Demon Slayer: Tanjiro becomes a ghost, Nezuko becomes a pillar!

Chapter 101 Chase and Escape

Butterfly tilted her head, still wearing a gentle smile on her face.

"Huh? Mr. Tomioka, that's against the team rules! Protecting evil spirits and concealing their whereabouts, no wonder people dislike you."

Giyu Tomioka's grip on his Nichirin Blade remained firm, his dark blue eyes fixed on her calmly, his tone serene and unwavering.

"I am not disliked."

These words were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake. Tanjiro, carrying Nezuko on his back, couldn't help but turn around upon hearing them, his face full of astonishment.

Shinobu Kocho was taken aback for a moment, then covered her mouth and chuckled softly, a sly glint in her eyes.

"Oops, looks like I accidentally blurted out what was on my mind."

These straightforward and undisguised words left Tanjiro and Nezuko speechless.

Giyu Tomioka ignored Shinobu Kocho's teasing and lowered his voice to Tanjiro and Nezuko behind him.

"Can you still move? If you can, get out of here immediately, run, and don't look back!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable power.

Tanjiro and Nezuko exchanged a glance and instantly understood what Giyu Tomioka meant.

He was going to stop Shinobu Kocho by himself to buy them time to escape.

Without the slightest hesitation, Tanjiro's demon-transformed body had regained some strength after a brief respite. He immediately crouched down, let Nezuko climb onto his back, and turned to run wildly out of the forest.

As they ran, the brother and sister couldn't help but look back.

Under the moonlight, Giyu Tomioka stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his bi-colored haori fluttering in the wind. Holding his Nichirin Blade, he stood firmly in front of Shinobu Kocho, like an insurmountable barrier.

A thousand words stuck in my throat, ultimately turning into silent gratitude and worry.

What should we do? The Demon Slayer Corps really can't tolerate my brother who's become a demon... Are we going to have to go on the run again? This time, I even dragged Giyu into this mess, it's all my fault!

Nezuko lay on Tanjiro's back, tears welling in her eyes. Looking back at that lonely figure, she was filled with self-reproach.

She could imagine the severe punishment that Giyu Tomioka would face for protecting them.

Tanjiro gritted his teeth and kept running towards the edge of the forest. The night wind brushed against his cheeks, carrying the scent of grass and trees, but his heart was heavy.

Mr. Yiyong saved us twice, and this time he even broke the team rules and put himself in danger for us... What should I do?

Although the wound on his neck had long since healed, the cold blade and Giyu Tomioka's urgent last words were deeply imprinted in his heart.

On the other side of the forest clearing, Shinobu Kocho was being held firmly by Giyu Tomioka, who had his arm around her waist.

Shinobu Kocho still wore her signature gentle smile, but the veins on her forehead were slightly bulging.

"Mr. Tomioka, Mr. Tomioka, is this really okay? Are you holding a grudge against me because I just spoke my mind?"

Giyu Tomioka's expression faltered slightly, then his face fell, and he replied stiffly, "No."

"Then... Mr. Tomioka, can you let me go? Your act of protecting evil spirits is a serious violation of the team rules. If the lord finds out, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Shinobu's voice remained gentle, but the threat in her words was obvious.

Giyu Tomioka did not respond; instead, he tightened his grip on his Nichirin Blade.

He knew what he was doing and was aware of the consequences of violating the team rules, but he couldn't just stand by and watch the brother and sister be killed.

A year ago, in that burned-down wooden house, there was the boy's despair as he protected his sister, and the sister's determination as she held the axe.

"Mr. Tomioka, let's say something. It's getting awkward like this."

Shinobu Kocho gently twisted her body, but found it was still no use, so she could only say...

"Besides, it's not just you and me who came to Spider Mountain this time, there's also that child."

Upon hearing the words "that child," Yoshiyuki Tomioka's body stiffened slightly, a complex emotion flashing in his dark blue eyes, before he finally spoke.

"The story begins a year ago..."

"Oh dear, this is never going to end!" Shinobu Kocho immediately interrupted him, her smile growing even brighter. "Mr. Tomioka, you're so annoying. You're clearly holding a grudge against what I said earlier and are deliberately going on and on to buy time."

Yoshiyuki Tomioka pursed his lips, offering no rebuttal, but silently adjusting his breathing.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mountain forest.

Tanjiro, carrying Nezuko on his back, was running with all his might towards the edge of the forest.

His breathing was rapid, his legs felt as heavy as lead, and the exhaustion from the battle washed over him like a tidal wave, but he dared not stop for a moment and could only grit his teeth and persevere.

Suddenly, a delicate floral fragrance wafted into his nostrils, carrying a faint sweetness, causing him to subconsciously slow his pace.

This scent...something's not right!

His body's instincts made him instantly aware of the danger. Almost the instant the fragrance entered his nostrils, he suddenly turned to the side, carrying the beans on his back, and lunged towards the bushes beside him.

"Whoosh—!"

A flash of cold light followed closely behind, and an exquisitely crafted Nichirin Blade grazed his back, the blade slicing through the air with a piercing screech, cleaving a nearby tree trunk in two with a clean, smooth cut.

Tanjiro tumbled to the ground with Nezuko in his arms. Ignoring the pain, he struggled to his feet and shielded Nezuko behind him, drawing his Nichirin Blade instantly.

He looked up and saw a girl in a Demon Slayer Corps uniform standing not far away in the moonlight.

The girl had shoulder-length black hair with a touch of light blue at the ends. Her face was expressionless, and her clear eyes were as calm as a lake. In her hand, she held a Nichirin Blade that gleamed with a cold light. She was none other than Kanao Tsuyuri, who had passed the Fujikasane Mountain Test in the same year as Nezuko.

"Brother, run!"

Nezuko hid behind Tanjiro, her face turning pale instantly. She gripped Tanjiro's clothes tightly and urged him urgently.

Others may not know Kanao's strength, but Nezuko knows all too well how terrifying her reaction speed and precision are.

By this time, her brother was already exhausted and no match for her at all.

Tanjiro looked at Kanao's calm face, then looked down at Nezuko beside him, whose face was full of anxiety, and his heart was filled with struggle.

How could he possibly abandon the beans and run away alone?

But he was now exhausted and barely had the strength to swing his Nichirin Blade, so he was unable to protect Nezuko.

"I'll take you with me!" Tanjiro gritted his teeth and reached out to pick up Nezuko.

But Mi Douzi suddenly pushed him away, her tone resolute: "Run, brother! You can't get caught, you have to survive! I'll find a way to catch up with you, run!"

Tanjiro felt as if his heart was being torn apart when he looked into Nezuko's stubborn eyes.

He knew what Nidouzi was thinking, but how could he let his sister face danger alone?

Just as he was hesitating, Kanao made a move.

Her figure flashed like a ghost, her Nichirin Blade whistling through the air as she aimed straight for Tanjiro's neck with astonishing speed, even faster than Giyu Tomioka's attack.

Tanjiro's pupils contracted sharply, and he dodged to the side with all his might. The blade grazed his cheek, leaving a shallow bloodstain.

He could clearly feel the chill on the blade and knew that he was no match for Kanao.

[No, if this continues, we'll both die here! We must leave first, regain our strength, and then come back to save Midouzi!]

The thought flashed through his mind like lightning. Tanjiro looked at Kanao, who was swinging her sword at him again, and then at Nezuko, whose eyes were resolute. He made a painful decision in his heart.

He ran off in the opposite direction, roaring.

"Nie Douzi, wait for me! I will definitely come back to save you!"