Chapter 89: What Is Love?

The villa estate.

"Akaza… is really dead?!"

Muzan, who had become a child and was being kept as someone's son, sat in the study and, through Akaza's final perspective, clearly saw Akaza overcome decapitation.

He had thought that this way, he could kill both people present!

Who would have thought that Zero, with just a few words, awakened Akaza's memories.

In the end, he walked into the sunlight himself, standing beneath it and turning to ash, as if finding release…

"Akaza… I never expected you to fall so low! Useless trash! You actually died!!!"

Rip!

Furious, Muzan tore the book in his hands directly into pieces, his slit pupils turning an extreme scarlet.

Veins bulged on his face, his killing intent toward Zero reaching its peak!

He wished he could eat his flesh, drink his blood, otherwise the hatred in his heart could not be quelled!

But Muzan was well aware of Zero's strength.

The moment he recalled those matters, it was as if a basin of cold water had been dumped on him, and he wilted.

"Zero, you damned bastard again! Obstructing and ruining my plans time and time again… just you wait! Sooner or later, I will obtain the secrets on your body!"

Inside the Infinity Castle.

Hei Si Mou stood rooted in place, head raised, three pairs of eyes tightly shut.

"Akaza's… presence… has vanished… he actually lost…"

"Akaza… weren't you going to… defeat me… you had clearly already… overcome decapitation… just one step away from… stepping into the supreme realm of martial arts…"

"You even abandoned the supreme realm of martial arts on your own… truly… the height of weakness!!!"

Boom!

A great many blade auras erupted from Hei Si Mou's center, instantly reducing every surrounding building to powder!

At this moment, he revealed extreme dissatisfaction with Akaza's performance.

Elsewhere, inside the Eternal Paradise Cult.

Douma, who was "indulging" with a female follower, also felt Akaza's presence vanish in that instant.

"Oh my? Lord Akaza's connection has disappeared… how pitiful～ His aura suddenly became very strange, must be my imagination～ Lord Akaza seems to have become some kind of other creature～"

The female follower watched Douma muttering to himself, pressed herself against him, and asked: "Lord Cult Leader, who is Lord Akaza?"

"Oh dear, Lord Akaza is my dearest friend, you know～ He died, and my heart truly aches～"

Saying so, Douma put on a very sorrowful expression, and shed tears.

"Lord Cult Leader, it seems you really do care about your friend, don't be sad～ Isn't there still me keeping you company?"

"Yes～ there's still you, this adorable follower, keeping me company～"

The female follower pressed herself against Douma with a grin.

Just as they were about to go further, she suddenly saw everything in the room begin to spin.

She even saw her own headless body…

Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.

After everyone returned to the Demon Slayer Corps, the injured were sent one after another to the Butterfly Mansion to begin receiving treatment.

In this battle, Tanjiro's injuries were rather serious — his abdomen had been pierced by a spike, rupturing blood vessels.

Fortunately the situation was still manageable; after surgery, all he needed next was a few months of rest to make a full recovery.

Rengoku Kyojurou received some treatment at the Butterfly Mansion, then returned to the Rengoku household for a visit, to report his safety to his father and younger brother.

Rengoku Senjurou was sweeping at the gate; seeing his elder brother return home safe and sound, he broke into a beaming smile.

"Brother, welcome back."

"Mm, Senjurou, I'm back! How is Father…?"

"Father is in the back garden."

"I'll go see him."

Arriving at the back garden, he saw Rengoku Shinjuro sitting there alone, gazing up at the sky.

"Father, I'm back."

However, Rengoku Shinjuro said gruffly: "Hmph! Truly useless, you can't even defeat an Upper Rank Three, and you got hurt! You still haven't mastered Flame Breathing properly!"

"Yes, Father's rebuke is well-deserved! I will train myself even harder!"

With that, Rengoku Kyojurou left the back garden, returned to his room, and prepared to rest and recuperate for a while.

But what Rengoku Kyojurou did not know was that the moment he turned and left, Rengoku Shinjuro could not hold back his tears.

"Coming back is enough, coming back is enough…"

Rengoku Shinjuro was well aware of the Upper Rank demons' strength; if not for Zero's help on this mission, he feared that…

He had already lost his beloved wife; he did not wish to lose his child as well.

"Ruka, Kyojurou… truly tries so hard…"

"Zero, thank you…"

The scene shifts back to the Butterfly Mansion.

Seeing Zero, Xiao Xiao Mili was like a newlywed couple long separated — she could not wait to run over, hang on him, and give him a full embrace.

And along the way, gave him two fragrant face washes.

"Zero, welcome back! You're really amazing! You actually killed an Upper Rank demon again!"

"Alright, Xiao Xiao Mili, come down first, or at this rate you'll be a widow～"

"Ah～ sorry sorry, hehe～" Xiao Xiao Mili playfully stuck out her tongue.

He had just set Xiao Mili down when two more figures rushed over and hugged him as well.

"I say, Xiang Nai Hui, Xiao Bai Yue, are you trying to suffocate me~" Zero said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

Xiang Nai Hui and Xiao Bai Yue exchanged a smile at the sight.

Xiang Nai Hui, Xiao Bai Yue: "Zero/Master, welcome back."

At this warm moment, Zero felt his heart brimming with happiness, and replied: "I'm back."

Afterwards, he chatted with them for a while, then planned to first take Nezuko back to the estate.

This was also Tanjiro's request to Zero, hoping Nezuko could spend more time with family, and once his injuries healed, he would also go visit his mother and younger siblings.

Passing by the Butterfly Mansion's back courtyard, he spotted Kanao standing alone beneath a cherry blossom tree.

A breeze blew past, cherry blossom petals drifting down, and Kanao's figure seemed like a little butterfly among the flowers, dancing gracefully there.

But she seemed to have something on her mind, gripping the hem of her haori, looking a little hesitant.

"Little Kanao, what are you doing?"

Kanao heard someone calling her, turned her head and saw Zero, and stammered: "Zero big brother... I..."

"What's wrong? Is there something on your mind? Can you tell me about it?"

Kanao had just taken out a coin to make a decision, but quickly stopped herself from doing so.

As if she had made some great resolve, Kanao spoke the words in her heart: "Zero big brother... what is... liking someone?"

"Liking someone, huh~ that can't really be explained in just a word or two... how should I put it? Hmm... let's put it this way: when a person walks into your heart, you'll be thinking of them every moment, worrying about them in your heart.

When you talk to them, your heart flutters like a little deer, pounding nonstop~ and in your heart you'll be hoping they'll come find you, even just meeting them would make you happy.

Even when you hear something happened to them, you'll worry about them, afraid of not being able to see them again."

Zero said his own view in one breath.

Kanao fell into thought upon hearing these words.

It did seem to be exactly that.

"Don't tell me... Kanao, you have a little boy you like?" Zero was somewhat incredulous.

Which lucky little kid had actually walked into Kanao's heart and made her fall for him?

After thinking for a moment, Zero quickly had three candidates.

Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke.

Zenitsu? Impossible!

With that lecherous look of his, falling for every girl he sees, it was just not possible!

But at least it couldn't be denied that Zenitsu was sometimes indeed pretty decent, willing to step forward for his friends and for girls.

Inosuke? Also impossible!

With that rough personality, sometimes overly arrogant and conceited, always liking to spar with others.

Still, at least he was a true-natured little kid.

Then, only one was left: Tanjiro.

With Tanjiro's gentle personality, it really might not be surprising if he walked into Kanao's heart.

After all, Xiang Nai Hui had told him that Kanao's childhood had been very rough too, born into a very poor city family.

From a young age she had grown up under the domestic violence of parents who had become cold-blooded and heartless due to their harsh life.

The tragic experiences of her childhood had made Kanao completely unable to make her own decisions.

Even without anyone else's command, even when her stomach was growling with hunger, she would just sit there motionless...

If Tanjiro really did end up together with Kanao, that might be a good thing.

Tanjiro's personality and Kanao's personality complemented each other, and perhaps this could help Kanao step out of her childhood shadow sooner.

So, Zero deliberately teased: "Kanao, do you have someone you like? Let me guess who it is? Hmm... Tanjiro?"

At the mention of Tanjiro, Kanao visibly flinched.

She didn't dare show it, just silently lowered her head.

"So it really is him~ not bad, that stinky kid~ he actually got to nibble my family's little cabbage~ looks like when I have time I'll have to personally give him some good training."

"N-no..."

"What? It's not Tanjiro?"

"It is..."

Kanao was so anxious she was drenched in sweat, not knowing how to answer.

Zero patted Kanao's head and said:

"Alright, alright, Kanao, I was just teasing you~ I'm happy for you that you've met someone you like. Tanjiro is currently receiving treatment; once he's better, go visit him."

"Mm..."

Then, just as Zero was about to leave, Kanao grabbed his hand.

"What's wrong, Kanao? Is there something else?"

"Zero big brother... thank you..."

Zero pulled Kanao into his embrace, comforting her: "You should thank yourself. Being able to make your own decision already means you've worked very hard."

Zero's embrace let Kanao experience the warmth of being protected and cared for by a big brother.

Finally, when bidding Zero farewell, Kanao thought for a moment, then resolutely went to Tanjiro's hospital room to visit him.

Not long after, Zenitsu's howl rang out from inside the room: "Aaaah! Tanjiro, you bastard, letting Zero big brother take care of Nezuko is one thing, but you actually... you actually... apologize! Commit seppuku and apologize!"

Looking at the fury in Zenitsu's eyes, Tanjiro hurriedly explained: "N-no... it's not like that, Zenitsu, listen to me explain, Kanao she... she's..."

"I don't care, I don't care! It's not fair, aaaah!!" Zenitsu began throwing a tantrum, rolling around on the floor.

"So noisy!!!"

Duang!!!

Kanzaki Aoi immediately gave Zenitsu a super-hard knuckle-rap, instantly making him sit quietly to the side.

At the same time, sitting beside Tanjiro's bed, Kanako breathed an inward sigh of relief — she felt Zenitsu was so noisy~

She couldn't even properly look at Tanjiro.

In the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

After resting for a month, Tanjiro felt his body had mostly recovered, so he planned to go out for a walk.

But no sooner had he reached the outer perimeter of the Butterfly Mansion than he ran into someone.

That person had two gleaming, razor-sharp kitchen knives tied to his head, and was holding two more kitchen knives in his hands!

At this moment, killing intent radiated from his entire body, as if he had transformed into a Special-Grade Curse.

"Na Na Na!!!!"

"Σ(? д? |||) Steel Steel Steel… Mr. Haganezuka!!!"

"You actually dared… once again… to break my blade… Hoo! Hoo! What on earth are you thinking, you bastard! You truly deserve to die a thousand deaths! I'll kill you aaaaaa!!!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry! Aaaaaa! Help me aaaaaa!!!"

"Die die die die! Bastard! That person clearly hasn't broken my blade even once until now, yet you broke it twice! Stop right there aaaaaa! I'll kill you!!"

And so, under Hotaru Haganezuka's pursuit once again, Tanjiro started his escape route!

What a coincidence — Zero had also just finished a mission at this time and was on his way back.

When passing by the Butterfly Mansion, suddenly two gusts of wild wind swept past right in front of him.

"Eh? What's going on? Huh? Where's my scythe? Where did it go?" A huge pile of question marks floated above Zero's head.

Hmm~ hmm~

Another two gusts of wild wind swept past, and the Sun Wheel Scythe returned to Zero's hand.

Moreover, this scene felt oddly familiar to Zero.

As if he'd encountered it somewhere before?

As the saying goes:

Love is like a tornado — after it blows past, you feel a bit dazed.

Just now those two gusts of wind swept past, and the scythe in his hand had vanished for no reason, and now it had returned.

"I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry!"

"You actually dared to break my blade! I'll kill you! Aaaaaa!"

Hearing this voice, after 2.5 seconds of thinking time.

Zero decided…

To once again turn around and come to the Butterfly Mansion, then hug a watermelon split in half, sit on the wall, and eat melon with a spoon while watching the show.

And this time, Tanjiro was chased by Hotaru Haganezuka for a full day.

From morning to noon, then from noon to sunset.

Zero had already finished several watermelons.

In the end, Zero somehow found a huge pile of Mitarashi dango from somewhere, which attracted Hotaru Haganezuka.

Only then did Tanjiro escape the disaster.

"Sa… saved…" Tanjiro hid to one side, panting heavily, his legs trembling slightly.

"Tanjiro, you're really something~ to actually run that long under Hotaru Haganezuka's pursuit~" Zero teased.

"Big Brother Zero, please don't make fun of me, I almost died…" Tanjiro said with a bitter smile.

"Alright, you'll get used to it."

"Looking at you, you've mostly recovered too. Next we can start the body-function recovery training, except this time, it'll be me doing it."

"Eh?"

Suddenly, Tanjiro had a bad premonition.

He felt that the body-function recovery training that came out of Big Brother Zero's mouth seemed a bit terrifying…

"It must be me overthinking. Big Brother Zero is such a gentle person, how could he possibly be that scary…" Tanjiro consoled himself.