"Tanjiro?"
Tanjirou's eyes suddenly widened, as if he had heard something unbelievable, and the cloud of gloom in his heart was instantly overshadowed by surprise.
His memory was excellent.
He remembered.
Kamado Tanjiro was the ancestor of the Kamado family, about fifteen generations back.
The Nichirin earrings of his ancestors.
They also began to be passed down from his generation.
Four hundred years had passed.
How could Tsugikuni-sensei possibly know him?
Tanjirou tentatively asked:
"Um… Tsugikuni-sensei, are you sure you know Ancestor Kamado Tanjiro, and not someone else?"
"Having the same name is quite common."
"I see you're only around twenty years old."
"But Ancestor Tanjiro was an ancient person from four hundred years ago."
"For you to say you know him, isn't that a bit…"
Since he hadn't read much, Tanjirou couldn't think of any suitable words to describe this relationship.
At this moment, Urokodaki Sakonji, sitting beside him, timely added:
"Incredible."
"Yes!" Tanjirou suddenly realised, "It's incredible!"
After he finished speaking, he observed Tsugikuni Yoriichi's expression.
He sniffed the scent of the words just spoken.
Suddenly, he came to an even more incredible conclusion.
Tsugikuni-sensei…
He hadn't lied.
Tanjirou was instantly speechless.
Compared to Tanjirou's shock, Urokodaki Sakonji had long since come to terms with it.
No matter who he was, he couldn't be defeated, so he would just listen to what he had to say.
Just based on his strength, which could instantly kill him, a former Water Hashira.
If he claimed to be a fire god.
Urokodaki Sakonji would believe him.
Silently listening to their conversation, and based on the fact that Tsugikuni Yoriichi and Tanjirou knew each other, Urokodaki wisely didn't interject.
However.
When the two of them started discussing how to deal with Nezuko again.
He couldn't help but speak up:
"Allow this old man to say something, Tsugikuni-sensei, although Nezuko is a demon, she has never eaten a human."
"We shouldn't hold stereotypical impressions of all demons."
"I know you advocate for eliminating all demons for safety, but Nezuko is different."
"She recovers her strength by resting; this alone is enough to prove that she is different from other demons."
"Not enough." Yoriichi glanced sideways.
"You cannot guarantee that she will not recover her strength by eating humans in the future."
Demons… cannot be trusted; this was a lesson he learned when he was human.
He could not make the same mistake again.
"This old man indeed cannot guarantee it."
"However…"
Urokodaki Sakonji's voice was heavy.
He reached out and took off the Tengu mask on his face.
Revealing a relatively aged face.
With his hands on his knees, sitting upright, facing Tsugikuni Yoriichi, he solemnly said:
"If that day truly comes, this old man will personally kill her, and then commit seppuku."
"I have been with Nezuko for three months."
"She is very kind."
"Just like her brother."
"Also, my disciple, the current Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, once told me."
"When he encountered the siblings, Nezuko had fallen into extreme hunger…"
"Yet even then, she didn't attack Tanjirou; instead, she desperately protected him."
"I believe in Nezuko, just as I believe in my disciple."
"I hope Tsugikuni-sensei can give me a chance, a chance to prove that she is a good demon…"
Upon hearing this.
Yoriichi's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
He looked at the siblings.
His emotions were slightly complex.
A demon sister protecting her human brother…
In his memory, this was an impossible occurrence.
However, it had indeed happened in reality…
And it happened to his former close friends, the Kamado family…
It was difficult to decide.
With a sigh, Yoriichi slowly stood up.
His agate-like eyes quietly surveyed the three people.
Finally.
He uttered a meaningful sentence:
"You all, take care of yourselves."
He turned around.
"Tanjirou, come with me."
"I have something to give you."
He waved his hand behind him, then walked into the darkness deep within the forest.
Tanjirou hesitated, pressing his hand to his chest, forcefully suppressing the surprise in his heart.
He handed Nezuko to Urokodaki-sensei to care for, then quickly put on his shoes.
He tightly followed Yoriichi.
"…"
"A time of trouble indeed."
Watching the two disappear into the darkness, Urokodaki Sakonji was filled with emotion.
He had finally found a relatively satisfactory disciple, but he didn't expect him to be related to an ancient person from four hundred years ago.
Especially, this ancient person.
Also had a certain connection with the first Demon Slayer Corps.
He saw.
The Breathing Technique mastered by Tsugikuni Yoriichi was active all the time.
If he hadn't guessed wrong, hadn't remembered wrong.
The birth of the Breathing Technique was precisely 400 years ago.
Who was its origin…
He wasn't sure.
But… considering the current situation, considering Tsugikuni Yoriichi's strength.
Perhaps…
"Caw! Caw!"
A Kasugai Crow suddenly flew down from the sky, interrupting his thoughts.
Urokodaki Sakonji's gaze was as deep as a pond.
His right hand grasped the mask on the ground and put it back on.
He lowered his gaze, sweeping over Nezuko's sleeping, serene face.
After some thought, he finally decided to give up on delving into Tsugikuni Yoriichi's identity.
He waved his hand, summoning the black crow that was perched on a tree branch.
—This was his Kasugai Crow, a bird that transmitted messages to the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.
After briefly summarising the events of the day and explaining them to the Kasugai Crow.
Watching the Kasugai Crow flap its wings and fly high, disappearing into the vast night sky.
Only then did his mood completely calm down as time passed.
…
At the same time.
Forest.
Tsugikuni Yoriichi looked at Tanjirou, who was following closely behind him.
Seeing his slightly reserved demeanour.
He nodded slightly, breaking the stalemate:
"Tanjirou."
"Do you wish to avenge your family members?"
"I went to your house and also saw Saburo."
"I understand the situation of your family."
"For Tanjiro's sake."
"I'll give you two choices."
"First, find a city and live well with your sister, and no longer participate in anything related to demons."
"I will slay your enemy for you, and correspondingly, if there is a way for a demon to become human, I will teach it to you immediately."
"Consider it leaving a lineage for the Kamado family."
"Second, I will teach you Sun Breathing, which is my Breathing Technique; you can choose whether or not to seek revenge yourself."
"Afterwards, if Muzan dies and your sister cannot become human, I will need her soul for an attempt."
Zanpakuto could forcibly send souls into the Soul Society.
Yoriichi was unsure what went wrong with the Senkaimon, but since it could appear once, it could naturally appear a second time.
If it appeared a second time, with good luck, perhaps some souls could be taken to the Soul Society.
If he could find Uta's soul…
Naturally, that would be even better.
But it had been four hundred years.
Hope was slim.