To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

62 • Omen

"We will win! We're called demon slayers for a reason." Tengen declared in spite of the growing dread inside of him. So what if there was poison in his system? If there was one thing he knew Shinobu and Inori could do better than what the entire corps could, it was creating antidotes and poisons made specifically to fight demons.

"You can't win!" The annoying younger sister shrieked back. "Not if the pillar you're counting on is poisoned!"

"Listen here, scallion! There may be poison in my body, but I'm still more than your equal! Even if you cut off my limbs, I'll come biting back at you! Don't underestimate us humans!" Grinning wider than ever, Tengen declared loudly, making sure the three boys who had just arrived knew what to do. "These three boys are my prized successors! They won't run! They've got guts! And I know your tricks! We just need to cut both of your heads at once and you're dead! Hah! So damn easy!"

"That 'easy' ain't going to be easily done, man. How many do you think have died trying to do that 'easy' thing?" Gyutaro grinned. "As for pillars, we've eaten plenty of them. I got fifteen and my sister got seven."

"That's right! Nobody's going to be alive by sunrise!" Daki laughed, leaping forward to attack Tengen. "The long night will always be our ally! You're all going to meet your deaths here!"

Zenitsu swiftly blocked her attacks, sending the demon flying out of the building. He was soon followed by Inosuke, who declared, "Oi, Monjuro! Girly Old Man! Leave the maggot to sleepyhead and me! You deal with the mantis!"

Tengen swiftly threw Tanjiro back as soon as Gyutaro had his sickle aimed for the slayer's neck, not even wasting a second to parry the incoming slashes. He jumped back when Daki's sashes suddenly attacked him from above.

For the first time, I envy the kid's tiny build. Tengen tried to deflect all of the sashes and sickles, getting nicked by the poisonous blades every now and then. In terms of speed, I'm the fastest. But the kid surpasses me in agility. A messy but wide attack like this, weaving through them is the kid's specialty, especially since she's small. He gritted his teeth as more and more poison entered his system. If it's her, she wouldn't have gotten a single hit from his sickles.

Tengen had fought against Inori enough times to know that while she would be at a disadvantage against opponents with strong brute strength, she wouldn't lose when it came to a game of dodging and weaving through gaps. That was, after all, how they always managed to work together without exploding or cutting each other.

No use thinking about it now. Tengen blocked the sickle aiming to pierce through his skull. I have some resistance to the poison, so I must lop his head off before my body stops functioning.

Tengen clenched his teeth as he was continuously cornered and attacked from all directions. Tanjiro had been protecting his back, but the Sound Pillar knew the boy was at his limits. They needed to finish the fight quickly.

To buy time. Tengen didn't even bother injecting the antidote Hinatsuru gave him, immediately gulping the liquid down his throat with one hand while his other swung his sword. He could immediately feel the antidote taking effect, reducing the inflammation on his skin.

"What did you drink, man? Your movements suddenly got better." Gyutaro continued to swing his sickles, grinning more and more widely by the second. "Whatever antidote you have won't work. Nothing you humans create will ever affect us upper moon demons."

Tengen internally cursed as he got nicked again. The antidote gives me better resistance, but if I get too much poison in my system, it will eventually lose effect. He was sure Hinatsuru had another dose hidden somewhere, but asking for one while he was fighting was impossible. Did I use it too early in the fight? I'll just have to finish it before it loses effect, then.