Sarah hysterically laughed as she pulled what little remained of her sword out of a demon hunters chest. So the Corps have decided to betray her now that she's gone rouge? And after everything she has done for them? After everything she's sacrificed?

The stench of human blood smelt like pure rot, it was fucking disgusting. At least she was able to replace her sword, so that was something. The fact that this person had money on them too was also beneficial.

She had to lay low for a while, despite that she was so close to the Ciphers hideout. A few hours ago, Sarah was on a high after killing her mother, thinking irrationally and not logically like she normally did. Once the realization hit that she had just killed her last living parent, Sarah couldn't help but wished that she had suffered just a little bit longer.

But now was not the time to be thinking such childish thoughts, she had to find a place to temporarily reside in before the sun arises and get this filthy blood off of her. Luckily enough for her, there was a nearby village, so all she would have to do is break into a nearby house and reside there to gain back her energy. Shouldn't be too difficult.

Using the cover of darkness as a cloak, Sarah snuck into a nearby inn and reserved a room for herself. Finally she was able to wash the dirt off of her and rest, but she's going to need some new clothes to wear...and maybe a new sword hilt while she's at it.

Stealing some clothes from a nearby house and sliding in them after taking a bath, Sarah looked at herself in the mirror and smiled at her reflection with satisfaction. She no longer had to hide this part of herself now, she was finally free to do whatever she wanted with little to no consequences. Why did she even bother to suppress this side of her before?

"Dad, why are all of the kids scared of me?" A  voice asked as she looked up at her dad.

A younger, less unhinged version of Ben Cipher smiled, "Because humans are very cruel creatures, Sarah. They just can't accept that some people were born different."

"Then why do we have to protect them?" Younger Sarah asked again.

"Because they're defenseless, Sarah. Without the Demon Slayer Corps they will all die painful deaths," Ben responded before adding on, "With the exception of your Blood Demon Art, Sarah."

"My Blood Demon Art?" Younger Sarah tilted her head.

Ben nodded, "Yes, your Blood Demon Art. I have a feeling that yours isn't going to cause any painful deaths, though that depends on the intention behind it."

Younger Sarah looked up at him confused, "Intention?"

"I'll explain what that word means when you get older, for now you can go and play with Taeyang in the garden," Ben smiled as he ushers a pouting Sarah towards the garden.

"But I don't want to play with Taeyang, he always makes a comment about my hair looking like poison!" Younger Sarah retorted, "My hair does not look like poison!"

"Oh Sarah, if only you knew..." Ben muttered under his breath, vividly remembering the day he watched Adeline Bellum brutally murder her whole family. His daughter was the splitting image of the current Demon Queen, with the exception of her eyes, which were a dull-grey color like Upperrank One's. Ben could only hope deep down inside that his daughter will not turn out to be like her birth parents in any way, shape, or form....

"Sorry I disappointed you, Ben."

—

Blossom and the others quickly rushed over to Kansano Mountain as fast as they could, hoping to capture Sarah along the way. Buttercup suggested that they should check out the nearby villages first to see if Sarah was residing there temporarily (since the sun was on the horizon), but Bubbles told her they didn't have time to do that. Trusting her gut instinct, Buttercup split up from the group and headed down the mountain in search for the former Mist Hashira, using her sense of smell to track her down to a nearby inn.

"So this is where you're hiding, Sarah," Buttercup smirked as she withdrew her jagged blade, "Well then, let's get this party started!"

Busting through the door to the inn, Buttercup quickly rushed up the stairs towards the room Sarah was currently residing in. Using her foot to kick the door down, Buttercup was greeted to the sight of a now demon-fied Sarah sitting on the bed in traditional Japanese garments, smiling at her former ally.

"Look, I can see you clearly now," Sarah gestured over to her eyes, which were about as foggy as mist.

Buttercup directed her sword at Sarah and looked the former Hashira dead in the eyes, "You act like I give a shit about that? You're a demon now, and clearly a very powerful one at that."

"Yes, I suppose you are right," Sarah responded as she started picking at an old wound, "Say, how about we play a little ga-"

"Beast Breathing, Eighth Fang: Explosive Rush!" Buttercup interjected as she charged at the demon at a blinding speed, almost decapitating Sarah with her blade.

Sarah threw her head back as she felt the nichirn blade almost touch her neck, using her legs to kick the breath user away from her. Quickly grabbing her own sword, Sarah charged at Buttercup using Mist Breathing, Second Form: Eight-Layered Mist to send a barrage of slashes at the demon slayers direction.

"You were a fool to come at me alone," Sarah said as she was preparing another attack, "Clearly I am much stronger than you in this current state of mine."

"And you will loose your sanity the longer you stay a demon. I've known for a long time now that this day would come, ever since I've read that book in the library about half-demons. Even before then I could sense a change in your overall state, perhaps that change occurred when you lost both your best friend and father two years ago today," Buttercup responded in an attempt to reason with the demon, "We don't have to fight, Sarah (as much as I hate to say that). You can come back and Bubbles can turn you back into a human. You can finally retire and seek some professional help (because god knows you desperately need it). Just please, stop what you're doing and come back to the Corps before you do something that you'll regret."

"How can I when I still have so much left to do!" Sarah angrily retorted, "I had to witness first hand the deaths of both Taeyang and my dad, I had to be forced into a war I didn't even want to take part in at the tender age of nine, I had to take the lives of so many demons who went rogue just like me, and not to mention the amount of prejudice I've had to face in the Corps for being a half-demon! I've been suppressing my powers for years now just to fit in with the rest of your lot! Mist Breathing, Third Form: Scattering Mist Splash!"

"Beast Breathing, Tenth Fang: Whirling Fangs!"

The two attacks collided with each other, causing part of the roof to cave in due to the sheer pressure of the swords. Buttercup charged in head first in an attempt to cut off Sarah's head from the side, the latter dodging and sending an attack of her own towards the abdomen. Buttercup dislocated her body to avoid her abdomen getting pierced, the blade of the sword lightly grazing against her side.

Buttercup slid in another attack of her own, shoving her blade directly into Sarah's chest as she forced the demon outside of the inn. Sarah spat out blood as she began to loose her grip on her sword, trying to figure out why the jagged-haired girl is always so fucking reckless in her attacks. If she's going to fight dirty, then Sarah's going to join in on that trend.

"Blood Demon Art: Sweet Serenity," Sarah grinned as she noticed Buttercup inhaling some of her mist. That's good, it's one less pest she has to worry about.

To her surprise though, Buttercup took notice and ripped off a huge piece of her uniform to wrap around her face. Sarah mentally cursed herself and the uselessness of her blood demon art, wondering how people could ever assume something as pathetic as mist is lethal to both humans and demons alike.

   "I have a feeling that yours isn't going to cause any painful deaths, though that depends on the intention behind it."

So that's what her old man meant by 'intention'. Was she not intending on killing the person right in front of her? Or could it be something else holding her back?

Well, Sarah guesses it's only time to find out the true potential behind her powers.

"Blood Demon Art: Sweet Ecstasy!"

"Beast Breathing, Third Fang: Devour!"

Careful not to get too close to the oncoming cloud of mist, Buttercup sends a series of sword strikes at Sarah in hopes that one of them will injure her. Unfortunately for her, Sarah simply deflected these attacks with her sword, being careful not to loose her grip on it again.

"You're fighting a loosing battle here, Buttercup," Sarah said in a condescending tone, "There's a clear power imbalance here, with me being an ex-Hashira and you still being a Kinoto. Regardless, a wins a win for me, since my goal here is to wipe both demons and demon slayers alike off the face of the earth."

"And there will still be people out there that will stop you," Buttercup angrily retorted, "Killing me would only piss both my sisters off, one of them being your former Tsukugo."

"Oh, so Blossom actually managed to take my spot as the new Ice Pillar? Well congratulations to her, she won't last very long against me," Sarah responded as her nichirn sword started to turn white, "Considering I'm going to personally cut her head off myself once I get my hands on her."

"You're going to regret ever saying that. Sudden throwing strike!" Buttercup exclaimed as she threw one of her nichirn swords at Sarah, catching the other off guard before using her remaining one to cut her head half-way off.

Sarah used her half-decapitated neck as an opening to unleash a huge cloud of mist in Buttercups face, watching the latter stumble to the ground. Using her Blood Demon Art to cover up her tracks, Sarah used Mist Breathing, First Form: Low Clouds, Distant Haze to decapitate the girls head off.

Buttercup couldn't help but internally laugh as her vision blacked out permanently. Oh Sarah's in for a rude awakening if she thinks the Demon Slayer Corps are going to back down this easily on her now. Once they manage to take Dello and Lila down, they're going to come for her next...and that's a guaranteed promise.

—

Hearing the Kasugai crows announce Buttercups defeat at the hands of Sarah Bellum made Blossoms blood boil. It was an unfair matchup, she knew it just as well as Buttercup, but the black-haired girl was just too stubborn to listen. At least her death wouldn't go to waste....

"Blossom, you need to get back in the box now before you get turned into dust," Bubbles said as she sat the box down on the ground for her to climb into.

"Bubbles, I'm not going back in that fucking box. I'm done hiding away from the sun. If I die, I die, simple as that," Blossom responded as she continued her trek up the mountain, "Besides we need to get to the Ciphers hideout now before Sarah does. There's no time to waste!"

"Blossom, are you that fucking stupid? You'll burn outside in the sun!" Bubbles groaned in annoyance, "I've already lost one sister today, I can't bare to loose another!"

"Buttercup knew the risks she was taking when she decided to go after Sarah alone. I'm pissed off and upset too that she's died and that bitch is probably eating her fucking corpse as we speak, but there's a bigger threat at sake here and if we don't stop the Ciphers now, their influence will spread all throughout Japan!" Blossom angrily retorted at her sister, the sun hitting down on her back, "My fucking god, it's just one major threat after another! I'm about done with the demon population in general! There can't be any peace between humans and demons, it's impossible!"

Bubbles mouth gaped at the sight of her sister standing in the sunlight unaffected. How was this possible? Could it be....

"I can't believe I ever-What are you looking a....Holy shit!" Blossom exclaimed as she stared up at the sun, "I'm not burning!"

"But how?" Bubbles asked her in disbelief, "How?"

"I don't know, Bubbles, I honestly don't fucking know. What I do know though is that the Ciphers are going to be taken down once and for all, permanently," Blossom coldly said as she looked at her sister with a stern expression on her face, "And I'll show Sarah Bellum what being a true Hashira is all about. Mark my word."