Chapter 61: Hand Demon

Xiaowu Mountain.

It had been two years since Tanjiro came here.

Over these two years, he had thoroughly internalized everything Senjuro Rengoku taught him.

The grueling training had worn away Tanjiro’s youthful naivety.

A year ago, Senjuro Rengoku gave him a task—more accurately, the final trial.

To split a massive boulder in two.

Yet, after a year, he still could not split the boulder.

During that year, Tanjiro also met two people.

One boy, one girl.

The boy’s name was Saniwa.

The girl’s name was Makomo.

Their ages were roughly the same as Tanjiro’s.

They were both Senjuro Rengoku’s disciples.

In other words, Tanjiro’s senior brother and sister.

Yet for some reason, Tanjiro could not sense any presence from either of them.

Thus, under Saniwa and Makomo’s company, he once again began his hellish training.

Today was Tanjiro’s next duel with Saniwa.

The two stood at a distance, Makomo watching nearby as their judge.

Tanjiro gripped his sword tightly, eyes locked on Saniwa.

Saniwa slowly drew his blade from its scabbard.

After locking gazes, both vanished in a flash—their clash resumed.

This time, Tanjiro’s blade struck Saniwa first—ending the fight.

Saniwa lost; his mask split cleanly in two.

Yet he smiled, a look of deep relief on his face.

Saniwa and Makomo seemed to be released from some heavy burden.

They smiled faintly, then vanished into the mist.

“Tanjiro, you must win against that one…” was the last thing Makomo said before leaving.

After Saniwa and Makomo disappeared, Tanjiro snapped back to reality—before him lay a different scene.

The sword in his hand, which had just split Saniwa’s mask, now cleaved the massive boulder in two—completing Senjuro Rengoku’s final trial.

Recalling his duel with Saniwa, Tanjiro felt that sensation again—in that instant.

That sensation was like a thread—the Thread of Flaw—stretching taut between his blade and his opponent’s moment of vulnerability.

That was how Tanjiro defeated Saniwa and split the boulder.

Senjuro Rengoku walked over from nearby.

He stared at the boulder split cleanly in two—unbelieving that Tanjiro had truly done it.

He looked at Tanjiro and said: “I never intended for you to join the Final Selection. I simply didn’t want to see another child die.”

“Though the Final Selection has been reformed now…”

“Tanjiro, you’ve done well. I approve your participation. Your sister and I will wait here for your return.”

That night, Senjuro Rengoku prepared a delicious hot pot and several grilled fish.

This was the second time Tanjiro had eaten so much delicious food—the first time was when Zero first visited Xiaowu Mountain.

After dinner, Tanjiro trimmed his hair. During this, Senjuro Rengoku handed him a mask.

“Master Senjuro, what is this?”

“It’s the Disaster-Averting Mask. I’ve enchanted it to protect you from calamity. Tanjiro, remember: a demon’s strength comes from the number of people it has eaten! The more it consumes, the stronger it grows—and some demons can even use supernatural abilities, called Blood Demon Arts.”

“The demons in Tengai Mountain are all weak—they’ve eaten only one or two people! Though the Tengai Mountain trials have been reformed over the years, you must not grow careless!”

“Yes, I understand, Master Senjuro.” Tanjiro replied.

As if remembering something, he asked: “Master Senjuro, is Nezuko’s prolonged sleep related to that Blood Demon Art?”

Senjuro Rengoku shook his head. “No. This is only my speculation. I believe your sister, to avoid consuming human flesh, is using sleep to restore her strength.”

“Is that so? I understand. Thank you, Master Senjuro.”

…………

The next day, Tanjiro wore the same outfit as Senjuro Rengoku—a water-blue cloud-patterned robe.

He fastened his Nichirin Blade at his waist and slung the Disaster-Averting Mask across his head.

Before leaving, he cast one last glance at Nezuko, sleeping on the tatami in the inner room.

“Nezuko, don’t worry—I will return.”

Outside the gate, he bid a brief farewell to Senjuro Rengoku.

“Don’t worry about your sister. I’ll take good care of her.”

“Yes, thank you, Master Senjuro.”

Tanjiro turned and walked away. After running a distance, he turned back and waved to Senjuro Rengoku: “Master Senjuro, give my regards to Saniwa and Makomo.”

Senjuro Rengoku froze, stunned. Images of Saniwa and Makomo flashed in his mind.

“Tanjiro… how do you know the names of those two dead children?” Senjuro Rengoku thought.

……

The scene shifted to Zero.

Zero, having prepared everything, arrived at the outer perimeter of the Demon Slayer Corps and retrieved the Dark Alloy Armored Vehicle.

He transported ten high-rank swordsmen along with Ubuyashiki Hikaru and Ubuyashiki Kiriya to Tengai Mountain.

This was his fourth time overseeing the Tengai Mountain trials—how many would pass this time?

In just a few hours, he arrived at the trial site, familiar with the route. The ten swordsmen disembarked from the rear.

Hikaru and Kiriya were lifted from the passenger seat by Zero.

They ascended the stone steps…

Since it was still daytime and the trials had not yet begun, they stood as usual on the stone steps, waiting.

The ten swordsmen lined up behind them, awaiting the start.

Moreover, Zero had a premonition: this year, the mutated demon within Tengai Mountain would appear!

Sunset fell; night descended.

After a full day’s journey, Tanjiro finally reached the Tengai Mountain trial site.

Purple wisteria trees surrounded the area, magnificent and breathtaking—everywhere bloomed beautiful, alluring purple.

The air carried the sweet fragrance of wisteria.

Tanjiro saw many already gathered for the trials—at least twenty people by his estimate.

Yet when he saw Zero atop the platform, he was taken aback.

“Zero-nii…” Tanjiro started to call out, but Zero silenced him with a glance.

Zero was also surprised—Tanjiro had come to take the trials.

Clearly, he had trained hard these past two years; otherwise, his mentor would never have permitted him to come.

Moreover, Zero noticed two other familiar faces.

Kanao Tsuyuri and Zenitsu Agatsuma.

Zenitsu’s presence was understandable—but why was Kanao here?

Zero remembered Kanao’s sister saying she never wanted Kanao to join the trials—she only wished for Kanao to live a peaceful life.

It seemed she had sneaked in.

Hikaru/Kiriya: “Welcome, all swordsmen, for your arduous journey to take the trials…”

The two delivered their usual speeches, then Zero explained the trial rules, and the trials officially began.

Hikaru/Kiriya: “Then, may you all proceed with care.”

More than half of this year’s candidates were swordsmen who had failed in previous or second-previous trials.

The rest were newcomers.

As Tanjiro passed Zero, Zero nodded slightly and whispered: “Stay safe.”

“Yes, thank you, Zero-nii.” Tanjiro then stepped resolutely into the trial mountain.

As Kanao passed Zero, he called out to her: “Kanao, does your sister know about this?”

“I…” Kanao stammered, unable to answer. She reached for a coin, then stopped herself.

Over the years, Zero had sometimes taught Kanao that not everything must be decided by a coin toss—sometimes, one must follow one’s own heart.

“Sigh… go. Stay safe.”

Kanao still seemed uneasy—she would have to learn slowly.

With Zero’s permission, Kanao finally relaxed and entered Tengai Mountain.

But when Zero saw Zenitsu at the end of the line, he was speechless.

He kept muttering, “I’m going to die,” over and over.

Upon seeing Zero, he rushed forward, grabbed his leg, and wailed: “Zero-nii, can’t I skip the trials?! If I go in, I’ll definitely die! Can you talk to my grandfather for me?!”

Zero, exasperated, gave him a sharp knuckle rap. “Don’t smear your snot on my pants! And if you want a girlfriend, you’ll obediently take the trials! I won’t give you any favors!”

Seeing Zero lose his temper again, Zenitsu instantly cowered and muttered, “Fine~”

“Tch, coward!” A boy with a rooster crest passed by, glancing at this scene with contempt for Zenitsu.

Seeing the boy, Zero felt a strange sense of familiarity—his temperament was much like Shinobu Kocho’s.

Once everyone entered Tengxi Mountain, release all small drones from the [Nanotech Space].

Activate the [Analytical Goggles] projection mode.

“Follow the usual protocol,” Zero said to the ten swordsmen behind him.

“Yes, Zero Pillar!” x10

…………

This was the first night of the examination.

Shortly after entering Tengxi Mountain, Tanjiro encountered two demons.

After a brief battle, he successfully eliminated them using Water Breathing.

This scene was captured by the small drones hovering above and transmitted to Zero.

Watching the footage on the projection screen, Zero found it normal and relaxed, turning his attention to another feed.

Kanao Tsuyuri also worked hard; she practiced Kanae’s Flower Breathing, wielding it with effortless precision.

In an instant, she eliminated one demon.

But when the drone footage reached Zenitsu, Zero’s lip twitched slightly.

Zenitsu was being chased by two demons, sobbing and sniveling, his appearance absurd.

“Aaaah!! I’ll die! I’ll die! Don’t eat me! I’m not tasty at all!”

He tripped over a tree root, banged his head against the trunk, and passed out.

The two demons immediately lunged.

Yet, in that instant—a flash of lightning.

Thunder Breathing. First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!

A golden bolt sliced through the air; in the blink of an eye, both demons were decapitated, reduced to ash.

Zenitsu remained half-unconscious, still holding his sword in drawing position.

“Hmph… You’re actually pretty strong. And yet you still dare ask for protection? You’re bizarre—you only fight when you’re unconscious…” Zero mentally grumbled.

At that moment, a small drone captured another scene.

“Boar Charge! Boar Charge! Yiya hahaha!” On the projection screen, a boar-headed humanoid…

Probably a human…

“Looks like he’s wearing a boar mask.”

In the footage, the boy wearing the boar mask wielded a pair of swords with jagged edges, resembling two saws.

He sprinted forward, constantly shouting, “Boar Charge!”

Zero thought: “Strange. I didn’t see this guy in the lineup. How did he slip into the exam? Did he enter Tengxi Mountain from another route?”

He immediately pulled out another pair of [Analytical Goggles], put them on, and scanned the boar-boy’s data.

[Analyzing… Analysis complete]

[Name: Hashibira Inosuke—Male]

[Age: 15]

[Mother: Hashibira Kotetsu (Deceased)]

[Adoptive Mother: Female Boar]

[Status: Demon Slayer Corps Swordsman (Under Examination)]

[Breathing Style: Beasts’ Breathing]

[Special Abilities: Flexibility, Perception]

[Personal Profile: His mother, Hashibira Kotetsu, fled the Wan Shi Joyō Cult to protect young Hashibira Inosuke. With nowhere else to turn, she abandoned him over a cliff, where he drifted away on a river.]

[She then committed suicide before a demon! Later, Hashibira Inosuke was miraculously rescued by a female boar, who raised him.]

[Personal Information: …]

“So this kid’s name is Hashibira Inosuke…”

He didn’t read further details about Hashibira Inosuke—he already guessed the general outline.

Wan Shi Joyō Cult…

He hadn’t expected Hashibira Inosuke’s past to be tied to Kokushibo, nor that he’d endured such hardship.

“Hashibira Kotetsu…”

Huh…

He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and resumed monitoring every examinee.

The first night’s examination ended, yet the mutated demon’s trail remained undiscovered.

But Zero still trusted his intuition, scrutinizing every screen.

The second day was the same.

The third day…

Until the fourth night…

After casually dispatching two demons, Tanjiro prepared to move on.

Suddenly, he heard distant screams—and smelled an unbearable stench!

“So foul! What is this overwhelming stench?”

A massive green demon, its entire body covered in arms, appeared.

It was an Arm Demon.

With every step, trees collapsed, and the ground trembled faintly.

Just as Zero had suspected, a mutated demon indeed lurked within Tengxi Mountain.

The Arm Demon could no longer endure it—he hadn’t tasted human flesh in years.

Each strange object flying overhead made him wary; he’d seen demons struck by them paralyzed and immobilized.

He also sensed other Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen hidden in the forest—their aura stronger than the examinees’.

Thus, he could only sneak out to capture fellow demons to satisfy his hunger.

Today, he’d decided to risk it—targeting the examinees directly.

He’d also have to avoid the hidden swordsmen lurking in the shadows.

Two examinees fled, evading the Arm Demon’s attacks, their bodies bearing wounds from their escape.

“How is this possible?! No one ever said there was a giant aberrant demon here!”

“Stop talking! Just run! Even if we fail, it doesn’t matter!”

Tanjiro hid behind a tree trunk, trembling, sweat beading on his grip.

As the two examinees stumbled and fell, the Arm Demon’s multiple arms converged, shot forward, seized their ankles, and hauled them before him.

It opened its jaws, ready to devour them.

“What do I do? What should I do? No… I can’t be afraid! I must save them! I’m no longer the weakling I once was!”

With this thought, Tanjiro spurred himself on, gripping his Nichirin Blade and charging forth!

Water Breathing. Second Form: Water Wheel!

He leapt upward, his Nichirin Blade spinning like a waterwheel, severing two of the Arm Demon’s limbs and rescuing the two swordsmen!

“Are you two alright?”

The Arm Demon saw Tanjiro’s fox mask and grew ecstatic.

“Here you are again~ My cute little fox~”

…………

Zero saw the massive green demon on the projection screen—he immediately knew it was the mutated demon he’d suspected.

“Finally, I found you! You were so cautious! Now you’re showing yourself?!”

He immediately ordered the drones to switch to high-explosive rounds and fire to rescue the two swordsmen.

Before he could fire, he saw Tanjiro had already acted.

“Tanjiro… Fine. Let’s see how this plays out.”

He wanted to see if Tanjiro could defeat the demon—if danger arose, he’d intervene.

Even if Tanjiro failed the exam, as long as he lived, it was enough.

He then sent his Sound Carrier, Yuki, toward Tanjiro.

The drones hovered above, watching.

“Little fox, what year is it in the Meiji era?” the Arm Demon asked.

“…It’s the Taishō era now.”

“Taishō era… Aaaah! Damn it! The era name changed again! While I was trapped here, the era changed once more! Rinko! Rinko!! Dammit, Rinko!!”

Hearing the Arm Demon shout Rinko’s surname, Tanjiro frowned: “How do you know Master Rinko?”

The enraged Arm Demon’s fury flared hotter.

“Of course I know! That bastard trapped me here! I’ll never forget—it was 47 years ago, when Rinko still fought on the front lines… during the Edo period, in the Keiō era…”

“You’re lying!” one of the swordsmen behind Tanjiro retorted: “No demon could live this long on this mountain! The longest-lived here are those who’ve eaten only two or three people!”

“He’s right!” the other swordsman agreed: “Demons here either get killed by examinees or kill each other—how could you survive so long? Besides, my trainer said the selection process was completely reformed—how could you possibly…”

“But as you can see, I’ve lived this long! If not for those damn strange things in the sky constantly watching, I could’ve devoured far more of you swordsmen years ago!” Shouki pointed to the small drone overhead.

Hearing this, the three looked up—and indeed, a strange object was flying there, surveilling them!

Shouki continued: “It’s all because of that damn thing—I haven’t tasted human flesh in years!”

Instantly, Shouki’s arm reformed and shot toward the drone.

But the drone dodged skillfully.

Then the drone fired a shot at Shouki’s arm, blasting it apart—flesh and blood sprayed everywhere.

Zero heard every word Shouki spoke through the drone.

He hadn’t realized that because of him, this mutated demon had survived for years in Fujikiba Mountain.

So cautious—no wonder every patrol sent by high-rank swordsmen never found him!

“You little demon brat, you’re lucky indeed! Hehe!” Zero’s voice echoed from the drone.

The three stared in disbelief.

“That’s… Zero’s voice! How is he doing this?!”

The drone descended, hovering before Tanjiro and the others.

Seeing this, Shouki dared not move.

“You two—do you choose to continue the test, or leave? If you leave, you’re disqualified. You’ll have to wait for the next examination.”

Zero was speaking, of course, to the two men behind Tanjiro.

“I… I choose to leave! It’s a pity, but I don’t want to die!”

“I—I do too!”

Both made the same choice.

“Fine. My kagura crow will lead you out.”

A white crow flew down from the sky—and, to their astonishment, spoke: “Follow me, this way! This way!”

“Tanjiro, you…”

“Thank you, Zero, but I still have questions for him.”

“Alright. Watch your back!” The drone flew off—but not away; it hid behind a tree.

Granted permission, Tanjiro turned back to Shouki. “What did you mean by ‘little fox’?”

Shouki snapped out of his daze and sneered: “Of course—it’s because of the fox mask on your head~”

“One, two, three… twelve, thirteen… Add you in, that’s the fourteenth! Hahaha…”

“What does that mean?” Tanjiro asked.

“It means the number of Rokujyo’s disciples I’ve eaten. I swore long ago I’d kill every single one of Rokujyo’s students myself!”

“But the one who stood out most was that brat with rare flesh-colored hair—he had a scar on his mouth, and he was strong. And there was a little girl in a kimono with flower patterns—weak, short, but incredibly fast!”

At once, Tanjiro knew who he meant.

Sabito and Makomo.

But he’d seen them both in Xiaowu Mountain—why then…

Shouki went on: “That fox mask? The carving style is identical to Rokujyo’s Tengu mask. I remember—it’s called the [Disaster-Averting Mask], right? That’s how I recognized Rokujyo’s students—and ate them one by one!”

“That flesh-colored-haired brat—I crushed his skull. As for the little girl… heheh~ She cried herself to death after hearing my words.”

“Then her speed went wild—I caught her, and tore off her arms and legs… Hahaha!”

Tanjiro’s rage surged. He remembered Sabito and Makomo—so they were dead…

He gripped his Nichirin Blade and charged forward.

This was exactly what Shouki wanted—to provoke Tanjiro, while staying alert for the drone’s return.

“You’re too impulsive, Tanjiro…” Zero thought—but did not intervene.

This was something Tanjiro had to face eventually. Only if his life were in danger would Zero act.

Shouki counterattacked—dozens of arms erupted from his body to block Tanjiro.

With each swing of his Nichirin Blade, every incoming arm was sliced into pieces.

Just as Tanjiro neared Shouki, the demon suddenly lashed out with one hand, striking Tanjiro’s abdomen.

Tanjiro was flung backward, crashing into a tree trunk—unconscious, his head wounded.

The fox mask slung across his head shattered into fragments.

“Damn!” Seeing the danger, Zero prepared to fire the drone to save Tanjiro.

But before he could fire, Tanjiro woke instantly—raised his blade, and charged again.

In his unconsciousness, he’d heard his father calling his name.

(In this novel, Tanjiro’s family is alive, so I changed this to avoid being called a trash writer who hasn’t read the manga.)

No matter how Tanjiro slashed, Shouki’s arms regenerated—new limbs sprouted endlessly.

Then Tanjiro smelled a strange odor rising from beneath the ground.

He leapt upward, leaving the earth behind.

BOOM!

The instant he left the ground, dozens of arms burst from the earth.

Shouki hadn’t expected this little fox to notice his hidden arms buried underground—and jump so high.

“Too bad I didn’t kill you outright—but now that you’re in midair, you can’t escape this blow!”

More arms fused into one thick limb, lunging at Tanjiro in midair.

He thought this would easily kill him—but Tanjiro smashed the limb aside with his head.

Using momentum, he rolled once and landed on the limb, then slashed forward—his target: Shouki’s neck!

Full Concentration: Water Breathing…

Seeing this, Shouki began to panic—how could his forehead be so hard? His arm had been shattered by a headbutt!

“It’s fine! Even if he dodges, he can’t cut my neck! My neck has multiple protections—it won’t be severed so easily! That damn brat couldn’t cut it either!”

CLANG!

Tanjiro smelled the [Thread of Flaw].

“There it is—the Thread of Flaw!”

First Form: Water Surface Slash!

SPLASH!

A flat slash swept across—Shouki’s neck severed like fragile paper, head and body split apart.

THUD!

Shouki’s head hit the ground. He stared at his own body dissolving slowly—his eyes filled with resentment.

Just before his neck was cut, he’d seen Rokujyo Sajuro’s figure.

“Damn! Damn it! Rokujyo!!”

“I’m dying! My body is vanishing—I can’t stop it! I never imagined my last sight would be a Demon Slayer’s face… I can’t accept it! I can’t!”

He expected Tanjiro to look down at him with contempt, as if he were trash…

But it wasn’t so. Tanjiro looked at Shouki’s head—with pity and compassion in his eyes.

“Why… is his gaze so…”

In that moment, a memory surfaced in Shouki’s mind—he was a child, still ungrown, crying in a dark corner.

He wished his brother would hold his hand again, like before…

He regretted—why had he bitten his brother to death?

But when he became a demon again, he forgot who his brother was…

A wave of sorrow spread. Tanjiro stepped to Shouki’s still-dissolving body, seized one of his hands, and prayed: “God, let him be reborn as a human next life—never again as a demon…”

Feeling the warmth from Tanjiro’s hand, Shouki wept—his body and head vanished completely.

In darkness, a little boy saw a beam of light ahead, guiding him.

He ran toward it, shouting: “Brother, wait for me! Hurry! Hold my hand! Don’t leave me!”

“Still so timid? I give up. Here—take my hand. Let’s go home together.”

With Shouki gone, Tanjiro felt an unnameable sorrow.

“Sabito, Makomo, and all the dead children—you can rest now…”

“Return to your beloved Master Rokujyo…”

Then he turned and walked on, continuing the test.

All of it, Zero saw through the drone.

“Tanjiro, you’ve worked so hard.”

Tanjiro was still Tanjiro—still kind.

But his kindness was never indiscriminate.

When slaying demons, he showed no mercy.

He had taken that first small step—perhaps ten thousand more lay ahead.

At least now, he had proven himself.

From the [Nano-Space], he took out a notebook and pen, and wrote a personal letter.

After writing, he folded it and tied it to Kagura Crow Snow’s leg, entrusting it to deliver to Ubuyashiki Yaozai .

“Snow, thank you for this trip—deliver this letter to the Lord.”

“Yes, Master.”

The evaluation continues.

This year’s evaluation is relatively good.

Fewer than five candidates have been eliminated these past few days.

Even Zenitsu, who always feared he’d die, has slain several demons—though he did so while unconscious…

…………

In the blink of an eye, it is already the seventh day.

Morning sunlight bathed the entire Tenguri Mountain.

Marking the end of this year’s Tenguri Mountain evaluation.

Of the twenty swordsmen who participated, twelve have passed; only the newcomers and a few veterans failed.

Zero looked at the swordsmen in the center and noticed one was missing—Kibutsuji Inosuke was not here.

He thought for a moment—it must be that he left early.

Though somewhat regretful, it no longer mattered.

He clapped his hands to signal silence.

Yoriichi / Hiori: “Welcome back, all of you. First, congratulations—you are now official Demon Slayers.”

“And then? What’s next? Where are our swords?” A boy with a rooster crest at the edge of the circle interrupted the siblings’ speech.

Yoriichi and Hiori did not pause; they continued explaining the next steps.

The rooster-crest boy clearly grew impatient, repeatedly asking, “Where are the swords?”

Then Yoriichi clapped again, and a dozen Kegai crows flew down from the sky, each choosing its master and landing on their shoulders or arms.

Zenitsu was speechless—his was a sparrow.

“You call this a crow? This is clearly a sparrow!”

The crowd stifled laughter.

Even Zero nearly couldn’t hold back, covering his face with a faint smile.

Some swordsmen, seeing Zero smile, thought it was beautiful.

They instinctively lowered their heads, afraid to look further—fearing they might go gay.

“What the hell! I don’t care about crows! Give me my sword! The Demon Slayer sword! The one that changes color!”

The rooster-crest boy swatted away his Kegai crow and stormed toward Yoriichi, fist raised to strike her.

Tanjiro moved to intervene—but Zero moved faster.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out; every swordsman and Kegai crow jumped in shock.

Zero had fired at the ground beneath the rooster-crest boy’s feet, halting him in his tracks.

He stepped before Yoriichi, knelt, and gently stroked her cheek. “Sorry—I didn’t scare you, did I?”

Yoriichi shook her head, signaling it was fine.

Yet a faint blush crept across her face.

He rose and turned to the rooster-crest boy. “What’s your name?”

“Who cares what my name is! Give me my sword—”

Bang!

“I won’t repeat myself.”

This shot grazed the boy’s ear.

The pain made him dare not speak out again.

“Mitsuri Kanroji.”

“Mitsuri Kanroji? Who is Mitsuri Shinobu to you?”

“He’s my older brother!”

“Heh… just like your brother’s foul temper! If you do it again, I’ll revoke your status as a Demon Slayer.”

“On what grounds?!”

“On what grounds? Hmph… because I’m the Tenguri Mountain examiner!”

Mitsuri Kanroji still wore his fearless expression. “So what if you’re the examiner?! You have no right to revoke it!!”

“Oh~ No right? Heh… Hahaha!”

Zero laughed—dark, wild, unhinged.

“What do you mean ‘no right’? How about this—I killed two Lower Moons before even joining the Demon Slayer Corps. Is that enough?”

“If that’s not enough, how about this—I became a Pillar after joining, then killed Upper Moon Five. Is that enough?!”

“If that still isn’t enough…”

Klong!

Zero drew his Sun Blade Scythe from empty air, slammed it into the ground beside him, and continued: “Then how about this—I encountered Kibutsuji Muzan and drove him back. Is that enough?!!!”

“How about this—I stood alone against Upper Moon One with this Sun Blade Scythe and held my ground. Is that enough?!!!”

“How about this—I infiltrated Kibutsuji Muzan’s stronghold twice, alone, and fought the Demon King and all the Upper Moons. Is that enough?!!!”

Boom!

Mitsuri Kanroji’s mind exploded like a thunderclap—he staggered back and collapsed to the ground.

He had heard rumors of a Demon Slayer who slew Upper Moons and more.

Naturally, he admired them deeply.

But he’d only heard the name—he’d never seen the man. Even other Pillars rarely laid eyes on him.

Every swordsman present was stunned—could any human truly accomplish these feats?

After a brief shock, Mitsuri Kanroji rose from the ground, stepped before Zero, and bowed deeply. “I… I’m sorry. I’ll be careful next time. Please forgive me.”

“You should apologize to her—not me.” Zero pointed to Yoriichi beside him.

“Sorry.”

Yoriichi nodded, indicating it was fine.

“Remember—no next time.”

“Yes, Pillar Lord.”

Mitsuri Kanroji’s attitude toward Zero had completely changed—from defiance to reverence.

He admired strength above all—and he’d also heard that the Pillar who slew Upper Moons never learned any Breathing Style.

He hoped, if given the chance, he could ask for guidance—to learn how to grow stronger, to prove himself to his brother.

Taking Yoriichi’s small hand, he returned to his original position, lifted the red cloth from the table, and said: “Now, choose the Gyukou you wish.”

“Gyukou is the material used to forge Sun Blade Swords. Choose yours, and the swordsmith will forge your blade. Wait fifteen days—then the swordsmith will deliver it personally.”

After speaking, he took Hikari and Kiyotaka aside.

The swordsmen lined up in order and selected their Gyukou.

“How do I even choose?” Tanjiro stared at the Gyukou on the table, torn.

Suddenly, his nose caught a faint scent. Following it, he picked one piece of Gyukou.

Once everyone had chosen, they returned to their trainers and waited quietly for fifteen days.

But Kanao Tsuyuri was stopped by Zero alone.

“Kanao, stay behind. I’ll escort you home later.”

Kanao said nothing—only nodded, acknowledging.

“Master, Lord Yoriichi’s reply has arrived—you haven’t read it yet.”

The Kegai crow Snow landed on Zero’s shoulder, reminding him.

Zero remembered—he’d sent a letter to Yoriichi several days ago.

He hadn’t yet read Yoriichi’s reply.

He quickly unsealed the letter.

【Zero, do as you wish.】

Just those few words revealed Yoriichi’s complete trust in him.

Zero’s letter to Yoriichi had been equally brief:

【A mutated demon, hidden for decades, has appeared on Tenguri Mountain—now eliminated. After the final selection, purge all demons from Tenguri Mountain to prevent new mutations. Afterwards, assign high-rank swordsmen or Pillars to capture new low-level demons and bring them to Tenguri Mountain.】

He turned to the high-rank swordsmen behind him and gave the order: “Purge every demon from the mountain!”

“Yes!” x10

Then Zero released all his small drones, picked up his Sun Blade Scythe, and joined the demon-purge operation.

Meanwhile, Kanao Tsuyuri remained with the Yoriichi siblings.

Leaving no corner of the mountain unchecked.

…………

【These past few days, my sisters forced me into cross-dressing, nearly drove me insane, left me mentally drained—no inspiration. I’ll update only this much for now.】