Tanjiro gripped his axe tightly, breathing heavily, his body trembling as he walked towards the head that had rolled under the tree.
"If I don't deliver the final blow, he'll attack someone else, so I have to do it." Beads of sweat rolled down his cheeks, and the inherently kind boy hesitated, unable to act.
Just then, Sakonji Urokodaki, who had been observing Mr. Allen and the two others from the shadows, emerged. He wore a Tengu mask and a blue kimono with cloud patterns.
"That kind of thing can't deliver the final blow." Sakonji walked past Allen, came up behind Tanjiro, and patted his shoulder.
"Ah!" Tanjiro, already extremely nervous, was startled by the pat, and his axe almost slipped from his hand.
"A Tengu mask, this person didn't make any footsteps." He turned to look at Allen, and seeing that the other person was still, he felt much calmer.
"Ho-how can I kill him?"
"Don't ask others. Can't you think for yourself?" Sakonji's voice was deep and hoarse.
"If an axe isn't enough, I can only destroy him." Tanjiro looked at the large stone on the ground.
"To crush the skull and completely destroy it, I'll definitely have to smash it several times with a stone."
"It must be painful. Is there anything that can kill him in one blow?" He picked up a large stone and came before the Man-eating Demon's head. Tanjiro stared at the demon's head still wriggling on the ground, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead. He held the stone, his body trembling slightly, as images of the gnawed corpses flashed through his mind.
"Ah, ah, this child won't do. He's too considerate of others and can't make a decision." Sakonji shook his head as he watched the indecisive Tanjiro.
"Even when facing a demon, his gentle nature hasn't faded; he even has sympathy for demons."
"Giyu, this child won't do." He had already judged Tanjiro as unsuitable in his heart, then turned his gaze to Allen, who stood by with an expressionless face.
"But this child…" His gaze lingered on Allen for a long time, unable to move away. His brows furrowed slightly beneath his mask; the aura emanating from this young man made him feel a hint of unease.
Just passing by him earlier had made all the hairs on his body stand on end. Was this the child who wanted to hunt Muzan?
Just as Tanjiro was hesitating, Allen stepped forward, took the stone from Tanjiro's hand, and threw it to the ground.
"You've done very well today. Leave the rest to me."
Allen squatted down and gripped the demon's head with one hand.
The Man-eating Demon's eyes widened in horror: "Wait! I can—"
"Bang!"
Allen expressionlessly crushed the demon's head into a bloody mist, and black blood dripped through his fingers. He shook his hand and turned to Tanjiro: "Remember, hesitation leads to defeat. Don't be so indecisive in the future. For Nezuko, you cannot be soft-hearted."
Tanjiro nodded, his face pale, as Nezuko hugged him from behind, wanting to comfort her brother.
"Alright, you two siblings go rest for a bit. We still have to travel when it gets light."
Sakonji watched Allen's actions, his brows furrowing even tighter beneath his mask. The strength and decisiveness this young man displayed far surpassed ordinary people.
"I am Sakonji Urokodaki. You must be the person Giyu Tomioka introduced, right?" Sakonji asked in a deep voice.
Allen stood up, shaking the blood from his hand: "Yes, my name is Allen."
Tanjiro then came to his senses and quickly bowed: "Hello! I am Tanjiro Kamado, and this is my sister Nezuko."
Sakonji's gaze lingered on Nezuko for a moment, then turned to Allen: "Giyu said you are going to Mt. Sagiri to learn Water Breathing and to hunt Muzan."
"Yes, you just need to find Muzan, and I'll handle everything else," Allen said calmly.
Sakonji was silent for a moment, then suddenly drew his nichirin blade and pointed it at Allen: "Before that, I need to confirm your strength."
Allen raised an eyebrow: "Alright."
Tanjiro nervously took a few steps back: "Wait, why are they fighting?"
"Don't worry, it's just for fun," Allen reassured him.
Before he finished speaking, Sakonji had already swung his blade. Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash!
Allen did not dodge or evade. The moment the blade was about to touch his body, he gently shifted, and the blade grazed the corner of his clothing.
Sakonji's pupils contracted slightly, and he immediately changed his move. Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel!
Allen remained calm and composed, weaving through the flashes of the blade. Each step perfectly evaded the attacks. After ten moves, Sakonji sheathed his blade.
"Your strength is indeed great, but it's not enough to deal with Muzan." Sakonji's implication was that he wanted Allen to prove that he truly had the strength to hunt Muzan.
Allen smiled slightly, raised his right hand, and gently clenched his fist. The surrounding air seemed to solidify instantly. He casually threw a punch at the ground, using no technique, just a pure burst of power.
"Boom!"
The ground shook violently, and a trench several hundred meters long was plowed in the direction of Allen's punch. The shockwave spread, and the surging air uprooted the surrounding trees, which then disintegrated into dust in the air.
Beneath Sakonji's Tengu mask, his pupils contracted violently. He had never seen such pure and powerful strength; this had completely exceeded the realm of humans.
Even more terrifying was that he could feel that Allen's punch hadn't even used its full power, but was just a casual strike. Sakonji swallowed hard. Perhaps, no, it was certain! The Demon King Muzan would definitely be ended in their generation!
Tanjiro, holding Nezuko, stared dumbfounded at the huge trench plowed before them. His legs trembled slightly, his throat tightened, and even breathing became difficult.
"Is…is this Mr. Allen's strength when he's fully recovered?" Tanjiro's voice trembled.
Allen withdrew his fist and calmly looked at Sakonji: "Now, do you believe I can hunt Muzan?"
"Yes! Absolutely!" Beneath Sakonji's Tengu mask, his aged face trembled slightly with excitement.
He slowly removed his Tengu mask, revealing a wrinkled face, his cloudy eyes now sparkling with unprecedented light.
The Demon Slayer Corps had been fighting demons for about a thousand years, sacrificing countless Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen, and now, the hope to end it all was right before his eyes. How could he not be excited! How could he not be excited!
"This, this is simply!" His voice choked, and he could barely form a complete sentence.
Sakonji suddenly knelt on both knees, his forehead hitting the ground heavily: "Please, you must eradicate Muzan!"
Allen simply stood there calmly, the moonlight casting a silver edge upon him.
"Get up." He reached out and helped Sakonji up.
"Rest first. We'll set off after dawn."
Tanjiro held Nezuko and sat on the steps of the Buddhist hall, the moonlight falling on the siblings.
Allen leaned against the doorframe, quietly watching them.
"Mr. Allen." Tanjiro turned to look at Allen, his voice slightly trembling.
"Am I too weak?"
Allen shook his head: "For your first time facing a demon, you did very well. Don't think about it, go to sleep."
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