If Obanai had to thank the demons staying at Oyakata-sama's estate for one thing, it was opening the door for Hashira to stay there. He wasn't the only Hashira who had asked the Corps head to let any demon slayers protect him full time. He would have even compromised on having lower ranks than Hashira… but Oyakata-sama had refused every time.
Then the demons came along. Good demons… supposedly. He remained mostly undecided on that one, to be honest, even if he'd come to accept that Kamado and his… ilk were pretty decent… so far. It was just such a mind-blowing idea! 'Good demons'? Seriously? And yet…
But it was precisely that attitude that had likely gotten Oyakata-sama to allow Demon Slayers – even Hashira – to stay at his estate. To protect him. It had taken a load off of everyone's minds.
Too bad it didn't actually help.
Even as Obanai raced through the rubble towards the figure he could see in the fire, the figure he knew was Kibutsuji Muzan (and how had they missed that?! He was right here! Under their noses!) his mind raced with questions. Why had Oyakata-sama done this? Was this really why he'd insisted they practice at the other end of the compound? Had he planned this?
The fires, and caution in general had stopped them from getting there as fast as they otherwise should have, but even seconds seemed like too long.
Akatsugi seemed to see something and veered off. Maybe one of the children had survived? (Please let the children have survived.) And then, in a blink, the still burning Muzan was covered in hands.
What.
They looked to be restraining him?
Then, in another blink, a woman was there, arm shoved into Muzan's middle. Akatsugi picked something… no, someone – the demon girl – up, and more of the strange, flesh-like appendages appeared around the Demon King, this time sharp and rigid, holding Muzan in place. A… demon blood art?
The girl?
Obanai was sure he wasn't the only one confused right now. But if he was right, he took it back. Kamado's demons were… Well, he could admit they were a little better than just decent, he supposed.
"…turn you human," the woman – another demon (another one of Kamado's?) was saying as he and his fellow slayers rushed up, swords out. He felt like he was moving in molasses. Why was he too slow? Why was everyone too slow?!
"NAKIME!" the Demon King shrieked, and then there were doors below them and the prize – their goal – fell out of sight!
"NO!" Obanai shrieked. He wasn't the only one.
He landed in what looked like a very large, old-fashioned mansion. He couldn't see far due to the dim lighting and he hated how silent the place was. He looked around, he was alone. So they'd all been separated, huh? And this was likely another blood art.
There was probably no point in taking out his anger, frustration, and grief on what looked and felt like regular floors and doors.
Stick to the rules, he told himself. Find the others, regroup, figure out how to take down that… that… nope, he couldn't think of anything disgusting or dirty enough to call that being.
He made himself take several deep breaths, patted Kaburamaru on the head to reassure him, and then rushed off.
This would end tonight, one way or another.
He would not let Oyakata-sama's sacrifice (as he still strongly suspected) go to waste.
xXx
Shinobu was the fastest Hashira currently, barring Kamado, and she was putting every ounce of speed into her steps, trusting Kanao to catch up. She cursed Tamayo and even Oyakata-sama. Why had they done this?! There had to have been another way! She didn't even bother wiping her tears of anger from her eyes.
The last week had been… hectic. She'd expected everything to calm down after Agatsuma and Hashibara had left, but the very next day they'd gotten the refugees they'd been expecting from the red light district and the fight with Waxing Six. It had been almost three weeks since then and many of the women hadn't properly eaten in almost that long, obviously thin and wavering on their feet.
Shinobu, Aoi, Kaiyo-san and the triplets had practically run themselves ragged trying to get everyone healed up and strong again. She'd requested some more money from Oyakata-sama to get the supplies they needed and he'd sent more than double the expenses. It had surprised her at the time, but now…
He'd planned this! He'd known Muzan was coming – they all did – but he'd planned on using himself as bait! That was why the younger children were in the safe house! Not just for their protection but for their very survival!
And how was she supposed to take this? Knowing Tamayo had been in on it… knowing she'd been complicit… knowing both of them would go that far to take Muzan out. It was commendable and awe-inspiring but… but it hurt! He'd been such a kind, generous, and supportive leader. She'd looked up to him so much.
But Tamayo's note had explained that neither she or Oyakata-sama planned on leaving the confrontation alive, and to please come as soon as possible for reinforcement and…
She didn't understand! Or, she thought she didn't… but then she thought of Douma and how far she would go to utterly destroy him and it started to make sense. But… still… hadn't there been another way? Even she was looking for another way! She wanted to live through this encounter!
A sob escaped her lips, and she could only be thankful no one else was there to see it, forcing her typical mask back into place a second later, although she didn't bother with the smile this time.
Kanae, she prayed, Please help me get there on time! Please do something to help them! Please let them live…
She knew it was hopeless, but she had to ask anyway, because she refused to just give up. She would fight to her very last breath.
Doing otherwise would be an insult to her sister's memory and everything Shinobu stood for.
Ahead of her, the orange glow of a fire peeked through the trees and an enormous smoke column rose into the air. She pushed just a little further and ended up in the center of the estate where Oyakata-sama's mansion used to be. Now there was nothing but burning ruins.
No one was there.
She let out one more sob, and then a scream before she pushed her senses out, searching for their target (because he wasn't dead – she knew that in her bones).
There! Inside the… shoji doors… in the… ground.
She blinked, remembering Kamado's description of the potential Waxing Third or Fourth and her Infinity Mansion. For several seconds she contemplated what she could do – head inside the mansion, or stay here.
It wasn't even a choice.
Knowing Kanao would follow her, she dived into the nearest door.
She may not leave tonight, but if she had to go down, she would take as many as she could with her.
And one of them would be Douma.
xXx
Zenitsu and Inosuke reached the mansion and raced over the walls only to see a wide area cleared where Oyakata-sama had been staying.
"I-inosuke, can you sense anyone?" Zenitsu asked, his fear spiking.
"Only down there," the boar-headed boy said, pointing to the strange, shoji-like doors in the ground.
Zenitsu's eyes widened. "What's down there? Why are they there? They weren't there before! Why aren't they burning?!" And why could he hear such sinister sounds coming out of them?!
"Ha, haaaaa!" Inosuke yelled as he practically dove down inside one of the random doors.
The yellow-haired boy blinked.
"YOU IDIIIIIOOOOOT!" he shrieked. Charging in head-first was insane and crazy and exactly something that Inosuke would do! He was about to continue screaming at his friend when something interrupted him.
"Not you!" someone groaned in exasperation from behind him.
Zenitsu stiffened and turned around, praying it wasn't… but it was. Of course.
Kaigaku ran up behind the strange, normally blank-eyed Pillar (who looked far from blank-eyed now… and he was also their age too, what?!). The Lightning Breather's nose crinkled as if he'd smelled something disgusting. Zenitsu had to stop himself from screaming, this time in anger, at the older boy.
"What happened here?" the Pillar asked.
Zenitsu shook his head. "I was out training and came back to this, but I definitely heard demons."
"Your hearing again?" Kaigaku scoffed.
The Storm Breather rolled his eyes at his 'senpai'. Just because he couldn't comprehend it didn't mean it didn't happen.
"Where are the demons now?" the Pillar pressed urgently.
The blond winced, but forced himself to listen to the Shoji doors again. When a Pillar asked you a question, you answered, no matter how young they were.
"Down there," he said, pointing to the doors in the floor. He may or may not have had a shiver in his voice.
The Pillar didn't even blink. He just turned and dived into one of the doors.
Zenitsu watched with an open mouth. "Is everyone here craaaazy?!" he screamed, putting his hands on his cheeks and shaking his head back and forth.
"Well, you haven't changed a bit," Kaigaku said, rolling his own eyes. "Just as cowardly as ever."
"I am not!" Zenitsu shot back.
"Really?" Kaigaku asked, leaning forward, "then why are you out here and not in there fighting with everyone else?!"
That took the yellow-haired boy back. "I… I just got here," he defended, but it sounded weak even to him.
Kaigaku snorted. "Fine. Keep up here and out of everyone's way, useless." With that, he dived in after the Pillar, leaving Zenitsu alone in the burning rubble of what used to be the Ubuyashiki Estate. The Storm Breather stared after him, a pained expression on his face.
For a moment, the old emotions rose up, confirming what Kaigaku had just hissed at him again. Useless, coward, you can't do anything or save anyone, you weak, useless fool.
He shrank back, curling in on himself.
Why did he ever think—
But then, Nezuko's face popped in from his memories.
"You're strong, Zenitsu-kun! You're much stronger than you give yourself credit for!"
"How can you believe that?" he asked, maybe a little louder than he'd intended.
"How can you not?"
"But—"
"Do you know what I see?" she asked, arms folded. "I see missions completed."
"I had help!"
"Demons dead."
"Just a fluke!"
"People saved who wouldn't have been without you there!"
His mouth closed with a clop, but… but there were still people he could have saved if he weren't such a weakling.
She must have sensed his hesitation, because she sighed.
"Do you believe in me?"
Did she even have to ask? "Of course!"
She sent him the most gentle, encouraging smile he thought he'd ever seen, and he just fell a little more in love with her. "Then can you believe in the fact that I know you're strong. And I'll believe for the both of us until you can believe for yourself."
He just stared at her for several seconds because… because she truly believed that. He didn't understand why or how she could but… but she did. He could hear it.
And he could believe in her.
"Y-yes."
She grinned. "Good. Now let's go!"
Zenitsu stared at the open shoji door only a couple of feet away and forced himself to stand up straight.
Nezuko believed in him, and he believed in Nezuko.
Kaigaku could go… well… jump into a demon's lair…
Which was what he was about to do too.
He was so going to die.
But… he wouldn't be a coward.
He swallowed and went running forward. "Remember me, Nezukoooooooooooo!" he yelled as he fell into the mansion… and kept falling.
And falling.
He was screaming now… and the floor was coming up and he would be smashed and he had to do something!
"Breath of Storm, Second Form: Raijin Drum Ring," he moved his body as quickly as he could into the form. He… maybe should have used his Eighth form, but he'd only just mastered that one and it didn't come as easily… had he made the right choice? Well, there was no going back now, all he could do was concentrate and… and….
And it worked?!
He landed hard, but without any injuries, rolling with the momentum he had left and… and he was alive. Not just alive but able bodied!
He just sat there for several seconds, then he began laughing. "Ha… ha, ha, ha ha ha! I'm alive!" Score one for Nezuko!
Maybe… maybe he had a chance at this after all?
Then he heard the sound of demons and shrieked.
M-maybe not.
No, he couldn't afford to think like that!
The group of demons he came across were mostly low leveled and… and he could do this.
And this time, he'd use the first form – his lightning form. Because he could still use that and use it well, according to even Inosuke.
So he did, lightning flashing behind him in his mind's eye… although, even now when he used that first, pure form, he could almost hear the pitter-patter of raindrops behind him too… It was a little thing, but… it seemed like a big change to him too.
Huh.
Oh… and all the demons behind him were very, very dead and disintegrating.
Score two (or… um… twelve?) for Nezuko.
Right. He could do this.
Time to find the demon who had done all of this and then do his Gramps and Nezuko proud.
His jaw clenched as he hurried on.
xXx
AN: Thanks to Kaylessa, TimeLordTim, Found and Quathis for their help with this!
Sorry, guys, forgot I went over to the Ubuyashiki estate first. LOL. Next chapter we'll be headed back to Mount Sagiri.
Preview: She should have known taking off his head had been too easy. She'd hoped she'd be able to decapitate him before he activated his blood art and small counterpart. Apparently not. And it felt like with each head she took, the fighters from them grew stronger.
She cartwheeled with one hand out of the way of that stupid leaf-shaped fan and all of its pressure slamming into the ground where she'd just been. That had been close.
END
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