"Ni-san… you need to get up. I need your help."
"Stop that… I want some rest. Can't you see I killed Upper Rank Seven…?"
"Ni-san, wake up. There's no time to rest."
"…Wait. The Seventh Moon?!"
She jolted awake with a sharp gasp, eyes darting around in confusion.
Tokito was covered in several of her arrows.
That demon's curse must have been unleashed on him.
She pushed herself up, her legs trembling—
as if they were telling her no amount of rest would be enough to move them.
But she couldn't stop now.
Not now.
Ryo's voice echoed in her head, begging her to help Tokito—
even if only a little.
She lunged forward, attempting an ambush,
but despite her flawless concealment, he heard her.
She retreated at the last second,
leaping onto a nearby tree and grabbing her bow, which had fallen close by earlier.
Panting, she forced herself to think.
Tokito is severing his own limbs…
His regeneration is faster than I expected.
Any weakness—anything will do.
She saw Tokito rush toward the demon's head, aiming to sever it,
but he missed—
cutting the lower ear instead.
The demon screamed then,
as if the pain were far worse than losing any other limb.
Even the ear—
it was weaker than it should have been for something attached to a demon's head.
And thinking about it…
the ears were aligned in a strange symmetry.
Should we cut the front of his head instead of his neck?
Yes, the neck is easy.
The ears are even easier.
But… the middle of the face?
Why not try?
I lose nothing by trying.
"Tokito-san," she called out,
"please try cutting the middle of his face— not his neck.
I noticed something…
We have nothing to lose."
She dropped from the tree and sprinted toward the Seventh.
Drawing her sword, she inhaled deeply, holding the air in her lungs
as if it might run out at any moment.
"Moon Breathing, First Form: Severing."
With inhuman speed,
she sliced through his arms, his legs, and the remaining ears.
Tokito stared at her in shock—
but quickly regained his stolen focus
and executed his final move.
" Mist Breathing, Final Form."
He struck with everything he had—
but his sword shattered.
A heavy silence swallowed the battlefield,
and both of them watched the broken blade
as it flew away.
"My sword broke…
Are you saying the center of his face is weaker than his neck?"
A scorching wind surged forth,
mixed with steaming liquid pouring from the eye embedded in his forehead.
The demon spoke, his voice monstrous:
"You wretches… I will never forgive you!"
"Tokito-san—your sword!"
Clover cried in alarm,
just before hearing:
"Demon Blood Art: Cyclone."
The area filled with suffocating, burning air.
Tokito was flung far from her,
forcing her to retreat to the top of a tree
just to catch a breath.
"You're the Seventh—what's wrong with you?"
"So strong, even against one of the strongest Hashira…!"
She whispered in frustration, glancing toward Tokito,
who was unable to move—
caught in the grip of one of those cursed winds.
Damn it…
She took a deep breath, closed her mouth, and charged back in.
The heat was unbearable.
Sweat streamed down her forehead as if she were drowning.
She drew her sword and sliced through the winds binding Tokito,
then carried him up to another tree, gasping as she spoke:
"Tokito-san…
the center of his face is the weak point."
"My sword is broken… damn it."
"You can borrow mine.
We have to end this quickly—
the village will be torn from its roots."
"I don't know if your sword will respond to Mist Breathing."
"We won't know until we try.
I'll distract him with my arrows—
go all out.
I'll aim for his neck with my final arrow,
and at the exact same moment you strike—
cut through half of his face."
He nodded, took her sword,
and rushed forward at full speed.
Mist and air are not separate things.
Mist is born from air—
just heavier, denser.
The plan is mine.
And if it fails… the responsibility is mine as well.
Clover—
you promised Sanemi you'd become stronger.
This is your chance.
Focus… focus.
Breathe. Pull yourself together.
If not for yourself—
then for him.
If you don't survive now,
you'll never reach the Second Moon.
If you don't win now,
there won't be another chance.
Her heart burned fiercely—
she wouldn't give up.
Her pulse was insane
as if it might burst from her ribs.
Her muscles were fully charged.
She ran beneath the moonlight,
like the lead actress in a play,
the world watching only her.
Focus… focus.
"Tokito-san—now!"
"Understood."
She advanced, gripping her final arrow—
the strongest one,
sharp as a blade to its very edge.
It cut into her palm,
drawing blood from its sharpness alone.
Her chest and neck ignited suddenly,
as if a mark had been engraved into her skin.
A red aura flared around her.
With all her strength,
she pressed the arrow to the Seventh's neck,
while Tokito gathered everything he had
and struck with her sword.
"Mist Breathing, Seventh Form."
"Moon Breathing, Fifth Form: Final Light Arrows.
The sword resonated smoothly with Tokito's energy
their forms aligning
as if they had read each other's thoughts.
After countless attempts,
his head split into two—
the upper half
and the portion connected to the neck.
His body began to disintegrate rapidly.
She stared up at the sky,
breathing erratically.
The heat inside her made proper breathing impossible.
Tokito looked at her, checking if she was alright—
but his gaze drifted to her neck and chest.
Her clothes had come undone, revealing a large mark—
a symbol of moon and stars,
adorning her skin,
glowing white,
like the moon itself.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes… are you?"
She answered with difficulty,
trying to stand—
but the last of her strength faded within seconds.
The world around her turned black.
A gentle silence settled in,
softening the alarms screaming within her body.
At that moment, Tokito's crow arrived,
carrying critical news from the Swordsmith Village:
"Mitsuri, Tanjiro, Genya, Nezuko—
have defeated Upper Ranks Four and Five."
Elsewhere, another message spread:
"Tokito…
and Clover have defeated Upper Rank Seven.
"Thank goodness… well done, Mitsuri. Well done."
Tokito said it quietly
before collapsing to the ground himself,
still gripping Clover's sword tightly.
"Quickly—
to the Swordsmith Village and the Forest Dome Village.
Help the others."
He spoke, issuing orders to Shinobu and her team.
…
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