The different breath of Flame//Shinobu Kocho x Male Reader

Chapter VI "Unexpected Reunion"

No One POV:

"You did well to return," Ubuyashiki spoke to a crowd of who returned from Mount Natagumo "So, most of my children have been slaughtered? We might find a Twelve Kizuki there, then... It seems I'll have to send in some Hashira," he said, and his two daughters faced behind him, and there sat Giyu, the Water Hashira and Shinobu, the Insect Hashira.  "Giyu... Shinobu," Ubuyashiki simply spoke their names, but already knowing they responded simultaneously "As you wish!" "...If only humans and demons could get along, Don't you agree, Tomioka?" Shinobu said suddenly "Impossible... as long as demons eat humans," Tomioka responded and they both prepared to leave.

While the two headed on their way, Ubuyashiki smiled a bit wider, his face glowing while petting the crow "If it truly is a Twelve Kizuki... then you know who to inform..." he said and gently held the crow up "How long has it been? Maybe a few months, a year? Anyway, it could've been a few day's yet it would still feel he's been gone a decade..." he laughed a little to himself.  With a final stroke on the birds head, he gently threw him in the air, getting him to fly "Find him, inform him, then bring him here... it's been a while since I've last been able to speak with him..." he said and the crow instantly took off.

~6 Episode Time Skip~

Tanjiro POV:

My legs were weak, I could barely move as I watched Nezuko fall from the strings holding her in the air and landing on the ground "Nezuko!" was all I could yell "Nezuko!" I yelled again "I-I won! I won!" I declared thinking back to the attack I preformed, the Hinokami Kagura, a dance my father showed me when I was young which somehow I used to fight.  It was unexpected that it saved, but regardless that wasn't my main concern, I tried to stand to get to Nezuko but my vision was going blurry, I couldn't see Nezuko and immediately I fell back to the floor, grabbing my chest as it felt like I struggling to breath and my ears were ringing.

My entire body was in pain, but regardless I crawled with all my strength towards Nezuko, needing to get up quickly to help Inosuke with the other demon, it was slow, but I started moving until I suddenly smelt a demonic scent which made me immediately stop moving my eyes widening in smelling the scent of blood getting stronger.  The smell of ash wasn't present as it had been so many times before when I slayed other demons, but I couldn't even turn to confirm the suspicions in my head, rather, I heard the footsteps which confirmed it form me "Even though I chopped off his head?" I asked myself, unable to move now.

"You thought you'd defeated me? Poor kid," I heard the demon speak "Did your pathetic delusion bring you joy? I cut off my head myself with my own threads... before you could chop it off," he explained and I started crawling away towards Nezuko "I'll kill both you and your sister, I haven't been this enraged in a long time," it spoke and I began yelling at myself to get up.  I was yelling at myself to get myself together, to get ready to fight again, but it was no use, all I could really do for movement was crawl "But I wonder why you're not burning up... It was only me and my threads that caught fire, right?" the demon asked as I heard him approaching.

"I don't know if it's your sister's power, but thanks for getting me super-annoyed! Now I can carve you up with no regrets," the demon continued and I tried to raise my blade and use my breathing techniques again "Blood Demon Art... Murderous Eye Basket!" he yelled and red threads rose from the ground and formed a sphere around me.  I tried to remain calm, keep myself from panicking and again tried to raise my blade, but my body was so weak, not even my arm was able to lift itself up, then the threads came down, and I felt then cut my hands, my blood splattering.