Demon slayer: Breath Of The Eclipse

Chapter Fifty Three: Awful Villain

Hantengu fleed with Tanjiro in hot pursuit, the Hashira had chased the Uppermoon Four into a clearing and ignited his demonic Nichirin sword striking the diminutive demon's neck!. Hantengu let out an awful screech of agony as the blade burned him, but Tanjiro was determined to not let up his attempt, not now when he was halfway through decapitating the demon!. But then and without warning something appeared behind Tanjiro and startled him.....it was the scent of a new demon and it was unlike that of Urogi,Sekido, Aizetsu or Karaku, the new demon didn't waste any time, he formed a double-bladed dagger with his flesh and beats on a drum attached to himself, sending a powerful shock wave that sent Tanjiro flying, stopping him from decapitating Hantengu.

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And from the epicenter, five immense wooden dragons formed and took Tanjiro with them high into the sky. Tanjiro struggled to hold on, the dragons attempted to crush him with their jaws, forcing Tanjiro to leap and dodge them while riding on their necks. Tanjiro lost grip and nearly fell into a dragon's jaws, but Nezuko arrived in time to save him, she got bit and lost an arm and leg, but she healed and regenerated her severed limbs. The two landed on the ground and saw the new demon before them.

"You brutes who torment the weak! Unpleasantness......Unhappiness......
Extremity......You awful villains!." said the new demon denouncing the Tsugikuni siblings as brutes and villains who torment the weak.

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Tanjiro was shocked to see a sixth demon but realized that he does not see or sense the other four demons. Genya became confused and noted that this demon was Sekido not long ago. When Tanjiro was about to decapitate Hantengu, Genya turned and saw Sekido raise both hands, grab Karaku and Urogi and absorb their bodies into himself. He then turned to Aizetsu to take him too, Aizetsu seemed to object but was nonetheless absorbed. The demon of anger then knelt down and transformed into a new manifestation named Zohakuten, a manifestation of Hantengu's hatred. Zohakuten taped a drum, wrapping Hantengu in a wooden burl, Tanjiro yelled out to object. Zohakuten stared at Tanjiro, and the Eclipse Hashira stared back.

"That look in your eyes.....it's like Kokushibo is looking back!." said Zohakuten terrified and intimidated. Genya and Nezuko froze in sheer terror, the aura that these two demons were releasing was so overwhelming, Nezuko and Genya couldn't breathe!, and were trembling uncontrollably at the sight of their power!.

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"And why do you see us as the villains?." asked Tanjiro curiously, wanting to see Zohakuten's perspectiv.

"You are just like your father, a blood thirsty and heartless killer, you were about to murder a demon who fits into your palm!." answered Zohakuten.

"You guys all reek of blood!. You've probably eaten two hundred people!. What did those people do to you?. Did they do something they had to pay for with their lives?!. You've killed and eaten a lot of people!. So don't play the victim!. You're whole being is twisted!. And i can't forgive that!. You devil!. I'm going to cut off your head!." retorted Tanjiro as he raised his blade, he couldn't believe how sick and twisted Hantengu was!. Bemused the demon of hatred asked if Tanjiro had finished speaking and wondered if he had devoured any of Tanjiro's relatives to make him so angry?. When Tanjiro did not concur, Zohakuten believed that his actions were justified and the Eclipse Hashira's lack of bereavement made his emotional disgust irrelevant. Tanjiro retaliated by saying that helping people does not need a reason, stating that someone like him could not possibly know. The insult struck a nerve in Zohakuten, causing him to beat his drum and send the dragons after the Hashira.

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Still trapped inside the water pot, Muichiro saw Gyokko turn his attention to the work shed behind him, the demon wondered why it was so important and sinked back into his vase. Muichiro determined that with the remaining oxygen in his lungs, he could use one more form. As his life flashed before him, Muichiro remembered the six months that he spent training with Tanjiro and his fellow Hashira. Muichiro was sparring with Tanjiro, the battle was intense.

" Don't hold back Muichiro, show me why you are the Mist Hashira!" yelled Tanjiro as he was fighting Muichiro, the battle was more intense than any sparring match they had before, Tanjiro was pushing Muichiro to his limits, it was necessary in order to make Muichiro awaken his mark, in order for a Demon Slayer to awaken their mark they must survive a near death experience!. Muichiro struck Tanjiro with his Nichirin Katana, the injuries that Tanjiro sustained would have killed a normal person, but Tanjiro healed like it was nothing!.

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"That was incredible, your strength and precision was amazing, if i was human i would have been killed." praised Tanjiro, the maroon swordsman had transformed into his demonic form, in order to push Muichiro to his limits. Muichiro was unnerved, he had never seen this side of Tanjiro before, so he found it disturbing for he associated it with the monsters that he hated and hunted down. The fight kept escalating, and then it finally happened, Muichiro was cornered...Muichiro not yet used to seeing Tanjiro's demonic side, had thought that he was about to die, that Tanjiro was about surrender to his demonic instincs and devour him, that was when Muichiro finally awakened his Demon Slayer Mark. A red mark appeared on Muichiro's cheek that resembled mist or a cloud, Muichiro felt stronger and more powerful than ever before, he was able to turn the tide and beat Tanjiro, his sword was now on Tanjiro's neck.

"Muichiro calm down" said Tanjiro.

"I'm sorry Tanjiro, i thought you were about to eat me!" replied Muichiro.

"Oh it's all right, you haven't seen this side of me before so of course it will freak you out, i'm so proud of you, not only did you beat me fare and square, you also unlocked your mark!.". spoke Tanjiro, Muichiro look at himself in the mirror and saw the mark on his cheek, Tanjiro congratulated him on his achievement. And then a new individual appeared, telling Muichiro that humans are capable of unbelievable strength when helping each other, then the mist cleared, revealing that the the individual has red eyes. Gathering the last of his strength the Hashira used Mist Breathing Second Form: Eight Layered Mist, and successfully cut through Gyokko's Blood Demon Art despite his chipped blade. Free at last, Muichiro finally understood why Tanjiro was pivotal to him, Tanjiro possessed the same red eyes that Muichiro's father had.

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Authors Note : Muichiro is starting to get himself back!, i love the scene where Muichiro finally broke free from Gyokko's Blood Demon Art.