"Takeru, what about them?" Yukino asked, looking at the seemingly unconscious Demon Slayers.
"Don't worry. Let them sleep for now. They'll wake up soon." Takeru replied calmly.
"Takeru, this box..." Yukino noticed the box beside Tanjiro. Through her Observation Haki, the presence inside was clear.
"No need to worry. She's not our enemy." Takeru stated plainly.
"Understood." Yukino had no doubt about Takeru's words. The three then continued forward.
Through their senses, they soon reached a position near Enmu.
"Sylphin, stay here and protect the passengers. Leave the top to Yukino and me." Takeru instructed.
"Understood." Though unable to join the fight directly, Sylphin didn't object.
Takeru and Yukino leapt lightly onto the train roof, soon spotting Enmu.
"Oh? You're not asleep? You're not Demon Slayers, are you? You could have died in pleasant dreams..." Seeing the blindfolded pair, Enmu was surprised.
"How grotesque." Yukino instinctively commented.
"How rude. But since you're not even Demon Slayers and dared come here, stay here forever!" Frowning, Enmu charged at Takeru and Yukino, intending to eliminate them.
Besides his sleep-inducing Blood Demon Art, he relied on close combat. Though not his forte, as Lower Moon One, dealing with ordinary humans should be trivial.
Just as he thought this and charged, a silver flash erupted. Before he could react, his head separated from his body.
"Defeated... just like that?" Yukino stared blankly at Enmu's headless body in a pool of blood.
"Of course not. I think you can stop pretending to be dead now." Takeru said calmly, observing the bleeding corpse.
Not only did Takeru know the plot, but he had also witnessed Enmu fuse with the train, so his true body was the locomotive itself.
"Why? Why do you seem to know so much? How do you know? I'm curious, so very curious! And... how utterly irritating!" Enmu's head was soon reattached by fleshy tumors sprouting from the train, looking down at Takeru.
"Is that so? Your current disgusting appearance is quite irritating too. Yukino, attack." Takeru commanded.
"Yes! Fireball!" Yukino launched a Fireball. With her enhanced attributes, the spell had grown significantly in speed and power.
Boom!
The explosion scorched Enmu, causing secondary damage.
"What is this? A Blood Demon Art? No, you're not demons!" Though injured, the damage was minor. Enmu was more curious about how Yukino conjured fireballs.
Seeing one Fireball had limited effect, Yukino cast [Chain Fireballs]. Multiple fireballs materialized and bombarded Enmu.
Boom! Boom!
Explosions tore through Enmu's head and tumors, leaving a gruesome mess.
"Haha, useless! Useless! I've fused with this train! Though it has the shape of a head, it's not my real head. Everything on this train is my blood, my flesh, my bones!" Enmu reformed another head, taunting them.
Hearing this, Yukino was stunned by the demon's resilience.
"Haha! Judging by your expression, you understand now. That means... all 200-plus passengers on this train are nourishment to strengthen me and also my hostages. Do you think you can protect them all?" Enmu sneered.
Hearing this, Yukino tightened her grip on her staff, anger rising, but she quickly glanced at Takeru.
"Whether we can or not, we won't know until we try." Takeru smirked confidently.
Hearing Takeru's assured tone, Enmu frowned. He immediately activated his ability. Fleshy tumors sprouted across the carriage roof, while inside, tentacle-like growths emerged to devour the sleeping passengers.
In Sylphin's carriage, though disgusted by the sudden tumors, she swiftly summoned Wind Blades to slice them apart.
"Oh no! Other carriages too!" Realizing this, Sylphin rushed to the next carriage.
Upon entering, she found the tumors already shattered by unseen forces.
"What was that?" Sylphin was astonished.
Yukino, sensing through Observation Haki, also detected faint, invisible presences...
In fact, Takeru had already deployed over a dozen Shadow Persons. Pairs of Shadow Persons were stationed in eight carriages, protecting the passengers...
"Damn it! What's attacking me?!" Sensing disturbances within his 'body', Enmu scowled.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro finally awoke.
"Ah!" Waking with a start, Tanjiro clutched his neck in horror… he had awoken by committing suicide within an intensely realistic dream.
He soon noticed the abnormalities: the carriage was enveloped in fleshy growths. Drawing his blade, he saw Nezuko beside him, crying with relief.
"Nezuko! Thank goodness! Are you alright?" Tanjiro asked gently.
"Zenitsu! Inosuke! And Rengoku-san!" Seeing his companions still asleep, Tanjiro was alarmed. Noticing the writhing tumors, he prepared to attack, but they were shattered by unseen forces.
"What... was that?" Tanjiro frowned. The tumors didn't explode on their own, and something had attacked them. Without activating Nen or using Gyo, he couldn't perceive Takeru's specialized Nen Beasts...
"You're awake. You're a Demon Slayer, right? Hurry and wake your friends. Who knows what might happen next?" Hearing Tanjiro's exclamation, Sylphin entered his carriage while cutting down tumor tentacles.
"You're from earlier... What happened here? And what are these things?" Tanjiro asked, watching tumors reform.
"Hmph! Isn't it obvious? It's clearly that demon's work. Our Captain and Vice-Captain are fighting it right now." Sylphin replied dismissively.
"But why do these things keep exploding as if hit by immense force?" Tanjiro pressed.
"I don't know. But it's definitely our Captain's doing!" Sylphin declared proudly.