Chapter 48: The Legion’s Trump Card

**Chapter 48: The Legion's Trump Card**

Under the light of a full moon, the air crackled with purple electricity as droplets of Douma's blood scattered across the night sky. His severed head tumbled through the air in slow motion, a shocking sight to all who witnessed it. The battle that had begun in fury had ended in an instant, and the oppressive presence of the Upper Moon Two was gone.

Kintaro hovered for a brief moment in the sky, his once-brilliant glow fading. The electric energy that had surged around him disappeared, and the purple cracks that had lined his face—like lightning scars—vanished. The light in his violet eyes dimmed, and his glowing hair lost its luster. His body, heavy with exhaustion, began to fall.

As he plummeted toward the earth, his eyes slowly closed. The strain of unleashing such an overwhelming amount of power for the first time had taken its toll. Kintaro had given everything he had, and now, consciousness slipped away from him.

On the ground, Douma's body was disintegrating into black ash. His head, rolling to the side, stared up at the moonlit sky. Though his face was calm, his thoughts seethed with anger and disbelief.

'What... what is happening to me? Did... did that child really cut off my head? How? I am Upper Moon Two! I have never failed Muzan-sama, not once. How is it that I've been killed by a mere child? What kind of power is this? In all my centuries, I've never seen anything like him. No wonder Muzan sent me after him. That boy... all demons should unite to destroy him before it's too late!'

As Douma's body finally disintegrated, his last thoughts were swallowed by the darkness. His existence was reduced to a fine black mist, swept away by the wind, disappearing under the silver moonlight.

Shinobu's violet eyes welled with tears as she watched Douma vanish. It was over—at least for now. The demon who had caused her so much pain, who had taken so much from her, was finally gone. But the relief was bittersweet. She had barely survived the battle, and Kintaro, the boy who had made Douma's defeat possible, was now plummeting toward the earth, unconscious.

"Shinobu-sama, are you alright?" Kanao asked, her voice shaky as she helped the injured Hashira stand. Both of them bore wounds from the fierce battle, their clothes torn and bloodied, but they were alive.

Tanjiro, Nezuko, Inosuke, and Zenitsu stood in the courtyard, their breaths heavy from the aftermath of the fight. Zenitsu's frozen form was beginning to thaw, the ice evaporating into mist now that Douma had perished.

Inosuke, his body battered but his spirit unbroken, clenched his fists and muttered, "Is this... what it means to be a Hashira?"

Tanjiro, though equally bruised and exhausted, couldn't help but feel astonished. In a moment of quiet reflection, he replied, "I don't know... I've never thought about Hashira being so different in power."

Shinobu, hearing this, managed a weak smile as she struggled to stand fully upright. "It's not about being a Hashira or not," she said, her voice strained but firm. "What Kintaro did just now... I don't think there's any Hashira who could do that alone. As it stands, Kintaro is the Legion's trump card. You must protect him with your lives until dawn. Afterward, we'll send him to Oyakata-sama immediately."

Her words carried a weight of urgency. Despite Kintaro's extraordinary strength, the immense energy he had released had left him vulnerable. And though Douma had been defeated, Shinobu knew all too well that other enemies could be lurking in the shadows.

Kanao nodded firmly, determination filling her eyes. "We will protect him, Shinobu-sama."

As Kintaro's body neared the ground, Kanao quickly rushed forward, catching him just before he crashed. The electricity that had once radiated from him was completely gone, and his body felt cold to the touch, as if drained of all warmth and vitality.

Aoi, standing nearby with the girls, looked at Kintaro with a mixture of awe and fear. "Kintaro... he's really powerful, isn't he?" she whispered. "But it's like... that power comes at a terrible cost."

Shinobu approached slowly, her movements stiff from her injuries. She knelt beside Kintaro, placing a gentle hand on his forehead. "He's pushed his body to its absolute limit," she said quietly. "His strength is beyond anything I've seen, but it's dangerous for him to release so much power. We need to get him medical attention as soon as possible."

As they worked to stabilize Kintaro, the night remained eerily quiet. The tension from the battle had dissipated, leaving behind only the cold air and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. But even in this calm, the weight of the situation hung heavily on their minds.

Tanjiro looked up at the sky, where the black mist of Douma's remains had disappeared. "That demon... he said something before he was killed," he murmured. "He was after Kintaro. Why? Why would Muzan want him dead so badly?"

Inosuke grunted, "Who cares why? All that matters is that we beat him. Next time, I'll be the one to take down one of those Upper Moons."

But Shinobu's expression remained grave. "It's not just about Douma. If Muzan sent one of his strongest demons after Kintaro, then he must see him as a serious threat. And if that's the case, more demons will come. Stronger ones."

The gravity of her words sank in. Kintaro wasn't just any demon slayer. He was a key player in the war against Muzan, and his power, while incredible, made him a target.

As dawn began to break on the horizon, casting the first rays of sunlight across the battlefield, Kanao, Tanjiro, and the others gathered around Kintaro, silently vowing to protect him at all costs. Their battle was far from over. But for now, they had survived.

Shinobu, looking up at the fading moon, whispered to herself, "Kintaro... you might just be the Legion's last hope."

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