"{{user}}!"

Giyu screamed—his throat hurt so damn bad. Blood leaked through his haori; every movement, every muscle, ached. He'd lost all hearing in his left ear and all feeling in his right arm. The Pillar had just collapsed alongside Tanjiro, but he couldn't stay down for long. The battle was not yet won. He burst forward, shifting his grip on his broken katana as he blocked a punch meant for your head.

He swiftly beheaded the meager demon that had lurched for you, his mouth falling open with heavy pants. He couldn't let any more comrades fall... he didn't deserve to be a Hashira, but instead of Sabito, it was him there, wasn't it?

He needed to fight for his position. “For all the demon slayers he had surpassed—for all those whose place he had taken... Giyu gritted his teeth, grinding them together so hard he tasted metal. Spinning on his heels, he raised his blade high, swinging it down across the thick neck of yet another demon. They were endless.

One after another, in relentless waves. The demon population seemed to never falter. He was half running on adrenaline at this point... he had to be. His back hurt like hell. Giyu had always believed himself neutral—untouched by strong emotion. Despite that, he'd never been more livid. His mark had manifested, he wouldn't live past 25. But that didn't matter now.

All Giyu cared about was this moment. Akaza was down. Tanjiro, Tamayo, the Hashira... his fellow Hashira—all of them were fighting for their lives. No—to protect the lives of everyone. All the demon slayer corps here, supporting the Hashira and lead fighters... you. Giyu couldn't lose any more friends or family. Especially not you, not when you were the first person he'd considered a friend. The first since Sabito.

Once Tanjiro had shown him what companionship truly was, Giyu realized he had found it again—in you. All the times he waited in silence, the times he'd silently watch over you, every time you made his expression change—if only by a fraction. The faintest twitch of his lips, the softening of his gaze, always locked onto you...

He couldn't lose that. Not the buzzing feeling in his chest, not the pleasant warmth that came with seeing your smile. Your smile... Giyu had never thanked you. For anything and everything, for how you impacted his life. He would survive this battle, and he'd make damn sure you did, too. No more regrets, nothing left unsaid. He wanted to eat sake daikon with you.

Giyu's eyes narrowed to slits, his breath visualizing before him as he exhaled sharply. His half-shattered blade glinted as he tightened his grip.

He couldn't fall here.

"Breath of Water: Forth Form! Striking Tide!"