Kagami watched, angry and mortified, as the boar-headed freak charged directly straight for the Tsuzumi Demon. With his jagged-edged Nichirin Swords pushed behind him, he slashed at the demon who didn't bother to move or dodge at all!

"Infuriating!" The demon screamed slamming his hand over his right tsuzumi drum.

All of them weren't ready for the sudden shift of the room.

They fell sideways, following the room as it shifted upside down, landing on their backs and shoulders. Teruko on the other side of the room screamed as she fell onto the ceiling which is now their flooring. Although, the boar-headed freak immediately adjusted to the sudden shift and landed on Tanjiro's head, using it to push himself back at the demon!

"Are you crazy?! That demon has supernatural abilities! Do not attack it recklessly!" Kagami screamed at him.

That boar-headed freak didn't listen to her. Instead, he continued laughing like the maniac he was, charging head on with no thought or strategy!

"How maddening!" The demon growled under his breath. "You damn insects infesting my home!"

DUM! DUM!

Kagami gasped when the demon slammed on his right tsuzumi two times with no pause in between! Her body was forced into the air, feeling like it was hovering and swaying with the air in the room as it shifted a complete 180 underneath her. When she landed roughly on her back, an unbearable amount of pain striking through her body, she realized the ceiling was once again at the top and the floor back to being underneath their feet again.

"AH!"

Kagami whipped her head around and saw the boar-headed freak standing on Teruko! With one foot on her back, pressing her shaking body into the floor, he continued laughing manically with his sword arms raised. He was acting as if he just killed and won a trophy animal! He was using a little girl as his stepping stone! What the hell?!

She couldn't tell what he was thinking. His light blue lop-sided eyes on his boar mask didn't reveal any of his emotions or thoughts. What a pain!

"The room spun around!" He laughed loudly. "Now, this is what I call a fun time! AHAHA!"

Tanjiro, growling beside Kagami, raced for the boar-headed freak and grabbed his ankle. "Get your dirty feet… off of her!" He screamed chucking the freak across the room and off of Teruko.

The boar-headed freak landed roughly on his feet and he seemed to have stared daggers straight at Tanjiro. The nostrils of his mask moved with every menacing word he spoke, "Who the hell are you, kiddos?"

Kagami grabbed Teruko and wrapped her protectively in her arms, carrying and cradling her to her chest, with Tanjiro standing in front of them protectively.

"Stepping on a little kid like that! What were you thinking?!" Tanjiro screamed at him angrily.

Kagami spat out, answering Tanjiro's question that wasn't meant for her, "He's the freak that attacked me during Final Selection! No doubt he attacked many other aspiring Demon Slayer kids. The word 'teamwork' and 'friendship', maybe 'respect and loyalty', doesn't seem to run in his limited vocabulary."

The boar-headed freak didn't take any offense at the words Kagami and Tanjiro threw at him. "AHAHA! You've got spunk! I like that! No mere humans have ever sent me flying like that before!" He had laughed before charging straight for them!

Kagami didn't have time to think or blink.

She let herself fly backwards and slam into the wall, Tanjiro landing just right in front of her, sword raised, when the boar-headed freak slashed outwards towards them!

Not again!

"He's attacking us? Isn't he a Demon Slayer?!" Tanjiro gasped.

Kagami gave Tanjiro a funny look. "Did you think I was kidding when I said he attacked me and everything he saw during Final Selection? He's crazy!"

The boar-headed freak was kneeling on one knee, his sword arms raised behind him, the jagged-edged Nichirin Swords glinting in the light menacingly, as the muscles in his arms flexed. "These swords do a lot of damage. They're not the kind you delicate little flowers would use. The way they shred through flesh… That's what I pride myself on!" He growled loudly.

"Knock it off! There's a literal demon standing right outside this room! Have some sense of priority!" Kagami screamed at him as if she was chastising a small child.

Running his swords together, the boar-headed freak screamed, "You think I care?!" and charged for them again!

"Damn insects! Begone! The marechi girl is mine!" She heard the demon scowl.

Just as the boar-headed freak was closing his distance on them, sharp piercing wind flew past her nose.

DUM!

Without thinking, she jumped backwards, holding Teruko tightly in her arms, and a terrified gasp flew out of her mouth. As if an invisible claw had swiped through the air, three long gashes appeared into the wooden flooring where she, Tanjiro, and the freak had just been standing. Tiny splinters that used to be a part of the floor flew by their faces and stained their skin.

"T-That happened at the same speed as the sound of the tsuzumi!" Tanjiro gasped.

DUM!

Kagami watched as the demon slammed his hand over the middle tsuzumi and the same three claw marks slashed towards the boar-headed freak, who narrowly missed being shredded.

Middle tsuzumi is claw marks…?

DUM!

The demon slammed his hand over the right tsuzumi drum again and the room spun towards the right!

Right tsuzumi spins the room right!

DUM!

The hand slammed over the left tsuzumi this time and the room spun towards the left!

Left tsuzumi spins the room left!

Kagami's body slammed into the wall and floor trying to protect Teruko and soften her landing. She tried not to think of the pain that was piercing every part of her body, she had her eyes and attention focused solely on the demon. She needed to know which tsuzumi it will hit so she'll be ready for any and all attacks as well as any room shifting. To keep the girl safe and defeat the demon became her number one priority, she didn't need some freak to screw everything up!

"Damn insects! Damn bugs! Miserable vermin!"

DUM! DUM!

Kagami was not prepared for the second hit.

The demon hit the tsuzumi on his right then on his hip! She gasped when the room shifted right and backwards at the same time! Her body fell through the doors at the back of the room that was now the floor. She landed on something rough and choked out a breath, her body wincing and tensing up when she felt something groan and moan underneath her in pain.

No matter, the demon was still her main focus.

DUM! DUM!

Her eyes widened when she didn't see the demon hit another tsuzumi but heard the sound of one being hit twice. The room she was looking through to watch the demon changed into a ceiling. The hallway she had fell into changed into another one completely. She found herself lying on the ground staring up into the ceiling.

"Tanjiro, we've been separated!" Kagami mumbled to herself.

"Get off me!"

She immediately rolled around, keeping Teruko securely in her arms, and glared at the thing she had landed on. It was the boar-headed freak!

Angrily, she scoffed, "Of course I managed to get separated from Tanjiro and end up with you!"

He stood on his feet and readied himself in a stance, looking to charge at her. "Both of you got in my way! I don't care if I fight either you or him right now! If I could, I would fight you both at the same time to remind everyone I am the best! All that matters is that I defeat you, right here, right now, and stay the strongest warrior in all the land! AHAHA! Try and defeat me! I dare you!"

Kagami gave him an incredulous look. It didn't look like he learned to not attack allies during Final Selection! "You're insane! I don't want to fight you! I want to defeat the demon, rescue the girl and her brothers, and get the hell out of here!" She screamed.

"What are you, a chicken?! Just fight me already! On second thought, I don't want to fight some coward!"

Her vision flashed red and she swore she saw smoke pouring out of her arms just staring and listening at his stupidity! The blood in her body began to boil and she thought she was going to kill him out of annoyance. But she needed to think of Teruko. She was a small girl who was separated from her brothers and just wants to go home with them. She also needed to find Tanjiro and, ugh, Zenitsu.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, Kagami scowled, in between gritted teeth, "Yes, I'm a chicken. You're the strongest in all the land. Please, spare my life and leave me alone."

The boar-headed freak laughed and raised his swords in victory. "Even my opponents beg and cower in my glory and destruction!" He screamed into the air. Aiming a sword at her, Kagami fighting the urge to dislocate his arm, he chuckled, "Because I am so merciful, I will let you live! But don't forget how much better I am than you!"

Turning around, and running in the other direction, he screamed back at her, "Tell that guy I still want a rematch when I see him!"

Kagami's eyes wouldn't stop twitching until he was finally out of her sight.

When he finally turned the corner, she allowed herself a small sigh of relief. She then gently placed Teruko on the ground, speaking softly, "I'm sorry about him. I don't know what's gotten into him, stepping on you like that."

Teruko wiped her teary eyes and mumbled, "It's ok. Where's Tanjiro?"

"We've been separated but it's ok. I'll protect you no matter what. Let's go find your brothers," Kagami smiled and gently took one of her hands.

Not wanting to take the same path as that boar-headed freak, Kagami began to walk the other way down the hallway.

Even though they walked a slow, calming pace together, she was very aware of her surroundings. Beside the Tsuzumi Demon's aura, she could feel multiple others in the house. She could feel the aura of a couple humans, no doubt Tanjiro and Zenitsu's, but she could also feel the menacing air of demons wandering the halls.

They came upon a door and Kagami opened it slightly but held in a gasp when she saw what was inside. She quickly averted her eyes but the image was already ingrained in her head. Blood splattered all over the floors and walls, the body of child sitting in the center of the room. There were bite, claw, and scratch marks all over. Their clothing was ripped to shreds and their body was just left there to rot. That poor thing was killed and devoured by the demons prowling the house, and she was too late to save them.

She won't let Teruko and her brothers share the same fate!

"I-Is something wrong?" Teruko asked her softly.

Kagami smiled down at her and closed the door, keeping Teruko from looking inside. "No, everything is okay. There are no demons, it was just another dead end. Let's continue walking down this hall and hopefully find your brothers or Tanjiro along the way."

They continued walking, hand in hand, but she felt her feet began to slide along the wooden floor. Her legs were on fire, her lungs burned, her broken arm, the one she used to carry Teruko, felt almost completely numb, and even breathing began to hurt. She had to keep a brave face on, she needed to for Teruko. When she glanced up at Kagami for reassurance, she immediately straightened her back and gave her a smile, still walking down the darkened hallway.

She wasn't completely healed, whatever Miss Tamayo did was temporary, and she wished she had time to at least get a hot meal before running into that large demon. They would've if Zenitsu hadn't been crying for nearly half an hour when they ran into him and the poor girl he was trying to force into marriage.

Kagami slowed in her steps when they came upon another room.

Then, she felt the aura.

It was innocent, pure, but something lingered beneath it. Nothing malicious or harmful but definitely sweet. An almost tasty sweet, as if she was smelling fresh baked cookies.

Letting go of Teruko's hand, and putting a finger to her lips, Kagami snuck up to the door, one hand on the hilt of her sword. Sliding it open fast, she looked in almost expecting a demon in disguise. Instead, she saw a boy in an orange kimono sitting in the center of a room with a tsuzumi in his hand. His leg was bleeding and he looked absolutely terrified and distraught.

His wavering eyes landed on her hand and he gasped seeing her in his vision. His hand quickly moved to slam over the tsuzumi.

"No, wait!" She screamed thrusting out her hand, hoping to stop him before it was too late.

Taking one careful, shaky, whimpering, step at a time, Zenitsu held Shoichi's hand as they slowly, carefully, walked down the hall to where the exit or Tanjiro and Kagami could possibly be! The exit is very, very, very much preferable, but finding his protector and future wife would be great, too!

The demons won't be able to find us if we're going slow and quietly!

"Excuse me, can we stop, Zenitsu-?" Something loud spoke up from behind him!

Zenitsu screamed loudly into the air and whirled around to see the exhausted looking Shoichi who had spoken up without warning! He already told the boy to warn him before he spoke because a demon could pop out of nowhere and kill them all swiftly! He wouldn't have noticed with Shoichi's loud talking if he continued speaking that way! Not to mention how Zenitsu is absolutely terrified to the core just by being in there! He needed to concentrate!

"Signal… Signal… S-Signal me first!" He cried throwing himself into Shoichi's arms. Tears poured out of his eyes and snot dripped down his nose as he cried into the kid's arms. "If you want to talk, don't come at me all of a sudden! My heart nearly flew out of my mouth just now! If I had a heart attack, that would've made you a murderer for sure! Do you get that!"

Shoichi, who looked too exhausted to deal with Zenitsu's crying, just mumbled, "Sorry about that." Still shaking and hanging onto the Shoichi's arms, Zenitsu shook and cried, even as the kid added, "It's just that… You've been sweating, gasping, and shivering so horribly."

"What about it?! Aren't I doing the best I can here?!" Zenitsu cried.

Shoichi dropped both his head and shoulders, mumbling, "Well, forgive me for saying so, but you're making me nervous, too, so…"

Zenitsu gasped and felt his heart drop at Shoichi's words. The last thing he wanted was to make someone else nervous and scared because of him! Shoichi was so brave in the beginning but now it's his fault for making the kid nervous!

"Oh no! I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed. "It's just… I feel… if we talk too much, those demons and all will… they might find us, right? That's why… I think it would be best to be as quiet as possible! Right?!" Zenitsu screamed hoping he would understand.

"Hehehe..."

A terrible chill ran up Zenitsu's spine as he heard a low menacing growl from behind him. Shoichi's exhausted and nervous look quickly turned to one of terror and fear. His mouth fell open and his breath became shallow staring at something behind Zenitsu. The Demon Slayer turned his head, feeling his neck crick and crack, and his eyes widened immensely at a demon crawling out from underneath the floorboards! WHAT THE HELL?!

"Children," the demon laughed crawling on all fours, his large throbbing tongue sticking out of his mouth. "They should taste good!"

Zenitsu screamed so loud and so high that his voice cracked and croaked. "What did I tell you?! There's a demon! The demon showed up, see?! Stay away! STAY AWAY FROM US! I'M WARNING YOUUU!"

He continued screaming and crying, grabbing and pushing Shoichi in front of him, as they ran and ran down the hall.

The demon was fast! It crawled on all fours but it still managed to keep pace with them! That creepy disgusting demon is trying to eat them! Shoichi should've listened and stayed quiet like Zenitsu told him to! Now they're going to die! ALL DIE! DIE WITHOUT EVER GETTING MARRIED! NO! What would Kagami think?! That he abandoned her?! That Tanjiro could have her all to himself now that Zenitsu is no longer in the way?!

I NEED TO LIVE! FOR KAGAMI!

"W-We don't taste good! I'm sure I taste awful!" Zenitsu screamed behind him. "I'm serious, okay? This kid's all skin and bones, so he's all dry and tastes ghastly!"

He yelped when he heard the demon growl and laugh, "How will I know until I have a taste?"

"NO!" Zenitsu screamed when he turned his head seeing the demon whip his tongue out. Grabbing Shoichi in his arms, he quickly side-stepped away, letting the tongue slam into a vase of water. His eyes widened at the long, elongated tongue that nearly whipped into and around him that could've killed them! "What was that?! Quick-tongued! Splitting a vase in two!"

The demon jumped forward and lashed his tongue out again!

Zenitsu quickly jumped away, the slobbery disgusting tongue whipping past him, screaming, "This is a nightmare!" before slamming through a set of doors. They were out of the dark hallways and into a lit room but Zenitsu could still feel the threat of the demon behind them! He tried to move but he couldn't get up! His knees were shaking so hard he couldn't even get up!

"Zenitsu! Get up!" Shoichi begged grabbing his hand.

Zenitsu lifted his head, tears falling out of his eyes, screaming, "It's in my knees now! 80 percent of my fear is in my knees! I can't get up! I'm so scared I cannot even stand! AH!"

"This isn't the time to whine, all right?" Shoichi tried to speak but Zenitsu only threw himself on him, crying, "Just leave me behind, okay? Make a run for it!"

"I can't do something like that!"

Zenitsu's fear was nearly trampled by Shoichi's altruism and courage to not leave him behind! He's a great kid and even though he knows Zenitsu is useless because of his crippling fear of, well, anything, he won't leave him behind! Shoichi is just as afraid as he is but he won't run! The Demon Slayer needed to find a solution to get them both out of there without dying! He at least owes Shoichi that for putting up with his cowardly behavior!

If Zenitsu won't protect him, what will happen to him?! Shoichi dying before he reached adulthood would be tragic and that itself will surely kill Zenitsu on the inside! He can't do anything! He's so horribly weak! He doesn't have the strength or skill or ability to protect him! But if he doesn't-!"

"Hehehe!"

"AH!" Zenitsu and Shoichi screamed when the demon crawled into the room.

The demon twisted its head 90 degrees to the side, a disgusting smile spreading across its face, laughing, "I'm gonna guzzle your brains through your ears!"

My brain… through my ears…

Zenitsu felt his heart stop in his chest before dropping to the ground, unconscious.

Shoichi watched in horror as Zenitsu fell to the ground, his body slumping against Shoichi's before hitting the ground.

"Zenitsu! Are you-?!" he gasped but stopped when he heard snoring.

He looked down and saw Zenitsu fast asleep! A bubble of snot from his nose inflated then deflated with every loud snore he took. Even with the demon right at the doorway of their room, death looming all around them, he couldn't believe the Demon Slayer was fast asleep!

Shoichi gasped and hurried to place his arms underneath Zenitsu's armpits.

The demon began to crawl closer and faster to them, saliva dripping from its tongue and laughter spilling from its mouth. Shoichi, dragging Zenitsu's body, couldn't possibly get further away enough from it! His back hit the back wall and all he could do was stare into the demon's bloodlust eyes!

Fear and terror coursed through his veins when the demon smiled menacingly at him. All he could think of was his family that he couldn't see or even save! He just wanted to save his brother and head home; he didn't mean to drag his sister into danger with him. If only they stayed outside and waited for the Demon Slayers to finish defeating the demon that took their older brother. It was his job to protect his younger sister. Now, he might possibly fail!

Teruko! Kiyoshi! I'm so sorry!

"Zenitsu! Please wake up!" Shoichi begged, screaming and crying, as the demon lashed out its tongue towards him. His chest shook, his hands clenched into fists, and tears poured out of his eyes in the face of death. "ZENITSU!"

He waited for something to hit him, bowing his head over Zenitsu's, crying.

Nothing happened.

Shoichi opened his eyes and gasped seeing the tongue of the demon lay on the ground a few feet away from him. Then, he gasped again when Zenitsu had stood in front of him protectively! His eyes were closed, his arm out, shielding Shoichi, and his chin dipped low. Shadows covered the top half of his face and he just stood there! Even the demon looked surprised at what had happened! Then, Zenitsu crouched to his right knee, extending his left leg all the way back. He hunched his back and body down nearly touching his right knee, one hand on the sheathe of his sword and the other on the hilt of his blade.

Shoichi gasped when Zenitsu's breathing turned funny. He swore he could see steam pour out in between his gritted teeth.

There was so much determination, concentration, bravery, and courage in him. It was like he was a completely different person! He wasn't the crying, sweating, shivering boy who was dragging Shoichi to the exit. He seemed like a real Demon Slayer.

Zenitsu tightly gripped his hilt, unclasping the sword from its hilt, speaking, loudly and unwavering, "Thunder Breathing! First Form, Thunderclap and Flash!"

If Shoichi had blinked, he would've missed it!

Zenitsu disappeared in a strike of electricity, as if he were the lightning strike himself! He launched forward in a cloud of dust and dirt and somehow ended up on the other side of the room. He stayed in the same position he was in as if he never moved! A trail of sparks followed his feet and it took a few moments for it to disperse. He gasped seeing Zenitsu sheathe his sword, even though he looked like he never drew it in the first place, and watched seeing the demon's head roll on the ground!

Zenitsu immediately awoke, gasping and looking around confused, before looking down at his extended back leg. Resting against his foot was the h-h-head of a demon! AHH!

"AH! IT'S DEAD?!" Zenitsu screamed jumping away from the disintegrating head and body of the demon that was chasing them down the hall. He wrapped his arms around his terrified shaking body, screaming, "When did that happen?! What the hell?! I can't take this! What is this?! What is this?! YUCK!"

On the other side of the disintegrating demon sat Shoichi with the most confused and annoyed expression he's ever seen.

Zenitsu gasped and extended a hand to Shoichi, asking softly, "Did you… Did you just…?"

Screaming, crying, and shaking, he threw himself on Shoichi, grabbing him into a hug, wailing, "Thank you! You saved my life! I shall be eternally grateful to you for this! Why didn't you tell me sooner that you were so powerful?! WAHHHH!"

He thought heard Shoichi speak up, confused, and when he looked at the kid expectingly, he merely sighed and shook his head.

"We should go now," Shoichi sighed.

Feeling better that he has an overpowered new protector on his side, Zenitsu nodded his head, standing up.

"Damn it! He sent me flying again!" The boar-headed freak growled to himself as he went charging down the hallways. "It's been three days and it's still the same ol' crap! I don't like making my way through a cramped building like this! It's just not my thing for crying out loud!"

He slammed into the corner of the hallway and kicked off of it, growling, grunting, and huffing as he continued running in clear annoyance.

"Stupid boy! Stupid girl! Thinking they could get in my way! Thinking they're going to take the kill and head of the demon that is so rightfully mine! I'm the best! I'm the best warrior out there! If they get in my way again, I will hunt them down!" he growled to himself.

That girl's green eyes bore anger and disgust looking at him. Her black hair was tucked neatly in a long ponytail, her arms were busily wrapped around the small weak girl he had used as a stepping stone, her growl set on him, her sword in her hand but not raised at him, and she didn't back down from him! When all others did, she didn't! Why didn't she cower in fear like the rest of his enemies?!

He couldn't give less than a crap! So what if she stood up to him?! So what if a pretty girl like her hated him?! He needed to show her who was boss!

As he was about to round a corner, a large, fat, green hand appeared out of nowhere!

He quickly flipped backwards twice out of reach, taking multiple steps away, landing far enough from the stupid thing that tried to grab him!

"You dodged that? You seem to be an awfully lively human!"

Rounding the corner was the fattest demon the boar-headed freak ever saw. It was a green, tall, and fat demon! There was fat all around its body, from the abdomen to the arms, legs, and even its face! Its cheeks and lips were puffed out, and the rest of its body was covered in blood. The freak could smell it was human blood it was covered in. Its breath even reeks of it, and some other nasty crap it must've ate along the way!

The demon smiled menacingly. "Your flesh will be well worth gouging out!"

LIKE HELL!

The freak crossed his arms, placing his left hand on his right sword and his right hand on his left sword. He began to breathe deeply and heavily, concentrating hard. Billows of steam poured through the nostrils of his mask, growling, "Self-Style… Beast Breathing!" Then, he added, "It's gonna feel so good to rip such a huge target to shreds!"

"You've got guts to charge me head-on like that!" The demon cackled extending its arms out-.

The boar-headed freak unsheathed his swords sharply right in front of the demon. Each sword sliced into the arms of the demon, shredding the skin and letting its arms fall to the ground pathetically. The demon gasped and screamed in terror but the freak only laughed maniacally!

Almost too easy!

"Die in battle and serve as my springboard!" he screamed crossing his arms and pushing them outwards. "Fang three, Devour!"

When he pushed his arms out, both swords crossed and shredded the skin of the demon's neck. The demon's head was swiftly separated from its body and toppled to the ground, bouncing as it went. The boar-headed freak laughed and kicked the demon's body down, before stepping and pushing down on it to give him a charging boost. Jumping into the wall, he continued laughing like an absolute maniac racing down the hallways.

He was going to find the demon first before that girl and boy do!

"Comin' through! Comin' through!"