At this, Tomioka Giyu was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. Did she really need to apologize to him?
After all, under the circumstances at that time, no one could be blamed for not fully believing his claims. At least Kocho Shinobu followed his instructions—and that alone was enough.
After leaving the Butterfly Estate, Tomioka Giyu resumed his previous life: training, slaying demons, and developing new Water Breathing techniques.
Time flew by, and the strongest generation since the Sengoku era was gradually coming together.
First, the true prodigy Tokito Muichiro became the Mist Hashira just two months after picking up a Nichirin Blade.
That same year, two more Hashira were promoted:
Rengoku Kyojuro, the Flame Hashira, and
Iguro Obanai, the Serpent Hashira.
Then, only half a year later, Kocho Shinobu successfully ascended as the Insect Hashira.
At this point, the Demon Slayer Corps finally had nine Hashira, and its collective strength was at its peak.
One morning, Kasugai Crow Kanzaburo delivered a mission to Tomioka Giyu.
A man-eating demon had been sighted, and the location was none other than the area around Mount Natsugiri.
As for why Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the Master of the Demon Slayer Corps, assigned this mission to him specifically, Giyu had his own suspicions.
Most likely, it was to give him a chance to revisit Sakonji Urokodaki, his master. The demon investigation was probably just an excuse.
On the way there, Giyu recited his lines in his head.
That's right—he was about to meet Kamado Tanjiro. A critical moment. He had to say the exact words from the original timeline.
God knows what kind of butterfly effect he might trigger if he changed Tanjiro's development path.
Giyu didn't rush. He intentionally slowed down, afraid that if he moved too fast, he might bump into Kibutsuji Muzan himself.
And if that happened… it'd be like lighting a candle in a latrine—seeking death.
Several hours later, Tomioka Giyu finally arrived at the designated location following Kanzaburo's directions.
The sky was overcast. Snowflakes drifted gently through the air, coating everything in white. Towering trees stood like silent sentinels, but there was no sign of human life.
"Hm? This should be the place. Or am I late…?" Giyu's heart tensed.
"It shouldn't be like this. I didn't waste that much time…"
Aaaahhhhhh!!!
Suddenly, a scream tore through the forest, followed by a dull thud—as if someone had slammed into snow.
Giyu's heart settled.
"That's it. That's Tanjiro!"
At the same time, Nezuko Kamado had pinned her brother to the snow, gripping his shoulders as he struggled beneath her.
Tanjiro held an axe in both hands, using the wooden shaft to keep her jaws away from his neck.
"Come on, Nezuko! Hang in there—stay strong!"
"Don't give in! Don't become a demon!"
Tears streamed down Nezuko's face.
Just then, a blade shimmered through the falling snow—Tomioka Giyu's sword, moving toward Nezuko's neck… but incredibly slowly.
His sudden appearance startled Tanjiro. But when he saw the stranger aiming to strike down his sister, he panicked and shoved her away.
The sword missed. In a flash, Giyu stepped between them, grabbing Nezuko by the back of her collar and holding her up.
"Just so you know… You're holding a demon," he said flatly. "If you keep clinging to her, she's going to eat you."
Tanjiro shook his head in disbelief and tried to explain.
"She's… she's my sister! Nezuko's still my sister!"
"She won't hurt me!"
"RAAAHHHH!!" Nezuko let out an animalistic roar and thrashed in Giyu's grip, trying to lunge at Tanjiro.
"She's still your sister?" Giyu said coldly, eyes narrowing.
Without another word, he moved again.
Tanjiro instinctively rushed forward to protect Nezuko, but in Tomioka Giyu's eyes, he was slow—hopelessly slow.
When Tanjiro blinked, it was already over.
Nezuko had been subdued—pinned under Giyu's knee, unable to move.
"NEZUKO!!"
Tanjiro scrambled forward again.
"Don't move," Giyu snapped. "Raise your hands—"
He coughed. That wasn't quite what he meant to say.
"…It's my job to kill demons. I can't just let them go. If I do, they'll kill more people."
"Because humans are a demon's food source."
"So no matter who she used to be—sister or not—she's a demon now. I must take her head."
Tanjiro paled.
"Wait! Please! Nezuko hasn't hurt anyone!"
"I smelled it—I smelled someone unfamiliar at our house. Someone else did this!"
"Nezuko's different! I don't know why, but…"
Giyu interrupted with a calm voice: "Let me explain something."
"When a wound is tainted with demon blood, that's how they spread. That's how humans become demons."
"That's how they multiply."
"Nezuko won't eat people!" Tanjiro shouted, desperate. "I know it!"
He clenched his fists.
Giyu knew Nezuko was a bit different… but for the sake of the timeline, he kept playing the role.
"How can you say that?" Giyu asked. "She just tried to eat you."
Tanjiro, nearly frantic, pleaded again.
"No!! She… she recognizes me! She still knows who I am!"
"I won't let her hurt anyone! I swear, Nezuko will be human again. She will be cured!"
Giyu's expression remained unreadable.
"It can't be done. Once you become a demon, you can't turn back."
Seeing Giyu raise his blade, Tanjiro's eyes widened, his voice cracking.
"Then I'll find a way! We'll find someone who knows how to cure it!"
"So please, don't kill Nezuko!"
"I'll find the one who murdered my family! I'll do it!"
"Just… just… stop!"
Tears streamed down his face as he fell to his knees.
With his forehead pressed to the snow, he wept.
"Please… I'm begging you… don't kill my sister…"
"Please… please…"
***
Ngl I thought Giyuu would have evacuated Tanjiro's family prior to Muzan 💀