从鬼灭开始,成就最强魔刀! 第49章

Tokyo.

Shinjuku!

This was also a highly modernized city, though it placed greater emphasis on industry, with factories and railways visible everywhere.

By the time he arrived, the blazing sun hung high overhead.

Tanjiro walked through the bustling streets, occasionally hearing people whispering among themselves.

"I heard someone got ripped open again last night..."

"Was it the Ripper again? What the hell are those guys at the police station doing? Why haven't they caught him yet?!"

"I don't even dare go out at night anymore."

Hearing this, Tanjiro immediately approached the people who were talking and respectfully asked one of the plain-looking middle-aged men.

"Excuse me, where did that Ripper kill someone? Could you tell me?"

They all turned to look at him. The plain-looking middle-aged man did the same, and relaxed his guard when he saw that he was just a boy.

He assumed Tanjiro was merely curious, but still felt the need to warn him. "It was on a street near the train repair yard, but I'd advise you not to go there.

Several people have already died there. It's very dangerous."

Infinity Train Arc

"Thank you for the warning. I truly appreciate it!"

Tanjiro bowed, then turned and left without looking back, asking for directions as he hurried toward the train repair yard.

His nose twitched as he began searching for the scent of demons along the way.

And he had Ashura Maru as a radar, too.

Tanjiro only needed to find the general area, and Ashura Maru could pinpoint the exact location.

Together, they were exceptionally efficient at finding demons.

But when he arrived on one of the streets, Tanjiro indeed caught the lingering scent of a demon in the air, though it was not especially strong.

"There really is a demon here, but the scent is faint. It probably only passed through..."

He analyzed the situation based on the scent.

He followed the residual smell in the air, but the demon seemed to have been circling around. The streets in every direction nearby

were all tainted with the demon's scent, making it difficult to tell which way it had gone.

Just as Tanjiro was growing troubled, Ashura Maru's irritated voice rang out in his mind. "Are you an idiot? Since you can't track it,

can't you just wait here for it to come back? You can rest while you're at it. Try using your brain more often, will you?"

With that reminder, Tanjiro came back to his senses.

The demon's scent was so dense and complicated here that this was probably its hunting ground. Waiting here might actually work!

"Sorry, I was being too impatient."

It was not without reason. He was afraid of wasting precious time. Ever since leaving the Demon Slayer Corps to hunt demons,

he had barely rested properly. He had spent almost every day and night hunting evil demons, to the point that even Sanemi Shinazugawa, who had been following behind him, felt exhausted.

Fortunately, Tanjiro finally stopped. He found a secluded, empty alley, sat down on the ground, and fell into a deep sleep.

Sanemi Shinazugawa, who had been following him from behind, could finally find somewhere to rest as well.

Night fell.

In the pitch-black alley, Tanjiro suddenly woke up. His nose caught the unbearably foul stench of a demon in the air!

He immediately got to his feet and rushed out of the alley.

He looked toward the street he had come from.

A figure was rapidly approaching from that direction. It appeared to be a bald man with grayish-brown skin, blue markings across his body,

and strange dark green eyes.

The demon saw Tanjiro as well. His outfit, in particular, filled it with intense disgust.

"Ptooey... A demon slayer? I'll torture you to death! Hahahaha..."

As it spoke, it accelerated again.

Like a streak of blue light, it shot toward him.

Tanjiro immediately drew Ashura Maru from his waist, his enhanced eyes locking onto the demon.

Yet he could not help saying,

"So fast!"

The demon was clearly pleased by that, baring its teeth as it laughed.

"I'm the fastest!"

The moment it finished speaking,

it had already arrived before him. The demon raised its claws and struck, its target clear as it reached directly for Tanjiro's chest.

Tanjiro, on the other hand, gripped his blade with both hands and slashed forward, cutting its palm cleanly in half.

The demon immediately retreated.

After only a single exchange, it knew that the person before it was not someone to be trifled with. It had no intention of continuing the fight.

Instead, it swiftly backed away and grinned.

"You're pretty good, but I'm going to eat people now. Can you keep up with my speed?! Hahahaha...

By the time you get there, all you'll see are the corpses after I'm done eating!"

After saying that, it suddenly seemed to notice something. It looked at its split palm in confusion.

"What's wrong with my hand..."

Before it could finish,

a Nichirin Blade abruptly appeared behind it and severed its head, followed by several more slashes that shredded the head to pieces.

It did not even get to leave behind any last words.

Even Ashura Maru within the blade could not help but comment.

Indeed.

It came fast, and died fast.

The one who had appeared behind it was the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa. He glared fiercely at Tanjiro and harshly reminded him,

"Try to kill them in one strike from now on. Don't give these demons any chance to take advantage, got it?!"

"I understand, Mr. Shinazugawa!"

Tanjiro hurriedly sheathed his blade and replied.

Then, a Kasugai Crow appeared above their heads.

"Board the Mugen Train. Board the Mugen Train with the reinforcements..."

After the Kasugai Crow's voice faded,

three figures slowly came into the two men's view. The newcomers were none other than the Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku, along with Zenitsu and Inosuke!

Seeing each other again,

Tanjiro looked at the three in delighted surprise, a sincere smile spreading across his face. "Zenitsu, Inosuke, Mr. Rengoku..."

Kyojuro Rengoku looked back at him with bright eyes, praising him without hesitation. "You've grown stronger again, young man!"

"Tanjiro, I missed you so much..."

Zenitsu cried as he ran straight over, wanting to give him a hug, though his gaze remained fixed on the wooden box and Ashura Maru at Tanjiro's waist.

Inosuke also came over and laughed.

"Hahahaha, I've gotten stronger too, Tanjiro!"

The three youngsters chatted among themselves.

As for Kyojuro Rengoku, he walked directly over to Sanemi Shinazugawa. With a blazing gaze, he explained the details of the mission.

"This mission is due to more than forty passengers disappearing from the Mugen Train within a short period. Our purpose is to investigate and eliminate the demon causing harm aboard the train!"

Sanemi Shinazugawa nodded slightly at that.

"I have no objections to the mission, but if anything happens, Tanjiro must be allowed to leave safely!"

Kyojuro Rengoku agreed with that point. He turned his spirited gaze toward the three of them and answered righteously.

"No problem. Tanjiro's safety is the most important thing. Even if it costs me my life, I will protect him!

Besides, I have already asked at the train repair yard. The Mugen Train will resume operation tomorrow, and we can board it in the evening!

Until then, let's find somewhere to rest and prepare!"

As for that suggestion,

no one present had any objections. Under the cover of night, they found an inn and stayed there.

It was not until dusk the next day that they left the inn and headed to a nearby station to buy tickets.

After entering the platform, they watched the Mugen Train slowly pull in before them.

Among them, Inosuke spread his arms wide, his expression beneath the boar mask filled with shock. "What is this creature?! This guy must be the ruler of this land..."

As he spoke, he moved to draw his swords.

Tanjiro hurriedly stopped him from behind. "Wait, Inosuke. It might also be the guardian deity of this land. If you draw your swords recklessly..."

Zenitsu truly could not stand it anymore.

"You two country bumpkins, that's a train! It's a means of transportation for carrying people!"

Complaining as he did so, the group boarded the train.

The train had already taken Enmu's form.

Ashura Maru, within the blade, confirmed through its senses that the Mugen Train had already taken on the form of a demon. As expected, it was Lower Rank One, Enmu.

It was apparently still in the process of merging with the train, though Ashura Maru could not tell how far the fusion had progressed.

But it did not matter.

Tanjiro now had his own support.

With his abilities fully unleashed, he could kill it in a single strike. What they truly needed to worry about was Akaza, who would appear later.

Outside.

The group of five had already entered the train and taken their seats in the fourth carriage. Kyojuro Rengoku sat toward the front first, then cheerfully said,

"Sit here, Tanjiro."

At that, Tanjiro somewhat stiffly sat beside him by the window.

Inosuke excitedly slapped the window and shouted, "The inside of this steel beast is amazing!"

"Hey, don't smash the glass." Zenitsu hurried over to pull him back, terrified that the window would shatter the next second.

When he realized he could not stop him, he had no choice but to open the window.

Across from them, Sanemi Shinazugawa sat watching the two, his brows tightly furrowed in displeasure.

These two idiots...

Especially that blond-haired one. He really wanted to beat him to death...

Meanwhile, Kyojuro Rengoku folded his arms over his chest and stared solemnly ahead. "Become my tsuguko. I will do everything in my power to train you!

Train under me, and you can rest assured!"