Justice is Blind |『 Female OC 』• Kimetsu no Yaiba

Act 40: Forged in Red

*Whoosh*

*BOOM*

The ground beneath them quaked violently as Muzan's appendages lashed out in a frenzied barrage. Each strike shattered stone and splintered wood, sending shockwaves through the battlefield. Craters erupted in the blood-soaked terrain, debris flying in all directions. The demon's rage was palpable, an unrelenting storm that bore down on the slayers with unbridled fury.

"Stop struggling in vain and just die already, you obsessed freaks!" Muzan roared, his voice reverberating across the battlefield like a thunderclap. His whip-like tendrils coiled and snapped in all directions, leaving trails of destruction in their wake. The impact cracks were deafening as if the earth was being torn apart.

Ayuna darted to the side, her breaths sharp and shallow as she narrowly avoided one of Muzan's devastating strikes. The ground beneath her feet gave way, crumbling into dust as she leapt onto a nearby piece of solid ground.

*CRASH*

She barely regained her footing before another tendril struck, slicing through the air with a shrill whistle. The tendril smashed into the earth where she had stood moments before, creating a deep gouge in the terrain. Ayuna's swords trembled in her grasp as she landed in a crouch, her eyes darting to the others.

Sanemi and Giyu were fending off another volley of Muzan's attacks as Obanai weaved through the chaos with serpentine grace, his blade striking out like a viper at Muzan's fleeting openings. Gyomei's massive form stood firm, his strikes deflecting some of the tendrils, though each blow seemed to take a toll on his immense strength.

*Drip*

A single drop of sweat slid down her temple as she gazed toward the side street where Shirayuki was. Though she couldn't see her, she could feel the faint scent of her blood in the distance. The thought of her injured companion sidelined and vulnerable only deepened the fire in Ayuna's chest.

Her grip on her swords tightened, the hilts digging into her palms. "Not one more," she muttered under her breath, her teeth clenched. "I won't let him take another one of us," said Ayuna.

*CRACK*

Muzan's whip lashed out again, slicing through the battlefield and narrowly missing her. The sheer force of the attack sent her stumbling backwards, her breath hitching as her boots skidded against the fractured ground. But then, her mind flickered to an unbidden yet welcoming memory.

The sun cast a warm glow over the courtyard as Ayuna sat cross-legged on the ground, her three swords sprawled out before her. Her mother, Maesu, knelt beside her, her elegant features softened by a warm smile.

"You're staring awfully hard at those swords, Ayuna," Maesu teased, her voice lilting like a melody. "What's going on in that little head of yours?" she asked as Ayuna's hands fidgeted with the hilt of her primary blade as she tilted her head up to her mother.