Horitake played the role of the doting guardian to perfection, alternating between gentle reassurances and clever distractions. Although Nezuko remained somewhat anxious, her spirit eventually settled into a state of calm.
Watching Horitake's earnest expression and feeling the sincerity radiating from him, Nezuko chose to believe. She let out a small, dejected sigh. It was her first day awake, and her brother wasn't there. She missed him.
Seeing that tiny, sorrowful look on her face sent another pang of heartache through Horitake.
He realized then that he was in deep trouble. He had been completely wrapped around Nezuko's finger—hook, line, and sinker. Not even Shinobu had managed to compromise his composure to this extent. He simply couldn't bear to see Nezuko sad; he couldn't stand her feeling lost.
In the future, he feared he would spoil her rotten.
To what extent? If Nezuko ever decided she wanted the stars or the moon from the sky, Horitake was fairly certain he'd start researching how to build a spaceship that very afternoon.
Holding his racing heart, Horitake tried to force himself to calm down while simultaneously berating his own lack of backbone.
It's just Nezuko! How did she manage to rattle you like this? You're pathetic!
But… she's just so cute! How is anyone supposed to say no to that?
He sighed internally. Fine. If he was destined to be wrapped around her finger, then so be it.
Just as he was settling his agitated emotions, Nezuko reached out and tugged on his sleeve. She gave his arm a little shake to catch his attention, her eyes meeting his.
Just like before, she didn't utter a word. Through a few soft hums and the depth of her gaze, she conveyed her question clearly:
Is Brother in any danger out there?
Understanding the worry in her eyes, Horitake opened his mouth to explain. His first instinct was to tell her there was no danger at all, but he hesitated. Tanjiro was at the Final Selection. While he was confident in Tanjiro's abilities, it was impossible to say there was zero risk.
Should he offer a "white lie" to put her mind at ease, or tell her the unvarnished truth? It was a difficult dilemma.
Nezuko's current cognitive state was akin to that of a young child, but that only meant her soul was transparently clear. Such a pure heart could often sense the difference between a lie and the truth. A lie might not actually comfort her; it might only make her more uneasy.
But if he told the truth, she would undoubtedly worry about Tanjiro. And a worried Nezuko was an unpredictable variable. Neither option seemed right.
However, there was a third choice. In that split second of hesitation, an idea flickered in Horitake's mind—though he wasn't sure if he should commit to it.
While he wavered, a long-dormant sound suddenly echoed in his mind:
Ding! The host has influenced Nezuko, causing her to awaken several days early. This has disturbed the threads of fate to a degree, triggering a negative butterfly effect: The Trio is under attack!
Hearing the System's voice, Horitake couldn't help but feel a surge of surprise.
You old dog of a System… you've been silent for an entire year, and now you finally show up!
Why now? Was it because the main plot was about to truly begin? Was it seizing the moment to issue a mission?
And what was this "negative butterfly effect" supposed to be? Nezuko woke up a few days early? Sure, that happened. But it was just a few days—how could that possibly cause a major negative shift?
Furthermore, how far could this effect possibly reach? You and your "six degrees of separation" logic are at it again, aren't you?
And the Trio? Who were the "Trio"?
When he heard that term, Horitake's first thought was the original protagonist group: Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke. That was the classic trio.
But the problem was that Inosuke hadn't even made his debut yet. How could they be the trio?
Wait…
Horitake suddenly realized that while Inosuke was absent, there was a trio closely connected to him currently at the Final Selection:
Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Yae!
If you counted Yae, it was indeed a trio.
If the butterfly effect had reached them, and they were being attacked, he would almost certainly have to go rescue them. It seemed his earlier suspicion was correct—something had gone wrong at the Final Selection. Perhaps an enemy had appeared that they couldn't handle, and he needed to rush to Mt. Fujikasane immediately.
Having deduced this much in an instant, Horitake spoke to the System in his mind:
Cut the suspense! Just tell me exactly what the mission is!
The System responded immediately:
Ding! Mission Issued:
Please resolve the negative butterfly effect: The Trio is under attack!
The host's speculation is half-correct. The "Trio" this time does not include the original Inosuke Hashibira, as he has not yet appeared. As the host suspected, the trio consists of Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Yae.
The mission stems from the danger they are facing. However, the host was wrong about the timing. The danger does not occur during the Final Selection itself.
The Final Selection will proceed smoothly. The trio will pass successfully with no major incidents. However, on their journey back from the mountain, they will encounter an ambush. The enemy they face will be beyond their current ability to resist.
Please rescue the three of them in a timely manner and eliminate the threat.
Hint: There is a reasonable window of time for this rescue mission. Since there are still several days before the Final Selection ends, there is no need to rush immediately.
After the Selection ends, although the trio will eventually head toward Momoyama and Mt. Sagiri respectively, their initial paths overlap. They will encounter the danger on this shared road. The host may choose to search for them or wait along that path.
Mission Success Reward: Breath of Heavenly Thunder, Fifth Form, and all its derivative techniques.
Mission Failure Penalty: Death of Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Yae. Two-thirds of the protagonist group will be lost. Fate will be severely disrupted, the plot will collapse entirely, and the butterfly effect will spiral out of control into an unpredictable disaster.
After hearing the full scope of the mission, a plan formed in Horitake's mind.
His "third choice" for Nezuko happened to align perfectly with this new objective.
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