Demon Slayer : LEveLing uP

*gasp* *gasp* *gasp*

The sound of deep breaths echoed through the empty floor, each one heavier than the last. Ishida's body screamed for rest, his muscles trembling with every movement. The fatigue had crept up faster than he'd expected, clawing at his resolve until it was almost too much to bear. The numbers flashed before his eyes, a relentless reminder of how close he was to breaking.

[Fatigue: 99/100]

[HP: 415/680]

[Time Remaining: 00:00:00]

[Demons Level: 27-28 Is Completed]

[Exp. Accumulated: 80,000]

[Total Exp. Accumulated up to this point - 255,200]

[Level: 27 ➡️ 36 ⬆️ (EXP Needed for Next Level (36 to 37): 38,500 EXP) Stat Points: +45]

[The EXP. Accumulated by Player is Enough to reach the requirement Level. Do You want to Quit?] [Y/N]

"Q...u....I..t !? No...."

His voice was strained, barely audible, but the defiance was still there. He couldn't quit now, not after everything he'd been through. Not after all the pain, the battles, the sacrifices. But his body had other plans. His legs buckled, and his sword slipped from his grip, clattering to the ground.

The cold floor rushed up to meet him as he fell, his vision darkening. The last thing he felt was the rough stone against his cheek, the last thing he heard was the silence of the empty floor. And then, nothing.

---

[Player Status: Unconscious]

---

Sakura lay in bed, the soft moonlight filtering through the window. Her eyes fluttered shut, and then...

---

The air was thick , the scent of blood filling her nostrils. Screams echoed in the distance, but Sakura stood frozen, her small hands clutching the hem of her torn dress and the bodies of her parents and siblings lay motionless on the ground.

She didn't feel sadness. Not for them. Her family had never been kind to her. Her father's harsh words, her mother's cold indifference, her siblings' mocking laughter—it all flashed through her mind. They were gone now, and she felt… nothing.

But then, she saw *him*.

A figure emerged from the chaos, his black haori fluttering in the wind. His calm, piercing eyes met hers, and for the first time, she felt something—hope. He moved with a grace she had never seen before, his sword cutting through the demons like they were nothing.

"Stay behind me," he said, his voice steady and reassuring.

Sakura obeyed, her small frame trembling as she watched him fight. He was like a shadow, swift and untouchable. When the last demon fell, he turned to her, his expression unreadable but his presence comforting.

"You're safe now," he said simply.

Safe. The word echoed in her mind as she stared at the destruction around her. Her family was gone, but she was alive. And for the first time, she felt like she had a purpose.

---

Sakura woke with a sharp gasp, her heart pounding as if she'd just run a mile. She sat up abruptly, her body drenched in a cold sweat, the sheets tangled around her legs. Her breathing was ragged, uneven, as if the nightmare still had its grip on her.

She stared at the wall across the room, her hands trembling slightly. The images from the dream were vivid, almost too real—the blood, the screams, the destruction. And then, him.

She ran a hand through her hair, trying to steady herself. The dream had been a memory, but it felt like it had happened all over again. Her family, the demons, the way he'd appeared out of nowhere, calm and unshakable.

"Why now?" she muttered, her voice low and frustrated. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, her feet hitting the cold floor. "I thought I'd moved past this."

But she hadn't. Not really. The memories were always there, lurking in the back of her mind, waiting for moments like this to resurface.

She walked over to the window, pushing it open to let in the cool night air. The moon was high, casting a soft glow. She leaned against the sill, her fingers gripping the edge tightly.

"Safe now," she whispered, repeating the words he'd said that day. "But for how long?"

She glanced over at her sword, leaning against the wall. The moonlight caught the blade, making it glint faintly. For a moment, she could almost see him again—his calm demeanor, the way he'd moved with such precision and grace.

"Giyu Tomioka," she murmured, her voice steady now, determined. "I'll be just like you."

The words were a promise, not just to herself, but to the memory of that day. She'd come too far to let the past haunt her. She had a purpose now, and nothing—not the nightmares, not the memories—would stop her.

She turned away from the window, her resolve hardening. There was work to do, and she wasn't about to waste any more time.

---

Ishida's consciousness stirred, faint and distant at first, like a flickering flame struggling to stay alight. His body felt weightless, as if floating in an endless sea of black. He tried to move, but his limbs refused to respond, as if the darkness itself had wrapped around him, holding him in place.

"Where… am I?" he whispered, his voice swallowed by the void.

There was no answer. Just stillness. An oppressive, suffocating stillness that made his heart race. He blinked, but it made no difference—the darkness was absolute, unbroken.

And then, a voice.

"You've come far," it said, calm and resonant, echoing not just in the air but within his very mind. It wasn't loud, yet it filled the void completely, cutting through the silence like a blade.

Ishida tensed, his instincts flaring. "Who's there?"

"A question you've asked before," the voice replied, its tone measured and almost… kind. "But perhaps now, you're ready to listen."

"Listen to what?" Ishida shot back, his voice sharp despite the unease curling in his chest. "What do you want from me?"

"From you? Nothing," the voice said, a hint of amusement threading through its words. "But for you… that is another matter."

Ishida frowned, confusion mingling with his growing frustration. "What are you talking about? Where am I? What is this place?"

"A crossroads," the voice answered simply. "A moment suspended between what was and what could be."

The cryptic response only deepened Ishida's confusion. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay calm. "Speak plainly. I don't have time for riddles."

The voice chuckled softly, the sound almost kind. "Time, you have in abundance. Understanding, however, is what you lack."

Ishida's fists clenched. "Then explain it to me."

"You fight for vengeance," the voice began, its tone shifting to something more solemn. "A noble cause, perhaps, but a fragile one. Vengeance is a fire—it burns bright, but it consumes. What will remain when it has burned itself out?"

The question struck Ishida like a blow. He opened his mouth to retort, but no words came. The truth was, he didn't have an answer.

"You've faced the demons outside," the voice continued, "but the greatest battle lies within. The shadows you carry… they are your true enemy."

Ishida's breath hitched. "What shadows? I don't—"

"Denial is a heavy burden," the voice interrupted gently. "Carry it too long, and it will break you."

The words lingered in the air, heavy and unrelenting. Ishida wanted to argue, to refute them, but something deep inside him stirred—a quiet, uneasy acknowledgment that he couldn't fully ignore.

The voice seemed to sense his turmoil. "You've come far," it said again, softer this time. "But the journey is far from over. To move forward, you must first confront what lies behind you."

Before Ishida could respond, the voice faded, leaving him alone in the darkness once more. He tried to call out, but his voice was swallowed by the void. The silence pressed in, suffocating and absolute.

And then, a light.

It was faint at first, a single pinprick in the endless black. But it grew, spreading until it enveloped him, warm and comforting. Ishida closed his eyes against the brightness, feeling a strange sense of peace wash over him.

When he opened his eyes again, he was lying on the cold floor of the sixth level, his sword beside him. The air was still, the demons gone. He pushed himself up, his body still aching but somehow lighter, as if a weight had been lifted.

"Face the shadows within…" he murmured, the voice's words echoing in his mind.