Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke arrived just in time to help Goku and Tengen fight Daki and Gyutaro.
(There are two demons now... How?) thought Tanjiro, noticing Gyutaro. (When I was with Goku, there was only one... Maybe that guy is the main body...)
"What's the plan, boss?" asked Inosuke.
"Tengen and I will fight the ugly one, and you and the others will handle that girl over there," explained Goku.
"Sounds good to me, Goku-kun!" exclaimed Tengen.
"Don't get cocky! There's no way you can win!" exclaimed Daki. "Not when the strongest two among you are ravaged by poison!"
"You're really stubborn, you know?" said Goku. "I told you I can handle the poison!"
"Wait, what?" said Tanjiro. "You and Uzui-san are poisoned?"
"Yes, we are. But this is not a problem. We'll defeat them and quickly heal ourselves," said Tengen. "Not to mention I already figured out how to take you out!"
"The solution is beheading you at the same time, since you're technically the same person!"
"Everyone always figured it out, but no one lived enough to see daybreak again against us!" said Daki.
"That's right! Seven for my sister, fifteen for me! That's the amount of Hashira we've devoured!" exclaimed Gyutaro.
"If you're trying to intimidate us, it's not working," said Goku. "You know what? I'm done talking. Let's enter into action..."
Before Goku could move, though, someone else entered into action.
"Thunder Breathing: First Form -- Thunderclap and Flash."
In the blink of an eye, Zenitsu attacked Daki, and the two of them flew in the sky.
"Boss! Leave that girl to me, Monitsu, and Gonpachiro, you help the old man fight that ugly man!" exclaimed Inosuke.
"Of course! Just like we planned..." said Goku.
"Watch your back, Goku!" exclaimed Tanjiro, while he followed Inosuke to reach Zenitsu.
"Same for you, Tanjiro-kun!" exclaimed Goku.
However, while the boy was still off guard, Gyutaro attacked him, trying to stab his chin with his sickles. Fortunately, Tengen took Goku and pushed him away, clashing with Gyutaro face-to-face.
(Tengen just saved me... I have to focus, if I want to live...) Goku thought. Suddenly, from up above, lots of sashes from Daki arrived and attacked Goku.
(Damn...) He thought, blocking the sashes with his sword. Meanwhile, on the roof of a house, Inosuke and Zenitsu were fighting Daki, slashing her sashes with incredible speed.
"You can't even get close to me!" exclaimed the demon.
"Shut up, Worm Woman!" exclaimed Inosuke. Suddenly, Daki released even more sashes, aimed at the spot where Goku and Tengen were fighting.
"Tengen, hold on! I'm coming!" said Goku. "Flame Breathing: First Form -- Unknowing Fire!"
Goku dashed through the battlefield and reached Tengen.
"Let's team up!" exclaimed Tengen. Now, both Goku and Tengen were side by side against Gyutaro, with Daki's sashes that kept arriving. However, Daki's sashes added to Gyutaro's blood slashes, which made things even harder.
"I'll cover your back, Tengen!" exclaimed Goku, blocking a powerful slash aimed at Tengen. (These slashes are so heavy...)
"Sound Breathing: Fifth Form -- String Performance!" exclaimed Tengen, clashing with Gyutaro with power.
(Goku-kun is injured... His shoulder stopped the bleeding, but it's a touch-and-go... To make things even worse, he's poisoned too, just like me... And those three up there... Won't last so long, at this rate! I have to end this quickly.)
Meanwhile, Goku was still slashing through Daki's sashes and Gyutaro's slashes.
(I can barely breathe... But I don't care... I'm the son of the strongest swordsman of all time... I'm the last Tsugikuni... I can't give up like this!)
Fortunately, all of a sudden, Hinatsuru -- one of Tengen's wives -- arrived just in time to try to help the heroes. With no hesitation, she threw her kunai, aiming at Gyutaro.
(What are those? Kunai?) wondered Gyutaro. (Why would they try suck a meaningless attack...?)
"Blood Demon Art: Rampant Arc Rampage!" exclaimed the demon, creating a dome with the slashes. Fortunately, Tengen slashed through them with ease.
(What? The kunai... hit him, too?) thought Gyutaro, noticing a kunai pierced into Tengen's ear. Then, Tengen cut Gyutaro's legs off, and the kunai stabbed Gyutaro's neck. (My legs won't regenerate! I knew it! These kunai are impregnated with something... Maybe wisteria...)
"It's your time, Goku-kun!" exclaimed Tengen.
Suddenly, from nowhere, Goku appeared, swinging his sword towards Gyutaro's neck. However, just when both Goku's and Tengen's swords were about to behead Gyutaro, the demon regenerated his legs.
(He has already neutralized the poison...!) realized Tengen.
"Blood Demon Art: Rotating Circular Slashes, Flying Blood Scythes!" exclaimed Gyutaro, and two tornado-like slashes appeared from the demon's arms. Without even swinging his arms, Gyutaro hit Goku, who got sent flying backwards.
"Sound Breathing: Fourth Form -- Constant Resounding Slashes!" exclaimed Tengen, countering Gyutaro's slashes, creating a few explosions. But then, Gyutaro vanished.
(Where did he go?) wondered Tengen. Suddenly, Tengen heard Goku's voice.
"Tengen, behind you!"
Tengen turned just in time to see Daki's sashes attacking him. Suddenly, Tengen noticed that Daki's sashes had blocked Hinatsuru.
"Hinatsuru!" screamed the Hashira.
"Tengen-sama, don't mind me! Think about the demon!" Hinatsuru said, but Gyutaro appeared just in front of her, placing his hand on her mouth.
"Don't worry, I'm surely going to mind you..." he said.
"Dammit! The sashes are blocking me!" exclaimed Tengen. Fortunately, Goku arrived to save the situation.
"Leave my bro's wife alone!" he yelled, attacking Gyutaro, slashing his hands, and dragging Hinatsuru away.
"You're fast," said Gyutaro. "How can you still move like that?"
"Because I am a Tsugikuni," answered Goku. "And because the voice of my father in my head tells me not to give up, not even in these situations!"
(I have to try using both Sun Breathing and Flame Breathing in combination, if I want to win...) He thought. Suddenly, Tengen jumped and reached Gyutaro.
"You have my gratitude, Goku-kun!"
Meanwhile, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke were still fighting Daki.
"These sashes are slithery, but they're freaking hard!" exclaimed Inosuke, slashing a sash. Then, he jumped and noticed Goku and Tengen about to behead Gyutaro. "Dammit! They're about to decapitate him! We have to hurry!"
"Here comes the next assault, Inosuke!" exclaimed Zenitsu. "We just need to make sure both heads aren't connected, no matter when!"
"Fine, let's do this!" exclaimed Tanjiro.
Back with Goku and Tengen, their blades got blocked by Gyutaro's sickles. "You wanted to behead me? That's never going to happen, you know?"
"Damn..." muttered Goku. Suddenly, from Gyutaro's body, other slashes started to generate.
"Goku-kun, hang on!" exclaimed Tengen. Suddenly, an explosion. Tanjiro heard it and turned.
"Goku! Uzui-san!" he exclaimed, searching for any answer. But nothing.
"Focus on fighting, Tanjiro!" exclaimed Zenitsu.
"Yes, you're right!" said Tanjiro. "We have to slash her from multiple directions, or it won't work!"
"Fine! If it's multiple directions that you want, just leave it to me, the dual-wilder, dammit!" exclaimed Inosuke. "The three of us together... can beat her!"
"Gotcha!" said Tanjiro. "Zenitsu, we're protecting Inosuke!"
"Okay!" said Zenitsu. Thus, Inosuke started running towards Daki, while Tanjiro and Zenitsu cut her sashes, protecting their friend. Until, finally, Inosuke reached Daki.
(He focused only on heading for me without any defense...!)
Inosuke smashed his two swords against Daki's neck and started to move his arms up and down, slowly severing the demon's head.
"I'm getting it done this time!" exclaimed Inosuke. "Beast Breathing: Sixth Fang -- Palisade Bite!"
And finally, Daki got beheaded.
Inosuke quickly jumped and grabbed Daki's head.
"Yeah! I did it! I beheaded her! Boss is going to be proud of me!" he exclaimed, while running with Daki's head in his arms. "I'm running away with her head, you two go to help the boss and the old man!"
"Gotcha!" exclaimed Tanjiro, jumping to another roof. But then, suddenly, disaster struck.
Gyutaro reappeared out of nowhere, stabbing Inosuke in the heart and poisoning him.
"Inosuke!" yelled Tanjiro. Inosuke slowly fell unconscious. (He got stabbed in the heart... Where are Uzui-san and Goku...?)
But then, the boy turned, and the answer was right before his eyes. Tengen was lying on the floor, poisoned and with his left arm detached from the body. As for Goku, there was not even a trace of him.
"Tanjiro, look out!" screamed Zenitsu, pushing Tanjiro away from the roof. Then, an explosion.
(Uzui-san and Goku died... If only I had noticed earlier...) thought Tanjiro, cursing himself. Then, the boy fainted.
Chapter 26 - End