༶•┈┈⛧┈♛ ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

At the blast surrounding the duo, the chains melted in the heat, the woman's head bowed, her hair covering her eyes, and yet anyone near her could sense the threat of dread surrounding them, the atmosphere suffocating, and the air of violence surrounding her.

Muzan looked down at her, time freezing around them, the blast slowly beginning to envelop each of them, but the demon couldn't miss the slowed movement of the woman tipping a small vial into her mouth, liquid falling through her throat, and a remnant of the liquid cascading down her chin.

Time froze, her mind fogged and her heart raced as he stretched his palm out to her, a visibly panicked expression covering his features, as if he was trying to prevent what was going to inevitably happen.

The halfling head tilted so he could see her slit eye, and only then did he notice the bloodlust- the purest of hatred he has felt in his thousand years of existing...all surrounding her form.

The demons mouth parted and her dark pupils reflected the image of Muzan reaching out to her, his claws exposed, and his expression tense.

his ears began to ring as the scene around him silenced.

The air was still.

The moment settled and hovered as sound stopped, movement was put to a halt, and all sense of feeling was taken away. Muzan was frozen, his dark eyes never once reflecting the light of the world and his ebony hair, never once rendering his appearance appealing.

The halfling's eyes dark and her soul silently cries out to someone- anyone it could reach. Her pain was too great- her bloodlust only grew every second she had her eyes on the demon, her bak hunched over and her body slowly becoming consumed by the flames, just like the demon beside her.

Then gradually, time arose once again and moved sluggishly on before returning back to its normal pace.

The blast was deafening.

The agony of the flames tearing through your flesh, peeling away each layer without mercy, the heat of the moment overwhelming, and the lack of breath that mattered to your lungs felt suffocating, even if it was for a moment. It felt like hell, yet it didn't hurt so much in the spur of the moment.

It wasn't as bad as what Muzan had done to her not long before, but there was a small, not so painful, tingle that she felt when it came into contact with her shape. She was surrounded by nothing but the flames of the explosion, though it was only for a moment. her senses were quickly overrun by the scent of smoke as well as burnt flesh.

Coming into contact with the explosion was like a jolt. A jolt that awoken her body in as many ways as it could, making her senses aware, causing her mind to race during the moment her skin came into rough contact with the flames. But again, it didn't hurt, it was more of just a tingle that ran through her, like you would feel if you accidentally held your hand over a fire for too long. Her body felt unnaturally warm, like it was being embraced by another, yet it was far from comforting- No, it was too hot for it to be comforting, as well as the fact she was fully aware of the consequences she would face once the explosion ceased.

But once, again, her pain was far too great for her to really care.

Muzan struggled to stand, his hands flying in front of his face to prevent any more damage to his already lost skin, the layers slowly peeling themselves back together as quickly as he could manage, all while grunting in annoyance, grumbling under his breath, but even in his panic, he was unable to tear his eyes away from the halfling.

While he was struggling in the flames, she slowly stood to her feet, her silhouette dark against the bright blaze surrounding them, her aura...it felt so hotter than the flames, more overwhelming than the blast, more painful than the dead man that caught them both in the blast....it was so much all in one, and for once in a very long time...

Muzan felt a chill run down his spine.

She slowly turned around to face him, head tilted to the side, and what he could make as a tear falling down her face, her eyes reflecting nothing less of the purest of rage, the most incredible feeling of hatred Muzan had felt from her, ever. And, even within the flames, he could hear her voice mumble simple words.

I'm going to kill you.

Muzan finally regenerated, his hand outstretched towards her in an attempt to get her back-

"Blood demon art: Flesh seed!"

A loud cry sounded across the scene, and all of a sudden, deep spikes embedded themselves into his body, rendering him frozen in place, his outstretched hand becoming stuck in place. Muzans eyes widened, unable to move.

The halfling soon disappeared into the smoke.

Tamayo raced forward. Muzans eyes widened. Tamayo, determination flashing through her eyes, quickly plunged her hand through the demon's stomach. Muzan gripped her free wrist, teeth grit in annoyance as he watched the woman struggle. "Tamayo..! Why are you here?!" Muzan exclaimed.

Tamayo grit her teeth, a bead of sweat running down the side of her face, her eyes finally moving to meet his own. The woman let out a shaky smile, brows twitching and her pupils thin with fear. "You absorbed my fist, Muzan..Do you have any idea what's inside it?

A drug that turns demons back into humans."

Muzan let his teeth grit, a bead of sweat running down the side of her face as the woman continued on. "Do you feel it starting to work?" She huffed, shaking her head to move the stray strand of hair out of her eyes.

Muzan felt his brow twitch. "You shouldnt be able to-"

"Oh, but I've done it!" Tamayo cried, her eyes filled with fear and the crazed glance that was in the halflings eye. "The situation completely changed! Though, it would've been impossible for me to do on my own."

The demon grit his teeth, gripping her hand tighter, the woman letting out a grunt of pain. "You're one stubborn woman, Tamayo, and your hatred towards me is unjust..." His eyes narrowed, still frozen in place by the spikes. "Who killed your husband and kids? Was it me? It was nobody but you.."

Tears formed in Tamayo's eyes until they streamed down her face. She swallowed down before she let out a cry. "If i knew that would happen, i would've never become a demon! All I wanted was to not die of my disease! I just wanted my kids to grow up..!" Her cries become more shattered as she went on, voice cracking and pupils flashing with internal undealt with agony.

Muzan let out a breathy chuckle, his hand crushing through her wrist and moving to grip her head as he let out a sickening smirk. The woman let out a cry of pain. "Then you killed a whole bunch of humans after that. Was that just an illusion too? I noticed you had a lot of fun eating those humans.." The man's nail sharpened, all before he struck his thumb into her eye. She flinched.

"That's right...I killed people after falling into the depths of despair..." Tamayo began, voice shaking and her eyes spilling more and more tears as the smoke began to clear. "So...to pay for my sins..

You and I are dying right here!

Himejima- Now, please!"

Muzan let his eyes widen, his gaze turning to the side to watch the large blind man manoeuvring his way through the rubble, chains dancing around him and tears streaming down his face. "NAMU- AMI- DABUTSU!"

Muzan twitched in his place as Gyomei let out a grunt, swinging the spiked ball towards his head, and all of a sudden-

Muzans head exploded on impact.

Tamayo let her eyes widen, Gyomei hurried to pull back the spiked ball, and Muzan remained standing, all before slowly...his head sewed itself back together, and he let out a breath, his teeth grit in annoyance.

Muzan tugged his hand away from the woman, allowing her to let out a grunt of pain as her blood splashed to the ground. He extended his hand towards Gyomei, eyes focused on the man, and without any more actions, vines of thorns sprouted from his palm. They weaved and swerved around the scene, all before they launched themselves at the hashira.

Gyomei remained calm, only allowing his eyes to narrow before he let out a deep breath, his weapons retreating back to his form.

As the thorns quickly reached the blind man, he tightened his grip around the chains, all before he manoeuvred his chains to surround his form. The vines weaved towards him, however, at the contact of his Nichirin weapons, they were cut away from the root, and all slipped to the ground a moment later.

Muzan grunted to himself in annoyance, readying his next attack.

"YOU BITCH! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO OYAKATA-SAMA!!"

"OYAKATA-SAMA!"

"OYAKATA-SAMA!"

Voices all cried throughout the area, some of their voices cracking with fear, others remaining strong with the illusion that they were strong enough, but Gyomei quickly put them to rest.

"It's Muzan! Kibutsuji Muzan! He won't die, even if you cut off his head!"

Tanjiro grit his teeth, eyes flashing with rage as his lungs cried out. "MUZAAAAN!"

It was all so sudden.

The pillars dashed into the scene, one appearing after the other without hesitation, all of them united with their blades ready to strike. All of them united with one goal:

End Kibutsuji Muzan.

Muzan watched around him, a smirk forming over his features. His eyes met Tanjiro's.

Tanjiro's eyes widened.

Without warning, everyone froze in place, looking down at their feet as the panelled floor opened up into the fortress below, and all of a sudden, they began to fall through, into Muzan's domain.

Muzan let out a crazed grin, his pupils thinned and his voice almost erratic as he cried out. "You seriously thought you could corner me?! You're all going to hell! You pathetic pests- I'm killing you all tonight!"

It was only a moment later that they all fell through the ground, all into their respectable spaces and areas, leaving Muzan and Tamayo. He looked down at the woman, his hand moving to grip back at ehr skull. "Now...what to do with you...-"

He couldn't even see it.

As soon as his hand landed on the woman's head, it only took a second, and it was there, on the floor, blood pooling around his sliced arm, his brows furrowing. "Huh?"

Tamayo's eyes widened, watching as his hand thudded to the ground. It was like a miracle has just struck, like a glimmer of hope was left standing in all of the chaos. She couldn't help but let a smile grace her bloody and teary features...

For the guardian had finally arrived.

His hand regenerated in an instant, but that wasn't the problem-

No...the problem was every time it regenerated, it would fall off effortlessly, over and over, and over.

And it didn't stop there, no.

One moment, it was just his hand that was repeatedly sliced completely off, then it was his other hand...then his right leg...it wouldn't stop.

It was happening so fast- the exchange of his body parts being sliced off, and regenerating- it almost looked like the scars and the wounds weren't healing. Like nothing was happening as he healed himself.

This was a battle of speed...

But he couldn't even see his opponent.

A cry breath sounded. The demon turned his head over his shoulder. His eyes widened. His head fell to the floor. Tamayo let her breath pause.

(Y/N) sood crouched, one eye slit, steam surrounding her form, her eyes closed, a breath slowly slipping through her lips, blood drenched on her clothes and over her skin...

As Muzans head regenerated, he gritted his teeth, letting out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. She was fast...too fast. He swore she was faster than Kokushibou, healed quicker than douma, attacked faster than anything he had ever seen apart from once all those years ago-

Oh, now he understands..

Muzan watched as she slowly stood to her feet, her back to him, shoulders rising and falling as she panted, her knuckle guards stained with blood. The demon smirked. "Ah, now I see. That traitor, Akaza, brought you their blood, didn't he?" He narrowed his eyes.

Tamayo could only hold her breath as the woman remained silent, not a word falling from her lips, not a twitch of her body...she looked so calm and peaceful..but it was to the point it made shivers run down Tamayo's spine.

"Oh? Not speaking, are we? That's fine, I'm sure you'll talk once those hashira die-"

She was so fast.

It didn't even take a blink and she was there, face to face with the demon, eyes clouded with rage, her fist reeled back, her body crouched, and her cheeks stained with blood and tears, and yet...she remained silent.

Muzan gritted his teeth. Suddenly, the walls of the fortress rose around them, surrounding the trio and taking them deep into the fortress. Muzan smirked, all before his body began to morph. The halfling let her eyes widen.

She jumped away, attempting to reach for Tamayo too, but she was far too late.

The man's body burst into a clump of flesh, and that was all the halfling could see before a thick wall sprouted in front of her, separating her from the duo that remained, Tamayo letting out a cry of surprise as the demons flesh clung to the walls and slithered around her body until she was stuck in the mess too.

The halfling reached out her hand in a last ditch effort, but she quickly retracted it when a wall dashed upwards, her hand moving away before it was sliced off, and yet...she said nothing..

It wasn't long before she skidded to a stop, crouched to the floor and her teeth gritted in annoyance, and yet she didn't speak.

From the walls, creatures emerged, reaching towards her to strike her down, and even then, she didn't say a word.

It only took a flash of her movement, and all of them were struck down without warning, all without any noise falling from the woman's lips...

And soon, the halfling felt her knees buckle, tears streaming down her face, her body knelt on the ground and her forehead touching the floor as she gripped the clothing around her heart...and then she let out a cry.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHH!"

Tears slipped down her face, her breaths heavy and her heart pained as she cried...she couldn't help herself anymore...the silence was only because she knew that if she let a single word slip..she would collapse in on herself just like she was doing now.. "Kagaya... Amane...I-...I'm so sorry..!"

She let her voice cry through what space she had, body shaking and trembling, her heart feeling as though it had been stabbed repeatedly. She shook her head against the ground, uncaring of wiping her tears. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry...I'm sorry...!"

And once again, she let out a cry of her soul, her body closing in on itself as much as it could, all until her pants and screams of internal pain withered down to small hiccups and a shaking of her shoulders.

But then, in the depths of the darkness of the situation, a sweet chirp sounded through the scene.

The halfling flinched, her head snapping towards the sound, only for her eyes to widen and a sad smile to fall onto her face. "(b/n)...you're still here.." The bird chirped its sweet tune before it jumped to her and landed on her shoulder, rubbing its beak along her face, catching her tears. "I'm so glad.." And even now, she couldn't stop her tears and her shaking.

She slowly sat up, sitting on her knees, but still looking to the ground. "I...couldn't protect them...I'm so-...im so sorry.." She felt her tears increase as she spoke the words. "I..wanted to drink the blood there and then, but...Amane.." The halfling grit her teeth, her hands moving to wipe her tears away, even though they kept falling. The robin only let out a small tune. "If I hadn't gotten caught...If I wasn't so frustrated...this wouldn't have happened..." Her fists clenched, teeth grit. "I swear...I'm going to kill him, (b/n)..with my bare hands.." The woman stared down at her fists, watching the nichirin guards glisten in the light of the fortress.

Slowly, she raised her head to stare ahead of her, brows furrowing in determination, tears still slipping down her cheeks, eyes filled with rage..

"I'm going to kill Kibutsuji Muzan...I swear it." 

༶•┈┈⛧┈♛ ♛┈⛧┈┈•༶

We're nearing the end and i cant wait to show you all what i have in store, but i just wanted to take this moment to thank you all so much for the support and al the reads! This really means the world to me, and i cant wait to move on after this story with all of you! 

I hope youve enjoyed! :D