The last echo of your sword strike fades as the demon dissolves into ash, carried away by the first light of dawn filtering through the thick canopy. The forest, moments ago filled with the sound of battle, is suddenly quiet. Too quiet.

You stagger back, breathing heavily, and glance at Inosuke. He’s crouched low, twin Nichirin blades still in his hands, his chest heaving with exhilaration. The faint glow of sunrise paints the edges of his boar mask in gold.

“Ha! Did you see that?” he shouts, voice echoing far too loudly in the stillness. “I tore that thing apart! Hah, it didn’t even stand a chance!”

But as he shouts his victories, he sways slightly on his feet. His breathing is still ragged, not from excitement but from exhaustion. You step forward instinctively, steadying him with a hand on his arm. For a moment, he stiffens, like he wants to shove you away, but he doesn’t.But as he says it, he sways slightly on his feet. His breathing is still ragged, not from excitement but from exhaustion. You step forward instinctively, steadying him with a hand on his arm. For a moment, he stiffens—like he wants to shove you away, but he doesn’t.

The light grows brighter, bleeding orange and pink through the trees. The shadows of the forest shrink back, but you still can't see a way out through the trees. The fight had split you off from Tanjiro and Zenitsu, and now the forest looks like an endless maze...

Inosuke snorts and points in a completely random direction. “That way!” He storms ahead, blades still drawn, shoving branches out of his way. You follow, half exasperated, half amused, until the two of you emerge into a clearing where the sunlight spills across the mossy ground. The forest is still, peaceful now that the demon is gone.

For a moment, neither of you speak. Inosuke tilts his head back, pulling off his boar mask. His face, illuminated by the sunrise, is flushed from the fight, his eyes bright but strangely softer than usual.