The 10th Hashira - Rengoku X Reader

Chapter 20 - Two Crows

I stand at the gate looking out at the trees as they sway in the light breeze. Everything seems unimportant.

"You headed out?" A gentle voice grows louder as they come and stand next to me.

"I suppose I must. Another day, another demon. You hold the fort down while I'm gone, Yuta? Not that you're the most qualified person here to do that," I give him a gentle jab to the arm.

"I'll do my best. Did Rengoku already head out?" Yuta's voice remains soft and serious.

"Ya, he left really early this morning. He's eager to get the mission complete and return, is at least what I like to think," I place my hand on the hilt of my sword that is resting in my obi, using it as leverage to support my posture.

My mind wanders back to earlier this morning. The feeling of Rengoku's warmth leaving not only me, but the room cold as he departed with the simple words, "I'll see you soon." His warm kiss on my cheek lingering, even now, as I stand to face my doom.

"You think my sacrifice will amount to anything?" I don't look at Yuta as I ask, ashamed of my doubt in myself, and in Ubuyashiki.

"You're not sacrificing anything because you will be coming back! Don't give up before it starts. You will be coming back..." I turn and look at Yuta, tears welling up in his eyes, making them red and irritated as he tries to hold them back.

"You're right, Yuta, it hasn't even started. I'm getting all worked up for nothing." I bring my hand down and interlace my fingers with his. He wipes at his tears and makes an exaggerated sigh.

"Walk well, don't trip on anything, watch out for poisonous bugs, and fight well. I will be waiting for you, alongside many more of your comrades."

I can't help but smile as I give Yuta's hand a tight squeeze before releasing it. I take a few long strides out into the forest before turning around and looking at Yuta, the walls of what I call home, and the backdrop of the clear sky illuminated by the humming of cicadas.

"See ya, Yuta," I offer a simple wave before turning back around and entering the forest, soon becoming invisible to home.

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Ubuyashiki's POV

"The raven arrived a few minutes ago," Kagaya lets the raven drop from her sleeve and bounce towards me.

"This is..." I hear nothing from Kagaya, knowing what this means. I place my hand down flat, letting the raven jump on it before hopping up my arm and perching on my shoulder. "She fought well, and made all of us proud."

"Unknown upper-rank demon slayed, unknown sword demon appeared and escaped, slayer succumbed to her injuries!" The crow's voice seemed to echo as it revealed the tragedy. My eyes droop, but I focus them back up at where Kagaya's presence is.

"Is there a retrieval crew on the way?" I ask.

"Yes, they left right as the bird arrived. The rest of the Hashira and hunters are aware of the situation as well," Kagaya sits down elegantly in front of me, and her hands grab mine.

I hear the flutter of feathers from the direction of the shoji screen. Kagaya releases my hands and opens the screen, letting the early morning sunlight in. I can feel it fall across my face, warming me.

"It's..." She doesn't say anything before coming and sitting down next to me. The crow on my shoulder leaps and joins the other crow on the tatami mat.

"Rengoku has fallen; upper-rank three demon escaped!" I feel the sunlight begin to burn into my scars, like it is clawing at my eyes. Heat rises in my throat, but I battle it.

"Send a retrieval crew to his location." The sound of the bird's wings carries it out of my reach as I relax my posture, sitting back on my feet. Silence envelopes Kagaya and me as we stare out in the direction of the large burial of all the fallen brethren that have risked their lives to save those that are weak.

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My sword had been snapped in two. One left inside the gut of the demon, the other still holding onto the hilt that I clasp for life. My knuckles have gone white as the blood from my chest drips down in streams over my stomach, down my legs, and pools below me. An interception? I will not even be able to make it to the destination I was assigned at this point.

The night air is cool, and the trees sway, or that is me on my feet as I try to maintain my balance. The open clearing in the forest at least makes it easier for me to move around and use strong blows against the demon without anything getting in the way.

The demon removes the sword from its gut, leaving behind no wound. I wonder if Rengoku is facing the same bullshit cheater moves as this. Self-healing should be outlawed.

"Thinking a simple demon hunter could kill me? How nice it will feel ripping your limbs from your body," in a fast motion, the demon takes one step towards me and is standing in front of me. I barely dodge their outstretched arm as they try to grab my shoulder. I flip around them and slice at their neck with what I have left of a sword. I leave a deep cut in their neck, causing them to jump back in earnest fear of death. "Not bad," their words echo patronizingly.

"Not bad will get you killed," I say as I stand up straight, feeling the blood leak from my chest in a sudden wave of vigor.

"You have little time left. Why not let me end your suffering now?"

"My, how generous of you. But I think staying alive a little longer to decapitate you is what I really want more than anything," I steady myself, taking in a warm breath as I muster the remaining of my strength in this next, and most likely, final move.

"Why fight so hard when you will have no impact?" The demon readies themself for my attack.

"Well, maybe it's because I know others are fighting just as hard as me, and will continue to. If I give up so easily now, what type of message will that send? You choosing to become a demon- what type of message did that send to your loved ones? Or do you even remember the faces of the ones you once called family and lovers?" I flip my sword over my back and crouch in an attack stance.

"I do not need such trivial things in my life as that; I live for me and no one else."

"How lonely," I say before pushing off the ground and flinging myself towards the demon. The demon swings at me, cutting through the sleeve of my haori before I twist my body and slice straight through its neck. The head falls to the ground, rolling out of the forest's clearing and towards the woods.

"You-You will pay-" the head disintegrates, the body soon to follow. I drop to my knee, placing my sword in the ground as leverage. I steady my breathing, concentrating on my wound to slow down the bleeding. I place my hand as pressure onto the wound and regain my composure, sliding my broken sword into my obi.

"Man, what a demon tactic. Ambush," I start walking in the direction of the forest, ready to leave the clearing. I should make it to the next village by morning, and I will have my wounds treated there then I can head to the swordsmith village to get my sword repaired. 

A rustling in the grass alerts me, and I spin around to see, hear, and feel a sword enter my stomach. I bring my hand down, grabbing the hilt of the sword that is flush against my stomach. The blade has gone all the way through my stomach and out my back.

"There's no coming back from this, is there?" I ask rhetorically as I gaze towards the perpetrator. "Six eyes? Now that is definitely unfair," my legs lose strength, and I fall to the ground as the sword slices through my side, leaving my stomach ripped open. My back lands on the moist grass. I can't feel it. I can see the stars above me, twinkling. Rengoku is under the same sky, having better luck than me.

I hear the gentle steps of the demon approach me as blood wells up in my throat, falling in a thin line from my lips. I keep my eyes on the sky, watching as it slowly begins to fade. My eyes unconsciously glance towards the demon as it stares down at me, no emotion present on its face. Their image fades, and all I can see in their place is Rengoku's warm, smiling face, hand outstretched to me, as the sun slowly rises in the distance, making everything warm and cozy. I raise my hand and take his, being pulled from the pain and cold, and brought into the light.