You Really Are Broken / All About Losing Your Mind

"Ajuramaru, I need power! Nezuko and the others are still waiting for me. I can't lose yet..."

You Really Have Broken Down

Lin Fan, who had one foot on the sword hilt, turned around and crouched down, resting her chin on one hand. The breeze stirred her skirt and hair as her scarlet eyes looked over calmly.

"Do you want to save them that badly?"

"They're my companions, my family! I have to save them!" Tanjiro replied resolutely, though his hand kept unconsciously pressing against his chest.

Sensing Tanjiro's unwavering resolve, Lin Fan still dealt him a blow with her words.

"But your strength alone isn't enough. And that demon just pierced your heart with its claws. You're already on the verge of death.

Even I can't heal you immediately. Looks like it's over."

Hearing that, Tanjiro fell to his knees in despair. "Is there really no way?"

In response, Lin Fan pushed off from the sword hilt and slowly floated down before Tanjiro, leaning close to whisper in his ear.

"There is still a way, though, as long as you completely accept my power."

"Really?"

Like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline, the spark called hope was rekindled within Tanjiro, driving away the despair in his heart.

But Lin Fan's next words were like a bucket of cold water poured over him.

"Of course. But bearing my power comes with certain side effects. In your current condition, you'll lose your mind in three minutes at most and become a real demon."

"A demon? Could it be..."

Tanjiro vaguely sensed something unpleasant.

Lin Fan, however, retorted irritably.

"What are you imagining? The demon I mean isn't the same kind as those things outside."

He stepped back a few paces, turned to face that boundless space, and muttered to himself.

"You want to grow stronger without making any sacrifice? Even I can't do that. Tanjiro, do you have the courage to bear the burden of becoming a demon for someone else's sake?"

Faced with that question, Tanjiro suddenly calmed down. He gave Lin Fan a brilliant smile, his tone firm yet oddly relaxed.

"Whether it's for revenge or protection, I need strength. I want to protect Nezuko, protect Zenitsu, protect everything!

That's right, I need power, even if it means becoming a demon!

So give me your power, Ajuramaru!"

Hearing that, Lin Fan turned around and looked at Tanjiro with her scarlet eyes. Their gazes met.

Then she suddenly smiled.

"So you really have broken down. You don't care what happens to yourself as long as you can protect others?

Ha, you really are impossible.

You greedy little thing... then have it your way!" As she spoke, she turned and thrust her right palm straight through Tanjiro's chest.

"Wake up, Kamado Tanjiro! Go raise hell!"

"Thank you, Ajuramaru!"

Meanwhile.

Outside.

Zenitsu hurried to Tanjiro's side. After pulling away the debris piled on top of him, he saw the hideous, terrifying puncture wounds on both sides of Tanjiro's chest.

Tanjiro had already fallen unconscious. He was taking in little air and letting out even less, his breath so faint that he was already at death's door.

He could die completely at any moment.

"Tanjiro, are you... okay...?"

Zenitsu's body began trembling uncontrollably again, and his expression looked utterly bizarre.

If Lin Fan had anything to say about it—

This guy had been born with a freakish constitution!

Still, he had some sense left. He glanced at Inosuke, who had smashed through the wall and been buried beneath the rubble. He was probably badly injured and unable to move as well.

That meant the only ones who could still fight were him and that old woman.

But as Kamanue drew ever closer, fear still rose from the bottom of his heart. He tightened his grip on his sword and desperately tried to encourage himself.

You can do it, Zenitsu. You still have to get married, so you absolutely can't die here!

When Kamanue saw Zenitsu trembling and twitching all over, it almost burst out laughing.

"You're this terrified, yet you still want to fight me for your companions? What deeply moving friendship. But sadly, it's all pointless.

You vile criminals, I'll make sure you die in agony!

Be grateful. I'm the one erasing your sinful lives!"

Zenitsu's face twitched even more at those words, but under extreme fear, his mind became unusually sharp.

He turned his head.

"No, no, no... I can't beat it, there's no way I can beat it... I'll die here, but I haven't gotten married yet, I can't die here..."

Then inspiration suddenly struck him, and he hurriedly said.

"Um, Aju... ramaru, could you please hurry up and heal Tanjiro? If you can't, could you at least help me?"

Unfortunately, he received no response.

But that only made Kamanue sneer.

"You're talking to a sword? Has fear driven you insane? Are you about to go mad?"

As it spoke, it was already about to reach the corridor.

Zenitsu's hands shook violently around his sword, but when he saw Nezuko running toward them as well, he unexpectedly hardened his resolve.

"Then so be it if I die! If we make it out alive, Tanjiro, you have to grant my wish!"

With that, he raised his sword and prepared to charge forward.

But Nezuko rushed out ahead of him. The gap in their strength was too great, and one swipe of Kamanue's claws tore through her arm before tossing her away.

The sight scared Zenitsu unconscious.

Kamanue licked the blood from its claws and said in puzzlement, "This demon seems somewhat different from us. Forget it, I won't kill her for now. Maybe I should bring her back for that lord..."

But when it turned around and saw that Zenitsu had actually fainted from fright, it nearly laughed out loud.

How could the Demon Slayer Corps recruit even someone like this? Were they really that short on people?

But the next moment.

The unconscious Zenitsu abruptly stood up. Holding his sword in one hand, he assumed a stance, and his aura began rising steadily.

"Oh? You want to come at me head-on?"

Kamanue still didn't take him seriously. The difference in strength was right there.

Until Zenitsu drew his blade.

"Thunder Breathing—First Form—Thunderclap and Flash!"

His figure turned into lightning as his sword flashed past.

It struck Kamanue's neck with perfect accuracy, yet failed to harm it in the slightest.

"Your speed is decent. Your power is pathetic."

With that, it punched him away, sending him skidding across the floor.

The moment he came to a stop, Zenitsu coughed up a huge mouthful of blood and regained consciousness.

He looked utterly panicked.

"What happened? What's wrong with me... My stomach feels like it's about to split open..."

Even his consciousness was beginning to blur.

As Kamanue gradually approached, wearing that mocking expression, Zenitsu fell into despair. "Am I going to die here? I haven't even fulfilled my wish..."

Kamanue ignored him and walked toward Tanjiro, intending to finish him off first.

Meanwhile.

Muzan nearly laughed himself mad at the sight.

All About Losing Control

"Kill him, yes! Kill him like that! Cut off his head..."

Muzan could hardly wait for Kamanue to make its move and kill the boy. This was the first time it had ever been so excited.

But the moment Kamanue stepped into the room.

Tanjiro, who was on the verge of death and unconscious, suddenly snapped his eyes open and stood straight up.

The fatal puncture wounds on both sides of his body began healing at a visible rate.

Yet Tanjiro paid no attention to his own safety. Instead, he looked at the heavily injured Zenitsu and the one-armed Nezuko.

At that moment.

His rage was unprecedented!

When Kamanue saw Tanjiro return at full strength, its expression changed abruptly. It shouted in disbelief.

"What kind of monster are you?!"

But Tanjiro ignored it. Holding his sword in one hand, he roared, "Ajuramaru! Give me the power to protect Nezuko, protect my companions, protect everything!"

Lin Fan immediately activated Demonification without hesitation.

The instant the ability activated, an enormous amount of Demon Power poured into Tanjiro's body, filling every limb and bone.

His strength rose steadily.

But at the same time, pale purple markings spread across the left side of his face, expanding continuously until even his eyes were stained by that eerie purple.

"Not enough, more... Give me more! Ajuramaru, lend me all your power!" Tanjiro roared hysterically.

Suddenly.

Before everyone's eyes.

Black mist appeared beside Tanjiro, instantly gathering into a slender figure.

She was somewhat short, with dark purple hair framing a breathtaking face, crimson eyes, and long elf-like ears.

She wore a black-and-gold headband, with a pair of white horns on her forehead. Long hair covered half her face, while a purple-and-white evening gown fluttered in the wind.

That figure was Ajuramaru, portrayed by Lin Fan.

Lin Fan moved closer to Tanjiro and whispered by his ear, "Not bad, Tanjiro. Take as much as you want. Release all those desires you've been suppressing without restraint!"

Kamanue stood there, completely stunned.

Everything before it had utterly exceeded its expectations. What was going on with this guy, and who was that girl who had suddenly appeared?

But someone reacted even more strongly than it did.

The badly injured Zenitsu Agatsuma.

His eyes widened as he stared at the figure beside Tanjiro. His bizarre expression suddenly became incomparably serious.

Where did this beautiful lady come from?!

This is the first time in my life I've ever seen someone so beautiful. I have to marry her!

As for our children, their names will be...

After just one glance, Zenitsu had completely forgotten himself and had even started thinking up names for their children.