Becoming the Strongest Demon Blade from Demon Slayer! Chapter 48

Tanjiro did not try to hide anything and answered directly.

"That was a demon. I'm a swordsman who specializes in killing demons. If you're unharmed, please go home without worry. The demon won't appear again."

With that said,

after confirming that the girl was not injured, Tanjiro turned and walked out of the alley.

The girl behind him watched his retreating back and asked, "Can you tell me your name?"

Remembering the current situation, Tanjiro replied without looking back.

"I'm sorry, but I can't."

With that, he vanished into the alley.

Alone beneath the cover of night, he hurried toward the next location. He could not waste the time the other Corps members had bought for him!

Right now,

he was either hunting demons or on his way to hunt demons!

At the same time,

Yokohama.

Inside an abandoned mountain village,

there were also rumors of demons eating people. However, several demon hunters had appeared here today, including Obanai Iguro, the Serpent Hashira.

Besides that,

among the group was a youth wearing a fox mask, a Corps uniform with a checkered haori, earrings, and twin blades at his waist.

At first glance, he looked remarkably similar to Tanjiro.

The group advanced through the darkness.

With great fanfare, they caught a man-eating demon inside a storehouse.

Before it was caught, the demon had already seen the appearance branded into the minds of all demons by Muzan.

It was clearly the demon hunter that Lord Muzan wanted dead!

Under such intense emotional turmoil,

although it could not relay the information to Muzan, Muzan, who had been keeping watch for exactly this, immediately noticed.

When his gaze shifted to this demon,

he saw that figure among the group through its eyes. Inside the storehouse, where even the dark moonlight could barely reach,

he truly could not confirm the person's identity at once.

However, that outfit and those earrings indirectly confirmed it. As for why he wore a mask, Muzan did not think much of it.

The lack of any news these past days had nearly driven him mad. Now that there was news, whether it was real or false, he had to send someone to verify it!

He immediately sent an order to the Upper Ranks.

The closest one was Upper Rank Five, Gyokko.

This was a demon whose body resided within a pot. Its mouths were where its eye sockets should have been, while its eyes were located on its chin and forehead.

It looked utterly grotesque.

Its body was also covered in numerous infant-like arms.

Upon receiving the order, one of its mouths extended its tongue to lick its lips, while the other spoke excitedly.

"That demon hunter has appeared? I'll kill him right away! I'll turn him into an artwork and present him to Lord Muzan!"

Its body shrank back into the pot, which then sank underground and sped toward the mountain village.

Inside the storehouse,

the figure who resembled Tanjiro also used Water Breathing to cut off the demon's head with a single slash.

After seeing this, Muzan became even more certain that this "fake" was Tanjiro!

He gave a cruel smile.

"Found you!"

After cutting off the demon's head, Obanai Iguro and the others, who had been targeted, immediately left the area.

They prepared to follow the plan and hide for a while first.

When Gyokko arrived, there was no one left to be seen. Dawn was also approaching, so he could only hide for the time being.

Brothers Are Heart to Heart

This time, he had found nothing. Once night fell, Gyokko began tracking the traces left behind by the Demon Slayer Corps.

Inside Infinity Castle, Muzan was also watching the situation.

Yet after searching for two consecutive days,

he still could not find those departed swordsmen, as though they had vanished from the face of the earth. Just as Muzan could no longer suppress the rage in his heart,

another demon's emotions began fluctuating violently. When he shifted his gaze over, he indeed discovered that demon hunter's figure once more!

Only, this time, he had appeared in Asakusa!

It was already quite far from Gyokko's location, and there were no Upper Ranks nearby. Muzan could only summon him back to Infinity Castle first.

With an indifferent expression, he removed Gyokko's head and held it in his hand, staring coldly at him.

"Gyokko, that group of demon hunters has appeared in Asakusa. I want you to go there immediately and kill every last one of them!

"I do not want what happened before to happen a second time!"

Yet Gyokko was not the least bit terrified. Instead, he was filled with enjoyment, and there was even a faint flush on his pale face.

Lord Muzan is holding my head. This feeling... is simply wonderful...

"Don't worry, Lord Muzan. This time, I'll definitely kill that demon hunter and turn him into a perfect work of art!"

"Do not disappoint me!"

Muzan casually flung the head away. Along with the sound of a biwa,

Gyokko was once again transported to a town near Asakusa. He placed his head back onto his body, twisted his form, and returned to the pot beneath him.

He disappeared silently into the night.

At the same time,

Tanjiro had also arrived at another dilapidated village. He had come here according to the Kasugai Crow's warning, but the moment he stepped into the village,

his nose twitched, and he caught the foul stench of demons in the air.

Ashura Maru in his blade timely reminded him, "There are at least seven demons here. They aren't very strong, though. They're inside that abandoned residence directly ahead of you."

"Thanks, Ashura Maru."

Hearing that, Tanjiro immediately hurried toward the abandoned residence. Perhaps it had been deserted for too long, or perhaps it was simply ancient.

The residence looked extremely run-down. Its outer walls were on the verge of collapse, and most of the building was left with only its load-bearing pillars.

The moment he stepped inside,

Tanjiro drew Ashura Maru from his waist and immediately spotted a powerfully built demon standing in the courtyard.

"Though I'm sorry, I still have to kill you all!"

The demon turned around at his words and saw a human beneath the moonlight, holding a sharp blade and wearing a fox mask.

It could not help but sneer.

"I was just about to go hunting. Who knew food would deliver itself right to my doorstep? I'll eat you until not even your bones are left!"

The commotion also caught the attention of the demons within the ruined buildings behind it, and several more demons emerged in succession.

"A human came to us on his own?"

"Something this good exists? Eat him!"

"Get lost! I found this human first!"

Before Tanjiro could even make a move, the demons had already begun fighting amongst themselves over who would get the food.

Tanjiro, who had been treated as food, merely looked at the demons. After confirming that all seven had appeared,

he held his blade in one hand and stepped forward alone.

Using Water Breathing, he killed them all.

Then, without pausing for even a moment, he rushed toward the next location. He could not waste even a single second!

As time passed,

seven days went by in the blink of an eye. Muzan finally realized that something was wrong. Every time that demon hunter appeared,

he would immediately vanish, then appear roughly a day later at another distant location. Moreover, all of those people wore masks.

Only then did Muzan realize.

He had clearly been played by the Demon Slayer Corps!

At this rate, it was impossible to find that demon hunter at all!

Muzan Kibutsuji: Brothers are heart to heart, yet you play mind games with your brother?

Inside Infinity Castle, Muzan's expression darkened. He could no longer continue the experiment before him, so he immediately turned to Nakime behind him.

"Gather all the Upper Ranks for me!"

If he could not find him, then he would lure him out!

In the blink of an eye,

half a month had passed. During this period, the Demon Slayer Corps' operations had remained safe and uneventful, but Kagaya Ubuyashiki understood.

The calmer things appeared on the surface, the more turbulent the undercurrents would be!

It was like the final stillness before a storm!

Meanwhile,

over the past half month, Tanjiro had killed more than a hundred demons. His physique had undergone another qualitative transformation, and Ashura Maru had unlocked Sky Riding once more.

The Kasugai Crow flying overhead

brought news again, opening its beak to call out.

"Southeast-southeast! Southeast-southeast! The Ripper has appeared there!"

"A new mission again?"

After killing the demon before him, Tanjiro sheathed his sword and turned to look at the Kasugai Crow that had landed on his shoulder.

Perhaps because he carried too many people's hopes, Tanjiro had become much more composed now.

"Let's go, Ashura Maru!"

He spoke to himself, even though he received no response.

Not far behind him, Sanemi Shinazugawa had also completely changed his opinion of Tanjiro during this time. Although Tanjiro was kind enough to pity demons at times,

when it was time to strike, he showed no mercy whatsoever.

He was absolutely a qualified demon hunter. This made Sanemi believe even more firmly that Tanjiro could ultimately kill Muzan Kibutsuji!

The two did not stop and immediately headed toward the next destination.