Another year has passed since Giyu's eighteenth birthday celebration.
Butterfly Mansion Backyard
Giyu Tomioka sat cross-legged on the floor, his hands tucked into his sleeves.
A cup of steaming tea sat before him, his deep blue eyes fixed on the occasional Wisteria drifting down in the courtyard.
Three hundred and sixty-five days in total.
That year, the world was strangely peaceful.
"What a coward."
Giyu picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and mentally made an objective assessment of the Demon King who had lived for a thousand years.
"The mighty Muzan Kibutsuji actually hid in the underground sewers for a whole year like a frightened mouse."
"This extreme fear of death and the will to survive is simply beyond the comprehension of carbon-based life forms."
Water Hashira Master is seriously conducting tactical analysis.
"Oh dear, Mr. Giyu is just staring blankly at the air again."
A soft, melodious voice, accompanied by the refreshing Wisteria, drifted from around the corner of the corridor.
Kanae Kocho carried a small dish of delicate tea and snacks, and walked over with light steps.
Today she changed out of her black Demon Slayer Corps uniform and wore a close-fitting light pink casual dress.
As she moved, her stunning curves swayed slightly in the sunlight, her slender waist and long, straight legs exuding a captivating allure unique to mature women.
"I wasn't spacing out."
Giyu put down his teacup and looked at her expressionlessly.
"I'm deducing where Muzan is hiding."
"Pfft!"
Kanae was amused by his unromantic reply.
She walked over to Giyu, placed the tea and snacks on the low table, then leaned back like a lazy cat and sat in Giyu's lap.
"Hmm..."
Giyu's body tensed instantly, his hands hanging in mid-air, unsure of where to put them.
Kanae's breathtakingly soft body pressed against his chest without reservation.
She reached out her two fair, jade-like arms and tightly embraced Giyu's neck, her beautiful face almost touching his nose.
"But rather than deducing about that cowardly, dark-skinned fool, I'd much rather Mr. Giyu's mind be filled with more information about me."
Kanae's bright pink eyes stared intently at him, her gaze filled with blatant adoration and a desire to possess.
Feeling the astonishing heat of the delicate body in his arms, Giyu's apple bobbed with difficulty.
How much do you weigh?!
Giyu tried to hide his wildly beating heart.
"Ugh, a girl's weight is a top secret!"
Instead of getting up, Kanae deliberately snuggled restlessly against him, her rosy lips slightly pouting, looking both coquettish and aggrieved.
"When Giyu hugs his girlfriend, is Muzan all he thinks about?"
Boom!!
That word "girlfriend" is incredibly powerful.
Giyu took a deep breath and finally gave up resisting.
A sly glint of triumph flashed in Kanae's eyes.
She tilted her head back slightly, closed her eyes, and her long eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings, her posture of seeking a kiss couldn't be clearer.
Giyu lowered his head, looked at those alluring red lips so close to his own, and gently covered them with his.
"Hmm..."
Their lips touched.
Kanae let out a sweet, soft moan and wrapped her arms even tighter around his neck.
Under the warm afternoon sun, the two were oblivious to everyone around them, immersed in this sweet and intimate moment, as if pink bubbles were rising in the air.
However, this romantic atmosphere, which could melt anyone's heart, did not last long.
"I'm telling you... you two are being horny in the hallway in broad daylight, don't you think about how you're setting a bad example for the underage nurses in the Butterfly Mansion?"
A sarcastic voice pierced the pink bubble like a sharp sword.
Shinobu Kocho, carrying a stone mortar for pounding medicine, was standing at the other end of the courtyard.
Today she was wearing a purple, fitted, short uniform; her petite figure exuded a capable air.
That fair and delicate baby face was now puffed out, and her purple eyes were burning with rage; clearly, she was extremely jealous.
"Oh dear, Shinobu walks so quietly."
Kanae reluctantly pulled away from Giyu's lips.
Although her cheeks were as red as apples, she didn't get up from Giyu's arms. Instead, she deliberately snuggled closer and turned to give her sister a victorious smile.
"This is just normal emotional communication between Giyu and me!!"
"... If Shinobu is envious, you can come over and chat with us."
"Damn it! Who wants to talk to this big blockhead! Shameless!!"
Shinobu blushed with anger at her sister's lewd words. She strode over, glaring at Giyu Tomioka through gritted teeth.
"Mr. Tomioka is a hopeless idiot!"
"... You're obsessed with women all day long, I think your Water Breathing has long since become stagnant water!"
Faced with this barrage of sarcastic remarks, Giyu expressionlessly straightened Kanae's slightly disheveled collar.
Giyu raised his eyes, looked very seriously at the exasperated Shinobu Kocho, and retorted earnestly.
"It's paid vacation time now. According to the Demon Slayer Corps' policy of balancing work and rest, this kind of interaction helps to relax tense nerves."
"... And if you need to talk, I can hug you like this."
"You... you... you scoundrel!!"
Ren's defenses were shattered by those words, and a blush instantly spread from her face to her ears.
She stretched out her fair finger and pointed it at Giyu's nose, so angry that she could barely speak.
"I don't need you to hug me!"
"... You clueless bastard, you'd better be exploited by your sister for the rest of your life until you can't even lift a knife!"
Seeing her younger sister's charmingly hypocritical expression, Kanae laughed uncontrollably in Giyu's arms, tears welling up in her eyes.
However, in this relaxed moment filled with laughter and joy...
"Quack--!"
A mottled old Kasugai Crow swooped down from the clouds and landed directly on the corridor railing.
It was Giyu Giyu's old Kasugai Crow — Kanzaburo!
"Shut up! Shut up! What kind of romance is this in broad daylight?!"
Kanzaburo flapped its wings, its beady black eyes fixed on Giyu, and delivered an urgent report in its hoarse voice.
"Mount Kumotori! A demon has been discovered on Mount Kumotori! Gaa!"
"A dead hunter! A strong stench of blood! An extremely powerful aura, possibly the Twelve Kizuki appearing! The Twelve Kizuki appearing! Caw!"
"Go kill the ghosts! Stop hugging women! Gaa!"
These few noisy announcements were like a thunderclap out of nowhere.
The air in the entire corridor instantly plummeted to freezing point.
Just a moment ago, Giyu Tomioka was immersed in a world of pleasure, seemingly indifferent to everything, when suddenly his body jolted.
"Mount Kumotori?"
Giyu's deep blue eyes suddenly narrowed.
On that usually expressionless face, all laziness and warmth vanished in an instant.
Instead, it is the ultimate sharpness of the strongest Water Hashira that has slain Upper Rank demon!
That place... In Giyu's mind, a series of unforgettable images flashed by like lightning.
The gaunt man who, even when his life force was exhausted, still demonstrated "Hinokami Kagura" for him in the freezing cold— Tanjuro Kamado.
That simple little wooden house was filled with the warmth of everyday life and laughter.
Tanjiro, the straightforward eldest son who can smash pickle stones with his head;
That arrogant guy, Takeo, who always challenged him to a strength Takeo;
And then there's Nezuko, the little girl in pink who holds a steaming rice ball and calls him "big brother" in a soft, sweet voice.
He made the most important promise between men when Tanjuro was on his deathbed.
"I'm entrusting these children to you for the rest of their lives."
The Kamado Family must not have any mishaps!
The moment Kanae heard the information, she noticed the sudden change in Giyu's aura.
Without the slightest hesitation, she immediately stood up from his embrace and stepped aside.
Giyu stood up, casually grabbed the red and white haori that was placed aside and draped it over his shoulders. He strode to the sword rack, grabbed the dark blue Nichirin Blade that had accompanied him in slaying countless demons, and hung it at his waist.
"Mr. Giyu!"
Ren quickly stepped forward, her purple eyes filled with worry.
"It's too dangerous for you to go alone. I'll ask the Master for permission to send either Shinazugawa or Master Gyomei to support you!"
"It's too late!!"
Giyu turned his head, his deep gaze sweeping over Shinobu and Kanae.
"The evil spirit has appeared. Every second we delay increases the danger to those people."
He gripped the knife hilt tightly, the veins on the back of his hand bulging faintly.
"There are promises I must keep there. I can go alone."
Kanae walked up to him and reached out to straighten the collar of his haori.
"Go ahead and resolve this trouble."
Kanae looked at him, her tone unwavering.
We're waiting for you to come back for dinner.
Giyu nodded emphatically.
"I will come back."
Before he finished speaking, Giyu Tomioka's figure had already transformed into a blue whirlwind, hurtling towards Mount Kumotori at an incredible speed.
The Water Hashira, dormant for a year, has suddenly been unleashed!