The cold wind blew through the alleyways of the rented house as Ichigo, Tanjiro, Raiden, Hyro, Nobee, Rokuro, and Matsuya all gathered under one roof for the first time since entering the city. The rented shelter, though modest in size, felt like the last place of safety in a city now draped in illusion and peril.
They sealed every window, every door, and blew out every candle. Shadows flickered on the wooden walls from the fireplace, casting eerie shapes across their faces as they all sat down, weapons close by, ready for anything.
"We need to go over everything," Tanjiro whispered, his voice steady but tense.
Every detail was reviewed, every strange movement, every unusual silence, every overly fit civilian walking with the posture of a trained soldier. The 'town' had been perfect—too perfect. No women, no elderly, and every man looked more like a warrior than a trader. Smithies outnumbered marketplaces, and training grounds were disguised behind homes.
Ichigo's eyes narrowed. "This isn't a town. It never was."
"What do you mean?" Tanjiro asked, leaning in.
Ichigo rose to his feet. "There are no women here. No children. Every 'civilian' is a blacksmith or soldier. This city is not what it pretends to be."
Nobee snapped his fingers. "An illusion. We've walked into an army camp disguised as a town."
"A staging ground for invasion," Raiden added, his voice grim. "And we're in the heart of it."
Tanjiro stood. "Then we have no time. We must stop them before they attack the kingdom."
Raiden nodded. "The first step is to get word to the king. If they attack without warning, the kingdom will be crushed."
The group formed a triangle around a rough wooden table and began planning. The strategy was broken down into three layers:
Plan A: Hyro would silently leave the city and slip across the border to alert both kingdoms. No violence, no confrontation—just speed and stealth.
Plan B: If Hyro was intercepted, the remaining four—Raiden, Nobee, Rokuro, and Matsuya—would engage the border guards silently, clearing a path for Hyro without drawing attention.
Plan C: If the city was alerted and all else failed, Ichigo and Tanjiro would unleash devastation across the city, a full-scale assault meant to create chaos and destruction, distracting the army and giving Hyro time to escape.
Their minds were set. The mission was clear. The risks were immense.
That night, under the weight of war and the silence of their pact, they prepared.
The group emerged into the night like phantoms. Blending into shadows, they moved separately, each to their designated position.
Ichigo leapt effortlessly onto the roof of the tallest tower in the city, his blade sheathed but hand resting on the hilt. From there, he could see everything—watchtowers, gates, campfires, and the rhythmic patrols of unaware enemies.
Tanjiro melted into the alleys, taking position in the heart of the city, waiting to strike from within. His breathing slowed into the precise rhythm of Total Concentration, his mind sharp, senses heightened.
Hyro crept toward the city gates, sticking to the cover of buildings and crates, his steps silent. The others—Raiden, Nobee, Rokuro, and Matsuya—took positions near the southern border, hidden in the darkness, weapons drawn and nerves taut.
They all recalled the pact:
Plan A: Silent escape.
Plan B: Silent cover.
Plan C: Absolute destruction.
The minutes passed like hours. The air was heavy. Each heartbeat thudded like a drum.
Hyro reached the final turn, just meters from the gates. His eyes narrowed.
Suddenly—
The night exploded into light.
Thousands of torches burst into flame across the city. The false shadows peeled away as massive gates opened, and soldiers—more than two hundred thousand—stood in formation. The glow of their torches turned the city into a blazing inferno of preparation.
At the gate, a figure stood tall. A Mongol general, armored in blackened steel, his blade longer than a man's height. Behind him, a company of elite guards stared down Hyro with grim smiles.
The illusion had fallen. The ambush had begun.
Hyro's eyes widened, but his body moved before his mind could finish the thought. He lunged forward, slicing the throat of the nearest guard in a single, silent motion. Blood sprayed across the dirt, and chaos began.
Plan A had failed.
He darted toward the forest with the speed of a comet, vanishing into the dark.
From their position, Raiden roared. "NOW!"
Nobee sprinted to the gate and engaged the guards. Silent, swift, precise. His twin blades flashed like silver lightning in the firelight.
Raiden clashed blades with the Mongol general. Sparks flew. Their swords screamed in rage as steel struck steel.
Rokuro and Matsuya struck from the flanks, cutting down reinforcements with ruthless efficiency.
It was a dance of death. Blood, steel, and fire.
In the heart of the city, Ichigo's eyes snapped open. His blue gaze burned with intensity.
Tanjiro's eyes followed, dark brown and fierce.
"It's Plan C," Ichigo whispered.
"We end this," Tanjiro replied.
The two rose in unison.
Ichigo leapt from the tower, wind roaring past him. As he fell, his sword unsheathed, glowing with a bluish aura of concentrated energy. He landed in the center of a soldier formation, blasting them backward in a shockwave of force.
Tanjiro moved like a shadow through the streets, his Nichirin blade slicing through soldiers with masterful, precise strikes. His Water Breathing techniques painted the air with fluid, deadly grace.
The city descended into chaos. Soldiers ran in panic. Alarms rang from the towers.
Flames erupted from buildings as Ichigo unleashed wave after wave of raw energy, using the rooftops to strike from above.
Tanjiro's breathing techniques reached their peak. His movements became a blur. The sounds of splintering wood, collapsing towers, and dying screams filled the night.
Back at the gate, the four fought like demons. Raiden locked blades with the general, matching him blow for blow. Nobee's twin blades spun like a hurricane. Rokuro's strikes crippled formations. Matsuya guarded Hyro's path, cutting down any who approached the forest.
In the distance, Hyro disappeared over a ridge, running for the kingdom with all his might.
The plan was working—but the cost was heavy.
The Mongol army realized their cover was gone. They charged toward the city center, torches illuminating the path.
The city, once dark and deceptive, now blazed like a star, or a funeral pyre.
Amidst the destruction, Ichigo and Tanjiro stood back to back. Their clothes tattered, their blades stained with blood.
They looked up at the fiery sky as more soldiers stormed toward them.
Tanjiro's voice was steady. "Do we fall back?"
Ichigo shook his head. "No. We hold. Until Hyro makes it."
And then—
The screen fades to black.
We see a split panel—Ichigo's glowing blue eyes on the left, Tanjiro's fierce brown eyes on the right.
Both of them slowly open their eyes in perfect synchrony.
Their power surges.
Their final stand begins.
To be continued...