But Tanjiro merely gave Jiraiya a cool glance and did not attack.
He first checked Nezuko's location and safety, then swept his gaze around and asked, "Sir, what happened while I was unconscious? The darkness in the sky is making me uncomfortable."
Jiraiya answered instinctively, "We traded a few blows without settling anything. Now that god has pinned us down with a single move. Let's retreat first. His Majesty will deal with her."
"Is that so? Arrogantly controlling me and everyone else, the thousand-year curse on Oyakata-sama's family, the birth of demons, the countless humans who died because of them... what role did the Fire God play in all of this?"
"I intend to get some answers." A cold glint shot from his eyes. Tanjiro seemed to have changed-not just in strength and bearing, but in the way he thought.
"Mmph..." Nezuko struggled, making muffled sounds as though she were worried about him.
Tanjiro paused, his voice softening. "Don't worry, Nezuko. Your big brother is strong now. Yoriichi passed all his secret arts on to me. I want to protect this world, protect everyone, and protect you!"
"And I want to avenge our family and humanity!"
"Just stay with... uh, what was your name?" He looked at Jiraiya awkwardly.
At that, Jiraiya immediately perked up. He launched into an embarrassing dance and introduced himself. "Ahem! I am the great Toad Sage..."
Before he could finish, Tanjiro ignored the awkward dance and calmly cut in. "Oh, so your name is Toad."
"No, that's my title. Yes, a title that will one day resound throughout other worlds! My real name is Jiraiya."
"Oh. Sorry for the trouble, but please release Nezuko. She'll help you evacuate Oyakata-sama and the others."
Without waiting for Jiraiya to answer, he sprinted toward the center of the