With a tiger's roar, the massive swirling cocoon woven from blood threads shattered in an instant.
A moment later, a brilliant white line flashed from the blade. The Snow Tiger swallowed Rui and dispersed, leaving Lin Guang standing behind him.
Rui's head fell to the ground, and his body began dissolving uncontrollably.
Lin Guang drew a Blood-Collection Blade and stabbed it into Rui's corpse. Once he had collected the blood, blue light swirled in his eyes.
In his final moments, Rui recalled his memories.
"I remember everything clearly now. I've always wanted to apologize. I'm sorry!"
"Everything... everything... was my fault. Please forgive me. But I've already killed countless people. I'm bound to go to hell, aren't I? I'm sure I can't go to the same place as Father and Mother."
"That isn't true. Let's go together, Rui, even if it means going to hell," said a man with the same hairstyle as Rui, patting his back.
At that moment, the souls of a man and a woman sheltered Rui's soul.
"Father, Mother." Rui's soul stared at the people beside him in disbelief.
"We'll always be together, Rui," his mother said gently.
Rui's soul shed its demonic appearance and became human again. Sobbing, he threw himself into his mother's arms.
Watching the souls of Rui and his family,
Lin Guang offered a silent prayer.
Tanjiro was right. Demons are such tragic creatures. Please pass on in peace. I'll carry your strength with me and destroy Muzan Kibutsuji.
[Ding! The host has slain Lower Rank Five-Rui. Drops: 5 Bronze Treasure Chests, 10 Black Iron Treasure Chests.]
At the sound, Lin Guang jolted.
"Shit! I forgot to use Predator!"
Lin Guang stared at the empty ground and couldn't help giving himself two hard slaps.
"How could I forget?! Ugh! Whatever, at least I got Treasure Chests, so it wasn't a total loss. No, wait! Those Treasure Chests were mine anyway! I still lost out!"
In the end, Lin Guang tearfully collected all the Treasure Chests.
Suddenly, a seemingly emotionless voice came from behind him.
"What's wrong with you, Lin Guang?"
Lin Guang looked up, and his sorrowful expression vanished instantly.
"Giyu, what brings you here?"
"The Master received word that one of the Twelve Kizuki was here, so he sent Shinobu Kocho and me," Giyu Tomioka said flatly.
"But you actually defeated a Lower Rank of the Twelve Kizuki on your own."
Lin Guang put a hand behind his head and said casually, "It wasn't too bad, though I couldn't kill him as easily as you could."
Giyu Tomioka fell silent for a moment, then said, "Thank you, Lin Guang."
Lin Guang froze briefly, then smiled. "No need to thank me. If I hadn't been too young to take part in Final Selection that year, maybe that wouldn't have happened. But it's all over now."
Giyu Tomioka nodded without another word.
Then Lin Guang said, "That boy traveling with a demon is on this mountain too. Let's hurry."
Giyu Tomioka paused at those words, then remembered Tanjiro and Nezuko, whom he had met over a year ago.
"I saw them. They're not far from here..."
Before he finished speaking, Giyu Tomioka broke into a run.
Lin Guang knew what Giyu Tomioka was worried about and followed him, thinking to himself as he went.
The last time I went to see Shinobu, she refused to see me. I wonder what'll happen when we meet in a moment.
Soon, Lin Guang and Giyu Tomioka reached the stream.
Seeing Inosuke dangling from a tree, Lin Guang couldn't help laughing.
"Hahaha!"
The moment Inosuke spotted Lin Guang and Giyu Tomioka, he started shouting.
"Hey! Get me down! Once I'm down, I'm going to punch you! And you, Lin Guang! Stop laughing over there, or I'll punch you too!"
"Then you'd better hang up there a little longer," Lin Guang said with a laugh.
Then Lin Guang surveyed his surroundings. Shattered ice littered the ground, along with several larger ice spikes.
Suddenly, a dark figure rushed into Lin Guang's arms.
Lin Guang took a closer look and realized it was Nezuko.
Just then, Tanjiro walked over as well.
"Senior Lin Guang, Nezuko has awakened her Blood Demon Art. It seems to be some kind of power to control ice."
At that, the corner of Lin Guang's mouth twitched as he looked at Nezuko in his arms.
Did my blood turn Nezuko's Blood Demon Art into an ice-controlling power? Then what happened to her original Blood Demon Art, Exploding Blood?
Suddenly, several butterflies fluttered around Lin Guang, and a girl wearing a haori patterned like butterfly wings rushed toward him.
The instant Shinobu Kocho saw Lin Guang, her blade, which had just left its sheath, stopped moving. Her swift advance gradually slowed to a halt as well.
Looking at the beautiful girl before him, Lin Guang said softly, "Shinobu, it's been a long time."
Shinobu Kocho looked at Lin Guang's familiar yet unfamiliar face. The faint smile remained on her lips as she spoke as gently as she could.
"It has been a long time, Lin Guang. Do you realize that what you're protecting is a demon? It's very dangerous."
"Shinobu, are you still angry with me?" Lin Guang asked suddenly.
Tanjiro's mouth dropped open as though he had discovered a whole new world.
Shinobu Kocho continued smiling at Lin Guang. "No, I'm really not angry at all."
Lin Guang handed Nezuko to Tanjiro and said, "Take your sister and stay beside Giyu. Don't go anywhere else. Understood?"
Tanjiro looked at Lin Guang, unsure what to say. Nezuko also watched him, not understanding why he was doing this.
Suddenly, Shinobu Kocho drew her blade and thrust it at Nezuko.
Lin Guang's Nichirin Blade flashed out of its sheath as well, blocking Shinobu Kocho's attack.
"Giyu, sorry for the trouble, but please look after Tanjiro and his sister!"
Giyu Tomioka nodded, and Lin Guang turned his attention back to his fight with Shinobu Kocho.
"Shinobu, it's been a long time since we sparred. Your thrusts are as powerful as ever."
Shinobu Kocho looked at Lin Guang and Giyu Tomioka with a hint of exasperation in her eyes.
"Lin Guang, you're a member of the Demon Slayer Corps now too. Do you realize this violates the Corps Regulations?"
Holding his Nichirin Blade, Lin Guang met Shinobu Kocho's eyes. "I know, but those siblings are different. So I hope you'll hear me out."
Shinobu Kocho looked at Lin Guang, countless questions filling her mind. Why had he refused to join the Demon Slayer Corps with her back then? Why had he joined now? Why hadn't he told her after joining? And why was he protecting a demon now?
Those questions nearly made Shinobu Kocho lose control, but reason told her not to lose her composure. She had to maintain the smile her older sister had loved so much.
"I don't want to waste time here. Besides, you can't stop me as you are now."
As she spoke, Shinobu Kocho moved with light, flowing grace and reached Lin Guang in moments.
Just then, a Kasugai Crow's voice rang out.
"Orders! Orders! Orders from headquarters! Capture Tanjiro and Nezuko and bring them back to headquarters!"
"Capture Tanjiro and the demon Nezuko and bring them back to headquarters!"
"Tanjiro wears a checkered haori and has a scar on his forehead! Nezuko is a demon girl with bamboo in her mouth!"
Before you continue