But Not As Fierce
Word count: 2151
<—>
Fujino charged at Akaza, delivering an upward slash aimed at him. Akaza raised both arms to block the blow, but Fujino cleverly altered his attack at the last second, using the force to pivot and unleash a roundhouse kick toward Akaza.
Akaza deftly sidestepped the kick and retaliated with his own, prompting Fujino to retreat quickly. However, he stumbled and fell onto his back.
Seizing the moment, Akaza lifted his leg high and brought it crashing down. Fujino managed to twist his body just in time, narrowly avoiding the stomp by a hair's breadth.
Rengoku then sprang into action, employing his breathing technique to slash at Akaza's arm and inflict a wound on his torso before Akaza caught the blade, holding it firmly.
In an instant, Akaza's arms healed, and he launched a vicious uppercut. Rengoku's remaining eye tracked the incoming strike as he prepared to dodge.
"Wind Blade!" Fujino unleashed his signature wind arcs toward Akaza, forcing the demon to swat them away. While they didn't cause any real damage, they were a nuisance, which Fujino found somewhat satisfying.
Rengoku managed to wrest his sword free from Akaza's grip. "Flame Breathing, Third Form: Rising Scorching Sun!" Flames flickered behind the blade as it sliced upward, catching Akaza in the eyes.
A sadistic grin spread across Akaza's face, clearly relishing the fight, only for it to be interrupted by a punch.
"Precision Strike!" Fujino used his ability against the demon, causing Akaza's head to shift slightly, which brought him a sense of satisfaction; It was better than nothing.
Not one to back down, Akaza retaliated with a punch that could easily break bones. Fujino intercepted the blow with his sword, producing a loud clang and a shower of sparks as he blocked the attack.
Anticipating Akaza's next move, Fujino ducked just in time to evade a sweeping palm strike that could have crushed his skull.
Fujino braced himself, anticipating Akaza's next attack. He ducked just in time to avoid a powerful palm strike that could have easily shattered his skull.
However, Akaza was no ordinary fighter. As Fujino attempted to regain his footing, he was met with a brutal knee strike that slammed into his face.
"Uck!"
[-184 HP]
[Broken Nose: -5% DUR
Time limit: 30 sec]
With a broken nose and his senses reeling, Fujino felt Akaza seize his wrist, crushing it with a vice-like grip. The katana slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground, where Akaza promptly stepped on it. Without missing a beat, Akaza delivered another knee strike to Fujino's stomach.
[-68 HP]
[-218 HP]
[Health: 590/1060 (+7/sec)]
[Stamina: 785/1120 (+7.5/sec)]
Just then, Rengoku intervened with an attack. "Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!" His sword sliced through both of Akaza's arms as he raised them, preparing to crush Fujino. Rengoku executed a backflip, creating distance between them.
"I have to say, even though this is our first encounter, your teamwork is impressive," Akaza remarked, offering a backhanded compliment to Fujino.
"Yuki-san, are you okay? Can you stand?" Rengoku knelt beside the injured man, helping him to his feet.
"Yeah, I'll be fine," Fujino replied, reaching for his sword, only to discover that Akaza had shattered it, leaving just the hilt and a small piece of the blade.
"Oh, my bad… I accidentally stepped on it," Akaza said, feigning remorse.
"Shut up," Fujino retorted, his voice low. He had learned that Akaza thrived on provoking him, and he was growing weary of the taunts.
"Yuki-san, your sword is broken. You should step back and let me take over."
Fujino's gaze fell on the remnants of his blade.
[Nichirin Katana (Green)
Rarity: Legendary - Durability: 11/220 - Power: 5
A remarkable sword forged from a rare material called "Scarlet Ore." It possesses the extraordinary ability to absorb sunlight, allowing it to change color. This weapon is particularly effective against demons. It is currently broken beyond repair.]
"Are you sure?" he asked, eyeing Rengoku's battered form.
Rengoku bore multiple injuries: a crushed eye, broken ribs evident from his labored breathing, a slight limp suggesting an ankle injury, and fingers on his left hand that were clearly broken.
Fujino winced at the sight; unlike him, Rengoku didn't have the luxury of regeneration.
"Nope. Even so, I've still got my fists." He remarked, his right hand firmly gripping the blade. Unlike in video games, a damaged weapon can still be effective, and there was enough metal for him to slice through the demon's neck.
"Are we finished? Can we get to the fighting?" Akaza asked, his grin filled with battle excitement returning.
Rengoku took a deep breath, filling his lungs to the brim. "Yuki-san, let me take care of this; I'll wrap things up now."
"What? No way! I haven't had my chance to take this guy down yet!" He objected, and Rengoku shot him a stern look.
His single eye radiated determination, resolve… and acceptance, causing Fujino to freeze in place.
"Heh." Fujino stepped back, conceding to Rengoku. "Alright, but just call me Fujino. 'Yuki-san' feels too formal for me."
Rengoku smiled and nodded. Then he turned his attention to Akaza, his expression shifting to one of seriousness.
He took a stance, legs spread apart, his right foot in front of his left, positioned sideways, with his sword raised above his head, the sharp edge facing the sky. His body twisted and leaned forward.
A small gust of wind erupted from him, the air around him heating up significantly. He felt like a ticking time bomb, ready to explode.
"Akaza! As a Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, I will fulfill my duty and kill you." He declared, muscles tensing for the final blow. "Flame Breathing… Esoteric Art…"
Akaza's eyes widened, and his smirk grew. "Such fighting spirit… you must become a demon, Kyojuro! I refuse to watch your skills wither away!"
'Remember, Kyojuro: set your heart ablaze.' He closed his eyes for a moment, envisioning a woman's face, filled with kindness and warmth. He would always cherish his mother and her wisdom.
'Thank you, mother. For everything you've done for me.'
Then he opened his eye, which blazed like flames.
"…Ninth Form: Rengoku!"
Rengoku charged ahead, his form enveloped in flames that twisted into the shape of a mighty dragon. It felt as though the very heavens and earth quaked at its sight.
Akaza laughed maniacally, reveling in the moment as he rushed to confront the slayer, a brilliant blue aura surrounding him. When they collided, a massive explosion erupted, followed by a whirlwind of fire.
Fujino's jaw dropped in awe; it was the most incredible display of power he had ever witnessed, reminiscent of a scene straight out of an anime.
As the whirlwind subsided, it left behind a haze of dust and debris. Fujino held his breath in anticipation, aware that even the slayers behind him he knew were watching closely.
The dust settled, revealing Rengoku standing tall... But with a hand piercing through his chest. Any hope Fujino had quickly vanished, mirrored by the shocked expressions of the other slayers behind him.
'Shit.' If even the Hashira couldn't withstand this, what chance did he have?
"I warned you time and again, Kyojuro! It pains me to see you not reach your full potential, yet you chose to reject me, why?" Akaza shouted, his anger palpable at this expected turn of events.
Rengoku remained silent, blood trickling from his mouth. The hand had clearly pierced his heart, obliterateit in the process. He felt his body growing numb, his vision blurring.
'I'll... S-see you soon... M-moth—' he would never finish that thought as he took his final breath.
The Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, had fallen to the Upper Moon 3 demon, Akaza.
The demon casually withdrew his hand, slick with the Hashira's blood and innards, as Rengoku's body crumpled to the ground. Akaza regarded the lifeless form with a cold stare. "You should have accepted my offer, Kyojuro."
He then shifted his attention to the last remaining slayer, who immediately braced himself, glaring at Akaza with fierce determination and hatered. Despite being a nuisance, this slayer had outlasted the Hashira, mainly because Akaza hadn't taken him seriously.
But that was about to change.
'Alright, alright, alright, it's okay, it's okay, it's okay, Rengoku's gone. But it's not all lost; dawn is just around the corner. I just need to buy some time and hope for the best.'
"Wow, you really—" Akaza appeared right in front of him, moving so fast that Fujino barely registered it. His eyes widened in horror as he saw multiple kicks heading his way, leaving him with no chance to evade.
[-153 HP]
[-280 HP]
[-46 HP]
[-120 HP]
[-109 HP]
[Broken Ribcage: -20% DUR
Time limit: 3 min]
[Broken Arms : -15% DUR - (-20%) STR
Time limit: 6 min]
[broken Legs: -15% DUR - (-20%) AGI
Time limit: 6 min]
Fujino was thrown back, blood spilling from his mouth and nose, his limbs twisted at odd angles. He crashed against a train carriage, creating a deep enough dent to keep himself hidden.
[-10 HP]
[Health: 82/1060 (+7/sec)]
[Stamina: 279/1120 (+7.5/sec)]
"I don't have time for you, dog," Akaza remarked, glancing at Fujino with indifference before shifting his attention to the terrified slayers huddled nearby. He dismissed the boar boy and the ineffective water breather, noting their complete lack of fighting spirit, too frozen to even utter a word.
Instead, he focused on the boy with the hanafuda earrings, his intended target. Though fear gripped him like the others, there was still a flicker of determination in his eyes. Akaza's expression darkened as he noticed a demon standing protectively in front of the boy.
'Tch, damn traitor. I'll make her pay for betraying Muzan-sama.' He glared at them with malice. 'Is that it? Are they really not going to make a final stand? At least that animal shows some courage, even if it's futile.'
Just as Akaza was about to charge at the slayers, a sharp pain shot through him unexpectedly.
"Hgk!" He spat, his eyes widening in shock. It was unusual for an upper moon like him to experience genuine pain, even from Hashira attacks; he had grown accustomed to it by now.
But the source of his discomfort became clear when he felt a knee strike his groin.
The kick to his jewels was devastating, even for a demon.
Furious, he spun around, ready to retaliate against whoever dared to humiliate him. But instead of the familiar sensation of crushing bone and blood, his fist met an open palm.
"Wha—" He looked up to see the culprit: the very animal he had just thrown aside, somehow still standing and daring to confront him.
Akaza launched his other fist, determined to pierce through his opponent's chest and rid the world of this menace. To his astonishment, his attack was blocked, leaving him in shock.
'How is this possible? His strength has increased drastically; he wasn't like this before!' It was then that he noticed Fujino's features. The man had taken on a wild—no, demonic—appearance, reminiscent of his transformations into a demon.
In fact, he was a demon.
'But Muzan-sama clearly explained how his powers work; he needs blood to transform. So just how did this cretin achieve this on his own?' Those thoughts had to be pushed aside for the moment.
"Get out of my way!" he yelled, trying to wrench his hands free from this worthless existance so he could erase it, aiming for the brain this time.
Yet, no matter how hard he pulled, the demon's grip felt like iron. Just as he was about to shout in frustration, he was met with a headbutt that ignited his fury.
"GET OFF ME!" he roared, retaliating with a headbutt of his own, which shattered Fujino's face and loosened his hold on Akaza's wrists, allowing him to finally break free.
Fujino collapsed to the ground, as if a puppet had its strings cut. The only indication of life was the shallow rise and fall of his chest.
"Die!" Akaza sneered, raising his right leg with all his might to crush the creature. But fate had other ideas.
Suddenly, he felt a searing pain in his right side, as if he were caught in a furnace, engulfed in flames. Akaza screamed and leaped back, already dreading what he feared most.
The sun had risen.
'Dammit, dammit, dammit! Of all the times, why now!? I have yet to complete my mission!' Without hesitation, Akaza sprinted toward the nearest shade, which happened to be the forest near the crash site. In an instant, he plunged deep into the trees, successfully escaping the deadly rays.
Silence enveloped the battlefield, which lay eerily quiet. Signs of the fierce struggle were everywhere, and the remaining slayers could only look down, grappling with a mix of shame, guilt, sorrow, and despair.
In the end, no one emerged victorious.
Taisho-era secrets!
<—>
In the days that followed, rumors spread like wildfire in japanabout the Mugan train incident. People were astonished that a train could derail so dramatically without a single casualty. They also speculated about the damaged land nearby, which had nothing to do with the train itself. Various conspiracy theories began to emerge, but only a handful of individuals were aware of the real story behind the event.
<—>
Rengoku would never have been able to beat Akaza, as even in canon he was clearly holding back against him to turn him into a demon. The same thing happened here, except that Akaza held back way less since he was fighting two people.
A donut will always be a donut, no matter what.
So what did you think about the fight? If you have any feedback, please share with me, as I would like to improve my skills more and more.