After receiving the crow's mission order, Zenitsu Agatsuma began trembling uncontrollably.
With tears in his eyes, he looked at Aoyama , Tanjiro, and Inosuke, feeling that fate had treated him far too cruelly.
"So… does anyone want to come with me on this mission?"
The crow had just arrived at the Butterfly Mansion with new orders—Zenitsu was to travel alone to a small village and slay a demon.
Already reluctant to go on missions, Zenitsu nearly collapsed when he heard he had to go alone. He was so scared he could barely speak.
"Aoyama -senpai, could you possibly—"
"No."
Aoyama Ren refused immediately.
Compared to going demon hunting with Zenitsu, he would rather go alone. That way he could gain more Summoning Scroll spiritual power.
Seeing there was no hope there, Zenitsu turned his pleading eyes toward Tanjiro.
Tanjiro understood immediately.
He opened his shirt, revealing the wound on his abdomen from his last solo mission.
The stitches hadn't even been removed yet—he couldn't even train for the time being.
"INOSUKE!!!"
Zenitsu wailed and threw himself at him.
Inosuke hadn't been seriously injured. Right now, he was Zenitsu's only hope.
"Caw! Caw!"
The crow suddenly flew in again and landed on the window.
"Message! Message! Inosuke Hashibira! Proceed to the eastern town! A demon has appeared in the eastern town!"
Hearing this, Inosuke instantly became excited.
"HAHAHA! BOAR RUSH!"
He shook Zenitsu off and dashed away like a rocket.
Zenitsu was left sprawled on the floor.
Watching Inosuke disappear in an instant, Zenitsu felt like the whole world had turned gray.
He slowly scanned the room.
Then his eyes landed on Nezuko's wooden box.
"Ahem… Zenitsu," Aoyama said kindly, "think carefully before you speak."
"I…"
Zenitsu walked over to the box with tears streaming down his face.
"If I can't bring Nezuko… then can I at least take a lock of Nezuko-chan's hair?"
"That way, even if I die, I won't have regrets."
Aoyama 's expression changed immediately.
He stood up, grabbed Zenitsu by the collar, dragged him to the entrance—
And threw him straight outside.
Just then, Kyojuro Rengoku returned from a mission.
There was a faint scent of blood on him—he had suffered minor injuries during the hunt.
"Ah! Aoyama ! Zenitsu boy! What are you two doing?"
Aoyama glanced at Zenitsu still sitting miserably on the ground.
"Cleaning out a bed-occupying freeloader from the Butterfly Mansion."
Zenitsu burst into tears.
"Aoyama -SENPAI!!! You can't say that about me!"
"Rengoku-san, let's go inside. Your injuries need treatment."
"Yes! There were quite a lot of demons this time, so I got a little hurt. Hahaha! But completing the mission is what matters!"
The two of them walked inside while chatting.
Outside the gate, Zenitsu wiped away his tears and slowly got up.
A small sparrow flew over and landed on his head.
"You're the only one who'll go on a mission with me…"
Zenitsu sniffled sadly.
Facing those disgusting demons alone—no one wanted to go with him.
Weren't they supposed to be friends and teammates?
Even if he didn't want to go, shouldn't they at least encourage him?
If they had given him warm support, maybe he would have forced himself to go.
Instead, Aoyama had mercilessly thrown him out.
Inside, Aoyama glanced toward the gate.
Zenitsu was already gone.
It was time for him to grow through hardship on his own.
"Chirp chirp."
The sparrow suddenly flew away.
Zenitsu reached up and touched his head.
"AHHH!!!"
"That heartless sparrow actually pooped on my head!"
"Come back here! I'll pluck all your feathers out!!!"
Recently, demons had been unusually active.
The Demon Slayer Corps had been running everywhere dealing with incidents.
The Hashira were dispatched across different regions for demon hunts.
Aoyama Ren was also assigned to a remote location.
Not a town.
A tiny village deep in the mountains.
It was said that the village had already been completely occupied by demons—no humans remained.
The night before departure.
The door to Aoyama 's room creaked open.
Lying on the bed, Aoyama slowly opened his eyes.
In the darkness, a small shadow slipped inside.
Clunk.
A soft sound echoed.
It was the wooden box hitting the floor.
Nezuko had carried her own box all the way into Aoyama 's room.
After setting it down, she climbed inside and closed the lid.
Was she planning to follow him again?
After the Mugen Train battle, Aoyama had returned to Sagiri Mountain immediately—essentially leaving Nezuko without saying goodbye.
She had been angry about it for days.
Now she had heard from Tanjiro that Aoyama was leaving on another mission.
So she brought the box herself.
The adorable scene unfolded completely in front of Aoyama 's eyes.
A gentle smile filled with affection appeared on his face.
He got out of bed, crouched beside the box, and knocked on the lid.
The door creaked open.
Nezuko poked out her little head.
"Mm!"
She climbed out and sat on the floor, staring at him with her big eyes.
"You want to come with me?"
Nezuko nodded without hesitation.
"You really want to go?"
"Mm!"
"Yes."
Aoyama sighed softly.
Then he nodded.
He simply couldn't refuse her.
Early the next morning, before sunrise, Aoyama Ren left the Butterfly Mansion with the wooden box on his back.
He headed toward the demon-infested village.
Later that morning.
Tanjiro woke up and rubbed his sleepy eyes.
"Morning, Nezuko."
Then he froze.
His eyes widened.
He jumped off the bed immediately.
He searched the entire room.
The bed.
The cabinets.
Under the furniture.
Nothing.
Nezuko was gone.
Tanjiro panicked and rushed out of the room.
He even ignored Aoi when he ran past her.
"Hey, Tanjiro! There's a letter here from Mr. Aoyama for you!"
Aoi shouted after him.
Tanjiro sprinted dozens of meters before stopping and rushing back.
He grabbed the letter and opened it.
After reading it—
Tanjiro covered his face and started crying.
His heart had been stabbed.
His sister…
His sister had followed Aoyama again!
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