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Sanemi slowly shifted his eyes from Muichiro's body to what was left of his brother. Genya... Tokito is dying now... 

His brother died a few minutes ago. 

The body of the Upper Moon One lays on the floor, twisted in the process of some kind of mutation, with something sticking out of it, and with a severed head. 

Gyoumei covered Tokito with his cloak. 

- Come on. We have to leave. Tokito and Genya's sacrifice cannot be wasted. 

He knows it himself... 
He can't leave Genya. Not when there weren't even any severed limbs left of him. He didn't protect him.

For the first time in several years, the only thing he could do was kill demons again, saving people. To help the others. Upper Moon One won't kill anyone anymore... But now, somewhere in a peaceful village, his little brother will not be waiting for him…

Because Kokushibo just has killed him. 

His head, which had rolled away from his body, wanted to be crushed. 

Sanemi slowly approached her a couple of meters away and froze before reaching half of the distance. The head was wheezing, shouting something, but it still hadn't disintegrated, and the body hadn't burned down. 

It's clearly been more than a few minutes. 

They had just blew his head off for the second time. 

- Something is wrong here ... - he pulled, pointing with his boot towards the head, desperately hissing and trying to say something - It has not completely died yet! 

Gyoumei rose to his full height, ceasing to mutter something to himself. It would have been better to chop the demon's body into pieces instead, at least his head was almost nothing! It seems that the Stone Pillar seemed to be examining the room with the help of its Transparent World. He shook his head. 

Is there no one else here, and the whole reason is this rotting hunk of meat?!! 

Sanemi walked over to the wheezing head and finally was able to make out something.

-I... am not defeated yet... I... can fight!!! 

- Yeah, of course, there won't be anything left of you soon! - he grumbled, resisting the temptation to kick that head - Why aren't you burning, shit?! 

Kokushibo just croaked something and spat out almost a whole lump of blood.

- Tell me what's wrong with you, or I'll pierce your torso through, and I'll gut you, cutting off pieces one by one! 

Some kind of grinding noise reached the ears, and then some kind of creaking. 

The Wind Hashira froze. 

The head near his feet wheezed again and tried to roll away, spinning and driving away a few meters. 

Suddenly something cold seemed to pierce through him. For the first time in six years fear seemed to strike him. 

The shadows on the walls ran somewhere. 

Gyoumei froze, his mouth opened, he did not understand, how he took a few steps back, and the air was literally pierced by loud, inhuman, affectionate laughter, as if reflected from the walls, so that it filled the entire hall, the shadows practically devoured the light from the lanterns…

The head on the floor was spitting blood and wheezing, the laughter began to sound like some kind of screams, and the body of this monster on the floor suddenly rose and assumed a sitting position by ITSELF, with his hands on his knees, Sanemi took a step back, clutching a katana, it could not be this demon... 

This was not the demon they had just fought with! 

The shadow of the corpse grew and grew, turning into something, resembling a silhouette, the head just opened and closed its mouth, making some sounds that could not be heard behind this sound, already tearing his ears... It's a good thing Tengen wasn't here, he would have just gone deaf! 

He noticed something else. The shadow of the corpse had a head! 

- Evil… Savage slayers! Why are you so cruel to him?! Why are you offending Kokushibo?.. He just wants to protect his dear little brother!!!

The shadow finally took shape, and SOMETHING began to come out of it, another figure, that made these sounds, furious laughter literally pierced the ears, tearing the eardrums, and another monster, another demon, came out... 

The figure was at least the same height, as the first monster, in red clothes, in haori with some ornate, fiery pattern, and with the same hair, almost the same length! A monster with sharp claws on its hands, with a face with a red mark, jumped out onto the floor, smiling at the full width of its mouth, in which protruder the two rows of sharp, demonic teeth... 

- Yori... 

He couldn't take a step. The creature's laughter still seemed to pin him to the floor. Gyomei couldn't move either. Otherwise, he would have already attacked. 

It just walked across the floor to the severed head. It picked it up with both hands, retracting its claws. He sat down on his knees. 

- Yoriichi!

-Sh-sh-sh, sh-sh-sh, you're the strongest samurai here... The strongest samurai in the world! You will always protect me, you can defeat everyone, you have already defeated them, they didn’t kill you! You always help me... While I'm crying somewhere in the corner! You're the best swordsman, don't, don't wheeze, don't cry! 

It just stood up straight. It came up to the still sitting body. 

Put the head back on the neck. 

It also seemed to be wiping away the tears of this monster with its sleeve. 

It was much scarier. 

- That's it, that's it, now you just grow your head, you can grow it, you're the Upper Moon One, only our Lord is stronger than you! Well, it's all right, you're going to kill them, you're going to kill them…

It was like the innardes started to refreeze. 

- Yoriichi! I... have to win! I can't lose, I can't!!!

- You didn't lose, you have already won, look, you won! Get some rest, come to your senses, regain some strength! And we don't need any Tokito…

Not... Need him?! 

It seemed, that he has forced out a kind of wheeze.

Two eyes with black whites and a golden iris turned to them. 
He seems to have regained the ability to move his fingers and toes. 

Gyoumei held up the flail. 

- This demon... Is much stronger than the Upper Moon One! I would say, that he is superior to Kibutsuji! 

What... 

Lightning in the form of a red spot flew to them in a matter of seconds. His hair was cut off from his back with a long, black katana. It was looking at him from behind and grinning. And then it just went around them and returned to the same place, standing still. 

Little... Brother?!

No... How was this even possible?!! 

Stronger... Than Kibutsuji?! 

- Evil, evil, evil hunters! Why are you offending us?! What did Kokushibo do to you?!  
This thing was grinning, holding a piece of his own hair in a clawed hand. It cut them off without touching the scalp. 

The demon laughed, stretching his mouth into a terrifying smile, and white shreds fell to the floor. 

- You... You know perfectly well what we're here for!  - Gyoumei replied, he should at least hit him with his weapon, one his blow will break the half the bones of this fellow! 

Behind him Kokushibo was still wheezing and clearly trying to regain some control over his movements, sitting in the same position, and this monster was still grinning at them. 

Is that demon stronger than Kibutsuji..?!

How... Should they defeat it?! 

- You have always treated me and my brother so badly! - it echoed in the same ringing, affectionate voice, and then it moved!!! - You never respected him! You still treat him like that! And he's just protecting me!

It... It didn't need any protection! 

Faster, than he could blink, it was already in front of them, between him and Gyoumei. It separated them, before he could even turn the hull. And then it just lifted the katana. 

-Savage slayers... 

The blade is in the body of the Stone Hashira. The monster, turning of it inside the wound. His attempt to raise his hand. It seemed, like they both slowed down. 

He saw it, pulling the katana out of his body at incredible speed, leaving a long, red streak. He himself was simply pushed away by it with the other hand. So fast, that the world seemed to freeze during these movements. It was behind Gyoumei's back, before he could raise his hand to strike at the place where it had been less than a second ago. 

-You're trying to kill Kokushibo again!

The red stripe is back…

-It's not enough for you to banish us... Have you come to our house? 

One more... He literally cut the haori and tore Gyoumei’s flesh in milliseconds. They didn't have time to move to keep track of him. 

-Kokushibo defended me so fiercely! 

He has already slashed the body of the Stone Hashira, is he trying to knock out a scream, he won't get it?!! 

- He is the strongest of all of you! 

He met the black eyes for a few terribly long milliseconds as the demon gently shoved him away from his victim again.

- You can only pile on him all together... Why are humans so cruel? 

There have already been about fifty wounds on Gyoumei's body, when did he manage to inflict them while spinning around him?!

- Why do you hate us so much?! 

It was as if he was deliberately mocking them. 

He didn't let him help and I didn't want to kill him. 

- Why are humans so angry?! Why are you hurting my brother?!! 

Stop laughing like that!!! 

Sanemi howled and rushed forward, but before he could even touch him with his katana, he was pushed away. Gently again, without a scratch. He managed to touch a piece of soft, silk haori with his hand. The demon jumped aside, standing in a stance next to the body... Of his brother. He managed to cover Gyoumei's body with ragged, shallow wounds in just a few seconds!

And now he was smiling again, as if deliberately turning his legs over, stretching his mouth in a smile full of sharp teeth! 

Yori... 

- Yoriichi! - Kokushibo's body croaked, as he stood up. He had fully regenerated in this seconds!

He could already hold a katana.

They were alone, against two of the strongest demons. Tokito and Genya's efforts have just been nullified! 

They could at best fight as one at one demon. 

But they had to do something! 

- It's okay, brother, I'm fine! I'll help you! I'll distract them a little and keep them busy! 

Kokushibo stood next to the monster, he called his little brother, holding his katana in his hands and looking at them and then at this monster with his six eyes. 

How could they fight this? 

***

He failed. He hadn't do, what he had to do. He hadn’t kill Kibutsuji Mudzan. He left the demon woman, who seemed kind to him, to live, she seemed to be like a human.

And he was punished for that. 

He was tried as a criminal by the other Hashira. 

- Impossible, unacceptable, this is simply unacceptable! 

-You could have at least tried to chase him instead of giving up on this case!

-You let go of a demon, another demon, that's unacceptable, you should have at least killed her, if you missed Kibutsuji!

- The Hashirs's work is undone. The slayer's duty has been violated. Our code is committed. 

He couldn't say anything against what the Thunder, the Flower, and Stone Hashiras were talking. They were right - he really hadn't done what he was born to do. Did not destroy the progenitor of the demons. He left another demon alive. He had failed everything he could that night. 

Not mentioning, how many other demons he might have missed. That he hadn't even saved Uta. And that these people with the marks would die in a few years, because he had taught them how to get the mark.

What is the use of him at all, and what good has he done at all? 

-Yoriichi Tsugikuni, you must be punished for what you have done!

- I support it! The best solution would be an immediate and voluntary seppuku!

They told him... To rip open his stomach? 

- No, are you crazy?!  - Another voice interrupted the Thunder Hashira, before that only he was silent, he had already said everything, he thought about these marks before! - In your opinion, is this the way out - to force him to open his belly?! 

Michikatsu... The brother who had been with him since birth. He always supported him, imperceptibly or openly, followed him... He envied him, almost always! But now he was standing up for him again... 

His brother came forward and stood in front of him, sitting in front of the Hashira, blocking the way with the blade of a katana... Stealthily looked at him out of the corner of her eye and seemed to be talking. 

"You've done something wrong again, you fool. My silly little brother..."

- You want to order the strongest slayer in the corp to open his stomach, for what?! Because he missed the demon once? 

-He didn't miss any regular demon, but Kibutsuji Muzan. - the Wind Hashira noted, crossing his arms over his chest - Although, according to his own words, he could have killed him. If he hadn't asked him stupid questions, he could have rid the world of this monster the same minute, he met him! Which means, it's a complete failure. 

-And besides, he released another demon! And she's sitting in the village right now, and her population is dying for both cheeks! - The Thunder Hashira retorted, leaning forward - And all because Yoriichi, you see, felt sorry for her and decided that demons can be kind, although they are not!!! What are you going to do about it?! 

- Seppuku is the only way out. - added the Stone Hashira. The Water and the Flower Hashira nodded. Would it really be better to him to rip open his stomach..? 

His brother covered him not only with a katana, but also with his hand.

-You want to kill him just because he made a mistake. - he retorted, he had never heard Michikatsu speak in such an icy tone - Haven't you ever been wrong? Then how do you think he should correct his mistake, if you force him to kill himself?! This apology of yours doesn't even make sense! 

Yoriichi carefully, gently placed his palm on his older brother's hand. 

-In that case, you can commit the seppuku as an apology for your brother. - the Stone Hashira suddenly retorted. Yoriichi froze. 

Michikatsu also froze in front of him.

- It makes sense, you're his brother, which means you're his next of kin, and you can do it for him as an apology for violating the code. And Yoriichi will be able to correct his mistake, as you suggest. - The Water Hashirs noted, there didn't seem to be a drop of bewilderment on this girl's face. 

Not a bit of disgust. 

Not a bit of doubt. 

They wanted to... Kill his brother?

Michikatsu froze, so he heard his teeth gritting, he slightly changed the position of his legs so that he was already in a semi-stand. 

He was... 

- No! No, no, no, no, don't touch my brother!  - he howled, jumping to his feet. It was time for him to protect Michikatsu. He couldn't let them kill him in his place.

- This is the best way out of all possible. - the hitherto silent Flame Hashira noted - Michikatsu atones for your crime, and you continue to kill demons and will be able to continue to benefit the organization, we won’t not lose the strongest Hashira. He has already showed the signs of deterioration from the mark. He's going to die at twenty-five anyway, but at least his death won't be in vain, and you'll be alive and able to avenge your brother. It suits everyone here... 

- So we will fulfill both his request and the rules of the code. - Flower Hashirs added, placing her hands on her lap. 

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no... Michikatsu growled something through his teeth, and he stood next to him and held his elbow, in front of a row of six Hashirs two meters away from them, they wanted to kill his brother! His brother froze, he seemed petrified... 

He didn't move a step away from him anyway.
Yoriichi managed to catch the look of his eyes. It was as if he was talking to him. 

"Don't leave my side, we'll get out of this somehow! I'll get us out of this! "

"I will protect you, anique! I won't let them..."

- Well, have you decided everything?! Michikatsu opens his belly, and Yoriichi goes to look for Kibutsuji?! 

- Yes. - the Stone Hashira actually repeated the words of the Thunder. The Wind, the Flame and the Flower Hashira silently nodded. The Water Hashira lowered her head, but she did not even twitch. 

If she regretted anything, it was, that they would have to lose one of them. 

They didn't care, who they were or what they wanted. They were only interested in having a slayer with powerful breath, capable of killing demons in large numbers. 

They just wanted him and Michikatsu to work for them. 

And they didn't care about them, their code was more important to them. 

And when they had a choice, which one of them to keep as a battering ram, they chose him as the strongest one and decided to kill his brother. 

He seemed, that his tears streamed from his eyes.

His brother was the only one who stood up for him. He was protecting him! From those, whom himself considered friends... He had always been weaker than him, trying to become stronger, and he had been bypassing him only because of his talent from birth, without even training! He was jealous of him and quarreled with him... Because he was too stupid to even fulfill his brother's dream, to let him be the strongest samurai in the country! And now, because of this, the slayers considered himself a more useful combat unit than Michikatsu, and wanted to let him live and kill his brother... 

Was it really difficult to always give in to him?! 

To be in his shadow, as they dreamed in their childhood. 

Just to be with him and support him. 

Then the hunters would not have forced him to kill himself instead of him. And himself would not have clung to his shoulder, looking at the Hashira with round, tearful eyes.

Michikatsu didn’t move a step away from him, didn’t twitch or even move, still covering him with his hand and looking at him out of the corner of his eye. 

"I won't let them kill anybody of us! I'm going to get us both out of here, you silly little brother of mine! "

-Michikatsu, do you accept the decision of the Council of Hashira, and are you willing to voluntarily comply with it? - Thunder Hashira asked. He stood up with the Stone and Wind Hashira. 

His brother looked away from him, still holding his right hand, tightened his grip on his katana, and then clenched his teeth until they squeaked and shook his head. 

- OK. - Stone Hashira immediately said, lowering his head. A second later a sharp katana blade flashed in his hands. 

No!!! 

How could he not notice?!! 

He even forgot about the Transparent World... 

No Transparent World would help to read minds... 

The sharp blade flew straight to his brother's neck, it seems his own scream was half stuck in his throat, and half hung in the air, they just wanted to cut off his head, cut off like…

Michikatsu managed to duck down, dived towards him, and immediately there was some kind of wheeze mixed with a gurgling sound and a crack of fabric, and the nichiren katana of the Stone Hashira cut through the flesh of a human shoulder, cutting off his brother's arm almost near the body, there was a wheeze, a whistle - and his brother began to sink to the floor in pain, his killer just stood and watched with surprise, how he evaded the execution, the hand was already hanging on some pieces of skin! 

He managed to catch his brother before he finally collapsed to the floor, Yoriichi grabbed him by the chest, by the belt, pulling him towards himself, only out of the corner of his eye he saw other Hashira jumping up... Michikatsu! 

Had he brought his brother to the Demon Slayers only to be killed? 

He made the Hashira of humans no different from the demons. 

Anique!!! 

He was still alive, he was in pain, blood flooded the floor like a river, his arm seemed ready to fall off! Through the white hum in his ears, Yoriichi heard the screams of Thunder and Flower Hashira to finish him off and cut off his head... 

Anique!

Yoriichi didn't even realize, how he picked him up in his arms. The unhuman strength, that was given to him to exterminate demons, was enough to shoulder through three people at the entrance and break out into the courtyard, holding the severed arm, Michikatsu was wheezing in his arms, but he was still breathing, he had to save him! 

Save his brother for once. 

The one, who always supported him, and he couldn't even fulfill his dream once and let him just be happy. 

- Hey, wait!!! 

- What are you waiting for, stop him! 

The screams of the Wind and the Thunder Hashira. The slayers looked at him, even leaving the houses, wide-eyed, a figure in a golden kimono darted after him, pulling out a katana... 

- Help me! 

They just didn't move, his brother's blood was flooding the ground like a river... 

No one even moved.

They just wanted to... To fulfill the condition of the code, and they didn't care about other people's lives? Did they silently support the murder of his brother? 

There was the Wind, Thunder, Stone and Flower Hashira behind him, and the people in the front of him slowly gathered into a crowd, blocking the exit. 

Anique!!! 

Michikatsu's hand seemed to almost roll down, he was breathing harder and harder, trying to grab his oun kimono with his remaining hand! 

His brother. 

The only one, apart from his mother and Uta, who ever loved him. 

And he brought him to an organization, where humans used them both, and then decided to kill him because he had gotten this damn mark. 

He never saved humanity by teaching them how to Breathe and fighting with them on the same side. He just became a working tool for them. And it was him, who dragged his brother into this, brought him here and turned him into the same tool. And now they decided to kill him simply because he had violated the code himself, and Michikatsu was dying from the mark!

Demon slayers were the monsters just like the demons. 

- Grab him!!! 

Howling, he rushed away. He broke down, sweeping away rare slayers in his path, who tried to stop him, clutching his still-living brother to his chest, his own haori was covered with blood from a severed arm and from the shoulder, it was still holding on, it was holding on to something, it was not cut off to the end, his brother would not remain without an arm! 

The voices of the slayers rang in his head, they slowly moved away, he was running away, he still broke away and ran away, tears streamed from his eyes, falling to the ground, on his brother's haori, mixing with blood! 

He had to save his brother! 

Michikatsu was breathing heavily, clinging to his haori and slowly losing consciousness. 

He had to save him!

***

- Yoriichi?! 

Sanemi froze, watching as the monster in front of him took out his katana again, reassembling the sword from his own flesh. The second monster was standing next to him, with a fanged smile, looking at his brother with a kind of childish playfulness! 

Gyoumei next to him sighed heavily. He himself did not know how they would fight these two demons now. He could only hope that some kind of plan was being formed in the Stone Hashira's head! But he was already wounded, covered in katana marks, they still had the wounds from the last fight with Kokushibo, and his own stomach was almost ripped open! 

How much time did they have until both of them, even with marks, collapse from fatigue? 

The six-eyed demon squinted three pupils at his monstrous brother, who was only smiling. Like a little kid who was allowed to play…

He was smiling, while his older brother was finally recovering from the demolition of his head. 

And in the next second they took off! 

The older brother flew in front, and the younger one, like a shadow, followed him, practically mirroring his movements towards Gyoumei. And the blow of the flail, with which he tried to at least take off the demon's arm, was immediately intercepted by the younger demon! This monster laughed, while he easily wound the chain around his arm. Pulling Gyoumei towards himself. That ringing laugh seemed to ring in his ears. 

And that meant that his opponent was Kokushibo. 

Only his reflexes helped him to save his skin at all, Sanemi ducked down, and immediately his hair was cut off a second time, only this time on his forehead, and for a second he saw the demon's eyes full of rage! Eyes that shone with fierce ruthlessness. Behind him, the second demon was dodging Gyoumei's blow.

No! 

To cut off the head... 

Sanemi drove his katana hard into the demon's chest, and then ducked under it, while he towered over him, ripping open his chest, rolled and bounced off. No!!! They should have cut off Kibutsuji Muzan's head as well! If these two were the same as the Upper Moon Six, they needed to cut off the heads of both of them! At the same time, so that the second one didn’t have any time to help the first one again. 

They should have at least... 

The demon looked at him with some kind of contempt, like at a bug, and Kokushibo simply healed his wound completely, intercepting the katana. The second demon stood behind him, protecting him from the blows. 

He was like his creepy shadow. A shadow that was much stronger than his brother! 

And then that shadow took off. 

They've changed!

He had already seen demons who could fight in pairs, attack in duets or together, but not like this! These two seemed to read each other's minds, they talked with the help of quick eye movements, hand gestures, nods, head turns, so the elder demon didn’t need to say anything except his brother's name! 

Yoriichi... 

Twins, one of whom is stronger than the Upper Moon One, but still purposely hides in his shadow and allows him to be the main nightmare for slayers! And appears only, when he really needs him... 

Or everyone, who had seen this monster, at least from afar, simply didn’t leave it alive, at least this was the only way to explain, that the corp simply didn’t know about it’s existence!!! 

The very tip of a sharp katana was thrusting into his body. 

- That's how brave you are... Can you attack only two against one? Is it all for one Kokushibo again, while he was just protecting me and defending himself? Why did you touch my brother after I warned you?!

Yoriichi, with the sadistic smile, pulled out the katana made of nichirin steel and immediately stuck it again, literally by a centimeter, and then pulled it out again, leaving a small bleeding hole, it seemed, a small moan escaped from the throat! 

Sanemi swung his katana, but managed only to touch the silk haori with the blunt side of the blade, as his strong hand was grabbed by the collar of the Hashira shape. He was strung up by the scruff of his neck like a puppy, this sonorous, sadistic laughter rang out next to him again, he continued to pierce him with the katana with just incredible speed! From the side, there was a crunch of breaking bones, with which Kokushibo broke Gyoumei's leg. 

He couldn't even help him! 

Sanemi howled in despair, tears sprang from his eyes, now they were already flowing in a stream from the pain of small blows, he was tormented like some kind of toy!!!

- You are not learning anything at all, at first there were four of you against one... He killed two people, but you laughed at him anyway! He won, even though there were so many of you..! And you were the one, who scolded him... You were playing with his head..! Why did you offend my brother?!! 

Sanemi clenched his teeth in despair, trying not to cry anymore, he's not a pathetic coward, he's not like Kamado, he can't cry here!!! 

Gyoumei managed to miraculously tear off Kokushibo's arm, but he immediately grew it back. Any wounds he had, he had already healed, and they had never touched the second demon at all. They were already almost completely covered in their own blood! 

Genya!!! 

- Your little brother was among them, right..? Why didn't you protect your brother?! Why did you leave him to die?! Why can't you take care of him?!

The laughter of this creature was still ringing in the ears. Genya!!! 

He did everything to take care of him, he tried to keep him away from the corp, he purposely didn't even talk to him, he... Couldn't keep his brother out of this battle, and that's why there's not even a broken body or scraps of limbs left of him now?!! 

He could see the monster's black eyes sparkling with laughter in front of his eyes. 

Sanemi felt himself go limp. 

***

He was rushing down the road in desperation, holding his brother's body with both hands, holding his arm, which was completely rolling away and falling to the ground. No, it's not a body, Michikatsu was still breathing! The blood will stop, the wound will be plugged with the hollow of his own haori, Michikatsu... 

His twin brother. 

The only one who stood up for him. Who always, discreetly or openly, defended him.

The only one who really loved him. 

He had to save his brother. 

He could only hope, that they would not be overtaken! That they won't cut off Michikatsu's head. 

Why had he taught so many of these monsters at all? 

Yoriichi flew into the village, clutching his brother in despair with both hands, his whole arm slowly sagged, his chest rose and fell less and less. 

A doctor, just a doctor... 

- Help me!!! Please help me! 

A light was on somewhere, someone dragged a child out of the way. There were people here! 

- Help me! 

The woman darted away, ducked into the house. Someone turned on the light and immediately turned it off. Michikatsu... 

Brother! 

- Help me! This is my brother!!!

Why didn't anyone even open the door? 

He scared them so much... The sight of a swordsman standing in the middle of the street with a wounded man in his arms, his brother's hand seemed to roll down, so he barely managed to catch it, it was his brother, his brother was still alive, it was not a corpse!!! 

His heart was still beating... 

- Help me! Please! This is my brother, he's alive, they wanted to cut off his hand! 

Why didn't anyone even try to ask something? Why did people just lock their doors? 

Michikatsu had been saving people from demons since he became a part of the corps. Maybe, he had saved the life of one of these people, maybe even a couple of weeks ago! 

Why didn't any of them want to help, when he needed help for the first time?!!! 

ANIQUE!!!! 

Humans, humans, humans, humans! 

It seemed, that a desperate howl escaped from his throat. Yoriichi squeezed his brother tighter, feeling his ribs rising with his fingers, he was alive, he was still alive!!!

If the demon slayers caught up with them... 

Just one house! 

He howled and ran down the street, past the houses, hugging his brother tighter, tears streaming down his face, blurring the view. At least one house... 

- Help me! Help! This is my brother!!! 

Windows that light up and darken at the same moment everywhere, silence everywhere, maximum heads sticking out and hiding!

No one even opened the door! 

"My silly little brother! "

No one even tried to save his brother!!! Everyone was putting out the lights or hiding away! For years he had been saving them from demons... How many people owed their lives to his brother? 

None of them even opened the door, when they saw the swordsman with a man in his arms.

Any house could help them now. Any help. At least bandage the wound. The time for Michikatsu was running out by minutes. 

The whole village chose to just pretend not to notice him. 

HUMANS, HUMANS, HUMANS!!! 

Why are people so cruel?!! 

With a desperate howl, Yoriichi flew out of the village, hugging his brother tighter and clutching his severed arm to his chest, tears flew from his eyes to the ground, into the air, he had to breathe, he had to still breathe! 

He just kept rushing forward, away from the village, hugging Michikatsu, his brother's breathing was already slowly getting out of control, he wasn't going to die, he wasn't going to die, he had to survive!!! 

Humans tried to kill him as payback for his own mistake, when Michikatsu became useless, and the most of them chose not to notice it! 

Another village, he had to run to another village, he had to carry Michikatsu, even if they hadn't help him there, he had to run on, he had to find a doctor, he had to at least save his brother!

How many of the people, whom he had saved, survived at least that year, and how many times had he just protected someone in vain? And how many of them remembered him at all? 

Or someone else from the swordsmen, he had taught? 

How many of them had actually became swordsmen in order to protect people? How many people did they kill, as they wanted to do with Michikatsu?! 

How many demons, who lost their heads just for doing the same thing, as those swordsmen, were killed by him? And how much - by the whole corp?! And how many will be killed more?!! 

"My silly little brother..."

He continued to rush along the road, not knowing where and hugging his older brother, whose chest was falling more and more slowly.

- Interesting. The swordsman, who almost killed me in the name of saving humans, is now running away from them himself, abandoned by the same humans. Obviously, were the demon slayers the ones, who killed your brother? 

Yoriichi collapsed to the ground, right on his knees, holding his brother with both hands, the fully severed arm almost rolled on the ground. A familiar figure stood in front of them a short distance away, on a hill. Kibutsuji Muzan. 

Right now, he was the least to blame for what was happening! 

His fault was only, that he just wanted to live, and had ran away from him like any living creature, while the demon slayers actually nearly murdered Michikatsu with their own hands! 

Only because of their own cruelty. 

They were even eviler, than him!

His brother was already breathing sharply in his lap. He knew, what such a fluttering of the lungs meant. He has lost too much blood... A few minutes more, and he would die. 

Yoriichi sobbed silently in despair, running his hand through the long hair of the same color and almost the same length as his own. His brother slowly opened his brown eyes, probably for the last time, looking at him and silently whispering something with his dry lips. He didn't save him… He didn't save his brother..! 

Yoriichi, shedding tears, gently ran the palm over his face, leaving three red streaks of his own blood on it. Soft footsteps sounded nearby. Kibutsuji Muzan walked right up to them, looking at the dying Michikatsu on his lap. 

- I'm sorry about that... - he whispered in some kind of metallic voice, squatting in front of them, his brown eyes met those red ones, Michikatsu croaked something, when a finger with a claw was passed over his face! - When they needed to blame someone for letting me go, they eventually decided to execute two of the strongest swordsmen. To kill a living being just for his desire to live... 

Yoriichi sobbed while hugging Michikatsu. He shouldn't have been the strongest! He should have just been by Michikatsu's side, be in his shadow and support him! Then he wouldn't be dying on his lap right now, practically on the ground, in the mud, away from any humans!!! 

Humans are ruthless, forgetful and indifferent, they forget any good and will remember the slightest mistakes for decades! They're not even worth saving... All of them, except for some isolated exceptions! And the demon slayers are the same monsters as the demons, and there is no difference between them at all.

- I can help you if you agree. - Muzan suddenly suggested, his brother's ribs were heaving and practically shaking from cramps under his hands! - I need a strong swordsman to find out, how the Breathing you invented affects transformation. But two swordsmen, one of whom is also yourself, are better than one. Yes, you almost killed me, but I am ready to accept you, if you will serve me. If I turn both of you into demons, all of your brother's wounds will heal, and both of you won't die from your marks and live for hundreds of years. But you know what the condition is. 

Yoriichi looked down, his brother was breathing heavily under his hands. To save... His brother... Become a demon. If he turns his brother into a demon, he will survive... And Michikatsu, he didn't know, how he would react to this?!! 

Demons... 

His brother's breathing began to weaken. The blood was no longer flowing, perhaps because there was practically nothing left for bleeding!

- To cecome a demon?! 

-I will turn you into demons, and you will serve me like the others. - Muzan noted, raising his head, his red eyes were practically glittering in the dark - This means, that I will demand from you the same, as from the rest. Killing humans. To destroy the Demon Slayer corp. To look for the Ubuyashiki family. To find the Blue Spider Lily. To eat humans. Consider all this before making a decision. 

Michikatsu was trembling under his hands. Michikatsu… Anique! 

Did he protect him at the cost of his own life? 

No... 

Yoriichi gently stroked his brother's face, shedding tears. His brother still protected him. He protected him, and that's why he was sitting here now, and he was dying.

Why did they join this organization at all?! 

If humans are no better than demons... 

To become a demon. Become a demon just to live with your brother, a family of two! To live the way, they should have lived from the very beginning - Michikatsu, sparkling like a star, and himself in his shadow, just supporting him and helping him. After all, he didn't need anymore. Just to be with his brother! 

Muzan was still sitting next to them and looking at them, waiting for his answer. Michikatsu's breathing became quieter... 

His brother always just wanted to live. 

-Can you turn him into a demon? - Yoriichi whispered, tears were streaming down his cheeks, falling on his brother's haori. He was breathing heavily, Muzan shook his head and rose a finger with a long claw. 

- No, I’ve already told you - I need both of you, not just one person. I'm wondering, what you're capable of as twins. I'm sorry for your brother, but I won't take him away without you. Either I'm transforming both of you now, and you both become demons, or I'm not transforming anyone. Are you ready to become a demon?

Yoriichi lowered his head, sobbing, now his tears have been already falling on his brother's face. He could really save his brother... Do something for him for once! Michikatsu croaked something, and then, obviously with the unhuman efforts, raised his hand and stroked his palm with almost limp fingers, it seemed, that he wanted to say something... 

Brown eyes sparkled on a face, that looked like his own, like two peas in a pod. 

Michikatsu has always wanted to live. 

This was the first time, he could really save his brother! 

And besides, what had they both to hold on to out there, in the human world? Down the hill, in the village, the lights were going on again, as if both of them even weren't passing there. 

Demon slayers are just as ruthless as demons. They would have killed them both, if they had found them now.

He had no friends among them, or even comrades. 

The Ubuyashiki only care about slaughtering the demons. Their families are just dead. 

His only family member was his brother. He has no one else left! 

And his brother was dying in his arms right now. 

He just wanted to live with him, see his smile, or fly a kite with him.

And in the end, what difference does it make, which side you're on, if both demons and humans are equally evil and corrupt?!! 

The demon progenitor was at least willing to give him a chance, even though he had almost killed him just a day ago. 

That alone made him agree to serve him! 

Michikatsu was breathing almost imperceptibly under his hands, sharply, quieter and quieter. 

- I agree.

Muzan Kibutsuji smiled and stuck a finger with a claw into his brother's neck, it seemed that something was being poured into his body, into a vessel, his brother howled in pain, throwing up his head, and a second later a finger of the second hand was stuck in his oun neck. 

Through the pain shooting through his entire body, which seemed to be rebuilding anew, reassembling completely from some pieces, he felt his brother's severed arm grow back, as he gradually went limp in his kneels, as his breathing steadied and became calmer, then he gently touched his shoulder with his hand. 

They both will live! 

The man closed his eyes, and the demon opened them.

***

Sanemi gradually went limp on the floor. He didn't even realize, when he had been thrown there. It seemed to be, that when Yoriichi stopped torturing him. 

What kind of creature is this anyway? 

How can even a demon have so much sadism and rage? 

Behind him, Kokushibo was slowly finishing off Gyoumei. It seemed, that he couldn't kill him with a single slash to the back, and so he just cut off his head. His limbs were practically unresponsive. There was a huge and seemingly growing pool of blood underneath him. 

Genya... 

- You finished him off, anique! You've practically defeated everyone!

The mad demon turned to his brother with his stupid fanged smile on his lips. Haori is red in color, so the drops of blood on it are not clearly visible. His katana was covered in blood… He wondered, was it all his blood? 

The elder demon just rolled his eyes, heading towards him, it seemed like he himself was tired of clowning, when his brother bullied them... Clowning? 

Does he know that he is not the Upper Moon One? 

Or the second demon... 

Allows him to be the Upper Moon, and he gives in to everyone all the time... 

He pretends to be much weaker, than his brother, and only the two of them know the truth…

He pretends only, If somebody is not trying to kill them?! 

Not... Honour... 

Genya... 

- Stop it, Yoriichi. - The elder demon said firmly, the younger one jumped up to him, standing behind him with a smile... In the shadows... 

He desperately grabbed for the gap in the floor with his hand, trying to crawl away. It seemed, that there was some kind of crack in it! 

Kokushibo stepped on something on the floor. He realized, that it was his own leg, when the pain belatedly reached his head!

-You still couldn't protect your brother! But Kokushibo always protects me..! Even from the Upper Moons and from demon slayers! - The younger demon replied from his back. 

His leg hurt terribly, he was just pinned to the ground like an insect... 

To cut off his head now. 

He was barely crawling on the floor, smeared in his own blood, and his internal organs were falling out of his stomach! 

Genya... 

He really didn't save him.

- You didn't even try, it was more important for you to kill the demon, right..? Evil hunters... They always want to kill someone. 

Blood started flowing out of his mouth, so it seems he was choking on it! 

- You don't know how to protect, you don't know how to take care... What do you think you deserve besides death?! 

Gyoumei... Muichiro... Genya! 

- You were even too lazy to protect your loved one... You know what? What does it mean?!  - The demon asked, leaning towards him. Kokushibo pulled him closer with the toe of his boot - You are a bad brother..!

Sanemi shuddered and desperately blinked away tears, seeing out of the corner of his eye, while Kokushibo was bringing up a vertically directed katana. Tanjiro and Nezuko... Kyoujuro and Senjuro... Kanae, Shinobu and Kanao... 

He failed. He couldn't even protect Genya! No one is waiting for him at home anymore and will not wait! And soon there will be no one to wait for! They didn't get to Muzan, and none of them killed even one Moon demon! They just died here all in vain! 

Soon Tanjiro, Giyu and other swordsmen will also die in a fight with either Muzan or this two! 

Why did this battle even begin?..

Kokushibo lowered his hand, a demonic katana plunged into his back, between his shoulder, blade, cutting and severing internal organs, brought with it an incredible, flash pain, which for some reason gave him an incredible relief after a few seconds, and the demon pulled out the katana. 

Genya... He'll see him soon, in a few minutes... 

Sanemi closed his eyes.

***

- Brother! Just don't die anymore, okay? Don't ever scare me like that again! 

A hand on his shoulder, a careful hug, despite the blood-stained clothes and splashes and wide traces of blood on his hands and face... 

-We need to find Kibutsuji-sama before the other slayers do.

- So come on! He ordered the boy with the Hanafuda earrings to be killed! I want to get my earrings back!