"Tanjirou!"
"Take Nezuko… and run!"
The shout was urgent and brief.
Urokodaki Sakonji uttered these words almost instinctively.
The moment his words fell.
He forcefully drew his blade forward, and the indigo nichirin blade suddenly unsheathed.
"Hiss—"
He took a deep breath, instantly.
Enough oxygen to fill the entire house was brutally compressed into his lungs.
Some white waves rolled over the blade with his powerful swing.
The sound of surging waves echoed in his ears.
"Water Breathing…"
"First Form…"
"Water Surface Slash!"
The horizontal slash of his blade directly faced the surging heatwave!
However.
It was as if fate had played a trick on him.
His Water Breathing, which he had cultivated for over sixty years and was considered the best in the Demon Slayer Corps, could not even last a second.
Reflected in his eyes was boundless intensity, devouring all the slashes he unleashed, like hellish spider lilies blooming before him.
All the past events slowly replayed.
—Am I....
Going to die?
No!
Urokodaki Sakonji suddenly tightened his grip on the hilt.
The black and white hilt trembled violently from the sudden increase in pressure.
Taking advantage of the almost time-stopped interval before him, he deeply gazed behind him at Tanjirou, who wore a panicked expression.
His eyes were more resolute than ever.
At least…
He had to let this child escape.
"Water Breathing…"
The air was scorching; he could no longer breathe and could only use the remaining oxygen in his lungs to unleash his final attack.
"Sixth Form…"
He didn't know who the intruder was, perhaps a human, or perhaps a demon, but no matter who it was, they must have had a deep-seated hatred for both.
"Whirlpool!"
The moment his thoughts settled, a substantial sword energy, shaped like a water tornado, enveloped everything within a two-meter radius!
Like being encased in an eggshell, the heatwave was blocked; though only for an instant, it was enough for Tanjirou to successfully escape with Nezuko.
This was the strongest sword strike he had ever unleashed in his life, imbued with all his belief and strength.
"Hmm?"
A familiar voice echoed in his ears; Yoriichi had just broken through the door, preparing to kill the demon inside the house.
But…
The moment he extinguished the tornado with a single slash.
"Water Breathing?"
He abruptly stopped, withdrew his blade in time, and, using the light and heat remaining in the air, scanned the room.
An old man with white hair, wearing a Tengu mask, stood holding a nichirin blade, facing him directly.
His movements were so resolute, and the indigo nichirin blade was dazzling, causing Yoriichi's gaze to narrow involuntarily.
Behind the old man were two young children, one of whom closely resembled Tanjiro in his memory.
He must be Tanjirou.
He was also wearing the Nichirin earrings Yoriichi had left for Tanjiro.
However…
Who was the girl in his arms?
Why…
Protect her?
"You…"
Yoriichi slowly sheathed his blade, and the heatwave in the air receded.
Urokodaki Sakonji immediately felt relieved.
Under the rapidly diminishing pressure, he gasped for air, like a drowning person instinctively grasping at the last shred of hope for survival.
"Are you the Demon Slayer Corps?"
He stared at the three with complex eyes, feeling a sense of disappointment within him.
Protecting a demon…
Had the Demon Slayer Corps…
Fallen so low?
"Explain."
The scattered reishi slowly gathered back into his body; Yoriichi raised his eyes, his calm tone containing clear disappointment.
He returned the Zanpakuto at his waist to its sheath and slowly sat down cross-legged under the wary gazes of the three.
Waiting for their answer.
"…"
After a period of silence, Urokodaki Sakonji's expression softened slightly.
He looked at Yoriichi, his gaze fixed on the mark on his forehead, and instinctively thought of the similar scar on Tanjirou's forehead.
—This…
He took a deep breath, his gaze shifting downwards.
The Nichirin earrings swayed in the wind.
…
…
"So…"
"You weren't protecting her just now; you simply didn't want that boy to be harmed?"
Soon.
Under the boundless starry sky.
Yoriichi sat cross-legged in front of the three, the atmosphere gradually improving with their conversation.
Only…
The scent of a demon assaulted his nostrils, and Yoriichi's slightly furrowed brows remained unrelaxed.
He looked at Nezuko.
He glanced over.
Tanjirou held Nezuko, his face slightly pale, still not understanding why a human would protect a demon.
He was about to say something.
The next second.
Yoriichi felt Nezuko looked familiar.
If the bamboo muzzle were removed from her mouth.
She seemed remarkably similar to Tanjiro's wife, Sumiko, in his memory.
Could this little girl… be Tanjiro's descendant?
He had never heard that Tanjirou had a younger sister.
"Tsugikuni… Tsugikuni-sensei."
Tanjirou's breathing was tense, one hand tightly clutching his clothes, maintaining a fearful attitude towards the faint, lingering killing intent that permeated the air around them.
He possessed an extremely keen sense of smell and could easily detect a person's emotions; the hostility this person harboured towards his sister was extremely obvious.
Taking a deep breath, Tanjirou cautiously asked, "Do you know my father?"
"Why do you have the Nichirin earrings passed down through my Kamado family?"
If he knew him, that would be good.
Perhaps he could use that to reduce his hostility towards his sister.
"Who is your father?"
Yoriichi raised his eyes.
Tanjirou: "My father… Tanjuro, Kamado Tanjuro."
"I don't know him," Yoriichi shook his head, his tone unchanged.
He looked at Nezuko, changing the subject:
"Is this girl your sister? Do you know she is a demon?"
"I know…"
Yoriichi scrutinised him: "If you know, why do you keep making the same mistake?"
"She is a demon, you are human; humans and demons are on different paths."
"…"
Tanjirou remained silent for a long time, his expression slightly pained:
"I know."
"But… I can't do it."
"I'm sorry…"
His two fingers twisted unnaturally.
His brows were lowered.
He knew that Tsugikuni-sensei was trying to persuade him to give up his sister who had become a demon.
Because there had never been a case of a demon turning back into a human.
But, he had once promised his father that he would protect her.
Currently, Tanjirou was desperately searching for a way to cure his sister, but he had found nothing.
And at this time, his sister had fallen into an unannounced sleep… Although Urokodaki-sensei said that Nezuko was replenishing her strength through sleep.
But when would she wake up?
No one knew.
The path ahead was hopeless, there was no retreat, he could only numb himself with daily training.
Seeing this.
Yoriichi shook his head slightly, a sigh escaping his lips:
"Womanly compassion, Tanjirou."
"You are very similar to my past self; if you don't want to regret it for the rest of your life, it's best to be decisive."
"My wife, my child, my elder brother, all died at the hands of demons."
"I don't know your father, but I know your ancestor."
"You are exactly like Tanjiro, just as kind, just as optimistic."
"However, these are useless against demons; instead, they will become fuel to embolden demons."
"You should know that in front of that Demon King, your kindness and optimism cannot save you."