Kagami gasped when she saw Tanjiro dash forward without hesitation, with no second thought, angry and furious to all oblivion when they saw Zenitsu being wildly kicked with no mercy by the boar-headed freak.

Zenitsu had climbed atop of Nezuko's box and protectively wrapped his body around it, unwavering and full of determination, not letting her fall prey to the boar-headed freak's wrath. He didn't know who Nezuko was, if there was a demon inside or not, or why Kagami and Tanjiro had been traveling with a demon. He didn't ask why, how, or when, but, instead, he protected her with all his might. Even under the face of death, he didn't move to save himself.

He truly is a hero.

"Get away!" Tanjiro screamed charging forward until he was right in the boar-headed freak's face.

He threw his right fist out so hard and so fast the freak didn't have time to dodge or block. Tanjiro's fist dug right into his chest and Kagami swore she heard something crack from underneath all that muscle and skin. The boar-headed freak groaned and his body was flung back harshly from the impact. He rolled across the ground, his swords falling from his grip, and he fell straight on his back, looking up into the sky. He didn't move, make a noise, or scream out in profanities as he had been doing moments ago to Zenitsu. It was as if all that big talk and no bite was forced out of his body.

"Aren't you part of the Demon Slayer Corp?!" Tanjiro screamed out holding up his shaking fist. "You must understand why Zenitsu refuses to draw his sword! It's because Demon Slayer Corps members can only draw their swords for combat! Not provocation! It's taboo to fight each other! But here you are, giving him a one-sided beatdown! Is that fun for you?!"

Clenching his fist tightly and firmly at his side, he shouted, "You are the lowest of the low!" with all his might.

Kagami was slightly frightened to say the least.

Watching Tanjiro shake with absolute fury, disgust, and shame almost made her feel sick to her stomach. It was so strange to see someone so kind and gentle scream and yell at someone. She quickly ushered Kiyoshi and Teruko away from the madness, and rushed to Zenitsu's side. She knelt by him, ignoring his love comments about her treating him like he's her husband, and watched with both worry and pride seeing Tanjiro stand up to that freak. If only she could be part of it.

Suddenly, on the ground, they heard noise protrude from the freak. It was a mixture of coughing and maniacal laughing! Even though he had some broken bones from Tanjiro's wound-up punch, he was laughing under that boar mask!

"Oh, so that's how you feel? I didn't realize," He chuckled out. Picking his head, facing Tanjiro, he wagered, "In that case, let's fight barehanded."

Almost all of Tanjiro's anger dissipated into disbelief seeing the freak's bloodlust for fighting! He held up his hand, exclaiming, "No! I don't think you get it at all! Listen, we're not supposed to fight each other, period!" When the freak charged at him, throwing punches and sending kicks his way, Tanjiro deftly blocked and dodged him, adding, "Fighting barehanded doesn't make it all right! Are you listening to me?!"

When the freak grabbed Tanjiro's arm, and pulled, he climbed ontop and began to spun his entire body around Tanjiro's head trying to grab a lock or hold! Thinking fast, Tanjiro grabbed him and threw him off, only for the freak to land on both hands and throw his foot back at Tanjiro's face! Tanjiro barely had time to throw his head back, narrowly missed being kicked in the face with small strands of his red hair falling to the ground, but both boys looked as if it was a miraculous feat!

Kagami couldn't understand how the freak could move and twist his entire body around with broken ribs! He surely should be in excruciating pain, but Tanjiro definitely was! He was barely holding his own against him!

Throwing himself back and taking a running start towards Tanjiro, the freak slid close into him and used the momentum to force his feet into Tanjiro's. Before Tanjiro could crash into the ground, the freak kicked his leg out again pushing Tanjiro backwards! But it helped him regain his balance and he looked at the freak in frustration and annoyance.

Tanjiro kicked his leg out… but the freak bent all the way backwards then forwards with no problem!

Gasping, Tanjiro let his guard down, watching the freak move with impossible agility and flexibility, and was punched hard in the face. He was sent spiraling into the ground but quickly jumped back on his feet! That fight has no end!

"If we're being fair here, Tanjiro did technically break the code, too. I mean, he did break that guy's ribs," Zenitsu shakily spoke out, his body still wrapped around Nezuko's box, as Shoichi began to rub the blood away from his face with his handkerchief.

Kagami couldn't watch anymore.

Tanjiro and that freak were fighting relentlessly, and the end seemed to be nowhere to be found!

The freak wrapped his legs around Tanjiro's neck and threw him to the ground. Standing on his feet, Tanjiro bashed his head into the freak's, forcing him to recoil and recover from the pain and stumble. The freak would try to side-sweep Tanjiro off his feet, but, when he failed, he would throw and spin his body into Tanjiro's!

She was witnessing what she saw during Final Selection. The freak's animalistic laugh, his unusually low attacks, and his vicious and ferocious behavior mimicking a cornered, or overconfident, animal! It was unfortunate Tanjiro was on the receiving end but she was glad she didn't have to face the freak's wrath during Final Selection. Tanjiro must've seen the low attacks just as Kagami had, and tried to use it against him by attacking low… but he only ended up getting face planted into the ground.

The freak bent so low to the ground, avoiding Tanjiro's attack, without a piece of skin getting scrapped against the hard dirt beneath them! Then, in a surprise attack, he threw his leg all the back, above and over his head, and had slammed it down on the back of Tanjiro's head, striking it into the ground!

"How is he so flexible?!" Kagami gasped seeing the madness unfold.

Jumping off of Tanjiro's head, the freak landed on his feet and jabbed two thumbs at himself. She could only imagine the self-centered and conceited smile being spread across his stupid face. "What'dya think of that move? Pretty damn awesome, aren't I?!" He laughed looking at Tanjiro… and Kagami's way?

She made a face, both Zenitsu and Kagami watching with raised eyebrows, but the freak suddenly bent over backwards all the way until his head stuck out from in between his legs and his hands wrapped tightly around his ankles.

"Wow, the flexibility," Kagami softly gasped out feeling heat rush to her cheeks.

Tanjiro was having none of his jokes or antics. "Stop doing that!" He screamed out in annoyance. "Performing a stunt like that in your condition won't be good for you! It's only gonna get worse!"

"So? What do I care?!" The freak screamed jumping on his feet before charging… again at Tanjiro! "Nothing can top the pleasure of this moment!" He added throwing punches once again at Tanjiro, even though his opponent protested, "You need to think about the future, too!"

"Why should I?!"

Tanjiro suddenly grasped the shoulders of the freak, forcing him to stay in his spot and fighting against the disbelief wiggling, pushing his own head all the way back, screaming, "Calm down…" and bringing it all the way forward, "DO YOU HEAR?!" into the freak's.

Zenitsu suddenly screamed in his spot, holding the front of his head, exclaiming, "AH! That sound! Are your skulls fractured?!"

The freak suddenly stumbled backwards, out of breath, and couldn't move!

Kagami and Zenitsu looked back and forth between the pair of boys to see only the freak affected by the headbutt! Tanjiro stood still, eyes narrowed, eyebrows furrowed, but he seemed he knew he had finished what the freak had started. He didn't shake, waver, or stumble like the freak, he stood there confidently, and exhausted, but nonetheless fine.

The freak slouched forward and, suddenly, his boar mask fell off of his head. His hand grasped his bloody head trying to hide what he really looked like but they already had seen his face. At the same time, in either horror, disbelief, or sheer confusion, Kagami, Tanjiro, and Zenitsu tensed up and stared, wide-eyed, at the sudden revealment of the boar freak's true face. Their mouths fell open and they couldn't help but stay silent for many long moments.

"WHAT?! That's what you look like?! A girl?!" Zenitsu soon screamed at the top of his lungs.

"What the hell did you just say? You got a problem with my face or something?" The freak growled lowly, dropping his hand and picking his head up.

The freak was… unusually beautiful.

Did I just call a boy beautiful? Oh my god, what the hell is happening to me?

His face was petite and feminine accented by large emerald green eyes that were framed by an array of long eyelashes. He also had thin sharp eyebrows as well as small-mannered mouth that held such ferocious words and widened as much as it could into a maniacal smile. His thick black hair reached just past his shoulders, the tips and ends a faded blue, but it was unruly and had an uneven fringe of bangs tickling his eyes.

"I… Uh…," Kagami stammered feeling more heat rise to her cheeks just looking at him!

Zenitsu made an even bigger face and huffed, "I don't even know what to make of you right now. You've got this ripped body but such a delicate face to go with it."

The beautiful freak turned to them all, looking annoyed, and scoffed, "Why are you all obsessed with my face all of sudden?"

Zenitsu gasped and ran away from him, stuttering, "N-No, I'm not!" cowering behind Teruko, who just had a family reunion interrupted by him. "It was just an observation!" He added not aware of the judgmental looks Teruko, Shoichi, and Kiyoshi had looking at him.

Standing up straight, wiping the shocked look from his face, Tanjiro had a clear look of determination, as if he had just been finished drilling by Mr. Urokodaki, when he declared, "There's nothing wrong with your face!" Not maintaining any eye contact with the beautiful freak, he continued, "In fact, the girlish shape, size, and complexion are quite attractive!"

"You're a dead man! You wanna go?!" The beautiful freak challenged him angrily.

"I don't! I won't fight you anymore!"

"Come on! Headbutt me!"

"No! I'm done!"

"I said do it!"

"You're too worked up! Why don't you just sit down?"

Kagami and everyone else continued watching their argument, debate, banter, or whatever it was, go on. Their eyes flicked from one person to the next, seeing the beautiful freak challenge him to a fight and Tanjiro turn him down, still steeled but red-faced.

Then, the beautiful freak chuckled, "How about I tell you my name? It's Inosuke Hashibira! Don't you forget it!"

"How do you even write that?" Kagami asked from the sidelines.

"Huh?!" He suddenly screamed with his eyes and eyebrows twitching at the question turning to face her. "I… I don't know how to read or write, okay?! All I know is that it was written on my waistband—! UGH!"

Inosuke had jabbed a finger at himself, detailing a story on his name that Kagami probably shouldn't have gotten him started on, when he suddenly froze. A mixture of choking and coughing spewed from his mouth, a look of disbelief and horror passing through his face, as he kept staring straight ahead at Kagami.

"Inosuke? What's wrong?" She spoke out walking towards him.

When his eyes rolled to the back of his head, his body toppling backwards, Kagami quickly rushed forward and somehow managed to catch him in her arms. She yelped when they both fell to the ground, her underestimating how heavy he weighed, and landed on her knees roughly, his head falling on her lap. She looked away, trying to stifle the blush on her cheeks, and tried not to pay too much attention to the hard muscles her hands were touching.

He began to froth and foam at the mouth, nasty gurgling sounds coming out of his throat, as his body began to shake slightly. His fore-head had a large gash full of blood, no doubt Tanjiro's doing, and he looked as if he was dead!

Zenitsu, across the clearing, screeched, "Oh, no! He collapsed! Is he… dead?"

Tanjiro placed a finger against his bleeding nose and looked worriedly down at Inosuke, answering, "No, he's not. It's a concussion. I… did headbutt him pretty hard."

"But, are you okay, Tanjiro?" Teruko asked walking up to his side.

Tanjiro's worried and angry demeanor caused by Inosuke immediately turned to one of kindness seeing and hearing Teruko. "Yeah," He answered with the nod of his head and a smile.

"Amazing!" She giggled. Shyly reaching up a hand, she asked, "Can I touch your head?"

"Sure!"

As Tanjiro and Teruko giggled and laughed amongst themselves, Kagami hefted Inosuke's head off of her lap and sat it gently on the ground.

They didn't know when Inosuke was going to wake up, Tanjiro didn't want to leave him stranded in the middle of nowhere by himself, so they made him comfortable. Tanjiro used his black and green checkered haori as a pillow while Zenitsu used his yellow and white triangle haori as a blanket, Kagami placing his Nichirin Swords right by his body. Then, they all wandered into the mansion to search for the bodies of the unfortunate souls who were trapped, killed, and devoured by the demons that had lingered within.

They had begun to bury the boy who had flown out of the mansion and died in Tanjiro's arms. Digging a shallow grave, they placed rocks around it and hefted a giant one to put on top—.

"AAAAHHHH!"

The loudest and angriest roar she's ever heard bellowed out from behind them.

They all quickly turned and watched as Inosuke jumped awake from his makeshift bed with the angriest look he's ever had. He laid eyes on Zenitsu who had been finding and grabbing rocks for their burials and began to chase him away. Everyone froze in their spots, the rocks and burials momentarily forgotten, as they looked at Inosuke who abruptly stopped in front of them, looking at him like a deer caught red-handed.

Zenitsu, once again, cowered behind Teruko, forcing Kagami and Tanjiro to face Inosuke's wrath. "This is how he is when he wakes up? I hate that more than anything!" Zenitsu shrieked still cowering behind Teruko.

"Fight me! Fight me now!" Inosuke had screamed at them all but finally eyed the burials they were doing. "What are you up to?! Tell me!" He demanded pointing a finger accusingly at them.

Tanjiro gently placed the large rock on the center of the burial and turned to Inosuke. "We're having a burial," He simply answered, adding, "You should help out, too. The fact of the matter is lives were lost in that mansion."

Inosuke looked at him as if he were crazy. "What's the point of putting things that have died into the ground like that? I'm not doing it! Not on your life! Forget that crap! Let's finish our fight!"

Kagami didn't know whether that Inosuke was such a cold and heartless person, to not know the point of burying a person after suffering a gruesome death, or he was so disconnected from society that he probably doesn't even know what a burial is! He was a freak and force of nature that any possibility is a real possibility!

Tanjiro suddenly developed a sympathetic look and softly spoke, "I understand." He then let out a small sigh. "You can't do it because you're in too much pain."

They all looked at him, weird looks etching across their faces, seeing Tanjiro hold the saddest and empathetic look. He looked like he was searching for his lost puppy. Except Inosuke. He looked as if his pride, ego, and dignity had cracked and shattered under his words. Tanjiro wasn't being condescending or manipulating him, he was being genuine! That must've been the worst part for Inosuke! His eye twitched, the muscle in his face spasmed, and a small grunt fell from his mouth.

Tanjiro smiled and continued speaking, "Hey, that's all right! After all, we all have a different pain threshold. Moving those who died outside the mansion and then digging graves for their bodies is extremely hard work! Kagami, Zenitsu, these kids, and I will do our best, so don't you worry! You should get some rest, Inosuke! Sorry to underestimate you."

"I think I felt my own ego crack," Zenitsu muttered to Kagami who nodded her head.

With every word, with every sentence Tanjiro had spoke unknowingly shattering and breaking Inosuke's sanity and self-esteem, three more muscles spasmed in his face. He suddenly belted out a scream, his hands clawing at the air, shouting, "Don't underestimate me, dammit! I'll bury a hundred, no, two hundred of your corpses! I'm going to do way more work than any of you! Just watch!"

Just like that, Inosuke rushed back into the mansion at the speed of light, screaming and grunting the entire way.

As Inosuke grabbed bodies from the mansion, the kids were creating the shallow graves, Kagami and Tanjiro transporting the bodies, and Zenitsu going around finding and grabbing rocks to finish the burials. One by one, they placed the rocks all around the graves and finished it with a rock on top. When sunset arrived, after all 8 graves were dug and filled, they all got on their knees in front of each grave, placed their hands together, and prayed for their lost souls to find their way to the light. All the while, Inosuke had replaced his boar mask back on his head and would ram his head over and over again into a tree.

CAW! CAW!

They all flinched and looked up to see one of their Kasugai crows flying right towards them, Kagami and Tanjiro groaning hoping it wasn't another assignment.

"Descend the mountain! Descend the mountain!" The crow declared with a caw. "All right, everyone! It's time to follow yours truly!"

They all looked at each other and shrugged. Packing up their things, Tanjiro grabbing Nezuko's box and his haori, Zenitsu doing the same, they all began to make their way to the trail leading down the mountain.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Inosuke suddenly screamed at them.

"We're descending the mountain," Tanjiro answered.

Inosuke growled, lifting his fists up, screaming, "We're not done with our battle yet!"

Kagami placed a hand on her hip, trying to not let the annoyance drip in her voice, when she asked him, "We're all tired. Aren't you?" He froze at the question slightly and she added, "Come on, we're all descending the mountain. Let's go before the crow starts picking and clawing at our heads."

"I'm not tired at all! Let's fight!" He growled charging right towards them.

Kagami quickly kicked out her leg when Inosuke made a move on Tanjiro but he quickly ducked it. That's what she was hoping for. When he ducked, Kagami immediately belted her body forward and grasped his shoulders with her hands. She used the momentum to flip her body over his and land on the ground. She quickly twisted around, lifted her leg high, and slammed the heel of her foot into the top of his head. He immediately fell to the ground with a loud thud and grunt, Kagami brushing away the dirt from her haori.

Rubbing her hands together in satisfaction, Kagami turned to them all and let out a sigh. "I really needed to do that," She gasped out then grinned. "All right, let's descend. He'll be awake in a few moments and I rather put some distance between him and I."

She wasn't wrong when she thought Inosuke would want to fight her after that.

They were already halfway down the mountain and Inosuke was still screaming for both Tanjiro and Kagami to fight him. That he could take them both on at the same time if they allowed him. After his showdown with her friend, she won't doubt or underestimate his skills and prowess. If he says he could, he probably can, and she won't make the mistake of humoring him. She's way too tired and in pain to do anything! Just flipping her body and kicking her heel into his head sent a lightning bolt of pain through her body!

When their trail came upon a two more trails, Kiyoshi had declared the one on the right was their way home. With the kids already wanting to separate and go home, Zenitsu… did not take the news well.

"No, you can't! I won't allow it!" He cried jumping and wrapping his arms around Shoichi's body tightly, shaking him with every plea. "Don't go, Shoichi! Please, you gotta stay with us! I've seen how powerful you are, I need you around to protect me from danger! Please don't leave me behind, I beg you!"

"Zenitsu, stop it! He's obviously not interested!" Kagami and Tanjiro screamed grabbing his haori and trying to drag him off.

Zenitsu wouldn't let go! He kept crying and screaming for Shoichi to not leave him behind!

"You stop that this instant!" Tanjiro exclaimed whipping out his hand and driving the side of it into his neck.

Zenitsu's eyes immediately rolled to the back of his head, choking on his own spit, before toppling to the ground face first. Spit immediately pooled out of his mouth and stained the dirt beneath him. He looked like he was dead, but she knew Tanjiro only momentarily knocked him unconscious long enough for the kids to make it home safely.

"Hold out your hands," The crow cawed to Kiyoshi.

When Kiyoshi held out his hands, the crow gagged and choked out a small bag into his hands. Kiyoshi turned blue and screamed in disgust seeing yellow bile coating his hands but realized, laying there, was a tiny purple bag with the wisteria symbol etched on the front.

"That will ward off demons," The crow explained. "As the one with marechi, be sure to keep that on your person at all times."

Tanjiro took a small whiff and nodded his head. "It smells like wisteria."

"What's that?" Kiyoshi asked confused.

"It's a flower demons can't stand. It's basically demon repellent. Make sure not to lose it. It'll keep you safe," Kagami answered.

Kiyoshi looked at her sympathetically. "What about you, Kagami? Aren't you a marechi, too? Won't you need some?"

Kagami grinned and patted his head affectionately. "I am a marechi, but I won't need some wisteria flowers. I'm a Demon Slayer after all, so I will need to attract demons rather than keep them away in order to kill them. I thank you for your concern but you need it way more than I do. Stay safe, Kiyoshi, Shoichi, and Teruko," She spoke, heart fluttering at his concern for her.

With his arms around Teruko and Shoichi, Kiyoshi and the kids smiled widely at them. "Tanjiro, Kagami, thank you for everything. We can all get home on our own now," He spoke gratefully.

"Safe travels," Kagami and Tanjiro smiled waving their hands in goodbye, ignoring Inosuke charging and bashing his head into a tree behind them every 5 to 10 seconds.

CAW! CAW!

The Kasugai crow cawed for their attention and began to take the path of the left trail, watching and looking behind him to make sure the rest were following him. Picking up and carrying Zenitsu on her back, Kagami huffed and puffed as they slowly made their way down the mountain with the crow circling overhead.

Both she and Tanjiro had no idea where they were going.

The crow hadn't said anything about a new assignment or a demon prowling nearby, so something else must be happening. She doesn't know how much more she could take on fighting demons, especially ones that were formerly part of the Twelve Kizuki, without resting, eating, or healing properly. She wished she could go back to Miss Tamayo's clinic but they were too far away, and she and Yushiro were already long gone. Muzan Kibutsuji won't ever give up on finding them, that much was proven true during their fight with the Temari and Arrow Demon.

Kagami just wants a nice meal and hot bath. Is that too much to ask?