Chapter 64: You Cunning Guy
Just as Kanae had just taken a step, preparing to walk toward the cave entrance, a slight sound of breaking air suddenly rang out.
Tatsu's figure disappeared from the spot like a ghost.
The next second, he was already standing firmly at the cave entrance, his tall body blocking the exit completely.
In the darkness, his pair of blood-red eyes, belonging to a demon, flickered with complex light in the shadows.
He was still casually holding the green nichirin sword he had 'borrowed' from Sanemi Shinazugawa.
Kanae's footsteps paused slightly, and a flash of surprise crossed her purple eyes.
She looked up at Tatsu, who was blocking her way.
"Tatsu?"
Kanae tilted her head slightly.
"What is the matter? My injuries are basically healed, and as a Hashira, I have been away from headquarters for too long; I must return."
Tatsu did not answer immediately; he just watched the girl in front of him quietly.
Under the 'Transparent World', he could even clearly see the flow of blood in Kanae's body, see her steady heartbeat, and see her lungs expanding and contracting perfectly with the rhythm of 'Flower Breathing'.
She was so beautiful, so full of vitality, yet so fragile.
"But you are already a traitor to the Demon Slayer Corps; they will not believe you."
Tatsu finally spoke, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a trace of imperceptible trembling.
Are you kidding? Let Kanae go back to the Demon Slayer Corps now?
How is that any different from watching her go back to her death?
He knew the style of those people in the Demon Slayer Corps too well.
It was an extreme organization that would abandon their own lives without hesitation to slay demons.
For the Demon Slayer Corps, "humans and demons are incompatible" was an absolute iron law, an untouchable bottom line.
And what had Kanae done?
To protect him, a "demon", she not only stopped the hunt by the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, but even drew her blade against Sanemi!
In the Demon Slayer Corps' rules, shielding a demon was already a grave crime, and drawing a blade against a colleague was an even greater offense!
Images of Sanemi Shinazugawa's bloodshot eyes and crazy roar flashed through Tatsu's mind.
He knew that even if the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, the rumored gentle and generous Kagaya, could understand Kanae's predicament and spare her, what about the other Hashira?
The cold and mean questioning of the Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro, the absolute, uncompromising killing intent of the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, and even those other members who hated demons to the bone—how would they view Kanae?
They would view her as a disgrace, an outlier who had betrayed humanity!
They would attack her with the most vicious words and might even harm her in the dark.
Even if there was only the slightest possibility, Tatsu absolutely could not let Kanae take this risk.
He was a demon; he possessed a long lifespan and powerful regenerative abilities, but the girl in front of him was just a human of flesh and blood.
If she were hurt, if she suffered grievances under the pressure of that group of paranoid people, Tatsu knew he would definitely go crazy; he would definitely be unable to control himself from tearing down the entire Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.
Therefore, he had to stop her, at any cost.
Facing Tatsu's almost accusatory words, Kanae was not angry.
She gazed quietly into Tatsu's eyes, which were filled with worry and anxiety, and a faint, yet incredibly firm smile curled at the corners of her mouth.
"I will explain it clearly to them."
She took a small step forward, getting a little closer to Tatsu.
There was not a trace of retreat in her eyes, nor any fear of an unknown destiny.
"The leader is a very wise and gentle person; he can listen to all voices. Sanemi has a bit of a hasty personality, but he is also doing it to protect humans. I will tell them truthfully that you, Tatsu, are different from other demons; you have not eaten people, you retain human reason, and you even showed mercy to Sanemi."
Kanae said earnestly, her hands gently folded in front of her, her posture dignified and elegant.
"I believe that as long as everyone sits down and communicates properly, we will definitely be able to understand each other. After all, the original intention of establishing the Demon Slayer Corps was for protection, not for meaningless slaughter."
Tatsu looked at Kanae's firm appearance and knew that his previous method of direct obstruction would not work.
Kanae had too much of her own opinion; hidden beneath her gentleness was a stubbornness that ordinary people could hardly reach.
Once she decided on something, even if it were a mountain of blades or a sea of fire, she would walk through it with a smile.
Tatsu's brain was spinning rapidly.
"Kanae, she yields to soft approaches but not hard ones..."
He knew that if he forcibly stopped her with force or pressured her with harsh words, it would only be counterproductive and might even destroy the trust and bond they had built with such difficulty.
Since hard tactics would not work, he would have to use some other means.
A flash of cunning light flickered in the depths of Tatsu's eyes.
He was a transmigrator who had read countless scripts; he still understood this bit of psychological maneuvering.
I predicted your prediction. Since you ignore your own safety for the greater good, I will use what you care about most to manipulate you.
Tatsu casually shouldered the green nichirin sword, and the smile that had been on his serious face suddenly bloomed.
"Alright," Tatsu shrugged, "Since you insist on going back to explain, then I will go with you. Go to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters together."
"What?" Kanae was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting Tatsu to suddenly pull this move.
Tatsu stepped forward, closing in on Kanae.
He lowered his head, looking at those purple eyes that had widened slightly in surprise, and said word by word:
"I said, I will go with you. If they do not listen to your explanation, and if that mad dog called Sanemi Shinazugawa still wants to draw his blade on you, I will come to help you convince them. Of course, in my own way."
He deliberately emphasized the words "my own way," while pointing his thumb at the nichirin sword on his shoulder.
He knew Kanae too well.
After experiencing this incident of being hunted by Sanemi Shinazugawa, Kanae absolutely, absolutely could not bring him to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.
Kanae knew better than anyone that her return this time was meant to "atone for her sins."
Drawing a blade against a colleague and protecting a demon—these two charges in the Demon Slayer Corps were enough to make her the target of everyone's condemnation.
She had prepared herself to endure all the accusations, even to be stripped of her title as a Hashira and receive severe punishment.
She was returning with a mindset akin to that of a martyr.
If, at such a time, she were to bring back Tatsu, the "culprit," a living, breathing demon, to the headquarters of the Demon Slayer Corps, that would simply be like pouring water into a frying pan.
The Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps would definitely fall into a frenzy instantly; they would not give Tatsu any chance to explain and would definitely attack in a group, tearing Tatsu to pieces.
Kanae would rather endure all the pain herself than implicate others.
Her kindness and sense of responsibility were her greatest weaknesses.
Sure enough, hearing Tatsu's words, Kanae almost reflexively took a step back, and her voice rose by several decibels.
"No! Absolutely not!"
Kanae immediately said to Tatsu anxiously, her hands subconsciously grabbing Tatsu's sleeve, as if she were afraid he would rush to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters the next second,
"You cannot go to the Demon Slayer Corps with me!"
Her eyes were full of anxiety and panic.
"Tatsu, listen to me," Kanae took a deep breath, trying to calm her voice, but the hands tightly gripping Tatsu's sleeve betrayed her nervousness,
"I know you are very strong, you even comprehended the 'Transparent World'. But the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters is different; there is the leader, and there are other Hashira. If they see you, they will definitely launch an attack without hesitation. Sanemi's matter has already made you a target for them; if you appear again, they will definitely not let you go!"
Looking at Kanae's anxious appearance, with her eye sockets even slightly reddened, a feeling of heartache flashed uncontrollably in Tatsu's heart.
But he knew, now was absolutely not the time to be soft-hearted.
He had to play this scene to the end; he had to completely sever her thought of going back now.
"Then I do not care."
Tatsu backhanded and grasped Kanae's wrist.
His gaze stared fixedly at Kanae, his eyes full of stubbornness and dominance.
"I will not let you go alone to face those people who view you as a traitor."
"You drew your blade against your own companion to protect me. Now you want me to watch you go back to be punished, watch you be accused by those people who do not distinguish right from wrong, while I hide in the cave like a coward? Kanae, what kind of person do you take me for?"
Tatsu's words carried thirty percent anger and seventy percent genuine emotion.
The god of pure love fell to the ground; although he, Tatsu, was a demon, he also had his own bottom line and pride.
Letting him hide behind a woman, watching this woman suffer the condemnation of everyone for his sake—he could not do it!
"Even if they are the most righteous Demon Slayer Corps in the whole world, even if they have thousands of troops, as long as they dare to touch a single hair on your head, even if I have to risk my life, I will raze that place to the ground!"
Kanae stared blankly at Tatsu's blood-red eyes, which were slightly reddened due to anger and worry.
Listening to his overbearing yet protective declaration, her heart skipped a beat involuntarily.
Since she was young, she had always been the one to protect others, both as a sister and as a Hashira.
She was accustomed to rushing to the front lines, accustomed to shouldering all the burdens on her own delicate shoulders.
Never before had anyone dared to stand before her with such an assertive stance and tell her:
"I will not let you face this alone."
An indescribable mixture of bitterness and warmth spread through the depths of Kanae's heart.
She knew Tatsu was being unreasonable, that he was intentionally threatening her, but she couldn't bring herself to be angry at all.
Because she could clearly feel the heavy, unreserved care behind that unreasonable behavior and those threats.
Kanae looked at Tatsu and knew she could not persuade him.
This man's stubbornness was even more unyielding than the hardest rock.
And...
Kanae's gaze lowered slightly, landing on the green nichirin sword that Tatsu was carrying casually on his shoulder.
In her mind, she replayed the scene where Tatsu had nonchalantly sliced stone into powder.
"Transparent World"...
Kanae gave a bitter smile in her heart.
As a Hashira, she knew exactly what that realm represented.
It was the supreme realm that every martial artist dreamed of, the "Eye of God" capable of seeing through all the illusions of the world.
Since Tatsu had comprehended that realm, his strength had undergone a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering transformation.
Before this, when she and Tatsu had teamed up against Sanemi Shinazugawa, they could only barely manage a draw.
But now, if they were to really fight, Kanae knew that she would most likely be unable to defeat Tatsu.
Even if she were to use the Final Form of Flower Breathing, in front of Tatsu's "Transparent World" that could see through everything, she would likely be full of openings.
She couldn't beat him, and she couldn't talk him into listening.
For the first time in her life, Kanae felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
The two of them stood in a stalemate at the entrance of the cave.
In the end, it was Kanae who yielded first.
She let out a soft sigh.
She applied a little force, pulling her wrist back from Tatsu's grip, then took a half-step back to create some distance.
"Tatsu..."
Kanae looked up, "Then what must I do for you to let me go back?"
She paused, "Let's be clear, I must go back. No matter what conditions you propose, this is my bottom line. I am not just a Flower Hashira, I am also a sister."
Two small figures appeared in Kanae's mind.
One was Kocho Shinobu, who always wore a mask of anger but was actually incredibly gentle at heart.
The other was Tsuyuri Kanao, who always flipped a coin to make decisions and was like a doll without emotions.
"My sisters... Shinobu and Kanao, they are both still waiting for me at the Demon Slayer Corps."
"If I don't go back, they will surely go crazy. Shinobu has such an extreme personality; she will definitely run out to find me regardless of the consequences."
"I cannot let them worry about me, nor can I let them be ostracized by the Demon Slayer Corps because of me. I am their sister, and I must go back to protect them."
Watching the determined look on Kanae's face when she mentioned her sisters, Tatsu knew the timing was right.
If he continued to block her blindly, he would only push Kanae into a desperate situation.
Pulling and pushing—that was what a top-tier hunter should do.
Tatsu lowered the nichirin sword from his shoulder, letting the tip rest casually on the ground with a crisp "ding."
"Of course, I wouldn't imprison you."
Tatsu shrugged, his expression returning to the relaxed and easygoing look from before, as if the demon radiating malice just a moment ago wasn't him at all, "I'm not the kind of unreasonable bully either."
He took a step forward, closing the distance with Kanae once again.
He lowered his head, staring intently into Kanae's eyes, and threw out his final bargaining chip.
"As long as you master the 'Transparent World' and become stronger, I will let you go back. Otherwise, with your current strength, I cannot rest easy letting you go back to face those Hashira who consider you a traitor."
Master the Transparent World?
Kanae's beautiful purple eyes widened instantly, full of disbelief.
She certainly knew how powerful the "Transparent World" was, but she knew even better how difficult it was to comprehend that realm.
Among the current Hashira, not a single person had reached that realm.
Tatsu was actually using this as a condition for her to return?
Tatsu watched Kanae's shocked expression and was overjoyed inside.
He had calculated this precisely.
Based on Kanae's talent, she was definitely among the top-tier geniuses in the Demon Slayer Corps.
She had created the Flower Breathing style and had become the Flower Hashira at a young age.
If someone guided her, it was absolutely possible for her to comprehend the "Transparent World."
However, this "possibility" required time.
Even with Kanae's exceptional talent, to fully master that ability to alter her senses and see through the essence of the world, it would likely take at least ten days, half a month, or even several months.
And this period of time was the golden development phase Tatsu had secured for himself.
Firstly, he could use this time to keep Kanae by his side legitimately, preventing her from going back to her death.
Once the matter with Sanemi Shinazugawa cooled down a bit and the heat died down, going back to explain would be much less risky.
Secondly, if Kanae really mastered the Transparent World, her strength would undergo a qualitative leap.
By then, even if the group of Hashira in the Demon Slayer Corps really wanted to harm her, with her strength having mastered the "Transparent World," even if she couldn't defeat all the Hashira combined, she would definitely have more than enough ability to protect herself.
Thirdly... Tatsu's gaze swept over Kanae's slender waist and beautiful face.
With a man and a woman alone in one room during this time, discussing the true essence of martial arts together, how could their feelings not warm up? How could their bond not deepen?
This was simply a perfect plan to kill three birds with one stone.
"How about it, Lady Flower Hashira?"
Tatsu leaned down slightly, bringing his face close to Kanae's, the distance between them so close that they could feel each other's breath.
A cunning glint flashed in Tatsu's blood-red eyes, like a fox luring its prey into a trap.
"This condition is very fair, right?"
Tatsu said softly, "You want to go back to protect your sisters, and I want to protect you. As long as you become strong, strong enough to protect yourself, I will never stop you."
Kanae bit her lower lip tightly, her heart engaged in a fierce internal struggle.
Reason told her that she should immediately rush back to the Demon Slayer Corps, offer a sincere apology to the Master, and soothe Shinobu and Kanao's emotions.
However, Tatsu's words struck directly at her weakest point.
Yes, even if she went back now, how could she protect herself when facing angry colleagues?
If she were truly stripped of her title as a Hashira or even executed, what would happen to Shinobu and Kanao?
In this world rampant with demons, only with sufficient strength could one truly protect the people they wanted to protect.
Furthermore, Tatsu had just demonstrated the power of the "Transparent World" to her. If she could truly master that power...
If all the Hashira could master that power, then when the Demon Slayer Corps faced the Twelve Kizuki, or even when facing Muzan Kibutsuji, wouldn't they be able to sacrifice fewer members?
The sense of responsibility as the Flower Hashira made her develop an irresistible desire for this powerful martial arts realm.
She was doing this not just for herself, but for the future of the entire Demon Slayer Corps.
The air in the cave seemed to freeze.
Tatsu did not urge her; he just stood there quietly, maintaining that slightly hunched posture, patiently waiting for Kanae's answer.
He knew that with Kanae's intelligence, she would definitely make the "correct" choice.
After a long while.
Kochou Kanae's tense shoulders finally relaxed slowly.
She looked up and took a deep look at the demon before her who was sometimes overbearing, sometimes unreasonable, but always thinking of her at every turn.
"Fine."
"I agree. I will stay and learn the 'Transparent World' from you."
Kanae looked directly into Tatsu's eyes and said word by word, "However, Tatsu, you must also promise me one thing."
"Name it."
The smile on Tatsu's lips deepened.
"Before I master the 'Transparent World,' I will not leave. However," Kanae lifted her chin slightly, "once I have successfully comprehended that realm, you must let me go and never find any other excuse to stop me."
"It's a deal."
Tatsu agreed without hesitation and extended a hand at the same time.
Kanae looked at that pale yet slender hand, hesitated for a moment, and finally extended her own fair hand, gently shaking it.
The two hands met in mid-air, their temperatures completely different, yet at this moment, they reached a strange contract.
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