A demon merged with a former Pillar or a former Pillar merged with a demon. It's difficult to know which is which with how the two separate consciousness argue and converse with each other. While Shinobu begins to tolerate the demon, she still finds it difficult to co-exist with Akane. Even if the demon had been behaved lately, Shinobu never let her guard down not even once.

You know, you can't always rely on me to kill demons you can't kill

While Shinobu peacefully gazed at the starry night, the demon known as Akane decided to speak. Shinobu didn't respond and simply frowned, certainly not in the mood for that topic. Well, she's never in the mood with the demon, who hasn't harmed anyone lately, still finds a way to annoy Shinobu.

"That topic again..."

Look, I saved the Water Pillar because you kept bothering me. I may tolerate being stuck with you but I don't like saving the life of another Pillar

"Then why did you save Tomioka-san? You could have refused but you still saved him"

Shinobu crossed her arms, pointing the obvious flaw, making Akane fall in silence.

It was out of a whim and I don't know why. Your human level of impulsiveness is getting to me...and it's annoying! You can't just keep asking to save anyone you know, especially demon slayers!

The demon Akane complained, frustrated at how a demon like her finds herself saving her natural enemy because the former Pillar Shinobu insisted.

Next time you want to save someone, go do it yourself. I'm not even supposed to save demon slayers!

"Then don't save them and complain that you have to save them"

Shinobu would want to hit the demon if she isn't sharing the same body with Akane whom she had heard nothing but complain ever since the brief encounter with Giyuu.

"Besides, we both wanted payback for whoever made us stuck together"

Oh yeah. The shitty geezer who used both of us because he felt like it

"You're the one who knew him? Can't you find him?"

No. He had done nothing but hide and even fled before we could reach the mountain. Sneaky bastard!

"You're quite useless outside of killing demons..."

Speak for yourself! You don't even try learning other breath even if you hang out with other Pillars on their training"

"..." Shinobu felt annoyed

You all have the time in the world so why don't you try learning one yourself. Even one form would help!

The demon yelled, frustrated that Shinobu hasn't done anything to be capable of using breaths even if she can use one since she was a demon slayer.

When we fought that water breath user demon, you already memorized the breath he used but couldn't counter attack properly. It's like you knew how the body moves with every form

"...I tried as a human. Is that what you're trying to say?"

Did you?

"What if I did?"

Then go fucking practice it! Even as a demon, you can still use breaths so long as you knew one as a human! You have more than enough physical strength as a demon now

Shinobu didn't respond, unknown if she is planning to learning the breath she is most familiar with other than her own. Since Shinobu has the strength of a demon now and tried practicing another breath before, the demon saw now excuse to rely on her all the time. Akane finds it irritating she has to save demon slayers when Shinobu can do it on her own if she just tried to learn how to fight by herself.

By the way, were you and the mismatched haori guy really close?

"...?"

I mean not only you tried practicing his breath, you sounded like you missed him very much when you met him again

"Don't push it, demon"

Shinobu refused to confirm nor deny about her relationship with the Water Pillar who she likes to tease all the time.

Okay then...

The silence returned but not before the demon almost laughed at how obvious it is even if Shinobu didn't answer her questions.

Shinobu should start learning how to fight for herself because I might not always be there to save you...

The demon thought to herself while her own consciousness remained bound. Since she no longer has a body and had to be mostly dependent to Shinobu in order to continue existing. Realizing she actually thought of those words, the demon Akane wondered why she said that.

It sounded like I care for her...?

Akane shook her head, shocked that she actually thought of Shinobu's safety first. While she is forced to co-exist with Shinobu, she doesn't like on some occasions the Former Pillar for refusing to eat humans and kept defending humans instead.

What the hell is happening to me? Caring about this annoying girl all of a sudden...

For a brief moment, she caught a glimpse of an unknown memory from an unknown time.

You don't have to wield a sword like me

Live a normal life

Find happiness like any other normal person

You are still young and you still have many dreams

That's why you don't have to die young

Akane shakes her head when someone she couldn't recognize pets her head gently and gave her a sincere smile.

The longer I am with Shinobu the more I keep hearing and seeing these things

Akane bit her lip, unsure whether remembering unknown memories is a good sign or not as a result of her merging with Shinobu.

I don't want to think there will be a day where the both of us will become lost into an entirely completely different person...

There is a risk of two consciousness sharing the same body and Akane feared that the two consciousness will be "lost" into one. When that happens, it would be similar to permanently disappearing.

One night later

Shinobu travelled to another when she, as a demon, is alerted about people who seemingly have died only to rise up again and immediately feed on everyone they see.

"There's the faint smell of human blood. Someone's preying on humans tonight"

Shinobu detected the faint of human blood lingering in the air, knowing a demon is currently out hunting and feeding humans.

"...?!"

Attracted by the scent of fresh human blood, Shinobu widened her demon eyes at the sight of a demon slayer feeding on a civilian. What she sees in front of her is indeed a boy in a demon slayer uniform but a demon himself. She hesitated to draw her sword, conflicted on whether she should cut down a demon slayer who had become a demon.

"...?!"

Since Shinobu froze, she is unable to act and the feral demon lunged at her, knocking her sword off from her hands.

(Damn it!)

Shinobu swore to continue kill demons and not harm her former allies but the current situation is extremely conflicting. The wild demon bit her arm but she pushed him away.

"Grrrraaaggghh!"

Despite being clear that there isn't a speck of humanity or sanity left in the demon boy, Shinobu still refused to cut down her current enemy and threw him against a wall when leaped at her.

Shinobu, fight before he bites your arm off!

"I...can't..."

Then I'll just have to-

"No! Don't you dare try to overtake this time, demon!"

Shinobu doesn't want Akane to interfere and finish off the feral demon, the latter had no choice but to stay quiet. She wants Shinobu to be independent when fighting but she couldn't stand seeing her refuse to fight to badly like when she was chased by the Love Pillar.

"Tch..." Shinobu picked up the sword she dropped

The demon flipped itself back up after being thrown again but his charge is stopped when Shinobu closed her eyes and swung her blade decapitating the demon.

"Guah!"

The demon immediately fell before its claws could reach Shinobu and disintegrated shortly after.

You actually killed it...

"A demon is a demon..."

In the end, Shinobu knew that demon had to be put down before it killed more if she allowed it to live. She quietly looked down at where the demon fell and closed her eyes for a moment.

"A demon who once hunted demons as a demon slayer. It's a fate worse than death..."

Demons were once humans...and there's no turning them back once they become one

Akane can't sympathize with Shinobu but she understood that once someone becomes a demon, it's too late for them.

You'll be facing more demons like these. You should start preparing your heart to put them down...

"I know that"

Shinobu sheathed her blade and turned away from the scene but at that moment, she stopped and looked behind. Her hand immediately reached for the hilt and prepared to draw her sword.

What's wrong?

"I thought someone else was there. It's actually...nothing"

Shinobu loosened herself and went on her way, exploring more of the town while it's still night. Walking to a dark and empty street, Shinobu stopped for a moment and looked at the sword on the side of her waist.

What's wrong this time?

"I've just thought of something but it's not important"

Shinobu shakes her head and discarded whatever thought she had and went on her way again.

Is it about the demon boy earlier? Does it bother you that much?

"Of course it does. I'm also in the same situation"

Except you didn't lose your sanity and you're stuck with a demon inside your head...

Akane can agree to that but there's a difference since Shinobu isn't a mindless demon. She retained both of her sanity and memories as a humans which are only present on some demons.

"Instead of just letting me die, I've become the very thing that killed my family..."

...

"I want to die but this anger for being turned into a demon is pushing me to live"

Shinobu clenched her fists, completely furious about her current status as a deceased Pillar and a living demon.

"I can't even show my face to anyone. I don't want to see me like this..."

You keep running away. You kept on running without even progressing

"...?"

Shinobu, if you choose to keep running away then you won't get anywhere, just a deadend

"You want me to reveal myself?"

You wouldn't know if your tsuguko or your other allies will understand unless you face them. You'll keep living in the fear of uncertainty.

"..."

So long as you keep running and hiding from the reality that you're a demon now, you will always love with a heart polluted by doubts and fears

"You..."

Long story short, you're bound to face the reality that you're a dead as a Pillar and you're a demon now since you will keep running in with your old allies

To Shinobu's surprise, the demon actually said something useful and not a sarcastic remark or another taunting. This is the first time she heard the demon speak solemnly and sincerely.

"You actually said something useful...for an annoying demon"

Hey! At least be a little thankful I'm trying to get you out of that sorry state!

"..." Shinobu giggled

Look, I can't stand you being scared of what will happen but like I said you will always live in the fear of uncertainty without ever progressing if you keep this up

"So you're saying I should stop hiding and face them because I will always be scared of what will happen if I keep hiding?"

Yes...!

You're probably right. Probably...

Shinobu smiled since the demon Akane made a point about facing the inevitable than hide from it in fear. Shinobu knew to herself that Kanao and the others are bound to figure out since they will recognize it's her.

The next day

Kanroji Mitsuri had just returned from her mission and after running in with Giyuu, she briefly squealed seeing the quiet and distant Pillar right on front of her.

"H-hello there, Tomioka-san" Mitsuri awkwardly waved her hand and Giyuu sort off did the same but he just raised his hand slightly.

"You just came back from another mission?"

"Y-yes. How about you, Tomioka-san? I heard Rengoku-san told me that you were acting weird on your last mission together"

"..." Giyuu looked away for a moment

"Tomioka-san?"

"... I saw something like a butterfly"

Mitsuri thought Giyuu would just say goodbye to her and just quietly leave like he always does and seeing him respond was a surprise for Mitsuri.

"A butterfly?"

"I was chasing the demon when it came down from above. She was a short girl that looked like a butterfly when she landed but her strike was fierce"

Giyuu gazed at the sky while Mitsuri tilted her head, curious to why Giyuu is somewhat emotional when describing who and what he saw the other night.

"Do you know who she is?"

"I don't know because she was wearing a mask but she called me-"

Giyuu stopped himself before he could say the girl he saw the other night not only appeared out nowhere but even called him by his family name.

"It's nothing. That girl was probably someone chasing the demon too since she attacked the demon and ignored me"

"Are you sure she's not a demon slayer?"

"She was wearing a kimono but her butterfly hairpin was familiar. I don't know why..."

As Giyuu sighs and prepares to leave for the next mission, Mitsuri called him out.

"Rengoku-san said you two were searching for a demon killing other demons"

"..." Giyuu turned to her

"What kind of demon was he talking about, Tomioka-san?"

"Something about a sword wielding demon. I don't really care..."

Tomioka shrugged his shoulder before leaving the nervous and curious Mitsuri.

"He said he saw someone who was like a fierce butterfly and had a butterfly hairpin. D-don't tell me..."

Only one person can fit the description that Mitsuri could think of and she didn't like it. This made her nervous since it reminded her of the one person who she thought was dead. She couldn't say it to the quiet and stoic Giyuu, just allowed him to leave instead.

"Hmm?" Giyuu then came across the familiar face

He stopped when he saw Tanjiro right around the corner. Tanjiro goes on a mission with Zenitsu or Inosuke so it's not always he sees him by himself other than with his sister in the wooden box.

"Tanjiro?"

"Giyuu-san! It's been a while since we saw each other. Being a Pillar sure makes you busy, huh"

Tanjiro waved his hand and ran towards him, being the usually cheerful and friendly boy he always is.

"What's the matter?" Tanjiro tilted his head

"Nothing. It's something about a mission the other night"

"I met Rengoku-san yesterday and told me you were more quiet than usual" Tanjiro is worried

"I just encountered an odd butterfly girl with a sword the other night. It just bothers me because she knows my name"

"Do you know who she is?"

"I don't know since she's wearing a mask"

"Maybe she's wearing a mask so you wouldn't recognize her?"

"Beats me but I want to find her if possible. Maybe when I'm not busy hunting demons" Giyuu shrugged his shoulder

Tanjiro is certainly worried for his 'friend' who looks gloomier than usual and even distracted.

"How about you?"

"Well, nothing much is happening. Inosuke said he wants a rematch against someone who killed the demon before him. Well whoever that was it saved his life since he broke his leg and his ribs again" Tanjiro awkwardly chuckled

"I see..."

"Then there's Kanao who keeps thinking about the one who killed the demon swordsman we fought a week ago. It's odd she couldn't remember who finished off the demon"

"Why is that?"

"I don't know. She said she blacked out and when she woke up...there was no memory of who arrived to save her" Tanjiro tilted his head

"Weird people are coming one after another. First the butterfly girl now the unknown savior" Giyuu shakes her head

"Well, whoever it is I'm glad he or she finished off the demon. What are you up to now, Tomioka-san? Are you going to find the demon killing other demons with Rengoku-san? He asked me to join him but I couldn't since I'm busy recently" Tanjiro sounded upset

"Maybe but I don't really care much"

"I see..."

While the two continued to talk, Mitsuri peaked from a corner and withdraw after hearing enough of the conversation. First, she encountered whom she believed is Shinobu then Giyuu said something about a butterfly swordswoman.

"What should I do? Should I tell, Tomioka-san?"

Anxious and not knowing what to do, Mitsuri ran away from the scene. She doesn't know what she should do now so she retreated to make a decision.