"Wind Breathing, Fourth Form: Rising Dust Storm!"
Sanemi Shinazugawa's voice thundered from above the swordsmith's head. Before the words had even finished echoing, a violent gale carrying debris and withered leaves exploded from the sky. His green Nichirin Sword carved through the moonlight, the wind from his blade condensing into a spiraling pillar of air that surged downward with unstoppable momentum toward the roiling mass of black water.
Gyokko let out a shrill, piercing cackle. The black water surrounding him surged instantly, forming a thick, liquid wall that braced against Sanemi's assault.
Sanemi stared at the grotesque, misshapen demon and let out an impatient click of his tongue. "So, you're an Upper Moon?"
In response, the water around Gyokko began to boil violently, molding itself into a distorted, demonic face that let out a jagged laugh. "Ah… how long has it been since I've seen a Hashira? Today, you shall perish here and become a masterpiece in my collection!"
"A masterpiece?" Sanemi's lips curled into a cold, lethal arc. The veins on his sword-arm throbbed with intensity. "You think a pile of sludge like you is capable of that?"
The Interlude
Back inside the quarters, Aoi Kazama sat on her heels, watching Tanjiro with an amused expression as he focused intently on braiding Nezuko's hair.
Tanjiro's movements were exceptionally gentle. Holding a red hair ribbon between his fingers, he carefully divided Nezuko's long, dark hair into three strands. He murmured under his breath, "Three-strand braids are harder than they look… Nezuko, this is the same style Mitsuri-san wears. You like hers, right?"
Nezuko let out a muffled hum of delight and raised her small hands happily.
Aoi couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, reaching out to gently pinch Nezuko's soft, round cheek. "Nezuko, you are just too cute!"
Watching the siblings' affectionate interaction, Aoi leaned her head on her hand, her heart softening into a puddle. No matter how much danger we face, as long as family is by your side, you'll always find the courage to keep going.
She was lost in the cozy atmosphere when she sensed someone entering the room. She turned around to find Muichiro Tokito standing silently by the door, staring at her.
Aoi instinctively raised a hand to her cheek, looking confused. "Tokito-san? Why are you here?"
Muichiro didn't answer her. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Tanjiro. "Do you know where Kanamori is?"
Tanjiro paused his braiding, blinking a few times before it clicked. "Kanamori-san? Yes, I know him. He should be with Haganezuka-san right now."
"Kanamori is my new swordsmith. Where is this Haganezuka you mentioned?" Muichiro asked, his face a mask of total indifference.
"Let's go find them together!" Tanjiro suggested. He deftly tied the red ribbon at the end of Nezuko's hair, finishing it with a small, neat bow. He patted Nezuko's head and then looked at Aoi. "Aoi, come with us."
Before Aoi could even nod, Muichiro spoke up, his voice filled with genuine bafflement. "Why are you so fond of meddling in other people's business? Don't you have things of your own to do?"
Aoi's expression stiffened. Is this really the level of emotional intelligence a normal person should have?
Fine, he's still just a kid, Aoi told herself, trying to keep her cool.
Tanjiro didn't take offense. He simply smiled and replied, "Because when you act for the sake of others, it eventually comes back to help you too. I was planning on looking for him anyway, so this works out perfectly!"
At those words, Muichiro's mint-green eyes shimmered with a sudden, uncharacteristic spark. "Eh? What? What did you just say?"
"I… I said…"
This was the first time Aoi had seen Muichiro look so visibly shaken—almost excited.
She was internally reeling from the shock. Good heavens, is this really the ice-cold Mist Hashira? He's actually losing his composure over a single sentence!
Tanjiro, caught off guard by the sudden intensity, stammered as he repeated himself. "I—I said that if you help others, it eventually helps you, too. And since we're going the same way to find Kanamori-san..."
Suddenly, Nezuko stood up, her head accidentally thumping hard against Tanjiro's chin.
"Oof!" Tanjiro let out a muffled groan of pain, clutching his chin with one hand. Despite the sting, he used his other hand to gently rub the top of Nezuko's head, his voice a bit strained. "Nezuko, why the sudden jump? Did you hurt your head?"
Nezuko blinked, rubbing her forehead with a tiny hand before tugging at Tanjiro's sleeve. She let out a soft, apologetic "mu-mu" sound from behind her bamboo muzzle.
"It's okay, Nezuko!"
Muichiro stood to the side, his gaze drifting to the slightly lopsided red bow in Nezuko's hair. His fingertips twitched unconsciously.
The four of them stood there, staring at one another in a brief silence broken only by Nezuko's soft whimpers.
Suddenly, Tanjiro's expression sharpened as he looked toward the door. "Is someone coming?"
Muichiro nodded slowly. "It seems so."
The next second, the sliding door creaked open. A hunched, trembling old demon poked his head in, his cloudy eyes scanning the people in the room. He muttered fearfully under his breath, "So scary… so scary…"
The moment Aoi saw the intruder, her pupils shrank. "Hantengu!"
Muichiro's expression darkened instantly. His grip on his sword tightened, his eyes swirling with a lethal, icy killing intent.
"Mist Breathing, Fourth Form: Shifting Flow Slash."
Before the words had even fully left his lips, his body transformed into a blur of motion. His Nichirin Sword, shrouded in a chilling wind, moved like a thin veil of mist toward Hantengu—so fast the blade's trajectory was invisible to the naked eye.
Tanjiro watched in awe. "So fast!"
"Tanjiro, don't just stand there!" Aoi shouted.
Tanjiro snapped out of it, grabbing Nezuko and diving to the side. He held his Nichirin Sword across his chest, the blade glowing with a faint, reddish hue.
Meanwhile, Muichiro's strike missed. He turned to look at Hantengu, who had scrambled onto the ceiling. He was internally stunned. He's fast. I didn't take him down.
Perched on the ceiling, Hantengu wept as he pleaded for his life. "Please, stop! Don't bully me! It hurts!"
"Wood Breathing, First Form: Sprouting Slash!"
Aoi seized the opening. Her Nichirin Sword carved a shallow, emerald arc through the air—a strike as sharp and unpredictable as a sprout bursting from the earth. It lunged straight for Hantengu on the ceiling.
With a shriek of pain, Hantengu lost his grip and plummeted toward the floor.
As he fell, the demonized Nezuko delivered a powerful kick. Hantengu was sent flying like a discarded sack, slamming into the wall with a heavy thud.
"Nezuko, stop!" Tanjiro called out immediately. "You'll accelerate your demonization if you keep doing that!"
Nezuko paused, turning her head to look at Tanjiro. The crimson glow in her eyes faded slightly, and her fangs retracted.
Taking advantage of Hantengu being pinned against the wall, Muichiro blurred to his side. With a delicate flick of his Nichirin Sword, Hantengu's head tumbled to the floor. Blood sprayed across the wood, blooming into a jarring, brilliant red.
"Was it... really that easy to decapitate him?" Aoi's brow furrowed. She didn't loosen her grip on her sword, her eyes locked onto the head rolling across the floor.