Thud!
Tanjiro landed back on the roof, the tremendous impact shattering a broad swath of tiles.
"Hah... hah..."
The backlash from pushing his body beyond its limits to strengthen his breathing hit Tanjiro the moment that move ended. His legs could barely hold him up, and he gasped through his open mouth. Every organ in his body ached as though it were being seared by flames.
Finally... I beheaded this demon...
Unable to stay upright, he sank to his knees. Despite the agony wracking his body, Tanjiro breathed a sigh of relief.
"Damn it!!! How could an ugly freak like you behead me! I'm an Upper Rank acknowledged by that lord!!"
Daki's head landed back on the rooftop then, and she shouted in defiance.
"You only managed it because you got ridiculously lucky! Otherwise, there's no way I could have lost!"
Tanjiro was not particularly surprised by Daki's ranting. He assumed her strength had merely delayed her crumbling to ash.
I can't rest yet... I still have to... save the injured...
Forcing himself to endure the pain, Tanjiro slowly stood, then made his way down one step at a time.
"Stop! Stop right there! We haven't settled this yet! I'm going to slice you to pieces!!"
Watching Tanjiro slowly leave, Daki's head kept shouting at his retreating back. But Tanjiro had no intention of stopping and ignored her completely.
Furious at being ignored, Daki remembered that she had been beheaded by a swordsman who was not even a Hashira. Feeling wronged, she burst into tears.
"Waaaaah!!! All you ugly freaks do is bully me!!"
Hearing Daki twist the truth like that, Tanjiro felt anger flood the heart he had only just calmed. He clenched his teeth and whipped his head around.
**"Enough! You take people's lives for no reason and