The roar of battle echoed in the shattered remnants of the Infinity Train. The fiery light of Kyoujuro Rengoku's last stand still burned brightly in the hearts of those who had witnessed it, but the battle was far from over. The demon Akaza stood over the fallen Flame Hashira, his body bruised and battered from the clash, a look of bitter amusement in his eyes as he stared down at the lifeless form of Kyoujuro.
Kyoujuro's death had been a moment of sorrow for his comrades, but for Akaza, it was an opportunity to make a mockery of it. The demon extended a hand toward Kyoujuro's body, his face twisted with a mix of mock pity and disdain.
"You were strong, Flame Hashira," Akaza murmured, his voice a low growl. "You could have been so much more. Why die like this when you could have been one of us, a demon? I would have spared you."
But Kyoujuro's sword remained in his hand, his death a sacrifice, a refusal to join Akaza's wretched existence. Without a word, Akaza's fingers curled around the still body of the Flame Hashira. He offered the transformation—an eternity of power and immortality—but Kyoujuro chose to sever that thread of fate. In his final act, he had beheaded himself with his own sword, refusing to eat humans, refusing to live as a demon.
Akaza's eyes flickered with a mix of rage and begrudging respect. He hadn't expected the Flame Hashira to make that choice. The demon let out a frustrated sigh, his mood turning darker.
"You think you're better than me?" Akaza spat, his voice laced with venom. He turned his attention to the remaining Demon Slayers—Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Tanjiro—all of them struggling to move in the aftermath of the chaos. He was in no mood for mercy. With a snarl, he lunged at them, his body a blur of motion.
Zenitsu, still trembling, tried to rise to his feet, his blade shaking in his hands. "D-Don't do it!" he shouted, his voice raw with desperation, but Akaza was already upon them. He easily knocked Zenitsu to the ground, his strength overwhelming.
Inosuke gritted his teeth, growling as he stood to face the demon, his boar mask caked with sweat and dirt. But even his wild spirit couldn't stave off the overwhelming power of Upper Moon Three. In a flash, Akaza dealt with both Zenitsu and Inosuke, leaving them incapacitated on the ground, only Tanjiro still standing between him and the dying train.
Tanjiro's chest heaved, blood dripping from his wounds. His body ached, and his heart was heavy, but there was something he had to do—something he had to protect. He closed his eyes, drawing upon his last reserves of strength. His breathing slowed, his technique shifting into the recovery breathing method he had learned.
He was exhausted, but he could not stop. Not here. Not now.
"I'll never let you win," Tanjiro whispered to himself, his resolve as sharp as the blade he gripped tightly in his hand.
With a fierce determination, Tanjiro faced Akaza, his breathing steady despite the pain radiating through his body. He forced himself to stand tall, knowing he might not survive this, but he had to give everything he had. He had to buy time for his friends, for Nezuko.
"Let's finish this, demon," Tanjiro muttered, his sword raised in defiance.
The fight was intense. Akaza attacked with overwhelming speed and strength, his fists crashing against Tanjiro, sending him tumbling back with each strike. Despite the damage, Tanjiro fought back with every ounce of his strength, his blade slicing through the air in desperate retaliation.
For a brief moment, Tanjiro held his own, but the power difference was too great. Akaza's fist collided with Tanjiro's gut, and the force of it blasted the air from his lungs. Tanjiro's vision blurred, but he didn't falter. The blade in his hand was still steady, and he shoved it into Akaza's neck, pushing with all his might.
Akaza's eyes widened in surprise as Tanjiro's blade barely sank in. Tanjiro's strength was fading fast, but he would not give up. The sun was nearing the horizon, the faint light from the dawn creeping over the hills in the distance. Akaza snarled, his eyes filled with fury.
"Let me go!" Akaza screamed, his body writhing with rage. "Let me run! The sun's almost up!"
But Tanjiro refused. His grip tightened on the hilt of his blade, and with every ounce of his remaining strength, he buried the blade deeper into Akaza's neck. He would not let the demon escape.
Akaza screamed in pain, his hand reaching out in one final desperate attack. His fist flew toward Tanjiro's head, but it stopped just inches away—held back by Tanjiro's shaking hand. His breath ragged and strained, Tanjiro looked into Akaza's eyes with unwavering determination.
Before Akaza could react, Tanjiro's strength failed him. Akaza ripped his arms free with a sickening sound and leaped backward, howling with rage. He darted into the woods, retreating, unable to escape the daylight.
Zenitsu, barely conscious, gritted his teeth and forced himself to his feet. He couldn't let Tanjiro die in vain. With all the strength he could muster, Zenitsu threw his katana. The blade disappeared in a trail of blue lightning, piercing through the air and striking Akaza from kilometers away.
But Akaza, grinning through the pain, barely acknowledged the blow, continuing his escape toward the woods, uncaring for the pain that now coursed through his body.
Tanjiro dropped to his knees, his body giving out as the last of his strength drained away. His vision blurred, and his thoughts turned to Nezuko. The pain in his gut was unbearable, but he still managed to find a smile as he spoke, his voice hoarse.
"Zenitsu... Inosuke..." Tanjiro whispered, his words strained but filled with trust. "I trust you both. Protect Nezuko. Bring her humanity back. I know you can do it. You're both strong."
His head turned to the sky, the first rays of dawn breaking through the clouds as he let out one final, trembling breath.
"Forgive me... I couldn't buy you a new kimono..."
With those final words, Tanjiro Kamado, the one who had fought so fiercely for his loved ones, died with a smile on his face, the tears in his eyes a testament to his love for his sister, his friends, and his will to protect them until the very end.