34. Set your heart ablaze

Hana gasped, her eyes widening as tears began to well up and spill uncontrollably. She covered her mouth, trembling slightly.

"Rengoku-san..." Tanjiro muttered in disbelief before letting out a pained cry.

"You'll die! You'll end up dead, Kyojuro!" Akaza yelled. "Become a demon! Say you'll become a demon! You are the chosen one!"

Rengoku let out a scream, tightly gripping the handle of his sword before swinging it toward Akaza’s neck.

Mother! I feel the same! Rengoku poured all his strength and power into his sword, pushing it deeper into Akaza's neck piercing through it. It was an honor to be born to a lady such as yourself!

Akaza struggled against his grasp, managing to get his free hand up to punch Rengoku's face, but Rengoku caught it with his other hand.

He stopped me?! What an unbelievable strength! Especially when my arm is pierced his stomach! Akaza’s eyes widened in disbelief. "It's almost daylight. I have to kill him and get out of here…"

Akaza tried to pull his arm free, but Rengoku wouldn’t let go. "I won't let you go!"

No matter what Rengoku-san says, I have to do it right now. Hana thought forcing herself to rise, she quickly grabbed her sword and ran toward the scene. Her entire body ached, but that didn’t stop her.

I have to slice his head off right now!

"Inosuke! Move!" Tanjiro suddenly yelled, rushing forward.

"Move your body for Rengoku-san!"

Inosuke roared and charged ahead. “Beast of Fang! First Fang: Pierce!”

Akaza’s eyes flashed with panic. He tore off his own forearm to escape and leapt backward, fleeing the scene. Rengoku’s sword still jammed in his neck, his face twisted in fury and fear as he regenerated his arms. The sun was rising; he could feel it against his skin.

"I gotta get into the shade! Away from the sunlight!" He thought running towards the forest.

But before he could vanish-

“You’re not getting away!” Hana shouted. She threw her blade at Akaza. The blazing sword wheeled through the air and impaled the demon in the chest, causing him to stumble. However, he recovered quickly, tripping to his feet, and began running away once more.

“Come back! Don't run away!” Tanjiro screamed, running after him, but his figure only grew smaller, fading into the darkness of the trees.

Hana’s knees trembled. She stared helplessly as the forest swallowed the demon whole..

“No…” she whispered, voice breaking. "Why….why do I keep losing..?"

And then Tanjiro’s roar echoed through the dawn..

“Don’t you run! Don’t you run, you coward! Don’t you dare run! Our wounds don’t heal easily! Our lost limbs won’t return! Don’t run away, you bastard!”

Hana’s body shook as she clutched her chest falling on her knees..

“You’re nothing compared to Rengoku-san! He’s so much stronger! He didn’t lose! He didn’t let anyone die! He protected us in the end!”

“You lost! Rengoku-san won!” Tanjiro’s voice cracked, then broke entirely. His sword slipped from his hands as he fell to his knees, crying out in misery.

Hana watched him, her little brother crying helplessly. She wanted to cry too, grief threatening to drown her. But she clenched her fists, forcing herself to stay strong, to calm him down. She slowly got up and walked toward her brother, pulling him closer and gently rubbing his back.

Rengoku smiled softly, noticing this even in his fading moments. A sad but proud smile graced his face.

“You can stop yelling now.” he said gently, his voice calm despite the blood pouring from his wound. “Your injuries are not minor either. If you die, it will mean that I’m a loser. Come here, and let us talk….one last time.”

Tanjiro and Hana moved towards him, their breaths ragged, eyes filled with tears.

“I remembered something,” Rengoku murmured, eyes distant but warm. “As I dreamed of the past…my home…You should go to my parents' home, the Rengoku residence.”

They sat beside him in silence. Rengoku continued, voice weaker now but steady. “There should be some memorandum left by the preceding Flame Hashira… My father read them often, but since I never did, I don’t know the contents. There must be some record of that Hinokami Kagura you mentioned."

“Rengoku-san! Please, don’t talk anymore!” Tanjiro cried, voice trembling. “Stop it with the breathing! Is there a way to close your wounds? Please close the wound! You can’t die, please don’t die!”

“No…” Rengoku’s tone remained calm, almost peaceful. “I will soon die.”

Hana’s face broke. She shook her head in disbelief, tears streaming down. I can’t… not now..

“I’ll talk while I still can,” Rengoku said softly. “So please…listen.”

His voice trembled faintly. “Tell my little brother, Senjuro… to follow whatever path his heart deems right. Tell my father…to take care of his body.”

He turned his gaze toward Tanjiro and Hana. “And… Hana…Tanjiro…”

He smiled faintly. “I believe in your little sister. I accept her as a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. I saw her bleeding as she protected the humans inside the train. Anyone who risks their life fighting demons to protect humans is a rightful member of the Corps, no matter what anyone else says.”

Rengoku continued, his words fading like flickering embers. “Stand tall and be proud. No matter how devastated you may feel by your own weakness or uselessness…”

He took one more shallow breath. “Set your heart ablaze.”

His voice was firm, gaze unwavering. Even in death, the Flame Hashira’s heart burned with unending strength.

“Grit your teeth and look straight ahead,” he said softly. “A human’s lifespan is short… Even if you stop and crouch down, time won’t wait for you. It won’t snuggle you and grieve along with you. Don’t feel bad that I’m going to die here. As a Hashira, I should shield my juniors.”

He turned his head weakly. “Kamado siblings…Boar-head boy…yellow boy…” His voice softened into a faint whisper. “Keep learning and growing. In time… you will be the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps.”

“I believe in you all.”

His eyes began to close as his vision dimmed. The golden light of dawn washed over his face. And in that light, he saw her.

“Mother…” he whispered. “Have I done well?”

The gentle figure smiled at him, eyes soft with pride.

“You did a wonderful job.”

At her words, a peaceful smile spread across Rengoku’s face. His body relaxed. The fire burned one last time and then, quietly, went out.

The world stilled.

It’s over.. Hana thought, chest tightening, tears falling freely..He really…is gone.

After a while, Zenitsu walked towards them, Nezuko’s box on his back..

He trembled, voice cracking. “When the train derailed, Rengoku-san unleashed so many techniques… He kept the damage to a minimum.” His expression broke. “I can’t believe he’s gone.”

“Is it true… that an Upper Moon showed up?”

“Yes…” Tanjiro’s voice was barely audible.

“Why would an Upper Rank appear? Was he really that strong? I mean…”

Tanjiro’s lips quivered. “Yes… I’m so frustrated. Just when I think I can do something, another huge wall appears in front of me. How can I become someone like Rengoku when… when I’m struggling just to stand?”

I should have been stronger… I should have done something…I was so useless. Hana thought, guilt gnawing at her. I failed him. I failed him just like I failed everyone else…

Hana lowered her head, shoulders shaking. Grief consumed her again. Tears dropped onto her blood-stained hands.

The silence hung heavy until Inosuke suddenly shouted through his tears, “Quit your whining!”

Both siblings lifted their heads, startled.

“It ain’t about if you can or can’t, crap like that! He said he believed in us, so we gotta prove him right!” Inosuke’s voice wavered between anger and grief. “All creatures to the land when they die, and that’s that! Getting all worked up won’t bring him back!”

He clenched his fists, tears spilling from beneath his boar mask. “Even if you’re frustrated, don’t you cry!”

Zenitsu sniffled. “Aren’t you crying too? You’re crying so much that your tears are spilling from your mask!”

Inosuke headbutted him instantly. “I ain’t crying!”

Hana stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her brother, pulling him close.

Tanjiro clung to her, burying his face in her shoulder as he sobbed uncontrollably. His tears soaked through her uniform, his body shaking from the weight of grief. Hana held him tighter, one hand on his back, steady and warm.

Her own hands trembled, throat tightening, but she refused to cry. She knew Rengoku wouldn’t want them to collapse in sorrow.

Rengoku’s last smile flashed in her mind. That warm, proud smile.

Inosuke turned to Tanjiro, still crying, and yanked him by the hair. “Get over here! It’s time to train!” His voice cracked with emotion as he hit Tanjiro lightly out of frustration, tears still streaming beneath his mask.

The kasugai crow’s voice flew across the Corps. The news of the Flame Hashira’s passing spread through every district, every corner.

Some Hashira stood in disbelief. Others bowed their heads in his memory.

Hana whispered silently to herself, clutching her heart. "Goodbye… Rengoku-san. Thank you…for everything. I’ll make you proud.."