Kagami, Tanjiro, and Inosuke rendezvous as they had planned with Uzui from the beginning one morning.

Meeting back in the city away from the Yoshiwara Entertainment District, they sat on the roof of the home with the wisteria house crest. The sun shined brightly down on them symbolizing they were safe from the demon's prying eyes for now. Zenitsu hadn't made an appearance yet, but he must be having trouble getting away from his house. She and Inosuke were certainly being kept a close watch on ever since they trashed the Ogimoto House following the trails of a demon.

They-or, rather Kagami-couldn't rave like a lunatic speaking of demons in the house, the one responsible for taking Makio. It would only alert the demon even more of their presence, if it wasn't already. Other swordsmen in the area, like Uzui and Tanjiro, needed to remain hidden, so all she could say was she and Inosuke-Inoko-were having a small fight. It had gotten out of hand and they were very sorry for the destruction and disturbance that occurred. The courtesans seemed to believe it but they were unfortunate the demon never showed itself in their house again. It was staying cautious.

Now, on top of the roof, Inosuke can finally ramble like the lunatic he is to a concerned Tanjiro. Not about the demon, of course. "I told you! There's a demon at our house, all right?!" Inosuke yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Really?" Tanjiro gasped.

Waving his arms in the air, striking different poses, Inosuke added, "It looked like this! You know what I mean. Like this!"

Tanjiro only gave him a small, placate smile. "Yeah. I totally believe you. Just hold on a second," He said completely unconvinced by him.

Kagami rolled her eyes and shoved Inosuke's face away, forcing him to make room on the roof. "Inosuke is just being an idiot, we never saw the actual demon," She quickly explained to Tanjiro giving the boar-headed freak a sideways glare. Though, her eyes stared into Tanjiro's unwavering when she seriously said, "But the demon was there. It was in Makio's room before it made a quick escape using the walls. It was weird and, quite frankly, freaky."

"Were you able to sense its aura?" He curiously asked.

"I-Well..." Kagami stuttered eyes widening slightly trying not to show the blush on her cheekbones. Embarrassment coursed through her veins when she mumbled, not bothering to maintain eye contact anymore, "...No. There were too many people around for me to get a sense of it or follow it out of the house."

Tanjiro only gave her a nervous smile. "I don't mean to question what you two saw but it seems sort of outrageous," He chuckled lightly. "Anyway, Mr. Uzui and Zenitsu should be coming to check in soon."

"And it was like this! I couldn't be any clearer here if I tried!" Inosuke suddenly exclaimed jumping in between Kagami and Tanjiro striking another absurd pose meant to describe the demon.

"Back off!" She scowled roughly pushing his face away again.

Tanjiro only nodded his head to appease Inosuke but it wouldn't work with her.

How couldn't Tanjiro believe them? Or her, specifically? Then again, it did sound rather crazy. A demon showing itself and moving around in broad daylight? Taking Makio, one of Uzui's wives, with it? They didn't even see the actual demon or Makio herself. How could they have known if she was in there the entire time? What if the demon was pretending to be Makio to fool them, then flee before anyone called its bluff? Uzui would've known by then, wouldn't he?

"Zenitsu won't be coming."

All three of them gasped at the sudden new voice.

They turned their heads and saw Uzui sitting at the edge of the roof. His legs dangled over the side, elbows braced on his thighs, with his eyes looking down at the street beneath him. She didn't even notice him there until he spoke! There wasn't even a disturbance in the wind to reveal his appearance, the sound of one's breathing, or any slight change of aura in the area. How long he had been sitting there listening to their conversation is far beyond her comprehension.

But wait. What did he say?

"Zenitsu's not coming? What do you mean by that?" Tanjiro quickly asked the Hashira.

A moment of silence followed him. Their eyes wavered staring down at the man who wouldn't look back at them.

His voice... She had gotten used to it being loud, boisterous, and arrogant. The cheeky smirk that always played on his lips teasing her and her friends, calling them brats, infuriated her but she didn't realize she would ever miss it until that moment. When he spoke, his voice was low, solemn, and stripped of all the flashiness he usually surrounded himself with.

"I feel bad now about putting you all through this," Uzui began to speak, once again revealing nothing of the man he was a few days prior, "It seems I was so desperate to rescue my wives in time that I made some poor decisions regarding the mission. As it stands, Zenitsu is missing. There's been no contact since last night." None of them reacted at first. They only stared down at the Hashira, letting him finish, "You three should leave now. You're ranked too low for this. If the demon here turns out to be an Upper Rank, you'll be dead weight. If you vanish from here, they'll just assume you're dead."

He stood and kept his back to them. "Therefore, I'm continuing on my own."

"But Uzui-" Kagami gasped staring horrified at the man already giving up on them.

"Don't be ashamed," He roughly interrupted her. He finally looked over his shoulder at them, his magenta irises stripped of the light and sparkles she had grown used to seeing, and strictly said, "Life is all about survival, so take this chance and get out."

Then, he was gone.

"Get back here, old man!" Inosuke screamed after him but it was no use. Uzui had disappeared before he could even finish speaking the first word.

Kagami's fist clenched on her lap. Uzui's quick disappearance rolled angrily in her stomach. His words of discouragement mulled over in her head over and over again. "After what we endured for him these past couple days, now he's telling us to give up. Not only that, he didn't even bother to say goodbye," She mumbled ungratefully under her breath.

Tanjiro let out a small, sad sigh. "Maybe he's not able to put his trust in us. Is it because we're the lowest rank?"

"We're not the lowest rank now," Inosuke replied turning to them. "We're Kanoe. We did get promoted."

They blinked at him.

"Huh?!" Kagami and Tanjiro gasped out in disbelief.

Inosuke suddenly looked happy his moment of truth finally arrived. As if he was about to school them on a subject they somehow didn't know about. "You must've forgotten about the rankings. He he! I'll explain so even you dummies could understand," He chuckled much to their displeasure. "We used to be Mizunoto, at the very bottom right? Well, now we're fourth from the bottom, Kanoe! Now, watch this." He lifted up his right arm, said, "Show me my current ranking," and flexed his fist.

Kagami and Tanjiro's eyes widened watching the "Kanoe" red kanji inscribed on his fist appear!

"Cool, huh?!" He laughed.

She had no idea something like that was even possible!

"What?" Inosuke looked at them weirdly with the tilt of his head. "They messed with your hand on Wisteria Mountain, right?"

Kagami and Tanjiro gave him sheepish, confused looks. "I think I remember something like that, but I'm not sure. I was so exhausted," They both sighed out in unison, remembering the painful walk-and-stumble back to Mr. Urokodaki's.

Inosuke's boastful smile fell to a blank look staring at the exhausted, shameful expressions Kagami and Tanjiro took up. They both stared down at their fists, staring at the red engraving, and groaned in pain to themselves.

"Wisteria Flower Engraving. You have to say that phrase and flex your muscles to invoke it."

"I had no clue we could do stuff like that."

"It proves we're Demon Slayer Corps."

They groaned more at the thought. How could Inosuke know more about Wisteria Flower Engraving than Kagami and Tanjiro? She barely remembered the tiny, prickling sensation on her hand but thought nothing of it. She was much too exhausted at the time to really think about what was being done to them. The uniform measurements were a complete blur of a memory in her head. All she could think about at the time was feeling grateful to still be alive and going home to Mr. Urokodaki.

"We don't have time to mope around!" Tanjiro determinedly huffed out squaring his shoulders. "I'll head over to your Ogimoto House once night falls, so wait for me 'til then. It's too risky to make a move on your own."

Too late, Kagami thought remembering the two of them antagonizing the demon.

"Why should we wait for you?!" Inosuke immediately growled getting in his face.

"I still need to finish investigating my own house!" Tanjiro started to reply but Inosuke painfully pinched his cheek, screaming, "I already told you the demon's at our house, so quit wasting our time! Wait 'til night?! How stupid are you?!"

"That's not what I meant!"

"HUH?!"

"Stop it! You're hurting him!" Kagami exclaimed grabbing Inosuke's wrists and pulling them back.

It still didn't stop him from smacking and slapping Tanjiro relentlessly!

"Ow, ow ow! Mr. Uzui was patrolling outside of our houses during the night, right? Ow! Even so, Zenitsu still disappeared, and the demon over at your place is nowhere to be seen right now! Inosuke, can you please stop smacking me around?! Which leads me to believe there's a passage that leads into the building!" Tanjiro explained above the winces and cries of pain from the painful smacks of Inosuke's hands.

Inosuke quickly stopped hitting him and grunted out, "Eh? Passage?"

Kagami placed a finger to her chin and hummed out thoughtfully at his assessment. "That would make a lot of sense. It took shelter in the attic and started to roam the house through the walls to make a quick escape. Ever since then, it hasn't been spotted going in and out, so it's like Tanjiro said. It has to be using some sort of passage to move through with the probability of it working from the inside highly likely! It could be cleverly disguising itself as human, a courtesan maybe, and pick and choose its victims carefully. Yes, it does make sense!"

"It does. Cleaning up after a murder would be a real hassle. Washing bloodstains is no easy task," Inosuke agreed.

"This is a nightlife district, which can be convenient for demons, but also an obstacle. They've gotta work at night after all. It'd be odd if they weren't around," Tanjiro added. Then, his focused gaze hardened on them. "I think Zenitsu and Mr. Uzui's wives are all still alive, so I'll proceed with that in mind, and I will rescue them. I want you both to take action with that in mind too. But at the same time, I don't want either of you to die. Is that all right with you?"

Kagami's own powerful gaze met his, and she slung her arm through one of his. "I think you mean we will rescue them," She corrected him with a determined smile. "That said, I don't plan on dying any time soon, and you both shouldn't either. You're too important to me to lose."

Inosuke slapped a hand against his knee. "I think everything you just said now..." He flashed them a wild smirk, "Is exactly what I was about to say myself!"

The three of them smiled and nodded their heads in encouragement as well as agreement.

Uzui wanted them to give up and escape with their lives, but that was something they simply couldn't do. Kagami didn't believe a single word he said. Especially when he called them dead weight. Maybe he meant it, maybe he didn't. Maybe he thought he was trying to protect them. Perhaps he only said it to discourage them and keep them from continuing with the mission he realized was finally suicide.

The four of them had known from the start.

A demon lurking in a district where everybody comes to life at night only to find death at every corner... they weren't dumb. They didn't know what they were signing up for at first but it didn't stop them from proceeding with the mission. They wanted to help Uzui find his wives. They wanted to know what was going in Yoshiwara. They didn't do it because they had to. Now, they weren't going to back down, not with the possibility of Zenitsu and the wives still alive hanging over their heads.

Uzui, in his rare moment of weakness, showed he cared what happens to them.

Because of that, Kagami is determined to see this mission through no matter what.

"Miss Koinatsu?"

Oiran Koinatsu turned at the unexpected voice and her eyes landed on Tanjiro. He knelt respectfully at the front of her room with the doors slid closed behind him. He had waited for the two girls to leave her side and slid in undetected from either party. Even though he downed himself in his Demon Slayer Corps uniform, Nezuko's box laying against his back, his Nichirin sword strapped to his side, with his face removed of all make-up and hair free of its red bow, Oiran Koinatsu still recognized him and greeted him with a small, confused, "O-Sumi?"

Tanjiro bowed his head, speaking, "Forgive me for intruding just now. However, I have a favor to ask." His eyes connected with hers and he whipped out a small, brown envelope from inside his checkered haori, speaking, "I'm leaving Tokito House after this. Would you give Master my payment for lodging?" He slid it over to her across the floor gently.

"What's going on? And why are you dressed so..." She was confused, curious, and slightly nervous when her eyes ran over Tanjiro's new outfit.

He gave her an apologetic look. "I had to dress as a woman for my mission, but I'm actually a guy."

Oiran Koinatsu regarded him slightly at his answer then grinned at what he thought she meant. "Oh, I already knew that. Your voice gave it away. Sorry," She shrugged.

Tanjiro's eyes widened and he felt his heart drop in his stomach. "What?" He managed to choke out.

"Well, it was obvious from the start. I've known the whole time. I admit I was a bit curious as to what you were up to. But you have your reasons, right? Were you worried about Suma for real, or was that a lie?" She explained but asked kindly placing a delicate hand on her lips.

Tanjiro couldn't help but stare at the woman in embarrassment. I guess I was busted from the beginning. And I thought I blended in so well, too.

He quickly shook his head at the word lie and reassured her, "No! I was telling the truth! I would never lie like that! As for everyone that vanished, I promise I'll rescue them."

Oiran Koinatsu's smile was gentle at his answer. "Thank you. I think I needed to hear that." Her gaze turned downwards but her smile never faltered. Instead, a rosy blush crept on her cheeks, peeking through the white foundation, and she giggled, bashful, "You see, I'm actually leaving this district for good tomorrow. It seems there's someone who would want even me as his wife, which makes me so happy. But that could be why I've been worried sick lately about those I'm leaving behind. Even if I thought I knew something was wrong, I'd have no way of even looking into it."

"But that isn't your fault. Please don't worry about it," Tanjiro quickly spoke seeing her happy smile turn to one of sadness. "All you can do is move forward."

"And you, too. I don't want you to disappear either, Sumi. Be careful," Oiran Koinatsu quietly replied.

Her scent... She held genuine love and concern for him. Even though she knew he was a boy the entire time, she never questioned it or threw him out. Oiran Koinatsu is an incredibly kind and gentle woman who loves and cares for everyone she meets. The way she interacts with the small girls, and the way they dote on her endlessly, truly shows how much of a warmhearted woman she is. Tanjiro blushed under her gaze, bowed deeply, and stood from the ground.

"I wish you the best," He finished speaking before leaving her room and the house.

Climbing up on the roof, he ran across rooftop after rooftop making his way to the Ogimoto House where Kagami and Inosuke were staying. The sky that was once a brilliant blue lit up by daylight was already turning dark. Colors of warm pink and purple streaked just barely above the horizon. He looked at what should've been regarded as a beautiful night but only felt his stomach roll over uneasily. Because he knew what it meant.

Not good. The sun's almost done setting. I have to hurry if I want to make it in time-!

A scent, a sweet smelling scent, suddenly yet faintly blew by his nose.

It's a demon! It has to be! And it's coming... from the direction he just ran from!

Kagami and Inosuke waited in her room for Tanjiro to come by. He was supposed to arrive a long time ago but must've gotten held up at his house.

"Urrrgh! He's late! It's almost nightfall, and he's still not here yet!" Inosuke growled loudly crossing his arms firmly. He impatiently twitched and rubbed his toes together sitting criss-cross in the center of the room. Then, he slammed his hands against his knees. "Way to mess things up, Souichiro! I'll just take action by myself with the spirit of "comin' through" flowing within my heart!"

Kagami felt a vein pop out of her head. "His name is Tanjiro, and he said it's too risky to move on our own-!"

"AHHH!"

She yelped in surprise, falling backwards from her seat, when he suddenly jumped from his spot on the ground and into the ceiling! His head busted through the wood, splintering and raining wooden debris down over her, and hung by his neck. "Come on out, mice, and bring my swords!" She heard his muffled commands.

He must've been talking to the Ninju, the Shino Buff Mice that work for Uzui. Mice so strong each one could carry a full-length Nichirin sword. Not to mention they were small enough to navigate through tiny spaces no human would be able to. She could even hear their, "Muscle!" chant from above the ceiling. Uzui dispatched the mice to hold their swords in the case any of them ran into a demon while working in the houses. It was a smart, but weird strategy.

Quickly ripping off her kimono, revealing her Demon Slayer Corps uniform underneath, Kagami strapped her Nichirin Sword at her side and wrapped herself in her signature haori. It felt good to be dressed like a swordsman again.

Inosuke was once again half-naked and dramatically placed his boar-mask over his head. Wielding his double, jagged edged, Nichirin swords, he growled, "It's time to vanquish a demon!"

Without hesitation, he burst through the room, ignoring the frightened madam of the house realizing he was a boy-or a monster-the entire time, with Kagami following him on his heels, as he screamed maniacally, "Make way, 'cuz I'm comin' through!"

"What happened to Zenko and Hinatsuru? Give me the short version. And don't even think about asking questions."

A black standard kunai was gripped tightly in Uzui's fist. It was placed delicately against the master of House Kyogoku's neck. He moved with quiet and still grace, movements so light not even the wind would be disturbed. The man, who had been cradling and caressing a kimono drenched in old blood, trembled and stiffened at his soft but malicious words. One little nick of the kunai and the man's body will be filled with deadly poison that will render him immobilized then dead within the next few seconds.

Breaking out unflashily in a cold sweat, the man shuddered and choked on his own words, stammering, "Z-Zenko just disappeared. Hinatsuru fell ill, and so she was sent to the Kirimise."

Kirimise? The lowest-class brothel in Yoshiwara where courtesans who no longer get customers, or fall gravely ill, go to rot.

"Tell me everything that you think might be relevant. Who is it that you suspect?" Uzui's voice never shook. He hid his frustration and anger behind steady yet soft words... but he wouldn't think about hurting someone who was suffering just as much as he. Suffering because of a demon's endless bloodlust and hunger for humans. He slid his kunai away from the man, promising, unwavering, "You can trust me. You have my word that I'll kill whoever it is. I'll get revenge for you."

The man gasped for air the moment the kunai no longer touched his neck.

Uzui gave him a few moments to grab a breath.

Large droplets of tears welled up in the man's eyes mulling over the promise to seek revenge for the death of his wife. Trust was hard to come by when it came to Yoshiwara, but he stuttered nonetheless through a thick voice, "It was an Oiran whose name is Warabihime. You'll find her on the north side. She lives in the room that has no light."

As fast, as graceful, as he entered the room, he disappeared just as quietly.

Uzui infiltrated the room through the window from the outside but found it completely empty.

Not here. She must be on the prowl for humans.

He ran across rooftops at the speed of light. His footsteps were so light not even the padding of his feet could be heard smacking against the tiles. Only the clinking of his flashy jewel beads hanging from his headband could be heard swaying in the wind behind him. He has one lead, a few actually, because of Agatsuma's sacrifice.

No, he can't think of it like that.

It was his fault the boy was caught. It was his fault his wives are gone. It was moronic to think they would go unnoticed so close to the demon's presence. Now, four are missing because he was so desperate to find his wives in the first place. His scrounged together plan would've never worked. If he had gone solo in the beginning like he should've instead of relying on their assistance, all of them would be far away, safe. If any one of them died, it would be on his hands. On his conscious. Another reason why he forced Kamado, Yamato, and the creep to stay away.

He'll do it on his own. He'll find the demon and kill it by himself. He can't let anyone else get killed or go missing under his watch.

I'll head to Hinatsuru while I try to pinpoint the demon's presence. If she's still alive, she might have some information. Either way, the demon should be back here by daybreak. Then... I can dispose of it with my own two hands.

Tanjiro immediately hurried back to Tokito House at the first scent of the demon's presence. Every step he took getting closer and closer, the scent was stronger and stronger. There was no question the demon was inside her room the moment he landed right outside her window. He ripped open the doors, frantically screaming, "Miss Koinatsu!" but gasped in horror. His hand immediately gripped the hilt of his sword but it betrayed him with a slight tremble.

"Are you a demon hunter? Glad you came," A luscious yet sadistic voice broke through deafening silence. "So how many of you are there? I know there's at least three of you now that I found that yellow-haired, ugly brat. Is there a Hashira with you, or is he on his way now? I can tell you're not a Hashira. You seem far too weak. I have no use for anyone who's not one. Understood?"

Terrible terror coursed through Tanjiro's veins at what stood in the center of the room.

A tall, curvaceous woman proudly stood with a wide, sadistic smirk on her pink lips, a hand placed delicately on her hip. She had 2 pink flower-like demon crests on her face, and wore a two-piece kimono consisting of magenta pink underwear held together by long, black bows on its sides with two matching pieces of cloth covering her large chest. She had magenta thigh-high stockings with black flower patterns and tall three-legged mitsu-ashi shoes. Her black hair was tied back in a full, long ponytail held together by kanzashi hairpins. A pink and purple flower obi-sash belt spiraled out of the back of her body like a spider's legs and caught in its snare was... Oiran Koinatsu!

Tanjiro was too late! But he didn't know what was going on! He couldn't see Oiran Koinatsu's body, only her head was exposed, but she wasn't bleeding. Not even a scent of blood dripped from her.

"In case you're wondering, I don't devour dirty people or anyone ugly for that matter," She maliciously giggled finally turning her lime-green eyes on him, pridefully showing off the kanji inscribed in each.

UPPER RANK SIX

Tanjiro gasped at the revelation. A member... of the Twelve Kizuki.

Uzui was right. An Upper Rank demon would be the one causing mayhem in a nightlife district!

Unsheathing his sword sharply, letting the black blade's steel ring through the air, Tanjiro demanded as loud and as strong as he could, "Let that poor woman go!"

The demon's smirk immediately faded at his demand. Her face scrunched together in disgust and anger, veins popping out of the edges, shrieking, "Just who the hell do you think you're talking to?! How dare you?!"

Before he could blink, or even process what was happening, the front of his body was hit with strong force it sent him flying into the house across the street in a loud explosion. Dust, dirt, and debris rained down all around him and fogged up his vision like smoke. The building beneath him nearly caved in under the impact but supported his dead weight. His eyes stared shakily up at the starry night sky and dropped down at the large hole made from Oiran Koinatsu's room. He coughed out the dirt from his lungs trying to assess what happened.

He didn't... How...? He was only able to get a glimpse of the obi-sash flying outwards to him!

She's so fast, I didn't even see her move. This is an Upper Rank.

Tanjiro tried to move his arm but his body was sprawled helplessly on the shattered tiles. His hand shakily held onto the hilt of his blade that wouldn't move no matter how hard he tried. He had no strength left in his limbs, and he is numb!

Calm down!

He forced himself to take a breath.

It was no time to panic. The grip on his sword tightened assuring him his body was responding fine. He wouldn't be alive at that moment if it wasn't! The only reason he couldn't put strength behind his attacks is because he's afraid. And he just slammed into that wall, so obviously his body is numb! Now he knows the demon's weapon is her belt, and it has supernatural abilities. She can absorb humans inside of it. That was why no matter how hard he searched inside the building, he couldn't find a secret path that a human could fit through. All she needed to abduct humans is a space big enough for that belt!

"Are you still alive? Well, looks like you're tougher than I thought," The demon giggled peering her head in through the hole seeing him shakily stand to his feet. She traced a long black fingernail against her eye and seductively ran a red tongue against her lips. "And those eyes of yours are lovely, aren't they? So lovely I might just have to gouge them out and gobble them up!" She leered.

Tanjiro growled and re-positioned his foot, but gasped when the strap of Nezuko's box snapped free!

He quickly gripped it with one hand to keep it from falling off his back, and kept the other gripping his blade never letting the tip leave the demon's body. He squeezed the hard wood sheltering his sister and let out just the tiniest sigh of relief. The box wasn't broken but the next time the demon attacks him, it's sure to be destroyed.

With one hand, he carefully slid it off his back and placed it firmly into the caved spot where he smashed into the roof. "Sorry, Nezuko. The shoulder strap broke. I can't carry you while I fight. Don't leave that box... unless you feel that your life is in danger," He sternly spoke down to her never removing his glare from the demon staring at him like he was a delicious meal.

Tanjiro got scared sighs and small scratches in reply from inside the box.

Water Breathing! Fourth Form, Striking Tide, Turbulent!

At once, Tanjiro and the demon charged for each other.

Water spewed from the edge of Tanjiro's blade and he slashed at the obi-sash belt jetting towards his body at multiple angles. With each slash and twist, the water followed and rotated more and more. He felt the momentum and force grow higher and higher, larger and stronger, the sword in his grip beginning to vibrate with power, but the belt wasn't getting cut off like regular pieces of fabric would. They were merely getting deflected to the side.

Tanjiro pushed it to the back of his mind in the meantime.

When the sashes conjoined together in one thick belt, all he could do was hold his blade in front of him protectively. He grunted and groaned in surprise against the strength of it, allowing the force to push into his body. It continued to push his body higher and higher, closer and closer to the night sky, until he finally deflected it away from him, sparks dancing across his body and through the air.

The sash insistently and continuously reared and attacked him over and over again. His body twisted and turned in mid-air as he fell through the sky dodging and striking the sashes meant to impale, slice, or grab at him. With each missed strike of a sash, another two came up from behind for reinforcement. His muscles ached and his abdomen burned, but he didn't allow it to hinder his attacks! Readjusting the grip on his sword, water spewed from the edge of the blade once again. Feeling the built up strength and might, he spiraled his body forward, dodging the sashes pursing him, and screamed as his blade finally sliced through a sash.

Blood spilled from it like an open wound leaving the discarded fabric to float to the ground.

Seeing Tanjiro successfully slice off part of her obi, the demon furiously twisted her body sideways bringing her fist down towards him. He immediately brought his blade up and deflected the hit, feeling the vibration of the impact coursing through his fingers, landing on his feet and protectively in front of the sliced fabric.

It held the body and image of the unconscious Oiran Koinatsu.

The demon landed delicately and softly on her feet. Her mischievous smile flitted between Tanjiro and Oiran Koinatsu. "Color me impressed," She hummed out softly, "Your aerial combat isn't half-bad, and you carefully cut away Koinatsu from my belt. Very fine sword-work indeed."

Tanjiro only glanced back at Oiran Koinatsu but kept his focus on the demon, steadying his heavy, labored breathing through Total Concentration. Sweat creased his fore-head and his grip on his sword began to falter. She praised him for being able to battle in the air but it took so much concentration to avoid cutting the oiran prematurely and getting slashed in the process.

"Ugly as you are, that was very cute of you," The demon giggled.

He didn't react. He stayed focused on his breathing, keeping his blade up in front of him.

"I think I'm starting to grow fond of you. Want to know why?" She asked arching an eyebrow. She hunkered down into an offensive stance, her sashes curving around her aggressively, and smiled viciously, baring her fangs teasingly. "'Cause you're like a rat on the brink of death."

Terror once again coursed through Tanjiro staring at the kanji in her eyes. At the malicious smell, the promise of torture, pain, and death. What she will inflict on him.

Can I do it without Mr. Uzui, Kagami, Zenitsu, or Inosuke here? ...Can I really do this alone?

He forced his quivering hands to steady.

A snarl spread across his lips and he held his sword higher, arching the black steel over his head pointing the blade toward the snickering demon. Even though he was afraid, he won't let fear get the best of him. He won't question his ability to fight the demon, not when so many people counted and believed in him. Not when Mr. Rengoku told him to hold his head high.

No... it's not a matter if I can do it. I have to! I will fulfill my duty!