Chapter 11: Call Me the King of the Hunt × The Kamado Family's Shock
Without its head to guide it, Sato Takeichiro's body ceased all resistance. The cold wind swept through, and in the next instant, his form crumbled away into drifting ash.
Demons were already "dead things." For them, there was no second death—only complete eradication.
A pity, really… after finally stumbling across such a juicy "experience pack," it was gone just like that.
Roy's mood wasn't nearly as triumphant as one might expect.
At least the system's prompt consoled him:
[Combat Experience +10]
That bit of progress softened his expression.
"Niisan… he just died like that?"
Tanjiro finally dared to emerge from behind the tree.
The boy's head might be hard, but he wasn't stupid. He understood perfectly well that with his pitiful strength, he couldn't contribute to this fight. So he had wisely stayed put, avoiding becoming a burden.
Roy, meanwhile, allocated all twelve newly earned experience points into Silent Step, then glanced at his brother, replying with mock irritation:
"What? You wanted to take him on yourself?"
Tanjiro flinched, shaking his head frantically.
He had seen the demon's strength with his own eyes. Without Roy here, he would have ended up like that poor woodcutter—half-eaten and discarded.
And yet…
"I just… I just wish I could fight alongside you, Niisan."
Tanjiro ducked his head, sneaking sidelong glances at Roy with hesitant, pleading eyes.
That yearning stopped Roy for a moment.
Of course. In the original story, Tanjiro was the eldest son—the pillar of the Kamado household, the one all his siblings depended on for survival.
That meant he had to grow stronger. He had to broaden his wings so he could shield his family from storm and sorrow.
For him, weakness was intolerable. Strength was the only path.
Roy's hand fell on his brother's head, ruffling his hair. A sigh escaped him.
"You really are different from a certain someone I know."
Tanjiro blinked. "Niisan, you mean… the brother from your dream?"
"…Mm."
"What's his name?"
"Illumi."
"Illumi…" Tanjiro repeated softly, then nodded with conviction. "Then he must admire you very much."
Roy snorted, lips curling in a sardonic smile. If that bastard didn't stab me in the back, I'd already count it as mercy.
Without another word, he flicked his finger and thumped Tanjiro's forehead with a sharp knuckle crack.
"Mother let you tag along so you could ask questions all day?"
"Shut up. Work."
"Ow…" Tanjiro whimpered, clutching his forehead, sulking like a scolded pup.
With the baskets strapped tight and a hoe in hand, Tanjiro followed behind Roy, heading toward the forest's open-air coal seam.
Mountains provide for those who live by them, seas for those by the shore. A forest, if vast and ancient enough, holds treasures beyond counting.
In less than half a day, Roy led Tanjiro on a circuit through the woods, and both baskets were already brimming with coal.
By the time they finished, it was three in the afternoon. The sun still had about an hour left before setting. Seizing the spare time, Roy tossed Tanjiro two rice dumplings while he himself settled for a sip of hot tea and a quick bite.
Then, without warning, he sprang upward, his body sailing smoothly as he vaulted onto the branch of a towering tree.
His movements were fluid, graceful—effortless.
Tanjiro watched, eyes wide with envy.
Niisan's gotten even faster… hasn't he? the boy thought, gnawing on his dumpling, head tilted back to follow Roy's figure.
Indeed, thanks to Sato Takeichiro, the boost in his Silent Step proficiency made Roy's body feel noticeably lighter.
Breaking a branch from the tree, Roy held it like a dart, activating [Gyo] to scan for prey. His sharpened sight quickly caught two distinct signatures of life.
"Shff… shff!"
The makeshift projectiles streaked through the air like lightning bolts.
"Giiihhh—!"
Two shrill cries echoed. The moving "auras" winked out instantly.
Tanjiro understood at once, sprinted off, and soon came trotting back, each hand clutching a wild pheasant.
"Niisan, pheasants! Perfect—we can take them home for Father and Nezuko to eat!" the boy said, brimming with excitement.
Roy gave no reply, only leapt deeper into the woods. When he reemerged, a freshly killed roe deer dangled from his grip.
"Wahh…" Tanjiro gasped, circling the animal in awe. He had never seen such a creature before—half deer, half something else. Fascination rooted him to the spot… until Roy casually tossed the limp carcass at his feet and vanished once more.
Ten minutes later, a blood-curdling squeal split the forest.
Tanjiro spun around just in time to see Roy dragging out a massive wild boar, its bulk leaving a bloody trail in the snow.
The boy's eyes nearly popped from his head. For a moment, he wondered if it was all an illusion—until Roy clapped him on the shoulder, snapping him back to reality.
"Daylight's fading. Gather these up—we're heading back."
Roy flipped the boar onto his shoulder with a practiced motion, hefted the basket of coal onto his back, hooked the roe deer under one arm, and shoved the hoe and two pheasants into Tanjiro's hands.
Then he strode off, retracing their path toward the village.
In this age, with demons prowling the night and bandits lurking the roads, just as old man Saburo had said, no hunter dared venture out after dusk. Which meant wild game flourished unchecked, making Roy's task much easier.
Shame I only know [Gyo], he mused. If I had [En], hunting would be child's play.
But there was no hurry. Meals are eaten one bite at a time, roads walked step by step. For now, mastering the Sun Breathing and fortifying his body came first.
The boy with crimson hair strolled through the snowy forest, the sunset burning in his eyes. Behind him trailed his smaller counterpart, both leaving shallow footprints in the pristine snow.
Tanjiro was unusually quiet—perhaps weighed down by the heavy load on his back, or perhaps still shaken by the horror of witnessing a demon devour a man.
Roy didn't speak either. They walked in silence until the distant curl of smoke signaled home.
Then Tanjiro broke into a jog, catching up to Roy with firm resolve in his gaze.
"Niisan," he said, voice steady, "I want to learn from you."
Roy raised a brow. "Learn what?"
"This—hey… ha!"
Tanjiro swung one of the pheasants like a sword, hacking the air.
The bird's feathers nearly smacked Roy in the face. He rolled his eyes skyward.
"Enough already. You never run out of nonsense, do you?"
"Hehehe…"
Tanjiro scratched the back of his head sheepishly, dropping the pheasant with a splat.
Roy's foot promptly found his backside, sending him hobbling as they reached the Kamado home.
"I'm home!" Tanjiro called, limping into the yard.
"Where's Niisan?"
"Right behind me."
He handed the pheasants to Kie, kicked off his snow-caked sandals, and disappeared onto the veranda.
Without his figure to block the view, the rest of the family finally saw Roy—carrying a roe deer in one hand, a basket of coal on his back, and a massive boar slung across his shoulder.
He stamped the snow off his boots, set the boar down with a thud, and smiled gently.
"I'm home."
The Kamado family: "..."
They stared, eyes wide, just as Tanjiro had an hour earlier.
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