Tanjiro had finished his conversion with Urokodaki-sensei, he knew now that it was about how he learned of Sabito and Makomo. The two now sat inside Sakonji's shack once again, sitting on either side of the fire. Tanjiro couldn't lie to the old man even if he wanted to, so he decided to be as truthful as he could. He told Urokodaki-sensei about how their lingering spirits visited him, trained him, helped him to become strong enough to cut his boulder. He refused to mention the hand demon, not wanting to open wounds that only recently began to heal. Urokodaki-sensei was actually required to remove his mask to wipe his tears away. He may have been crying, but Tanjiro knew his teacher was happy.
"Tanjiro, thank you... For what you did for the children that were lost. Knowing they helped you to be strong enough to stay alive, it lifts a heavy weight that has been pressing down on my heart for decades. Without them, I fear Giyuu would've been my only student to have survived." Sakonji said as he was putting his mask back on, regaining his composure. Nezuko was allowed outside of her box while they were inside, and quickly rushed to his side. She held onto his side and looked up to him, showing a limited expression of concern. "I'm alright Nezuko, not all tears are meant to be because of sadness." Placing a hand on her head, she finally calmed down and enjoyed the attention she recieved.
"How long do you think Tomioka will be here if you don't mind me asking sensei?" Tanjiro knew that Tomioka would be safe here, but the state he was in from what he learned of was worrisome. He still knew next to nothing about the man, but he was indebted to him for all he'd done. Because of his choice to spare them in their first encounter, and to even raise his sword to defend him and his sister against his own comrades, Tanjiro couldn't help but want to see him alright. Sakonji sighed as he took his hand away from Nezuko, much to her disapproval. "That Tanjiro is a question I don't have the answer to. Much has happened to cause him suffering, and only now has he finally allow himself to grieve. I will allow him to stay here until he himself chooses to leave, he may be one of my sons, but it is still his life."
Tanjiro was disappointed to hear he'd have to be away from him again, but accepted that this was for the best. He wouldn't ask Tomioka to return to duty if he wasn't mentally ready to. He saw it as his chance to finally tackle how he was feeling, a chance to let things out and work on himself. The trio was pulled away from their thoughts when the Hashira opened the door and returned, all looking disappointed in their own rights. "Was Tomioka still in meditation after we left?" Everyone nodded as they were silent, staring off towards something off in the distance of their minds. Tengen shook his head before coming back to reality, having to reconsider what reality when was anymore.
"Yeah... Yeah we're fine kid." Tengen coughed into his arm before sitting down next to the fire. "Hey why don't you go see Tomioka next? We had our turn, now it's yours. He cares about you and this demon girl the most out of anyone so you'd probably like to check on him." Everyone nodded in silence, with Shinobu looking down towards Nezuko. She had been looking after the Kamado siblings since after the trial, keeping especially an eye on the sister. She really had been as kind and as docile Kanae could've hoped for. She just wished she was here to see her.
"He's just covered in a bit of snow, but yes, he's alright." She finally placed a hand on Nezuko, seeing the girl get excited. If not for the knowledge of her being a demon, she really did act like a regular child. Tanjiro stood up, grabbing Nezuko's box. Even with the clouds covering the sky, it was better to be safe. "Urokodaki-sama, can I leave my crow here to watch over Tomioka, his crow was too old for the travel and is residing at my estate currently." Sakonji nodded as a the siblings left. "If it will put you all at ease, then yes. As I told Tanjiro, I have no idea how long Giyuu will want to stay. Even if the current master asks for him to come back, I will not force him to go until he wants to leave himself."
Given how much Tomioka had been holding in, they wouldn't blame either of them for this choice. Especially if it meant the possibility that if they forced him to come back before he was ready, it risked him being compromised and couldn't preform to his best capabilities. They could only hope he would be back sometime soon, for everyone's sake. "Unfortunately I cannot keep you all here for the night, I simply never thought I would have this many guests at once. I can at least offer food before you go, I know the travel to get here was harsh." Silently accepting, the Hashira all appreciated the food. The only thing left to ponder was if Tanjiro and Nezuko would have a similar experience to them.
Tanjiro returned quickly to the old training grounds, seeing Giyuu actually be completely free of snow. He wasn't covered in so much as a single snowflake, and even the area immediately around him was free of it. In this meditative state he adopted, Tanjiro couldn't smell any type of emotion from him. It was off putting, especially with the last memories he had here was never being able to pick up Sabito or Makomo's scent either. Sitting in front of him, he opened the box for Nezuko to see him too. "Hi there Tomioka, it's been a while." Tanjiro laughed at himself as he knew Tomioka wouldn't be answering him. "I still can't thank you enough, I know I've been saying that a lot, but it's true. Without you, we wouldn't be here. We wouldn't have lived this long if anyone else showed up that day..."
Tanjiro grimaced at his own words, but still knew they were truthful. "That may be harsh, but I know it to be the truth. I remember how quickly they were ready to kill us at our trial, I can't imagine they would've acted differently in they found us instead of you." Nezuko rushed out of her box and hugged Giyuu eagerly, burying her face into his chest. She was confused why she wasn't getting hugged back, but continued hugging him anyways. "Nezuko is thankful to you too, if that wasn't obvious enough." He smiled at his little sister, seeing she obviously missed Tomioka as well. "Everyone at the Butterfly estate has been really kind as well, when they aren't making us physically sore from therapy at least."
"Aoi is an amazing cook, I haven't eaten that good since my friends and I went to a recovery house! And Kanao is amazingly strong and fast! She doesn't show any hesitation or holding back! She is rather quiet though, I still don't know what that coin of hers is for. Maybe when you're back, we can all spend time together! Inosuke told me to tell you he demands a rematch apparently. Zenitsu was upset about something, but I'm not sure about what though. Nezuko was upset too, but she's doing better now that she can see you again by the looks of it."
Nezuko looked up to Giyuu, noting he had something on his face. She was curious as to what it was, thinking it was like what she wore. She threw her hands up into the air. Matching! She looked around, wondering what else there could be. She looked to his side, surprised to find something. It was a flower crown! Grabbing it quickly, she placed it onto his head, hoping he'd like it. She looked towards Tanjiro, hoping he'd like what she gave him.
"Yes Nezuko, it's lovely. I'm sure Tomioka will enjoy it when he wakes up. Let's go, we need to give him time to himself. It's what he came here to do." Nezuko looked up to Giyuu one last time before huffing, having to crawl out of her spot. The snow was cold, but it wasn't bad enough. Before her brother closed the door to her box, she put her hand out to stop it. "Hm? Is something the matter Nezuko?" Nezuko pointed the thing on her mouth, as Tanjiro looked curiously. "You want to take it off?" She nodded eagerly. Tanjiro was weary of the idea, but remembered Tomioka was the one to put it on her for safety. Tanjiro knew he'd be safe from her. "Alright, but we're putting it back on before we meet with the others."
Nezuko nodded eagerly and excitedly, feeling free as it finally came off. She took a few breathes through her mouth, laughing as she finally could again. Running out of the box, she ran directly in front of Giyuu, waving a hand at him. "Bye family! Bye bye!" She quickly ran back to her box, giggling at what she had done. Tanjiro watched in awe at what happened. He didn't think she had such a high view of him. He saw Tomioka as a protector, but Nezuko saw him as something even more. "Nezuko? You see Tomioka as family?" She nodded once again, smiling widely. "What exactly do you see him as?" He watched on as she seemed to genuinely try to think of an answer. She quickly pointed outwards Giyuu. "Big brother! Big brother!"
Tanjiro looked towards Tomioka, feeling a smile stretch across his face. "A big brother huh?" He was always the eldest, he never knew what it meant to be the younger singing. He could understand what his sister meant though, Tomioka really did protect them and watch over them as a big sibling would. "When he's back, you can tell him how you see him alright?" "Mhm!" Tanjiro quickly helped put the bamboo muzzle back on, and locked her box back up. Throwing it onto his back, he quickly ran down the mountain to return to everyone.
Giyuu had spent another week on the mountain, still feeling as if he could never have the same composure or level of stoicism as he could before. It ate away at him, but it almost felt relieving. It was as if he had become a double edged sword, he no longer felt the need to hold back his thoughts, but now his emotions could run rampant again. Working directly against the strength that Water breathing is based on. Surprisingly, someone had visited him. Urokodaki-sensei had said Tanjiro and Nezuko tried to visit him recently, finding him in his meditation. That would explain the flower crown he awoke to. He had started with only wearing his mask, and was wearing both when he woke that day.
Taking his mask off his head, he looked down to it as it stared up to him. He decided to wear it again because he felt lost. He felt there was still more he was meant to learn. He perfected every form over years of experience, even creating his own and mastering it, but something still felt missing. His logic told him to stay until he knew what it was, but the rest of him said he couldn't be here forever hoping for answers. Grabbing his sword, he walked towards the boulder he had rolled into position. He chose this enormous thing of rock to match the mental block that found its way in his head. His hands tightly gripped his weapon, and took a stance for an overhead swing. His breathing while calm, almost felt forced and manual. Before his breakdown this felt normal to him, now it almost felt like he was trying to recreate being uncomfortable.
He brought his sword down, disappointed to find it only cut halfway through the boulder. This block was not only ruining his mental fortitude, but also his ability as slayer. He couldn't stay away forever, he had responsibilities as his position demanded. Putting his mask back on, he placed the crown onto the boulder before moving down the mountain. Knocking on the door to his sensei's home, he was greeted by the old man. "Urokodaki-sensei, I'm taking my leave now. Thank you allowing me to stay here, but I need to leave now. I've been away for too long."
"Did you figure out what you needed to Giyuu?" He sighed as he shook his head, before turning away. "No, but I have responsibilities to others, I must return to that. I can only hope I'll find my answers eventually." "Remember Giyuu, selfishness is alright if it means to take care of yourself. Do not neglect yourself and how you feel." Giyuu felt struck by the words, finding only questions and answers that did not connect to one another. "Thank you sensei." Giyuu started to walk away from the home away from home, knowing it was not going to be a pretty situation he'd return to. He only prayed that the worst had passed him.
For days, Giyuu traveled with the intent on returning to his estate. He felt nothing but dread as to what what he would be returning to, becoming even more of a public enemy to the Hashira than before. He just hoped Aoi and Kanao wouldn't be too angry with how he yelled at Shinobu. He didn't want to be as harsh on her as he was, the words just kept coming out of his mouth. She didn't deserve to have her desires to keep her sister's memory alive twisted into a way to cause pain. She was grieving, but it hurt him in the way she did it, but it was never her intention to hurt him. He groaned loadly as his mind and emotions continued to become a torrent attempting to crash in on itself. Out of those who he spoke about that day, she was the only one that made him feel guilty for doing so.
'All I ever wanted to do was be by your side!' Giyuu rubbed the back of his head as the words stuck out in his mind. Why did those words make what happened sting that much more? He had known for years that Shinobu wore a mask on how she felt, he remembered how she was before. Wearing her emotions openly, speaking freely how she felt, what was on her mind. She was young however, hormonal. Perhaps there was undertones to her words that neither were aware of. She has said before she didn't want to see him at the estate and hated seeing treating him, but now was saying she always wanted to stand by him. Looking up to the sky, he let out a sigh. "Things can never be simple in life can they?" Looking forward once again, he continued his travels hoping to rest in the nearest village.
He had finally made it to a village he can rest at for the night. Something was off putting however, and Giyuu was not afraid to say he was on edge. As soon as he had entered the village, the air became colder. It was strange, the winter season had never been this bad. Something else had caught his attention, there was no sense of life. It may have already been night time, but there still would at least be people, vendors, restaurants and bars. The entire area almost felt abandoned or dead. His instincts told him to draw his sword, almost feeling something evil in nature was responsible.
Giyuu continued to scour the village, only to still find no one. After minutes that felt as if they were stretched into hours, he found only one person. They wore baggy pants, and a red long sleeve shirt, having long shining blonde hair. The man had turned around, and Giyuu could feel his blood turn cold. The man had rainbow colored eyes, and scripture carved into them. Before Giyuu stood the same man that had killed Kanae Kocho, Upper moon two. Giyuu was frozen in place, only due to the inability of knowing how to process what was going through his mind. Before he could focus on one answer of any kind, the demon begun to speak.
"Hello there stranger! I was beginning to believe there was no one else in this town. Might I say you actually look rather spectacular? You have that beautiful haori with two distinct sides, and a mask that's beautifully designed!" The demon walked closer to him, smiling and parading as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Oh! Where are my manners? My name is Doma." He gave a bow of courtesy before looking back at Giyuu. Giyuu felt his breathing become shallow and heated, his breath making the inside of his mask hot. He felt himself at war with his own body trying to maintain the control he wanted again. Maintaining a grip on his sword, he couldn't let this monster exist any longer. Not after what it took from this world.
Doma looked to the man curiously, his eyes wandering down to the man's sword. "Ooooh, you're a demon slayer! My I haven't fought one of those in a while, the existence you willingly choose makes me horribly sad." Doma loudly weeped as he covered his eyes with the back of his hand. "To live and dedicate your lives to such a painful and depressive experience! It's why I try to give as many of you salvation that I can! Even if I don't eat the men, the very thought of your lives makes me so sad." He wiped his eyes as he looked at the man once again. "We don't have to fight you know? If you tell me where any beautiful women may be for me to save, I can at least let you go for now!"
Giyuu rushed in quickly, shattering the ground beneath him. He had to focus his mind on the sole objective to destroy the monster before him, but couldn't let himself be blinded by emotions. "Striking Tide!" Giyuu took a low crouching position in front of Doma, shooting upwards as he slashed upwards aiming for his neck. Doma quickly grabbed one of his fans from his hip and blocked the strike. "My, you're quite the rude one aren't you?" Giyuu ignored the taunting of the demon, jumping over him and twisting his body to strike at the back of Doma's neck. Doma grabbed his second fan and with his own twist, deflected the second strike. Giyuu skidded back several feet as his grip remained firm.
"I give you an out to survive and your first instinct was to attack me? You truly are a rude person aren't you?" Doma huffed as he turned his head away and upwards, as if trying to act superior. "Certainly not as nice as the last slayer I was forced to fight. Ah she was such a lovely specimen as well." Giyuu could feel his ears burning the more Doma talked. Rushing in once again, he aimed low this time in an attempt to ignore his guard. "Water Surface Slash!" As he came close to Doma, he pretended to aim for his neck to force the demon's arms high. As the demon crossed his fans to protect himself, Giyuu lowered himself more to the ground and tried to take his legs from underneath.
Doma noticed the shift in movement and hopped into the air, flipping himself forward. "I must say even for a brute like you, you are a crafty one." Doma attempted to preform a cross slash against Giyuu while he was low. Giyuu found himself pinned to the ground as he raised his sword to keep himself from getting cut to pieces. His sword was caught between the two fans, but he was still alive at least. "And you are annoying when you don't know how to shut up." Taking a hand off the grip, he placed it on the back of his sword and pushed upwards, desperate for space to rush away. "If you're so insisted on fighting, can't you at least die quickly slayer?" Giyuu gritted his teeth as he finally held a defensive position.
Doma rolled his eyes as he rushed towards the slayer, who for some reason decided to stand still during a fight. Holding onto his fans, he slashed against the swordsman repeatedly, until realizing he was either being deflected or dodged with ease. Giyuu tried to force Doma to be on offense for the change, hoping to at least feel like some progress could be made. Steel clashed against gold, while Giyuu was still trying to at least make one scratch on him, Doma seemed to still have no care in the world. The clash soon broke, with both men being send backwards from the energy of their strikes.
"You know, you actually remind me of the slayer I was talking of earlier! You're both quite skilled and your movements are similar to hers." Giyuu looked at Doma with wide eyes, his expression still hidden behind his mask. "She was so beautiful as well! She had two hairpins in the shapes of butterflies, pink and green if I remember correctly. My heart still bleeds that I could not bring her salvation. She could've lived inside of me in pure bliss for all-" Doma instantly felt the need to block himself, hearing no more than a loud scream of metal clashing. He felt something wet and warm on his cheek, reaching up to his face, he learned it was his own blood.
Giyuu didn't know how he had done it, but he now stood behind the worthless bastard and even managed to finally harmed him. His heart was beating out of his chest, his body was getting hot from his emotions, but he just didn't care anymore. He was losing any sense of self control he spent the last near decade of his life creating, but now he just wanted to let out how he felt and not have to worry about guilt. "Come on you emotionally dead psychopath." Giyuu faced the demon once again, staring at him with nothing else but the desire for his death. Doma dropped his smile as he looked to the man, trying to feel the right emotion on how to feel. "Why don't you explain that choice of words while I'm killing you?"
Giyuu felt the need to laugh, here he was feeling his own blood wishing to boil, and he wanted to laugh at this excuse of life. He rushed back in, only letting his instinct and emotions drive him now. "You can't feel a thing can you?" The two found themselves in a bind once again, their weapons locking each other in place. "You can't feel any emotions at all, you try to play pretend, but all you are is a cheap imitation! A soulless freak!" Using his Whirpool technique, Giyuu ripped his blade threw the bind and continued rotating, letting out a torrent of slashes from high to low. Giyuu continued to slam his sword against the fans again and again, building momentum in his movements. Quickly stopping while his sword was lowered, he brought it back upwards, slicing Doma from under his guard. Doma regenerated as he backed away, looking towards the man with a glare. "You really are a rude person. Now I know you should die."
"Demon Blood Art: Freezing Clouds!" Doma waved his fans almost as if he was dancing. His fans began to move faster, more deliberate, until Giyuu could see the clouds begin to form and spread. The temperature around them was getting colder, but Giyuu didn't want to let this distract him. He tried to take in some air for another attack, only to find himself coughing horribly. He was cold all over, and he swore he could taste blood. Quickly jumping to a nearby roof, he moved his mask and spit, only to be proved correct. "So that's how you want to play it? Cold air naturally falls to the ground, I just need to breathe in for my attacks when I'm above it."
Giyuu jumped into the air, his eyes focused on his landing spot. "Water wheel!" Jerking his body forward, he continued to force momentum as he came closer to his target, he switched forms. "Waterfall Basin!" Doma knew his opponent had no other choice but to come down, he had no way to be able to dodge in the air. "Scattering Lotuses!" Doma waved his fans from the ground to the sky, summoning lotuses of pure ice. They quickly fell apart as they rose into the sky, towards their falling prey. Giyuu had no way to dodge as he was coming down. It was either commit to an attack and take immeasurable damage, or to try and defend himself but be open to counter. He didn't know how long it was until sunlight, he had to survive until then.
"Dead Calm." Giyuu forced all air out of his body as he loosened up his body. He focused on every pettle that he charged into and shattered them. Unfortunately through shattering them, he only made more shards of ice, leaving shallow cuts against his flesh. He forced himself to close his eyes and hold his breath as he did, as to not inhale more or risk it blinding him. He made a soft landing before opening his eyes to see Doma pressing an attack. He was cold and holding his breath, needing to find some opening to recover. They continued to clash and seeing at each other, sharing strike after strike at once another. Doma committed to an upward swing, and Giyuu saw this as his opportunity.
Jumping slightly, Giyuu blocked the impact of the swing and was launched back by the energy. Flying backwards, he turned his head and focused on landed on one of the many roofs. He used this as his chance to finally breathe again, but this window would not last for long. Doma jumped into the air, higher than any of the small buildings could stand. "Lotus Vines!" The vines of pure ice grew across the entire village, with more lotuses growing out from them and releasing frost into the air. Giyuu groaned as his one of his safe zones were no longer an option.
"I will make your death slow, painful, and make you forget what it means to feel warmth against your flesh." Doma said as he stood in the center of the village, watching it turn into a frozen wasteland. The building's exteriors were all covered in ice, and the ground was beginning to build up snow. Giyuu dropped from the roof and quickly hid in one of the buildings. Taking off his haori, he saw his chest was covered in scratches and his was littered in holes. Looking down in frustration, he held in close. "Sabito, nee-san, I'm sorry you got hurt again. I know I can never ask you two for anything for I am not deserving, but please, grant me strength. It may be the only way I'll see the sun again." Tying it around his waist, his mask still secure, he prepared himself all that he could.
Giyuu saw that Doma didn't know where he was, potentially waiting for him. The entire area was still being covered in ice, he would need to make shelter in the buildings between attacks. Giyuu broke the peace, rushing towards Doma. The demon finally knew where he was, retorting back to his fans for physical attacks. Doma reacted with a side swipe of his fan, followed by a downward slash. Giyuu didn't think to block them, rather deflect and dodge instead. Twisting and contorting his body as much as possible, he moved in-between the attacks and slashed at Doma's chest before rushing past him. Giyuu would move from building to building through windows, running from one to the next while striking Doma on the way.
Doma became more and more annoyed, almost believing what he felt was anger. This slayer was seemingly trying to joke with him, to make some kind of mockery. He didn't blame him though, he was only human with limited potential. Then again, the woman from before also lasted this long. Doma wouldn't let this drag out until sun this time. He watched as Giyuu ran into another building. "Barren Hanging Garden!" Doma sent manifested slash of ice one after another towards the building, watching it become little more than rubble. Giyuu had escaped the building in time, watching in horror as more safety was taken from him. One by one, all the buildings that acted as his sanctuary was destroyed until there were only two left.
Giyuu saw that the only thing he could do left was an onward fight once again. He walked slowly out, facing the demon down. "My, have you finally stopped running?" "Are you still an emotionally stunted freak?" The two launched at each other with gutteral hatred, each no longer caring about what damage they may take. Giyuu felt himself slowing down, but his hatred refused to let him falter. Doma was getting cut through and through, but his regenerative abilities allowed him to continue with no issue. Doma decided to try an idea, he stopped attacking with one hand and quickly grabbed Giyuu's wrists. Giyuu's eyes went wide as his arm's were forced down. "My my, I can finally hit you properly now!"
Giyuu watched as one of Doma's golden fans came down on him, feeling time slow down as he focused on it. It came down across his face and chest, launching him back into one of the only buildings left. His mask had been cut off, and he could feel blood running across his body. He struggled to get up, only to hear something to build even more dread. "Barren Hanging Garden!" Before Giyuu could escape, he saw blades it ice rushing in his direction. He blocked as best as he was able, but was simply overpowered in any and all regard. More cuts riddled his body, being forced back down onto the wooden floor, and the building has fallen on top of him. He was bleeding out and buried in rubble, the only thing he could do in this position was accept death was his fate. "I'm sorry everyone, I always knew I wasn't enough, I just thought I still should've tried..."
"Get the hell up Giyuu! You're more of a man than this to give up now!" Giyuu was fading in and out of consciousness, but he swore he knew who that voice belonged to. He couldn't tell if was a hallucination or not though. "S-Sabito?" "Good, now you're listening to me. Get up and keep fighting Giyuu. Are you gonna let this freak kill you this easily? Cut loose after all these years again and take him down!" Giyuu had to chalk this up to bloodloss or possibly his brain coping with dying. He shook his head as his eyelids became heavier. "Little Giichi, I'm sorry to ask this, but you must get up. Please." His eyes shot open, as he slowly forced himself to try and sit up. "Nee-san?" "Come now my little hero, I need you to be strong for just a little while longer. Not just for me, but the others. Show this monster what it means to feel alive."
Guyuu started to push the broken wood and stone off of him, using his sword as leverage. "Going insane before death? Not how I expected my final moments would be." He couldn't see Doma, but he imagined he was still there to see if he really was dead. "Giyuuuuu, I thought I told you to stop being so down. Where's my friend that finally learned to smile again? Where has all that life gone?" Giyuu froze his movements, his breath calming down again. "Kanae now too? Thank you brain for reminding me of ALL my failures." "Hey! We're talking about this later mister! But Giyuu, you must keep fighting. I told Shinobu to trust in you, and Aoi and Kanao trust you as well. This demon already took me away from them, if he takes you as well, what will happen to my sisters? Who's to say he won't find any of them next?"
Giyuu froze as the voice in his head made his thoughts raced. Who was to say this monster really wouldn't find any of them? Aoi, even if she was a part of medical team, she was still an official slayer. Kanao was Shinobu's direct under, meant to take the place of Hashira should anything happen to Shinobu. And Shinobu was an actual Hashira, someone sent out to take on the most dangerous of missions. Giyuu gritted his teeth in frustration, he would not allow anything to happen to them. He had to get back up and keep fighting! He would not let another butterfly lose their wings!
Doma watched on for over a minute at the rubble, he could hear movement inside. He had done significant damage to the slayer already, he didn't doubt he'd die soon anyways. Turning around, he started to walk away from the destroyed village. "May you find yourself in the place you humans call hell." He was stunned to hear rubble being tossed, looking back, he saw something that made no sense to him. The slayer stood above the rubble, even while he looked as if he was a corpse. "It would seem you still haven't learned what it meant to die."
"You still haven't earned the right to kill me, why don't you try a little harder?" Giyuu grinned as he aimed his sword at Doma. Giyuu disappeared from Doma's line of sight, appearing in front of him. As Doma came to bring one of his fans down on him, he found he couldn't feel anything. Looking to his left, he found that his arm was gone. "Come on! Let's make this a real fight!" Giyuu exclaimed as he chased after Doma, feeling overwhelmed with his desire to fight. They scattered across the village, their speed and intensity increasing ever so. The rubble of the buildings were being blown apart, the lands were being destroyed and the area could only be identified as a battlefield. Giyuu had never felt so physically alive before, he had to assume this was the result of being near death.
"Crystalline Divine Child!" Doma landed a kick against Giyuu's chest launching him away, giving him a chance to concentrate. One by one, they were summoned between the space of the two, two in the front were casting Freezing Clouds, while the rest focused on range launching Wintry Icicles. Doma was concerned just as to what had happened to change the situation. One minute he lands a decisive blow against his opponent, the next the man was covered in blood from head to chest and was still coming, even backing Doma into a corner. His eyes were glued to the man before him, he was standing still once again. Doma had hoped death had finally caught up to him.
Giyuu looked on at the ice clones, seeing them stand between and Doma. Instinctively blocking any projectile that came his way. His heart was threatening to burst through his chest, his smile threatened to split his face, his senses were sharper than every time before in combat. He needed something to match this energy. "I should thank you Doma, I've never felt this good before. Let me show you my appreciation. Water breathing Twelfth Form: Water Fowl Dance!" Giyuu gripped his sword with one hand and jumped towards the clones. He slashed at them in a whirlwind of steel, hearing them shatter and dissipate into the wind. One by one, the clones were destroyed before Doma's eyes. "What the hell are you?!"
Giyuu remained silent as continued his attack after Doma. Any time he ran, Giyuu followed. Their attacks echoed across the area, carving the world into their playground of destruction. "I have had enough of you! Why can't you just die already?! Do you even know how injured you are?!" Doma almost pleaded, hating that this night had become such a nightmare. Doma jumped into the air, gasping for a moment of freedom. "Water Lily Bodhisattva!" Doma had summoned his statue beneath him, standing on its head as it stood above the area. The statue opened its mouth to release even more ice into the area, hoping to slow down Giyuu enough to kill him. Using its giant hands, the statue would swing down on top him and drag its arms against the ground to sweep him away.
Watching a giant hand attempt an open hand slap directly at him, Giyuu used his Whirpool technique to try and cut off its fingers. Stopping it's ability to grab him, Giyuu stabbed it's hand and dragged his blade through its arm as he ran up the length. Reaching up it's elbow, he watched as another fist aimed for him. He waited until the last possible moment to dodge, causing the statue to damage itself and destroy the arm. Giyuu climbed onto the scattered remains and continued with his plan of scaling the giant statue. His eyes were set on Doma as he finally came face to face with him again.
Doma had learned what it meant to be truly enraged as he saw in disbelief the man before him had caused his much turmoil. No longer focusing or planning, all he could do was want to grab the man before him and tear him apart with his own hands. Giyuu had jumped towards Doma, reaching out towards him. Doma had done the same, happily grabbing onto Giyuu's shoulders. What Doma didn't plan on, was Giyuu had pulled him off the Bodhisattva as they began to free fall towards the ground. Doma would simply use Giyuu to break his fall, but noticed the man was still grinning like an idiot. "Hopefully this hurts you as much as it'll hurt me!" Doma was confused until he looked behind him, seeing a fist of solid ice coming down on them both.
Doma was shocked and desperately tried to escape, only to realize he was stuck. Giyuu had wrapped his legs around Doma's waist, as well as swung his sword deep into his neck. He quickly had to hold onto the blade to stop it from reaching any further. Doma could only scream at the man in newly discovered fury as they both were crushed by a giant fist of ice, Doma lost all sense of control and concentration. As the fist crushed the duo into the ground, the Bodhisattva exploded into hundreds of pieces. Ice hailed across the area, chunks ranging as small as pebbles to as large as boulders covered the area. Most of the smaller pieces began to melt, covering the area in a mist and fog. After minutes of silence, Doma had finally reformed himself, gasping heavily as he looked around. He found no remains of the man in sight, only seeing pools of blood that painted the lands through their fight. Even if the man had died, Doma couldn't find any satisfaction at this. Looking to the horizon, he saw that horrific ball of fire and decimation in the sky. "Nakime, get me out of here. I would like to rest for a while." Doma took one last look at their battlegrounds before disappearing completely without a trace.
En had only just returned to where Water Hashira Tomioka and Upper moon two had fought. The landscape could only be described as from a small battle turning into a two person war. She had left earlier to try and seek out other Hashira for aid, only for her master's words to echo in her memory. 'Watch over Tomioka.' She had been instructed to watch over him, to not leave him alone. She returned, only to find there was nothing left of him. En flew around the area, desperately hoping to find something of the man. The only thing she could find of him aside from the smell of his blood, was the mask she had seen him wear. "Water Hashira.. I'm sorry." Picking up the destroyed mask by it's string, she would fly back to her master, saddened at what news she had to tell.