Goku finally beheaded Hantengu.
(I won... But at what cost...?) thought Goku, crumbling to his knees. (Tanjiro-kun just died before my eyes... And I had to sacrifice Nezuko-chan... I'm such a damn fool...)
He punched the grass and cursed himself. (I wasn't able to fulfill my best friend's last wish, and I didn't even manage to avoid his death... I hate myself... I'll never forgive myself... Never...)
(I... I had to continue Tanjiro-kun's will and try to turn Nezuko-chan back human... But she probably already died from sunlight...)
(Tanjiro-kun... I'm sorry... I'm such a shitty friend...)
Then, a villager kneeled to him.
"Tsugikuni-dono..." he said. "Tsugikuni-dono..."
Goku slowly lifted his head. Then, the villager pointed behind the boy. And as Goku turned, he saw something he couldn't believe possible.
In front of him, there was Nezuko, alive and well. Somehow, the sunlight wasn't affecting her.
"Mo... Morning!" she said. Goku remained shocked. Nezuko was alive -- and most importantly, she was talking. In that moment, Goku didn't hold his tears back. He instinctively dropped his sword and ran to Nezuko. Without hesitating, he hugged her tight.
"I... I feared you were gone, Nezuko-chan..." he said. Nezuko hugged him back. "I'm... I'm sorry, Nezuko-chan... I let Tanjiro-kun die... I'm sorry..."
"Don't... Don't worry. It... It wasn't your fault..." said Nezuko.
(She's... not mad at me? She thinks that's not my fault?) Repeated Goku. Then, the boy broke the hug. "Thank goodness.. You didn't turn to ash and disappear... Thanks, Allah... Thank goodness..."
Goku wiped away his tears. Then, the boy extracted Tanjiro's earrings. "I'll wear these earrings now. In memory of him."
He put the Hanafuda earrings on. (Tanjiro-kun... I managed to protect her... For now. I didn't break the promise...)
"Let's return home, Nezuko-chan..." said Goku.
"Let's... Let's return home!" repeated Nezuko. From afar, Genya was watching.
(I'm... I'm so happy for them... Even if Tanjiro died, he doesn't seem sad...) He thought. (Or maybe... The fact that Nezuko survived made him forget it for now... and, for the record... He looks so damn similar to him, with those earrings.)
Far away from the battlefield, Muzan was disguised as a kid in a house.
"Toshikuni, here's your tea..." said one of the servants.
"Finally, the boy with earrings is dead... And I also finally found a demon who's immune to sunlight... You did an excellent job, Hantengu..." muttered Muzan. "Now... there's no need to search for the Blue Spider Lily anymore..."
Ee transformed into his true form and killed both of the servants in the room. "If I devour and absorb her... I'll be able to conquer the sun too!"
Back with Goku and Nezuko, the boy's left arm was wrapped around Nezuko's shoulder to walk better. Then, Muichiro and Kotetsu arrived.
"Are you okay, Goku-kun?" Muichiro asked.
"Yeah, kind of..." muttered Goku, coughing, as Nezuko caressed Kotetsu's head.
"Thanks to you and Tanjiro, I managed to regain my memories..." said Muichiro.
"I'm glad..." muttered Goku. Then, Haganezuka joined.
"How dare you use an incomplete sword?" he said.
"Calm down. I wouldn't have won if I didn't use it," said Goku. Then, Goku noticed his previous sword on the grass. "I... I'm gonna use two swords from now on. Mine and my father's."
"Good choice. Using two swords is good, you know?" said Muichiro.
"Yeah, I do..." said Goku.
Now, Goku had a second sword to use. The first one was his former sword, which he didn't want to abandon. The second one was the sword of Yoriichi, his father, which he wanted to use to honor him. Plus, he also had Tanjiro's memories to honour his dead friend.
(You've changed a lot in such a short timespan...) thought Muichiro.
"Does anybody have an eyepatch? I lost mine in the battle..." said Goku.
"No, we don't," said Kotetsu.
Suddenly, Goku heard a voice.
"Goku-kun!"
It was Mitsuri. The girl rushed towards all of them and hugged Genya and Nezuko. "I'm so fine we're all well and alive! We've won!"
But then, when Mitsuri pronounced those words, Goku remembered. Tanjiro had died. Right before his eyes. And he couldn't avoid it.
Suddenly, Goku's gaze became vague.
"What's going on, Goku-kun?" asked Mitsuri. "Be happy, we won!"
Goku didn't answer. His gaze remained vague, and his hand slowly clutched his scarred and missing eye. Then, Mitsuri asked the question Goku didn't want to answer.
"Goku-kun... Where's Tanjiro-kun?"
In that moment, Goku gritted his teeth, and then, in front of everybody, he burst into tears and crumbled to his knees.
"I tried... I tried to protect him... But he was already injured, and that attack to the chest was fatal..." he said, sobbing. "He died in front of me, and I didn't even cry... I was too focused on fighting... What a shitty friend I am!"
Hearing that, Mitsuri's eyes welled up with tears, and she kneeled down and hugged Goku tight.
"Don't take on the blame for things you don't have, Goku-kun..." she said, consoling Goku.
"It's good to cry," muttered Muichiro, lowering his head in sadness. "Even the strongest one can cry..."
"I hate myself... I feel so useless!" said Goku, continuing to blame himself. "I should have died in place of him... Now I'll always live with the guilt of not protecting my best friend..."
"Stop saying this, it's not your fault..." said Mitsuri, hugging him tighter. In that moment, the tragedy of Tanjiro's death really hit the heroes after the fight.
Goku's life, from now on, will never be the same again.
Days later...
The swordsmith village was destroyed, but the villagers started to renovate it. On a wagon, Goku was sleeping, with a new eyepatch, healed, with two swords, and the Hanafuda earrings in both his ears. Next to him, there was Nezuko's box. Suddenly, Goku woke up.
"Oh, so I'm leaving..." said Goku, sadly.
"Oh, you're awake, Goku-san!" exclaimed Kotetsu.
"Yes, I am..." muttered Goku.
"Tokito-san and Kanroji-san already left the village," said Kotetsu.
"I see..." said Goku, touching Nezuko's box. "Just tell me one thing... did they bury Tanjiro at the headquarters?"
"They did," replied Kotetsu.
"Fine," muttered Goku, looking at the ground. "At least, I will be able to pray on his grave every day..."
Then, Haganezuka appeared. "Treat those two swords well, boy."
"I will," said Goku. "Otosan's sword will always stay with me, and these earrings will carry Tanjiro-kun's will..."
"Have you gotten over his death?" asked Kotetsu.
"No. In fact, I still think it's my fault if he died," replied Goku. "I don't care if anybody thinks it's not my fault. I'll always blame myself for his death. I'll never forgive myself. I was in front of him. I could have saved him, but I didn't."
Silence fell.
"Gotta go now," said Goku. "Move this wagon, you pink-masked villager..."
The wagon moved.
"Please come back sometime, okay?" said Kotetsu, waving a hand to him. Then, the villagers shouted Goku's name.
"Thanks, Goku-san!" they said. But even in that moment, Goku didn't smile. He didn't even feel he was a hero. That day, Goku left the swordsmith village. With one more sword, but one less friend.
Chapter 40 - End