Charles had always understood a simple truth: no one has any right to forgive an abuser on behalf of the victim.
Therefore, when it comes to man-eating demons, no matter how moving their pasts or what reasons they have, there should be no hesitation when cutting them down.
For Tanjiro to change from a charcoal-selling boy into a warrior, this shift in mindset was the most important thing.
Just as Charles was correcting Tanjiro's mentality, the demon crawled back to its feet.
Tanjiro tightened his grip on his hilt. Having understood what Charles meant, he was ready to resolve himself to behead the demon, but Charles raised a hand to stop him.
"This round was meant to get you used to fighting demons, and the blade in your hand isn't a Nichirin that can kill them. Let me handle it."
Charles had studied the Nichirin blade at Giyu Tomioka's waist.
From mountains said to be closest to the sun are gathered special materials—Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore—used to smelt sun-soaking steel and forge special blades imbued with sunlight's power that restrains a demon's regeneration.
If Charles remembered right, there shouldn't be any mountains in the island nation bathed in sunlight all day with no clouds and no rain.
But digging too deep into the lore wouldn't yield answers anyway.
As for Nichirin blades, Charles had come to understand them: Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Crimson Ore were indeed special, astonishingly compatible with natural energy.
Within the Corps' training pipeline, after passing the Final Selection on Mount Fujikasane, a swordsman chooses the ore that resonates with them and hands it to a swordsmith to forge their personal Nichirin blade.
That's because swordsmen adapt to different facets of natural mana, and those special ores are, for various reasons, attuned to different attributes.
Hence the mutual pull between swordsman and ore—and the secret behind the Nichirin blade's color change.
A Red Blade is when natural mana within a Nichirin blade becomes active, a state that yields greater lethality against demons.
To turn a blade red, grip strength isn't the primary factor; it's the breathing output required to reach that grip threshold.
As for heating it with Nezuko's Blood Demon Art like Tanjiro did, or bashing it red like the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima—that's cutting corners.
And the blade in Tanjiro's hand now was one Charles had forged in the pirate world; though a rare treasure, it lacked a Nichirin's ability to kill demons.
So it would still fall to Charles. He didn't have a Nichirin either, but handling a demon wouldn't be a problem; if he burned it to ash down to the cellular level, there was no way it could regenerate.
Just as Charles was about to act, barking rang out, a hunting dog bounded in, and a girl with a rifle on her back ran out after it.
"Please wait!"
Charles recognized the girl: Yae, who in the village had said she'd seen a denless bear eat someone, and likely family to this demon.
Yae rushed over. "Please wait. He's my father, so let me…"
As she spoke, she tightened her grip on the rifle, her eyes full of inner struggle.
Charles cut in. "There's no need to torment yourself. This was never your burden to bear."
"That's right. Slaying demons is the responsibility of the Demon Slayer Corps!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Charles's brow twitched. Of course Giyu Tomioka would show up here.
Thinking about it, a man-eating demon nearby and Giyu in the area—it wasn't odd he'd been assigned. Another voice followed right on its heels.
"Well, well! It looks like something interesting happened here."
Charles turned to the sword-bearing man and woman approaching. What had this demon done to warrant two Hashira coming to dispatch it?
At Giyu's side, the girl in a haori with butterfly-wing patterns and a faint smile on her face was the Corps' Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho.
Surprisingly, upon seeing Charles, Giyu radiated no hostility; instead, he looked to the demon and drew his Nichirin.
"He's already a man-eating demon, so I will cut him down!"
It was the same easily-misunderstood tone, but Charles knew Giyu was doing his utmost to comfort Yae in his way.
With that, Giyu flashed toward the demon, blade sending up ripples of water as he struck.
"Water Breathing: First Form: Water Surface Slash!"
"So fast!"
Tanjiro exclaimed from the side. All he'd seen was Giyu step forward and in an instant appear behind the demon, already beginning to slide his blade back into its sheath.
Against a demon without even a Blood Demon Art, failing to end it in one move would hardly befit the Water Hashira.
A cut appeared at the demon's neck; as its head toppled, its body began to crumble to ash.
Yae dropped to her knees, large tears streaming down. Then, to everyone's surprise, she pressed the rifle under her chin to pull the trigger.
No one expected it and had no time to stop her—no one except Charles.
When Yae arrived, Charles had sensed the deathly aura about her, so as she tried to kill herself, he simply caught the trigger with his finger.
"I understand your grief, but you cannot casually discard your life. The lives of the living aren't only their own; they carry the thoughts and prayers of the dead.
So what matters most is the life ahead. Live on for those who are gone!"
Yae's tears flowed faster, and she finally broke into sobs.
Charles let the trigger go as well. He could only say so much; if she still wanted to do something foolish, that would be her choice.
As he straightened, Charles felt a probing gaze sweep over him.
He turned to see Shinobu Kocho, not bothering to hide her curiosity. From the other side, Giyu Tomioka walked over as well, subtly blocking the way out.
"This gentleman is quite eloquent, isn't he? Might I have the honor of an introduction? By the way, I'm Shinobu Kocho, and along with Mr. Giyu Tomioka over there, we're swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps."
"Kocho, get back. He's dangerous."
Giyu said coolly, signaling his vigilance. It wasn't that he wanted to fight Charles, only that caution seemed warranted around him.
Shinobu waved a hand. "Mr. Tomioka, you do make a fuss. This gentleman clearly bears no hostility. I'm sure we can get along."
Charles spread his hands. "Of course. After all, our positions should be aligned.
As it happens, I have much to discuss with the Demon Slayer Corps. Let's have a proper talk."
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