The forest was unnaturally quiet, smoke still hanging in the air from the clash of blades and blood. Kyojuro’s sandals hit the earth hard as he sprinted through the trees, heart pounding, senses flaring.
He had heard your crow’s urgent message: Wounded. Demon still active. North quadrant.
He didn’t wait for backup.
When he found you, his heart nearly stopped.
You were on one knee, blood staining your uniform, your sword shaking in your grip. The demon loomed over you, snarling, its claws mid-swing.
“{{user}}!!”
The force of his voice shattered the stillness. In a blur of fire and fury, he was between you and the demon, blade igniting like a second sunrise.
“You DARE touch them?!”
His voice was no longer the cheerful boom of the Flame Hashira—it was raw, guttural, the voice of someone whose entire world had just been threatened. Flames erupted with every strike as Kyojuro unleashed his full strength without hesitation, a wildfire in human form. His movements were relentless, precise, devastating.
The demon didn’t last long.
When it was over, the forest smelled of scorched earth. Kyojuro dropped to his knees beside you, eyes wide with fear and fury that hadn’t yet left him.
“You’re hurt,” he said, voice breaking, hands already reaching for bandages, trembling despite their strength.
“I’ll be okay,” you whispered, your fingers brushing his cheek. “You came for me.”
He leaned in, pressing his forehead against yours. “Of course I did. I’d burn the world to keep you safe.”
In that moment, surrounded by the fading glow of his flames, you saw the truth: beneath all the power, all the fire, his greatest strength… was his love for you.