Chapter 22: The Bonds of Blood and Bronze
The battlefield was a graveyard of silence, broken only by the ragged breathing of the fallen. Moaz lay sprawled upon the scorched earth, his consciousness drifting in a grey void. His eyelids felt like lead, refusing to yield to the light.
*Who... who is trying to wake me?*
He felt a small, firm hand against his back, nudging him with a gentleness that felt out of place in this carnage. A voice, innocent and strained with worry, reached him.
"Moaz-san! Please, are you alright?"
Tanjiro continued to push, his movements urgent as he carefully rolled Moaz onto his back. As Moaz's vision blurred into focus, he saw the boy's Kind, panicked eyes. It triggered a flash of memory—someone familiar.
"Iyad... is that really you?" Moaz rasped, his voice barely a ghost of a whisper.
Tanjiro's hand hovered over Moaz's chest. He could feel it—the sickening grind of shattered ribs beneath the fabric. Moaz's eyes were half-lidded, glazed with pain. Without a second's hesitation, Tanjiro pressed down to staunch the bleeding, his voice cracking into a desperate shout.
"Stay with us, Moaz-san! Hold on!"
Beside them, Mazen stood with his hand on his chin, his expression locked in what appeared to be profound, scholarly thought.
"Maybe we should make him some *Basbousa*?" Mazen suggested thoughtfully. "The sugar rush might kickstart his heart. Or... we could get Shinobu to whisper *'Moaz-kun, wake up'* in his ear. That usually works in the stories."
Tanjiro snapped his head toward Mazen, his brow furrowing in genuine shock. "How can you joke at a time like this? Your comrade is dying!"
Mazen shrugged, a small, knowing smirk playing on his lips. "To be honest, Moaz has 'died' like five times this week. He always survives. Give him a minute; he'll wake up and start biting people again. It's his process."
Tanjiro's crimson eyes widened. Was this how people treated their kin? Was this truly the psyche of a fourteen-year-old? "Are you... mentally sound?" he asked, genuinely concerned.
### The Confrontation
In the shadow of the clearing, the twins Maiko and Haiko stood like statues of ice, facing the brothers, Huzaifa and Ali.
Maiko let out a low, mocking titter, his gaze dripping with disdain. "How touching. A family reunion in the dirt."
Ali didn't miss a beat, his response sharp with that classic Egyptian bite. "Your mother is the one who's 'touching.' Besides, I can't stand fighting alongside this monkey anyway."
Huzaifa whipped his head toward Ali, his annoyance momentarily diverted. "Me? A monkey? Look at yourself, you gorilla! You act all tough but you look like a lost sheep."
Haiko watched them with a frigid stare, whispering to his brother with a sneer, "Do these two idiots truly think victory is guaranteed?"
Maiko burst into a fit of laughter so sharp it brought tears to his eyes. He pointed a jagged nail toward Ali and Huzaifa. "Truthfully, neither of you stands a chance. You'll end up just like that pathetic weakling over there."
He gestured toward Moaz, who was still struggling to breathe in Tanjiro's arms. "That boy is the weakest link in your little chain," Maiko added, his voice dripping with venom.
Huzaifa's demeanor shifted instantly. The bickering stopped, replaced by a low, vibrating threat. "Listen here, you clown. Our brother Moaz isn't weak. Not by a long shot. And don't forget—there are two of us."
Maiko feigned a look of mock sadness. He slowly licked the drying traces of Moaz's blood from his fingernails, his expression turning disturbingly carnal. "Mmm... so rich. Such a delicious flavor."
Ali let out a low growl, his knuckles turning white as he gripped his hilt. The sound of his palm leather creaking against the sword was the only warning of the explosion to come. "You annoying little..."
Mazen, spotting Maiko's obsession, leaned in with a curious tilt of his head. "Wait, are you Douma's relative? Or just a fanboy?"
Maiko chuckled darkly. "I am a follower. He is magnificent."
Mazen let out a dry laugh, his brown eyes glinting with mischief. "Well, your 'magnificent' idol died poisoned like a common lab rat."
The mirth vanished from Maiko's face. His eyes narrowed, his playfulness replaced by a simmering rage. "He lost to cheating! It was plot armor!"
Mazen didn't let up, twisting the knife. "Call it what you want. To me, Douma was just an overhyped failure."
"Watch your mouth!" Maiko screamed, lunging toward Mazen, his eyes glowing with fury. "You dare speak of Douma-sama that way?"
### The Dark Pact
Huzaifa, who had been observing the twins' movements, spoke with chilling calm. "Wait. Old man Aizawa said Shin let others in before us. Are you... part of them?"
A heavy silence fell, the wind whistling between the combatants. Maiko's voice dropped to a hollow, dark tone.
"Yes. We are among the Fifty. We struck a deal with Shin-sama to join his cause."
Haiko stepped forward, his gaze superior. "It was the only logical choice. In the end, the demons always win. It was a test, and we chose the winning side."
Before another word could be uttered, a thunderous *crash* echoed through the trees. A dark silhouette came hurtling through the air, slamming into a nearby trunk with bone-breaking force.
Everyone turned in shock. It was Hikaru—his body mangled, his regeneration failing to knit his wounds.
"Big brother!" Maiko cried, rushing toward him.
A sharp whistle cut through the air. Emerging from the dust was Mohannad. His kimono was shredded, his hair a mess, but his eyes were cold as steel.
"You ruined my hair," Mohannad muttered, dusting off his shoulder. "You ruined my clothes. And for what? I crushed you, and you claimed to be Lower Moon level? Seriously?"
Mazen's jaw dropped. "Wait, wait! Mohannad actually beat a Lower Moon? Does that make you an official Hashira now?"
Mohannad struck a pose, hands on his hips and a smug grin plastered on his face. "In that case, I expect my three-thousand-dollar salary immediately."
### The Forbidden Fusion
Huzaifa looked at the three demons, his expression hardening. "Guys, we have to finish this now."
Tanjiro, still supporting Moaz, nodded with grim intensity. "We must take their heads, everyone!"
Driven by the sting of his wounded pride, Hikaru let out a primal scream. "Ultimate Technique... **Fusion!**"
Maiko and Haiko's eyes widened in terror. "You can't be serious, Oni-chan?" Haiko whispered.
But before they could flee, Hikaru lunged, pulling his younger brothers into a sickening "embrace." It wasn't a hug—it was consumption. He began to absorb them, their forms dissolving into his own. The sound of crushing bone and tearing sinew filled the air as his body acted like a black hole, folding them into his mass.
When the light faded, Hikaru stood transformed. His muscles surged with unnatural power, his hair grew into a wild black mane, and his eyes glowed a murderous crimson.
"Now," the fused demon hissed, his voice a guttural roar. "I possess the might of an Upper Moon. Let us see how you fare."
The Egyptians and Tanjiro stared at the monstrous evolution. Mazen was the first to break the silence. "Do demons always like absorbing each other? Does it... hurt?"
Ali snapped at him, "I'm about to throw you into his arms, so shut up! Focus on the giant problem!"
Mohannad, ever the optimist, added his own observation: "His size is as big as my problems, but his brain is still the size of a pistachio."
Huzaifa looked at Hikaru with genuine disgust. "You sacrificed your own brothers? Just for power?"
Hikaru laughed, a cold, sadistic sound. "They were tools. Nothing more. I want to be stronger."
Tanjiro bit his lip so hard it bled, his eyes burning with a righteous fury. "How can you say that? You understand nothing of brotherhood! It isn't just a name—it's a shared soul! You threw them away?" Tears pricked his eyes. "You will learn what a true bond means!"
Hikaru didn't respond with words. A massive red circle erupted beneath him, his Blood Demon Art manifesting in a pulse of dark energy. "Class is in session, then. Let's start the lesson."
### The Counter-Strike
Before Tanjiro could charge, a weak hand gripped his shoulder. Moaz leaned in, whispering hoarsely. "Tanjiro... I have a plan. Listen carefully."
Tanjiro knelt, listening as Moaz outlined the strategy. A small, determined smile grew on Tanjiro's face. "I understand, Moaz-san."
Moaz pulled himself up, leaning against a tree, and signaled to Mohannad and the others in a rapid series of hand gestures: *Demons are arrogant. That is their undoing.*
Mazen grinned. Just as Hikaru prepared to lung, Mazen leveled his modern sidearm. *Crack!* A single shot rang out, burying a round directly into Hikaru's neck.
Hikaru touched the wound, a sneer on his lips. "Pointless. I'll just regenerate—"
His eyes suddenly bulged. The wound didn't heal. Instead, it began to sizzle, turning a bruised purple. He coughed up black bile, clutching his disintegrating throat. "What... what is this hellish thing?"
Mazen blew the smoke from his barrel with a wink. "Our own custom-blend Wisteria venom. Extra strength."
The proud demon was suddenly trembling. "How... how can this be?"
Mohannad gestured to Huzaifa and Ali. "Let's go, boys!"
Huzaifa and Ali moved like twin streaks of lightning, grabbing Hikaru's massive arms from both sides.
"What's wrong, pretty demon?" Huzaifa mocked. "You look scared."
Ali added with a predatory laugh, "You look exactly like the sacrificial sheep on Eid morning."
Mohannad stood ready, his sword gleaming. "Let's give you a proper Japanese goodbye."
Hikaru's mind raced in a panic. *No... it can't end like this! I haven't even launched an attack! No!*
"I WILL NOT... DIE!" Hikaru shrieked, releasing a massive shockwave of sound.
Mazen dodged the wave with a yawn. "Thinks he's Kokushibo, this guy."
Then, Tanjiro appeared, his blade wreathed in spiraling currents. "**Water Breathing, Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow—Dragon!**"
Beside him, Mohannad struck with blinding brilliance. "**Star Breathing, Third Form: Stellar Orbit!**"
A dragon of water and a blinding celestial ring collided at the demon's throat. A single, clean *thwack* echoed through the clearing.
Hikaru's head spun through the air, his eyes wide with disbelief. *How... how could they?*
Moaz stood on his own two feet now, clutching his broken chest, his breath heavy but steady. "The reason... is because I had already... psychologically dismantled you... and your brothers... from the start."
Tanjiro stepped over to support Moaz, both watching as Hikaru's head crumbled into ash.
"He was an idiot," Moaz whispered. "Telegraphing his moves like that."
Mazen hopped over, full of energy. "Wisteria Bullets .exe! Way smarter than Kocho!"
Moaz glared at him. "Be quiet, you monkey."
The chapter ends with the sound of weary laughter and the heavy breathing of victors. A cunning, mad, and uniquely Egyptian victory.
**End of Chapter 22**
*The end of the trial draws near... and Tanjiro's journey with his new, eccentric companions truly begins.*