Tomioka stood over the bodies of the Demon Slayers that were either dead puppets or killed by the puppets along with that Shinobu girl.

Shinobu: Were you acquainted with any of these Demon Slayers? There don't seem to be any survivors in this area at least. We were informed that several of the newer Mizunoto had joined the battle to combat these demons, but... they might all be dead by now, don't you think?

Tomioka: Let's go.

They went on the move.

Shinobu: Isn't the moon lovely? Since we've been given this joint mission, let's try to get along, Tomioka.

Tomioka: My only concern is slaying demons.

Shinobu: How cold-hearted of you. Well, how about we split up from this point? I shall proceed from the West.

Tomioka: Very well.

Shinobu jumped away.

With Tanjiro and Inosuke.

Inosuke jumped out of the way and saw whatever jumped in front of him. It was a giant demon with the body of a very muscular man with white hair and the face of a spider.

Father: Don't you come near my family! Stay way from them!

He nearly crushed Inosuke, but he jumped out of the way, the father then went for another punch to hit Inosuke.

Tanjiro: Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel!

Tanjiro used a Water Wheel on the Father's arm, but it only stopped the punch and didn't cut the arm off.

Tanjiro's sword was stuck in the Father's arm.

Tanjiro: It's no good! It won't cut through!

The Father was about to punch Tanjiro, but it was stopped by Inosuke's twin swords, but still couldn't cut the arm off.

Inosuke: His body is so tough!

The Father sent them both back, but they were fortunate enough to land safely.

Tanjiro: None of my techniques worked! This is bad! What do I do?

Father: I'll say it again so you'll understand! Stay away from my family!

The Father was going to punch Tanjiro, but he jumped out of the way.

Inosuke: Hey, you! Eyes over here! All nine of them!

Inosuke was going for a slash, but the Father easily knocked him away, but Inosuke got back up.

Inosuke: Dammit! All that force with just a single swipe of its arm! I can't beat him in my condition! All this blood loss is making me dizzy.

The Father ran towards Inosuke who tried to make a run for it. Tanjiro still on land ran by Inosuke.

Tanjiro: Water Breathing, Second Form, Improved: Lateral Water Wheel!

Tanjiro cut a tree down horizontally which chopped it down and it landed on the Father spider's head, putting it under the river, but luckily Inosuke was unharmed.

Inosuke: What happened? What's going on here?

Tanjiro: Inosuke! You all right?

Inosuke saw Tanjiro standing on the tree trunk.

Inosuke: Wait, he did that? What a little show off!

Tanjiro: (Thinking: Okay, I should be able to cut off its head now! Water Breathing... The final and most powerful form!)

Tanjiro took a deep breath.

Inosuke: He's got a different air about him now. I can tell he's about to do something totally incredible.

Tanjiro: (Thinking: Now I'll finish him off!)

Tanjiro ran into the water.

Tanjiro: (Thinking: Total Concentration. Water Breathing, Tenth Form!)

Tanjiro jumped into the air, but the Father got the tree off of him and used it to strike Tanjiro, who blocked it with his sword.

Inosuke: Hey, look out!

The Father knocked Tanjiro far away.

Inosuke: Kentaro!

Tanjiro: Inosuke! You have to hold on until I can make it back! That's one of the Twelve Kizuki! So you can't die here! You hear me?! Promise me you won't die!

Tanjiro was completely out of Inosuke's vision, leaving the latter with the Father who was about to smash him.

Inosuke: Oh, crap!

With Zenitsu.

He was still using his Breathing technique to slow down the poison and by that point his clothes started to look big on him.

Zenitsu: (Thinking: It's starting to get really hard to breathe now. Not only that, I no longer have any feeling in my arms and legs anymore. Nezuko, I'm sorry.)

He closed his eyes when he heard that voice again.

Voice: Don't give up! You hear me? Don't give up!

Zenitsu: Don't... give up.

Suddenly, Shinobu jumped on the small house with Zenitsu.

Zenitsu: (Thinking: Who is this person?)

Shinobu: Hello there! Are you all right?

With Y/n.

The peirce wounds on him were still healing and he still couldn't move.

Y/n: (Thinking: Come on, stupid legs. Heal faster so I can help Tanjiro and Inosuke.)

With Tanjiro.

He was about to hit the ground.

Tanjiro: Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel!

Tanjiro used Water Wheel to soften the blow.

Tanjiro: Somehow I stuck that landing.

He heard screaming in the distance.

???: I beg of you! Please stop!

Tanjiro walked to the source of the screaming and saw the girl demon bleeding from her face and on her knees in front of the small demon they saw earlier. The demon noticed Tanjiro.

Demon: What are you looking at? This isn't a play, you know.

Tanjiro: Wh-What are you doing? Aren't you two fighting on the same side?

Demon: The same side? Don't go phrasing it in some infantile manner. The two of us are family. We're connected by a powerful bond. Regardless of that this is between me and my sister. If you insist on interfering... I'll carve you up.

Tanjiro: You're wrong! Family or calmrad, as long as you feel close to one another, that's all that really matters! Saying it's childish if you're not related by blood... that's not true at all! Not only that, but those who are strongly connected with each other give off the scent of trust! But all I'm picking up from you two is the scent of terror and revulsion! That's not something you can call a bond! It's a fake! A forgery!

Both demons gasped at what he was saying.

Demon: You little...

Another Demon Slayer came out of nowhere.

Demon Slayer: Well, would you look at that, a demon that's a manageable size. Even I can deal with a kid, this is my chance.

The Slayer readied his stance.

Tanjiro: Hold on a second!

Demon Slayer: Don't move in on my prey! This is how I'll secure my path of the ladder! And with more status means more money in my pockets from on high. Even with most of my unit wiped out, I'll dispose of him. And afterwards, I'll decent the mountain to claim my prize for defeating this demon.

He charged the demon.

Demon Slayer: Take this!

Tanjiro: No, wait! Don't do it!

The demon threw a web at the Demon Slayer which cut his upper body to pieces.

Tanjiro: (Thinking: cut to pieces in an instant. How did he do that?)

Demon: Now then, what did you just say?

The demon turned to Tanjiro who readied his stance.

Demon: I asked you. What did you say to me?

The demon gave off an intimidating aura.

Tanjiro: (Thinking: Look how scary he got. It feels like the air just got ten times heavier! Inosuke, Y/n. I'm sorry. I'm gonna need you to hang in there a little longer! I'll be there as soon as I defeat this demon! I'll come help you both no matter what!)

Demon: Answer me. What did you mean? I demand to hear it from you. Come now. Explain it to me.

Tanjiro: Sure! I'd be happy to! What you have isn't a real bond at all!

With Inosuke.

He was hiding behind a tree from the Father, but the Father noticed Inosuke's blood trail.

Inosuke: Not good. Dammit! Hiding away like a whirling creature, how pathetic is that? I got to find a way to turn things around. How do you cut someone who's sword proof anyway? What should I do? What can I do? What's the way for me to get in there and hurt it? Think! Think! Think! Thi-

The Father smash Inosuke's tree, but Inosuke got out of the way and made a run for it.

Inosuke: This is bad! This is really bad! Until... Until he gets back, I gotta survive somehow!

Inosuke stopped for a second.

Inosuke: Why the hell am I thinking things like that?

Inosuke turned around and ran at the Father.

Inosuke: I don't have time for this!

He jumped and struck one of his swords in the Father's wrist, but still couldn't cut it off.

Inosuke: Damn you!

Inosuke used his other sword to hit his first one deeper into the Father's wrist.

Inosuke: I must have gotten infected by Tontaro's germs! I can't let my guard down again! Using my head? That kind of thing is not like me at all! That must have been W/n's doing!

Inosuke was finally able to cut the Father's hand off.

Inosuke: All right! I got you!

The Father held his arm in pain.

Inosuke: See? It was as simple as that. If you can't cut something with a sword, all you gotta do is pound on it with another sword! And just my luck! I have the tools for the job!

Inosuke did his usual laugh.

Inosuke: I am untouchable!

The Father ran away and Inosuke ran after him.

Inosuke: Are you running away on me? Hey, you! Come back here, dammit!

Back with Tanjiro.

He was fighting the demon which resulted in him having some cuts on his face.

Demon: Just so you know. I'm not going to kill you in a single strike. Instead I'll dissect you piece by piece.

Tanjiro was breathing heavily.

Demon: However, if you take back what you said to me just now, I'll make your death mercifully quick.

Tanjiro: I refuse! What I said was the unbridled truth! I won't take it back, not on your life! You're the one who's in the wrong!

The demon and Tanjiro were getting ready to strike again.

With Y/n.

He was finally able to stand up.

Y/n: All right, I can stand. But Tanjiro and Inosuke are fighting a demon each.

Suddenly, Tomioka showed up.

Tomioka: What's going on here?

He looked at Y/n, but didn't recognize him at first.

Tomioka: You, are you okay?

Y/n: Master Tomioka? I'm fine.

Tomioka: That voice. Y/n, is that you?

Y/n: Yeah, I cut my hair and put on this mask old man Urokodaki made me.

Tomioka: That brings back memories. Are Tanjiro and Nezuko with you?

Y/n: They were, along with our new friend, Inosuke. But we kinda split up so I could kill the demons that killed these Slayers.

He pointed at the corpses.

Tomioka: I see.

Y/n: I killed the demons, but now Tanjiro and Inosuke are fighting some powerful demons. And I think Tanjiro might be fighting a lower rank.

Tomioka: Maybe I can help. I'll help one of them, but that's all I can do at a time.

Y/n points to the left.

Y/n: Inosuke's in that direction. Go help him while I go help Tanjiro.

Tomioka: Are you sure?

Y/n: Yes. I've known Tanjiro longer than I've known Inosuke.

Tomioka: Very well.

Y/n: Before you go, did any Hashira come with you?

Tomioka: Just Shinobu Kocho.

Y/n: Okay.

They went their separate ways.

Back with Inosuke.

Inosuke lost site of the Father.

Inosuke: Dammit! Where the hell did that abomination make off to?

He kept running until he fell on one knee.

Inosuke: It's just a scratch, it doesn't hurt at all! It doesn't hurt, it's not a problem! I've had enough of this, time to sniff him out for good!

Inosuke focus really hard on the air around him and he sensed the Father in a tree.

Inosuke: So, there you are! You dumb brain buffoon! How high did you climb? Bastard... You're going to try and force me to use my head again, huh? I don't think so!

The Father was trembling

Inosuke: What the... Oh, I get it. He's trembling with fear and dread at the mere sight of me, huh?

Inosuke laughed.

Inosuke: Well, it's a bit too late for that!

The Father began to shed its skin.

Inosuke: The hell? Now what.

When the Father was done shedding it was bigger, had spikes on its arms and it had a more gray color to its skin.

Inosuke: D-Did it just shed its skin?

The Father jumped from the tree growling.

Inosuke: (Thinking: Give me a break. All of them may have been really strong, but this is too much. This is looking really bad. I've never felt this much force from an opponent before. A single strike will pulverize me. It's hopeless. I can't win.)

Inosuke lowered his swords and shook in fear as the Father was preparing to strike him.

Inosuke: (Thinking: I'm gonna die. This is the end.)

He suddenly heard Tanjiro's voice in his head.

Tanjiro: Don't die! You have to hold on till I can make it back!

He also heard the old ladies voice.

Old lady: Always wear your lives in a fashion where you are always able to hold your heads up high. I wish you luck in battle.

Inosuke tightened his on his swords.

Inosuke: I won't lose. No way am I going to lose. I'm Inosuke Hashibira of the Demon Slayer Corps! Give me the worst you've got, dirtbag!

The Father punch Inosuke with great speed making him hit the trees.

Inosuke: (Thinking: So fast. I can't even see it. It was like one of W/n's kicks.)

He stopped at one tree, and when the Father was about to strike him again, Inosuke front flipped over the Father and readied an attack.

Inosuke: Beast Breathing, Fang Three: Devour!

Inosuke tried to decapitate the Father's head, but the tips of his swords snapped on impact.

Inosuke: It broke!

The Father punch Inosuke into a tree.

Inosuke: Dammit! I should have focused more on my landing than my Breathing technique.

The Father grabbed Inosuke's head and lifted him up.

Father: I'll make sure you can never harm my family again!

The Father began to crush Inosuke's head.

Inosuke: I refuse to die here! Beast Breathing, Fang One: Pierce!

He stabbed the Father's neck.

Inosuke: I took him it, but it's like it doesn't even matter. This thing isn't even flinching.

Just then, Inosuke's life began to flash before his eyes. He saw Tanjiro, Y/n, Zenitsu, the old lady and a young woman that was holding him as a baby.

Inosuke: Wh-Who are you?

Blood began to spill from his mask, then Tomioka showed up and cut off the arm that was grabbing Inosuke.

Inosuke: What was that?

He looked at Tomioka.

Inosuke: Did he actually... cut through him? Who could have possibly done such a thing? Is he one of those Hashira W/n talked about?

The Father regenerated his arm and ran for Tomioka.

Inosuke: So fast!

Tomioka: (Thinking: Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!)

Tomioka jumped up and cut off the Father's head head and cut up the rest of its body.

Inosuke: A-Amazing! I've never seen anyone as incredible as this guy.

With Tanjiro.

Tanjiro dodged a thread swing from the Demon.

Tanjiro: (Thinking: Good. The stench is fading, so now I'm able to detect the scent of the threads! I can take him on now!)

Demon: (Thinking: He's smarter than I gave him credit for. He doesn't shrink back in fear. Not that any of that will matter in the end.)

With Y/n.

He was walking to where he felt Tanjiro's presents.

Y/n: (Thinking: Damn. My legs are still healing, I can't run in this condition. Hang on, Tanjiro. I'm coming.)

Tanjiro ran at the Demon who launched a thread at him when Tanjiro was in the air.

Tanjiro: (Thinking: Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash!)

Tanjiro attempted to cut the thread, but his sword broke when it made contact.
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Preview.

Inosuke: Hey! That was impressive! You took that demon out in a flash! Who are you, anyway?

Tomioka stayed quiet.

Inosuke: I saw you using the same technique as Monjiro! Are you a Hashira that W/n told me about?

Tomioka still didn't respond.

Inosuke: Am I a ghost or something? Look at me, dammit! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! What do you think of this move?

Inosuke did a trick but Tomioka still didn't look at him getting Inosuke really mad.

Inosuke: Okay, then, I'll let you in on a secret! I hear that Zenitsu likes salmon, and plum seaweed is Tanjiro's favorite flavor. Y/n only likes plain rice balls, though.

Tomioka: Next, Chapter 19, "Hinokami."

Inosuke: Hey, so you can talk!

To be continued.