Inosuke thrashed against the ropes, stunned. Before he could react further, Tomioka Giyu was already walking away, growing smaller in the distance.
"Hey! Get back here!" Inosuke shouted.
Giyu didn't turn around. His voice was as calm as still water.
"You don't even realize how badly you're hurt. Stay down."
"I can't hear you!" Inosuke barked, only catching part of it. "You walk too fast—HEY!!"
After ending his battle, Tomioka Giyu leapt into the forest canopy, landing atop a sturdy tree branch. He stood motionless for a moment, scanning the darkness.
There was no need to guess. He knew where to go.
Where there is light—there is Tanjiro.
Soon enough, a faint red flash lit the horizon. It vanished almost instantly, but Giyu's eyes narrowed.
That was no ordinary flame.
Sun Breathing.
He crouched. The tree creaked beneath him as it bent under his weight—then he released, launching himself through the air like an arrow.
Kamado Tanjiro stood trembling, gripping the broken hilt of his blade, staring in disbelief.
Behind him stood Rui, Lower Rank Five of the Twelve Kizuki. The demon's severed head sat on the ground, yet it still spoke.
"You really thought you won?" Rui said coldly. "How pathetic. Are you proud of that delusion?"
"I cut my own head off… before your blade even touched me."
Tanjiro collapsed forward, sweat pouring down his face as he tried to move. He couldn't.
Rui glared, voice rising. "That's enough. I'll show no mercy. Not to you. Not to your sister."
"I haven't felt this furious in years."
His body twisted unnaturally as he reattached his head with threads.
"I don't even remember why I used to feel this angry… But now—now I remember."
He paused, eyes narrowing.
"…Why aren't you burning?"
"My threads are on fire. I'm on fire. Why aren't you?"
"I don't know if it's your sister's doing, but I hate you. And for that…"
"I'll tear you limb from limb. Slowly."
As Rui raised his hand to unleash his Blood Demon Art, the sky exploded—
A roaring water dragon crashed down from above, slamming into Rui like a tidal wave.
BOOM!
Tanjiro flinched as wind and dust swept across the clearing.
He turned instinctively. The dust hadn't settled yet, but he saw a figure standing firm in the haze, blade already sheathed.
"…Mr. Tomioka?!"
The man didn't look back. His voice was steady, but the edge of amusement flickered beneath it.
"'Mr. Tomioka'? Just call me Tomioka."
Tanjiro's breath caught, but his gaze moved past Giyu—and widened.
Where Rui once stood, only ash remained. His disbelieving expression was the last to fade.
"Nezuko!"
Tanjiro rushed to his sister, cradling her. She was unconscious and pale.
Giyu stepped forward, crouched beside them, and examined her quietly.
"She's fine. Just exhausted."
"She'll recover with rest."
Tanjiro exhaled shakily, emotion thick in his voice. "Thank you, Mr. Tomio—no, thank you, Tomiokia , for saving us…"
Giyu gave a rare nod of approval. "You've grown a lot since we last met."
"…Not enough," Tanjiro said bitterly, his eyes falling on Nezuko. "Not yet."
"Watch out, Tomioka!"
A voice cut through the silence. Giyu's blade flashed out—clang!—as he blocked a sudden attack.
Kocho Shinobu, the Insect Hashira, slid backward, eyes wide.
"What are you doing, Tomioka?!" she demanded. "There's a demon behind you!"
Her gaze snapped to Nezuko in Tanjiro's arms.
"That girl—you're holding a demon! Step away, now!"
Before Giyu could speak, Tanjiro shouted, "No, wait! It's not what you think—well, maybe it is, but she's my sister!"
"Even so, a demon is still a demon," Shinobu said coldly, tightening her grip on her blade.
She turned to Giyu, her voice laced with disappointment.
"Back during the Yae incident, you cut down demons without hesitation. What's changed?"
"Don't forget who we are, Tomioka—we are Hashira."
"We do not waver. We kill demons. That is our duty."
"If you've gone soft, then step aside. I'll do it myself."
Her words were sharp, her stance unwavering.
Kocho Shinobu did not forgive demons.
Her protegees—Kiyo, Naho, and Sumi—were all orphans because of them.
Her hatred ran deep.
Shinobu took a step forward—but Giyu stepped in front of her.
"Calm down, Shinobu. Let me explain."
"The boy's name is Tanjiro."
"I met him two years ago. At the time, his sister Nezuko had already turned into a demon."
"I intended to kill her, just as you would."
"But then… she did something no demon should ever do."
"She protected her brother."
"She was starving. Newly turned. Yet instead of attacking, she shielded him."
He glanced at Nezuko, who lay unconscious in Tanjiro's arms.
"She hasn't eaten anyone in two years. Isn't that right, Tanjiro?"
"Yes!" Tanjiro said quickly. "She's been sleeping to restore her strength. That's how she survives."
"She's not like the others. Nezuko would never hurt anyone."
Shinobu wavered, her sword still drawn but lowered slightly.
"…Even so…"
Suddenly, a shrill cry pierced the air.
Several crows circled overhead, shouting in unison:
"Kaaaw—Kaww—!! Official order! Official order!"
"Kamado Tanjiro and the demon Nezuko—arrest them and return to headquarters immediately!"
"Kamado Tanjiro bears a scar on his forehead! The demon wears a bamboo muzzle! Bring them in at once!"
***
Tanjiro was still confused and didn't know what to do. He held Nezuko tightly in his arms, terrified that she might get hurt again.
Seeing this, Tomioka Giyu spoke.
"It's alright. Come back to the headquarters with us. The Lord will handle the matter regarding you and your sister."
"Hmph!" Kocho Shinobu scoffed but said nothing as she turned and walked away without looking back.
Seeing her leave like that, Tomioka sighed softly. "She's angry again… Looks like I'll need to treat her to dinner sometime."
At that moment, the Kakushi arrived. After bowing to Tomioka Giyu, they stepped forward with ropes in hand to restrain Tanjiro.
"W-What are you doing?!" Tanjiro tried to struggle, but Giyu quickly placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him.
"Don't panic. This is just for show," Giyu explained. "You're carrying a demon, and that's a serious crime under the Demon Slayer Corps rules. But I trust the Lord will give this matter proper consideration. I apologize, but please endure this for now."
"Okay… I trust you, Tomioka."
Following protocol, the Kakushi bound Tanjiro gently. Nezuko returned to her box, and they began the journey to headquarters.
On the way, fatigue finally overtook Tanjiro, and he slipped into a deep sleep.
***
Inside the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters Courtyard
"Hey, wake up already! Hey!!"
"How long are you planning to sleep?! Bastard, get up! The people in front of you are the Hashira!!"
Tanjiro jolted awake at the loud voices. As his vision cleared, he saw seven powerful figures standing before him. The first to speak was Kocho Shinobu.
"This is the headquarters of the Demon Slayer Corps. Your trial begins now, Tanjiro Kamado."
"There's no need for a trial!" bellowed the Flame Hashira, Rengoku Kyojuro, his fiery hair blazing under the sun. "Harboring a demon is undeniable proof of violating Corps rules!"
"If it's a demon, then behead it!" said the flamboyant Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen. "Let's make the execution as dazzling as possible!"
The Stone Hashira, Himejima Gyomei, hands clasped and tears falling, murmured,
"Ah… what a pitiful child… perhaps he is possessed by a demon… Better to release him from this suffering. Namo Amitabha…"
But the Flower Hashira, Kocho Kanae, shook her head.
"This demon, Nezuko, hasn't harmed a soul in over two years. As Tomioka says—she's different."
Shinobu said nothing, her eyes unreadable. She needed more time to come to terms with it.
As for the Love Hashira, Kanroji Mitsuri, and the Mist Hashira, Tokito Muichiro—
One was muttering emotionally under her breath, while the other gazed blankly at the sky, fixated on the shape of a drifting cloud.
Tomioka Giyu knelt beside Tanjiro and offered him a cup of water.
"Here. Drink. Don't worry—your sister is fine. We'll sort everything out when the Master arrives."
Tanjiro's heart finally settled. The trust from years ago—and again now—reassured him that Giyu meant no harm.
High up on a tree branch, the Snake Hashira, Iguro Obanai, lounged with a cold expression. He pointed lazily at Tomioka.
"Looks like you didn't even bother tying him up. Just watching this gives me a headache."
"Didn't Shinobu say you broke Corps rules, too, Tomioka? Shouldn't you be punished as well?"
"And what's this nonsense about the demon not having eaten anyone? That's just sentiment—she's your sister."
"Even if I believe she hasn't eaten someone in the past, who's to say she won't in the future? It's ridiculous."
Tomioka rose to his feet and looked at Iguro expressionlessly.
"You want to tie me up yourself?"
The courtyard fell into heavy silence.
Among the present Hashira, only Himejima Gyomei was undeniably stronger than Tomioka—but even Gyomei acknowledged Tomioka's growth. In sparring, Giyu had slowly begun matching Gyomei's rhythm.
Still, Iguro did not flinch. He leapt from the tree and drew his sword.
"Alright, I'll tie you up myself."
"Wait—don't fight!" Kanroji Mitsuri rushed forward and held her arms out in panic.
"I'm not trying to fight," Obanai replied flatly. "Just moving her out of the way."
"Well, still—"
Before Mitsuri could finish, Tanjiro shouted desperately.
"My sister will never eat anyone!! We fight together—as members of the Demon Slayer Corps—to protect others! So—!"
Just then, the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, arrived with his signature scowl.
Following him were two Kakushi. In Sanemi's hand was Nezuko's wooden box.
"Heh! Looks like things are getting interesting," he sneered.
"Master Shinazugawa, please—return the box," one Kakushi pleaded nervously.
But Sanemi ignored them.
"So, this is the idiot Corps member traveling with a demon, huh? What do you think you're doing?"
Kocho Shinobu's face darkened.
"Sanemi! Don't do anything rash—put the box down."
Kanae added firmly, "You can't act on your own. We should wait for the Master to decide."
But Sanemi was already sliding into action, blade drawn.
"Tell me, kid—do you even know what a demon is?"
"You say you fight to protect people… as a Demon Slayer? Don't give me that garbage—"
Before Sanemi's blade reached the box, Giyu moved.
Sanemi instinctively reacted, raising his sword to intercept, but Giyu was faster.
With a spinning kick, Giyu struck Sanemi square in the stomach, launching him back several meters. Giyu caught the box mid-air and stood firm.
Sanemi doubled over, breath caught, momentarily stunned.
Then, rage twisted his face.
"You bastard—I'm going to kill you!!"
But Giyu had already sheathed his blade and gently set the box down.