"Takeo!"
Nezuko rushed to his side and caught him as he slumped. When she saw the torn flesh along his arm and the blood still flowing from it, her composure broke and tears slipped down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry. It's because I'm too weak. I'm so sorry…"
"Haha… Didn't you take down that demon pretty easily too, Sis?" Takeo forced a grin. "We beat two demons, and there's still one of us who can fight. That's already a big win."
He tried to move, but the wounds he'd reopened from pushing himself too far sent a sharp jolt of pain through him, and his face tightened.
"Hiss—ow… yeah, that hurts. Looks like I'll have to fall back for now…"
"Okay. Let me bandage you first."
Nezuko wiped her tears and took out bandages and hemostatic powder. Just as she leaned in to treat him, faint footsteps sounded behind them.
Her body went rigid. Gripping her Nichirin Blade, she stood and turned.
When she saw who it was, she froze.
A childlike demon stood three paces away. He bore a striking resemblance to the girl demon from before. A red thread was looped between his fingers, woven into a delicate pattern as he watched them quietly.
Nezuko did not lower her guard.
If he could get within three steps without a sound, he could just as easily kill them the same way. A demon's strength was never tied to its appearance.
"Are you… family?"
Nezuko shifted slightly, placing herself between him and Takeo.
"Yes. He's my younger brother."
"I am Rui. I was watching you just now…"
With his head lowered, Rui continued weaving the red thread between his fingers.
"The sister trusts her brother completely, entrusting her life to him.
And the brother does not betray that trust. Even if it means tearing his own body apart, he fights with everything he has to protect her and cut down the demon.
What I saw moved me."
Takeo forced himself upright against the box, ignoring the pain as he gripped his blade again.
"Moved? So you just stood there and watched your family get killed by us, just to finish watching something that 'moved' you?"
"If they were killed by you, then they failed in their duty."
Rui lifted both hands, peering at them through the fine web of thread.
"If they died, then they died."
Nezuko's pupils tightened.
Anger flared in her chest.
"…What kind of nonsense is that?"
Rui looked at her, puzzled by her anger.
"In a family, parents protect their children. Older siblings protect the younger ones.
If Father and Sister were killed by you, then they simply weren't strong enough to protect me. Family members like that have no value. There's no reason to grieve for them."
Takeo's eyes hardened.
"Family isn't something that shallow. A bond without feelings—just using each other—that isn't family.
You don't deserve to have one."
Rui remained calm and turned his attention to Takeo.
"You're badly injured from using that sword technique, aren't you? If you don't receive treatment soon, you'll die.
But I can save you. If you agree to become my family, I'll give you my blood. Once you become a demon—"
"Even if I became a demon, I wouldn't be your family."
Takeo spat out the blood pooling in his mouth.
"You disgust me."
"Ah. I see."
Rui tilted his head slightly.
"It's because your sister is still alive. You can't abandon her.
Then I'll have to kill her.
Though I would like a sister like that… you interest me more."
He raised his hand toward Nezuko.
"Blood Demon Art: Engraving Line Prison."
The moment the words left his lips, blood-red threads burst from his hand, fanning out into a web as they shot toward Nezuko.
She reacted immediately. As Rui activated his Blood Demon Art, her blade slashed at the incoming crimson web, tracing a faint peach-colored arc through the air.
The threads looked fragile—
but they were harder than steel.
Before her eyes, the web sliced clean through her blade and continued toward her.
Nezuko threw herself backward—but lost her footing and fell.
Only then did she realize another strand had silently coiled around her ankle.
Takeo tried to rise the instant she was attacked, but his body gave out and he collapsed again. All he could do was watch as Nezuko was dragged into the web's killing range.
In his panic, he didn't even register that, in his current state, he couldn't possibly have lifted the box earlier—let alone fallen while carrying it.
Nezuko's thoughts went blank.
She shut her eyes and raised her arms on instinct.
But the pain never came.
After a long moment, she slowly opened her eyes—
—and saw Tanjiro smiling gently.
"Sorry. I was studying Blood Demon Art earlier and ended up sleeping too deeply."
He reached out and softly ruffled her hair.
"You're not hurt, are you?"
But Nezuko was staring at his other hand—
the one gripping the blood-red web.
The threads had cut deep into his flesh, leaving it torn and bleeding.
Her lips quivered. She tried to speak several times, but in the end she only lowered her head and gave a faint hum in response.
A drop fell, darkening the fabric of her worn haori.
Flames flared in Tanjiro's hand. The blood-red threads burned away in an instant.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here."
He gently stroked her head again, then used his sharp nails to slice through the white thread coiled around her ankle.
"Ah… you did twist it after all."
Takeo, still on the ground, finally released a long breath. The pain surging through him made his eyes sting.
"Thank goodness… Thank goodness…"
Tanjiro helped Nezuko to her feet and guided her back to Takeo's side. He gave Takeo's shoulder a light pat.
"You've grown a lot, Takeo. You've become someone others can rely on now. That's incredible."
"…Mm."
Takeo buried his face in his arms, his voice unsteady.
"I wanted to help you too, Brother."
"Then lend me your Nichirin."
Tanjiro picked up the blade lying nearby and stood.
He turned his gaze to Rui, who had remained silent since he appeared.
"I won't let you hurt them again."