Episode 285: A Beautiful Time Inside the Dream...
『 Enmu knows very well how to grasp the fragile parts of the human heart. If he were not limited by the rules of this world, relying on this ability… perhaps becoming a top-tier powerhouse would be an easy feat.
Many people are willing to beg him for a beautiful and happy dream.
"Um… what should we do?" The four children asked Enmu.
"Wait a little longer, they will sleep even deeper!"
"For now, stay here and wait. Some highly sensitive Demon Slayers might wake up in an instant if they sense a demonic presence. Therefore, you must be careful and cautious when approaching them; do not wake these people up."
"I cannot leave this front area yet, so please work double hard until everything is ready~"
"For the sake of possessing that longed-for, beautiful dream."
Enmu is quite vigilant. When facing a powerful fighter like the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, one wrong move would turn him into a ghost under the opponent's blade… And if that happened, his ambition to ascend to a higher status would be shattered.
It is precisely based on this consideration that Enmu so coldly directs these innocent children to attack their companions… What a damned monster!
.....
In the dream—
On a snowy winter day, Tanjiro Kamado stands in the cold snow, vigilantly watching the sword in his hand and looking around.
This young man's alertness is stronger than both Zenitsu and Inosuke, but this place makes him feel both familiar and strange, leaving him somewhat at a loss.
Crunch, crunch, CRUNCH—!
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps on the snow arrives. Tanjiro turns around abruptly, only to see the most precious people to him—his deceased younger brother and sister.
Hanako Kamado: "Big brother is here!"
"Big brother, you're back!"
In this snowy field, Shigeru Kamado and Hanako Kamado are carrying sweet potatoes harvested in the autumn. Seeing Tanjiro, both of them reveal happy smiles.
"Did selling the charcoal go well?" Hanako asks.
Witnessing this scene, Tanjiro is stunned for a moment, as if he cannot believe his eyes. His hand loosens involuntarily, and his Nichirin sword falls onto the snow.
At this moment, his heart is incredibly complex. He immediately rushes over and hugs his younger brother and sister tightly.
He holds the two children close, tears glistening in his eyes, choking out: "I'm… I'm sorry…"
The guilt and sorrow in his heart surge forth.
He has never been able to protect his family, and in his dreams, he has recalled their faces countless times. Now, he can finally see them again. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Kamado Tanjiro (Demon Slayer): "Th-this is…" ]
[ Kocho Shinobu (Demon Slayer): "This is your past family, isn't it?" ]
[ Tsugikuni Yoriichi (Demon Slayer): "Another descendant of Sumiyoshi." ]
[ .....]
『 On the other side, the four little ones follow the method Enmu taught them, tying special ropes to the hands of Kyojuro Rengoku and the others. With a few deep breaths, they enter this dream world together.
Facing his unharmed family in the dream, with happy smiles hanging on their faces even in their sleep, Tanjiro's heart is filled with fear, terrified that all this beauty will dissipate in the next second.
"Here… here! The peaches are better over here, and there's a patch of little white flowers!"
"I'll pick the flowers and make you a pretty wreath!"
In Zenitsu's dream, he is pulling Nezuko, who hasn't turned into a demon yet, running happily through a peach blossom forest.
The two in the scene look like a couple deeply in love, the surrounding air filled with sweetness, constantly feeding the audience sugar.
Zenitsu carries the cute Nezuko, jumping around in the mountains and forests.
In this quiet mountain forest, only the innocent and carefree laughter of the two echoes.
In the real world, Zenitsu has a goofy expression on his face, muttering over and over: "Nezuko, Nezuko…"
He is the only one who refuses to wake up from this beautiful dream because it is just too sweet. Even many single netizens from various dimensions are getting toothaches from this level of sweetness.
They don't know how Enmu operates, but his ability seems to allow people to dream of what they desire most in their hearts. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "It's so shameful to act like this even in a dream." ]
[ Eriri Sawamura: "He really is a pervert." ]
[ Zenitsu Agasuma (Demon Slayer): "Hehehe." ]
[ Zenitsu Agasuma (Demon Slayer): "Because Nezuko is too cute." ]
[ Kamado Tanjiro (Demon Slayer): "I can't deny that. My Nezuko was the cutest girl in town back then, and Hanako and the others were only second." ]
[ .....]
『 Inosuke's dream is particularly interesting.
In a deep cave, with Nezuko wearing white rabbit ears following behind him, he shouts slogans while excitedly walking forward.
"Exploration team, exploration team, we are the brave cave exploration team!"
In this dream, Tanjiro has turned into a small human-raccoon, while Zenitsu has become a poor little mouse…
It turns out Inosuke has finally realized his dream of being the boss, leading his little companions on an adventure.
Rengoku dreams of his father. Although he didn't receive his father's approval, Rengoku is not discouraged.
"Brother, is Papa happy?"
"If I could… become a Hashira, would Papa approve of me?"
Seeing his older brother return, Senjuro feels very happy.
He asks his brother with some hesitation.
Their family once had a passionate father who burned himself every day to teach his children sword skills. But ever since their mother passed away, this strong man became a different person, becoming depressed and even giving up his role as a Demon Slayer…
Such a fighting spirit was ultimately crushed by the grief of losing his loved ones…
When encountering such things, people often become particularly fragile, which gives darkness the opportunity to creep in.
"Honestly, Father isn't proud of me," Kyojuro Rengoku says gently to his younger brother, "But that little thing won't extinguish the fire in my heart."
"I will keep going! I won't give up!" He grips his brother's hand to encourage him: "We are different, because I have a strong backbone like you! Senjuro, no matter what, you must become a person of use!"
"With a firm heart, always move forward."
Hearing these sincere words, Senjuro Rengoku hugs his brother with tears in his eyes.
This dream is both real and illusory, making one unwilling to wake up.
As the children break into Rengoku's dream and push past the obstacles before them, what comes into view is a place surrounded by a sea of fire, making one feel the rolling heat waves.
On the vast, endless land, raging fires burn everywhere.
Amidst these flames, a bright red orb lies quietly—that is the spiritual core of Kyojuro Rengoku.
"Found it… this is the spiritual core!"
When the girl sees this red orb, a smile of joy immediately blooms on her face, feeling that she will be able to see her family soon…
This is her first time seeing a red spiritual core, her first time witnessing such a scorching spiritual realm.
Without hesitation, she raises the weapon in her hand, preparing to act.
Just as her finger is about to touch the red orb, Rengoku's body in reality suddenly reacts, reaching out and clamping onto the girl's throat.
This sudden action makes her gasp in pain, nearly suffocating, and her attack in the dream is halted as a result.
Tanjiro Kamado feels as if he is entangled in a dream, unable to get out no matter how he struggles. And in reality, his face is written with pain.
At this moment, little Nezuko jumps out of the box, looking like a lively little animal, especially adorable.
She sees that her brother's state is not quite right, so she shakes him anxiously, occasionally taking his hand and pressing it against her own forehead.
However, finding that Tanjiro still doesn't respond, an angry expression appears on her originally cute little face.
Nezuko gathers her courage and bangs her little head against Tanjiro's head…
What follows is a scene that makes one want to laugh and cry: Nezuko looks up, only to see a slight white mark left on Tanjiro's forehead, but her own head is scraped and bleeding… fresh blood slowly dripping down.
Feeling the pain on her forehead, Nezuko feels incredibly wronged, tears spilling out, but she still stubbornly continues to headbutt her big dummy brother… 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Kamado Tanjiro (Demon Slayer): "Why, why did I become like this, and even make Nezuko so sad?" ]
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "Crying so pitifully, I really want to pick her up and comfort her." ]
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "+ 1+ 1" ]
[ Kamado Tanjiro (Demon Slayer): "Thank you all for caring about Nezuko." ]
[ .....]
『 Tanjiro Kamado, searching for a way out in the dream, smells Nezuko's scent. Even though he is unwilling to leave his family, he runs alone toward the depths of the snow-covered forest.
"Brother…"
"What are you doing, Tanjiro…"
The voices of his family come from the dream behind him, sounding so real.
Tanjiro is in agony, wishing so much to stay here…
I really want to turn back and see them. If there were no demons, we would have lived happily like this.
Nezuko could also bask in the sun… Originally… originally… today I would still be an ordinary woodcutter, not dealing with Nichirin swords…
Originally, we could have roasted rice cakes by the hearth in winter, and strolled through the forest together in spring…
But these things can no longer be realized…
Despite the thousands of regrets and attachments, for the sake of Nezuko, in reality, he must go back; he must go back.
Tanjiro Kamado dares not look back at his family, fearing that if he looks, he won't be able to take another step.
His eyes are filled with tears, his fists clenched, as he takes step after step away from this land where he wants to stay forever.
The nightmare created by Enmu is so cruel, still using the voices of his family to try to make Tanjiro stay.
However, he knows he cannot stay. Tears fall along with the fluttering snowflakes behind him…
I'm sorry… I'm really sorry… we can't be together right now.
But I will miss every one of you forever. I have endless gratitude for you, and equally, endless guilt that I cannot express.
I will never forget… no matter when or where, our hearts are connected, supporting each other.
Therefore, please forgive me, forgive me for failing as a big brother to protect everyone…
When the intruder passes through the barrier of the dream and arrives at Tanjiro's spiritual world, the sight before him leaves him shocked.
Gentle and harmonious sounds fill this quiet and peaceful spiritual realm.
The entire spiritual world seems to be shrouded in deep blue; above is a clear, mirror-like blue sky; the ground is like the deep, calm sea after a storm, looking exceptionally beautiful and magnificent.
This young man in brown clothes is suffering from an incurable disease, and in such a beautiful and peaceful world, he temporarily forgets the discomfort in his body.
"So beautiful… endless, so warm…" The boy forgets the true intention of his arrival for a moment. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Rimuru Tempest (Tensura): "Seeing his deceased family again, this is torture, isn't it?" ]
[ Tsugikuni Yoriichi (Demon Slayer): "In this dream, feeling his family…" ]
[ Tsugikuni Yoriichi (Demon Slayer): "This might be another opportunity for training." ]
[ Kamado Tanjiro (Demon Slayer): "Dad, Mom, Hanako…." ]
[ Kamado Tanjiro (Demon Slayer): "To think I could still see you. I will take good care of Nezuko, even with my own life." ]
[ Kamisato Ayaka (Genshin Impact): "Truly a very good big brother." ]
[ .....]
『 The boy who entered Tanjiro's dream is actually quite lucky; the girl in yellow clothes next to him entered Inosuke's world and saw something that terrified her.
In Inosuke's dream, this yellow-clad girl is climbing with difficulty in a cave, screaming crazily: "WHERE EXACTLY IS THAT SPIRITUAL CORE HIDDEN!!"
Why is this imagined place such a twisted and steep cave?
It's full of big rocks that are hard to climb. In just a short while, the girl is already exhausted.
Just as she stops to catch her breath, a monster wearing a white boar mask suddenly jumps out!
That guy has a boar-like head, with saliva hanging from its fangs, looking like it hasn't eaten in several days.
This boar monster suddenly sees a fresh human girl appear before it and immediately pounces on her.
The yellow-clad girl is so scared that she can only scramble around, trying to escape the chase. This scene is truly quite comical: an intruder who came to disturb someone's dream is actually scared by the owner of the dream.
"Why is there such a strange, naked boar in this consciousness space!"
"AH—!!"
Scared out of her wits by Inosuke, the yellow-clad girl loses her mind, forced to run for her life using both hands and feet.
At this very moment, she deeply regrets choosing Inosuke's dream as her target.
She originally thought that such an abnormal-looking guy should be easier to deal with…
Since he looks abnormal, his thinking should be simple, and finding his spiritual core might be easier.
Now, she deeply regrets it; this is simply a nightmare within a nightmare!
She even feels that the monster with the severed arm she encountered before was much cuter than Inosuke with the boar mask.
Before she could escape for long in the dark, damp cave, the poor yellow-clad girl was finally caught by the chasing Inosuke…
The mission is a complete failure… 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Oyama Mahiro (Onimai): "What kind of horror nightmare is this?" ]
[ Inosuke Hashibira (Demon Slayer): "BOAR ASSAULT!!" ]
[ Paimon (Genshin Impact): "So strange, but I can't put my finger on it." ]
[ Kamado Tanjiro (Demon Slayer): "…" ]
[ .....]
『 From then on, the girl in yellow is terrified of animals like boars, and this fear follows her forever.
The short-haired boy who walks into Zenitsu's dream finds only pitch-black darkness around him.
"What is this situation! Why is there nothing here… I can only feel around with my hands to find that spiritual core!"
In the pitch-black spiritual world, the short-haired boy squats on the ground, constantly feeling around with his hands…
CRUNCH—! CRUNCH—!
In this completely dark world, sudden crunching sounds appear, scaring the short-haired boy into trembling, his face turning pale.
After all, he is only a 12-year-old child and has never encountered such a terrifying scene.
The crunching sound gets closer and closer, causing the short-haired boy to turn his head in terror. He sees a man wearing a black T-shirt and holding giant scissors appear—it is Zenitsu!
That's right, what he is holding is a pair of giant scissors, fully 5 meters long!
"How could someone else enter here? Get out!" Zenitsu's face looks exceptionally terrifying, as if he could scare a child to tears, and the large scissors in his hand click-clack.
His tone is as cold as the winter wind, whispering: "This place… nobody is allowed to enter except Nezuko… click-clack!"
Afterward, he sticks to the short-haired boy's face with a terrifying smile, emitting a strong killing intent, "GO… DIE!!" he shouts. 』
『 .....』
〜Dimensional livestream, Chat Room〜
[ Umaru Doma (Himouto): "Good guy, this getup is just like a killer in the night." ]
[ Keqing (Genshin Impact): "Indeed, it is a bit like that." ]
[ Kamado Tanjiro (Demon Slayer): "Hey, hey, you're still coveting my Nezuko, that's not allowed." ]
[ Zenitsu Agasuma (Demon Slayer): "Hehe, isn't it because Nezuko is too cute?" ]
[ Zenitsu Agasuma (Demon Slayer): "And you haven't even woken up yourself, so don't talk to me like that." ]
[ Kamado Tanjiro (Demon Slayer): "…" ]
[ .....]