Shinobu's Gift
The four slayers were preparing for the Mugen Train mission. Kanami, now fully utilizing his golden mask, dragon uniform, and the dual hilts of his Heaven's Devour (Black) and Heaven's Judgement (White) blades, was securing his gear. He was an intimidating sight.
Shinobu Kocho approached him, a serene smile fixed on her face, holding a beautifully packed bento box.
"Kanami-san," she chirped sweetly, the Flower Gold Ring shimmering on her finger. "Since you are heading out on such a dangerous mission, I made a special lunch for you. Please, enjoy it on the train."
Kanami swallowed hard. He knew Shinobu's medical expertise often overlapped with her extensive knowledge of poisons. As he looked up, he saw Aoi Kanzaki behind Shinobu, frantically shaking her head and waving her hands in a silent, terrified plea: "It's a trap! It's poison! Don't eat it!"
Kanami recognized the warning that Aoi gave.
> SYSTEM (Mission): The Maiden's Lunch.
> Goal: Take the maiden's lunchbox and eat it with gratitude along the way.
> Reward: Physique Upgrade: All Poison Immunity.
>
The choice was clear. Immediate, temporary pain for permanent immunity.
"Kocho-san," Kanami said, bowing slightly. "Your thoughtfulness is unmatched. I will enjoy every single bite. Thank you."
Aoi crumpled in defeat. Shinobu's smile widened, a hint of affection in her eyes.
The Train Station Chaos
The slayers arrived at the station. The enormous black steam train roared, and Inosuke Hashibira immediately lunged, serrated swords aimed at the locomotive.
"WAAAAH! What is this mighty beast?! I will fight it! I will challenge its spirit! BEAST BREATHING, NINTH FANG: EXTEND AND BEND!"
Zenitsu Agatsuma and Tanjiro Kamado wrestled him into submission while Kanami bought the tickets, his calm, powerful aura preventing a police intervention.
The Flame Hashira's Conversation
Inside the train, they found Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, loudly and enthusiastically finishing a large bento.
They settled into the same compartment: Tanjiro beside Rengoku, Kanami seated across from them next to Nezuko (in her box), and the two rowdy slayers nearby.
After listening to Tanjiro's conversation with Rengoku about the Hinokami Kagura, the Flame Hashira turned his blazing gaze to Kanami.
"And you, young man!" Rengoku roared, pointing at Kanami's mask and dual swords. "Your spiritual aura is immense! You carry two swords, and the scent of them both is ferocious! I have not felt such a dense concentration of controlled power since I stood beside Gyomei Himejima!"
Rengoku leaned closer, his voice booming. "Your physique is perfect, and your speed is unnaturally high! You wear two unique blades; this is unusual! Tell me, what is your name again?
Kanami met Rengoku's gaze, his own aura composed but electric.
"My name is Kanami Reire, Rengoku-dono," Kanami replied, his voice calm. "My style is the Heavenly Demonic Devouring Breathing. And yes, these are my twin blades."
Rengoku struck his thigh with a thunderous SMACK! "Magnificent! A self-created, dual-wielding technique! I sense the depth of your forms! Your mastery must be profound, young man! You will be a pillar that stands beside me! I look forward to witnessing the full extent of your skill when we encounter this demon!"
As the train sped into the night, Kanami carefully opened Shinobu's bento, the realization hitting him: with his current power level and Rengoku's presence, the demon on this train was in for a very short, painful night. He only had to survive the meal.
A Questionable Meal
As the Mugen Train sped through the night, the atmosphere in the compartment was dominated by Kyojuro Rengoku's booming presence. Kanami cautiously lifted the lid of the bento box Shinobu had given him.
Inside, the lunch was a terrifying sight. It wasn't simple rice and fish; it was a bizarre, psychedelic array of colors. The rice was a pale purple and the side dish appeared to be a shimmering lime-green jelly, speckled with what looked alarmingly like iridescent spider parts. The entire concoction was emitting a faint, sickly-sweet aroma.
Rengoku, leaning over, his face radiating focused enthusiasm, peered into the box. His broad smile faltered, replaced by a deep frown of confusion.
"Hmm?" Rengoku pointed a finger at the purple rice. "Young Kanami, is that... is that a newly developed chemical weapon? Perhaps an ingested gas bomb designed to defeat a demon that attacks from inside the body? Truly innovative!"
Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke immediately struggled to stifle their laughter. Zenitsu was shaking, clutching his mouth. Inosuke was holding his boar mask to his face, letting out muffled, snorting giggles. The sight of a Hashira mistaking a lunchbox for a weapon was too much.
Kanami, however, remained poker-faced. He knew this was life-or-death, or at least, stomach-or-agony.
Kanami picked up his chopsticks, his fingers tightening. "Rengoku-dono," he said, looking the Hashira dead in the eye, "You must never repeat those words in front of Shinobu Kocho... Never....For your own safety... It would be better to die on a fight with a demon on chapter 66
Rengoku frowns ... ( this is the chapter, Rengoku died on manga)
Kanami took a massive, resolute gulp of air and brought the purple rice to his masked mouth, forcing it past the edge of the mask and into his mouth.
The effect was instantaneous and awful. Kanami's eyes bulged. His body briefly convulsed, making a noise somewhere between a groan and a wet cough. He could feel every one of his internal organs screaming in protest at the toxic assault.
(Ding!)
> SYSTEM (Mission Complete): The Maiden's Lunch.
> Hazardous Substance Ingested. Emergency Mission Completion.
> Reward: Physique Upgrade: All Poison Immunity acquired.
>
Kanami finished the mouthful, managing to clear his throat. He felt the poison burn itself out, the toxins leaving behind a faint, metallic taste and an ironclad new defense system. He forced a satisfied nod. "Delicious." "Very tasty..."
Rengoku clapped him on the shoulder, his misunderstanding complete. "Magnificent! A true demonstration of iron will and discipline! You ate the tactical weapon with pleasure!"
The Mugen Train: Dreamscape and Reality
Falling Asleep
The tension subsided as the slayers continued their journey. The demon of the train, Enmu, Lower Rank One, began his Blood Demon Art, forcing the slayers into a deep, irresistible slumber.
Kanami was the last to succumb, his new Physique Upgrade fighting the toxic sleep. But the demon's power, amplified by Muzan's will, was too strong.
Kanami's Dreamscape: The Void
The four children Enmu had sent to destroy the slayers' spiritual cores entered Kanami's dreamscape. They expected to find a cherished memory, a peaceful core, or a deep trauma to exploit.
Instead, they found nothing.
The girl who entered Kanami's mind found herself in a featureless void, a space of endless, white nothingness, devoid of light, sound, or memory. It was an empty shell, as Kanami's true memories belonged to another world entirely.
Suddenly, a voice boomed from the nothingness, an echoing, genderless, digital sound:
"SYSTEM PROMPT. UNAUTHORIZED HOSTILE ENTRY DETECTED. EXECUTION OF TRESPASSERS INITIATED."
The little girl screamed, not from pain, but from the existential terror of absolute erasure. She immediately retreated, her mind shattered, unable to process the non-reality of his dreamscape.
The Team Escapes
The scene transitioned rapidly:
* Zenitsu's dream, where he was happily running with Nezuko on a sunny field, was quickly exposed. The boy who entered found himself immediately ejected when Zenitsu's unconscious rage flared.
* Inosuke's dream, where he was the noble King of the Underground, leading his beast army, ended violently as the boy was chased out by Inosuke's subconscious aggression.
* Tanjiro's dream the blissful, heartbreaking reunion with his entire family was the most beautiful and the most painful. The boy assigned to him almost succeeded, reaching the spiritual core before Tanjiro's sheer will, driven by the memory of his mission, allowed him to painfully sever his own lifeline and wake up.
The Attack on the Train
Tanjiro was the first to wake, followed shortly by Kanami, who, due to his mind's innate defenses, was easily roused. They saw Enmu's form fused with the entire train.
"The demon is the train!" Rengoku roared, waking up and immediately assessing the danger. "Tanjiro, Kanami, protect the passengers! I will find the demon's neck!"
The fight was instant chaos.
Rengoku took off down the train, his Flame Breathing forms slicing through the demon's fleshy manifestations.
Kanami and Tanjiro focused on protecting the three cars Rengoku assigned them. The battle was intense, with Kanami utilizing his advanced skills:
* Kanami moved like lightning, his Heaven's Devour and Heaven's Judgement twin blades carving paths through the demonic flesh that sprouted everywhere.
* He used his newly unlocked Form 3: Soul Cleansing Veil to evade the demonic vines that tried to capture passengers, then immediately countered with Form 4: Twin Dragons Ascendant to destroy large swaths of flesh.
* Tanjiro used his Water Breathing to defend his section, his mind focused but struggling to maintain the speed of the attacks.
Rengoku quickly found the head car, believing the demon's core was there.
The Final Stand and Decapitation
The demon's attacks intensified. Zenitsu woke up, finding Nezuko protecting him, and entered his unconscious, powerful state, defending his area with Thunder Breathing. Inosuke woke and immediately declared war on the entire train, finding the fight exhilarating.
Kanami and Tanjiro regrouped.
"The demon's weak point is on the front car, but its neck is hidden!" Kanami yelled over the din. "We have to find the connection to its core!"
Inosuke, using his heightened senses, pointed below the train. "I smell the real neck! It's under the tracks!"
Kanami, Tanjiro, and Inosuke crashed through the floor. They found the main bone structure, the literal neck of the fused demon.
Kanami knew this required total power. He unleashed everything he had:
Kanami: Heavenly Demonic Devouring Breathing, Form 5: Black Hole Devastation!
Kanami's blade glowed black and purple as he funneled his immense strength into a single, overwhelming cutting force. He cleaved through the massive, reinforced bone structure, clearing a path.
Tanjiro followed, pushing his body to the absolute limit.
Tanjiro: Hinokami Kagura: Burning Bones, Summer Sun!
The fiery strike sliced through the bone and demon flesh where Kanami had weakened it.
Inosuke finished the job, severing the last tendril.
The Mugen Train screeched to a halt as the demon was finally defeated, its massive, flesh-covered body dissolving into ash. The battle was won, but the night was far from over.