Welcome to the Demon Slayer Corps

Kakashi's words calmed Tanjiro down a little.

"Bonds... Kakashi -san is right."

Tanjiro nodded firmly.

At that moment, the other Pillars gripped their Nichirin Blade as if facing a formidable enemy, thinking, "As expected... you really are allies with demons."

"It seems... there are such heretics within the Demon Slayer Corps."

"Even Giyu is willing to believe in ghosts?"

Obanai Iguro asked coldly, "Have you already betrayed the Demon Slayer Corps' original mission?"

The atmosphere in the room suddenly tensed up after those words, becoming as tense as a drawn blade.

The pillars scanned the room with sharp eyes, but only Kakashi and Guy remained calmly standing to the side.

Their gazes remained fixed on Shinazugawa.

When Kai kicked the Serpent Pillar away, he actually held back, enough to make the opponent lose his balance without seriously injuring him.

This action made Kakashi and Guy realize more clearly that there was actually enough room for them to test the waters inside the house.

Just like in the original story, Shinazugawa slowly revealed his heavily wounded arm, blood flowing from the wound and scattering on the ground like seeds. "Blood... isn't it delicious?"

With that, he flicked his blade, and another drop of blood splattered into the room. "Ghosts... can't they live without blood?"

As the scent of blood filled the air, the demon's regenerative abilities began to surge in response to the stimulation of the blood.

Shinazugawa even lightly left a wound on Nezuko's body with his Nichirin Blade, saying, "Wouldn't this... further arouse your thirst?"

"Waaah..." Nezuko trembled, her mouth tightly gripping the bamboo tube, saliva dripping from between her teeth, cold sweat beading on her forehead, and her eyes beginning to glaze over.

"Stop!!" Outside, Tanjiro knelt on the floor, supporting himself. "Nezuko!!"

This sincere and caring call made Nezuko was in a daze, tremble.

"Yes... Onii-san."

Memories of the past flooded back: family, Tanjiro, mother... and the older brother who had always protected him as he grew up.

"She was my sister, and I don't know why she turned into a ghost."

"But... she would never hurt anyone."

At that moment, a strange yet resolute voice ignited within her like a spark. "Humans... need protection and help, absolutely... must not be harmed."

"Humans... need protection."

"Absolutely... you must not hurt them."

Guided by this belief, Nezuko trembled as she raised her head and looked directly at Shinazugawa with firm and pure eyes.

Although she didn't like the human in front of her, she wouldn't hurt him!

"Absolutely... would not harm humans."

With the bamboo tube tightly clenched in his mouth, he made a firm, whimpering sound, completely suppressing his bloodlust, which astonished every pillar in the room.

Shinazugawa stood there, stunned, letting the blood spill down, lost in thought.

When the maid reported this to Kagaya Ubuyashiki, he chuckled softly, "Does this prove that Nezuko wouldn't harm ordinary people?"

"However, Tanjiro, there will always be people in the world who are prejudiced against demons."

"So you need to prove that you and Nezuko can be part of the Demon Slayer Corps' fight."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki's tone remained gentle, while Tanjiro was taken aback for a moment before kneeling down. "Go and defeat the Twelve Kizuki. That way... you'll definitely gain everyone's approval."

"I... I will definitely defeat Demon King Muzan!"

"I will cut off the misfortune that has befallen my siblings and me!"

There was a moment of heaviness in the room when Tanjiro uttered those words, but...

"Tanjiro, isn't it a bit... far-fetched to bring this up now?"

"Pfft..." Ganlu Temple, who had been listening quietly, couldn't help but laugh out loud. "Sorry, sorry, I... I couldn't help it."

Kakashi said softly, "This lord bears some resemblance to the Fourth Hokage."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki temporarily convinced the many Pillars with his charm and facts. (Still not convinced? Just switch accounts and start with a powerful Rasengan!)

"To give courage to your partners with steadfastness and concern... that's something to truly miss."

"Overcome all difficulties with youth!!"

Kai, who had always been obsessed with passion, suddenly clenched his fist, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Tanjiro!! Don't be discouraged!! As the Blue Beast of the Hidden Leaf... I can teach you the Eight Gates Formation!! Let the flames of your youth burn even brighter!!"

The other pillars inside exchanged puzzled glances. "Isn't this guy a little... abnormal?"

"It's so noisy." Muichiro Tokito crossed his arms. "Can you be quiet?"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're all so excited about," Iguro said coldly. "Battles rely on calmness... not... youth?"

"Hehe," Kanroji interjected playfully, "But... isn't this very motivating?"

Inside the room, a relaxed atmosphere, unlike anything the Demon Slayer Corps had ever experienced, filled the air.

"Eight Gates Formation?"

Kagaya Ubuyashiki spoke with a hint of doubt, then turned his gaze to Giyu.

"By the way, Giyu, I haven't asked you about what happened at Spider Mountain yet."

"Let's... listen carefully to what Giyu has to say."

Giyu straightened his voice, "Without the help of these strangers, the Demon Slayer Corps would have suffered heavy casualties in the battle at Spider Mountain."

He briefly described the battle, concluding, "Among them... there was a fighting style different from 'breathing techniques,' an ability somewhat similar to the Demon Slayer Mark, sufficient to subdue demons."

The pillars inside began whispering among themselves. "Different from breathing techniques?" "This... is interesting." "Is this believable?"

The room fell silent for a moment, and the pillars all turned their gazes toward Giyu.

Kakashi repeated softly, "The Demon Slayer Mark are the marks that you bestow upon your warriors extraordinary fighting power."

He learned from chatting with others that this world also had forbidden techniques similar to the Eight Gates Formation, where one burned their life force to gain power.

Giyu's tone remained calm, "But... it comes at a fatal cost."

The pillars inside the room tensed up; having experienced countless battles, they knew best how great the price "Demon Slayer Mark" had paid.

Giyu then said, "What if... there were a way to obtain explosive power similar to the Demon Slayer Mark, but... without having to pay such a high price?"

After a moment of silence, Kakashi slowly nodded. "We... have."

He said softly, "The Eight Gates Formation."

Kakashi thought to himself: This is the Eight Gates improved by Orochimaru and Yakushi Kabuto. It has less load and greater explosive power.

The pillars inside exchanged glances. "The Eight Gates... the art of escape?" "Relying solely on some energy and powerful flesh and blood?"

"And... the price paid was even less?"

Giyu's tone remained calm and composed. "Yes... let us take a look."

At this moment, Shinazugawa, having recovered from his silence, came to the courtyard.

"Alright." Shinazugawa's eyes sharpened. "Let me see what you're really made of."

"Then... I'm going in!!"

Kai's figure blurred as he closed in at high speed using pure Taijutsu, startling the Pillars inside the room. "So... so fast!!"

Shinazugawa dared not be careless and immediately raised his sword to parry, but... "Bang!!"

The force generated solely from the fist actually knocked the Nichirin Blade back, causing Shinazugawa to slide back three feet, and his hand holding the blade trembled slightly.

"This... purely based on Taijutsu?" There was a hint of disbelief in his eyes.

"This is... the Eight Gates Formation."

Kakashi's tone was calm. "We rely on using energy to sequentially unlock the 'gates' within the human body, thereby unleashing our full power."

"Doorway?" The pillars inside the room all turned solemn. "Is there such a thing?"

"Every doorway is a 'lock' set up to protect ourselves from destroying our bodies."

Kakashi slowly explained, "Unlocking it... we can gain superhuman explosive power, but... the price we pay is merely a certain burden on ourselves."

"Completely different from the 'breathing techniques' we've always relied on."

"But... it really worked."

Kakashi said softly, "We don't seek status... we only want to work with our comrades to restrain demons for the sake of the world."

The lights inside flickered, illuminating every pale and tense face.

Kakashi said softly, "We're willing to use facts... to make you believe us."

Inside the room, the pillars exchanged complicated glances.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki said softly, "Kakashi, Guy, welcome to the Demon Slayer Corps."