"Mr. Tomioka, there seems to be something wrong with that box."
Shinobu Kocho suddenly interrupted Tanjiro, her usual gentle smile present as she pointed to the wooden box on Tanjiro's back—the one containing Nezuko.
Both Giyu and Tanjiro immediately turned their attention to the box. At first, Tanjiro didn't think much of it and was about to explain that his sister Nezuko was inside. However, his nose caught a sudden, sharp scent—killing intent.
The source of that murderous aura was none other than the smiling Insect Hashira—Shinobu Kocho herself.
She wanted to kill Nezuko.
Tanjiro's heart tightened as he realized the weight of Nezuko's identity. Within the Demon Slayer Corps, no matter how kind or innocent a demon may seem, they are still considered enemies. And now, the Insect Hashira was walking directly toward the box with her pink Nichirin Blade drawn.
Just as she raised her sword to strike—
Clang!
The sun blades collided—pink clashed with aqua blue.
Tomioka Giyu stood between Shinobu and the box, blade held firm.
Shinobu's smile didn't fade, but her eyes turned cold.
"Mr. Tomioka, you know what's in there, don't you?"
Tomioka didn't respond verbally. With one hand still blocking her sword, he used the other to grab the box's strap and flung it toward Tanjiro.
Shinobu's expression hardened, a glint of frost flashing in her eyes. Was Giyu really defending a demon?
She knew all too well—Tomioka Giyu hated demons more than most. All the Hashira despised demons. No matter their past, no matter their story, demons were to be killed without hesitation.
So why was he stopping her?
Suppressing her doubts, Shinobu slowly lowered her sword.
She wasn't here to fight Giyu, a fellow Hashira. Her target was the demon.
But the moment she moved to bypass him and go after Tanjiro again, Giyu stepped in front of her once more.
"Mr. Tomioka, please move."
She glanced at Tanjiro too. "You, little one, are protecting a demon. That's against the rules of the Corps."
Tanjiro stepped forward, flustered. "She's my sister... She won't hurt anyone."
Shinobu covered her mouth with one hand, feigning sympathy. "That's really tragic. Then allow me to end her suffering gently—with a painless poison."
"Can you still move? Take her and run," Tomioka said without turning around.
Shinobu Kocho was a master of poisons—even Giyu had to stay fully focused to keep up with her. If Tanjiro stayed, he'd just get in the way.
"Mr. Tomioka… Thank you!"
Bowing deeply, Tanjiro picked up Nezuko and ran off into the woods.
Ironically, it was thanks to Shinobu's earlier medical injection that he was able to move at all. He'd have collapsed already if not for that.
Shinobu's eyes narrowed slightly. "You're crossing the line, Mr. Tomioka. What you're doing now goes against Corps regulations."
But she didn't chase Tanjiro immediately. After all, she hadn't come to Mount Natagumo alone. Her stepdaughter, Kanao, was also present.
Kanao rarely made decisions for herself. Once given a mission—such as killing a demon—she would follow it through to the end.
Even if Giyu stalled her, Shinobu believed Kanao would finish the job. Tanjiro, in his current state, could never defeat Kanao.
Still, Shinobu wasn't one to leave things unfinished.
With a flash, she tried to slip past Giyu again.
Clang!
Blades collided once more.
Shinobu's eyes narrowed further.
Was Giyu Tomioka… truly serious about this?
---
Meanwhile, in the dense forest below, Tanjiro pushed his body to its limits as he ran down the mountain with Nezuko on his back.
The medicine in his system was wearing off fast.
"Just a little more... almost there…"
The base of the mountain was within sight, yet his legs felt like they were sinking into mud.
No... If he collapsed now, Nezuko would die.
With sheer willpower, he pushed forward.
Then—
Bang!
Something slammed into his back, as heavy as a boulder.
That was it. His body gave out.
He collapsed. The box containing Nezuko tumbled from his back, rolled a short distance, and slammed against a rock—Nezuko was thrown out.
"Run, Nezuko! Go find Mr. Lucas! Don't let them catch you!"
Tanjiro saw the approaching figure—Kanao.
He didn't recognize her clearly, but that didn't matter now. His priority was Nezuko's safety.
Nezuko blinked her wide pink eyes, confused, but she understood her brother's desperation. Without a word, she turned and bolted.
Kanao, silent and composed, immediately chased after her.
Tanjiro, barely holding himself upright, could only watch the two figures disappear into the woods.
In his heart, he prayed.
Nezuko, find Mr. Lucas. He's the only one who can save you now…
Mr. Lucas was one of the few who never cared about Nezuko being a demon. He always treated her kindly, even doted on her during their time together. When others were wary, Lucas showed compassion.
If anyone could stand up to the Demon Slayer Corps for Nezuko, it was him.
But then a chilling realization hit Tanjiro.
Can Nezuko even understand what I just said? Does she know who Mr. Lucas is? Does she know where to find him?
His heart sank deeper.
No... He had to follow them.
---
Elsewhere on the mountain...
"Zenitsu's condition has really improved."
Lucas crouched beside the unconscious Zenitsu, gently poking the spider bite on his face with his finger. A thread of spider silk emerged from Lucas' palm and slipped into Zenitsu's body.
The dark, purple-black venom began to flow out along the thread, slowly draining from his system.
Lucas had left the battle with the Spider Demon's father to Tanjiro and Inosuke. They could handle it.
He came here to check on Zenitsu's condition—and found something astonishing.
While awake, Zenitsu had managed to unleash a Sixfold Thunderclap and Flash, defeating the Spider Demon's brother.
Though Zenitsu fainted right after, this was a massive leap compared to his usual state, where he could barely use his breathing techniques while conscious.
Lucas watched as color returned to Zenitsu's face and finally retracted the thread.
The spider silk, though under his control, was purely physical—strong, but not poisonous.
That disappointed Lucas a little.
"If this silk had venom, it'd be so much more versatile…" he muttered, watching it dance between his fingers.
Still, one shouldn't be too greedy.
Based on his calculations, both the Water Hashira and the Insect Hashira should have arrived by now.
It was probably time to introduce himself to them.
Just as he stood up to leave, a small figure rushed out from the woods ahead.
It was roughly the size of Lucas' thigh, stumbling in oversized clothes and running straight toward him with arms outstretched.
"Nezuko?"
Lucas blinked in surprise as the small figure threw herself into his arms and tightly grabbed the hem of his cloak.
Nezuko lifted her teary eyes and looked up at him.
Then, pointing behind her with a trembling little finger, she looked as if she were tattling.
Her big, round eyes clearly said: "She stabbed me all the way here… You need to take care of her!"
Lucas tilted his head, a little amused but mostly intrigued.
Behind Nezuko stood Kanao, expressionless and silent.
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