The Entertainment District was on fire. Destroyed buildings, dead people, destruction everywhere. Tanjiro, barely conscious, slowly opened his eyes. "Where... Where am I...?" he wondered, looking around. "There is nothing left, beside flames and destruction..." he understood. Then, the boy quickly turned to his box, which was opened, and saw Nezuko was still sleeping. (She's safe, at least...) muttered Tanjiro. (Thanks, Nezuko... I'll do what I can...) he thought. Then, as he turned, Tanjiro found Gyutaro in front of him. "You're still alive?" he asked. "You're very lucky, you know?" he said. Daki, instead, was sitting on what was probably the last remaining rooftop. "I feel sorry for you! Everyone but you is probably done for!" exclaimed Gyutaro. "The boar boy was stabbed, the towheaded one is under the debris, and the Hashira and the Tsugikuni are already dead! You five really are truly disgraceful!". Then, Gyutaro noticed the box with Nezuko inside. "The one inside is a relative, right?" he asked. "Y-yes... Nezuko's my little sister..." muttered Tanjiro. "Just as I thought! You really are a disgrace! You can't even protect your little sister!" laughed Gyutaro. "Since you're her big bro, you should protect her, not the opposite..." he said, with a drawling voice. "Devotedly. With this hand, see?" muttered the demon, taking Tanjiro's hand. Suddenly, he tightened the grip, crashing Tanjiro's fingers. "Tell me, how do you feel now, to be the only one to survive so disgracefully?" asked Gyutaro, continuing to slap Tanjiro's lowered head. "What are you gonna do now? Without your friend who covered your back so many times? Where is him now?" he asked again, referring to Goku. "What are you without him? Do you even know how to fight?". Tanjiro, hopeless, couldn't do nothing but grab the box and ran away. "Oh, so you're running away now, huh? Pathetic!" exclaimed Gyutaro, rushing forward and kicking Tanjiro's back. The boy was sent flying towards the flames, and then on the floor. (It's... It's over...) thought Tanjiro, lying on the floor. (G... Goku, where are you...?) he wondered, while Gyutaro was walking towards him. (Where are you, Goku? Don't leave us like this...) continued to think Tanjiro. "Please, Goku, help me!" he then yelled. Gyutaro arrived in front of Tanjiro. "Calling for your dead friend won't fix things!" he exclaimed. But then, Tanjiro heard a presence. Or better, a voice.
"Sun Breathing: Second Form -- Rising Scorching Sun!" and BOOM! An explosion near to Tanjiro and Gyutaro. The demon jumped back to avoid the attack. Then, when the dust settled, Gyutaro saw him and remained shocked. A blue haori with orange flames, now torn and battered. A katana with a white hilt, the blade covered in blue flames and the rest white. Dark green eyes filled with hatred. Medium black hair, slightly singed by the flames. The demon could not believe his eyes: Goku was there, alive. "Go-Goku! You're alive!" exclaimed Tanjiro, smiling. But Goku did not respond. "I'm... I'm so happy you're finally here... Please, help us..." begged Tanjiro, almost crying. Then, Goku spoke up. "Tanjiro-kun, take Nezuko with you, bring the others to safety and heal them. I'll fight Daki and Gyutaro alone," he explained. "But... But you're going to die! You're still poisoned!" exclaimed Tanjiro. "Don't worry. I'm half demon, Gyutaro's poison won't kill me. Now do what I told you to, wake Nezuko up and save the others," he repeated. "But... But I don't want you to fight alone! I want to help you!" said Tanjiro. In that moment, Goku snapped. "WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME FOR ONCE OR NOT? I TOLD YOU TO GET OUT OF HERE! THAT'S AN ORDER, TANJIRO-KUN!" He screamed, enraged. "DON'T MAKE ME LOSE WHAT LITTLE CALM I HAVE LEFT! IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HELP ME, THEN GET OUT OF HERE AND SAVE THE OTHERS, DAMN IT!" He continued. For the first time, Tanjiro, he was afraid of Goku. "O... Okay..." he whispered, mortified. "Just... don't die, okay?". Tanjiro took the box and ran away. "One last thing, Tanjiro-kun," said Goku. "Tengen is still alive. Save him, too." Tanjiro nodded, and then ran away, leaving Goku alone to face Gyutaro. "Are you sure you want to fight me alone? My sister won't stay there and watch..." said Gyutaro. "I know. That's why I said I'm gonna fight both of you at once," said Goku. (I can use all of the Sun Breathing forms... I can win...!) he thought. Then, Daki descended from the roof, reaching Gyutaro. "You sure you don't want to switch sides with us? I like you, you know?" she said. "I already told you I will not join you," said Goku. "Enough talking, let's fight..." he then said. "How do you plan to fight us?" asked Gyutaro. "You know, there's a form of the Sun Breathing. The strongest among the thirteen, but it doesn't have a name. So I decided to give it a name..." explained Goku. "This form. the thirteenth, plays all of the twelve previous forms of the Sun Breathing. It's the strongest, but also the more difficult to use. The fact I am able to use it says a lot about me, doesn't it?" he said. "Let me show you..."
"Sun Breathing: Thirteenth Form -- Perpetual Light." Goku disappeared from sight. "Where did he go..?" wondered Gyutaro. All of a sudden, something hit the floor with potence. Daki got hit and flew backwards. Goku had reappeared, and was pushing Gyutaro with his sword. Gyutaro was shielding himself with his sickles. "I'm going straight for you first, you ugly, malnourished son of a bitch!" shouted Goku, trying to slice Gyutaro's neck, but the demon lowered himself and dodged. Goku charged at him again. His sword collided with Gyutaro's sickles at incalculable speed. (Is he faster? Or is he just spurred by the fact he has to protect his friends?) wondered Gyutaro. The demon also noticed Goku had something in his eyes -- anger. Pure, absolute and infinite anger and hatred. The boy roared, stabbing Gyutaro in the chest. "Second Form: Clear Blue Sky!" he roared again, cutting Gyutaro's arm. Suddenly, Daki appeared again, throwing her sashes at Goku. The boy quickly cut some of them, then jumped and ran on a sash, reaching for Daki. "First Form -- Dance!" he exclaimed, aiming for Daki's neck. But the girl dodged, and Goku fell on the floor, but quickly regained his composure. Gyutaro charged at him again, but Goku quickly defended himself. The two clashed again. This time, even faster and harder. "Why can't you just die?" asked Gyutaro, mid-fight. "For the same reason you don't shut up," replied Goku, blocking the demon's sickles. Daki's sashes arrived again, but the boy made a backflip, avoiding them. Unfortunately, while he was in mid-air, the sashes clinged at him. (Shit...) thought Goku. "Third Form -- Raging Sun!" he roared, cutting Daki's sashes. But then, Gyutaro jumped on him, stabbing his belly. Goku spat blood. (He... poisoned me even more...) thought Goku, slicing Gyutaro, forcing him to retreat. "Sixth Form -- Burning Bones, Summer Sun!" exclaimed the boy, hitting Gyutaro with insane force. Then, he kept attacking the demon, forcing him to step back. "Fifth Form -- Fire Wheel!" exclaimed Goku, doing a backflip and landing on Gyutaro, who managed to block the attack, but his arms got severed. (It's time... or isn't it? I have to find an opening to slice his head off...) thought Goku, landing on the floor. Then, Daki's sashes attacked him once again, but Goku quickly avoided them with a jump. "Thirteenth Form -- Perpetual Light!" exclaimed Goku, and once again, he performed all the twelve forms consecutively, leaving Daki defenseless. "You bastard!" exclaimed Gyutaro, trying to stab Goku's back. But as the boy turned, the sickle hit his right eye, slicing it. Goku screamed in pain. (My eye... He sliced my eye...) he thought. The boy spat blood once again. (This is the moment! They're close to each other!) realized Goku, clutching his right eye. Then, he did something unexpected. The boy extracted one of Tengen's swords. "You really thought I didn't predict this situation?" said Goku, smashing Tengen's swords against Daki's neck. "Is not use, dumbass! My neck is a sash itself!" she said. "This doesn't mean it can't be sliced though," said Goku. Suddenly, Goku rushed forward. (The sash has a limit... If I manage to reach the maximum length, it'll snap away....) understood Goku. "Take this!" exclaimed Gyutaro. But this time, Goku kicked him and with his other sword, he smashes it on Gyutaro's neck. (I just have to resist now... I'm beheading both of them... I can do this!) realized Goku.
Elsewhere, far away, Tanjiro and Nezuko were tending to the others' wounds. (Goku, please... Don't die...) thought the boy. Suddenly, Tengen's eyes snapped open. "Goku-kun!" he yelled, immedaitely sitting down. "Uzui-san! You're awake!" exclaimed Tanjiro. "Where is Goku-kun?" asked the Hashira. "He's fighting Daki and Gyutaro alone... Please do not go to help him, you're not in the conditions!" explained Tanjiro. "Dammit..." muttered Tengen. "Goku-kun! Do it, defeat them!" he shouted, motivating Goku. The boy, still with both of his swords on the demons' necks, heard his friend's voice. (That's right... I have to...) he thought, still in mid-air, trying to end the length of Daki's neck. "Die!" exclaimed Gyutaro, stabbing Goku's chest. "Die!" exclaimed Daki, stabbing her sashes on Goku's back and cutting his legs and arms. (I'm... I'm destroyed... But I can't lose... not now...) he thought, covered in blood. (I have to win... For them...) he thought. In that moment, in Goku's mind replayed all the moments he shared with his friends. And then, with his few remaining energies, the boy did not fell. "Thi... Thirteenth Form..." he started to say. "PERPETUAL LIGHT!" he screamed, once again. And for the first time, despite being born with it, Goku's mark awakened. On his forehead, a red mark appeared, enhancing his body heat and his willpower. And then, with now a first-time awakened mark, the lives of his friends on his shoulder, Goku put an unimaginable effort and...
Slash.
Daki's and Gyutaro's heads got cut clean off. The enemy is defeated. The nightmare is over. Goku has won. The two demon's head fell right in front of each other. Goku finally touched floor with his feets once again. (I... I did it... I won...) he thought. Far away, Tengen was confused. "What... What happened...?" he wondered. Then, he saw it: With his last energies, Goku lifted his sword in the air, in sign of victory. "Never give up, my boy..." said the Hashira, proud of Goku. (There isn't a part of my body that doesn't hurt or isn't bleeding...) thought the boy, barely standing. Then, he dropped both of his swords. (I'm... I'm about to die... But at least... Tanjiro-kun and the others are safe...) he thought. Then, the boy crumbled to his knees, and eventually fainted face down.
Chapter 27 - End.