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Chapter 26

○ Chapter 26 : ○
○ "A Forged Bond." ○

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1st Person POV

I'm close to the river! Who cares about this! I have my friends to protect.
Taking a deep breath, I muster everything in me to move the water.

"Don't you dare hurt them!"
If I remember right, Makomo told me that all I had to do was breathe out.

I exhale, the heavy water now forming into a dense ice around the demon's leg, and he tossed Tanjiro and Inosuke aside, the two of them landing safely.

He broke the ice easily, and I keep trying to repeat the same movements, but it's weaker each time until I give up, angering the demon even more as it lunged for me.

I stuck my sword into its chest, barely cutting anything, just getting thrown into the water and ignored.

"Why is its body so hard?!"
I get up quickly, looking toward the others for advice.

The demon grew even angrier.
"Don't come near my family!"
He shattered the boulder Tanjiro stood on like it was nothing.
"Stay away!"

I see Inosuke charge towards the demon, and I boost him up.

"Where are you looking at? I'm over here!"
Inosuke called out, ready to strike again, but right as he was about to, he got hit.

"Inosuke!"
I run up to him, grabbing him out of the water.

"Ow... All that force from a single swipe of its arm. I'm no good. I'm not at full power. Not to mention, the bleeding's making me stumble!"

I clench my fists.
"Oi! Demon!"
It turned to me, readying its fist.

"Strike me if you can!"
This was risky, but it's even riskier to put Tanjiro and Inosuke in danger, so I have to do this!
I start to run through the water, the demon chasing after me as I try my best to drive it away.
"I thought you'd be faster than this!"

Angering it would make it focus just on me, leaving the guys out of danger for now, but from the corner of my eye I can see them both not far behind.

"I'll hold it off! You two run away!"
I call to them, worrying and starting to stumble.

Tanjiro called out a warning as he sliced the base of a tree, causing it to fall on the demon, barely missing me.

I pant and struggle to catch my breath.
"Are either of you hurt?!"
I struggle to lock my eyes on them.

"We're fine! You?"

"I'll be fine!"
I jump out of the water, noticing the bubbles of air produced by the demon that began to emerge. I see Tanjiro change stances, watching him closely as he went to strike. 
All his sword struck was the tree, now lifted by the demon that escaped from under it, being thrown aside.

"TANJIRO!"

I could barely hear his voice now.
"Y/N! Inosuke! Don't die until I get back! That's one of the Twelve Kizuki!"

I reach for my glider to go after him, but stop when I can no longer see him, only hearing the echoes of his voice.

"Don't die! Don't die! Whatever you do, don't die!"