Tanjiro's body trembled as he suddenly dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead into the snow. "Please… I'm begging you, don't kill Nezuko."
"I have nothing left. My family… my brother left without a word, and my mother, my younger siblings… they were all killed by demons."
"Nezuko is all I have now. Please don't take her from me. I can't lose anyone else. She's… everything to me…"
Seeing Tanjiro kneeling, shaking and crying, Giyuu Tomioka's calm expression slowly darkened, turning harsh and severe.
"Why are you kneeling? Why are you begging?"
"Don't grovel like a weakling."
"Why did you protect your sister in your arms earlier? What you should've done was pick up your axe and swing it at me, not gamble on someone else's pity."
"I could've killed both you and your sister just now."
"You want to turn her back into a human? Do you think a demon will help you if you beg for it? That you'll find a way by pleading with monsters?"
"No. Demons won't help you. And neither will I."
With that, Giyuu ignored Tanjiro's pained, confused eyes and thrust his Nichirin Blade into Nezuko's chest. She cried out in pain, struggling but unable to break free.
Inwardly, Giyuu sighed. In Tanjiro, he saw a reflection of his younger self—weak and helpless.
Back then, it had been Sabito—like an older brother—who always stood in front of him to protect him.
But because of his own cowardice, his weakness and fear, Sabito died at the hands of a demon… all to protect him and the others.
Don't cry. Don't despair. That's not what you should be doing right now. Your family is gone. Your brother may have turned into a demon and fled. Your sister has become one. It must hurt unbearably.
I understand that.
If I had come a day earlier, maybe your family could have been saved. Maybe you wouldn't be in this much pain.
But what's done is done. Time can't be reversed.
What you need now is strength. You need to become strong—not like this, begging for pity.
Get angry. Let that rage be your strength. Get up. Stop being weak. Fight me, with everything you've got.
Show me what you're capable of.
Giyuu's face remained grim, and he raised his Nichirin Blade to strike again.
His outward coldness was like an eternal glacier—but inside, he was as gentle as water.
Seeing Nezuko's painful struggle and realizing that begging wouldn't work, Tanjiro suddenly leapt to his feet and hurled a rock at Giyuu.
Giyuu didn't strike Nezuko. Instead, he batted the rock away with the hilt of his sword.
At that moment, Tanjiro grabbed his axe from the ground and dashed into the shadows of the trees, weaving through the dense forest growth to circle around and close the distance.
Then he charged at Giyuu, swinging the axe.
Seeing this, Giyuu felt a wave of disappointment. He shouted sternly, "Fool! Do you think acting on emotion alone can defeat your enemy?"
"It's fine to be angry, but you need to think clearly."
He was frustrated. How could you defeat demons by being reckless?
Tanjiro threw another rock. As Giyuu blocked it, Tanjiro lunged toward him.
With a grim face, Giyuu raised his blade. Just as Tanjiro lunged, seemingly ready to slash, Giyuu struck his back with the hilt, knocking him flat onto the snow.
Tanjiro collapsed face-first. His body had long since reached its limit, and his mind had been overwhelmed for so long—this final blow made him black out.
"Hm? Where's the axe?"
Giyuu sensed something was off—Tanjiro no longer had the axe in hand.
A sudden chill ran down his spine. He turned his head slightly.
An axe came whirling from the air, embedding itself into a tree beside Giyuu's head, shaking loose a pile of snow.
In that instant, Giyuu understood everything.
When Tanjiro ran into the trees, he had tossed the axe high into the air toward Giyuu, using the rock as a distraction.
While charging in, he'd faked a swinging motion, hiding his empty hands behind his body to fool Giyuu into thinking he still had the weapon.
"So… he meant to get knocked down on purpose, giving the axe a chance to strike me—trying to create an opening for his sister to escape?"
"Very good. Really… very good."
That was exactly what Giyuu wanted to see from him.
Bravery is not recklessness. True courage requires strategy.
Just then, Nezuko, still held by Giyuu, saw Tanjiro fall unconscious—and her eyes burned with fury.
Her body suddenly grew larger, and her strength surged.
Caught off guard, Giyuu was unable to hold her as she broke free and kicked him with incredible force.
He blocked with his sword, but the impact still sent him flying several meters back.
"No… that boy's in danger."
After knocking Giyuu away, Nezuko turned toward the unconscious Tanjiro and raised her sharp claws.
Giyuu braced to stop her—but then froze.
Because Nezuko didn't attack. She stood in front of Tanjiro, her sharpened claws gleaming, letting out a low, threatening growl at Giyuu.
"A demon… protecting a human?"
Giyuu had seen many people turn into demons. He'd seen others like Tanjiro, begging him to spare their loved ones.
He'd given in once. That man was later devoured by the very demon that had once been his family.
Hungry demons don't care if you're family. They devour anyone. Everyone.
This girl had just been injured by him. Healing and transformation into a demon had consumed her strength—she must be starving.
And yet, even in that state, she resisted the hunger and stood firmly between him and her brother, shielding him from harm.
This… Giyuu had never seen anything like it before.
Could it be… that a demon really could retain its reason, even when starving?
Nezuko bared her fangs and rushed at Giyuu, claws extended. But Giyuu didn't raise his sword—he struck her neck with a karate chop, knocking her unconscious.
As she lay there, he placed a green bamboo gag in her mouth to prevent any sudden attacks.
After waiting quietly for a while, Tanjiro awoke. Seeing that Nezuko was still breathing, he finally let go of his fear and tension.
Giyuu leaned against a tree and spoke.
"You want me to spare your sister?"
Tanjiro blinked, then sat up, surprised and relieved. "Yes! Nezuko would never hurt anyone. Please… spare her."
Giyuu stepped away from the tree and slowly approached Tanjiro. He looked down at him seriously and said, "Then I need your promise. If your sister ever loses control and becomes a flesh-eating demon, you must kill her with your own hands—and then take your own life to atone."
Tanjiro fell silent. Then he solemnly nodded. "If the day ever comes that Nezuko eats a human… I will kill her with my own hands, and give my life to apologize to those she hurt."
"Nezuko's always been kind. I know she wouldn't want to hurt anyone. She wouldn't want to be a man-eating demon…"
Hearing the answer he needed, Giyuu spoke softly.
"Your sister… she protected you just now."
"You want to turn her back into a human? You want the strength to fight demons?"
"Then go to the base of Mount Sagiri. Find a man named Sakonji Urokodaki. Become his apprentice."
"Tell him Giyuu Tomioka sent you. He'll accept you. He'll train you in how to slay demons."
"Oh—and don't let your sister into sunlight. Demons die when exposed to the sun. Hurry—leave while it's still dark."
After speaking for a while, Tanjiro carried Nezuko on his back and set off for Mount Sagiri—setting foot on the path of demon slaying, and of becoming stronger.
By now, Tanjiro understood the true intentions behind Giyuu Tomioka's actions—and couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude.
(End of Chapter)