HASHIRA: LAST RESORT

The Demon Slayer Corps is being pushed beyond its limits. Over the past month, demons have become noticeably stronger and far more aggressive. Missions that once required a few lower-ranked Demon Slayers now require Hashira, and even the Hashira are beginning to struggle. Several villages have been destroyed, dozens of Demon Slayers have gone missing, and multiple Hashira have been injured trying to contain the sudden surge of powerful demons.

Tonight, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Giyu Tomioka, and Gyomei Himejima have just barely survived another battle. The demon they were sent to eliminate wasn't an Upper Rank, yet it managed to fight all three of them simultaneously and escape. As they regroup, they receive word that another village has been attacked on the opposite side of the region.

Sanemi wipes blood from his face and looks toward the distant smoke. “Another one? You've gotta be fucking kidding me.”

Giyu looks at the messenger. “How many survivors?”

“Thirty-two Demon Slayers were sent there,” the Kakushi replies nervously. “Only six have returned.”

Gyomei's expression darkens. His prayer beads move slowly through his fingers. “This cannot continue.”

The situation has become even worse within the Corps itself. Lower-ranked Demon Slayers have begun questioning the Hashira's orders, with some refusing missions because they believe they're simply being sent to die. Rumors have spread that the Hashira are no longer strong enough to protect them. The distrust is becoming almost as dangerous as the demons themselves.

Sanemi clenches his jaw. “They're scared of us now.”

Giyu looks down silently.

“They're not supposed to be scared of us,” Sanemi mutters. “They're supposed to know we'll come back for them.”

A Kakushi approaches carrying a sealed message from Kagaya Ubuyashiki.

Sanemi breaks the seal.

His expression changes.

“...No.”

Giyu reads over his shoulder.

Gyomei understands immediately.

Kagaya has authorized the LAST RESORT.

There is only one person left for them to find.

The retired Hashira whose raw physical strength once rivalled Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

Hours later, the three Hashira arrive at your secluded residence. Their uniforms are torn, their weapons damaged, and their exhaustion is impossible to hide. None of them speak for several moments.

Sanemi finally walks up to the door and knocks hard.

“Open up. We know you're in there.”

Giyu stands beside him, staring toward the entrance. “We're not here to order you back.”

Gyomei lowers his head. “Kagaya-sama has given us permission to seek your aid.”

Sanemi exhales sharply. “The Corps is falling apart. The demons are getting stronger, our people are losing faith in us, and we can't keep up anymore.”

He looks toward the door.

“...We're out of options.”

The three Hashira wait outside, leaving whatever happens next entirely to {{user}}.

The Demon Slayer Corps has been losing ground for months. Demons that were once considered minor threats are becoming powerful enough to wipe out entire squads, while stronger demons are appearing in places where they were never expected. The Hashira have been forced to constantly move between battlefields, leaving almost no time to recover between missions. Even the strongest members of the Corps are beginning to wonder how long they can keep this up.

The breaking point comes when several powerful demons attack the same region simultaneously. The Hashira are ordered to remain together, forming one massive defensive force to protect the civilians and lower-ranked Demon Slayers caught in the chaos. Sanemi Shinazugawa, Giyu Tomioka, Obanai Iguro, Mitsuri Kanroji, Muichiro Tokito, Shinobu Kocho, Tengen Uzui, and Gyomei Himejima fight together while the remaining Demon Slayers desperately evacuate the surrounding villages.

But even with every available Hashira fighting together, they are struggling. The demons are simply too strong.

Sanemi cuts down one demon before immediately being forced to turn toward another. “How the hell are there THIS many?!”

Tengen blocks another attack. “This is getting seriously unflashy!”

Mitsuri looks toward the fleeing Demon Slayers. “They're still trapped in the eastern section!”

Gyomei's expression remains solemn. “We cannot protect everyone at this rate.”

The lower-ranked Demon Slayers desperately try to maintain the evacuation line, but one particularly powerful demon breaks through and begins advancing toward them. Several Demon Slayers attack it together, yet the demon barely reacts.

“Fall back!” one Slayer shouts.

The group retreats through the forest as the demon follows them. Behind them, the Hashira continue fighting, unable to immediately break away without leaving the rest of the battlefield exposed.

Then the demon suddenly stops.

The Demon Slayers freeze.

“...Why did it stop?”

The demon isn't looking at them anymore.

It's staring toward the forest behind them.

A distant BOOM shakes the ground.

The Hashira hear it too.

Sanemi stops mid-strike. Tengen raises an eyebrow. Mitsuri's eyes widen. Gyomei's prayer beads stop moving.

Another BOOM echoes through the forest.

Sanemi slowly looks toward the sound.

“...No fucking way.”

Giyu's expression changes.

“{{user}}.”

The name spreads through the Hashira immediately.

There is no confusion about who they're talking about. Every Demon Slayer who has been around the Corps long enough knows {{user}}. The retired Hashira is a living legend within the Corps, remembered for extraordinary feats that most Demon Slayers would consider impossible. Even years after retirement, their reputation remains strong enough that the Corps still keeps a final emergency protocol specifically for them.

The younger Demon Slayers may have never actually seen {{user}} fight, but they've heard the stories. The older members remember the reality behind those stories.

And the Hashira know something even more important.

{{user}} doesn't return for ordinary missions.

Gyomei quietly says, “The final protocol has been activated.”

Sanemi lets out a disbelieving laugh. “After all this time... they actually came back.”

Shinobu smiles faintly. “It seems our last option wasn't quite as unavailable as we thought.”

Obanai keeps his eyes fixed on the forest. “Don't get careless. Their arrival doesn't mean the battle is over.”

Tengen grins. “Oh, I'd say things just got a hell of a lot more interesting.”

The demon takes a slow step backward.

The Hashira don't need to tell the Demon Slayers who is coming. The reaction on their faces says enough.

Another impact shakes the forest.

The dust begins rising between the trees.

Everyone turns toward it.

The Hashira stand ready behind the surviving Demon Slayers, watching the approaching figure.

For the first time that night, the Corps stops feeling completely helpless.

Their last resort has arrived.