Using Shundō, I appeared in front of Tanjiro, blocking and slicing through a dozen of Muzan's whipping attacks. Tanjiro looked worse for wear.
"Ryou-sensei!" he called, panting.
I noticed two things about Muzan, his body was now riddled with scars that looked aged, a sign that his regeneration was deteriorating, and he seemed more desperate. "Tanjiro, I'll cover you. Your katana's having a greater effect than mine." Frustrating as it was, pride wouldn't stop me from supporting Tanjiro and avenging Eri and Kagaya if it meant ending this here.
"Yes, Ryou-sensei." With that, we plunged back into the fray, Tanjiro executing his Sun Breathing forms while I created space, taking on Muzan's relentless assaults.
Suddenly, Obanai joined us, stabbing into Muzan's neck and withdrawing in a flurry of slashes that took off his head. He joined us at our side, providing additional support, and soon, more Hashira reentered the fight. Now, with Muzan on the back foot, we started closing in, our relentless attacks pushing him to the edge. A Kasugai crow overhead shouted, "Thirty minutes! Thirty minutes until dawn!"
A smile spread across my face as Muzan attempted to retreat. "Where do you think you're going, Muzan?!" Giyu and I unleashed a coordinated strike.
"Tenth Form: Constant Flux!"
"Nemesis Cursed Slash!"
Our attacks combined, creating a deadly water dragon wrapped in black and red energy, slicing Muzan vertically in half. The brief opening allowed Mitsuri and Obanai to join in.
"Second Form: Love Pangs!"
"First Form: Winding Serpent Slash!"
Mitsuri's flowing strike cut Muzan's arms off while Obanai delivered a swift series of slashes that dismembered his arms, legs, and remaining whips. "You worms!" Muzan roared, attempting to strike Obanai with more whips.
"First Form: Godspeed Thunderclap and Flash!" Zenitsu blitzed in with a flash of lightning, severing all of Muzan's whips and allowing Obanai to retreat safely.
"Twenty-seven minutes until dawn!" another crow announced as Muzan grew visibly panicked, his left arm suddenly expanding. Tanjiro yelled, "He's trying to divide!"
Forcing cursed magic into my eyes and brain, I tracked the shifting energy in Muzan's body. Just as his arm was about to explode, it didn't. 'Tamayo's drug.' I thought with satisfaction. Without hesitation, I Shundō forward, slicing Muzan's left arm and upper torso apart, kicking his legs aside, and channeling cursed energy into Muramasa for an explosive attack that sent him toward the others.
We moved in, striking in unison as Muzan coughed up blood, his expression turning from shock to rage. But as we closed in, a powerful shockwave burst from him, hitting our nervous systems directly, leaving us momentarily paralyzed in agony. I struggled against the pain, watching Muzan retreat as Inosuke charged in to stop him. I forced myself to move, Shundō-ing to Inosuke's side just in time to intercept Muzan's attack, a thick tendril with a claw on the end tearing upart my right leg off.
"Nemesis Cursed Slash!" I cut off Muzan's arm, and Inosuke dragged me to cover in the rubble. I grabbed a nearby long wooden plank, roughly jamming it into the bleeding stump. I tied it in place, ignoring the pain.
"It's not your fault, Inosuke. Let's go," I said, ignoring the blood soaking through the makeshift splint. We charged back to the front, where Zenitsu and Inosuke blocked Muzan's relentless strikes.
"Twenty-three minutes!" shouted a distant voice. Muzan could barely raise his arms now, though I saw the others shakily pulling themselves up, cutting into their own bodies to shake off Muzan's paralyzing shockwave.
"Fifth Fang: Crazy Cutting!"
"Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami!"
Zenitsu shot high, like a bolt of lightning, slashing Muzan from shoulder to chest. Inosuke blocked Muzan's retaliatory attack.
"Get back!" I yelled, summoning what strength I had left. "Soul-Rendering Flash: Twilight Requiem!" The blow struck deep, further crippling Muzan and preventing him from escaping the others. But my stamina was nearly gone, and Muramasa, despite it giving me regenerative powers, it didn't replenish what I'd spent.
With one more pulse of his shockwave, Muzan sent us reeling. Tanjiro arrived, blocking a attack aimed at us who were stunned with a fiery slash. "Sun Breathing: Burning Bones, Summer Sun!" The flames created a barrier, shielding us momentarily. "About time you all got up." I said with a tired sigh.
Muzan attempted to lunge forward but froze as Giyu intercepted him with a precise Water Technique, then retreated. Tanjiro glanced back, his eyes widening at our condition.
"We're fine, Tanjiro." I said, trying to reassure him. "We don't have long now." I raised a hand to pat his shoulder, only to realize I was missing that arm. Sighing, I turned my gaze back to Muzan, who was now engaging Gyomei, Mitsuri, Rengoku, and Sanemi in a final desperate struggle.
Time blurred as Muzan grew more frantic, unleashing a shockwave that briefly staggered the others. It gave him just enough time to slip through and attempt an escape. Tanjiro and I intercepted him, with Tanjiro hurling a nearby katana, impaling Muzan's leg and stopping him in his tracks. I forced myself to use a clumsy Shundō, lunging toward Muzan and driving Muramasa deep into his chest, pinning him against a wall hard enough to crack it.
Tanjiro joined me, plunging his katana higher up into Muzan's chest, and together, we held him down with all we had. Muzan's face split down the middle, revealing a hideous, tooth-lined maw that widened menacingly. My eyes widened just as I caught sight of someone moving toward us for backup, they wouldn't make it in time. Reinforcing my body with cursed magic, I braced myself and got between between Muzan's mouth and Tanjiro. Muzan's jaws clamped down on me, his teeth puncturing and tearing into my upper body and head, blood welling from fresh wounds.
"Sensei!" Tanjiro shouted, just as one of Muzan's razor-sharp teeth sank into my left eye, blinding it. I locked my remaining gaze onto Tanjiro. "We have to keep a hold on him! Dawn's breaking!" My words seemed to steady him as his eyes glistened with unshed tears. Muzan's tendrils whipped toward us, but Gyomei, Mitsuri, Sanemi, and Rengoku intercepted them, allowing us to hold our ground.
Tanjiro's grip faltered under the strain, but Giyu appeared, adding his hands to ours, gripping both our blades firmly to help us keep Muzan pinned. The monster's mouth closed down harder, his teeth scraping against bone and muscle, sending a sharp, searing pain through me as cracks formed in my skull and collarbone.
Then, I felt it. The first warmth of sunlight touching my skin. Muzan unleashed another shockwave, but my body absorbed the brunt of it, shielding Tanjiro and Giyu. My vision swam, and memories of Eri flashed before me, moments we'd shared, her laughter, her trust. Gritting my teeth, I pushed harder, driving Muzan further into the wall as he began to thrash, his body expanding, flesh trying to consume us.
Realizing what was happening, I released my hold on Muramasa, grabbing both Tanjiro and Giyu with my remaining hand and throwing them free of Muzan's enclosing flesh.
"Ryou-sensei!" Tanjiro's voice echoed in my ears just as everything faded to silence.
When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a familiar place, the Blood River. And standing across from me, was Muzan.