"Hiru!"
Hiru felt his hand being grasped as Yoriichi's voice sounded beside him again. "Don't let Muzan's influence get to you too deeply. Calm down."
Exhaling a long breath, Hiru glanced at the swordsmen watching them warily and forced a stiff smile. "Continue speaking? Why did you stop?"
Rengoku Tetsushiro didn't release his grip on his sword hilt. The overwhelming sense of danger that had surged through him just now made every hair on his body stand on end.
[Has he grown this strong in just over a year? What terrifying growth potential... Thankfully, Mr. Yoriichi is here.]
"Ha! So it's true! You've revealed your true face!"
"In the end, demons are just filthy creatures!"
Ignoring the swordsmen's words, Yoriichi turned his head, his eyes filled with concern as he looked at Hiru. "Hiru…"
"I'm fine, big brother." Hiru extended his hand toward the swordsmen once more. "I just wanted to teach them a lesson."
"Wait, Hiru—"
"Blood Demon Art: Painted World Scroll — Deprivation."
The world fell silent in an instant. Hiru stared coldly at the swordsmen, their mouths opening and closing in panic as they realized no sound escaped them. "If my brother hadn't stopped me, you'd all be dead by now."
"Hiru, don't let the demon's emotions control you." This time, Yoriichi didn't lower his hand, instead pressing down to restrain Hiru's movements. "I don't want to face the moment where I have to swing my blade at you."
"That doesn't matter." Hiru shook his head, his expression still cold. "I've never feared being slain as a demon. After all, I deeply agree that demons are beings that shouldn't exist. But that doesn't mean I'll allow them to slander my brother.
Since my brother, out of his inner kindness, refuses to express his feelings to these people, then let me express them for you.
Moreover, during my journey with my brother, I've confirmed that becoming a demon merely amplifies the evil already within human nature. Their behavior ultimately doesn't transcend that of humans. I'm just—"
"Stop it!" Yoriichi lowered his gaze. "Stop it, Hiru."
Hiru snorted coldly, turned his head away, and said no more.
"My apologies, Mr. Rengoku…"
"No, this was never Mr. Yoriichi's fault. They were the ones who provoked this." Rengoku was surprised he could still speak, but he quickly addressed Yoriichi, hoping to restore the others. "Mr. Yoriichi, I'll discipline these swordsmen. Could you please allow Hiru—"
"No!" Hiru's eyes widened. "If you have a mouth that only slanders others and makes reckless judgments, then you might as well keep it shut! Better that than dying pointlessly at my hands—and sparing me my brother's blame for killing them."
Rengoku Tetsushiro was momentarily speechless, looking utterly flustered.
"Hiru, stop this."
"Hmph." Hiru crossed his arms and turned away, but finally relented under Yoriichi's steady gaze. "Get plenty of sunlight. The Blood Demon Art will lift itself. Aside from losing your voice, there are no other effects."
Only then did Rengoku Tetsushiro breathe a sigh of relief. As long as their lives weren't in danger.
"Brother, it's precisely because you're too kind that people take advantage of you," Hiru puffed out his cheeks. "Even though you're so powerful."
Yoriichi felt the demonic aura gradually fade from Hiru's body and exhaled softly. Finally shifting his gaze to Rengoku Tetsushiro, he said, "I've obtained some intelligence regarding Muzan Kibutsuji. Would it be convenient for you to record it now, Mr. Rengoku?"
"Um... could I ask you to hold off for a moment?"
"Hmm?"
"If possible, I'd prefer you to present it at the Hashira Meeting. I'll write to the Master immediately."
Yoriichi froze slightly. "I'm currently a swordsman accompanied by a demon. That might be... a bit awkward, wouldn't you say?"
"I trust both Yoriichi and Hiru." Rengoku smiled. "After all, Yoriichi is the swordsman powerful enough to drive Muzan Kibutsuji into retreat. And Hiru resisted the temptation of rare blood even while starving—holding fast to his humanity instead of becoming an unrestrained demon."
"You're the only one speaking any sense," Hiru muttered. "But it's true I'd be an awkward presence. I am a demon, after all. After the Demon Slayer Corps was attacked under a demon's lead, they must harbor even greater hostility toward us now, right? Though demons are inherently hard to reason with, being dominated by their desires and lacking sound judgment."
"I trust the Master's judgment!" Rengoku's voice regained its vigor. "Speaking of which, my sincere thanks to Mr. Hiru for the incense! The new formula is remarkably effective! The survival rate of our junior swordsmen has soared! Truly, we're deeply grateful!"
"What?" Hiru tilted his head in confusion. "When did I give them incense… Brother!"
"Ah, I gave them the one you said worked best."
Hiru's eyes widened in mild indignation.
"Even if it was a misunderstanding, we still must thank Mr. Hiru for developing the incense!" Rengoku chuckled. "Would you two mind delaying your journey a few days? The regular Hashira Meeting is coming up soon! I think everyone would love to meet Mr. Yoriichi and Mr. Hiru—the creator of the demon-repelling incense!"
"Do you want to go, Hiru?"
Hiru deflected the question. "Do you want to go, Brother?"
"..."
"I understand." Hiru sighed. "Then I'll follow your lead. I'll try harder to control myself."
"Thank you, Hiru."
"Wonderful! The Wisteria House is nearby! I'll lead the way!" Rengoku Tetsushiro looked thoroughly delighted, then turned to Hiru. "I still haven't apologized to you, Mr. Hiru!"
"Hm? Why on earth would you apologize to me?"
"When we first met, didn't I ask about your brother?" Rengoku Tetsushiro crossed his arms. "Though I now despise that demon, Mr. Hiru, who was going through such a tragedy at the time, must have been far more sorrowful than I! I truly am sorry!
I've been meaning to apologize in person, but one thing kept piling onto another, and you locked yourself away in your room, so I never found the chance!"
"How can you even remember something so long ago…" Hiru puffed out his cheeks and turned his head away. "And you're apologizing to a demon who just harmed humans? What a strange swordsman... I really can't get along with you."
"Hahaha! My apologies for making you uncomfortable. So, Mr. Yoriichi, will you join us at the Wisteria House?"
"No, I plan to search the area a bit longer." Yoriichi's face softened with a hint of a smile, but quickly returned to calm. "Though Muzan chose to flee, he likely isn't hiding nearby anymore. But if he really is lurking close by, planning to devour someone—even just one person—the guilt on my shoulders—"
"How many times do I have to say it! It's not Brother's fault! If it were those swordsmen, they wouldn't last a single strike before dying!"
"All right, my oversight." Yoriichi shook his head slightly, a trace of resignation in his tone. "For that one-in-ten-thousand chance, I still need to patrol the area."
"Then we'll come with you! One more person means one more pair of hands!"
"Even if he's reduced to the size of a heart, he's still beyond the capabilities of this bunch of amateurs," Hiru said, his expression still sour toward the silenced swordsmen. "Without the strength of a Hashira, they can't even scratch Muzan. They couldn't even react to my attack—what use are they? Delivering meals to Muzan?"
The forced-silent swordsmen: ...