The resolve of Insect Hashira and Sacrifice

AN: To read ahead, try Patre0n. Enjoy!!!

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The world blazed under the fiery wrath of Rengoku's Bankai.

There was such heat the entire region around Kai, from the hut to the river, rippled like the space over the fire. Kai's tattered robes disintegrated, becoming ash. His entire body became dry instantly, his webbed hands and feet longing for the lost moistness.

The Golduck-Kai had finally shown its weakness.

With the use of the Forbidden Technique, Kai had already lost the use of his bodily functions. Not to mention, the Skill, Little War Horn, had gone to Cooldown, taking away 5 points from his actual Active Attributes, other than Intelligence and Breath. At this point, Kai was the weakest he had ever been after arriving here. Forget defending; it would be a miracle if he were to just stand up and move.

Yet, Blood Demon wasn't a pathetic fool or weak-willed being. He wouldn't face such an absurdity as Demon Slayers using Bankai while kneeling and looking over his shoulder. No. He must see in the eyes of his corrupted Unique Random World. He must get up.

Miracles often needed a spark of unyielding will to be born. Thus, a miracle did happen, sparked by Kai's thoughts.

Held by his monstrous will, Kai stood up and turned around, his body trembling like dry, rotten leaves. 'What's going on?!' He thought, seeing the giant flames engulfing the Flame Hashira's body. 'Why is a Character from this world using a move that is characteristic of Bleach Random World? If this Flame Hashira was a Contestant, I could've made my peace with it. However, he is a Character and a major main-storyline character at that. What the hell is wrong with this world?'

The spiritual flames surrounding the Flame Hashira gradually lessened and gathered towards a point, entering a dark, red silhouette.

From the lingering heat and rippling space, a figure walked out with a bare chest and baggy pants, a red cloak tied at the waist, reaching its ankles, and flapping without wind. The figure had a red mask covering its nose and mouth, its eyes blazing in the open like two beads of molten fire, and its hair was yellow and red, looking like flaming threads.

In the figure's right hand, and resting over its right shoulder, was a scimitar-shaped sword. The sword's edge was red, not because it was colored so, but because it was blazing hot; so hot that Kai could see the occasional explosions of tongues of fire bursting out of it.

Of course, this figure belonged to the Flame Hashira, Rengoku Kyojuro. But he seemed to have undergone a definite qualitative change and had become much more powerful. In fact, so powerful that even with the option of using Titan's Buff, Selene, and the last HP capsule, Kai's instincts screamed he wouldn't survive. Not against this man, standing tall, with his fiery gaze planted on Kai's broken figure. The only thing he could do now was to run. Only there lay a chance to live for another day.

This thought amused Kai so much that the corners of his lips lifted, becoming a crazed grin.

"Hahaha!" The laugh came naturally to Blood Demon. "And here I thought you had danced enough, Hashira," Kai shouted, blood seeping out of his mouth, nose, and eyes. "Show me, then. Show me the true power of this world, RENGOKU KYOJURO!!!"

The Flame Hashira said nothing. Yet, the faintest nod of acknowledgment could still be perceived by the audience. Rengoku lifted his sword and slashed down, a brilliant red-white-yellow stroke of the brush against the black, rippling space.

ROAR!

A gigantic, over 100 ft long fire dragon burst out from the sword. No. It felt as though the sword itself had come alive, materializing as a dragon. The dragon was made entirely of blazing fire, had a thick, snake-like body, and had two hands and two legs with four claws each. The dragon's head had two horns; coiling pillars of fire jutting out of the dragon head like two thorns. It had several thin whiskers; stray tongues of fire. And when it opened its mouth, letting out a majestic roar, one could see the sharp teeth in its mouth; all fangs made of fire as well.

It flew towards Kai, burning, destroying everything in its wake.

Kai smiled, his skin getting charred by the heat. He licked his lips, sending an intention to Selene. The white serpent entered the ground through his feet, and with a speed surpassing that of the dragon, rushed towards the Hashira.

Kai had finally decided to kill the Flame Hashira. Fuck Heart Rhythm! Fuck Dimensional Leader! Fuck everything! For now, he would rather see Rengoku's soul getting frozen, the light in his eyes fading with Selene's presence within him.

This was how he had killed Blooded Yautja in the last stage, by letting Selene enter its giant body through the shared branch over which Kai and the Yautja were standing. No wonder none could figure out how the Blooded Yautja had died, its death remaining a mystery. With Selene's using Soul Chill at 100%, there was hardly anyone below the 3rd Set who could survive her wrath.

The dragon and Selene crossed each other, one over the ground and the other several feet under.

It was then a new sound enlivened Kai's surroundings.

A buzz of thousands of insects took over the silence of the forest, and the most beautiful butterfly landed in front of Kai. Or so was the illusion she created.

The Insect Hashira had finally decided to act.

"Cry," she whispered. "Higurashi!"

Kai's face looked extremely dumbfounded, with a shadow of disbelief on his face. However, inwardly, he was roaring with laughter, calling back Selene before she could ruin the game.

The gamble paid off, it seemed to Kai. It paid off wonderfully.

Before coming out of the hut, Kai had flicked an HP capsule towards Shinobu as a precautionary measure. Besides, he had also deliberately told her to take it the next day to make her believe he had no other motive for giving it to her. It was a risk, the likes of which had made his heart pound with excitement. The Insect Hashira could have sided with the Flame Hashira, or she could've ambushed him, preventing him from running away. Yet, all risks were bound to have solid reasonings.

The reasoning behind this risk was the two resonances, Shinobu's past, and the false tale Kai had fed her during the last three days.

He didn't believe in resonances, others' pasts, and tales, but he did believe in himself.

It was all hoping that the Insect Hashira would take the capsule, gaining some strength, and then, if needed, would aid him against another Hashira, preventing Kai from using his trump cards.

The results of the gamble were there for all to see.

The buzz of insects intensified as Kai saw Shinobu's stinger-shaped sword glow with dense purple color, and shake like the flutter of the cicadas' wings.

The fire dragon roared, it's rush unstoppable. Outstretching its claws and opening its mouth, it arrived, hoping to turn Kai to ash.

Her sword met it first, like a wooden stick against a waterfall.

Shinobu got lifted off her feet, and her petite figure got slammed into Kai's chest, both vomiting out blood on the spot. Yet, Kai managed to keep his feet on the ground somehow. Another miracle, perhaps.

Gaining her chance, Shinobu attacked with dozens of stinging strikes at the underside of the fire dragon's jaw. Her speed was so great that Kai only saw around 10 out of who knew how many strikes.

The power behind the dragon's rush was great, but under Shinobu's meticulous control, it all got redirected upwards. The dragon flew towards the starlit sky, roaring, coiling, and burning everything.

With a dazzling boom, it exploded several hundred feet up in the air, portraying a great picturesque festival-like event.

On the broken, scorched ground, littered with shattered rocks and blood, both Kai and Shinobu panted, one deader than the other. In front of them, Rengoku walked, approaching them with large, prideful strides. The point of his scimitar-shaped sword was dragging over the earth, leaving behind a trail of fire.

"Explain!" he roared.

Shinobu giggled, her voice weak and gentle. "The night is so bright, Rengoku-san," she said. Her sword was still buzzing, propped up in defense, and her back was almost pressing into Kai's chest as if both of them were glued to each other.

Kai could feel her heartbeat. It was slow, but not weak. And her hair smelled of life; of victory.

"Shinobu Kocho!" the Flame Hashira shouted, pointing his sword at Kai. "He's a demon. How dare you defend him? You… of all…"

The Insect Hashira shook her head. "I am not defending a demon, Rengoku-san," she told him, breathing brokenly. "I am defending hope. My heart was conflicted as well in the last few days. Not anymore. We, of all, must not judge by appearance. With his powers, he could've killed me off already. But I'm still alive. He has his reasons, and… I believe him."

"Believe…" the Flame Hashira repeated the word, bringing down his sword. "What if your belief wouldn't be enough? What if he were to kill humans? And what if he is just a pawn? What about Nezuko? Will you take responsibility for everything?"

His words were fire, burning the crux of the situation. No matter what Shinobu believed, Kai could very well be a pawn of the King of Demons, Muzan Kibutsuji.

The two Hashiras went silent, one on the verge of exploding, and the other about to fall, losing consciousness.

"I will." Her voice echoed like a summer's call. "I will kill him if all that you said were to come true. I will bring back Nezuko, too. I will do my duty as Hashira, Rengoku-san. I am Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho."

"Very well!" the eccentric Flame Hashira said just two words before turning around and walking away. After nearing the river, Rengoku slashed upwards. An even more majestic dragon came roaring out, boiling the river under it. The Flame Hashira jumped, landing over the dragon's head, as the fiery creature swooped low before taking it to the air.

In only a few dozen seconds, the dragon had crossed miles, becoming the flicker of a distant candle against the full moon rising above the horizon

What the?! Kai gazed at the scene with an open mouth, recalling the strange personality of the Flame Hashira. The bout of weakness burst out of nowhere.

Kai's knees buckled, and he fell back, his remaining limbs refusing to answer his call.

A hand on his back prevented his head from banging against the ground. Shinobu lifted him, putting his numb left hand across her shoulders.

"You didn't have to do that," he said, looking ashamed. "I was ready to…"

"… die?" she asked, completing his words, her face pale and blood running down her chin. "It's so easy to die. But it takes courage to live. Also, if you had died, who else would have sung to me?"

Kai looked at her, their eyes matching under the open sky, and a field of fire burning behind them. Even with her paleness, her cheeks gained a rosy color.

And then they both burst out with a meek feat of laughter.

"You can let out Nezuko," Kai said, smiling, and once again gambling, "but don't let her go over 10 meters away from me. There's a blood connection between us now. If she were to go out of 10 meters' limit, all my life's work would go down the drain."

Shinobu observed the gentle smile on his face, which meant to say take her away if you would like. He won't stop her. Somehow, the Insect Hashira nodded.

The moment their feet touched the pile of straw on the floor, both fell together.

Kai could feel her hot breath on his face; they were so close. The darkest sleep was trying to kiss his eyes, but Kai persisted, turning his head to take one last look at his prize.

She was looking at him with her faded purple eyes, silver rays of the moon falling on her face along with the red shadow of fire through the open door.

Kai opened his mouth, and words melted on his tongue like snow.

"I loved a maid as white as winter,

with moonlight in her hair."

Shinobu closed her tired eyes and then opened them again. And then she lifted her sword, bringing its hilt between their faces. With one flick, a hidden mechanism opened a tiny compartment on the hilt.

Kai was already floating half in the realm of dreams and nightmares and half in the waking. So the moment he saw a red capsule falling out of the compartment, his pupils widened under his drooping eyelids.

"You…" Kai had just opened his mouth when Shinobu forced the red capsule into it and then took out a needle, stabbing it in his neck.

All strength must have left her too, for her hand fell on Kai's cheek lifelessly.

They looked at each other, one in amazement and the other with a smile.

Sleep snatched away their last remaining sense, their hearts skipping a beat in resonance.

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Higurashi - Evening Cicada

PS: The red capsule is the same one that Kai gave it to her, if you haven't figured it out. You know what that means... Sometimes, even Kai underestimates people, espcecially when it comes to these emotions. He is not all-knowing.