Kanao watched the scene in a state of mental block, unable to think. He saw lifeless in his narrowed pupils how Tanjirou tried to bring back the other boy. Both, inside, preferred that Inosuke survive, even if he had to live like Nezuko. They couldn't bear the thought of him leaving them forever. The girl's eyes began to moisten when she heard the pleas of the swordsman of water and flame, who with a broken and anguished voice, begged him to fight to survive. But the other young man could not hear him. Her tremors and convulsions continued unabated. At that point they were beginning to deprive him of the act of breathing. Inosuke's wise body strained his lungs in desperate attempts to receive oxygen. There was no shouting from him, no complaints. Only the sound of a forced windpipe that prevented the complete passage of air.
A sudden explosion resounded throughout the building. It came from outside. Where Muzan had been trapped. Causing confusion for all the hunters inside, the space was manipulated.
"What's happening now?" Tanjirou made his eyes travel around the strangely moving environment. They were taken to the room along with the rest of the hunters, where Ubuyashiki always met them in front of the garden. The door to it was closed.
After the moment of confusion, the Pillars, together with Zenitsu looked at each other, still unaware of the situation that kept Kanao silent and scared the redhead. Giyuu rushed into the garden. It was night yet, but there was no sign of demons, nor that there had been a confrontation before. Muzan had escaped with the rest of Lunas. No one could believe it, so they imitated the man and came out, only being able to perceive the good condition of the garden and a starry sky.
"What the hell has happened? Kibutsuji escaped?" Sanemi shamelessly let out her rage.
"Damned! ..." Obanai murmured.
Two screams alerted the pillars. Zenitsu had gone to meet his friends and what he saw plunged him into panic, causing him to screech. The other was from Tanjirou, since under the pale skin of his wounded companion the ramifications and veins marked his blue tone on every visible surface. It seemed to have been wrapped in thousands of threads of that color.
"Oh my God!" Mitsuri raised her feminine voice, frightened by the boy's condition.
Giyuu and Uzui were faster than the rest in approaching.
"Position him sideways!" The extravagant-looking man followed his own order with the help of the Water Pillar, who pulled Tanjirou back a bit. The redhead was not in the best mental condition to manipulate his friend's suffering body.
Inosuke's eyes returned to his position, but he was still in the same state, or even worse.
"Aoi! Someone find Aoi!" It was the first woman with medical knowledge that came to his mind. Giyuu did not usually lose his constant pasotismo and tranquility. He hinted that the situation was very serious despite not knowing why.
Tanjirou stood by Kanao and Zenitsu, who were as pale as Inosuke himself. It had to be supportive for the two of them, he couldn't get carried away by emotional pain. Impossible for him. Silently, his face was soaked.
It was Genya who handled the order despite being badly injured. Everyone there was, really. Some more than others, but he did not compare with the young man who trembled on the ground. At the moment, they could do nothing but keep him on his side, in a posture of security. The redheaded swordsman picked up the boar head that had also been carried with them and made a gap between the two Pillars. He put the mask behind the owner's head, letting his dark hair touch the grayish fur.
"Tanjirou." was called by Giyuu. "Tell us how this happened."
The aforementioned shook his head slightly before answering.
"I couldn't say ... It was all very fast and sudden. He and Kanao were fighting the Second Moon ... I arrived when there was no longer a battle and everything happened very quickly. Still ..." He wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "... I still don't understand everything that demon did and said." the poor young man was still blocked. "But Kanao does know, she was there before."
An awkward silence formed in the room. The Pillars expected an answer, but it never came.
"Kanao?" It had to be Gyomei who caught his attention when he noticed something wrong with her.
More silence. The girl did not react. His empty eyes expressed well that his head had been bolted.
"Nevermind. You will tell us when you recover mentally from this. Have faith, Kamado."
"Tanjirou!" screamed the blonde, taking their present glances. "I don't hear... I don't hear anything..."
No one knew how to give real meaning to those words. Had he lost his hearing ability from his injuries? It could easily have been hit on the head. It was the most logical thing to think, until Uzui looked at Inosuke to supervise. His half-open eyes stared blankly. Now they realized that all kinds of movement or spasm was gone.
"It can't be..." The flamboyant Pillar patted his white cheek. "Boy! Hey, boy!" unanswered. "Come on, don't ramble on, stay sober." nothing.
Giyuu soon put her ear to the boy's chest. He withdrew it after a few seconds, still looking at him. He closed his eyes and shook his head slightly. What Zenitsu said began to be understood.
After a brief period of incredulous silence, Mitsuri broke it at the start of a loud, high-pitched cry. It was enough momentum to make everyone feel as affected as she was. Zenitsu the only one that equaled it in volume and wasting tears. Tanjirou rested her forehead on Inosuke's shoulder, her eyes covered in shadow and darkness. His hands furiously wrinkled the fur skirt that covered his friend's hip.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." Her broken voice whispered in pain. "If I hadn't made that mistake when I went after you, you wouldn't..." he closed her damp eyelids with excessive pressure. "It's my fault..." He raised his head as he felt Uzui's hand on it in an attempt to support him.
"We can't leave it here." Muichiro spoke, which made the atmosphere even sadder.
An intense puff of air being suddenly inspired made the group jump in their respective places. The green eyes had been opened much more at the same time, returning to be operative. They had mistaken certain death for brief cardiac arrest caused by the pain and anxiety the wild boy had inside. Unfortunately, the thousands of imaginary swords returned to continue piercing his entire body without stopping. It was impossible to bear, less considering the extreme sensitivity he possessed. He screamed once more, already losing count of how many shrieks like that he had given in such a short time. His voice torn and flooded with suffering shook everyone present.
"Calm, boy! Easy, breathe!" The Sound Pillar tried to make itself heard through advice.
"Inosuke, hold on a little longer!" Tanjirou looked everywhere, anguished, as he took his hand.
"Why hasn't Genya come with Aoi yet?!" Zenitsu was no better than him. He had devoured his nails in the course of the wait.
The bluish tippeds young man suppressed his voice as best he could and forced himself to sit up enough to support his hands and bear the weight on his trembling arms. For this he had to separate his hold on Tanjirou. He could not be silent, the second he got his posture, he raised his head a little along with another piercing scream and a sea of painful tears.
"Inosuke, please lie down!" Tanjirou tried to lie down him down again. He received in response an emerald gaze that begged for mercy. He could see how his dry mouth opened with the intention of emitting more than just loud sounds.
"K-kill me...
It was the turn of the redhead's heart to stop, more metaphorically. But that's how it felt. Both young men stared at each other, but Inosuke's were getting lost again. Before anyone else could react he retrieved them again. It seemed like a cruel game controlled by someone ruthless who loved to rejoice in the terror of others.
"Don't say those things! You will be fine! Genya is going to come with Aoi and she's going to save you!" He did not allow a single glimpse of darkness to enter the room.
The blonde approached in a hurry, his face flooded.
"We hardly ever get along, you are a stupid abuser, but don't go! I don't want, I don't want!"
The green orbs stared at both partners, struggling to stay in their natural position. Inosuke awkwardly opened his mouth again, ready to give her an answer even if it cost him more stab wounds. He could not do it. He was scared to notice how his gums were punctured and how he was blind for a second. Why? Was it that life planned to surprise him with more punishments? His friends turned pale immediately. The blond walked away fearfully and Tanjirou trembled slightly. Giyuu changed places to see the reason for his reactions. What he witnessed on the boy's pale face chilled him.
"Everyone, stay away from him!" If the Water Pillar said so, it must be very serious.
The rest made room, scared and confused. The young man's voice, already at its limit, continued to rise to express how its interior burned like hell itself.
"What do you know, Giyuu?" Muichiro asked, feeling something terrifying was coming. The aforementioned did not immediately respond.
"We are going to lose him, but not by death." The Pillar drew his sword.
As soon as he heard the sound of the blade, Tanjirou clung to him to prevent any movement.
"NO!" The momentum brought them both down, and they didn't come to their senses until they heard bone-like noises breaking and splashing.
Inosuke had started vomiting blood, choking on her for his internal desires to keep screaming. The pain had increased to catastrophic levels. If he continued in that way for much longer, he would end up dying for real. Converting was random. He didn't know it was caused by two protuberances that wanted to be born from his shoulder blades. He was unable to breathe until a thick horn bone bent up on each side of his back.
"We can't allow this! He's converting!" Sanemi was the next to threaten to cut off his head before he could become dangerous.
"Wait, there is no evidence that he is going to be a threat!" the Pillar of love dared to struggle with him.
"It's the boar boy! You forget it?! He is always a threat! Always attack whoever can! Being human was already a danger, imagine how a demon!"
"What's going on here?!" Aoi arrived accompanied by Genya. Both swallowed their own hearts before the present scene and after a new vocal tear gave way to more bones in the same way in ankles, knees and elbows. The blood did not stop flowing for each one. "OH GOD!" It was impossible that she could help.
Red symbols that now marked the skin of his left arm, chest, cheeks, bridge of nose, and each birth of his body horns, luckily, had been painless. Every time he opened his mouth to breathe in, they could see those huge, sharp, deadly fangs. The circumference of his pupils was lost to make way for new, elongated and vertical ones. It was not the only thing that changed in that area. The sclerae had darkened to dull black. His legs and forearms had acquired their own brown fur, and the nails on their limbs reached ghastly lengths, reds, as if they were the claws of a predator. The boar's head he was inadvertently touching was shaded and ran up his skin like a parasite until it reached his head. Above his grew the fangs of her stuffed jaws and two smaller ones. The boar's skin lengthened with an unexpected wild majesty. At the same time, the boy's hair grew nonstop until it reached his hips. The fangs of the head were so huge that they looked like big horns from his own skull.
All of those changes had taken less than 10 seconds. Inosuke fell completely silent, head down and his arms still shaking supporting his body. His breathing was slowly normalizing. Tanjirou walked slowly a couple of steps and raised his hand, trying to catch up with him.
"Inosuke?..."
"Watch out!" Uzui launched himself against the redhead and they moved away, taking a thunderous hit.
The swordsman did not understand his reaction. Not until he noticed how the savage boy had driven his claws into the wood of the floor right where he stood before, having smashed it to pieces.
"IT'S OVER! I'M GONNA END THIS SHIT!" Sanemi led anyone who got in the way and attacked the newborn demon. He went from behind, hoping with great certainty that he would not have time to turn. Big mistake. Inosuke turned his head and nailed his number-marked emeralds. "What...?!" He was not able to finish the sentence. With a slap it was anchored to the wall. He coughed in pain, never thought that a single swipe could hide so much power. But it was the boar boy who it was, from the beginning exuded a huge force.
In the face of the obvious aggression there could be no more doubts. The Pillars took up positions. They were really sorry, they didn't want to, but they had to put their emotions aside and ensure safety. And with Inosuke there they weren't going to have it.
"No, he just got scared and defended himself! You can't do this!" Tanjirou ran up and stopped the closest Pilar; Uzui.
"SHIT! HE HAS BECOME THE SECOND MOON, HE'LL SLAUGHTER US!" Sanemi tried to detach himself from the hole in the wall.
Everyone blanched at the knowledge. They were aware of the power of the Upper Moons, and also of Inosuke's personal power. Both forces mixed... Who the hell was going to be able to face such a living atrocity and not die in two minutes? Zenitsu kept screaming along with Aoi's voice, on the verge of collapse. They was hurting the young wild man's ears.
His reasoning was opaque. He reacted to that as if the blond was trying to attack his ears. Without waiting for anything, he lunged at him with his jaws and paws ready to tear him apart. It emitted a roar not human at all, causing immobility in its prey due to fear. He was about. Just as his fingertips brushed each other's clothes, Tanjirou rammed him into the air and slammed him between wall and floor.
"CARE, STUPID! THAT'S NO LONGER YOUR FRIEND, IT'S A HUNGRY BEAST!" the Pillar of the wind managed to free itself. "If you aren't going to stop hindering I'll take you ahead!"
The demon rose with such force that it launched the other two on impulse. And unable to continue avoiding it, a desperate and uncontrolled battle began. Every hit, every cut he received was healed immediately. His skin, though easy to penetrate, was impossible to amputate because of it. The slightest thread of blood served to reconnect them. Although they had not amputated anything. One after the other or all at once, it didn't matter how they came at him. His defense was perfect, and his attack terrifying.
The Pillars gradually lost their strength very quickly. Already from before they came wounded, they were not in a position to face such a rival, not even all together. But it was all for security. Slow and clumsy, they couldn't do anything else. Was it the end of every person present in that room? Even Tanjirou and Zenitsu were beaten. Aoi had taken Kanao away from the place. He was going to devour them all and was not going to leave even the bones. Just as Douma did with her mother. At the image of the blond demon, Inosuke paused for a second, causing uncertainty.
"He has ... stopped." Muichiro whispered.
"Best time to take advantage and finish him!" Sanemi suggested.
Uzui was suffering for that, he couldn't look at the demon's effeminate face, which had practically not changed except for the pupils, sclera and the drawings on his skin. It hurt, he appreciated the boy very much. But for that very reason he decided to be the one who tried to make him rest in peace.
"I'm sorry." he murmured with the sword in front, directing it to his neck.
The boar demon grabbed the sword blade and stopped it regardless of the deep cut it had caused. He stuck his emerald orbs into the others, having to raise his head due to the difference in heights. Uzui was petrified by that intense, beautiful and shining gaze. How could a demon still keep shining on it? He ended up breaking the sword, ignoring the pain and blood that flowed from his wound, which would soon close.
It was over. It's end was agreed. There was nothing else he could do, and none of those present either. No one could stand or move. He watched as Inosuke was lost watching him bleed. It was the nature of every demon; blood and human flesh.
"Uzui!" Mitsuri used his little energy to cry her friend even before he was killed.
The boar demon almost pricked his fangs into his shoulder and ripped it off. He brushed it only with the tips before standing completely still under the stupor of the rest.
"Inosuke..." Tanjirou was as exhausted and sad as an expectant.
"He hasn't bitten him..." Zenitsu completed, also a mess.
The furred youth's expression changed from menacing to anguished and horrified. Uzui was fortunate to see the face change in the foreground. He was there, Inosuke was there, fighting to regain control against the murderous nature. He was able to step back slowly and with much effort, since he had no complete power over his actions and thoughts. He released a scream mixed between an animal sound and his own voice. He had been battling two fights at the same time. One against swordsmen and one against himself. To everyone's surprise, he began to self-harm in a desperate and deranged way. The entire torso was cut severely with the claws. Damage after damage at the speed he was going, didn't give his body time to heal.
"What are he doing?..." the blonde in shock managed to ask under his breath, trying to understand.
Tanjirou could not bear to see him, he did not want to see himself hurt himself with anger. He could smell it... There was fear, a lot of fear unleashed from Inosuke. Repentance, anger, melancholy.
"He's trying..." the scratches did not stop, little by little he lost strength and ability to stay upright. He tripped over himself. Blood spurted non-stop since he started his madness. He had lost too much. "... He wants to faint with blood loss." Hurt. It hurt so much... His heart was clenching in such an unbearable way. She got up as best she could and limped toward him, ignoring the warnings from the Pillars. When he reached his side, Inosuke relented. He fell collapsed, unconscious, into the arms of the redhead, who went to the ground with him because of the little force he could exert.
Maybe... there was an opportunity to let him live.
Tanjirou sat up as best he could, taking the wall for support. He pulled back the boar head to take a closer look at the peaceful and ironically angelic face of the boy who rested his head on his lap with all that scattered hair. He sighed loudly, finally calm.
"Okay, Kamado..." Sanemi growled. "I will trust that he can learn to control himself... If not, I won't hesitate to do whatever it takes to expel him from this world."
It was correct like that, Tanjirou didn't pay much attention to his words. He was going to take care of Inosuke of his own free will. Nothing else mattered. His goal remained the same; get a cure for your sister. And now, also for the wild young man.