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Giyu Tomioka moved swiftly through the forest, each step light and controlled, barely making a sound. His sharp eyes scanned the area as he thought about his mission.
My duty is to protect the Demon Slayer Corps. Too many have already died here. I need to reach the captured members quickly.
Originally, this mission was meant for Sanemi, but Giyu had taken it on himself.
He glanced back for a moment—Tanjiro and Inosuke were following behind.
"They're rookies," he muttered softly, "but strong enough to handle themselves… as long as they don't face a Lower Moon."
With that thought, water ripples spread at his feet. His body blurred as his speed increased tenfold, vanishing through the branches.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro tied his wounds with ripped fabric from his uniform. His senses were sharp, his nose catching the heavy scent of a powerful demon.
No… this isn't over. The strongest scent is still here.
Nearby, Inosuke planted his blades into the ground, crouched low with arms spread in a strange stance. His muscles stilled, his breathing changed.
"Beast Breathing… Seventh Fang: Spatial Awareness."
He focused, his bare skin reflecting every shift in air, every vibration in the forest. Tanjiro's eyes widened.
"Inosuke… that's incredible."
The range of Inosuke's senses spread outward like light. At the same time, Tanjiro's nose picked up the same demon presence.
Inosuke ripped his swords free, crossing them in front of him, ready to fight. Tanjiro mirrored him, gripping his own blade.
From the forest shadows, a pale figure stepped forward. The moonlight revealed him—white hair, white clothes, eyes devoid of warmth. Threads of silver silk floated at his fingertips.
In an instant, dozens of threads shot out, circling Tanjiro and Inosuke. The ring closed tighter, binding them in.
The boy's voice was cold, detached.
"Ghost Slayers… did you kill my father?"
His words carried no anger, no grief—just indifference. That emptiness chilled Tanjiro more than rage ever could.
Inosuke snarled, grinding his teeth, and roared back:
"Yeah! So what, you creepy little brat?!"
For the first time, Rui's expression shifted. His lips curled into a smile, sharp and cruel. He chuckled softly.
Then, his fingers twitched. Red threads shot forward like blades.
"Move, Inosuke!" Tanjiro shouted.
Inosuke ducked just in time. The threads carved through the forest behind them—trees snapped like twigs, and a boulder cracked apart under the pressure.
"Wha—?!" Inosuke's body shivered with cold sweat.
Rui yanked his hand back. The threads dug into the boulder, then ripped it free and hurled it at them.
BOOM!
The impact shook the forest, smoke and dust swallowing the two Demon Slayers.
Rui watched calmly, his face expressionless.
"Pathetic. You killed my father… yet you can't even withstand this."
He turned to leave—
"Hinokami Kagura: Burning Bones, Summer Sun!"
"Beast Breathing: Fourth Fang—Slice 'n' Dice!"
Flames burst from the smoke as Tanjiro lunged, his sword wreathed in fire. At the same time, Inosuke's dual blades slashed in a wild cross attack. Their combined strikes rushed toward Rui.
"Tch… Blood Demon Art—Cutting Thread Cage!"
Rui spread his hands wide. This time, his threads gleamed blood-red, hardened by his own blood. A web of razor wires formed around him, intercepting both attacks.
The forest rang with the sound of metal grinding against metal. Sparks flew.
CLANG!
The two Slayers leapt back, blades trembling.
Tanjiro's sword cracked. Inosuke's jagged blades split down the middle. In an instant, both their Nichirin swords shattered into pieces.
Snap… crack!
They stared in shock at the broken hilts in their hands. Fear settled into their chests.
"This power… it's nothing like the other demons." Tanjiro's breath shook. His eyes hardened as realization struck.
"Inosuke! Be careful! He's one of the Twelve Kizuki!"
Tanjiro fixed his eyes back on Rui. Only then did he notice that the short boy's hair shifted in the wind, revealing his left eye. Burned into the iris was a kanji: 「Lower Five」.
Tanjiro's breath caught. He remembered what his master, Urokodaki, had told him: there are Twelve Kizuki—six Upper Moons and six Lower Moons. The Upper Moons serve directly under Muzan and have never been defeated for centuries. Their power is said to surpass even the Hashira.
The Lower Moons were weaker in comparison, yet still terrifyingly strong. Fighting them wasn't something ordinary Demon Slayers could survive. Only skilled fighters at the highest ranks—or those with unshakable resolve—could even hope to face them.
Tanjiro tightened his grip on his broken Nichirin Blade. His trembling stopped. His resolve grew firm.
Strength doesn't come overnight. It's built through pain, through will, through never backing down no matter how many times you're knocked down.
The flames of Hinokami Kagura burned brighter around him. The white glow at the center shone like the sun itself. This time, there was no fear of death holding him back. This time, he would fight with everything he had—even if it cost his life.
Tanjiro lifted his gaze to a branch nearby. A wooden box rested there. Inside it was Nezuko—his family. The reason he could not fall here.
"Nezuko… I will win. No matter what."
At his side, Inosuke shook himself from his daze, staring at his shattered swords. Then he burst into his wild, beast-like laugh. Grinning through the tension, he raised his blades, even in their broken state, and roared like a boar ready to charge. His fighting spirit surged back.
Meanwhile, far above Spider Mountain…
I sat with my head lowered, memories dragging me back a hundred years.
Back then, I had only created the Upper Moons. The Lower Moons had been the work of Kokushibo, Akaza, and Douma.
At first, I had thought to create twelve full moons of demons, but aside from Rui and Enmu—who played their part in Muzan's story—the others had been little more than disposable pawns, crushed whenever Muzan grew irritated. They added nothing to the grand picture.
And the truth… the stronger demons we made, the more humans they slaughtered. Even though I placed restrictions in their blood, I never fully stopped them. I didn't want to become like Muzan—someone who controlled life and death on a whim. But because of that, most demons ignored me.
The Lower Moons, especially, were the worst. Always scrambling for more blood, more power. They wanted Muzan to notice them. But to me, they were meaningless. They didn't even know what I looked like.
Eventually, Kokushibo realized what I had long feared: when demons become obsessed with strength, they kill endlessly for it. He and the others came to me, apologizing. I didn't punish them. I only looked at them with disappointment.
That disappointment changed Kokushibo. From then on, he pushed order, hierarchy, control—desperate to fix the mistake he'd made. He went as far as binding entire families into secrecy about demons, all to protect the fragile balance.
My memories stopped there. I hated recalling such things.
"I'm tired… If I could, I'd let you live. But the number of humans you've killed… is too many. You cannot be forgiven."
Beside me, Yuichirō Tokitō—the quiet boy who rarely showed emotion—glanced my way with concern. He must have noticed how strange I'd been acting.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing. Stay quiet and keep your distance," I snapped back. Irritation flared in me. I shoved at him lightly, wanting him away.
But Yuichirō caught my hand. His grip wasn't forceful, yet I couldn't shake free. His normally cold face softened into the faintest smile.
"No," he said simply.
I froze. That faint smile and steady tone unsettled me. For a moment, I thought he was only staying close in case I tried to slip away mid-flight. Maybe that was true… but something about it felt different.
Before I could say more, his expression returned to its usual blankness. He let go and sat quietly behind me again.
[Author's Note: Honestly, I wanted to make this scene a little sweet… but I couldn't bring myself to. So here it is.]
Zenitsu, lying half-conscious nearby, blinked as he watched the exchange. His brain, usually shut down in fear, suddenly lit up. His eyes widened in realization.
"Wait… I think… I just figured out something huge." (°ー°〃)
To be continued…