This so-called "Human God" from the chat group… was simply too powerful.
Tanjiro didn't even understand how the other party had managed to kill one of the Twelve Kizuki.
Suddenly, the chat group notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding!]
…?
"Huh—this is…?"
"Did the mission already complete?"
The Twelve Kizuki had indeed been slain.
But—Nezuko…
Tanjiro turned toward her in surprise
only to see that the girl who had been gravely wounded and unconscious just moments ago
was now standing upright, completely unharmed.
Not only that
she looked perfectly healthy.
Even the bloodstains on her body had vanished without a trace.
『Tanjiro』: Nezuko!!
He leapt up in astonishment.
『Tanjiro』: Nezuko, your body—it's okay now?!
But as soon as he stood, he froze—staring down at his own hands in disbelief.
He remembered the fierce battle just moments ago.
He hadn't been much better off than Nezuko—his body had been battered and bleeding.
Although he hadn't fallen unconscious, he'd been too injured to even stand.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to ask the chat group for help in the first place.
Tanjiro's injuries had been severe
yet now, he was standing easily.
No pain. No weakness.
『Tanjiro』: What…?
『Tanjiro』: Why?
『Tanjiro』: And Nezuko's wounds too… how are they healed?
Before he could think further, a calm voice came from nearby.
『Carl』: "The Twelve Kizuki are dead, and I've healed you both. Now, I should be going."
Tanjiro lifted his head toward the speaker.
Carl.
『Tanjiro』: "Mr. Carl… you're the one who healed us?"
『Carl』: "Of course. Healing was part of the mission, after all."
He paused for a moment, silently adding a thought he didn't voice aloud
Carl actually found Tanjiro to be quite admirable: honest, kindhearted, and brave.
They'd even chatted a bit in the group before.
Seeing him wounded like that—Carl had naturally stepped in to help.
Tanjiro, of course, didn't doubt him.
Carl was telling the truth.
There was no one else here but Carl and the Kamado siblings.
If Carl hadn't intervened, who could have healed them?
It wasn't as if they had some miraculous self-regeneration ability.
『Tanjiro』: "Thank you so much!"
Tanjiro bowed deeply—nearly a full ninety degrees.
『Tanjiro』: "Thank you for saving both me and Nezuko!"
『Carl』 looked at him with a faint smile.
『Carl』: "No need to thank me. It was part of the job."
But Tanjiro immediately replied, sincerity burning in his voice.
『Tanjiro』: "Even so, I still want to thank you!"
『Carl』 chuckled softly.
『Carl』: "Alright, alright. You're a very polite one, huh? That's a good thing. But you don't need to keep bowing."
『Tanjiro』: "Ah—right!"
He quickly straightened up.
『Carl』: "The mission's complete. I should head back to my world now."
『Tanjiro』: "Ah? Mr. Carl, you're leaving so soon?"
『Carl』: "Mm."
『Tanjiro』: "But… I haven't even properly thanked you yet…"
『Carl』 smiled.
『Carl』: "It's fine. You really don't need to."
Just then, his expression shifted slightly—his brow furrowed, as if sensing something.
Then, a small smile returned to his lips.
『Carl』: "Hmm… maybe I won't leave just yet. I can stay a little longer."
『Tanjiro』: "Ah? Really? That's great!"
Tanjiro's face lit up with excitement.
But suddenly—his nose twitched.
『Tanjiro』: "…Someone's coming."
He turned toward the forest.
From between the trees, a shadow darted forward with incredible speed.
The man wore a half-and-half haori—one side patterned, the other plain.
A Nichirin Blade hung at his waist, and his long hair flowed with his movement.
『Tanjiro』: "That's…!"
Giyu Tomioka.
It was through Giyu's introduction that Tanjiro had gone to train under Master Urokodaki.
In fact, Giyu was technically his senior disciple—his senpai.
Seeing him, Tanjiro straightened respectfully.
『Tanjiro』: "Mr. Tomioka!"
After all, Giyu had once saved his life.
He had also introduced Tanjiro to Urokodaki, and they shared the same lineage of training.
Tanjiro couldn't help but feel great respect for his senior.
Giyu gave him a calm look.
『Giyu』: "Who are you?"
『Giyu』: "And where's the demon that was here?"
『Tanjiro』: "…?"
He blinked, confused.
Mr. Tomioka… doesn't recognize me?
Granted, it had been years since they'd last met
and even then, only once.
But surely he'd remember him… right?
Feeling slightly awkward, Tanjiro quickly introduced himself.
『Tanjiro』: "Um, I'm Kamado Tanjiro."
At that moment, Giyu's gaze fell on the girl beside him—Nezuko, the demon girl with a bamboo muzzle.
Recognition flickered across his face.
『Giyu』: "Ah… you two."
He finally remembered.
A human boy traveling with a demon sister—such a pair was unforgettable.
Back then, he had nearly slain Nezuko, until Tanjiro shielded her with his own body.
When Giyu had tried to knock Tanjiro aside, Nezuko had instead protected her brother.
That rare display of emotion from a demon had stayed with him ever since
enough that he spared her and gave her the bamboo muzzle she wore now.
『Giyu』: "So it's you two… I see."
A faint look of surprise softened his usually stoic face.
『Giyu』: "To have survived this long… impressive."
Then, his attention shifted briefly to Carl
whose outfit clearly wasn't from the Demon Slayer Corps.
Still, Carl bore no signs of being a demon either
so Giyu assumed he was just an ordinary traveler.
A lucky one, perhaps.
『Giyu』: "So… where is the demon that was here? It disappeared all of a sudden."
『Tanjiro』: "Ah, that demon"
Before he could finish, glowing butterflies began to flutter around them.
From the forest's edge, a dark silhouette lunged forward
straight toward Nezuko!
『Tanjiro』: "So fast!"
He barely had time to react.
In his brief distraction chatting with Giyu, he had let his guard down.
There was no way he could dodge in time
but even so, he instinctively threw himself in front of Nezuko to shield her.
In the next instant
Clang!
A blade intercepted the strike.
Giyu had drawn his sword in an instant, clashing against the attacker's weapon.
『Giyu』: "…?"
After the exchange, the mysterious figure landed a short distance away.
Then, a familiar voice rang out.
『???』: "Why are you blocking me, Giyu?"
『???』: "Didn't you say humans and demons could never coexist?"
『???』: "Then why are you protecting one now? No wonder everyone dislikes you."
She turned, revealing herself fully.
Black hair tipped with violet.
Deep purple eyes.
A haori patterned with butterfly wings.
Shinobu Kocho.