"Bang!"
A searing bullet tore through the night sky, knocking a demon in the clearing back two steps.
Genya clenched his blade between his teeth and, after firing the last round in the barrel, deftly leaped backward to reload.
Tanjiro tightened his grip on his sword and slashed two streaks of starlight at the other demon that had come after them.
He caught Mr. Urokodaki's scent, faint and neither near nor far.
He must have heard Genya's gunshots and reached the foot of the mountain as quickly as he could.
He had not shown himself immediately. Perhaps he was standing in the mountain woods, watching the boys fight.
Perhaps Mr. Urokodaki felt that neither demon was worth his intervention, so he had left them to the boys to see how much their training had accomplished.
"Hah... hah..."
Tanjiro's lungs burned fiercely, a side effect of overusing his Breathing Style.
Genya, who was even younger than him, seemed to be handling himself with ease. Tanjiro silently admired him while trying to encourage himself.
Come on, Tanjiro!
If you can't even defeat the demon in front of you, how will you take the trial on Mount Fujikasane?
How will you face Muzan Kibutsuji, who killed your mother and turned Nezuko into a demon?!
You're the eldest son, the one your younger siblings depend on. You can't let yourself fall!
Just as he was thinking this, Genya, who was fighting the other demon with his gun and sword, was kicked into the Wooden Cabin and crashed heavily to the ground.
Genya quickly rolled over and got up, turning his head to spit out a mouthful of blood.
Damn it! I landed on my face!
He prodded his teeth with his tongue. The impact had even loosened the ones on the side!
You bastard!