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Daki’s eyes widened at the sheer force and pain as Nezuko pressed her foot into her spine again. The demon girl growled, lifting her leg to strike—but this time, she swung with her clawed hand.
SLASH!
Daki cried out as her arm was sliced clean off.
“Oop— that must’ve hurt,” you muttered, watching with wide eyes, caught somewhere between awe and horror.
Nezuko didn’t stop.
She launched into another brutal assault, kicking Daki with frightening strength.
"GET OFF ME, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Daki shrieked.
In a blur, her obi whipped through the air—SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!—slicing Nezuko’s arms, legs, and head clean off.
But… Nezuko’s body didn’t fall.
Instead, her severed hand gripped the obi, her dismembered limbs held together by burning blood.
Pink flames erupted across Daki’s body, making her scream.
“IT’S BURNING ME!! THE BLOOD SPATTER—” she clutched her face in agony, smoke curling from her skin.
Nezuko lunged, slamming her foot into Daki’s face and stomping her into the ground. Again. And again. Her eyes glowed, wild and relentless. She kept kicking even after Daki stopped fighting back, each blow more devastating than the last.
Finally, with one final kick, Nezuko sent Daki flying—crashing through buildings, splintering wood and brick until she landed, unconscious or close to it.
You watched in stunned silence.
But Nezuko didn’t stop.
She kept walking forward, panting, eyes locked on something else now.
She had spotted a woman nearby—blood dripping from her injured arm.
Nezuko’s stare turned feral.
“No—no no no—” you gasped, and ran forward.
“NEZUKO, STOP!!” you screamed, throwing your arms around her just in time.
Tanjiro trailed behind, limping, bruised and breathless. “Nezuko!!”
Nezuko thrashed violently in your grip, snarling as she tried to pull herself free.
Just then—CLASH! Blades slashed through incoming obi.
Uzui Tengen appeared, glittering with presence, spinning his blades.
“Oi! Isn’t this Kamado Nezuko?” he smirked. “She’s getting pretty flashy for a demon.”
“Uzui—” Tanjiro wheezed, “I’m sorry. She’s—”
“Uzui, can you not right now?!” you barked, struggling to hold onto the squirming Nezuko. “Help later, commentary never.”
But of course, he kept going.
“AFTER ALL THAT GRANDSTANDING IN FRONT OF MASTER, WHAT’S THIS PATHETIC DISPLAY?! No one told her to become a flashy demon—”
He was abruptly interrupted by Daki’s furious voice.
“You’re a Hashira, aren’t you?! You came to me?! You’ve just made this easier for me!”
Tengen didn’t even look at her.
“Shut up. I’m not talking to you. You’re no Upper Rank,” he said coldly.
Then shick—her head fell clean off.
“H-HUH?! WHAT—?!”
Daki blinked in disbelief, her severed head still talking.
Nezuko screamed again, thrashing in your grip, clawing at the air.
“NEZUKO!!” Tanjiro cried.
“Sing to her,” Tengen sighed. “Or do something unflashy and boring. Like a lullaby.”
You quickly reached into your pouch and pulled the wooden muzzle from earlier, handing it to Tanjiro.
“Here—take it. You’re the only one who can calm her down,” you said, eyes never leaving Nezuko’s burning, twisted face.
Tanjiro took it, nodding through the pain, gently approaching her with trembling hands.
Meanwhile, Tengen glanced at you again.
“You look hurt,” he said, his voice oddly quiet.
You gritted your teeth and nodded once, blood still dripping down your side.
“You’re so damn stubborn,” he muttered. “I told you to stay with me.”
His eyes narrowed as they flicked toward Daki’s fallen body.
“Did she do this to you?”
His hand twitched around his blade, his jaw tense with fury
"I can't believe you had the gall to behead me!" Daki shrieked, her severed head lying pathetically near her body, tears welling in her furious eyes. "You're going to pay for this, do you hear me?!"
Uzui didn’t even flinch. He calmly pulled out some rolled bandages from his pouch.
You raised a brow. "Wait… don't tell me you're gonna bandage me now?" you teased with a grin. "Ha! You're such a softie!"
"I’M NOT A FUCKING SOFTIE!!" Uzui barked, face turning red—but there was no bite to his voice, just frustration and… something softer behind his eyes. He gently wrapped the bandage around your shoulder.
His gaze lingered.
“Stop being in danger every mission, will you?” he muttered, voice low. “You're gonna give me a heart attack.”
You smirked, but your eyes softened just a bit. “No promises, flash master.”
Once he finished, Uzui stood and turned back to Daki’s crying head.
“Tch. I have no use for you anymore,” he said flatly. “Just die an unflashy death already.”
He rolled his eyes as she kept bawling—loud, wailing sobs that didn’t fit her threatening image.
You stood slowly, your hand gripping the hilt of your sword. Your body still ached. Blood dried on your arm and cheek, and pain pulsed from the wrapped wound. But you knew this wasn’t over. Not even close.
Your eyes narrowed.
‘𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵… 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸.’
You turned your attention to Daki.
Daki began sobbing uncontrollably, her voice growing louder and more hysterical by the second.
"I REALLY AM UPPER RANK SIX, I’M TELLING THE TRUTH!! I HAVE THE NUMBER TO PROVE IT TOO! I'M AMAZING, YOU HEAR ME?!"
Her severed head thrashed slightly as she cried, her voice echoing through the destroyed street.
Uzui blinked slowly, staring at her like she’d grown a second head.
“…Is she seriously throwing a tantrum right now?” he muttered in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
"ALL OF YOU CAN JUST DIE!! HE CUT MY HEAD OFF!! HE CUT MY HEAD OFF!!"
Her tone changed—shriller, sharper.
"ONI-CHAN!!!"
And that’s when the shift happened.
From behind her body, a sickly squelch rippled through the air as a new figure began to emerge. The temperature dropped. The malice thickened.
Veins pulsed. Blood pooled unnaturally.
And then—
He appeared.
A skeletal, wiry figure rose from her back like a curse being unleashed.
Gyutaro.
He crouched down next to Daki, inspecting her head as though it were merely a bruised doll.
Uzui’s eyes widened, instincts roaring. He rushed forward with full force, blade ready to decapitate—
But Gyutaro moved faster.
In the blink of an eye, he twisted around, dual sickles whirling as he struck toward Uzui’s skull—
CLANG!
Your katana met his weapon mid-air, the clash sending sparks raining in the moonlight.
You stood between them, your blade locked against his with both arms, gritting your teeth through the impact.
"Aaah… Not bad," Gyutaro said, chuckling as he leaned into the pressure. "You stopped my attack with your katana… You’re quick. Must be lucky, huh?"
His glowing green eyes shifted… and landed on you.
They widened just slightly.
"Mhm… You’re her, aren’t you?" he whispered. "The girl Muzan told us to bring back."
Daki’s head snapped toward you, still half-dangling. "WAIT—THAT’S HER?!"
Her eyes bulged, stunned.
"You’re the one he wanted? The one with the blood—?!"
Your breath hitched.
Uzui’s eyes darted between them, catching every word, every nuance.
His expression turned icy cold.
"What the hell do you fucking mean by that?" you asked, trying to sound firm—but your heart was racing.
Gyutaro tilted his head, amused. "Mmm… You must’ve forgotten, huh? That little encounter…"
You looked away for half a second, trying to piece it together. “No—because of that one encounter—?”
"Over. My. Dead. Body."
Uzui’s voice came out like venom.
His blade pressed forward, rage trembling at the edges of his tone.
"You're not laying a single finger on her. You’ll have to kill me first."
His protective stance shifted slightly—he moved to stand between you and Gyutaro, body tense, jaw locked.
"You want her?" Uzui hissed. "Try it."
Gyutaro’s sickly grin twisted wider as his eerie, mismatched eyes trailed slowly back to Uzui. His fingernails scratched against his scalp with a screeching noise that set your teeth on edge.
"Ohhh, I envy you," he rasped, voice full of venomous awe. "You’ve got that pretty face... soft, flawless skin... strong, flashy body…"
Then his gaze snapped to you—lingering with something hungry, something awful.
"...and a beautiful girl fighting by your side. Tch. Why don’t you just drop dead?"
Uzui didn’t flinch. If anything, he stepped slightly in front of you again, jaw tightening, blades gleaming under the moonlight.
Before the tension could break, Daki’s whiny voice rang out from where her head rested against her brother.
"Oni-chan!! It’s not just them!! There’s more!!"
She sniffled dramatically. "They all ganged up on me and bullied me!"
You blinked. Then your face twitched in rage.
“HUH?! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN?! I DID 𝒏𝒐𝒕 BULLY YOUR ASS, DAKI.”
Your voice echoed across the rooftop. Daki winced, refusing to look at you.
"I—I was talking about the others!" she huffed, eyes darting away like a brat caught in a lie.
"Tch tch tch…" Gyutaro clicked his tongue in sympathy, eyes filled with twisted sibling loyalty. "I see, I see… That’s unforgivable for sure…"
His neck creaked unnaturally as he tilted his head toward you again.
"Picking on my poor little sister like that… You’ll all pay. Especially her."
His tone dropped an octave. The playful sneer vanished, replaced by something colder. The air felt heavier. Like the calm before a storm—no, before a massacre.
You took a step forward, blade glinting.
“why don't we just.. Hug?” You smiled nervously
Gyutaro blinked.
Once.
Twice.
A long, stunned silence followed your words—dead air in the middle of life-or-death tension.
"...Huh?" he finally grunted, utterly bewildered.
Even Daki paused mid-sob to turn her head and squint at you. "What did you just say?"
"I mean..." You shrugged stiffly, still holding your sword but giving a sheepish, forced smile. "A little group hug, maybe some breathing exercises, mutual trauma bonding… no bloodshed? No beheadings?"
Uzui slowly turned to look at you like you'd lost your damn mind.
"...Are you serious right now?"
"I mean—partially," you whispered from the corner of your mouth. "But look at that scythe! I’m just saying, maybe violence isn't the vibe tonight—"
Gyutaro started scratching at his neck again, twitching.
"Aaahh... I knew it," he growled, his tone switching back to deranged. "You're mocking me… Pretending like we're equals... You think this is a joke?!"
"Nope, nope! No jokes here!" you held up your hands innocently—still holding your sword. "I just... think we could work through this with a little therapy and snacks?"
Daki groaned. "Just kidnap her, oni-chan."
"Gladly," he hissed, eyes flaring as he launched at you with lightning speed.
"YEP OKAY PLAN B—" you yelped, flipping back just as Uzui stepped in with a block, his dual blades catching the force of the strike in a loud metallic clash.
"You seriously tried diplomacy?" Uzui said through clenched teeth.
"It almost worked!" you protested, leaping back into formation.
"You’re insane."
"And you’re welcome! He was caught off guard, wasn’t he?!"
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