"You....think, a child like you......" he growls, venomously. Blood pooling beneath, as he became slowly regenerating the wound I pierced. ".......could ever become strong? I wish, you.......were no child of mine......you're dead to me......"

His footsteps shook the ground from his large reptilian physique, before opening his jaws wide gathering energy about to blast scorching water at me.

Suddenly a heavy hurricane of an attack came barreling down, causing Kuragari's body to break the earth beneath him. My silver eyes widen in surprise as there was Ryuji, attacking from the blindspot as he drove his blade deep into the skull. The gust of wind spread in all different directions, as my hair flies back from the massive blow. It all came in the spur of the moment, and I was even taken back by Ryuji's sudden strength of power.

Silence soon falls resting in the quiet growth of the forest, allowing myself to register to what had happened as I drag my blade to my knees.

Feeling myself suffocate under the pressure I began to choke up blood, my body hunches over trying to cough it up than letting myself drown in my blood. Clutching my chest, my breath came in short gasps of air trying to ease into the sustained injuries. Did we finally win? Glancing up I saw a shadow cast over his eyes, his anger exploiting through his emotion. He wasn't okay, and definitely looked overexerted. Despite him being one of the strongest hashira, he sure used everything in this battle as if he was weak.

He draws his blade from the thick scaled flesh from father's skull, as his body reverts back to his original demon form to human size.

"Big brother........" I utter out, finding it difficult to speak.

He doesn't response to me as he raises his blade to the neck, allowing him to take the final blow and end the upper moon. It felt all too easy, yet this mission was the hardest I'm accomplished so far. Finally gathering strength in his strike, Kuragari's hand grabbed the blade and snaps it with every bit of strength with a furious expression. Using his other hand he went to send a power punch Ryuji's way, but big brother dodged the attack.

The demon stood up rolling his broad shoulders back, with his scales more prominent than before with his eyes ablaze with rage. 

He grinds his teeth before he charges towards me without warning, causing my breath to hitch as I push myself to my feet and blocked his attack with my blade. My muscles strain under his immense power, that my joints were weakening and I couldn't perform another breathing technique again. "I'm gonna kill you! I'm gonna end you and our lineage! You're weak, you're worthless and you'll only become fodder for us, demons!!!"

"GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF HER!!!!!"

Father turns around sharply only for a second, allowing me to drive the blade through the back of his nape. Ryuji grabs the demon and throws him off me, using the blunt end of his blade and jabs it into the demons eyes and gouges it out. It leaves a bloody and gory sight, causing father to regenerate much slowly this time.

This it it! We've got this now! 

"I'M NOT DYING TODAY!!!!!!!!!!" 

Easily by his desperation to flee from the sun, Ryuji locked his rms around him with all his strength and might. His muscles bulge, his body covered in bloody scars and a thin layer of sweat dripping down. Father began to scream out, in a frenzy as he thrashed violently to flee the burning sun that finally graced the mountains. My heart raced in anticipation, seeing the sun slowly drawing nearer to the two on the ground. 

"Thats it........come on......" before finding my vision blurring, and ears ringing again. "Please...?"

However my eyes slowly widen in horror when the Demon began to glow from his scale markings, unleashing a demon art that knocked me from my feet. Hitting the ground on my knees, the jolt ran through my aching body.

The mist from the snow slowly clears as my eyes slowly widen; my breath hitches. There I saw Ryuji's body leaning against Kuragari, unmoving against his shoulder.

Blood drips down into the pool of blood beneath them, not understanding who was the one that was bleeding. Realising they were beneath the shadows of the growth of trees, it gave Kuragari extended time before he burns. What's going on? I don't understand? Shouldn't he be getting exhausted by now?

Standing up I take heavy footsteps closer, lifting my blade while trying to reach them "Ryuji...?" I shakily choke out, in shock.

I can't feel anything again........my body.....

"Sorry son, this could've turned out better......." Kuragari's growls lowly, before releasing Ryuji's body into the snow with a heavy thud. He remains unresponsive, ".........if you only became a demon...I would've spared you life....."

A shallow gasp follows, "R-Ryu--"

Before I could even utter a word out, a pair of golden eyes were in front of mine with malice not giving me time to react.

Out of nowhere he delivers a blow following with a sickening crunch to my ribs, causing the wind to knock from my lungs. Blood erupts from my mouth as I try to gasp for air, as my body collides into the ground again as the earth breaks beneath me. Tears stings the corners of my eyes, as it all came in crashing waves of agony and my vision was fading in and out. How am I even still alive now? 

He soon pulls on my hair tightly letting a whimper slip, "I'm gonna left you writhe in pain, til you draw your last breath," his voice came out muffled, feeling my ears ringing continuously. 

Throwing my head forcefully into the blanket of cold snow, my eyes follows his movements before he suddenly disappears into thin air. Tears subconsciously roll down, melting the snow beneath my cheeks while closing my eyes to ease the pain.....

I failed............

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