Sanemi always found himself running. Running to his siblings. Running to Masachika. Running to Ubayashiki. Running to Genya. And now, running to Kanae. He can only hope that God would finally have pity on him and allow him to reach on time and not reach too late, like every other time.
At first he thought it was some kind of sick joke. Why the hell would slayers be here in the Butterfly Mansion? Then that wimp of a kakushi mentioned they were 5 years in the past, and Sanemi just froze. What threw him off wasn't the fact that the kakushi got the supposed date wrong, its that the date was the day before she died. How could he forget? He still remembers the news when his crow announced her death. He swears to God he almost strangled the damn bird. But what hurt the most was that he couldn't do anything. Kanae died against Upper Moon 2 and the only person who witnessed her death was her 14 year old sister. Kanae died at the age of 16, just a year younger than Sanemi and Giyuu at that time, a young yet sadly average age of death for a slayer. Then Giyuu tells him that they might have traveled back in time? And while Sanemi finds that statement to be the most ridiculous thing he has ever heard, he accepts it. He's horrified, sure. But he immediately accepts the situation that somehow they are in the past and on the day Kanae dies, because it births opportunity.
So Sanemi runs. Runs with only Giyuu knowing where he's going. Strictly speaking, protocol states that he must report to Ubayashiki if he were to make a decision like this. Yet he couldn't waste any more time and had to rush immediately to her location. Besides, he wasn't sure if he could see Ubayashiki in the face. After the final battler and his self sacrifice, Sanemi was sure he couldn't look at the man that was like a father figure to him (one better than his actual one) without breaking the wall holding his emotions. So he just leaves. Giyuu would have came if it weren't for a mission he received from his crow when he woke up. However before Sanemi left, Giyuu parted him with some words.
"We can talk about our situation later... Right now you need to go... Uppermoon 2 will be there so be careful... and Shinazugawa... please save Kocho"
"What the hell do you take me for! Of course I'm saving her!"
"I'm well aware you're saving Kanae-san. I just ask that... you make sure Kocho doesn't lose her sister..."
And Sanemi understood what Giyuu said. Ever since Kanae death, Sanemi tried to help Shinobu, but he's ashamed to admit that he couldn't help her much. And because of that, she had to deal with the loss mostly by herself and in turn, adopt her personality and poison herself. Sanemi understood that Giyuu also wanted him to save Shinobu. To make sure she doesn't head down that path again. That lonely path of hatred... He'll make sure of it though. He will do everything in his power to save the sisters from Uppermoon 2. He can only hope he will also make it back alive. After all, he and Giyuu have lots of stuff to figure out when he gets back... well if he gets back.
Sanemi is almost at the location. Even after 5 years, the date and location of her death are still imprinted in his head. He left early morning, and Kanae will die just before sunrise the next day. That leaves with almost a days time of travel. However the location is far from headquarters, so Sanemi had to improvise. Using total concentration, he ran at full speed for 2 hours in that location before spotting a train. He quickly then managed to hop on the train and tag along the route before hopping out and going into the woods. The timing is tight, but he can't rest one minute. The consequences would be to high. So he keeps running for 1 hour. Then 2 hours. Then 3 hours. Then afternoon passes. Then the sun starts to set and the moon rises. Still he doesn't stop. This time, he's going to make it in time.
Sanemi finally reached the location. It was a manor, with flowers all around the front porch, multiple stories, and writing on the walls. Sanemi caught a glimpse of "Paradise Cult", but he couldn't care as heard the noise of clashing coming in the middle of the manor. He rushed past the rooms and caught the scene. She was there, fighting Uppermoon 2. He couldn't catch a glimpse of her face as her back was facing her, but he could tell she was breathing heavy. All of a sudden, Kanae faltered, and Sanemi could see the demon about to go for a fatal blow to her chest. Immediately Sanemi rushed towards the fight. "Wind Breathing, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter!" Sanemi said as he rushed to the blow and unleashed horizontal slashes to block the demons fans.
"Oh? What do we have here~" Douma said, his face demonstrating a normal face of shock.
"Sa-Sanemi?!" Kanae exclaimed behind Sanemi. There's no doubt, that was Kanae's voice, yet Sanemi couldn't look, or else he would falter. So instead he doesn't respond to her and places his gaze directly at the demon's rainbow eyes.
"I hope you're ready to die, bastard!" Sanemi says before rushing to the demon and unleashing 5 arching slashes at him. 'Fifth Form: Cold Mountain Wind!'
Douma dodges the first 3 slashes and counters the other two with his fans. "My my, what's with the attitude? I don't really appreciate my dance with Kanae-chan, however you seem very angry and protective of her". "Oh my!" Douma then says as he covers his smile with his fan. "Can it be that you're her boyfriend?"
"Piss off!" Sanemi retorts before rushing again to Douma with a slash. Douma rushes forward and clashes his fans with Sanemi's sword, making their faces just a foot away.
"My~ Perhaps that's why Kanae-chan is so hostile towards me! Don't worry, I'll make sure to free her, and have her be one with me~"
Sanemi pushes him back and jumps. 'Seventh Form: Gale, Sudden Gusts!' Sanemi thinks as he unleashes a powerful gale-wind towards Douma.
"Blood Demon Art: Frozen Lotus." Douma calmly says as he unleashes an icy slash that counters Sanemi's slashes.
"Tch". Sanemi knew he would be tricky, but Douma isn't even trying. Sanemi has to switch his strategy. If he only had his de- '
Wait that's it!' If Sanemi unleashes his slayer mark and his red sword, he can stand a chance against Douma.
"Don't breathe in the air Sanemi!" Kanae says worried, and Sanemi covers his mouth.
"Aw man~ Kanae-chan! You ruined the surprise!" Douma says in a playful tone.
"Damn it, its too cold that my lungs are freezing" Sanemi muttered before gripping the handle of his katana tightly. Soon his katana slowly turns red, peaking Douma's interest.
"Oh? Are your swords supposed to do that?" Douma questioned.
Sanemi responded instead with four vertical slashes to Douma. 'Second Form: Claws-Purifying Wind!'. Douma uses his blood demon art to cancel the slashes, but then is met with Sanemi's sword coming down on him, making Douma once again block with his fans. Then both Douma and Sanemi vanish, only leaving after images of them clashing, destroying the surrounding area. Kanae, using the little power she has, quickly escapes the damage and leaves the manor.
"Blood Demon Art: Scattering Lotuses," Douma says as he unleashes small petals.
'Third Form: Clear Storm Wind Tree!' Sanemi thinks as he unleashes multiple slashes to defend himself. This helps avoids the damage from the small petals, but doesn't stop the collateral damage to the room, causing both Douma and Sanemi to escape into the moonlight. With no time to waste, Sanemi immediately clashes to Douma (making sure that he avoids Kanae's gaze) and continues to use forms to damage them. They both go on trade blows before Sanemi finally manages to slash Douma's hand.
"Huh interesting~ I wonder why my arm isn't generating that fast? In fact it kind of stings~ What did you do? And why do I feel the urge to devour you? I only find delight in tasting women, yet your blood seems to have a special effect on me~"
Sanemi didn't have the energy to respond. Despite avoiding multiple fatal blows, his skin is filled with multiple cuts, leaking blood all over his skin. Sanemi still couldn't avoid breathing some of the cold air, so he's extremely short-breath. 'Damn it! Why is my damn mark not showing!' Despite the long battle and the crimson sword, his mark still hasn't appeared. He's certain his heart his beating extremely fast, conditions similar to his fight with Upper Moon 1, yet the mark hasn't appeared. 'Could it be that the mark won't appear until the kamado brat gets one?' Sanemi thought.
"Oh my, you certainly are something! Unfortunatly you don't pique my interest as much as Kanae-chan, so I'm just going to kill you first and then devour Kanae-chan~" Douma says smiling before dashing to Sanemi.
'This is it," Sameni thinks as he backflips to avoid the attack. "Ninth Form: Idaten Typhoon!" Sanemi screams as he unleashes a power attack of wind to Douma. Douma uses his blood demon art, but fails to avoid cuts and slashes at his limbs. Regardless Douma continues to attack with a fury of attacks to Sanemi, and vice verse, Sanemi matches his slashes with his own. With the cold wind filling the atmosphere, the environment gets blown away and frozen with ice. Both Douma and Sanemi take many blows and cuts, both not able to heal the wounds fast enough but regardless not relenting in their attacks. When Douma creates lotuses and vines with ice, Sanemi cuts them up and lands an attack on him. When Sanemi sends multiple slashes below Douma, Douma creates ice shards to counter the slashes and hit Sanemi. Like a chaotic blizzard, both sides don't relent and harshly send multiple attacks to each other. However just when Sanemi thinks he's starting to get the hang of the demon's attack, Douma sends a powerful attack.
"Blood Demon Art: Crystalline Divine Child~" Douma says as he creates two miniature clones of himself and launches them at Sanemi. Sanemi dashes straight at the clones with the intent to kill.
"First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter!" Sanemi shouts as he unleashes non-ending slashes to the clones. However the clones, albeit not as powerful as the original, unleashes attacks that minimize the damage caused by Sanemi.
'Damn it! At this rat-'. Sanemi wasn't able to finish that thought as suddenly, a white and grey haori flash in front of him.
"Flower Breathing, Fifth Form: Peonies of Futility!" Kanae says as she unleashes 9 consecutive slashes that damage the clones and boosts the damage from Sanemi. As such, the clones were destroyed, leaving two damaged Hashiras in the waking and a Uppermoon that hasn't gone full power yet.
"Oh my~ Very nice teamwork you guys share!" Douma cheerfully says before looking at the sky. The sky is slowly starting to light up, an indication that the sun is about to appear.
"Unfortunately, it seems my time is up here. I hope we meet again Kanae-chan! I would love to dance with you again~". And before the Hashiras could react, Douma vanished. Sanemi was furious. Thought were flooding his bleeding head. How could I not kill him? How could I make him escape? Why was I so weak? Where was my demon slayer mark?
"Sanemi! Are you okay?!" Kanae said in a worried tone, and Sanemi finally looks to his side and sees her face for the first time. His hearing was compromised, and his vision was getting blurry. He was pretty sure that a figure appeared in his peripheral figure, at right now he could care less. Despite the conditions placed on his senses, he can see Kanae clearly. She was bleeding in her leg and arm. Her chest was rapidly rising and declining, her breath extremely short. Her lips and chin were spewed with blood. Yet her eyes, they had the same glow that he fell in love with. The eyes of a medic, one of worry and care. Her hair in her signature hairstyle with butterfly clips. Despite her uniform stained with blood, there was none on her bright haori. No, there stood Kanae standing, breathing, and alive. Sanemi just slowly walked to her and hugged her, producing a surprised reaction from her.
"You're fine... you're here" Sanemi somberly said quietly. She was here. He could feel her in his bloody hands. He could see and touch her hair. As his vision blurred and his legs got weak, he could hear a muffled concern from Kanae, but he didn't care. He got to see her one more time, and for the first time, he finally reached on time...