopped and reached out his sword, his energy flowing into the air around him.

"Moon Breathing."
Catastrophe, Tenman Crescent Moon

With a final burst of energy, Kokushibo sent a slash full of crescent sharp moons after the three, hoping that it would finish them all while he ran.

They were in the open, with nowhere to hide. The moons sped towards them, their curved forms filling the air. Shinobu and Tanjiro quickly assumed a defensive position, their swords raised, but there was nowhere to run.

-

'So this is how i die? wounded my stomach and killed by a demon.'

'Why does this feel oddly familiar?' the pillar kneels down to the ground.

'Y/N, SNAP OUT OF IT!' a voice lingers.

'Huh?'

'A PILLAR WOULDN'T JUST SIT THERE AND TAKE IT. AND NEITHER SHOULD YOU!' It says. completely confusing him on what who it was.

'Mother..?' He recognize that voice.

'You wanna do right by her? Then don't let THAT scare you!'

'Mother, I am mortally wounded. how could I possibl-'

'Y/n...' she interrupts.

'I wanna tell you, that if you don't do this, Tanjiro is gonna die. Shinobu is gonna die. everyone is gonna die.'

'but aside all of that...'

'You are gonna die. dying is gay, son.'

.

'...Yeah. I guess you're right.' He stands up.

-

"I can't surrender at the turning point of destiny. Right now; it's do or die. My life is on the line."

"The day of fate is finally here, and
I WILL NOT FLEE!"

Y/n "fucks it" and takes a deep breath. focusing all of his energy into a single, explosive move.

"If you move, your wound will open again, Y/n. Don't move, that's an order!" Shinobu yells, as a crescent moon made a cut on her cheek.

He grunts as he grabs his sword.
"By my power."