The Marechi Test

Sanemi Shinazugawa strode forward, his voice slightly hoarse with agitation. "Forgive my boldness, Master, but before the meeting begins, I hope you can explain why this fellow called Tanjiro Kamado is traveling with a Demon. What are your intentions, Master?"

His challenge was like a stone thrown into a still lake, sending ripples across its surface.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki still wore a compassionate, tranquil smile. "Yes, I'm terribly sorry for causing everyone concern. I have approved of Tanjiro traveling with Nezuko. And I hope you will accept them as well."

At those words, the atmosphere in the courtyard grew even more tense.

Gyomei Himejima pressed his palms together, his deep voice carrying unquestionable resolve. "Namu Amida Butsu... Even though this request comes from you personally, Master, I'm afraid I cannot agree. Demons are evil creatures who eat humans, after all. They cannot change."

Tengen Uzui stroked his chin, his gaze sharp beneath his flamboyant makeup. "I must flamboyantly object as well! A member of the Demon Slayer Corps traveling with a Demon? What kind of conduct is that? It's an outright affront to the spirits of our fallen comrades!"

Mitsuri Kanroji's cheeks were slightly flushed, and her hands were clasped before her chest. Her voice was soft but firm. "I-I have no problem with it! I'll do exactly as you wish, Master!" Her gaze drifted involuntarily toward Tanjiro and the wooden box, with a hint of sympathy and curiosity.

Muichiro Tokito blinked his vacant mint-green eyes, then looked up at the sky, his voice devoid of inflection. "It doesn't matter. I'll forget soon enough anyway." He seemed entirely uninterested in the argument.

The white snake around Obanai Iguro's neck hissed as he spoke coldly. "I will never trust a Demon, no matter what. Demons are what I hate most. To trust a Demon is to betray everyone they've killed."

Kyojuro Rengoku straightened his back, his booming voice filled with genuine bewilderment. "Though I respect you from the bottom of my heart, Master, I cannot understand this! Allowing a Demon to travel with a Corps member goes against the very reason the Demon Slayer Corps exists! I choose to oppose it with all my strength!"

Seeing so many people support him, Sanemi Shinazugawa grew more confident and pointed at Tanjiro, Giyu, and Moyu. "The Demon Slayer Corps exists to slay Demons! I hope you will punish all three of them: Tanjiro, Giyu, and Moyu!!"

Faced with the Hashira's almost unanimous opposition, Tanjiro turned pale and trembled slightly, but he continued to shield the wooden box behind him, a stubborn look in his eyes.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki showed no anger. He merely spoke gently to the white-haired little girl beside him. "Please bring out the letter."

The little girl respectfully acknowledged him, took out a letter, and read aloud, "This letter comes from Sakonji Urokodaki, the Former Water Hashira. It reads: I request permission for Tanjiro to live with his sister Nezuko, who is a Demon. Through her remarkable strength of mind, Nezuko has retained her humanity and has no desire to hurt people, even when hungry. Though it may be hard to believe, this is an indisputable fact. If Nezuko ever does attack a human, Sakonji Urokodaki, Tanjiro Kamado, Giyu Tomioka, and Moyu will atone with their lives!"

"Master Urokodaki... Mr. Giyu... Moyu..." Tanjiro looked at the two men beside him in disbelief. Giyu Tomioka remained expressionless, as though he were merely stating a fact. Moyu gave him a slight nod, a quiet reassurance in his azure eyes. Tanjiro was instantly overwhelmed with gratitude and guilt. Tears spilled uncontrollably from his eyes, and he bit his lip hard to keep from crying aloud.

Moyu understood. This was a pivotal scene from the original story. He knew how special Nezuko was, and he understood the weight of a letter backed by their lives. But he also knew that a letter alone would not be enough to convince all the stubborn Hashira, especially someone like Sanemi Shinazugawa.

Sure enough, after hearing it, Sanemi was not swayed in the slightest. Instead, he roared with even greater anger, "What good is atoning with your lives?! That's no guarantee at all! If she really eats someone, the dead won't come back! What use is an empty promise like that?!"

"You're right, Shinazugawa," Kagaya Ubuyashiki acknowledged calmly. "Indeed, no one can guarantee that she won't hurt anyone. But there is also no way to prove that she definitely will. Nezuko has not hurt anyone for a year, and has recovered her strength through sleep alone. Four people have also staked their lives on her. Those facts cannot be denied. Unless you can produce stronger evidence, that is."

Sanemi gritted his teeth in frustration, and the other Hashira who opposed them fell silent for a moment. The Master's words were reasonable. They truly had no evidence that Nezuko would definitely hurt someone, while the other side had a year-long record of harmlessness and four lives offered as a guarantee.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki paused, then his tone grew serious as he revealed even more consequential news. "There is one more thing I need to tell you. Muzan Kibutsuji has appeared, and Tanjiro and Moyu encountered him."

"What?!"

"Muzan?!"

"That monster?!"

The news exploded among the Hashira like a thunderclap! Even Giyu Tomioka and Muichiro Tokito, who had remained expressionless, instantly raised their heads.

Tengen Uzui sprang to his feet. "How is that possible?! Even we Hashira can't find a trace of that Demon! Yet those two actually... What did Muzan look like? What were his abilities? Where did you meet him?" His voice was full of urgency.

Muichiro Tokito's vacant gaze focused for an instant. "Did you fight him?"

Sanemi Shinazugawa glared fiercely at Tanjiro and Moyu, his eyes blazing with fury and killing intent. "What the hell is Muzan up to? Where is he hiding?!"

Startled by the Hashira's sudden burst of excitement, Tanjiro instinctively took half a step back. Moyu stepped forward, shielding Tanjiro, and spoke calmly but clearly over the clamor. "We'll explain the details about Muzan later. The Master hasn't finished speaking." His gaze swept over the Hashira, his unquestionable composure making even the agitated Tengen Uzui and Sanemi Shinazugawa suppress their urge to press for answers for the moment.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki nodded slightly in approval and continued, "That Kibutsuji is sending people everywhere to hunt down Tanjiro and Moyu. Though he may simply want to silence them, it is also possible that Nezuko's unusual nature is the reason. This is the first time we've caught a trail leading to Muzan, and we absolutely must not let it go so easily. Do you all understand what I mean?"

The Master's intention was already clear: Nezuko was not only harmless, but might even be a vital clue in the fight against Muzan.

Sanemi Shinazugawa's fixation, however, was far greater than most. He shook his head violently, the scars on his face twisting as he squeezed the words out almost through his teeth. "I don't understand! Master! How can we let a Demon go? Killing Demons has always been the Demon Slayer Corps' creed! So many members have given their lives for it! That's why I can't accept this! Oyakata-sama, I'll prove it through my actions: a Demon is a Demon, and can never change!"

Before he had finished speaking, he suddenly drew his Nichirin Blade. Cold light flashed as he slashed a wound in his left arm deep enough to expose the bone! Blood immediately welled out and dripped onto the courtyard ground.

Marechi! Marechi, fatally tempting to Demons!

"Mr. Shinazugawa, what are you..." Shinobu Kocho asked in surprise.

"I'll expose her true nature!" Sanemi growled, ignoring his bleeding arm as he advanced step by step toward the wooden box on Tanjiro's back. The heavy scent of blood instantly filled the courtyard.

"I know what you're trying to do." Moyu stepped in front of Sanemi again, his Six Eyes fixed coldly on him. His voice was low, but carried an unmistakable warning. "Your Marechi is an enormous temptation to Demons. But you must not lay a hand on her. Otherwise, even if I don't want to fight you, I'll cripple you, even at the cost of my life."

A powerful pressure radiated from Moyu. His Azure Eyes seemed capable of seeing through everything, making even the battle-hardened Sanemi Shinazugawa's heart quail. His steps involuntarily faltered.

Moyu remembered the scene in the original story where Sanemi stabbed Nezuko, and he would never allow it to happen again. He turned and nodded to Tanjiro, who was so tense he could barely breathe, signaling him not to worry. Then he carefully took the wooden box from Tanjiro's back.

"Let's go inside," Moyu said calmly. "Nezuko can't move around in the sun." Holding the box, he turned and walked toward a dim Japanese-style room adjoining the courtyard.

Sanemi Shinazugawa froze for a moment, not expecting Moyu to cooperate so readily. He snorted, suppressed his wariness of Moyu's strange ability, and followed him inside. The other Hashira exchanged looks, then rose one after another and silently followed them to the doorway, watching the room tensely. Kyojuro Rengoku, Giyu Tomioka, Shinobu Kocho, and the others stood at the front, their expressions grave.

The Japanese-style room was dimly lit. Moyu gently opened the wooden box. Nezuko's small figure was curled up inside. She had apparently been disturbed by the arguing outside and was already awake. Her pink eyes held a trace of confusion and unease, and with a bamboo muzzle in her mouth, she looked pitiable.

When Moyu lifted her out of the box and set her on the tatami, Nezuko timidly took in the unfamiliar, powerful presences around her, especially the white-haired man with the bleeding arm and ferocious eyes.

Holding up his still-bleeding arm, Sanemi slowly approached Nezuko, the heavy scent of blood almost washing over her. He watched her reaction intently, a trace of cruel anticipation at the corner of his mouth, waiting to see a Demon's instincts erupt.

Nezuko's little nose twitched. The scent of the Marechi did affect her; she could feel the powerful energy contained in the blood and its overwhelming temptation to Demons. Her body trembled slightly, as though she were fighting her instincts, and a trace of distress and struggle showed in her eyes.

The corners of Sanemi's mouth began to rise, as though he could already see the Demon pouncing on him.

But the next moment, Nezuko's actions stunned everyone.

Instead of lunging at the blood, she turned her head and first looked at Moyu, who stood beside her with a calm gaze, as though seeking some kind of reassurance and comfort. Then she strained up onto her tiptoes and peered through a gap in the crowd at her brother Tanjiro outside the door, his face full of worry and tension.

Then, under everyone's disbelieving gazes, Nezuko took small steps, slowly making her way toward Sanemi Shinazugawa.

The vicious grin froze on Sanemi's face. He watched the little figure approach, somewhat puzzled.

Nezuko stopped in front of Sanemi. Instead of looking at the tempting wound, she lifted her little face and looked at his features, twisted by anger and obsession. Then she lowered her gaze to the gruesome wound on his arm.

Then she did something that moved everyone.

She reached out a small hand and carefully grasped a corner of her kimono sleeve. With a rip, she tore off a small strip of clean cloth. Then she stood on tiptoe and, with her little hands, began clumsily but exceptionally gently bandaging Sanemi Shinazugawa's wound as it continued to bleed.

She moved slowly and earnestly, as though carrying out a very important task. She carefully covered the wound with the strip of cloth, then tied it in a crooked bow.

After finishing, she seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Then she looked up at Sanemi, who was completely stunned, his mind blank. Her pink eyes curved into crescents. Though the bamboo muzzle kept her from smiling, her eyes clearly expressed kindness and comfort. She even reached out a little hand and gently patted Sanemi's head, as though comforting a child.

"..."

The entire room fell deathly silent.

Everyone stared at the scene, dumbfounded. The short-tempered Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, stood frozen like a wooden dummy, the crooked cloth knot on his arm glaringly conspicuous. The ferocity, anger, and obsession had all vanished from his face, leaving only immense, incomprehensible shock and... bewilderment.

He had imagined that this Demon might go mad, be afraid, or run away... but he had never imagined this.

Is... is this really a Demon?

After finishing the "bandaging," Nezuko seemed to feel she had accomplished something important. She turned and scampered back to Moyu's side, hiding behind him with only her little head peeking out as she curiously watched the petrified Sanemi and the "grown-ups" at the doorway, each wearing a different expression.

Moyu looked at Nezuko beside him, a trace of tenderness flashing through his azure eyes. He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the Hashira at the doorway and their complicated expressions before finally settling on Sanemi Shinazugawa, who still had not recovered. He spoke calmly, his voice reaching everyone's ears.

"Is that enough evidence now?"

Sanemi Shinazugawa opened his mouth, only to find that he could not make a sound. Looking at the crude yet glaringly conspicuous cloth bow on his arm, he felt his conviction waver for the first time.

Can Demons... really never change?

At least the "Demon" before him, named Nezuko Kamado, had given him a completely different answer in the most direct, purest way.

(I suddenly remembered, killing one of the Twelve Kizuki solo makes you a Hashira. I wonder what to call him: Blue Hashira, Sasuke, Eye Hashira.)