A Demon's Cry

by CroldAsIce

Life was never easy for Tanjiro, yet he and his family always remained happy. Happiness met a devastating end at the strong smell of blood leading to a cloaked man with a sword. Disaster continued when his sister, Nezuko, was turned into a demon! With a new sense of vengeance, Tanjiro must find the man and restore his sister with the help of a certain half-blood demon hunter.

8. Act 8

ATTENTION: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING OF DEMON SLAYER: KIMETSU NO YAIBA OR DEVIL MAY CRY. ALL CREDIT BELONGS TO THE AUTHORS, CREATORS AND THEIR CORRESPONDING PARTNERS!

---

A Demon's Cry

[(8)]

THOING!

That simple yet terrifying strum summoned all the lower ranks under one roof of infinity.

'What the hell is this place?' Lower Six asked himself.

He spotted the other ranks walking among the infinity castle in the same state of surprise he possessed. Opposing him, he recognized Lower One's pink highlights anywhere. Not far from him, on the adjacent wall, an older man with long hair and golden eyes appeared terrified. Lower Two.

'Is this her blood demon art? All the space seems to distort around that woman.'

The woman in question? A familiar long-haired demon sat quietly, holding a large instrument.

THOING- THOINNNG!

Two more strums brought the rest of the lower Twelve Kizuki ranks within proximity of one another.

Firing his head in more directions, Lower Six noticed all his lower comrades were forced to be present. This wasn't right! 'The lower ranks of the Twelve Kizuki being summoned before has never happened! What could be the reason? Lower Five isn't here yet.' That's right. Only five of them remained standing on the same platform, followed by another-

THOING!

But the lower ranks found themselves looking around frantically. Only when the shadow of two individuals covered them did all of their eyes peer upward.

Chills fired down Lower Six's spine, blood-red eyes staring down at him, malice leaking from the brim. The pale woman's stiff expression nearly made his heart stop. 'There is something odd about that woman. Who is she? Who is that man with her?'

Refusing to turn around, the lower ranks didn't earn the respect of the taller sword-bearer even to be gazed upon. That was a privilege none had earned.

"Lower your heads and kneel– posturing yourselves?" She was disgusted.

All lower ranks felt their bodies quake, instinctively dropping their heads on the pristine wood panels at their feet.

'That's master Muzan's voice! I didn't recognize him at all! Even his aura is completely different! His disguise is astounding! But that man with the unsettling katana. Is that… who I think it is?' Lower Six's mind ran wild, quaking at the thought of their company. 'If that woman is master Muzan, then that's the son of... S-S…"

"Please forgive us, Master!" Lower Four begged through her tears. "Since you've assumed a different form we-"

"Who gave you permission to speak?"

Muzan's voice drove Makugo's head right back to the floor.

"Don't presume your thoughts are of any worth to me." Muzan hissed. "All you are allowed to do is answer my questions. Now, the Lower Five was killed. His name was Rui. This is my single question for all of you; Why is it that you demons of the lower ranks are so utterly weak? You shouldn't be satisfied merely being among the Twelve Kizuki. That is only the start! You must devour more humans and attain more power– that is the path to becoming more useful to me. For over a century, the upper ranks of the Twelve Kizuki have remained unchanged, and it has always been those members who have disposed of the Hashira. Meanwhile, how many times have YOU been replaced?"

Lower Six quaked, 'You make it sound so easy, but the fact is-'

"YOU MAKE IT SOUND SO EASY, BUT THE FACT IS-. What? Say it…" Muzan growled, squinting daggers into his insubordinate waste.

'He can read my mind?!' This was unexpected. 'This is bad.'

"What is bad?" Muzan asked, his malice unwavering. "Finish your thought!"

"Master Kibutsuji, please forgive me!"

"Do it."

'Do… what-?' Lower Six's head started to slide off of his body, followed by his arms and legs falling into dozens of pieces like a split sushi roll. Blood exploded from the chunks staining the floor and nearby lower ranks.

Click!

'That- that was the sound of a sword sheathing…' Lower Three shuttered. 'I didn't even see anyone move. Nor Muzan or that man! Wait, that man. It's Sparda's son, isn't it?! No, I guess I'm next, aren't I? After all that I've been through to become a Twelve Kizuki. I thought I was going to do more! Why?! Why?!'

"Are you more afraid of the demon slayers than you are of me?" Muzan asked, his tone eerily softer.

"NO!" Lower Four shouted.

Muzan wasn't buying it. These demons reeked of pure lies."I bet every time you run into a Hashira-level demon slayer, your only thoughts are of escape."

"No!" She begged, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I would never do that! I would put my life on the line and fight for you!"

"-you're not contradicting what I just said, are you?" Muzan glared. "Again."

Makugo watched the swordsman's thumb raise his sword from its sheath. "Master Kibutsuji! Lord Vergil! Please- ack!" Her body fell into a pile of chunks before combusting full of blood all over the platform.

Click!

Vergil once again sheathed his Yamato.

'It's all hopeless!' Lower Three scorned, "Whether we agree or disagree with him, he's going to order Lord Vergil to execute us! We can't beat him in a fight either. Just look at Makugo's body! In that case– I'll run!' Lower Three vanished from sight, taking flight into the infinity castle. Bouncing from different stairs to the platform, the demon kept an eye out for an escape. He ran along walls and busted through a set of doors. Sliding through a tunnel, he leaped across a ravine, rolling into another platform.

'What a fool.' Lower One smiled with euphoria, waiting for the inevitable result.

Lower Three believed it so clear that he was far enough from Muzan. He didn't even notice the air around him distort before his body fell into piles of slices chunks. But his head? Suddenly, it was in Muzan's grasp. 'How the hell did he get me? I wasn't even in range! Is that the true power of that sword? It's terrifying! Why…?'

Click!

"The Twelve Kizuki are better off just consisting of the upper ranks." Muzan pleasurely taunted. Vergil's swift executions made him feel more satisfied than all of the lower ranks' best efforts combined. "I will be ordering the dismantling of the others. Now, do any of you have any last words to show?" Muzan threw down Lower Three's severed head right in front of them.

"IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME I SWEAR I COULD BE OF USE TO YOU! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!" Lower Two pleaded.

"How long are you asking for? How do you intend to be useful to me?" Muzan drained empty with curiosity. "And what can you accomplish with your meager skills?"

In the mind of the panicking demon, he could only imagine one possible solution, "Your blood! If you can just give me a portion of your blood, I can rise to accomplish! A weapon like Lord Vergil's! I will fight for you, STRONGER THAN BEFORE!"

Muzan snarled, "Do you actually believe you are in any position to order me to give you my blood? What makes you think you deserve such power? Shameless is an understatement. You will remember your place."

Lower One remained quiet with his sadistic smile painted across his face.

But, Lower Two seemed too swept up in his anger to know when to stop. "No, you misunderstand me!" He then saw Vergil's thumb slide up under the Yamato's handguard. "LORD VERGIL PLEASE!"

"SILENCE!"

…

…

…

"I misunderstood nothing." Muzan corrected Lower Two, "I am NEVER mistaken. I am the one who calls the shots. My word is absolute. What I say is correct by default. Is it not for you to refute, yet you try to give me instructions? You deserve to die for that."

Lower One's face welcomed the extra bloodstain right after the haunting- CLICK!

Not once did Vergil turn around. Not even to face these meek excuses for servants.

Being the last remaining, the well-dressed demon looked up at the men with intense glee, a blush painted across his face.

Muzan's "Any last words?" just drove him into a feral rut for sadism. But, there was still the cruel reality that he was next to depart from this world. Everything hinged on the mood of the master. The mere change of pitch, tone, or signal and his executioner would scatter his body across the land in the blink of an eye. "Let me just say that this is all like a wonderful dream for me! For me to be able to perish by your very hand in the flesh! Oh for your wonderful sword, Lord Vergil, First Son of Sparda, to paint its edge across my body and take my life. I so enjoyed hearing the other demons die at best! How truly fortunate am I! I do love to see others in the throes of despair and agony. It's like a dream come true for me! You have my profound gratitude for saving me for the end!"

Muzan smirked.

Click!

STAB!

One of Muzan's mutated and deformed arms fired down from above, piercing right into the neck of Lower One. Its needle fed his blood straight into the body of the sadistic, formal demon. Immediately, their body hit the ground, spasing out uncontrollably. His groans and screams were enough to attract the white-haired demon to finally turn around, watching the same show as his partner.

"That's more like it." Muzan chuckled. "I'm glad you finally decided to join the show, Vergil. I gave this demon a generous amount of my blood. Although, he may not be able to handle its magnitude and die. But, if he survives and manages to acclimate, then he is certain to become stronger."

"I see." Vergil sighed.

Turning his attention back to Lower One, Muzan regained his stern, horrifying demeanor. "Now you are to make yourself useful by killing Hashira of the demon slayers. If you manage to kill the demon slayer wearing the Hanafuda earrings, I will give you even more of my blood."

Lower One coughed violently before smiling back at the two.

THOING!

The demon was displaced.

THOING! THOING! THOING! THOING-THOING-THOING-THOING! THOING…! THOING!

Left alone, both Muzan and Vergil remained still. "Vergil."

"Yes?" He drearily answered.

Despite their power being near equal, having to put up with this longer than he had to would drive Muzan over the wall. Just why did Sparda need to spread his seed?! "There seems to be another matter which just seems to get in the way of everything. You said you would handle your brother, didn't you?"

"I did." Vergil felt confused as to why Muzan was asking about Dante now. "He hasn't shown face in two years. I say that's an achievement."

"Achievement? Well, his grace period came to an end. At the site where Rui was killed, I couldn't help but notice it was littered with brass shells. Multiple kinds of ammunition shells as well." Muzan took out an empty shotgun shell and other miscellaneous caliber shells, letting them drop to the floor.

SLAM!

He stepped on them, crushing them beneath his feet.

"Ah yes, the current Arms Hashira seems to have replaced Dante's pillar," Vergil stated.

Muzan, clearly angered, removed his foot from the crushed garbage. "Step in and do something about your brother before our plans are put at risk. We are getting closer, Vergil. Why should we let this opportunity for power slip by us? We still have multiple seals to find and sins to release. If I recall, all that we are missing are Lust, Wrath, and Greed. You've merely found Gluttony and Envy over the last couple of years."

"They could be anywhere around this world." Vergil reminded. "But the books of scholars have such names and locations redacted. The continuity is written. I'm afraid it is something more sinister."

Muzan nodded. "I agree. Especially when the story of Sparda reveals that three amulets were separated. I understand if there were two, one for each son. But, a third was last seen on the boy with the Hanafuda earrings. The one who needs to die. So tell me, Vergil, why does that boy have an amulet that looks exactly like yours?"

Vergil remained silent.

"I think you know what you must do now," Kibutsuji smirked. "As for the Arms Hashira and your brother, our scholar, Arkham, should be so kind as to throw a wrench in their plans. Would you now, Arkham?"

Step… Step… Step… Step…

The man dressed in grey approached the others, upside down within the infinity castle. He held a book firmly in his hands before suddenly appearing beside Muzan.

"The saying exists that it is good to know people in high places. The Arms Hashira is a very rebellious and hot-headed fighter. But, cutting one source of her abilities can cripple all their efforts."

---

[The Following Morning - Lady's Mansion "The Armory"]

"Dammit!" Lady slammed her hand on the table, leaving a dent in the wood. "Dammit! Dammit! Damn you, Rodger!"

"What seems to be the problem?" Tengen peered into her room, summoned by the sudden screaming and banging.

Lady whipped her head around, faced with the larger Sound Hashira and a newly arriving Flame Hashira. "Rengoku, Tengen, just the people I needed to see. Wait, what are you guys doing in my house? Never mind- it's this!" She handed them pristine, colorful stamp markings and a fantastic font.

Both Hashira gazed upon it with ambitious eyes before falling confused and perturbed. "Lady!" Rengoku shouted. "I'm afraid we can't read this! It's in English!"

"Oh, right." She took the letter back and read it aloud for them. "Here's an abridged version; Dear Lady, I regret to inform you that I will no longer be your materials supplier under the conditions of 'Demon Slaying' as the country of Japan and the United States Armed Forces have not recognized the Demon Slayer corps as an existing or legitimate entity. I have been ordered to stop sending supplies despite you paying in full. And I'm keeping the full sum. I hope you understand. Best of luck, Captain of Dreadnought Nemesis, Rodger Ann Ar–It seems a man doesn't want to help out his own- ya know? Dammit!"

Rengoku stroked his chin, "What does this mean for you, Lady?"

"It means I'm out of luck! I only have so much ammo left, and I was counting on this shipment to come in! Since becoming a Hashira, I've been doing business with Americans. I give them a lump sum of money; they give me guns, ammo, and anything I ask for without me ending up in some 'high risk' folder in the Imperial Palace. I'm more upset they that kept my money."

"I agree!" Rengoku declared, "Though I don't think you should do anything foolish! You should at least figure out why they have suddenly decided to cut off doing business with you!"

"The world is at war right now, Rengoku. Probably want to save guns and ammo for their troops. But that's not going to fly with me! I'm not going to walk away getting scammed!" Lady dropped to the floor, pulling a large locked chest out.

Tengen and Rengoku watched her unlock the large steel crate and throw it open like it was weightless. They saw smaller boxes of ammunition belonging to all of her firearms. Boxed read off as 9mm, .45 ACP, 12 Guage 00 Buckshot, and 30-06.

"That's a lot of bullets!" Rengoku said, reading off on them. "Grenades too? You must have been giving the Americans a lot of money for this! All this for demon slaying?"

"Last time I checked, I don't think I've ever seen Dante need all those bullets." Tengen realized that he never once saw Dante reload. Something about that was just as flashy as his fighting style.

"But he does use his sword a lot!" Rengoku added, "So, Lady, how did you even get your hands on these?"

"I know, I'm kind of jealous of the guy. There's a saying; It's good to know people in High Places. I was getting discounts, and everything was shipped to me by cargo train. There is something suspicious going on with the Americans for them to suddenly turn their back on me and I want to find out."

Tengen and Rengoku glanced at one another before a slight smile crept across their faces. "Well, I'm not one to get in trouble with the law, or the military, but when someone tries to be as unflashy as that and steal my money-! That's something worth fighting for!"

"Is that an offer to help me?" Lady was taken back.

Tengen nodded, "I know if the people I love were doing business and suddenly were scammed, I'd want them to get justice as well! That behavior is so not flashy at all!"

"Really?" An overwhelming sense of bliss poured into Lady. "You guys would help me?"

"Of course! Where do the Americans even keep their supplies?" Rengoku asks.

"Every two weeks, a dreadnought carrying supplies comes here to trade in Tokyo's port. Japan is currently helping the United States with an operation against the Germans, hence the frequency of these shipments." Lady informed them. "The ship will be here in two weeks. So, are you two ready to get your hands dirty for a heist?"

"Heist!" Rengoku shouted.

"Heist!" Tengen followed.

Lady couldn't help herself but giggle and join them. Soon all three of them were chanting in a circle:

"Heist! Heist! Heist! Heist! Heist!"

"Uhhh, what are you guys chanting?" After the audible record scratch in everyone's head, the three musketeers recognized Mitsuri's voice anywhere.

Everyone stared like deer in headlights.

"I thought I heard a heist. Are you three up to something? Does the master approve?" Mitsuri asked innocently.

"We were planning uhhh- a surprise party for uhhh Dante! Yes! A welcome back party! And we meant uh… help me out here…" Lady elbowed Tengen. "Wait, Mitsuri, why are YOU in my house?"

"Am I not permitted to visit you?" She whimpered, clutching her outfit.

"Yes, you are! But, I'm wondering why all the Hashira are coming over." Lady huffed.

Rengoku shouted, "You agreed to host a lunch with all of us today! Last week was Shinobu's turn! This week, it's your turn!"

"Oh right… shit, that's today?" She recoiled.

"Yes, it is! I'm sorry if I'm too early!" Mitsuri apologized. "But, I was wondering what you meant by heist and party?"

"We meant who can score the highest in a game of Janken! Yes! The winner, of course, will get the most flashy of prizes! And a free dinner in their name!" Uzui picked up the recovery.

Rengoku hopped on to seal the deal, "Yes! We shall have a tournament during this party for all of us to play!"

"How wonderful! I've wanted to spend time with Dante since he came back! I'm so happy I get to do it in this tournament!" Mitsuri clasped both hands together, leaning against the doorframe in awe. "Please tell me when this is being arranged! I would love to partake. For now, I will be outside!" Then, she left.

Tengen and Lady sighed in unison, relief embracing them in its warm, reassuring arms.

"That was close. Do you think we would be able to pull it off in time before anyone notices?" Tengen asked.

"We just need to take the Mugen Train into Tokyo, get to the port, get my crate, and beat it. Thankfully, I know the American Captain on that ship, so he knows where my stuff is." Then a sudden realization overcame Lady. "You know what, now that I think about it… I think we should just talk to them in person. The port is heavily armed and I don't need to involve you two in a shootout." Things were way more high stakes than she anticipated. They should take the pacifistic route.

"I've been shot before!" Rengoku cheered.

"That's not a good thing." Tengen corrected him. "A heist would have been very flashy."

"I know!" The Flame Hashira smiled. "So, heist?!"

"No heist!" Lady shouted.

"Heist?!" Rengoku fired back.

"No heist!"

"Heist?!"

"No heist!"

"Awww…" Rengoku frowned.

"So I guess we should try and talk to them, and if all goes to shit, then we do the H-E-I-S-T." Tengen shrugged. "I think that's a fair compromise."

"What are you guys talking about?" Rengoku leaned forward.

Lady rolled her eyes, "We are just going to find the Captain and have a lovely little chat with him. Sound good boys?"

Both Hashira nodded.

Lady couldn't see why Tengen could be wrong. "Plus, they have a new toy that I want to get my hands on that I rightfully paid for, but again find myself being screwed over. Kyojuro Rengoku. Uzui Tengen." She places a hand on each of their shoulders. "We ride at dusk… next week."

"You know what, Lady. I think I have a much more flashy idea."

---

Meanwhile, in the Butterfly Mansion, a much different scene is painted. Among the peacefully recovering injured slayers, one of the wards found itself much more vibrant than the rest. It was clear that, unlike your traditional demon slayer who spent their time resting, this specific trio had a diverse cast with a different idea of 'recovery.'

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE THIS MEDICINE IS PURELY DISGUSTING!" Zenitsu shrieked, curling up into a ball on his bed.

"We go through this every day! Saying you're in bad shape is an understatement!" Aoi scolded. It was enough that she was the point director of Demon Slayer recovery in the butterfly mansion, but now she had a code-yellow. Rowdy patient. So far, Zenitsu was not only the most abhorrent patient she has had to take in but downright disrespectful, dirty, and annoying. "Take your medicine this instant! Good grief, Tanjiro, this medicine is for you."

Sitting up in his bed, Tanjiro gracefully accepted the cup from Aoi. Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho were present, gifting medicine to the three musketeers who survived the recent demon incursion. "Thank you!" He drank his medicine with ease, to the dismay of a certain blonde.

"HEY! I SAW THE MEDICINE GO DOWN MUCH EASIER! SO IT'S DIFFERENT FROM MINE! FAVORITISM! I CALL FAVORITISM!" A burst of energetic saltiness erupted from Zenitsu.

"Zenitsu!" Tanjiro nervously turned to him. "You need to calm down! This is a hospital ward!"

"Well, you all seem lively."

Everyone turned to the taller man entering the room. The girls were shocked as if they had seen a Ghost.

"DANTE!" Tanjiro cheered.

"Hey, hey! Well, isn't it nice to see a bunch of familiar faces?" He walked over, but suddenly stopped by Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho hugging his leg.

"DANTE!" They squealed in unison.

"I thought something happened to you!" Sumi cried out.

"They told us you quit! Did you not like us?!" Kiyo hugged his leg tighter.

"We're sorry if we did anything to make you go away!" Naho wept.

"Look at you girls! You're still here and growing up well! Hey! Hey! Hey! You didn't do anything, don't worry, I promise!" Patting their heads, Dante attempted to hide his flush of embarrassment, even looking away. But he only found Aoi, who crossed her arms and faced away. "Aoi!"

"I heard the rumors you decided to return." The young woman huffed. "Welcome back, Dante…"

Tanjiro and Zenitsu paused at the apparent history between him and all four of the girls.

'Did they have some sort of rocky history? I know Kanzaki-san is strict, but the tension between them is saying more than that.' Tanjiro thought.

However, Zenitsu's reaction was contrasted to that of his scar-headed peer. "WHO THE HELL IS THIS GUY WHO JUST SHOWS UP AND GETS ALL THE GIRLS ALL OVER HIM?! WHAT KIND OF SICK JOKE OF FAVORITISM IS THIS?!"

"Is this guy always this loud?" Dante squinted, waddling over with the girls still hugging his leg.

"No, he isn't! He's just under a lot of stress! Forgive him, Dante!" Kamado begged.

"I see. And hey! I know you!" He pointed to Inosuke. "You're the crazy board-headed kid who was fighting the spider!"

…

Silence

…

"Okay then. For him of all people to be quiet.." Pulling up a chair, he lightly shook his legs. "Girls, some space, please?"

"Leave them," Aoi ordered, the girls huddling behind her after the command. "Dante." She addressed the half-blood once more before leaving.

"Forgive Inosuke as well. We all are recovering from our injuries. It's best to let him be. How have you been doing?" Tanjiro asked. "And thank you for your help with Nezuko. You put yourself on the line for us."

Leaning back and folding one leg over the other, Dante smirked towards him. "I've been having a blast. And that? Don't worry. I'm not as much of a fan of bullies as the next guy. Thought I should remind em who's boss."

"Oh, I see. It also was surprising to me that you were a Hashira! I had no idea. Seeing the reactions and faces of everyone, it was safe to assume you had a history with them all." He smiled softly.

Dante chuckled, "Yeah, something like that. I can tell you all went through quite a handful. How's your sister doing, the little lady?"

"Nezuko has been sleeping a lot, but she's fine. Thank you again." Tanjiro nodded.

"Tanjiro!" Zenitsu asked once he calmed down. "Who… is this?"

"Oh, you guys never formally met. Dante, this is Zenitsu. Zenitsu, this is Dante. He was the demon slayer who saved Nezuko and myself a few years ago. He was on a mission that led him to fight with us on Mt Natagumo. He saved our lives again. I think I'll forever be in debt to you, Dante." Tanjiro bashfully admitted.

"I'm Dante." The half-blood grinned at Zenitsu. "What happened to your arms? Last I checked, they don't make them that short."

Zenitsu sighed, "My limbs shrunk down because I was almost turned into a spider."

"Sounds like you should take your medicine." Dante laughed.

"BUT IT TASTES SO DISGUSTING!" The teen yelled back. "IT'S SO GROSS! THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH GROSS A PERSON CAN TAKE!"

"Well, don't go crying to the girls when your arms don't go back to normal." The taunting only made Zenitsu fold.

"So cruel! That's such a cruel thing to say!"

"Hey man, these ladies know a thing or two better than you about medicine. I think you should shut up and drink already." Dante grabbed the medicine cup and approached Zenitsu.

"But I can't do it!" He flailed around, jumping over Inosuke and hiding behind Tanjiro. "That doesn't change the fact that it tastes awful!"

"Then beat it, kid!" Dante threw the cup, splashing it all over Zenitsu's face and causing him to panic. "What a wimp."

"Oh." Tanjiro watched, surprised. "What brings you by, Dante?"

"I wanted to come by after meeting with those stuck-up Hashira. I also wanted to ask you a question I never got to ask." He pointed to the amulet hanging around Tanjiro's neck. It had been there from the first day they met until the reunion. Two years ago, you said it was passed down to your family."

"Oh, yeah! Why?" Tanjiro perked up for a moment before looking at Dante's amulet. "Oh." Red sapphire and silver decorations paint the outline so beautifully. The chain was reinforced and tough yet elegant and gentle. "Dante, these look identical if not the same."

'We can retrieve it at any time.'

Why was Dante remembering his brother's voice now? No, it was something he hadn't heard before from him. A line he didn't pick up at the moment but had been thinking about for a while.

"There is also a third out there."

Was Tanjiro the third? How? If Sparda had made three amulets instead of two, why was the last one in possession of the Kamados? He never recalled his mother, Eva, wearing an extra one. Unless…

"Hey, in the off to slight to impossible chance, Tanjiro, did you or your friends happen to slay or take this off another demon?" Dante asked.

Tanjiro shook his head. "No! I promise! It was passed down to me from my father. He wore it all the time! But I did see another demon wearing one. The one who looked like you. He had-"

"-A long sword, blue jacket with snake-like patterns on it." Dante finished his sentence, confirming his suspicions with Kamado's shocked expression.

"You know that demon?" Tanjiro asked.

"You bet your lucky starts I do. He's the demon who is currently Kibutsuji Muzan's right-hand puppet. A blind idiot way in over his head, forgetting where he came from and is trying to break open the largest seal to open a highway to hell, as I call it." He crossed his arms.

"Oh, then was he the one who killed my-"

"No." Dante surely defended. "That demon is a real piece of work, but he wouldn't have done something that heinous if he couldn't find your amulet then. You also said he let you go when you confronted him."

The scar-headed slayer also remembered something else, taking a sniff of the air. "He kind of looked like you, too, and lacked a scent just like you do, Dante."

"Oh, I can assure you, Dante does have quite the smell. It's why we make sure he takes extra showers!"

"Lady Kocho!" Tanjiro greeted cheerfully.

"Ah, man." Dante groaned, feeling two smaller hands rest on each of his shoulders.

Zenitsu shot up, cleaned off his face, and bore a red tint on his cheeks.

"Oh my, so lively today, Dante!" Shinobu sarcastically giggled. "You two, how are you feeling?"

"GOOD, LADY KOCHO!" Tanjiro and Zenitsu shouted.

"Well, if that's the case, then let's have you start your rehabilitation training!" The Insect Hashira grinned.

"Rehabilitation training?" Confusion set among the two.

Dante was even confused. Despite the little incident the previous day, he was feeling cool as a cucumber. "I appreciate the offer Shinobu, but I don't need any fixing."

"Oh, there is plenty of room for improvement, Dante! Plenty of room!"

---

[Two Weeks Later - Tokyo Port]

"Are you sure this is the best approach for us?" Rengoku asked.

"I think we will look very stylish!" Tengen pushed forward with a secondary plan.

Lady nodded, "We are just going to talk to them. By talking to them, we mean kidnapping the captain and interrogating him. If we sort this out with strong words, I'll be a happy camper. But if they insist on not giving me my money back, then you two will have to convince me every reason not to go ballistic."

"We have this in the bag!" Rengoku nodded.

"If we have each other's backs, then we will be successful. This is a 3-face plan. If certain things go wrong, there are backups. It might be one of the flashiest plans I have had the pleasure of being a part of. But, I'm ready to show these Americans what real talent is." Uzui cheered.

The moon hung low over the port of Tokyo, casting long shadows across the darkened waters. The massive Dreadnought, Nemesis, was docked ominously, its towering silhouette cutting through the mist. The few lanterns hanging from the ship barely illuminated the battleship deck. Cranes, machines, and other vehicles were loading and unloading the massive vessel. But, all three Hashira couldn't ignore the ominous presence of naval sailors. It wasn't just on the ship; the three had to be extra careful when sneaking past the gate guards and port staff. The misty aura was enough to send a chill down their spines. Lady had suspicions—whispers of a demonic presence—but nothing could have prepared them for what awaited aboard the battleship.

Climbing the rooftop of a nearby building, the Hashira crouched in the shadows. Kyojuro smiled, his eyes burning with his usual infectious enthusiasm. "What a splendid night for battle! It seems that the path is clear for us to advance! We shall strike swiftly and with great honor."

Tengen smirked, adjusting his harness and carrying the twin blades. "A flashy entrance will get us in, but this mission requires finesse. No unnecessary attention. Besides, this is a military installation, yes?"

"Yeah, that's what is bothering me. We are about to violate a handful of codes and laws." Lady peered around a corner, searching for any movement near them. Anything! She didn't see any soldiers standing guard in their vicinity. "You guys see that?"

Tengen and Rengoku peered over Lady, resting their chins on her shoulders.

"Guys…" She groaned, rolling her eyes. "Look at all the supplies they are unloading. It's not just weapons and munitions. It's artifacts too."

"It's too strange." Uzui agreed. "What if the crew defected and started doing things in their interest? Odds are they probably mutiny from their captain; or the captain has gone corrupt."

"Don't say things like that." Lady shivered for a moment. "This just changed everything. We can talk about the weapons later, right now we just need to get on the ship and get to the Captain."

Kyojuro placed a hand on the hilt of his katana, his face solemn but determined. "We will get him. And if there is more aboard that ship, we will find it. No matter the cost. We are here for you, Lady!"

"The last one to the ship is a rotten egg." Tengen teased before vanishing.

"That bastard!" Lady cursed at the unfair jump he got on the rest of them.

"Well! You heard him, Lady! I don't plan on being rotten today!" In the blink of an eye, Rengoku's silhouette was no more. Seems both of them were probably on the ship by now.

"Tch. Cheaters." Taking a few steps towards the edge of the building, she took a deep breath, letting her body adjust. A port warehouse surrounded by parked vehicles below a crane was nearest to the edge. That was her ticket. 'I can do this. Here goes nothing!' Lady propelled herself forward, running toward the edge, welcoming the 20-foot gap between that and the incoming warehouse. "Rah!" Clearing the gap with a powerful punch of her leg muscles, her next target was the crane! Darting towards the next edge, the Arms Hashira dropped low to slide down towards the trucks. Leaping in the air, tapping the roof of a truck, and doing a flip. Lady reached out, clinging to the side of the shipping crane, climbing like there was no tomorrow. 'Last one is a rotten egg?! Oh, I'll show you who's a damn rotten egg!' Her movements became predatory, like stalking prey in the wild. Her arms and legs switched into overdrive, ascending higher and higher up the crane. At the top, she spotted a rope spanning from the smokestack down to the bow.

"Jackpot," Mary smirked. "Seems the cranes and machinery are keeping these soldiers busy. Surprised none of them spotted me."

Bolting across the arm of the crane, closer and closer to the bow, the Arms Hashira silenced any thoughts of turning back. Despite the height, she came to this port with a vengeance for her supplier. Hell, she brought two of her fellow Hashira with her. In her mind, nothing stopped her, neither was the roaring water below nor the structural wire keeping the stip together. All she had to do was JUMP!

'So this is what it's like to be a bird.' The wind brushed against the 'flying' Hashira, her arm extending and grabbing onto the cable. 'Got it!' After pulling herself up and balancing on the cable, Lady slid her way down the nearby smokestack and into a suspended lifeboat. Man, all that workout and friction burn was enough to break a sweat. Even the most advanced of athletes wouldn't have been able to do such a thing. While a task like that would take someone a couple of minutes, scaling themselves like ninjas across a desolate port, Lady merely made it to the ship within 25 seconds from Tengen and Rengoku's departure.

Alas, her celebration of making it undetected was short-lived. Eerie creaking rang along the top of the ship. Hisses and silence joined forces. Her sharpened senses assured Lady that it was quiet.

"Impressive!" Tengen whispered.

"GAH!" Lady quickly drew her firearm. "Don't scare me like that!"

"I couldn't help but see that absolute work of art! Very flashy! I love it!" He patted her on the back. Lady didn't even hear him get into the lifeboat. He, indeed, was a shinobi.

"Thanks. Alright, we need to find the Captain on this ship, secure him, and then find the storage bay. I bet there's a box with my name on it." She peeked over the edge of the lifeboat, quickly retreating, seeing two soldiers walk underneath.

"What's wrong?" Tengen asked.

"Sailors. I almost jumped down." She kept her position low and gaze trained on the bow. "If we crawl up ahead, we can probably reach the bridge."

Tengen stopped, closing his eyes. His ears listened to the waves, the creaking of the ship, and the distant sounds of dripping everywhere. "There are about 950 people in the area. Six hundred thirty-two are on board, the rest on the docks. On the deck below us, there are 34 sailors alone. Below that is about 242- no 243. The rest seem to be amongst the lower decks. In the area below us, there are 12 in that room."

"12 in the bridge." Lady nodded. "Usually, the captain would be there or in a captain's quarters."

Tengen smiled wide with a sly smirk on his face. "You know what he would be wearing? I think I can get a location on our man."

"How?"

Lady suddenly felt her shoulders get heavier. Turning her head to the right, she came face to face with a giant flexing-

"Mouse!" She gasped, turning to her left, another Shino! The muscle mice! "You guys, I haven't seen you in forever!"

Both Shino flexed a front double-bicep before a side tricep pose!

"Listen," Tengen commanded their attention. "We are looking for the captain of this ship. Lady here knows him."

"Yeah! He's a tall guy in his mid-50s, wearing all black with gold buttons and a white hat. He also has black hair like me. Some wrinkles. He's the oldest guy on the ship." She described the captain to the mice. "Think you boys can track him down?"

Flexing some more before a thumbs up, both mice backflipped off the lifeboat, descending into the maze-scape of the dreadnought.

"Is Rengoku in position?"

"Yes, but our best exit point would be-"

"The bridge." Lady cut him off. "We can maneuver back out from there."

Tengen peered over the edge of the boat when both the mice returned. Hearing them nod, he smiled. "Our man is in the bridge. Let's get him."

"Oh… we are going to get him alright."

"Let's start with a FLASHY entrance…"

---

On board the Nemesis's bridge, Captain Rodger peered into his logbook, filling out a spreadsheet full of the shipment information they were dropping off and receiving. Nearly consumed by the wave of words, he took a moment to peer up at the clock, shaking the feeling of a dumbbell filled with exhaustion settling on his neck.

"Captain." A sailor spoke up softly.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" He drearily turned his head towards the officer.

"Do you believe we will finish tonight?"

Captain Rodger shook his head, "I'm afraid not. I'll stay up and handle the rest that comes with the shipment's completion. Everyone else, get some rest. Have a good night."

"Yes, sir. But, are we keeping the shipment and funds from Mary Ann-?" The Lieutenant suddenly was silenced.

"Lady! Yes, her. I had the shipment unloaded back at the last port. We kept her funds."

"Are you sure? We did the inventory check, and I believe we found it." The sailor lowered his tone by the widening eyes of the captain. "It was loaded onto the dock about 20 minutes ago."

"What?"

CRAAAAAASSSSHHHH!

The glass shattered all over the room, spraying all the occupants on the bridge. A disoriented sailor flew backward over the control consoles, a bright black and blue mark on his cheek. Another sailor quickly drew his pistol, aiming it at the assailant!

Tengen grabbed the sailor's armed hand and struck him in the ribs, pushing him into another sailor behind him. When the sailor in his grip shoved back, Uzui punched him across the jaw and twisted his wrist to disarm the sailor of his pistol. Through his peripheral vision and the sound of distinct metal cocking, Tengen quickly headbutted the sailor.

Boom! Boobooboom! Booboom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The other eight sailors discharged their pistols toward the Hashira. They suddenly squinted painfully, and ringing filled their ears.

"So they want to play it that way, huh?" Uzui smirked, swords unsheathing in the blink of an eye. Tengen swiftly sliced the first bullet in half, the remains rolling across the ground by his feet. The rest met a similar fate, deflecting off the flat side of his cleaving weapons or sliced perfectly down the middle! He used the tense shock from the sailors to quickly dive behind one of the control consoles for cover.

'How was it possible that man deflected bullets? How did he slice them down the middle?! Who is he?!' Collectively, it ran through the minds of everyone remaining on the bridge.

The guns fell silent.

Did they get him?

The captain and a few others, guns trained on the console, drew closer. Each step over the shattered glass creaked as they grew closer to see the man behind the console-!

Was gone…

A sailor turned around, turning pale as a ghost, as four more men towards the back of the bridge lay slumped against the wall unconscious. A hand grabbed his wrist. "AAUGH!"

Tengen grabbed the sailor's arm with a gun in it, pointing it downward.

BOOM!

The sudden discharge rang ears once more, forcing the rest to flinch. Capitalizing on it, Uzui swang the sailor by his arm, whacking another sailor before shoving him into another. Without looking, he knocked the gun out of a charging sailor's hand, pistol-whipping a neighboring adversary.

BOOM!

SLICE!

Ridden with terror, the captain backed up with his empty handgun towards the master swordsman. 'How is this possible? He took all of us down, and we didn't even hear him coming!' He spun around to run through the door.

"Not so fast." Lady stood face to face with the captain, shoving him back into Tengen's grasp.

"L-Lady!" He squealed.

"That's right, Rodger. We got a bone to pick with you, but not here." She tossed her comrade some rope. "Tie him up. We gotta go!"

"Now?" Uzui caught the rope before forcing the captain's arms behind his back.

BWOOON! BWOOON! BWOON! … BWOOON! BWOOON! BWOOON! ….

"Yes right now!" She bolted to the bridge doors, slamming the locks shut under the alarm's blaring shrieks. "We don't have much time! That's the signal for Rengoku!"

Shivering in the muscular Hashira's grasp, the Captain felt himself helplessly dragged towards the shattered window of the bridge. "Lady. You don't know what you're doing. Please, you're making things worse!"

"Save it, Captain. You'll have plenty of time to explain yourself. Is he all tied up?" She peered out the windows, seeing soldiers rushing the stairs up to the bridge. The banging on the doors only made her more urgent to get out of there.

"There, ready to make the jump?" Tengen hugged his arms around the Captain's core, securing him.

"NO! STOP! YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE! PLEASE BEFORE IT FINDS OUT!" He shouted.

"Before what finds out?" Lady stared daggers into the captain's eyes. "What the hell are you talking about?"

BAAANG!

The entire bridge shook, the doors now dented.

"What?" Even Lady knew that wasn't possible for regular people to do. No explosives went off, either. That was when the sounds of shrieking echoed throughout the entire ship. Blood-curling, eardrum-shatter wails. The sounds of bones breaking and flesh tearing followed as the sailors cried and wailed in agony. Moaning, groaning, all of it poured into the minds of the three on board, stretching from the ship to the docks. Lady peered from a distance, watching the bodies double over and fall, deforming and contorting.

Then suddenly…

SILENCE…

…

…

…

"What the hell is going on here?" the lady softly asked the older man, angry and wanting to strike him, but terror kept her on alert. Her gut started to turn, not allowing her to break her gaze from the dented doors.

"The contract was violated. He's taking them… He's taking them all." Captain Rodger hitched his breath.

"Who is taking them? What do you mean they are all here!" Tengen chuckled, only to stop once both doors suddenly blew off their hinges.

…

…

"HSRAAAAAUUGH!" A fallen sailor grabbed Lady's leg, eyes glowing red and fangs now visible. The other bodies started to rise, joined by a swarming hoard of corrupted, deformed, demonic sailors rushing at them.

"GAAH!" Lady kicked the demonic sailor's arm off her leg.

"Lady!" Tengen pulled her towards the edge of the broken windows. Spotting the port's cold, dark, and abysmal waters, he only had one question. "You ready?"

"Let's GO!" She yelled. Tengen threw her towards the water soon after. "Whoa!"

Falling through the air with her fellow Hashira and captured Captain, Lady curled up into a ball and prepared to hit the water. Despite the seemingly inevitable baptism of murky, cold ship water, she had no choice but to have unending faith in her comrades. A bright red streak fired across the water, all three disappearing without a splash. Even the demonic sailors overhead stared confused into the murky abyss, no trace of them.

---

Lady held on tightly to Rengoku as he cradled the woman. Her fingers clutched the fabric of his suit, breath heavy from adrenaline. All the Hashira caught their breath, hidden at the stern of the dreadnought. The captain himself remained bound by fear. Everything happened in a split second. He couldn't even process being tossed out of the ship's bridge one moment and ending up at the stern of the vessel the next.

"How about that?" Tengen smirked, attempting to lighten the mood.

"I'm glad I was able to catch you all in time!" Rengoku nodded.

Lady laughed into the Flame Hashira's chest, pulling him into a hug, "You damn saved my life, Kyojuro. Thank you."

"I'm only doing my duty!" He nodded. Now, onto why we have grabbed the Captain of this ship!"

"Yeah. That wasn't very flashy of you and your men trying to fill me with many holes without saying hello first! But besides the point, you better start talking, Captain." The Sound Hashira hissed.

"What happened here?" Rengoku demanded, his voice thick with emotion. "Why have all your crew just transformed into creatures of the night?!"

("I've come to make a deal with you Captain, since I am an honest man and plan to be frank with you. A little birdy told me that you are supplying a Hashira with arms and tools. That's not very legal now is it?")

The Captain shook his head, his voice trembling as he remembered the ones who bound him. "It's… it's a monster. A demon. Something unreal. It took control of the ship; and my crew. Drove my men into killing one another… made me watch. I… I couldn't stop it. I was approached by a man in a suit and tie one night. He wore a white hat. He said he knew I was giving you supplies. He said he would kill everyone if I continued."

("Oh no no no Captain, I'm not giving you a choice. The fact that you even think you can defy me is grounds for me to kill you right where you stand!")

"One of my soldiers shot him in the head. But it did nothing. He demanded a single sacrifice to repay the debt that had just been wronged to him." The Captain shook more, tears swelling. Remembering that conversation choked up his words on top of the sight and smells of the aftermath.

("Leave my crew! They are all young men with bright futures! Forgive Kennedy and the rest of them and take my life! Let them go home back to their families! I'll deny the supplies! I'll assist you as best I can with my power and command just do not kill them please.")

("What gives you any right to speak up to me like that, human?! But, I will award you some sense of entertainment since you amuse me with your honor. Your bravery intrigues me; throwing your life away for these meatbags so easily. You see, sailors, your leader here? Your master…? SO bold as to want to sacrifice his life for you all! Captain Rodger Ann Arkham… you're free to go.")

("What?!")

Rengoku and Tengen watched the man hold Lady's hand, struggling to keep it together. It was obvious he was processing and recalling the events leading up to this.

("The rest of you, your master is a bold man. I can respect that. Even powerless, he radiates something none of you have ever thought of coming close to. So, I'll honor his request. I won't kill you all. ")

"He said the word. Their eyes turned black and they cried out blood. Before I knew it the lights flickered. I saw my men scream back, scream into madness. They started… killing each other…! Ripping pieces off of one another… like cannibals. Blood. More blood. Guts. Everywhere. My men…!" He squeezed her hand harder. "He said he wouldn't kill them… so he made something that drove them to try and kill each other. I begged him to stop. I said I'd sacrifice everything and obey the man if he would spare my crew and save them. He drafted up a new contract. The entire crew of the Nemesis was his, and if we did anything to aid you, slayers, we would be given over to the demon Hypnose. We shook on it, and the curse was lifted. He even healed them. That is why this happened. It's the demon collecting his penance. He wants my crew… I'm sorry."

"Hypnose?" The name was unfamiliar.

All three Hashira stared in disbelief. A demon with the ability to take the minds and wills of those given to it? More importantly, it took the entire dreadnought crew.

"Rodger, I'm so sorry." Lady lowered her head.

"If I said anything in the letters, you would have surely come regardless. I risked it being overseen by the demons watching me. I couldn't chance it, not for those young men." The Captain elaborated. "I don't know how to undo it. The contract is broken. They now belong to the one they call Hypnose."

"Well, Captain, I apologize, but I'm not leaving without my supplies," Lady stated.

"I know. You always were so stubborn. If it helps, I discovered tonight that my crew had your supplies unloaded onto the docks. The Lieutenant doing inventory found it. If you can stop this, then it's all yours!"

AAAAAAUUUUUUUUUGHHHHH!

A port worker shrieked as a corrupted sailor leaped off of the Nemesis, tackling them to the ground and biting a chunk of flesh out of their neck. One by one, more of the demonic sailors launched themselves from all ship levels and onto land. Blood spilling and chilling cries of terror pulled the Hashira away from their current priorities.

Rengoku launched himself across the water, weapons bare! Like a hot knife through butter, they sliced off the head of the demonic sailor feasting on the first port worker.

"If you can save everyone else, help yourself with whatever you need!" Captain Rodger cried out. 'What a warrior. The second he heard the cries of that man, the color-haired man instantly acted. What tenacity…'

Tengen and Lady both nodded. The captain grabbed Tengen's arm before they could jump to dry land. "Please… don't leave me without a weapon. I also want to fight for these young men, even if I must be the one to put them down."

"I see." Tengen nodded. "Lady!"

"You think because I'm the Arms Hashira, I'm also a walking arsenal?!" She pouted.

…

Tengen smirked, "I mean, it's kind of in the name."

"Fine!" Unslinging her trench shotgun, she handed it over to the Captain. A shotgun shell belt was also given to him. "12 gauge. Aim for the head and neck. Only shoot near point blank. It will take their heads clean off."

He immediately checked the trench shotgun and bore the bright new ammo sling. "Just like when I used to take you shooting when you were much smaller. But here you are, all grown up, kicking some serious ass."

"Hey, now is not the time to be all soft!" She turned away, drawing both 1911 handguns. "This isn't enough for me for an entire dreadnought crew."

"Your shipment is somewhere on the dock. But help yourself to whatever you can find! Go!" Captain Rodger ordered her.

"What about you?!" She exclaimed, backing up towards the edge with Tengen. "Follow and stay close to us!"

"I'm going to clear out the demons on board. A captain goes down with the ship." He softly smiled.

"Wait, Uncle Rodger!"

"Go! I'll sound the ship's horn at the bridge if I make it." He yelled. Attracting the attention of a group of demonic sailors to charge to the stern, Rodger knew his time was coming. The main priority was to see that his niece was safe from these monsters, even if it cost him his life. There was no more excellent sight than his niece charging into battle alongside the Sound Hashira. Raising the shotgun into his sight, the captain aimed at the first snarling demon charging his position. Despite his nerves screeching and the overtaking urge to freeze up, Captain Rodger relaxed his breath.

"They'll never stop until it's done. I'll take you all on!"

…And pulled the trigger.

PAPOOOOM!

---

[Demon Slayer OST - The Flame Hashira | Kyujuro Rengoku]

Once the head of the attacking demon hit the floor, Rengoku quickly helped up the injured port worker. "Are you alright? You need to take your injuries to a doctor as soon as possible! Apply pressure to the bite wound! Hold it like you are holding the essence of life in your hands! Only then will you survive! I believe!" He assured the worker, seeing his reflection in their gleaming eyes.

The Flame Hashira's ear twitched as two more demons leaped at him. He clutched the port worker and dove out of the way.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Lady rolled across the pavement to her feet, quickly training her 1911 pistols onto the incoming demons. She honed the muzzle on the mutated monsters with each trigger pull. Unlike a singular demon that suffers in her hands, Lady attempted to make their deaths quick. After blasting a demon through its skull, she noticed the corpses began to crystalize and harden into a flesh cocoon.

"That's new." She noticed.

"Lady!" Rengoku shouted. "We have an injured port worker! We must get them to a medic!" It wasn't looking good as more and more demonized sailors leaped off the battleship, running towards the innocent docking crews with bloodlust. There were over 600 of them on that ship and only 3 Hashira.

The port was populating only more and more.

"Lady! Help me clear a path! I have an idea! Unknowing Fire!" He stared down a group of converging demons, firing off in the blink of an eye. His sword sliced through 5 demons' necks before getting stuck on the 6th. The monster kicked Rengoku in the side after it grabbed his wrist. "Ugh!"

He didn't give up.

The Flame Hashira punched the demon sailor in the face, pulling his sword out of its neck.

SLASH! SLASH! SLASH!

The arms and legs of the sailor dropped into a pile around the bleeding torso.

"Forgive me, thank you for your sacrifice. You are relieved of duty!"

SLICE!

The demonic body grew a little in size, crystalizing into a flesh cocoon on the ground. Taking notice, Rengoku poked the cocoon. 'It moved. It seems full of liquid and a mass in there.'

"HSRAAAAAAAUGH!" A demon swiped at Rengoku's sword, nearly knocking him off his feet but losing his hand. Looking back, the color-haired swordsman disappeared.

STAB!

The sword entered into its back, causing it to let out a screech. Three more demons converged Rengoku. He pulled his sword upward, slicing its head in half before being ambushed.

'Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!' One by one, his Nichirin katana brushed through the grotesque, darkened, and burned flesh of the demonic sailors. Blood squirted out, nearly covering Rengoku in it. However, his work was far from being done. The first demon he left with a split head turned around and slashed at the Hashira! Rengoku quickly evaded, spinning, kicking the monster back, and readying his weapon. Once it leaped at him, he reflected the charge straight ahead.

SLAAAAAAASH!

But the demon raised its arm, the sword cutting through and getting stuck in its neck again. The Hashira gasped, seeing it grab the sword and begin to spin, throwing its adversary away. Sliding on his sandals, Rengoku spat. 'How is this demon that strong? Is it perhaps a runner-up for a Twelve Kizuki? No, I was slicing through it earlier. Looking back, I was lucky. These demons seem to be different from the ones we usually encounter! They are stronger!'

SLICE!

[Demon Slayer OST - The Sound Hashira | Tengen Uzui]

Tengen's weapon swung around its chain, cutting right through the remainder of the demon's neck. Smirking while flying past Rengoku, the Sound Hashira began to spin his blades rapidly. Mimicking airplane propellers or ship turbines, the shiny rotors of death sliced through a line of 10 demons leaving the ship. But their bodies didn't disintegrate. Instead, gaping wound shield their heads to their bodies by a thread.

"Seems these demons want to give us quite the challenge! By all means, keep me entertained!" He backflipped across the deck towards the cranes, landing on a demon and using it like a surfboard. He grabbed the arm of one of them, spinning it around and throwing it ahead into a pile of demonized sailors. However, these monsters seemed to recover fine, turning their attention away from the innocent port workers and focusing on him. "Show me a good time! Raaaah!"

His blades shed demon blood, baptizing the asphalt in a fresh new shade of red. A clean slice! Another slice! One demon ate five consecutive slices before his head finally came off. 'If I want all these demons to turn their focus away from the surviving innocents, then I must act creatively and with style!' Tengen slid across the ground, dropping bolas across the ground.

POOM! POOM! POOM!

Detonating in a wild display of flashiness, the explosive bolas blinded the demons with flashes and the thick smoke that covered the crane area.

Suddenly, a giant hook swung down, taking out a handful of demons and scattering them across the port docks. But when their bodies landed, they had no heads; hence, crystalization began, turning them into flesh cocoons as well.

"AHAHAHAAAAA!" Tengen wrapped his legs around the crane's massive hook as it swung through the loading area. His hands spun his weapons, adding momentum and strength to the attacks! Countless demon bodies collapsed and cocooned themselves after Tengen cleared the path.

Some demons waited, climbing the crane and leaping onto the large cables leading to the hooks.

BOOBOOBOBOOM!

[Demon Slayer OST - The Hashira]

Not anymore.

A hail of bullets knocked them all off.

Lady pumped her adversaries full of .45 ACP, leaping over the dead demon bodies and aiming at the next. The recoil flipped up the muzzle after the shot, now placed on another incoming demon. After a single gunshot, its head came clean off. Another demonized sailor grabbed her shoulder and threw her across the ground. It mounted her, slashing her, snarling, and preparing to sink its fangs into her tasty flesh. Lady quickly, using the butt of the pistol to whip it across the face, gained her leverage and shoved a grenade clean in its mouth, pulling the pin and displaying the coil around her finger.

"If you want me, you better put a ring on me."

Kicking the demon into the water, she moved quickly towards the crates in the far distance, ignoring the follow-up explosion. Another demon was in her sights, guns raised. She mowed them down before reloading each handgun. Similar to her fellow Hashira, when the bodies of the demons doubled over and died, they did not disintegrate. Rather, they started to crystalize and form a larger cocoon shape.

She put her guns back in their holsters.

"The hell?" Drawing a custom Nichirin Katana, Lady took a deep breath and slashed it on the outside layer. Cracks formed over the shell before it spilled out a disgusting white slime, along with the intact body of the sailor. "Wait… they're preserved? So, killing the demonized bodies doesn't harm them. I suddenly feel less bad, but this only affects the taken crew, not the others!"

Without looking, she lifted her hand in the air.

Swinging in from the crane hook, Tengen grabbed her wrist, lifting her from the horde of sailor demons surrounding her.

"Thanks, big guy! I figured it out! Do you notice how their bodies form some sort of nasty flesh cocoon? The real bodies are trapped underneath these demonic husks. It's the blood demon art of this Hypnose demon! Preserve the inside, change the outside!" she shouted.

"You've got a keen eye, Lady!" Tengen cheered.

"Hey! Can you get me to the end of the docks for the next swing? My crate should be there! I have some surprise toys that can help us!"

"Prep those lovely legs of yours! You're going to need them!" When the hook swung towards the crane's base, Tengen held onto it and Lady as tightly as he could. His legs struck the ground at the right angle to give it upward momentum! In less than a second, Uzui twisted his hips, planted his feet against the crane's body, and pushed off! "Here's your stop! Whoa!"

Lady let go, gaining massive air over the demonic greeting party waiting under her feet. Spiraling towards the ground, she closed her eyes. "Eight Form: Skyfall…" Burning up like a meteor, the human bullet herself zipped to the ground instantly and swung her sword downward. The demonic sailor horde ignited into flames, an explosion following suit. Blood, body parts, and flesh exploded out from beneath her feet. She knelt silently in a small impact crater from the attack.

The demons that dared to pursue her met a swift end from the flaming blade of Kyojuro Rengoku.

SLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE! SLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE! SLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!

Three circular spins from Rengoku decapitated all 11 of them. "Have you found your crates yet, Lady?!"

"Not yet! Give me cover for a moment! Tengen is holding the line!" She shouted.

"I must not leave my comrades to themselves for too long!" He answered.

Examining the massive crate pallets of weapons and ammo, Lady used her eyes to scan the addresses and markings as quickly as possible! Rengoku, on the other hand, stayed close. He devised an idea; rather than waiting too close to Lady and having the demons converge near her, he purposely rushed towards a sitting crate and smashed it, turning the nearby horde's attention to him. That moment of distraction allowed Tengen to get the drop on them, bringing death to their doors! "Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!" Inhaling sharply at the sudden increase of demonized sailors. 'Forgive me, every one of you.'

Lady, however, used the katana to slash open the top of the crate with her name on it. On top of that, it was the only crate separate from the usual piles. She was surprised she didn't look there first. "Bullets and grenades and guns, oh my…! Is this… yes…! This is it!" Lady couldn't hold back her excitement as she reached into the crate and pulled out a freshly manufactured Browning Automatic Rifle– The BAR. "Oh… oh… aaaauuuughooooooooo…" She cackled while loading bullets into a magazine.

Like sinking your feet into the sand at the beach or sitting on the couch after working all day, Lady let the dopamine rush fill every crevice of her brain. Click! Click! Click! Each round of 30-06 clipped perfectly one after another. Slamming it into the heavy machine gun, she shouted, "HEY! ANYONE WITH EARS! OUT OF THE WAY!"

Rengoku and Tengen both gasped!

BOOBOBOBOOBOOBOBOBOBOOBOOOBOBOBOBOOBOBOBOOOBAAAAAANG!

Her BAR tore through the crowd of demonized sailors, taking off body parts by the chunks. Once all 20 rounds were expended, she dropped the magazine and slapped in a new one. The hailstorm scattered the demonic flesh parts across the ground, adding more bloody red puddles to the scenery. "Tengen! Rengoku! Make sure the port workers are out of here!"

"Lady, not by yourself!" Kyojuro shouted.

"Well, there's no need!" Tengen smirked. "What do you think I've been doing this whole time? Everyone has successfully evacuated or is in hiding!"

"How many have we killed?" She panted a bit, holding her breath to fire a few rounds at an incoming demon, then another before the rifle sang the empty song of clicking. Quickly, she swapped to her 1911 mag, dumping another seven rounds, then finishing them off with a quick slash to the neck using her katana!

"Not enough, it seems! But this dock is mostly flesh cocoons than demons, so that is a start!" Rengoku shouted, holding his ground against one sailor demon.

Tengen slipped beside the Flame Hashira to help finish the monster off!

"What about the captain?!" Rengoku made a fair point.

"He hasn't sounded the horn yet." Tengen frowned. "He's been in there a while too."

…

…

…

"Don't say it! I don't even want to think about it!" Lady growled. "He's a discreet man! Maybe we are wrapping this up too quickly!-"

THUD! … THUD! … THUD! …

Each pounding noise rattled the ground beneath their feet. As the intense demonic aura grew closer and closer, it became heavier than before. A low hiss came from around the back of the port, and a large black mass started to step towards them.

"-Besides, our job isn't over yet!"

Before they knew it, the Hashira stared down the disturbing, molten, demonic image of an ogre-like beast. Standing at least 20 feet tall with bulging, veiny, bleeding muscles, it snarled towards the Hashira. Adding more disgust to the monster's appearance, the demon was one giant cryptid made out of all the other demon bodies. A massive cluster monster. Three Hashira. One demon. Lady reloaded her brand new Browning Automatic Rifle. Rengoku, despite his multiple wounds, held steadfast and ready to set his heart ablaze! Tengen chuckled, shaking off what wounds he had. Scratches? No problems? Just tattoos with better stories!

"One more for the old man's sake. Then we hit the road." Lady snarled. "I don't wanna be here when these sailors wake up again."

"Good. We make it out of here with style." Tengen assured her.

Rengoku smiled through excruciating pain, "My comrades, we give it our all. Our bodies may break, our minds may concede, but our hearts? No! They are far from it! They beat every moment to let us know that we will live. So, let us not just survive. Let us live! Set your heart ablaze and take it right to the enemy!"

Blood pumping, a battle cry roared out from the Hashira!

SCHLICK! SPURRRRTTT!

Blood. So much blood. Not their blood. It's blood.

No one even moved. No one even slipped.

The dock rained blood, coming from the gashed open wound in the ogre, a golden rod impaled through its heart. Nearly falling to their knees, Rengoku, Tengen, and Lady all collectively held their hearts as it suddenly skipped a beat, contracting under the immense pressure settling in, chills running down their spins and nerves succumbing to fright.

The ogre's body lifted itself into the air, being carried by the golden staff, only to be disintegrated moments later by the wielder. They stood as fierce and agile figures; their face was distinctly monkey-like, with sharp features and piercing golden eyes that conveyed cunning and strength. A dark mane of coarse fur frames his face and flows over his shoulders, adding a wild, untamed aspect to his look. His armor is ancient and intricately engraved, worn over a battle-scarred tunic, and adorned with golden accents that suggest a regal warrior status. As he moves, his fur and armor ripple with a lifelike fluidity.

It had the same aura as the corrupted sailors.

Was this…?

"Guys…" Lady held her breath. "Remember when the captain said the crew belonged to a demon now? I think this is our guy."

"Hypnose." They all huffed, the pressure turning their yells into whispers. The golden eyes of the demon approaching made them hesitate to move significantly as the large staff, once the length of a truck, now shrunk down to the very size of its wielder.

"Arms Breathing Seventh Form: Delivery Dance…"

"Sound Breathing Fifth Form: String Performance…"

"Flame Breathing First Form: Unknowing Fire…"

"GUAAH!" Regoku coughed up blood, the opponent's foot jammed into his ribcage, launching him into a crate of supplies. The distant explosion of dirt and debris caught off Guard, now faced with the back of the golden demon.

"RENGOKU!"

CLAAAAAANG!

Tengen's weapons sparked, screeching against the staff. Every muscle roared, veins pulsing, pushing against the demon. To his horror, Uzui's bulky arms sank lower and lower against the overwhelming power of the demon. 'What the hell is this thing's strength?! Is this an upper moon? Like hell if I'll let this oddly flashy-looking beast overtake us! And stop smiling! That maniacal fanged smile!' Tengen hissed. "HRRRAAAAUGH!" Tengen started to push back up.

Aiming her gun proved useless, the demon's furry tail wrapping around her wrist and throwing her toward a parked truck.

Lady rolled and flipped across the pavement. Before impact, she kicked downward, launching herself upright. Curling her body, she smashed through the truck door and into the cab.

"LADY!" Dodging the incoming staff, Tengen flipped back, using his foot to kick the staff away and a few bolas to roll out from his pant leg. Like fireworks on New Year's, they detonated with such essence and style!

Once the smoke cleared, the golden warrior glared at his surroundings for the slightest bit of movement. Sniffing the air, he quickly brought the staff over his head, blocking Tengen's Sound Breathing - First Form: Roar! The blades twirled after, aiming to slash up his hairy face! Though he appeared standing still, his unscathed face painted a grim failure for the Sound Hashira. He leaped backward like Tengen, staff extending in length and smacking the Hashira in the head!

Tengen rolled with the blow, slightly disoriented but coming too once again! 'This is so not cool.' One of his gems cracked completely, shards falling at his feet, joining the drops of blood trickling down his face. "Hopping around like some sort of monkey…" His adversary, balancing on his staff, now as well as a building, peered down silently. The chills descended Tengen's spine at the daggers of eyes his opponent stared. 'Fourth Form: Constant Resounding Slashes! It's all about control…'

Fur-like hair fell upon the surrounding area, and the charging Hashira spun his blades like propellers! Each hair caught in the torrent of spins instantly became sliced and diced into many smaller follicles. Unexpectedly, the smaller follicles became black, solid, and round. They resembled the same weapons Tengen had used before! Exploding shinobi bolas!

BOOBOOBOOBOBOOOOOOBOBOOOM!

Tengen powered through each disorienting explosion, using the smoke to hide as well.

Carefully scanning, patiently waiting, the golden warrior couldn't have accounted for the blade being launched at him! Pointing his finger alone, he stopped one of Tengen's weapons. But what about the other? They are linked by chain, are they not? The chain tightened, wrapping around the warrior's wrist as Tengen appeared behind them. Despite the Sound Hashira attempting to pull him off his staff, he simply flicked his arm downward and swung at him.

Tengen, adrenaline pumping, face full of sweat and blood, twirled across the ground after taking a direct hit from the staff! "GAH!" Everything felt loose inside as he spiraled into the warehouse wall. 'It's not over YET!' Landing on his feet, he appeared before the golden warrior, slashing right at him. When one blade clashed with the staff, he sprung another. Tengen, moving back slightly, used the sounds of the metal to calculate the ricochet of his weapons and the spinning of the adversary's staff. "RrrrrAAAAAAAAUUUGHH!" Faster, faster they spun, sparks flying all over the desolate docks. Tengen evaded the staff and thrusted forward! Another block! A parry!

The warrior wasn't screaming…

The warrior wasn't sweating…

He was smiling…

That was when Tengen noticed he was using only one hand to twirl the staff and combat him.

CLANK!

~Gasp!~

Rengoku's surprise attack halted at the glimmering gold of this enemy's staff. He was forced back but saw an opening to strike. Closing the distance once more, he suddenly became disoriented after its tail clocked him across the jaw, and staff nearly hit him; Rengoku's sudden limbo had it pass over by a thread.

The staff grew in size, rotating and flinging into Tengen's blades.

He slid back and stopped when Lady caught him and patted him.

Bloody lip and bruised and battered skin didn't stop her from smiling at her comrade and finally drawing her Nichirin Katana. "Mind giving me a flashy throw into that furball?"

"Of course! Take its head, and we'll celebrate!" Locking hands, he spun around once, using his raw strength to deliver her directly into close-quarter battle! Aches and sores reared their ugly heads, taking Tengen's focus more and more to his injuries sustained. Between this monster and the other demonic sailors, it added up. "Hrrr!" His core muscles roared in agony like they were going to burst. But, with his strength, he looked back towards the large crate from which Lady obtained her new weapons, then shifted his gaze to a large cargo truck with an empty bed.

Smiling through the sparks, the golden warrior kept blocking Rengoku's flurry of attacks. Suddenly, he leaped onto his hands, performing a headstand with the staff wrapped around his tail.

BAAAAAAAAANG!

A single spin brought Rengoku and Lady to a halt. Both warriors inhaled, breathing techniques coursing through their veins and blood racing. Faster! They had to go faster! This hairy monster only smiled more and more the faster they went. He kicked back Lady to block Tengen's slashes! Then Rengoku's! Then Lady's!

"Is that all?"

A lighter, scruffy voice croaked from the golden warrior. He stopped spinning his staff, merely letting it rest against Rengoku, quickly pinning him but not letting go of it. He grabbed Lady's Nichirin Katana, playfully wincing as the blade tickled his palm. Then he crushed it, sending shards and pieces scattering all across the ground, just like the once intact hope of the Hashira, shattered instantly. His tail caught her other wrist, gun in hand, breaking it.

Snap!

Lady's shriek was enough to pierce the ears of all those in port. The golden warrior silenced her, slamming her head into the pavement and striking her with the staff like he was hitting a ball. Rengoku and Tengen pincered this beast, his staff extending to strike them both in the gut; a roundhouse kick shattered Rengoku's ribs and sent him right into Tengen, the both of them tumbling right next to an unconscious Lady.

"Not a single blow…!" Uzui huffed, breath escaping from all parts of him. "Ergh! Not… a single blow we landed…! Who… just who is this?"

Rengoku's mind spun like an out-of-control clock. Each neuron was winding like the restless hands of minute and hour, but he regained himself after a moment of full concentration breathing. Rengoku started coughing up blood to clear his lungs. 'My breathing needs to focus. I've never faced an opponent like this. It seems neither have my comrades! But no, I refuse to let them go down. I swear I shall hold this line until they can safely retreat.'

"Just… who… the fuck are you….?" Lady gargled on her blood. "Are you that Hypnose demon?" But the pure energy radiating off this beast startled her. 'I don't think this is a demon. It's too strong. It's almost divine. The aura… the pressure… I feel like it's crushing me!'

Step… step… step… step…

"My name? It won't do any good falling on deaf ears and closed hearts." The staff in its hand returned to a standard size, the significant extensions of his golden crown fluttering in the wind. "But the contract, agreed to by Rodger Ann Arkham, has been violated. I am merely here to make sure penance has been collected. While shortlived and neutralized, the consequences have been dished out to you sinners."

"Don't come any closer…" Rengoku wobbled to his feet, standing in front of the others.

Tengen slipped Lady's arm around his shoulders, powering through the pain as he lifted her to his feet. Her soft, tactical whispers let the Sound Hashira know she was still breathing, a blessing. "Power through; we are almost there. The end is in sight."

"I don't know which end. Hopefully, none of ours." She whimpered.

"We did our best. I can even credit your style of Arms Breathing to your flashy skills." Limping away from the two facing off, Uzui kept Lady close. With their plan in motion, both remaining Hashira left their faith in Rengoku to seal their escape.

Rengoku inhaled once more, his heart pumping, veins bulging, and blood boiling. The heat crawled through each crevice of his body. "You may not be so inclined to introduce yourself, but I shall…"

Not for self, but for country.

Lady's Uncle seemed to have the right idea for sacrifice. But Rengoku's idea far exceeded that. "My name is Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira! And I believe these brave men and women who served penance did it unfairly! They may have sinned, yes, but I do believe God forgives! I believe their sacrifices were not in vain and earned them the peace broken away from the contract that bound them!" His eyes watered each word like glass needles in his throat. Raising his sword to his shoulders, he took position. "I don't know what you are, but accept this proposal with grace and open arms… I will see my duty fulfilled."

The golden warrior nodded his head once. "I accept your proposal, Kyojuro Rengoku."

"Faint!" Reaching under his cloak, the Flame Hashira threw a cluster of 4 waffle-shaped balls faster than sound!

And his adversary caught them all with ease and a cocky smile. He even began to juggle them. "I don't think I require these decorative gifts. They seem rather bland and-"

BAAABOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!

"He did it!" Lady clutched Tengen tighter, flinching from the sound and force of the explosions. "That beautiful flaming bastard did it!"

"Oi, oi, oi, what the hell were you two planning?" Tengen yelled, limping and hightailing towards the open cargo warehouse.

"Don't you just-" ~COUGH!~ "-love the… sound… of grenades in the morning?" Lady sarcastically cackled at Tengen, giving him a freshly delivered shit-eating grin.

Appearing by their side, Rengoku smiled, "He accepted! I did put a ring on it!" Waving his hand in front of their faces, he revealed the four grenade pins dangling around his fingers.

"More like four…" Lady painfully cackled. "Ow…"

…

…

"Guys…!"

Looking back at the thick cloud of smoke, her eyes widened, and her blood ran cold. She met the eyes of the near-unscathed golden warrior beast. Slightly tilting its head, he extinguished a small flame on his fur by licking his fingers and pinching them over the ember.

"No effect?!" Rengoku shivered.

Tengen opened the door to the large flatbed truck. "Get in! Your supplies are in the back! We need to warn the others!"

Slowly but surely, the golden warrior approached the truck, staff in hand and extending.

Lady helped Rengoku in, then Tengen! Once inside, Tengen lifted her into the driver's seat. Finding the keys conveniently left on the dashboard, she slammed them into the ignition and attempted to start the truck. The ignition simmered, bellowing as it tried to start.

'Is there where it ends? By some monkey-looking demon beating us half to death over weapon supplies?' Never would Mary Ann Arkham ever think she would ask herself that question. With Tengen and Rengoku shouting for the truck to start, her mind scrambled. The shock began to overcome her, pain settling in with her broken wrist and other injuries sustained.

"Lady!" Tengen shouted, readying his weapons.

"Lady!" Rengoku followed his Nichirin Katana in hand, narrowly climbing to the truck's bed from the back cab window.

"LADY!"

'Mother, can you hear me? The ringing is louder now, and everything feels so… still.' The screams of her comrades assimilated into deafness. Vision blurred, muscles slumped, and her head couldn't look away from the demon warrior approaching them. 'At this moment, I don't feel like anything matters. I failed them. My body hurts, Mom. Just please save a spot for me, right next to you and Uncle Rodger, when I walk through those pearly gates.'

LADY!

BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

BOOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOBOOOM!

Like an angel's trumpet, the dreadnought horn restored the life inside of Lady. Shaking the earth with a thunderous clap, flashing lighting scattering her view and joining a fiery inferno. Dreadnought Nemesis' heavy guns fired into port, right onto the golden warrior. Again and again, each 12-inch gun fired mercilessly, tearing apart all in its path, all but a large black bird that quickly flapped its wings to get out of the sudden sneak attack. Each shell expended and exploded with enough fire to turn the night sky into day.

"Excellent shot!" Captain Rodger cheered with two other sailors, looking through his binoculars. "Keep firing! Keep firing!"

BWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

BOOM! BOOBOOBOOBOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOM! BOOOOOOM!

Lady fired awake again at the sounds of the roaring guns. Each shot, another slap across the face to stay in it! Snap back to reality!

"LOOK!" Tengen shouted.

Waving her off at the bridge, the captain and his officers on the bridge, overseeing this artillery fire. That was when the truck finally started! Cylinders roared, and exhaust fumed. Lady used the rest of her strength to shift the truck's gear into drive and floor it out of the warehouse. Rengoku smiled, hearing the sounds of those guns. It was like a rainstorm—a burning, sporadic shower of lead and gunpowder.

"Thank you, Captain…" Rengoku whispered, finding drowsiness, laying his body to rest. "For everything."

In the cab, Lady held onto her consciousness by a thread. Tengen was the only thing keeping her from ending up like Rengoku. "Hey… they're gonna be fine… right?" Lady slightly trembled, turning away from the Sound Hashira to hide her tears.

Uzui's eyes reflected the endless flashes and embers painting the port. The echoes of the cannon's symphony soon droned out by the humming of the truck's engine. He closed his eyes, taking a moment to absorb the ambiance of his surroundings. "Rengoku? He still has a heartbeat."

Lady grunted.

"Oh, THEM. I don't know, I think with that monster still out there-" Tengen's voice trailed off, spotting Lady's hands shaking a little more violently than before. Despite her swollen eyes still focused on the road, the tears were plenty visible. "-Yeah, they'll be just fine…"

…

…

…

"We're all going to be ok…."

To

Be

Continued...

---

Well wow, here we are! Welcome to the longest chapter I have written, clocking in at a little over 15,000 words! I had a very uphill climb with this chapter as I wanted to showcase the synergy and friendship between Tengen, Rengoku and Lady. Of course, a lot of Rengoku while he is still around- I MEAN- while we can showcase out favorite Flame Hashira's greatness!

I apologize for the delay because I was once again struck with writers block and the uphill climb in creativity in making this chapter work and end up the way I wanted. So! Let's dive in! We introduced a few new characters here! Two of them are OC's! One of them is the fictional Uncle of Lady, Arkham's brother. Yes, he was clearly the favorite Uncle... until he got caught up with Muzan and Hypnose. BUT! Here we are now! And finally, we have the introduction a new demon. Yes! Can you guess who he is? He will be a force of nature that will appear occasionally moving forward. But we watched our Hashira face a new threat they haven't seen before. A Praeto-Demon (A Devil May Cry demon / demon created in the underworld and not by Muzan). That should explain why the demonized crew was stronger and even a bit tough for the Hashira. They were Praeto-demons.

But, this enemy to seal the deal and fate of our allies is none other than Praeto-Moon Delta. Who he is, who he aligns with and what his goals are... remain a mystery. I hope you all enjoy this chapter and enjoy this little post-authors note scene for a smile. Be sure to like, follow, favorite, sub, and leave a review! Love it all and it keeps me motivated to continue moving the story as we prepare to move into... MUGEN TRAIN!

---

[7 Hours Later]

WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!

A sailor used a hatched to smash at a crystalized cocoon. With each attempt, more and more chipped away! Soon, the ship's captain joined in, hitting the blade of his hatchet into the same spot as his sailor. With one last good whack, the cocoon shattered, opening up and dispensing the intact body of a sailor covered in slime.

"We got another one!" The sailor shouted.

Captain Rodger quickly pulled the body off to the side. He didn't even need to check the dog tags. "It's Kennedy!" Placing his fingers under his jawline, he waited to feel something! Anything! It was just a sign that he wouldn't have to order another flag for a coffin!

A pulse.

"He's alive!" The Captain cheered; he lifted under his armpits as the medical crew arrived. "Kennedy is alive! Bring him to the chow hall; ensure there's water and bread."

Another voice shouted, "Wilson has been recovered! He is still alive!"

"Johnson has been recovered! Alive!"

"Delaney is alive and waking up!"

"The other medical team just pulled Riley's cocoon out of the water! He's still alive!"

Despite the medical team going into overdrive, each sound of a recovered sailor warmed their hearts.

"How many deaths from the port workers?" The captain asked.

The Lieutenant approached, "So far, we have none, just severe injuries. But it looks like they are going to make a steady recovery. Sir, was it the work of your niece and those two swordsman?"

He nodded, "They're Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. The best of the best and our heroes."

"Well, besides the millions of dollars in damage, it seems all our personnel are either recovered or recovered. None of them recollect a thing from the previous night, not even myself, sir." The lieutenant sighed.

"You have my word." Captain Rodger wiped the bloody slashes from his face with a cloth tower. "It was a night I don't think I'll ever forget." Aiding a medic in carrying a sailor back onto the dreadnought, Captain Rodger looked up at the late-night sky turning brighter; Dawn soon arriving.

"With the supernatural world revealed, we cannot return home the same as before. And fate has shocked us with this unexpected reward: a new organization to call allies. They live among the people, hiding between the cracks but watching over them secretly, waiting, protecting. I have witnessed their capacity for courage against insatiable odds, and though we are livelihoods apart, there's more to the Demon Slayers than meets the eye. We are the crew of Dreadnought Nemesis, and we send this telegraph to any nearby American vessels. SOS. We are here. We are waiting."

…

Slowly flapping its wings and landing on the warehouse roof, a smile formed along the beak of a familiar blackbird.

'Oh, how fun this was! Surely, those can't be the strongest fighters in the Demon Slayer corps, right? If so, they have much to learn.'

On the belly of the bird, a single symbol- no, a letter marked within the tattoo of a dreamcatcher. One symbol right in the middle of it all.

Δ

DELTA