Are You Going Down the Mountain with Me, or Do I Have to Tie You Up and Take You Down?
"Wow—wow—!"
"Uchiha Meikyō! Uchiha Meikyō! Hurry to Little Brushwood Mountain next to you! A demon is attacking the mountain people! A demon is attacking the mountain people!"
In mid-air, Matsuchiro had flown back to the base after completing Meikyō mission, reappeared in mid-air at some point.
"Little Brushwood Mountain?"
"It's the mountain Tokito family! You were right!"
Oyakata Amane stared at the distant mountains, her face grim.
She specifically arranged for several Kasugai Crow to keep an eye on Tokito family so that if they were attacked by a ghost, the news could be spread quickly.
"I'll go first. Matsuchiro, get out and lead the way."
Meikyō said something indifferently, then used the Body Flicker Technique to leave with Matsuchiro, who had landed on his shoulder.
When Oyakata Amane turned around upon hearing the sound, Meikyō had already disappeared from sight.
"Hopefully, it's not too late."
Oyakata Amane gritted her teeth, gripped her Nichirin Blade, and followed.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
The wooden door of the cabin was banged on loudly and seemed about to fall off.
"Quick, Gate of Opening! Let me eat! I want to eat you all! I really want to eat!"
A beastly roar mixed with a hoarse, irritable voice came from outside the door. Tokito Yuichiro suppressed his fear and gripped the axe he usually used for chopping wood.
This is their only weapon, the only one that can give them a sliver of security.
Now, Tokito Yuichiro's heart is regret, deep regret.
What that woman said about the Initial Swordsman and the man-eating demon was actually true!
The woman invited the two of them to join the Demon Slayer Corps, but Ichiro's only response was to refuse.
But now, the man-eating demon has really come looking for us!
Ichiro felt that it didn't matter if he died, but he still had his younger brother Muichiro!
If he hadn't rejected that woman, Muichiro would definitely be perfectly safe right now!
Ichiro a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and looked at his younger brother Tokito Muichiro, behind him.
"Muichiro, don't be afraid. If the demon breaks down the door, I'll stop it. You just need to run towards the door!"
Ichiro has decided to sacrifice himself to give his younger brother a chance to survive.
"But, Nissan, you..."
"Your presence will only be a burden to me. Without you, I can escape more easily! Do you understand?"
"I... I..."
Muichiro stammered, unable to speak.
Ichiro was about to reprimand him, the flimsy wooden door collapsed with a crash, and a naked demon with bulging eyes rushed in, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.
"Muichiro, run!"
Ichiro a loud shout, Yuichiro swung his axe and chopped at the target.
Then, in the next second, the axe was knocked away.
"Run! You idiot!"
Seeing Muichiro with tears in his eyes, almost scared out of his Muichiro, Ichiro forcefully pulled the demon away, preventing it from getting close to Muichiro.
But for ghosts, it's all the same.
"Ah!"
Blood splattered as the starving demon bit into Muichiro's shoulder, tearing off a piece of flesh.
Just as Tokito Yuichiro despair, a bright flash of Kakkō streaked through the room, moving so fast that it almost formed a straight line through which the Hokage was created.
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire".
The sound of the Nichirin Blade being sheathed and the sound of the demon head hitting the ground rang out simultaneously.
The ghost that had just filled people with despair had now turned to ashes and vanished.
"The Tokito family?"
Meikyō looked at the two identical twins in front of him and asked.
Ichiro clutched his injured shoulder, nodded silently, opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
Even though it was daytime, he said so many hurtful things to that woman from the Demon Slayer Corps.
"Take your hand away."
Meikyō looked at Ichiro's injured shoulder, her tone leaving no room for doubt.
Overwhelmed by Meikyō's imposing presence Ichiro no choice but to comply.
A shimmering green light appeared in Meikyō's hand and was placed on Ichiro's shoulder.
With the help of Hemostasis Technique, Ichiro's injuries were quickly brought under control.
"Are you going to come down the mountain with me on your own, or am I going to tie you up and take you down the mountain?"
"We'll go down the mountain with you!"
Looking at the Tokito Yuichiro decisively chose to follow his heart.
He was genuinely scared.
Muichiro stood blankly in the corner, watching this scene, tears still glistening in the corners of his eyes.
Halfway up the mountain.
Oyakata Amane, carrying her Nichirin Blade, hurriedly headed up the mountain.
From afar, they could see Meikyō leading a pair of twin boys down the mountain path with a makeshift torch.
Oyakata Amane breathed a sigh of relief.
"It's so good that you're all alright."
Then, she quickly noticed the bloodstains on Ichiro's body.
"Are you injured? Let's stop the bleeding first before continuing our journey."
"No need, I have already treated his injuries using a ninja's secret technique."
Before Tokito Yuichiro answer, Meikyō took over the conversation. He paused for a moment, as if receiving some information, and then quickly handed the torch to Oyakata Amane.
"Senior Amane, I have other matters to attend to, so I'll trouble you to take these two back with you for now."
"Are there any other tasks?"
Oyakata Amane asked curiously.
She did not hear the Kasugai Crow's call.
"It's something even more important than the mission itself."
Meikyō paused for a moment, then continued:
"It's a very important matter, and it may be related to the Ancestral Breathing Technique that you told me about in town before."
Oyakata Amane's expression turned serious.
Is there any danger?
"If it hadn't snowed."
What does it have to do with snow? Oyakata Amane didn't understand, but she nodded and took the torch.
If it's truly dangerous for someone as powerful as Meikyō, who possesses strength surpassing most Pillars, then it's beyond her capabilities to intervene.
All she could do was bring the Tokito Brothers back to the Demon Slayer Corps first, and then inform her husband Ubuyashiki Kagaya, about the matter so that he could make the arrangements.
Meikyō's figure vanished from the spot in Setsuna.
Ichiro stared dumbfounded at Meikyō's figure disappearing like a ghost, then stiffly turned his head to look at Oyakata Amane.
"How did he manage to do that? He looks about my age!"
Oyakata Amane smiled slightly.
She didn't have a specific understanding of Meikyō's strength, but she knew that when Meikyō joined the Demon Slayer Corps, Ubuyashiki Kagaya told her that the Demon Slayer Corps would soon have another powerful Pillar.
"He should be able to become a pillar soon."
"Column?"
"The Pillars are the strongest fighting force of the Demon Slayer Corps. Each of them is a powerful warrior who has slain countless powerful demons."
Ichiro stared in the direction where Meikyō had disappeared, a thought flashed through his mind.
If I could become a Pillar, would I be able to protect Muichiro?