"Whoosh!"
A Ninja Armor stepped onto a tree branch, used the momentum to push off, and quickly disappeared from the spot, leaving only the branch still shaking in place.
Uchiha Meikyō's figure swiftly darted through the mountains and forests.
Just now, the Shadow Clone he sent out dissipated and sent back a message that he had found the Kamado family.
Now, Meikyō quickly set off under the cover of night, as it was already winter.
Is it going to snow?
As dawn broke, a few snowflakes drifted down from the sky.
"I don't know if Muzan Kibutsuji will target the Kamado family today, but in any case, I have to get down the mountain before dark to avoid running into Muzan Kibutsuji."
As tiny snowflakes landed on her hair, Meikyō's mind raced, and she quickened her pace even further.
He wasn't confident he could defeat Muzan Kibutsuji in the dark, and even if he could cut off Muzan Kibutsuji's head, he could still recover quickly.
Unless he can be like Tsugikuni Yoriichi, able to unleash more than a thousand slashes in an instant.
"Da ba, da ba".
The heavy deerskin boots sank into the snow and were pulled out repeatedly, leaving a trail of footprints.
Tanjiro, carrying a basket on his back and saying goodbye to his family before heading out to sell Tanjiro, saw Uchiha Meikyō emerge from the forest.
With a slight twitch of his nose, Tanjiro didn't detect any malice from the newcomer—his sense of smell was exceptional; he could detect anything from scents and emotions to even the slightest flaws in a fight.
It's outrageous, but it's true.
"Huh? It's only just dawn, and it's snowing heavily. Why would someone come to the mountains alone?"
Tanjiro's mother, Kie, curiously sized up the newcomer.
He was a very handsome young man with striking features and bright, piercing eyes. He wore a magnificent blue-black haori, and underneath his long brown-black robe was a thick cotton coat suitable for the season. He must have come from a wealthy family, and he didn't look much older than his own son Tanjiro.
"Child, why are you here all alone? Have you gotten separated from your family? Why don't you come inside and wait for the snow to stop, and I'll try to find out about your family, okay?"
Kie walked up to Meikyō warmly and extended her hand in invitation.
This is not the Ninja World; Meikyō's appearance is very deceptive.
"Excuse me, is this the location of the Kamado family? I am Uchiha Meikyō, and I have come to pay my respects to the successor of the Dance of the Fire God."
Meikyō asked politely.
Kie and Tanjiro exchanged a surprised glance, then Aoi spoke:
"Dance of the Fire God is a dance passed down through generations of men in the Kamado family. However, my husband, Tanjuro, passed away last winter. The current successor is my eldest son Tanjiro. Why don't we go inside and talk?"
Before Meikyō could answer, Tanjiro spoke first.
"But Mother, I still need to go down the mountain to sell charcoal to earn money to buy rice, otherwise the rice left at home won't last for more than a few days."
"Tanjiro, it's alright. With the snow falling so heavily, there shouldn't be many people going out to buy charcoal. One morning won't be a problem."
Kie stroked her eldest son's red hair, her face full of affection.
"I wonder how much money Tanjiro usually earns from selling charcoal in a day? Is this enough?"
Meikyō took out a handful of silver dollars from her wallet.
Although most of the Demon Slayer Corps members kill demons voluntarily, the Ubuyashiki family has been operating in this country for thousands of years and is not short of money. Every swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps hunts demons with his life on the line, Ubuyashiki family provides him with very high welfare benefits.
"No, no need. Let's go inside. The wind and snow are too strong outside. Don't catch a cold."
Kie led Meikyō into the house, one hand holding Meikyo's hand and the other holding Tanjiro.
Passing through the curious gazes of Tanjiro's five younger siblings, the three arrived at the small living room of this little house.
"Tanjiro, Meikyō is about the same age as you, so you can go ahead and greet him. I'll go make some tea to serve the guests."
"Okay, Mom!"
"Thank you, Madam Kie."
Watching his mother's departing figure, Tanjiro quickly closed the door and looked at Uchiha Meikyō.
"Why do you know about Dance of the Fire God? And why do you want to know about her?"
Although Tanjiro could sense that Meikyō meant no harm, his keen sense of smell could still detect the strong smell of blood on Meikyō's body.
The boy in front of me, who looked not much older than me, was actually a man with blood on his hands!
Danger!
This is the most profound feeling that Meikyō gave Tanjiro.
Meikyō was unaware that Tanjiro possessed such keen perception.
"Because it is important, so important that it can save many people."
Meikyō said to Tanjiro with a serious expression.
He couldn't possibly start by talking about demons, swordsmen, Breathing Technique, or anything like that.
Tanjiro only believes what he has seen. Even if these things are told, without personal experience, everyone will only regard them as legends.
"In that case, I'll tell you everything I know, but I hope you can leave as soon as the snow stops."
Tanjiro remained vigilant.
Meikyō didn't care about this either.
He had already decided that if he couldn't persuade Tanjiro's family to come down the mountain and leave with him before dark, he would knock Tanjiro unconscious and tie him up alive.
Once we get rid of Tanjiro, that stubborn brat, everything else will be easy.
The topic gradually got back on track.
"Dance of the Fire God is a Kagura dance passed down through generations of the Kamado family. It is a dance to express gratitude to the fire god for giving us a way to feed ourselves, and also to pray for peace. There are twelve dance styles in total. Every New Year, my father would start from sunset and dance the twelve styles of Kagura from sunset until dawn."
As Tanjiro recounted his story, he became lost in memories.
Ever since Tanjuro miraculously killed the man-eating giant bear with an axe last year, despite his weakened state, he has been bedridden.
From that time on, at the age of eleven, he took over the responsibilities of the eldest son in the family, chopping firewood and making charcoal to help his mother support his younger siblings.
Even so, last New Year's Day, Tanjuro still struggled to get out of bed and danced Dance of the Fire God in the snow all night.
He asked his father why he did this even when he was sick, but Tanjuro replied that the Dance of the Fire God had to be danced until dawn, until the sun rose. Tanjuro also wanted to teach his eldest son the Dance of the Fire God's dance style, breathing method, and that strange feeling in his last dance.
"However, I am not as good as my father. The Dance of the Fire God very physically demanding. I have only memorized the movements and breathing for the twelve dance forms, but I cannot dance them in a continuous manner at all."
Tanjiro watched as Kie entered, carrying tea, and then turned to Meikyō.
According to the tradition of the Kamado family, he should also Dance of the Fire God during the New Year this year.