Tanjiro soared back toward the M-18 station, the cold night wind slicing past him as he landed softly on the broken rooftop. His eyes narrowed.
The peaceful silence he left behind just an hour ago… was gone.
Below him, dozens of demons—different shapes, sizes, and mutations—were slamming against the invisible barrier Tanjiro had created around Sakura.
Their claws sparked against the invisible wall. Their bodies pressed, snarled, drooled, screamed—
but could not step even a foot inside.
"So they sensed her presence after all…"
Tanjiro muttered, stepping onto the cracked tiles.
A distorted demon with a long tongue hissed,
"HeEEee's bAaCk—!"
Tanjiro didn't waste time.
He inhaled deeply…
And drew his sword.
"Water Breathing… Seventh Form."
He flashed through the group like a streak of blue light.
"Drop Ripple Thrust: Curve!"
One demon's head soared.
Then another.
Then five more.
They fell like paper dolls.
The demons shrieked and lunged again, climbing over each other like insects. But nothing touched him. Tanjiro moved with the calm precision earned through years of training.
"Water Breathing: Fifth Form — Blessed Rain After the Drought."
His blade flowed gently, almost kindly.
The demons fell silently.
Within moments, the entire area was quiet…
nothing left but drifting ashes.
Tanjiro stepped toward the shimmering barrier. Inside, Sakura was curled up on the bed, sleeping peacefully, wrapped in warmth provided by the kido spell.
Tanjiro smiled faintly.
"Good. It held up."
He dissolved the barrier and gently carried Sakura deeper inside, placing her by the softest corner bed the resting room had. She mumbled softly but didn't wake.
"Sleep well, Sakura," he whispered.
Tanjiro sat by the doorway, keeping watch the rest of the night.
---
Morning — The First Taste of a Lost World
Sakura woke up with a yawn, rubbing her eyes.
"Big brother… you didn't sleep?"
Tanjiro smiled. "Slayers are used to long nights."
She hopped off the bed excitedly and ran out.
"I'll bring something! The café outside sometimes has snacks!"
Before he could stop her, she darted off.
A few minutes later, Sakura returned, holding two steaming cups triumphantly.
"I got coffee!"
Tanjiro blinked.
"C…offee?"
He had heard of it once, from Inosuke yelling some nonsense about "bitter bean juice," but… he never tried it.
Sakura handed him the cup.
He took a sip—
"Gah—! Why does it taste like burnt medicine!?"
Sakura burst into laughter.
"Big brother, you're supposed to add milk!"
She poured some from a small bottle she brought from the counter.
"Here! Try now!"
Tanjiro sipped again, slowly this time.
"…Oh! This is good… really good!"
His eyes brightened with genuine surprise.
Sakura grinned triumphantly.
"I knew you'd like sweet coffee!"
It was a small moment, but it felt strangely warm…
like he was back home, sitting with Nezuko and his family again.
Tanjiro glanced at Sakura.
She really is just like Nezuko… innocent, gentle… and someone I must protect at any cost.
---
The Path Ahead — Toward Line Z-08
Sakura pointed excitedly through the broken station entrance.
"Big brother! Look! There's a metro on the Z-08 line!"
Sure enough, on the distant tracks of the Z-path, a red-and-white metro car sat still, faintly illuminated by leftover emergency lights.
Sakura beamed.
"We can use that to go straight to Narita Airport!"
Tanjiro tilted his head.
"You know how it works?"
Her smile faded immediately.
"…No. I don't know how to use a metro train."
Tanjiro placed a hand gently on her head.
"It's alright. We'll figure something out."
He walked toward the front of the metro and peered through the glass.
Pitch dark.
No electricity.
Panels broken.
Cables torn.
Sakura sighed.
"Yeah… without electricity, it won't run at all. I don't even know how trains move. But I know at least this much… the metro needs power."
Tanjiro hummed in thought.
Then he turned to her.
"Sakura… the Z-line you mentioned earlier—is this the same path we need to follow?"
She nodded quickly.
"Yes! This Z-path leads us through Z-08, Z-12, Z-14… and from Z-14, we can reach Narita Airport!"
Tanjiro stared down the long tunnel carved into darkness.
This was their only path.
He made his decision.
"Alright."
Suddenly—
he floated upward.
Sakura's jaw dropped.
"H–Huh!? You… you're flying!?"
Tanjiro chuckled.
"I can manipulate the reishi in the air. It lets me move freely."
He stretched out his hand.
"Here. Hold on."
Sakura grabbed his hand immediately—tiny fingers clutching tightly.
Tanjiro wrapped her in a protective shell of reiatsu so the pressure wouldn't hurt her.
Then he said with a soft smile,
"Sakura, we'll fly along the Z-path. Just guide me in the right direction."
Sakura's eyes sparkled.
"Got it, big brother! Leave it to me!"
With that—
Tanjiro lifted off the ground, and the two rose into the air together, soaring into the mouth of the dark Z-08 tunnel…
A small girl pointing forward fearlessly.
And the last Demon Slayer flying with her toward a future that still held hope.