The battle's end was in sight, yet Tanjiro's heart thundered in his chest, a dreadful realization creeping into his mind as he fought to regain his strength. The horizon glowed with the telltale blush of dawn—the Sun was rising.
His gaze shot to Nezuko, who was still out in the open, embroiled in the vicious skirmish. Horror twisted his stomach. She wasn't in the shade, wasn't hidden from the sky, and if the sunlight touched her, she'd…
"No!" Tanjiro's voice tore from him as he scrambled toward her, his body still aching from the earlier fight. "Nezuko, get back! You have to get out of the sunlight!"
But it was too late. The first rays crept across her skin, and a searing hiss filled the air. Nezuko gasped in pain, her skin bubbling and sizzling under the touch of sunlight. Her anguished eyes met Tanjiro's, and in them he saw both fear and something else—something resolved.
Tanjiro's heart ached, despair filling him as he ran faster. "Please…please no! Don't take her from me too!" Memories of his family, those he had lost, and the lonely journey since stabbed through him. He could feel the tendrils of helplessness closing in, clutching at his heart like an icy fist.
But then, Nezuko paused, breathing through the pain. Her body sizzled, but she didn't disintegrate. Instead, she withstood it.
A hazy memory dawned on Tanjiro—the medicine. It had been prepared by Tamayo, the kindly demon doctor. The last time they saw her, she had taken samples of Nezuko's and Bell's blood to prepare something that might aid Nezuko against the Demon Curse. Nezuko's eyes brightened with a flash of understanding; her body burned, yes, but it did not crumble. The sunlight washed over her like purifying flames, the last wisps of demonic vulnerability dissolving.
"Nezuko," Tanjiro whispered, his voice choked with relief. She had done it. She had conquered the one weakness every demon shared. She was immune to the Sun.
Suddenly, the pain left her face, and her skin stopped sizzling. She took a shaky breath, adjusting to the warmth of the light, her lips curling into a soft smile. "Big brother…I'm okay."
Tanjiro knelt beside her, his hands shaking with disbelief. He pulled her into his arms, overcome with gratitude and awe. His sister—his last remaining family—had transcended the bounds of her demon curse.
In the distance, Mitsuri and Genya finally cornered Hantengu's true body, striking him down just as the sun peeked over the horizon. His shriek pierced the air, cut short by the sunlight as he turned to ash.
Zohakuten, sensing the destruction of his core self, faltered mid-attack, his body crumbling to dust before Bell's very eyes. Bell exhaled, a trace of disappointment visible on his face as he sheathed his blade, muttering to himself, "So weak. Hardly enough to get my blood pumping." He sighed, casting a smirk toward the sunrise as he shook his head. "One day I'll find an opponent who can match me."
Unbeknownst to them, elsewhere, a pair of blood-red eyes gleamed with dangerous intent. Muzan Kibutsuji, the Demon Queen, had been watching through Hantengu's senses. Her elegant, ghostly features twisted into a smile, a mixture of fascination and longing.
"Nezuko," she whispered, her voice soft but thick with obsession. "You withstood the Sun, did you?" Her tone dropped, sultry yet venomous, as she traced the curve of her lips with a slender finger, eyes dark with desire and ruthless ambition. "So that's how it is. You've become the missing key…the perfection I've sought for so long."
Muzan's nails tapped thoughtfully against her wrist, her gaze smoldering with dark intent. "I must have her. Once I absorb her, I'll be invincible. Unstoppable." A smile curved on her lips, wicked and sensual, the anticipation building in her. "I will become perfection itself…and I'll make her mine."
With that, she drifted back into the shadows, her resolve now focused, her desire sharper and more dangerous than ever before.
At the Slayer Corps' headquarters, a quiet celebration took root as the warriors gathered around Nezuko, stunned and joyous at her newfound immunity to the Sun. Tanjiro clung to her, relief and pride in his tearful smile as she beamed up at him, unburned and whole.
"I knew you'd make it, Nezuko," Tanjiro murmured, his voice trembling with joy.
Bell looked on with a wry grin, offering a nod of respect as the others gathered around to express their awe and admiration. Genya, though more reserved, gave Nezuko a rare smile, while Mitsuri clapped her hands, tearing up from pure joy.
"Nezuko-chan!" Mitsuri exclaimed, enveloping her in a hug. "I knew you were special, but this…this is incredible!"
The Corps members settled into their celebration, setting aside food and stories in honor of their victory over Hantengu's twisted forms and Nezuko's triumph over the Sun. For the first time in what felt like ages, laughter and warmth filled the air, an easing of tension as they each took solace in their victory.
Yet Bell, standing apart from the revelry, cast a contemplative glance at the sunrise, his thoughts troubled. He knew that their battle with Muzan was far from over. The night had been filled with victories, yes, but with Hantengu gone and Muzan's curiosity piqued, the coming battles would only intensify.
Soon after, a crow arrived, cawing urgently as it relayed its message across the clearing. "A Hashira meeting has been announced! All Hashira are to gather at Oyakata-sama's estate at once!"
The celebratory air shifted as each of the Hashira prepared themselves for the journey to the Master's estate. They knew this was a pivotal moment—their battle against Muzan was only just beginning, and now, they had to ensure the survival of every Slayer and prepare for what lay ahead.
As the group began their journey, Tanjiro held Nezuko's hand, glancing at her with a newfound sense of hope, his heart swelling with a fierce resolve.
Muzan's reign of terror would end. And they would fight until it did.
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