In this chapter, our heroes will face two demons! Which are not members of the Twelve Kizuki despite their strength.
One can only imagine how strong they would be if they were.
Chapter 7: Having A Ball
OST: Boolossus Battle
The first thing that Tanjiro noticed was that they were being attacked by temari balls.
Temari balls that came from all directions.
"I don't think we should be playing with those." noted Tanjiro. Not when they could break through brick.
"Who would have thought that temari balls could be used as deadly weapons?" questioned Nezuko as she dodged the lethal projectiles.
"You learn something new every day." spoke the demon slayer.
He had faced demons before, but these demons weren't like the ones that he had faced on the mountain. It seemed that they had eaten their fair share of humans.
Not even the hand demon seemed quite as strong. Though that demon had been bigger.
"I'm glad I made friends with that Zubat." remarked Nezuko.
She could use all the help that she could get right about now.
Zubat bit into Susamaru…
…but she swatted him away.
"Do you really think you can win against a member of the twelve kizuki?!" exclaimed Susamaru.
"Twelve kizuki?" questioned Tanjiro.
"Our lord's strongest servants." explained the temari thrower.
"Oh no…" thought the demon slayer. If he was indeed up against Muzan's strongest servants, he must have really made him angry.
"Squirtle squirtle squirtle!" exclaimed Tanjiro's Squirtle. He wasn't going to sit by while his friends were in danger. He was a loyal Pokemon.
He shot water at Susamaru, which she avoided.
"You're sending a Pokemon to battle me, demon slayer? Two can play at that game!" exclaimed Susamaru.
She sent out her Shadow Voltorb. Which was purple and black instead of red and white.
"Squirtle!" exclaimed the water Pokemon. With a type disadvantage, he was in trouble. He sure hoped this wasn't the end for him. Though considering he had survived being attacked by a demon recently, he just might survive again.
The Voltorb began to attack him.
He scrambled to dodge its attacks.
The turtle Pokemon narrowly avoided a Thundershock.
Nezuko attempted to kick a temari ball back at Susamaru, but she only bruised her leg.
"Ouch!" exclaimed the teenage demon.
"You alright?" asked Tanjiro.
"I think so." nodded Nezuko.
It seemed she couldn't just kick the temari balls back at Susamaru.
"If I can't kick them back, how do we stop her?" asked the girl.
"Let me try." spoke Yushiro.
He cloaked himself and snuck his way towards Susamaru.
"Any demon that tries to hurt Lady Tamayo is a dead demon." said the white-haired boy.
"This is so much fun!" exclaimed the black-haired girl.
"Let's see if you find this fun." retorted Yushiro.
"Who said that?" questioned Susamaru.
He pushed Susamaru into a wall.
This left a crack in it.
"Ow! Who dares spoil my fun?!" exclaimed the temari player.
"I dare." answered Yushiro.
However, Yahaba was able to use his palm eyes to determine his location.
He then did to Yushiro what he did to Susamaru.
"Owww!" exclaimed the white-haired demon.
These lackies of Muzan were good...so to speak.
This was enough to cause Yushiro to lose his concentration. And by extension his invisibility.
Susamaru then threw a ball at him and knocked his head off.
"No! Not Yushiro!" exclaimed Nezuko. They were just starting to know each other too.
"I'm still alive. I'm a demon, remember?" reminded Yushiro.
"Oh, right." recalled the black-haired girl. She forgot how resilient demons were.
"Could you do me a favor and reattach my head so we all don't die at the demons' hands?" asked the bodyguard of Tamayo.
Nezuko nodded and reattached Yushiro's head.
"I suppose I should thank you." said the white-haired demon.
"You're welcome?" answered the demon with pink eyes.
Yahaba launched arrows at Yushiro and Nezuko.
Quickly, the two avoided them.
"How do we stop him? His arrows are preventing us from getting near him!" exclaimed Nezuko.
Suddenly, Yahaba noticed he got some dust on his uniform.
"Ugh! Swablu! Get it off of me!" shouted Yahaba.
A Shadow Swablu showed up and did just that. She was purple and had green wings.
"Swablu, the Cotton Bird Pokemon. It can't relax if it or its surroundings are not clean. It wipes off dirt with its wings." read the Pokedex.
"OK, so he's a neat freak. But how do we use that to our advantage?" asked Nezuko.
She then noticed Togepi trying to climb into a trash can.
"Togepi, I don't think you should be playing in there." spoke Nezuko.
"Togepi!" exclaimed Togepi.
"You're trying to hide? Oh…" said the teenage girl. Well, it was a smelly hiding spot. But desperate times called for desperate measures.
Suddenly, she had an idea.
"I think I could use this to our advantage as well." spoke Nezuko.
"Togepi?" asked Nezuko's Togepi.
"Would you mind hiding in the house?" questioned Nezuko.
Togepi nodded and went to do just that.
"I'm starting to see why Togepis are thought to bring good luck." noted the girl. This was good fortune, alright.
"Togepi, the Spike Ball Pokemon. The shell seems to be filled with joy. It is said that it will share good luck when treated kindly." read the Pokédex.
Tanjiro approached Yahaba, but he knocked him away with his arrows.
He then used a down arrow to slam him into the ground.
"Ouch!" exclaimed Tanjiro.
"I don't know why the master was so worried about you." questioned Yahaba.
Tanjiro launched sweat at the demon, but he avoided it.
"Personally I think you're just a chump." remarked the eye demon.
He used an up arrow to launch himself into the sky.
Quickly, he used water breathing to break his fall.
He sighed in relief.
"You're a dead man, demon slayer!" exclaimed Yahaba.
"I think not!" answered Nezuko.
"Huh?" questioned the eye demon.
Suddenly, Nezuko threw the garbage on Yahaba.
"Aaaarrghhhh!" bellowed the man.
He was covered in garbage!
Unfortunately for him, he could not concentrate this way.
Instead of using an up arrow to send Tanjiro back, he ended up using a down arrow to send him forward again.
This allowed Tanjiro to slash him across the chest.
"Aaahhh!" exclaimed Yahaba.
"I hit him!" thought Tanjiro to himself.
However, he was attacked by Swablu in retaliation.
Narrowly, he avoided being pecked by her.
He then attempted to defend himself.
"How am I going to get this trash off me?!" bellowed Yahaba.
Squirtle got an idea.
He approached the eye demon.
"What do you want?" asked Yahaba.
"Squirtle squirtle?" questioned Squirtle.
"Would I like to be clean? Yes! Make it quick!" demanded the demon with eyes on his palms.
Squirtle used Water Gun on him, knocking him back several feet.
He collapsed on the floor.
"I didn't…think that through." remarked Yahaba.
Though to be fair, it was hard for him to focus when he was covered in trash.
"Swablu!" exclaimed Yahaba's Swablu.
Her master had fallen!
Tamayo used an illusion to create a mirage of a Grimer.
Swablu fainted on the spot.
"I appreciate your help, Squirtle." spoke Tanjiro. He wasn't sure if he would have won without him. Though maybe he did defeat Yahaba himself in another reality.
Squirtle gave the thumbs up.
He made sure to thank Tamayo as well.
Suddenly, Voltorb approached Squirtle.
He gasped in alarm.
Unfortunately, the turtle Pokemon had forgotten about Voltorb.
Voltorb prepared to Self-Destruct. It wasn't happy what Squirtle had done to its friend.
"Voltorb, the Sphere Pokemon. A life-form whose identity is unknown. It is said to screech or suddenly selfdestruct." read the Pokedex.
"It's going to blow!" bellowed Tanjiro.
Quickly, he shielded Squirtle from the attack.
Voltorb fainted.
Tanjiro was hurt by the explosion.
"I think I broke a rib…" said the boy.
If he survived the attack, he might need to rehabilitate.
Squirtle thanked his trainer for protection.
Susamaru continued fighting, unaware that she was the only one left on her side.
She was still fighting Yushiro.
"Are you still conscious? Time for me to bring out the big guns!" exclaimed Susamaru.
She took off her kimono.
"You're undressing in front of me? Have you no shame?" asked Yushiro.
"Hey, I'm wearing a tube top underneath!" explained Susamaru.
Yushiro's eyes widened in alarm when she sprouted two extra pairs of arms.
Suddenly, Yahaba got back up.
However, he was now a human.
Realizing what had happened, Squirtle quickly squirted the Shadow Pokemon that had fainted.
This opened the doors to their hearts.
"I'm human?" questioned Yahaba.
All of a sudden, he did not wish to be evil anymore.
Suddenly, he noticed Susamaru fighting.
He tried to get her to stop.
She was pummeling Yushiro with her fists.
'Had enough yet?" asked Susamaru.
"You hit...like a girl." taunted Yushiro.
"Your sexism only makes me fight harder!" exclaimed the six-armed demon.
"Susamaru, stop!" shouted Yahaba.
"Yahaba? You're human!" exclaimed Susamaru.
"We shouldn't hurt people anymore!" bellowed the former demon.
"But Lord Kibutsuji will kill us if we disobey him!" exclaimed Susamaru.
Yahaba stared at Susamaru with shock.
"Yahaba! Your eyes are wide open! You hardly ever open your eyes!" exclaimed Susamaru.
Usually he relied on his palm eyes instead...which were absent now that he was human again.
"Wait a minute..." spoke Susamaru.
She then realized that she had violated the taboo among demons...saying Muzan Kibutsuji's last name.
"Oh my god! What have I done? Please forgive me! It was a slip of the tongue!" apologized Susamaru.
"What's going on?" asked Nezuko.
"Muzan prohibits demons from saying his last name. Those who do die a horrible death." explained Tamayo. It was his way of striking fear in the hearts of his followers. One of his ways.
"I won't say it again! I promise!" exclaimed Susamaru.
Tanjiro noticed Susamaru panicking.
Though he was hurting from his latest encounter with the shadow Pokemon, he could still fight. It did pain him though.
Susamaru then began to melt.
"Aah! I'm melting! Melting!" screamed the demon that had drawn Muzan's wrath.
'This is disgusting...but at least she's getting her just desserts. Wouldn't you agree, Tanjiro?" questioned Yushiro.
Tanjiro approached Susamaru.
"Tanjiro?" asked the white-haired demon.
He then began sprinkling his sweat on her.
This caused her to stop melting...and for her to start transforming back into a human.
Before long, she was human once again.
Though she still had her six arms.
Perhaps some traces of Muzan's cells still remained in her body.
"I'm...not melting?" questioned Susamaru.
She then realized that Tanjiro had saved her life.
Susamaru hugged him tightly.
'You saved my life! Thank you so much!" exclaimed Susamaru.
Tanjiro winced from the pain.
"I'm hugging you with all six of my arms! That's how grateful I am!" shouted the temari player.
"You're welcome...now can you please stop choking me?" asked the boy.
Susamaru released him.
"My apologies...I guess I still have my superhuman strength." apologized the former demon.
"Why did you save her?" asked Yushiro.
"She used to be human..." explained Tanjiro. "And from the looks of it, an innocent girl that liked to play temari."
"That's likely the case." nodded Tamayo. He was glad that he was doing what he was doing.
"I guess it's finally over." spoke Tanjiro.
"A word of caution, Tanjiro. You may have defeated and purified those demons along with their shadow Pokemon, but Muzan is not going to give up easily. I suspect he's going to keep on sending more demons to hunt you down." warned Tamayo.
"Why would he do th-wait, is it because of my power?" asked Tanjiro.
"Yes, Tanjiro. He doesn't want you curing any more demons. And I suspect whoever he sends will be stronger than the two you previously faced." confirmed the illusionist.
"I guess I better keep training then." noted the teenage boy. Still, at least he knew he was a threat to Muzan himself.
"The more demons you can cure with your power, the better." said Tamayo.
Tanjiro nodded.
Suddenly, she noticed the sun was beginning to come up.
She and Yushiro went into the shade.
Zubat followed suit. He did not want a sunburn.
"Zubat avoids sunlight because exposure causes it to become unhealthy. During the daytime, it stays in caves or under the eaves of old houses, sleeping while hanging upside down." read the Pokedex.
"Nezuko, quickly! You'll burn into the sun!" warned Tamayo.
'It's OK. I can survive in the sunlight.' explained Nezuko.
"You can?" asked the woman.
Nezuko nodded.
"I'm still a demon though." explained the pink-eyed demon.
Yushiro was surprised.
"I need you to warn you about something. Muzan's been searching for a demon that can survive in the sunlight." explained Tamayo.
"He is?" questioned Nezuko.
"Yes. Whatever you do, don't let him or his followers find out about this. If he does find out, he'll send his followers to hunt you down. And if he devours you, he'll gain immunity to the sun." continued the woman.
"That's horrible! And not just because I'll get devoured." remarked the girl.
"Keep it a secret the best you can." advised Tamayo.
Nezuko nodded. This revelation was a scary one.
It was bad enough that Muzan was hunting her brother, but she didn't want to be faced with demons hunting her down too.
She could hide in the container Tanjiro carried her in, but still.
Meanwhile...
"I gave my demons one simple task, yet they failed miserably. One of them even had the audacity to say my last name." remarked Muzan. Personally, he was hoping that she would die for it. But instead, Tanjiro had purified her.
Well, he wasn't going to let this minor setback discourage him.
Already, he had an idea of who to send next.
He knew a demon that would do anything to get on his good side.
That demon happened to be Kyogai.
He used to be a member of the twelve Kizuki...but due to a lack of progress in gaining power, he decided to replace him with another demon.
That demon was growing at a faster rate, so it looked like he had made a good choice.
Nowadays he was residing in that mansion of his. He hardly ever came out of his lair, regardless of whether it was day or not.
"Kyogai, I have a proposition for you." said Muzan, communicating with him telepathically.
Kyogai listened intently.
Elsewhere...
Zenitsu fished for some Wishiwashi.
Luckily, he managed to find one.
Wishiwashi was happy.
"It feels good to help people...but I'm worried about the shadow Pokemon." spoke Zenitsu.
Wishiwashi nodded.
Suddenly, he noticed bubbles in the water.
He warned Zenitsu about it.
It was a Shadow Krabby...which was purple in coloration.
"Thanks.' spoke Zenitsu. That would have been a disaster.
Taking a deep breath, he hit it with thunder breathing.
The Shadow Krabby fainted, then turned back to normal.
"Now, where were we?" asked Zenitsu.
He continued his search.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And yes, I spared Susamaru from her canon fate. I got to draw a line with the violence. Tanjiro still got his rib broken because his life can't be perfect, however.