The Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho

Kai's eyes darted like a pair of dragonflies as he tried to follow the flashes of lights that were Hashira and the Demon.

With his new Agility, Kai had thought the gap between him and the top-level Demon Slayers had been closed. Only now he realized that was a foolish thought, to begin with. Forget about following their movements, Kai could hardly see the shared blows. The only thing that was letting him feel what was happening was his instincts.

Kai had already exchanged Titles, equipping Adulterer instead of Novice Collector. The extra points in his Luck, Intelligence, and Breath had vanished, giving a 5 points boost to his Stamina instead. And, yes. The Skill, Heart Rhythm.

But Kai had yet to lock on the target.

He wasn't sure whether this female Hashira would survive this ordeal, and if she wouldn't, then locking on her would be a waste of time. In that case, Kai would rather bide his time, re-equipping his Novice Collector Title. As much as he would like to gain an unconditional follower, he wanted Luck more.

The gurgle of water was thick around him. Many streams were coming from the wilderness behind Kai, gathering at this cliff, and falling to become a super waterfall. Even from here, Kai could hear the roaring sound of a water slamming into the pool underneath and the gallops of a massive river.

The distant horizon had turned bluish-gold, a tinge of pink forcing its way into the sky shyly.

'This would end soon,' Kai thought, frowning. 'Sooner than I'd thought.'

By now, he had guessed what must have happened for the Hashira to be in such a pitiful state. If he was right, then this Hashira must have come for him, commanding both Inosuke and Zenitsu in her group. There must be others with her, Kai had observed. But somehow, she had separated from them.

Then she seemed to be ambushed. Kai remembered the bloody state of the Hashira and guessed that there must be another demon in the beginning who forced the Hashira into a passive state, lessening her defense. Otherwise, Kai could think of nothing that could remotely make a Hashira so miserable.

Suddenly, the air burst apart over the cliff, and a broken, petite figure of Hashira slammed into the ground, bursting apart the solid rocks.

The shrill laugh of the demon echoed far and wide from the cliff. "Hahaha!" the demon guffawed, the cuts on his body healing at a visible pace. "Accept my blood, Hashira! Become a Demon. Why die when you can live, huh? You think your poison will kill me? Fool!"

Kai's eyes narrowed at the word "Poison".

The dust cleared to let him see the female Hashira pushing herself to a kneeled position using her sword, her head drooping, and her blood dripping like frost in the morning.

Suddenly, another laugh echoed in the surroundings, and it had come from the Hashira. It was weaker than that of the demon. It smelled of death and madness.

Kai shut his eyes and sighed.

He knew this laughter. This laughter was a song, and he had sung it before. Every person got the chance to sing this song once in their lifetime, for this was the song of acceptance.

This was the song of resolve.

This was the song of the will to take the enemy down with you.

Only a few moments left until dawn, but it was more than enough for the demon; for both of them. And unlike his one, this song wouldn't have a flashy ending, Kai knew.

Kai's mind ran like a supercomputer, scenes after scenes, plans after plans, and unfathomable scenarios passing through his mind.

Three moments. Just three moments and Kai had decided.

The Blood Demon stood up, opening his eyes calmly. But something was different about him. Something unrecognizable to those who knew him not.

When Kai straightened his spine, his figure boasted of a grand majesty. An aura of extreme nobility flowed out from his eyes like the stream beside him. His lips were a thin line, threatening to take the title of the horizon from the world. And his long, white hair was whiter than the promised sun.

This was not a Contestant.

This was a being born to destroy the evil, and uproot the vile and wicked beings from this world.

Facelessness - Second Contrast: the quintessential conversion of inner selves!

Kai had not been playing Darcie's role with no gains. He couldn't do it with utmost mastery, but Kai had learned to give himself a false Self to fool the Characters. No matter who would see Kai now, they would never relate him to the shameless killer, for his entire stance told of a forgotten tale; of justice and truth.

The only thing that still belonged to his previous Self was his mind.

Kai unsheathed the swords, Afro's Tachi and Murasame, as he saw the demon advancing towards the kneeling Hashira with a burning passion to kill.

He crouched, his eyes never leaving the demon. Veins popped up on his legs, as Kai made himself recall he lacked Strength. But dawn was closer, and he must do something now.

The flow of the river of time slowed down.

Both the demon and the Hashira sensed something amiss, their heads snapping in Kai's direction.

Like a blue wraith, Kai dented the ground under his feet, gliding to the spot between both parties.

He landed like a feather between them, their minds still processing the sudden intrusion.

Twin Saber-Style - Explode!

Kai slashed with Afro's Tachi. The demon with strange scripted eyes flicked it away with his forearm. An extremely shallow cut, just enough to bring out a few drops of blood.

First Strike.

Kai brought down the same sword in reverse, hacking at the demon's head. He flicked it away again. Another drop of blood fell.

Second strike.

With one thought, the muscles in Kai's left hand ballooned. He slashed from two different angles, leaving behind illusions. The demon took a stance, flicking away both strikes effortlessly. "What are you?" he asked, disgusted by Kai's presence. "I hate the weak…"

Four strikes complete!

Kai brought the Afro's Tachi and slashed horizontally. It didn't feel any different. Just another weak and meaningless slash.

Only a moment had passed since Kai's arrival. And time had yet to regain its original momentum.

Both Kai and the demon's movements were two blurs, the Hashira watching the extraordinary scene with her listless eyes.

The demon brought his hands up in defense like a boxing posture against Kai's slash.

Blood exploded like a geyser as Afro's Tachi cut the demon's hands from the wrists, leaving a hideous scar on his chest.

Fifth Strike!

"Even when I don't see a way…" Kai mumbled, lifting Murasame, "… I will keep moving forward."

The cursed sword entered the already bleeding chest, just deep enough to call it a kiss.

The demon must have sensed it, then. A danger, transcending realms.

"AHHH!" he shouted, strength exploding around him, and he jumped back.

Too late.

Horrific cursed poison traveled to the demon's heart in the form of runic letters, and the same script appeared over his body like chains binding him from all around. "What is this?" he asked, looking at the markings.

And then his heart stopped.

The demon fell to his knees, vomiting out a bucketful of blood. He looked at Kai with dense hateful eyes, cursing him with gritted teeth.

Kai sighed inwardly. As he'd thought, the One-Cut Killer failed to send the demon to the afterlife.

His face showed nothing, though. It looked like ice and wind at the same time.

Kai lifted his sword and pointed to the distant horizon on his right. The demon's eyes followed the sword, and saw the golden sky, gaining color with every next moment. His eyes widened.

With one loud pop, his hands regenerated. "You weak!" he gritted his teeth, gave Kai a last look, and ran off, vanishing in the thick wilderness that was still dark.

Kai sheathed his swords and turned around.

The sword penetrated his stomach with a bloody squelch.

Kai looked down. An edgeless sword was running through and through just above his waist, left to his navel. Its hilt was tied with a rope made of torn pieces of haori, a few butterflies still visible on the bloody white distinctively. The other end of this cloth rope was a few meters away from him, in the hands of the figure kneeling on the ground, and watching him with the same disgust and anger as the demon.

Even at the death's door, the female Hashira seemed to have enough cunning to kill him.

"You will go nowhere," she told him, blood seeping out of her mouth. "Burn in the sun, demon."

She wrapped the other end around her hand and tugged at the rope.

Kai was already feeling an intense burning sensation coursing through him. The Wisteria Poison, he knew. And now, with this tug, he felt like a hooked fish. Kai realized the sword must be hooked at the point, like a stinger. With this realization, he finally got to know which Hashira she was.

"Shinobu Kocho," Kai said, ignoring the pain, smiling. "The Insect Hashira."

Her eyes were dead enough to not show the shock in her heart, her hair oiled with blood, and stuck to her face.

On Kai's right, from the wilderness, the rest of the Demon Slayers dashed out. Kai looked at them. Inosuke, Zenitsu, Tanjiro, and another Hashira, Giyu, all walked out one after another.

"SHINOBU-SAN!" Tanjiro cried. Giyu unsheathed his sword, eying Kai with his emotionless eyes. Inosuke was propped up on Zenitsu's shoulder, his chest bruised and caved in. Zenitsu was literally crying, his gaze lingering on the fallen Hashira.

Nobody moved, though. Even from afar, Kai's fate was set in their eyes.

After arriving in the Random World, Kai had yet to see the day. He had fought the Demon Slayers in the gray evening under the thick clouds, and then he had spent two days in the cave.

This was his first time feeling the warmth of the morning sun.

The golden-red sun peeked over the horizon, its light engulfing the entire world. A wind picked up, then, traveling its way up to the cliff.

Kai's white hair glowed gold as they danced in the wind, the sunlight making his eyes shine like two brilliant, many-colored pearls.

The world gawked at the sight stupidly, and so did the demon slayers.

Kai smiled at them, a smile full of gentleness. His spine was still straight, ignoring the intense loss of blood.

With slow steps, he walked towards the Hashira, her mouth open under the perplexing sight.

If he was a demon, then there was nothing more majestic than his presence.

If he was a man, then he was worthy to be called an emperor.

If he was a god, then he was full of mercy and love.

His gaze was a golden, depthless ocean of royal dignity.

And his walks were an adventure in antiquity!

Kai crouched in front of the tiny figure of Shinobu, her face indistinguishable from the blood. Only her eyes were visible, two dead pupilless purple pearls.

There was a beauty about her, he saw. A defiant and ferocious one.

Cersei had sung many songs to him, and those words came naturally to him, like a bitter-sweet, spicy wine. He lifted his hand and put it on her head, letting it fall on her face, tracing the soft, beaten curves of her cheeks.

He sang and the birds chirped along with him.

"I loved a maid as fair as summer,

with sunlight in her hair."

She looked at him, and he looked at her. The words played themselves in their eyes, full of longing and forgotten memories.

And their hearts skipped a beat.

Heart Rhythm - Resonance of Appearance!

Shinobu's eyes closed instantly. Losing blood had finally made her lose her consciousness, and if not taken care of with meticulous proficiency, then she would die within a day. No doubt.

Kai wasn't faring better, either. Purple-colored web-like veins were running over his body, telling of deadly poison.

Kai scooped her up in his embrace and looked at the Demon Slayers. The shock of him standing straight under the sun was still visible on their faces. No Demon had survived the sunlight. No one.

What was this blue-skinned being, if not a demon?

"Put both of them down and come with us," Giyu shouted, almost on the verge of exploding towards Kai. "You have nowhere to run."

Kai shook his head.

He backed up, nearing the cliff's edge with every next step. By the time they realized what was happening, Kai had already stepped on the last rock. One more step and he would fall hundreds of feet into the river.

"WAIT!!!" the Demon Slayers shouted, and ran towards him. Giyu, especially, was like a bullet, as he advanced, tearing the morning chilly air.

Kai pushed himself off the cliff, the shouts of demon slayers dying under the roar of the waterfall.

He was Golduck-Kai.

Who dared to follow him in the water or match his speed?