The Rescue Mission Begins
In the inn, with the sun only beginning to lighten the sky’s shade of blue on the horizon, Tanjiro, Kanao, Muichiro, Rengoku, Giyuu, Tengen, and Kanae lay scattered across the quiet room, lost in sleep.
Kanao slept with her head against Tanjiro’s shoulder, her small frame finally at ease, while Tanjiro unconsciously kept an arm wrapped around her, as if guarding even in sleep. Giyuu’s, Rengoku’s, and Tengen’s breathing was steady but shallow, their swords within reach, postures betraying the readiness of seasoned fighters prepared to snap to consciousness at the slightest noise.
Muichiro curled inward, hands loosely clasped as he breathed softly. His Katana rested on the floor in front of him, right where he needed it in case of the expected emergency.
Only Kanae seemed entirely surrendered to sleep, her nerves softened by a sedative. Sanemi sat near her, expression guarded yet protective, his stern gaze darting often to her sleeping form. At the opposite end of the room, Genya watched in his own silent manner, a tense distance filling the space between him and his brother. They did not look at each other, nor did they speak...
Without warning, Sanemi straightened, and he shifted his posture so that he was ready to spring to his feet and draw his sword. Something was approaching, and soon, even Genya noticed. He raised his loaded shotgun, aimed at the door. The footsteps grew closer, and the door creaked open. The Shinazugawa brothers lowered their weapons as Sasori entered.
The shadows passed over his severe face as he stepped into the room. “I have found where Orochimaru has taken her.” He said evenly.
“Oi Kanae,” Sanemi began, as he gently shook her, not even hesitating for a moment. “The puppet master found Shinobu.”
Kanae went from sleeping soundly to sitting upright in an instant! In the next moment, she was on her feet!
“Look alive you bastards!” Sanemi cried, waking up the others, “The puppet master has found Shinobu! Get ready to move out!” Everyone was already either on their feet, or getting to their feet, fully dressed and weapons ready.
“Kamado,” Sasori said turning to Tanjiro, “Make us coffee”
“What!?” Kanao cried. “But there is no time for that! I want to go and save Shinobu now!”
“She’s right,” Sanemi said. “All of us are trained to fight at night. We can handle being a little tired.”
“Would you rather fight while a little tired, and die because you didn’t have a plan?” Sasori asked, “Or would you rather fight tired, and possibly win?”
Each Hashira fell silent.
“Kamado,” Sasori said again. “Make coffee. I’m going to explain the situation, and then we are going to move out. If the Himejima and the snake pillar decide to show up before that happens, fine, if not, then we won’t wait for them. Are there any objections?”
Kanao looked down, and Tanjiro gave her a reassuring pat.
“In case we get separated,” Sasori began, “I want each of you to prepare a scroll, or a long roll of paper, and give them to me.”
“What for?” Kanae asked.
“None of you would be any match for Orochimaru, However…” He remembered his puppet’s reconnaissance. The disturbance in the soil meant that Orochimaru had initiated a summoning ritual… the Edo Tensei. “There are still a few Important things to note. Once these preparations are complete, we will head out. And on the way, I will tell you everything I know about what we are up against…”
***
Tayuya and Shinobu sat alone in the room that served as the cell. The bed in the center of the room, was the only thing between them. Tayuya sat on the edge of it, cleaning her nails. Shinobu sat, curled up in the furthest corner from her. Tayuya was used to this, having assumed that her captive was too afraid to approach her. In reality, Shinobu was checking her key out of there. The ball of poisonous powder was now dry…
Shinobu let out a sigh, her heart beating fast. “Mom… Dad… please watch over me… please give me strength… please give me the strength I need to go through with this…”
“Tayuya-san…” she began “You… you don’t have to keep me here. I understand you’re following orders, but maybe we could come to an understanding?”
Tayuya snorted, rolling her eyes. “Don’t try to sweet talk me. If you try anything funny, I’ll have you on the ground faster than you can spit”
Shinobu’s hands clenched in her lap as she kept her expression neutral. “I don’t want to resort to other means,” she said, almost to herself. “Please… You don’t have to do this.”
“Other means?” Tayuya stretched. “Do I need to demonstrate again how weak you are?”
Shinobu looked down, and Tayuya rose from the bed where she sat. “Please don’t make me do this…” She had only said this in her head. She already knew that with Tayuya, it was futile.
It was now or never.
With a movement so swift that even Tayuya couldn’t react in time, Shinobu threw the smoke bomb at her feet!
“SHIT!” Tayuya cried as It exploded into a cloud of yellow dust! Shinobu pivoted around, as she ran for the door!
She felt Tayuya’s hand reach out from behind, and grab her by her loose hair!
Shinobu let out a scream as Tayuya threw her hard against the ground!
She struggled to break free, as Tayuya pinned her, holding her wrists above her head.
“Youuuu bitch,” Tayuya snarled as she withdrew a scalpel with her free hand, “Im going to-” She stopped suddenly. Her eyes began to water, as she began to cough uncontrollably.
Shinobu broke free, and tried to get up again!
“NOOO!” Tayuya cried as she tackled her, and pinned her a second time, but now she was beginning to cough worse than before. Blood formed on the edges of her eyes, and then began to spew from her mouth. “AUUUGGGHHHH!!” Tayuya doubled over in pain. “What was that! What did you do!?”
Shinobu felt Tayuya’s grip on her rapidly weaken. She broke free just in time to avoid the scalpel that stabbed into the wooden floor.
Tayuya collapsed onto the ground. She began to writhe, rolling around as she began to choke on her own blood. “Orochimaru…sama…. Please…..help… me…”.
“I’m sorry,” Shinobu said, as she drew her blade. “I know the poison you’ve ingested is causing you pain, but this injection will end your suffering as quickly as possible.”
“No… wait…” Tayuya rasped weakly, holding out her hand in a futile attempt to stop Shinobu, as the Katana pierced her heart.
Tayuya’s body went limp, and with a heavy heart, Shinobu sheathed her sword.
“I became a demon slayer to protect humans, I never imagined I’d have to take a human life… but you left me no choice. I cannot have my friends die because of me…” She turned and left the room. The three guards did not even move, immobile without the Kunoichi to command them.
Shinobu did a double take when she opened the door, and took in the infinity castle, but she had made it this far. “Stay calm,” she told herself. “There is a way out of here. For now, just get away from that room.”
Shinobu moved cautiously, her footsteps muffled in the vast, unsettling silence of the Infinity Castle. The walls around her seemed to shift, creating an eerie, disorienting maze, each turn looking like the last. She whispered to herself, repeating, “Stay calm. Just keep moving.” She scanned the hallways for a path to freedom, but each step seemed to take her deeper into the castle’s labyrinth.
Suddenly, a faint, haunting melody drifted through the darkness… the sound of a flute… Sharp, eerie notes weaving in and out like smoke. Shinobu paused, her heart racing as the sound grew louder, almost taunting her with its rhythmic, sinister cadence. The song seemed to pulse from the walls themselves, echoing down the endless corridors. She recognized it as a flute but knew nothing of its source. The sound slithered into her ears, digging deep into her mind, tugging her nerves taut with each high-pitched note.
“Focus!” She repeated to herself… when suddenly, she felt it. She turned around as she ran, and her jaw dropped as the shadow was caste over her.
One of the monster’s that Tayuya had summoned, the one wrapped in bandages, had grown to the size of a tall building!
Shockwaves knocked her off her feet as the monster crashed into where she ran! Debris flew everywhere as part of the castle was shattered!
Shinobu crashed onto another tatami platform and rolled till she came to a halt.
The three monsters now landed on all sides of her, surrounding her, as she struggled to push her body up. She was dizzy from the impact, and her ears were ringing.
She heard footsteps, lighter footsteps.
“You little rat!” Tayuya snarled.
“Y-your alive?” Shinobu asked weakly. She did not know whether or not her concussed brain was playing tricks on her. Not only was Tayuya alive, but she didn’t even have a scratch on her. Did she have that same freakish ability as Orochimaru?
Before Shinobu could think of an answer, Tayuya grabbed her by her throat, and lifted her up, holding her high, Tayuya’s cruel and angry, yet frightened eyes bore into hers. “I want to kill you so badly right now,” she spat. “Only one person has ever heard my flute and lived, and the fact that a weak little rat- no, a weak little insect like you will be the second one, just pisses me off!”
“Then why… don’t you just kill me?” Shonobu managed to get out. “Just because Orochimaru wants to use me as bait…”
Tayuya’s face contorted with anger! “You have no idea how terrifying he can be! If he finds out you almost escaped, I’m already in enough trouble as it is!”
Shinobu at this point, was unable to continue speaking.
“But…” Tayuya continued darkly, “not as much trouble as you're in.”
“Nee-san… Sasori-san… Oyakata-sama… I’m sorry… I tried…”
***
The moon was high overhead as the group followed Sasori. Only their footsteps, and the ticking sounds of the Yahaba and Kinuta puppets could be heard over the crickets.
Himejima and Obanai had yet to arrive, but crows would remain behind to direct them, and update them on the situation. Sasori now took the lead, with Kanae closely behind him, and Sanemi close by her side. Genya intended to be as far from his brother as possible, but he was not the one at the back of the group. Uzui Tengen was right behind him, there to make sure that none of his juniors fell behind. In front of him was Rengoku, and in front of him was Tanjiro and Kanao. Giyuu stood between his junior, and Sanemi, as they came to the grassy clearing, and the ancient, abandoned walls of the small temple.
Most of its walls were torn down, and its rubble and patio were lush with moss. Sasori observed a patch of grass, where something in the shape of a rectangular cylinder was uprooted, and fell. “He’s used Edo Tensei to reanimate someone.”
In his mind, Sasori visualized the worst… but no matter who Orochimaru had resurrected, he couldn’t see it getting to him. More importantly, a demonic light was glowing from the inside of the building itself.
The group walked inside, and stood around the glowing portal. The Kinuta puppet flew in, and then Sasori pulled him out.
“What is it?” Giyuu asked.
“Is Shinobu in there?” Kanao added softly.
“She is definitely in there,” Sasori answered. “I didn’t see her, but I can think of no better hiding place. This is a portal to a vast network of rooms and platforms. I have no idea how long it goes out for, but it looks like a very powerful technique.”
“In that case,” said Giyuu, “We should wait for Himejima and Iguro.”
“Hey you!” Sanemi began, “we’re here aren't we?”
“I know you want to save Kocho,” Giyuu continued. “I do too, but since this is obviously a trap, we should probably revise our strategy befo-”
“I’m going in now.”
Everyone turned to Sasori with surprise. He was the last one anyone would have expected to want to rush things like this.
But now, the air around him grew heavier, and darker. All could feel the malevolent determination.
“Orochimaru is waiting for me,” he said simply, “and its against my policy to keep people waiting.”
With that, Sasori jumped through the portal.
After a stunned silence, Tengen was next.
“You heard the man, lets not keep that bastard waiting!” He jumped through, followed immediately by Genya!
“Good luck to us all,” Tanjiro declared, as he and Kanae followed suit!
“Are you ready to do this young Tokito!?”
“Hai! Rengoku-san!” Muichiro cried, in a low battle stance, his hand already on the handle of his blade, as he and Rengoku went ahead!
Giyuu turned, and gave a final nod to Kanae and Sanemi, before he too jumped into the light.
Now, as one of the last two in the room, Kanae gazed into the light of the portal.
Sanemi was beside her, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword as he glanced over, giving her a quick, determined nod. His voice, a low murmur, reached her just above the chaotic hum of energy, "Don't worry. We'll get Shinobu out of there alive. I'll be with you all the way."
She turned, and cast her gaze up and him, and smiled. “Thank you Sanemi.”
She took his hand in hers, and they faced the gateway together. Together, they leapt into the portal.
In an instant, the world morphed around them, spinning into a chaotic blur. A vast openness all around them, and mazes on every side…
A discordant biwa struck up a rapid, haunting melody, and the walls around her began to shift with each note. Sanemi’s hand was pulled out of hers, and his presence vanished into the distorted void!
“Sanemi!!!” she cried!
“I’ll be with you soon!” his voice called out reassuringly from the distance, as doors and gates shut between them! Walls apparated, and Kanae found herself tumbling through the labyrinth.
Until suddenly, the Biwa stopped. The momentum ceased, and she stumbled forward, alone in a dimly lit chamber. Her heartbeat thundered, but her resolve was far from broken…
“Adapt to the situation. You always have, Flower Hashira,” She told herself. “Now come, on your feet. Shinobu is waiting for you.”
Then, as her gaze lifted, she saw him… She did a double take and fell back. His serpentine eyes gleamed with a venomous glint as he smiled down at her.
She felt her throat go dry, and her mouth unable to close… she suddenly felt smaller than she ever had… she needed no introduction. This was Orochimaru.