Chapter 17: Comfort is the Reward of the Strong, and the Grave of the Weak
The playful look on Tatsu's face gradually faded.
He fell silent for a moment, lowering his head to look at the dirt beneath his feet.
He knew, of course, that she was serious.
Kanae Kocho was that kind of person; she would fight to the death to protect the members of the Demon Slayer Corps,
and she would also stand against the world's prejudice to protect a demon that didn't eat people.
Because of this, he could not accept her protection even more.
Comfort is the reward of the strong, yet it is also the grave of the weak.
"I'm sorry, Kanae."
When Tatsu looked up again, the playfulness in his eyes had completely vanished, replaced by an unprecedented determination.
Within those vertical pupils belonging to a demon, a scorching flame seemed to burn.
"I really can't go to the Butterfly Mansion with you right now, not even to a private residence."
He clenched his fists, feeling the meager power within his body.
"The current me is too weak."
"Just as you said, this world is very dangerous."
"That evil demon you just killed with a single strike—"
"If it were me, I might have had to risk my life just to barely win, or I might have even lost."
"Being your 'canary,' surviving under your protection, is indeed very tempting."
"That way, I wouldn't have to worry about the sun, I wouldn't have to worry about Demon Slayers, and I could eat delicious food every day."
Tatsu took a deep breath, his gaze passing over Kanae and looking deep into the pitch-black mountain forest in the distance.
It was as if through that darkness, he saw a certain terrifying source that dominated all demons.
"But that won't work."
"If I keep hiding behind you, I will never be able to master my own fate."
"And..."
Tatsu's voice dropped, carrying a bone-deep chill.
"I want to go somewhere to become stronger."
"I want to have the power to slay that guy in the future."
"That guy?"
Kanae Kocho keenly caught the phrase.
"Muzan Kibutsuji."
Tatsu squeezed the name through his teeth.
"I want to have the power to slay Muzan Kibutsuji. I want to... end all of this completely."
What Tatsu didn't say was that he wanted to save the woman in front of him even more.
In the original story, Kanae Kocho would encounter Upper Rank Two, Doma, in the near future and then perish.
That was an eternal regret in the hearts of all Demon Slayer fans.
Right now, he was too weak.
Facing Doma, he wouldn't even last a second.
He had to get stronger.
He had to go to Mount Kumotori.
He remembered the clues from the original work; Tanjirou Kamado's family lived there.
Not only might the 'blue spider lily' that Muzan Kibutsuji had been searching for for a thousand years be hidden there,
but more importantly, Tanjuro Kamado was there.
The man who, even when terminally ill, could comprehend the 'Transparent World' and perform the 'Hinokami Kagura' to its fullest.
If he could find the blue spider lily, he might be able to overcome the fatal weakness of sunlight.
If he couldn't find it, he would still find a way to get close to Tanjuro,
to see if he could steal even a fraction of 'Sun Breathing'.
Even if practicing Sun Breathing with a demon's body would bring immense pain,
like swallowing lava, he had to try.
Sun Breathing was the possibility of slaying Muzan Kibutsuji and a shortcut to significantly increasing his strength.
To save Kanae,
and to live with dignity in this man-eating world, he had to take the gamble.
"So, I'm going to Mount Kumotori."
"I'm going to find the opportunity to become stronger."
Tatsu looked at Kanae, his eyes showing no sign of wavering.
"Even if hell lies ahead, I must go."
Kanae Kocho stared blankly at Tatsu.
She hadn't expected
that this seemingly casual demon, who occasionally made improper jokes, would hide such a grand ambition in his heart.
To slay Muzan Kibutsuji?
He could have chosen to live peacefully under her protection, he could have chosen an easier path.
This child...
A strange feeling welled up in Kanae's heart.
Looking at Tatsu's face full of determination, she seemed to see the swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps who followed one after another for their ideals.
No, it was even harder for him.
Because he was fighting the fate of a demon as a demon himself.
So similar.
This look was exactly the same as the gaze of those who wanted to protect their precious ones.
"Tatsu..."
Kanae Kocho softly murmured his name.
The tenderness in her eyes grew even deeper, as if to melt the night itself.
She was silent for a long time, seemingly making an important decision.
The wind blew gently through the treetops.
"In that case..."
Kanae Kocho suddenly broke into a smile, a smile as stunning as a blooming night-blooming cereus, making the surrounding scenery pale in comparison.
She gently patted the Nichirin Sword at her waist.
"Then I'll go with you."
"Huh?"
Tatsu was stunned, thinking he had misheard.
"What did you say?"
"I said, I'll go with you."
With her hands behind her back, Kanae Kocho spun around lightly, her skirt fluttering.
"After all, you just said that the current you is too weak."
"Mount Kumotori is a long way away."
"What if you run into a Demon Slayer Corps swordsman on the way who doesn't know the truth and kills you as an evil demon?"
"But... your mission..."
Tatsu stammered; this was completely beyond his expectations.
"As for the mission, I've already finished it."
Kanae Kocho pointed to the ashes on the ground that had already disappeared.
"As for reporting back to the Corps..."
"Anyway, if there's an emergency within the Corps, the Master will notify me through the Kasugai Crow."
"I'll just treat it as taking a short vacation for myself and be a 'Guardian' while I'm at it."
She winked playfully, her matter-of-fact manner making it impossible to argue.
What she was actually thinking was:
Since you've chosen this path full of thorns, how can I stand by and watch you go to your death?
At least until you grow up, let me block the wind and rain for you.
Tatsu looked into Kanae Kocho's crystal-clear eyes, and a warm current welled up in his heart.
He knew that Kanae was worried about his safety.
And...
Tatsu's mind raced.
If Kanae came along, it would be purely beneficial for him.
First, the safety issue was completely resolved.
With the current Flower Hashira by his side, the swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps wouldn't lift a finger against him upon seeing her.
Second, and most crucially.
He was going to visit Tanjuro Kamado.
Tanjuro possessed the 'Transparent World' and could see through the nature of living things at a glance.
For a demon like himself to visit out of the blue, no matter how friendly he acted, it would be easy to cause a misunderstanding,
and he might even be chopped down by Tanjuro's axe.
After all, that was a man who could kill a giant bear in an instant.
But if he had Kanae Kocho, a 'human,' to vouch for him, the situation would be completely different.
Tanjuro would definitely trust Kanae, thereby giving him a chance to communicate.
In this way, the possibility of learning the Hinokami Kagura dance would greatly increase.
"This is simply... perfect."
Tatsu took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart.
Looking at the woman in front of him who was like a moonlit elf, his eyes grew slightly warm.
"Thank you, Kanae."
Kanae Kocho smiled and shook her head, reaching out to gently pat Tatsu's shoulder:
"You're welcome, Tatsu."
"Since it's decided, let's set off!"
"Target, Mount Kumotori!"
She took the lead and walked out of the forest.
"Hey, wait for me! Kanae, do you know the way?"
"I don't know~ But as long as we head north, we'll get there eventually, right?"
"Hey, are you directionally challenged? That way is south!"
"Oh? Really? Hehe, then I'll have to trouble Tatsu to lead the way."
"Honestly... who's protecting whom here..."