55
Tanjiro gently lowered Nezuko’s box onto the rooftop with a grunt.
“Sorry, Nezuko… The shoulder strap broke. I can’t carry you anymore,” he said, out of breath.
Inside the box, Nezuko let out a soft, worried hum.
You, still limping slightly from your crash landing, crouched down beside the box and tapped the lid lovingly.
“Awwww my little demon princess is worried?! Don’t be, sweetie! You’re gonna look SO BADASS when you transform—I’ve literally been waiting for this moment my entire life,” you said, eyes sparkling like a fangirl at a concert.
Nezuko bumped the lid from inside, as if flattered.
From across the rooftop, Daki giggled.
“Aww, how touching. Too bad it’s your last heartwarming moment.”
But Tanjiro wasn’t backing down.
“Water Breathing: Fourth Form—” he called out, slamming his foot into the tiles for leverage,
“Striking Tide... Turbulent!!”
In a furious burst of motion, Tanjiro’s blade slashed through the flying ribbons of Daki’s obi, sending them scattering like paper streamers.
You watched, impressed, until another ribbon zipped dangerously close.
“…Should I interfere? Or should I not…” you muttered, tapping your chin dramatically. “Mhmhmhm—ah, screw it.”
You jumped high, body twisting through the air as your foot aimed straight for Daki’s smug face.
“HEY, BITCH!”
Your foot collided with her cheek mid-laugh.
WHAM.
Daki flew back, slightly stunned from the unexpected kick.
“I thought I smelled bleach and insecurity,” you quipped as you landed beside Tanjiro, casually cracking your knuckles. “Time to knock the ‘upper’ out of Upper Rank.”
Tanjiro blinked at you. “Y/N—!”
“What? You got your moment, I want mine too.”
Daki’s expression turned furious.
“Oh… you’ll regret that.”
You smirked.
“Can’t regret what I’m gonna enjoy.”
Suddenly, just as you and Tanjiro were catching your breath, one of Daki’s obis shot out like a whip—BAM!
It slammed into your side and sent you flying to a roof
“Y/N!!!” Tanjiro yelled, spinning around in pure panic.
You crashed onto a nearby roof with a harsh thud, groaning as you hit the tiles.
“Ouchie,” you muttered, voice strained. “That hurts like a lil’ bitch…”
Tanjiro’s eyes were wide with horror. “Y/N, NO!! Wait—I'll come help you!!”
Daki floated above, watching him try to run toward you. Her smile was cruel.
“Your midair skills weren’t half bad,” she sneered. “You even managed to separate her right over where I hid that Koinatsu woman. That’s impressive… for someone as ugly as you.”
From the rooftop, you weakly raised your middle finger.
“AT LEAST HE’LL NEVER BE AS UGLY AS YOU!”
Daki's face twitched. Her eyes locked onto yours with venom.
“SHUT YOUR MOUTH.”
Tanjiro didn’t hesitate—he leapt from rooftop to rooftop toward you, ignoring everything else.
“Y/N—are you okay? Where are you hurt?!”
You winced but smiled through the pain. “Don’t worry about me, you cute lil’ cinnamon roll. Go finish her off. I’ll patch myself up.”
He hesitated. “No—”
“BITCH, I said GO!” you snapped, eyes fierce.
He flinched—then nodded and turned back toward Daki, leaving you safe behind him.
From above, Daki blinked. Her expression faltered for a second.
‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵… 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨…? 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘸 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘳…?’
Her eye twitched. Was that… jealousy?
Her expression twisted again. “Ugh! What is this noise?! First the Ogimoto House… and Hinatsuru too?!”
Her eyes narrowed at Tanjiro.
“How many of you are there? Four?”
“I WON’T TELL YOU!” Tanjiro snapped.
Daki smirked. “If you tell me the truth, I’ll spare your life. And hers.” She pointed down at you.
Tanjiro’s face darkened. “Not a chance.”
She clicked her tongue. “Your sword’s chipped. Everything’s loud and irritating now… so this time…”
She raised her arms.
“I’ll kill you.”
From the other rooftop, you stirred again, your body finally cooperating.
Your vision steadied just in time to see her obi shooting out.
“Hinokami Kagura… RAGING SUN!” Tanjiro shouted, slashing her ribbons with fierce determination.
You smiled weakly. “Took you long enough, Fireboy.”
A calm presence settled beside you—Yoriichi appeared, silent but watching.
“Did I miss anything important?” he asked dryly.
“YOU SCARED ME DIPSHIT!!”
You gasped
“opps my bad” he said, nonchalantly
Just as Tanjiro's blade was about to strike her—
He vanished.
Daki’s eyes widened. “Where is he?!”
“Hinokami Kagura: Fake Rainbow.”
Tanjiro appeared behind her, blade mid-swing.
‘𝘈 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥—!’ he thought, eyes narrowing in on the opening.
But Daki turned just in time, her eyes glowing with rage.
“So slow.”
WHACK!
Her obi struck him hard, sending him crashing across the rooftop like a ragdoll.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘮𝘪 𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘢…!! 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵-𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘦—𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘶𝘱…’
But his thoughts were abruptly cut off.
Because you landed right in front of him, your blade unsheathed and glowing beneath the moonlight.
Sword drawn. Eyes locked on Daki.
“…Took you long enough,” you muttered, lips curling into a cocky grin.
Daki smirked, intrigued. “Oh? I’ve been wanting to fight you…”
Without hesitation, she flung another obi your way, sharp and fast.
But you didn’t flinch—you just stepped forward, teeth bared in a grin.
“Well now’s your chance, bae.”
With that, your blade clashed against the sash with a thunderous clang, holding it back with sheer force and unwavering confidence.
Behind you, Tanjiro’s eyes widened as he tried to catch his breath.
‘She blocked it… effortlessly.’
“Time for a real fight, ribbon bitch,” you muttered under your breath, smirking at Daki, ready for round two.
You tightened your grip on your sword and launched forward with a burst of energy. The sound of your foot slamming into the roof echoed as your blade clashed against Daki’s obi mid-air, sparks flying on impact.
“Not bad,” Daki sneered, “but I expected more from someone with that much mouth.”
You twirled your blade and flashed her a cocky grin.
“Oh sweetheart, I’m just getting started.”
She snapped her wrist and sent another ribbon flying toward you—razor-sharp and fast. You ducked and flipped to the side, sliding across the rooftop with precision, your blade cutting clean through the incoming sash.
Daki narrowed her eyes.
“You little brat…”
“You rang?” you replied sweetly, before lunging forward again, your blade glowing faintly with energy.
CLANG!
Another hit.
SWOOSH.
She jumped back.
Her movements were swift, deadly—but so were yours. Every time her obi came for you, your sword met it like clockwork, slicing through with grace and fire.
You were dancing with death, but smiling the whole time.
“Why aren’t you dead yet?” Daki hissed, frustration seeping into her tone as she sent multiple sashes at once.
You gritted your teeth and spun mid-air, dodging two, cutting one, letting another graze your shoulder. Blood welled up, but you didn’t flinch.
“You know,” you said, panting slightly as you landed on one knee. “For an Upper Moon, you whine a lot.”
Daki’s face twisted.
“Enough!!”
She sent a final, powerful strike your way. The roof cracked beneath you from the pressure alone—but you dug your heel in and met it head-on.
BOOM.
The clash sent shockwaves through the air. You were pushed back several feet, skidding across the rooftop. Your arm trembled slightly from the force.
You exhaled.
Not finished.
Not yet.
Daki looked surprised that you were still standing.
“Lucky shot,” she muttered. “You won’t get another.”
You smirked, despite the blood on your lip.
“I don’t need another.”
And just then—before either of you could strike again—Tanjiro’s voice rang out behind you.
“Y/N! Behind you!”
You ducked, instinct sharp, avoiding another obi trying to sneak up behind you. You leapt back toward Tanjiro, landing beside him with a shaky breath.
“She’s tricky,” you said with a grin. “But not impossible.”
Tanjiro looked at you with something close to awe. “You’re amazing…”
You waved him off. “Don’t gas me up yet. We’re just getting started.”
Daki watched you both with narrowed eyes.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭… 𝘚𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵. 𝘈 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘰𝘯𝘦.’
You raised your sword again, not letting your guard down.
You weren’t trying to kill Daki.
You were buying time.
Each swing of your blade, every dodge, every taunt—it wasn’t to finish her. It was to let him breathe. To let Tanjiro recover. Because you knew how this fight had to go.
'𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘯𝘰𝘸... 𝘩𝘦’𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧. 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘉𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦…'
You took another hit from one of Daki’s obis—not a fatal one, but enough to make it look like you were faltering.
She laughed. “You’re slipping. That’s what happens when weaklings fight above their rank.”
You coughed, blood on your lip, and wiped it with the back of your hand.
“You know,” you panted, “for a demon… you talk way too much.”
She snarled and lunged again, sending another flurry of slicing ribbons at you. You blocked one, let another graze you, and deliberately missed your opening to hit her neck.
Behind you, you heard it—
Tanjiro’s breathing. Ragged. Then sharper. Steadier.
‘𝘠𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘪𝘵…’
Yoriichi’s voice echoed calmly inside your head.
“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩. 𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥.”
“Hey, bitch,” you yelled mid-fight, taunting Daki, “try talking less and fighting more—unless your entire vibe is ‘I get wrecked by kids.’”
Daki screamed, furious now, and sent one huge obi slash your way.
You braced, sword ready.
Tanjiro took the lead now, blade glowing with the heat of his breathing style. But you weren’t about to take a backseat.
You leapt up beside him, swords slashing in unison, both of you spinning around Daki like a storm.
Obis cracked, fluttered, and snapped beneath the force of your attacks.
She hissed, enraged.
“Two pests now? What do you take me for? You think I’m some lowly demon you can gang up on?”
You ducked a ribbon that nearly took your head off and rolled onto the rooftop beside Tanjiro.
“I don’t know, you’re acting pretty lowly right now,” you said, out of breath but still smirking. “Honestly, the only scary thing about you is your split ends.”
Tanjiro coughed a laugh despite himself. “Y/N—focus!”
“Right, right.”
You rushed forward again, intercepting one of the obis headed straight for his side. Your blade deflected it at the last second, sparks flying.
“I told you, I got your back.”
Tanjiro looked at you with a flash of emotion in his eyes—gratitude, admiration… maybe something more.
Daki twirled in the air with a screech, her ribbons fanning around her in sharp deadly curves.
“You think your little friendship will save you?!”
“No,” you said, stepping forward confidently, “but it’ll buy us time. And that’s all we need.”
Tanjiro suddenly let out a long, focused breath.
“Hinokami Kagura… Sunflower Thrust!”
He shot forward in a blur of fire and light, blade clashing against Daki’s, causing the sky to light up.
You rushed after him, weaving between flying obis to cover his flank. You knew she couldn’t handle two fast-moving targets—not in close range.
Every time she attacked Tanjiro, you were there to block. Every time she aimed for you, he was already slicing her ribbons down.
You were in sync.
Until—
She vanished. For just a moment. Then reappeared on top of a roof, her hair turning white, “so a hashira did come after all”
A man suddenly appeared from behind, clearly annoyed and confused.
“What’s the deal with those swords?” he added, stepping closer with a frown.
Your stomach dropped.
Daki’s head slowly turned, eyes narrowing at him.
“No—no no no—HEY!! GO AWAY!! DON’T COME HERE!! STAY INSIDE THE BUILDING!!”
You screamed at him with all your voice, but—
Too late.
In a blur of silk, one of Daki’s obis shot toward him at terrifying speed.
Tanjiro leapt in front of the man, trying to protect him—
But you were faster.
You stood in front of them both, sword drawn, heart pounding.
The attack slammed into you like a truck.
“GHK—!!”
You gasped, your body flying backward from the sheer force. The blade in your hands shook.
It felt like your flesh had been slashed open and your bones were rattling.
Blood spurted. Your knees hit the roof. But—
You were still standing.
Behind you, the man screamed as blood sprayed from his arm.
“HIRO—!! NOOO!!”
A woman wailed from the ruined home.
Your own scream escaped your lips as the searing pain tore through your body, your hands trembling, sword barely held up.
“Y/N!!”
Tanjiro’s voice cracked.
“WHY WOULD YOU FUCKING DO THAT?!”
He was shaking. His pupils sharpened. Blood trickled into his eyes, turning them crimson.
His hands clenched the hilt of his sword until his knuckles were white.
His aura changed.
It was terrifying.
You swayed slightly, still holding your stance, but your body was giving out.
“Tanjiro…” you whispered weakly, “protect them… okay…?”
He didn’t answer.
He was already stepping in front of you, eyes filled with rage like you'd never seen before.
“I won’t let her lay a finger on you again,” he said, voice low, feral, trembling with fury.
Daki, who had been smiling a moment ago, now stared down at you with confusion and… discomfort.
Like the sight of you bleeding sparked something in her she didn’t understand.
Daki hovered in the air, lips curled into a soft sneer—but there was something... off.
She stared at you as blood trickled from the wound across your arms and side, and for a moment—just a flicker—her smugness wavered.
Even though she’d always been competitive with you since the moment you stepped into the Kyogoku House, she had written it off as a game. A little rivalry. A fun new chew toy.
But this?
This was the first time someone had actually gotten under her skin.
You.
No one had dared talk back to her, let alone glare her down like you did. No one challenged her presence, her beauty, her control.
Until you showed up—chaotic, sharp-tongued, and too damn unafraid.
And now, after you’d just thrown yourself in front of an attack to protect a human, even Daki… paused.
'𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘐... 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘰𝘧𝘧? 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴?'
She hated the burning twist in her chest. The unfamiliar heat that crawled up her spine when she saw you fall.
It wasn’t guilt. No—it couldn’t be. It was something else.
Jealousy?
No. She was an upper-rank demon. A beauty beyond compare.
So then… why did her fingers tremble slightly at her sides?
And why the hell did it sting when she saw Tanjiro cradle your injured body like you were the only thing that mattered?
“You’re pathetic,” she muttered, more to herself than anyone else.
But her voice cracked.
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