Tanjiro basked in the warmth of his dream.
His family was alive.
Nezuko was human again.
His mother smiled gently as she prepared dinner, while his younger siblings laughed and played together.
Everything was exactly as he had always wished.
And yet…
Something felt wrong.
He could not explain why, but a faint sense of unease lingered deep within his heart.
Meanwhile, the last of Enmu's human accomplices approached Tanjiro's sleeping body.
The man, whom Enmu had casually nicknamed "D," quietly pulled out the enchanted rope.
Just as he was about to tie it around Tanjiro's wrist
Whoosh!
A powerful gust of wind suddenly burst through the carriage.
The man lost his footing and was blown straight out of the open doorway.
Serves you right.
Who told you not to close the carriage door properly?
After painfully climbing back onto the train, he stared helplessly at the rope in his hands.
Then he looked toward the peacefully sleeping Tanjiro.
He fell into deep contemplation.
How exactly was he supposed to complete his mission now?
Back in reality…
Nezuko slowly opened her eyes.
She blinked.
Then blinked again.
Everyone…
Every single passenger aboard the train was asleep.
Confused, she immediately looked toward Tanjiro.
Her brother was sleeping peacefully as well.
Not understanding that everyone had fallen victim to a Blood Demon Art, Nezuko innocently reached over and gently shook Tanjiro's shoulder.
No response.
She tried again.
Still nothing.
Next she walked over to Inosuke.
Shake.
Nothing.
Then Zenitsu.
Shake.
Still asleep.
Finally, she looked toward Rengoku.
Even the ever-energetic Flame Hashira remained fast asleep.
Nezuko puffed out her cheeks unhappily.
Everyone was ignoring her.
Returning to Tanjiro's side, she decided to wake him no matter what.
First…
She shook him repeatedly.
Nothing happened.
So she clenched her tiny fists and began lightly punching his chest.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Unfortunately…
Her punches were softer than a massage.
Were you trying to give him a therapeutic massage?
Where was the terrifying strength you used when you crushed Daki into the ground?
Even after all that…
Tanjiro refused to wake up.
Inside the dream…
Tanjiro continued searching for the source of the strange feeling haunting him.
Eventually, he reached the river behind the Kamado home.
The water was perfectly still.
Looking down, he froze.
The reflection staring back at him was not the boy currently standing there.
Instead, it was another Tanjiro.
He wore the black uniform of the Demon Slayer Corps beneath a dark haori.
At his waist rested a Nichirin Blade.
For some reason…
Simply looking at that sword made his heart ache.
The reflection suddenly became frantic.
It slammed both hands against the surface of the water.
"Wake up!"
"Wake up!"
"Everyone is in danger!"
"Nezuko is in danger too!"
Reality.
Nezuko looked thoughtfully at Tanjiro's forehead.
After several failed attempts…
She reached a firm conclusion.
She stepped backward.
Lowered her head.
Then
Charged forward.
Headbutt!
Bang!
Nezuko bounced backward.
She stood there blankly.
A small bump slowly rose on her own forehead before a tiny trickle of blood slid downward.
"Mmghhhh "
She covered her forehead with both hands.
The pain was immense.
Apparently…
The Kamado family's legendary headbutts were not inherited equally.
Inside the dream…
The impact echoed like thunder.
Tanjiro's pupils contracted.
Everything came rushing back.
Nezuko!
The Demon Slayer Corps!
The Mugen Train!
Rengoku-san!
Inosuke!
Zenitsu!
Enmu!
He remembered everything.
Immediately, he began searching desperately for a way to leave.
The scenery suddenly changed.
Once again, he stood before the Kamado residence.
This time…
Everything felt different.
His father had returned to the frail appearance Tanjiro remembered from childhood.
His mother's expression was calm.
His siblings silently watched him.
No one smiled.
Tanjuro quietly spoke.
"Tanjiro…"
"Are you leaving us behind?"
Tanjiro's expression trembled.
He lowered his head.
"I'm sorry."
"I have to go."
"I have to return to the real world."
Silence followed.
There was no anger.
No resentment.
Instead…
His mother stepped forward and embraced him.
"Tanjiro."
"We know everything."
"You have your own path."
"So go."
One after another, his younger siblings approached him.
Each offered words of encouragement instead of trying to stop him.
Finally, Tanjiro looked around.
"Where's Nezuko?"
Before anyone else could answer, Tanjuro smiled gently.
"Nezuko…"
"She's waiting for you outside."
Tanjiro bit his lip.
Unable to suppress his emotions any longer, tears filled his eyes.
Seeing this, Tanjuro slowly walked over.
Then…
For the first time in Tanjiro's memory…
His father embraced him.
Tanjiro froze.
Ever since he could remember, his father had always been weakened by illness.
He had never experienced this warmth before.
Tanjuro held him firmly.
His voice remained gentle.
"Tanjiro."
"Even your father cannot answer every question in this world."
"But…"
"You must never lose sight of your own heart."
"Know what is right."
"And know what is evil."
"Now…"
"Go."
The instant those words fell
The dream began collapsing.
The entire world shattered into countless fragments.
Tanjiro felt himself falling into endless darkness.
He desperately reached upward.
"I'm here!"
Suddenly
A familiar pair of hands grasped his.
Nezuko.
She pulled him upward with all her strength.
Far above…
A brilliant light shone.
Just before Tanjiro escaped the darkness, the voices of his family echoed one final time.
"Tanjiro…"
"Nezuko…"
"You must live."
Tanjiro's eyes snapped open.
"Hah!"
He gasped for breath.
Then he noticed something alarming.
Flames…
His entire body was covered in crimson flames.
"W-What?!"
Before panic could set in, the flames quietly disappeared.
There was no pain.
No burns.
Only the enchanted rope tied around him had turned to ash.
Nearby, Nezuko was already charging toward the others.
Headbutt!
Bang!
Zenitsu caught fire.
Headbutt!
Bang!
Inosuke caught fire.
Headbutt!
Bang!
Rengoku caught fire as well.
Tanjiro's eyes nearly popped out.
"Nezuko!"
"Don't set everyone on fire!"
His horrified expression looked as though it had leapt straight out of The Scream.
Fortunately…
Just like before, the flames did not harm anyone.
Instead, they burned away the enchanted ropes connected to Enmu's Blood Demon Art.
Tanjiro immediately rushed over to Inosuke.
He shook him repeatedly.
"Inosuke!"
"Wake up!"
The Beast Hashira wannabe suddenly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was Tanjiro's relieved face.
Without hesitation
Boom!
He punched Tanjiro squarely in the stomach.
"Tanjiro!"
"I was finally with my mother!"
"And that weird white-haired guy!"
"You ruined my dream!"
Tanjiro doubled over in pain.
Eventually, he and Nezuko managed to calm the furious Inosuke.
Just as they prepared to wake Zenitsu
Something moved.
Dozens of grotesque appendages suddenly stretched through the cracks beneath the carriage floor.
They resembled enormous pale worms, each lined with grasping mouths and writhing unnaturally as they reached toward the sleeping passengers.
Tanjiro instantly drew his Nichirin Blade.
His sharpened senses screamed.
"Demon!"
He shouted immediately.
"Inosuke!"
"The disappearances aboard this train…"
"They really were caused by demons!"
Elsewhere on the train…
Enmu had only just returned after recovering from his interrupted preparations.
Before he could react
A tremendous pressure descended behind him.
Tanjiro had arrived.
Without hesitation
Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!
His blade swept through the carriage like flowing water.
One slash.
Every flesh-like appendage inside the carriage was severed instantly.
Without pausing
Tanjiro inhaled deeply once more.
Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!
The surging attack carved through another wave of writhing flesh.
Outside the windows, Nezuko spotted more grotesque tendrils extending from neighboring carriages.
She immediately leaped across the rooftops.
At the same time
Inosuke burst into action.
Beast Breathing, Third Fang: Devour!
His twin serrated Nichirin Blades shredded the remaining tendrils into pieces.
One human.
One demon.
One self-proclaimed King of the Mountains.
The three fought desperately to eliminate the monstrous flesh before it could consume the sleeping passengers.
Far ahead of the train…
Near the exit of a tunnel…
Two demons silently waited atop the rocky cliffs.
Both had already fixed their eyes upon the approaching Mugen Train.
"More food has arrived."
They grinned wickedly.
Their plan was simple.
The moment the train emerged from the tunnel, they would leap aboard.
Rather than slaughter everyone at once and create chaos, they intended to quietly drag away only a handful of passengers each time.
A dozen victims.
Then another dozen.
Again and again.
The disappearances would continue without anyone realizing the truth.
Until now…
Everyone had blamed the mysterious incidents on Enmu alone.
The two demons stared toward the approaching train.
"There are powerful Demon Slayers aboard…"
"And even another demon."
Despite recognizing the danger, neither retreated.
Their master had personally ordered this mission.
This time…
It was a carefully prepared trap meant to eliminate those who had interfered with their lord's plans.
Since gaining greater intelligence through Muzan Kibutsuji's blood, these demons had begun using strategy instead of relying solely on instinct.
Still…
For some reason, even after becoming smarter…
They seemed to dislike fighting alongside large groups.
Only two had come.
Whether that confidence would prove justified…
Or become the greatest mistake of their lives…
Would soon be revealed.
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