As evening approached, the wind and snow outside suddenly intensified. Coupled with the darkening sky, visibility was practically zero.
And by this time, Tanjiro had not yet returned.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro, having finished selling charcoal, was jogging back home on the mountain. However, the wind and snow were gradually growing heavier, so he had to quicken his pace.
"Is that Tanjiro? Stop for a moment. It's getting dark, and the wind and snow are heavy. Come rest at my place for the night. You can leave tomorrow when the wind and snow die down."
Tanjiro turned his head and saw an old man he knew. He had delivered charcoal to his house many times, so they were quite familiar.
"Old man, my family is waiting for me at home, I can't stay here."
The old man smiled kindly:
"Don't think that way. Your own safety is most important. In this weather and at this hour, if something dangerous were to happen, Your family would only be sadder."
"Moreover, it's getting dark. At night, flesh-eating demons roam, you know. It's better to stay here and leave tomorrow."
Tanjiro hesitated, because the old man was right; it was quite dangerous for him to travel now.
After a brief thought, Tanjiro decided to stay and rest, returning home tomorrow. Such things had happened before, and his mother and the others should understand.
"Old man, then I'll trouble you. But do these 'demons' you speak of really exist? I've never seen one."
The old man paused, a look of recollection surfacing on his face.
His voice held suppressed pain. At the same time, Tanjiro smelled a scent of sadness emanating from the old man.
"It's best if you never encounter flesh-eating demons in your entire life. Tanjiro, just listen to it as a story."
Tanjiro nodded, but thought to himself:
"Such intense sadness. Could it be that demons truly exist?"
---
The small wooden house trembled slightly in the wind and snow, emitting faint creaking sounds.
Outside, the sky had now completely darkened.
A single candle flickered in the center of the wooden house. Akihiro and Kie sat cross-legged facing each other, while Nezuko and the others were sleeping.
Kie was somewhat worried about Tanjiro, and also afraid of waking Nezuko and the others.
So, she softly whispered:
"Akihiro, will Tanjiro be alright? Usually he's back by now."
At the same time, the ominous feeling in Akihiro's heart grew stronger. Could something be happening to Tanjiro?
He forced a smile and comforted her:
"Don't worry, the wind and snow are a bit heavy today. Tanjiro might be resting somewhere. I've had similar experiences before, it's fine, it'll definitely be fine."
These words were not only to comfort Kie, but also to comfort himself. At this moment, Akihiro's worry for Tanjiro might have been even stronger than Kie's.
Kie said nothing more, but from her furrowed brows, it was clear that her worry had not diminished in the slightest; instead, it had grown more intense.
Akihiro felt the same way, and it felt as if a hand was squeezing his heart, making him feel dull and nauseous.
He thought for a moment and said to Kie:
"Mother, why don't I go down the mountain and check? Although the wind and snow are heavy now, I can still move around."
Kie shook her head. She didn't want Akihiro to be in danger. While it was highly probable that Tanjiro couldn't return due to the wind and snow, the actual danger was relatively small. Her worry was simply out of a mother's concern for her child.
However, if Akihiro went out now, that would be truly dangerous.
"Akihiro, as an older brother, seeing you care so much for Tanjiro and the others makes me truly happy."
"But Tanjiro isn't a child anymore, and he's very smart. He should be able to handle this situation. Akihiro, you shouldn't put yourself in danger."
Akihiro smiled faintly:
"Caring is only natural, because you are my family."
"But I still think I should go look for Tanjiro. Otherwise, I'll always be uneasy."
Kie thought for a moment. She had great faith in her eldest son; he had been obedient and sensible since childhood and had never disappointed or worried her.
"Then, if you think it's okay, Akihiro, go ahead."
Akihiro stood up, preparing to set off to find Tanjiro.
However, just then, a chilling sensation suddenly crept up his back.
This feeling was like a small herbivore encountering a ferocious predator, filled with dread, terror, and suppression.
---
"Who is it!"
Akihiro spun around abruptly, but saw no one.
Yet the feeling lingered, clinging to his back.
Wait, behind? Mother!
---
"Ah!! Akihiro, run, don't look back."
A cry of pain erupted from behind him. It was his mother Kie's voice, though distorted by pain, he still recognized it.
Akihiro lowered his head. His feet felt sticky; blood had soaked through his legs.
He turned back in disbelief and saw a terrifying scene he would never forget in this life.
His mother, Kie, Nezuko, Hanako, Takeo, Shigeru, and Rokuta.
In just a few short breaths, they were all lying in a pool of blood.
Nezuko and the others still had peaceful sleeping smiles on their faces.
His mother, Kie, struggled, trying to stop the dark figure behind her, but her frail body lacked the strength to stop the shadow. She was easily lifted by her neck.
In Akihiro's eyes, a horrifying creature, a head taller than him, stood before him.
The creature's face was vaguely that of a young human, with a chaotic mess of black hair, but its entire body was bulging with veins, and its blood-red eyes were full of violent emotion.
Its mouth was not filled with regular, flat teeth, but with terrifying, rasp-like fangs.
This was a demon, a man-eater, bringing chaos to the world.
Unbelievable. The stories he heard as a child were true. Demons truly existed.
Akihiro's heart felt as if it would burst at that moment.
This scene finally made him remember that nightmare.
So, this ominous premonition was meant for him and his family inside the house, it had nothing to do with Tanjiro.
---
"Bastard, let her go!"
His blood flow instantly surged. Akihiro's eyes were tearing with rage.
Facing this terrifying demon he had never seen before, he didn't think of escaping. Instead, he grabbed the axe he used for chopping wood from beside him and swung it directly at the demon's arm that held Kie.
This axe swing was incredibly sharp. Akihiro could guarantee that this was the most powerful swing he had ever made since he started using an axe.
Having chopped wood since childhood, Akihiro was quite confident in the power of his axe. In the past, when he encountered wild wolves or boars in the mountains, he relied entirely on this axe to drive them away.
Although the axe blade was old, it still gleamed with a cold light.
But the black-haired demon showed no intention of dodging.
He shook his head and sighed:
"Too weak. Is this the strength and speed of children playing house? That's why demons are a superior life form."
He stomped heavily, cracking the wooden floor.
Akihiro's vision blurred, and by the time he reacted, the axe in his hand had been knocked away. He was also grabbed by the face by the black-haired demon, who lifted him whole.
Akihiro could see with his peripheral vision that his mother, Kie, was tossed aside like a ragdoll by the demon, her neck twisted at an unnatural angle, lifeless.
---
"Mother..."
Akihiro struggled to utter the word. The demon's five fingers gripped his cheek, applying slight pressure. Its sharp, knife-like fingernails pierced into his skin, directly fracturing the bones in Akihiro's face.
The shattered bones damaged his brain. At this moment, Akihiro lost all strength, and his consciousness began to fade...
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