Kagami raced down the halls, trying not to stumble over in pain every time she pressed down too hard on her foot, searching for Teruko and Kiyoshi. She was sensing their auras were moving, pretty slowly, but she was glad they were safe. She couldn't sense any more demons or unnatural presences in the mansion so she believes they're fine. Considering Kiyoshi is a marechi, she wants to be the one to find him first and keep him safe. Teruko and Kiyoshi getting lost in the mansion is something she would want to greatly avoid.

"Teruko! Kiyoshi! Where are you?" She screamed down the hall.

She continued to breathe in and out shallowly, it was softening the pain slightly but enough, as she glanced in every room she passed by. Then, she thought she heard voices coming from down the hall.

Slowing to a small jog, Kagami had her hand on the hilt of her sword, just in case, eyes narrowing down on the darkened hall only lit by small lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The voices slowly grew louder and louder, to the point she was able to discern three different types of voices as well as three different types of auras. All three were pure, innocent, and strong, but one she was able to taste the sweetness of cookies.

"Kiyoshi?" She gasped out remembering his aura.

She stopped moving and grinned brightly seeing a healthy and safe Kiyoshi riding on Tanjiro's back with Teruko trailing right behind them.

"Kagami! You're okay!" Tanjiro exclaimed seeing her with a relieved smile.

With small tears in her eyes, Kagami raced forward and engulfed him in a hug. She immediately felt him flinch and wince in pain under her touch and quickly backed away. "Sorry!" She quickly spoke. "I'm just so relieved you're all okay."

"You defeated the demon. That's incredible, Kagami," Tanjiro chuckled smiling widely. Kagami waved away his compliment but still flushed heavily under his praise. "I found these two after following their scent for the longest time. When I entered the room, they explained the tsuzumi, the one that had been used for transporting rooms, had disappeared from their hands. I took that as a sign that you defeated the demon."

Kagami shrugged her shoulders, mumbling, "Well, it was pretty difficult," but grinned.

Tanjiro reached out and brushed a hand through her hair. "It seems he gave you a new haircut," He spoke.

She lifted a hand and touched where her long hair used to be. The black hair that had fell right down to her rear was now barely an inch below her shoulders. She never wanted to cut her hair, not even during the two years she had been training with Mr. Urokodaki. It was the hair her father combed, braided, and loved with all his heart. He thought her most perfect feature was her hair.

Letting out a small, sad sigh, she said, "Yeah, well, it seems we just gotta keep moving."

Tanjiro nodded his head in understanding and continued on walking ahead. "We're near the exit. I picked up Zenitsu and their brother, Shoichi's, scent. They're both outside and seem safe—."

He suddenly gasped and stopped abruptly in his tracks. A look of horror crossed his face, his eyebrows twitching ever so slightly, and the tension in his body rising after the small sniff he inhaled to explain to Kagami the situation. Something was bothering him greatly; it must be about Zenitsu and Shoichi!

"What's the matter?" Kiyoshi asked much to his and Teruko's curiosity.

Tanjiro immediately replaced his horrified look with one of a nervous smile. He turned to Kiyoshi and answered, as if nothing was wrong, "Nothing. Let's hurry along."

Even though Tanjiro hid his true feelings from the kids, Kagami knew something was wrong. He was smelling something Kagami couldn't sense. When they began to hurry back down the hallway, rounding a corner, they saw a huge open door with light shining through. It was sunlight, and their way out! They finally made it out!

The happy sensation was suddenly replaced with terror.

When they exited the mansion, they saw something that sent frightened and angry chills down their spines.

Zenitsu, beaten and bruised to hell, had his body wrapped around Nezuko's box, protectively. He bled from his mouth and nose, a large bruise forming near and closing his eye and on his fore-head, and when he looked up, when he made eye contact with them, his eyes were blood-shot and wavering with pain. Behind him, crying and cowering behind a tree, was an unharmed Shoichi.

But, towering above him, was the boar-headed freak with his arms raised, swords poised to strike both Zenitsu and Nezuko's box!

He was kicking his foot out violently into Zenitsu's head, arms, and legs, forcing the poor boy to whimper and yelp out in pain, as he screamed, impatiently, "Take this! Come on! Move it! Now, you spineless coward! Draw your sword and face me!"

"T-Tanjiro…" Zenitsu weakly gasped out. His body wrapped itself tighter around the box as he choked out, "I protected it. You told me… this was more precious to you than your own life. That's why I did it."

Tanjiro was shaking to the core as he watched, his eyes wavering and tear-filled, as Zenitsu, the boy who was scared of anything and everything, protected his box, his sister, with no hesitation. He didn't know what was inside the box, he didn't know lingering and sleeping within was Tanjiro's little sister who was turned into a demon, but he didn't seem to care what was inside. All Zenitsu cared about… was protecting the one thing that was keeping Tanjiro alive. The one thing that had set his determination to continue on living and fighting to the end. Even though he was trembling to the core with fear, he didn't back down from the boar-headed freak's wrath.

"Zenitsu…" Kagami choked out seeing his broken but unwavering state on the ground.

What happened? What lead up to that moment where Zenitsu is bloodied and beaten on the ground protecting something he couldn't possibly understand?

Or, maybe, he does know there's a demon inside, and he just doesn't care.

Ever since Zenitsu was young, or as long as he could remember, he always had really good hearing. Even when he was asleep, he could still hear and understand what was being said around him. Many people found it creepy and weird, and outright terrifying.

Right then, when his and Shoichi's body was launched out of the mansion, after the mysterious thrumming of the tsuzumi forced the room to shift, he could no longer hear the demon or the thrumming anymore. Before, when he wasn't in the mansion, he heard the tsuzumi's clear as day. Then, laying outside, the tsuzumi's mysteriously stopped. He believed Tanjiro and Kagami defeated the demon.

He heard their strange, loud footsteps hitting the wooden floorboards beneath them. When he tried to find one, either of them, he was using his hearing to meet up with them. Or, maybe it wasn't their footsteps, but it was definitely something else.

Something… animalistic.

"Zenitsu! Zenitsu, please wake up!"

He slowly opened his eyes and squinted when sunlight entered, nearly blinding him. Blinking it away, he looked to his right to see Shoichi kneeling beside him, almost in tears. When he saw Zenitsu was awake, and alive, he let out a relieved sigh and sat back on his feet.

"Thank goodness! Are you alright?" He gasped.

Zenitsu slowly sat up and nodded his head in answer. "What happened?" He asked grasping his head.

"When the room changed, we got thrown outside," Shoichi answered. "We fell from the second-floor window. You made sure that I was protected at the time, though, so I didn't end up getting hurt at all."

Zenitsu didn't remember any of it but he went from grasping to rubbing his head, embarrassed with a smile, at Shoichi praising his heroics. "Did I now? I'm glad to hear you're okay," He smiled. Then, he asked, "What's with all the tears, then? Is something the matter?"

He removed his hand from his head but spotted something red.

Curious, he looked down and realized his hand was covered in something sticky, red, and reeked of iron. That's when it clicked; it was b-b-b-b-blood!

"Now, I understand! I fell right onto my head, didn't I?! Am I… Am I gonna die?!" Zenitsu screamed out loud in terror and horror. He placed the back of his hand against his fore-head, suddenly feeling faint, weak, and dizzy, choking out, "Oh, no! My head is starting to spin. Is this the end for me—?!"

"AHAHA!"

Zenitsu and Shoichi shrunk away in fear hearing a maniacal laugh echo from inside the mansion.

"What's going on?! I don't like that sound!" Zenitsu screeched looking at the entrance doors.

"Watch out! 'Cus ready or not, I'm coming through with a boar rush!" Someone had screamed before the doors burst open from the inside.

"AAAAH!" Zenitsu screamed loudly, fear dripping into his stomach, clutching Shoichi with his entire body. "There it is again! The terrifying boar monster!" He screeched seeing the familiar chiseled body, dual-wielding jagged edge swords, and terrifying boar head!

The boar monster just laughed in his face, spinning around in his spot, cackling, "I'm picking up a demonic presence here!"

Zenitsu gasped at the voice coming from within the mask. "I've heard that voice before! He's the fifth survivor!" He exclaimed, "During Final Selection, he was the first to rush up the mountain, and then, he descended the mountain before anyone else! What a force of nature!"

Suddenly, his eyes locked on the box Tanjiro had carried on his back sitting on the ground nearby. "AHAHA! I've found you, demon!" He cackled rushing towards the box at an unnatural speed!

"That box is more precious to me than my own life!" Tanjiro had nervously spoke down to the two children that had followed them into the mansion, accidentally leaving the box he had been carrying on his back behind.

Zenitsu acted before he could even think.

"Stop it!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, running and sliding in front of the box, arms spread out protectively.

The fifth survivor, the boar monster, halted in his steps, growling, "What the hell? Who are you? Get out of my way!"

Sweating, shaking to his core, staring up at the monster who was practically breathing out steams of impatience and anger, Zenitsu answered, "My name is Zenitsu Agatsuma! I'm a Demon Slayer, just like you!"

"Oh, are you now?" The boar monster sarcastically scowled at him. "Then, you should already know! We gotta get rid of that thing at all costs!" He screamed brandishing and raising his swords in the air. "Now, get the hell out of my way!"

Zenitsu shook his head and planted his knees firmly into the ground. "I refuse!" He shouted. "This belongs to Tanjiro—!"

"Don't you argue with me!" The boar monster snarled angrily at him. Zenitsu whimpered when the boar monster shoved his face down to his, growling, "In that case, I'll demolish him, his little girlfriend, and the box together!" He suddenly swiped his blade at Zenitsu but stopped slightly short at his face. "I won't say it again! Move!"

Zenitsu stayed in his spot.

Tears had begun forming in his eyes, he could feel the cold sword pressing into his cheek, and fear, like none other, was coursing through his veins, but he did not move. He kept his arms out, his face held up, and his body protectively in front of the box Tanjiro cannot lose! He will protect this box no matter what!

"Do you wanna die?" The boar monster snarled.

Zenitsu took in a large breath and belted out, "I won't let you touch this box! I don't know what's inside but I know that it's precious to Tanjiro!"

In either disbelief or shock at Zenitsu's supposed-stupidity, the boar monster dropped his arm, scoffing, "Are you serious? Use your damn head! There's a demon inside that box! Don't you get that?!"

Zenitsu wasn't thinking when he answered, "Of course, I do! I've known that since the very beginning!"

Ever since they first met, first began to talk, chat, and possibly even when they started becoming friends, he had known there was a demon inside the box the entire time. The sounds a demon makes is unlike anything of the sounds a human would make. Tanjiro and Kagami had been traveling with a demon for possibly the whole time they had been Demon Slayers, or maybe even longer than that. Since maybe before they had decided to become Demon Slayers.

He doesn't know who, or what, is inside the box, but he definitely knows the sounds those two make.

Tanjiro's sound is so kind and gentle, it makes Zenitsu want to cry. He doesn't think he's ever heard anything like it before. It was so calming and pure he could melt and die in it. Kagami's sounds are firm, stern, but gentle and loving underneath. Tanjiro, Kagami, both of them, are people with good hearts and produce sounds that genuinely show that they care about everyone and their safety. Even his.

All living creatures constantly give off sounds. The world was full of sounds spilling out. Breathing, heartbeats, the sound of blood circulating, by listening closely, Zenitsu is able to tell what someone was thinking. Even then, he'd been deceived by others time and time again. That was because he always believed in whomever he wanted to believe in. That was how he had gone in debt and was forced to pay it off by becoming a student then a Demon Slayer.

Tanjiro and Kagami, despite being Demon Slayers, were traveling with a demon. But Zenitsu was sure they had a reason for that. Whatever the reason may be, he believes it's a reason he can trust and accept!

"I…" Zenitsu growled forcing eye contact with the boar monster, "I'm going to ask Tanjiro directly myself! Until then, you'd better back off!"

The boar monster didn't hesitate to kick him hard in the face. Over and over again he was kicked in the head before falling on his face. That didn't dampen the courage and determination inside of him! He immediately stood on his feet and tackled the boar monster to the ground, who was ready to bash open the box with his foot! He didn't let go! He kept a tight grip on the monster when the monster jabbed his elbow into his back and grabbed his hair from the top of his head. His body was suddenly thrown to the side, every muscle aching, his face throbbing, but he reached out his hand.

He wrapped it around the boar monster's ankle, coughing out, "I won't let you lay a finger on that box!" weakly.

Zenitsu's grip never faltered, even when the monster shoved his foot backwards into his eye, and sat on his knees. "It's important to Tanjiro! Stay away from it!" He demanded, anger and determination coursing through his blood, before wrapping his entire body around the box. "You're not laying a finger on it until he comes back!"

"Damn you!" The boar monster snarled.

Again and again, over and over, he felt the monster's foot smash into his head, face, arms, and legs. Each hit produced an immense amount of pain striking into his muscles and bones, but he never let go. He kept a tight grip on the box, even when it hurt too much to do so! He coughed out blood, his nose dripping in it, and whimpered in pain, but the thought of letting go of the box to save himself never crossed his mind!

Whipping a sword out at him, the boar monster growled, "Move it!"

"No, I refuse!" Zenitsu protested.

He then heard three pairs of running footsteps coming from within the mansion. They had crossed the threshold to the outside world and heard their horrified gasps. He slowly opened his eyes to see the wavering eyes of Tanjiro and Kagami. Even as the boar monster kept kicking him, screaming profanities, he never let go and never lost eye contact with those pairs of red and green eyes. They looked at him like he was a puppy being kicked, but, at that moment, he didn't feel like one.

Zenitsu felt… like their friend.

"Tanjiro…" He gasped out, tasting his blood in his mouth, "I protected it. You told me… this was more precious to you than your own life. That's why I did it."

He immediately dropped his head, protecting more of the box with his body, yelping and crying out in pain, as the monster kept kicking harsher and harsher. "You idiot!" The boar monster screamed in anger. "After all the bluster, you won't even draw your sword?! If you're a fellow Demon Slayer, let's see you fight! Fight me, coward!"

Zenitsu screamed as his body toppled over.

Both the box and he fell to the ground but he quickly climbed on top it, protecting it and using his body as a meat shield.

"If you're not gonna fight, get the hell out of my way!" The boar monster screamed, kicking him with every word, before raising his sword up high. "Fine then. If you won't get out of my way, and keep me from doing my job, then you leave me no choice! I'll just have to skewer you along with that box!" He raised his sword up high, aiming it down on Zenitsu, who closed his eyes readying himself for the impact, and—.

"Stop it!"

Barely able to keep his eyes open, Zenitsu watched as Tanjiro dashed forward, lightning fast, with the scariest and angriest look he's ever seen!

"I said STOP!" Tanjiro screamed again in pure anger, fury, and disbelief as he grew closer and closer to the pair.

Zenitsu watched, eyes widening as much as they could, as Tanjiro raised his fists, charging head on towards the boar monster. He was actually going to fight him! He must be so angry and infuriated he's risking his life to save Zenitsu's and the demon he is protecting in his arms!

You can do this, Tanjiro!