You were the one who led the Demon Slayer Corps here

"Are you all right?"

Giyu Tomioka swung his sword, severing the slit-mouthed demon's head.

Once he saw that the demon had begun turning to ash, he turned to look at Murata.

Under Giyu Tomioka's gaze, Murata answered instinctively:

"I'm fine..."

"Huh? I really do seem to be fine."

As Murata spoke, he checked his body.

Aside from a dull ache in his back from hitting the ground when the slit-mouthed demon tackled him, he really seemed to have suffered no other injuries.

Seeing this, something stirred in Lin Yoriichi's mind.

When the Kasugai Crow had said the name "Murata," he had not known which Demon Slayer Corps swordsman he had encountered.

But the man's signature black, center-parted hair, along with the fact that he had emerged from an encounter with a demon almost completely unscathed, finally made him realize who Murata was.

Murata, also known as the "Road Hashira" or the "Euro Hashira."

In the original "Hashira Slayer," he seemed to have taken the trial on Mount Fujikasane in the same cohort as Giyu Tomioka and Sabito.

He had later participated in the battle on Mount Natagumo and even taken part in the final battle.

After going through all those dangerous battles, he had still survived to the very end.

While Lin Yoriichi was thinking about this, he heard Murata say urgently:

"There's another demon here!"

No sooner had he spoken than a teeth-grating creak suddenly came from nearby.

A sharp claw pierced the wall of the wooden house beside them, tearing a long gash through it.

At the sight, Murata still looked badly shaken:

"I was being chased by this sharp-clawed demon to begin with."

"But just as I put some distance between us, that slit-mouthed demon tackled me to the ground!"

After saying this, Murata unconsciously looked at the two men beside him.

He had encountered two demons at once while on a demon-slaying mission.

That was absolutely rotten luck.

But encountering the Water Hashira while seeking help had to count as good luck.

And there was this swordsman wearing a red haori, too.

Although he was not wearing the Demon Slayer Corps uniform, since he was traveling with Mr. Tomioka, he must have been someone formidable as well!

Bang! Bang!

Several crashes rang out in succession as the wooden wall broke apart.

Two enormous arms tipped with bladed claws slashed and battered the wall, smashing a huge hole through it in just a few blows.

The wood chips and dust gradually cleared.

A short, stocky demon with extraordinarily large arms and an overall crablike shape appeared before the three of them.

The demon looked at the demon corpse disintegrating into ash at their feet and sneered with malicious glee:

"Tsk, you thought you could use your speed to get ahead of me and gobble up the tasty bits."

"And what happened? They killed you instead."

Then the demon looked at Murata and the two men beside him, grinning savagely:

"Hey! You, the kid with the black, center-parted hair!"

"Were you the one who led the Demon Slayer Corps here?"

"This is... wonderful!"

"I love catching you demon-hunting types and then devouring you little by little while you're still alive."

"You demon hunters are all top-quality food. The only reason I'm as strong as I am now is that I've eaten so many Demon Slayers..."

Before the demon had finished speaking, he suddenly moved.

[Blood Demon Art: Piercing Tongue]

Although he had already used his Blood Demon Art, the demon held his two enormous arms in front of himself, taking a stance as though about to charge.

At the same time, hidden behind his arms, the demon secretly opened his mouth.

A tongue covered in barbs and fleshy spikes drooped from his mouth, then swelled and shot forward like lightning!

That rapidly approaching tongue caught Murata completely off guard.

His eyes instantly widened in terror.

This creature had claws, arms strong enough to smash through walls, and looked like a crab.

Yet his actual method of attack was to use his tongue, like a frog!

Murata hastily raised his sword to block.

But just as the tongue was about to touch him, it suddenly curved through the air and shot toward Giyu Tomioka instead!

At the sight, Murata's mind went blank, and he instinctively cried out:

"Mr. Tomioka, watch out!"

Swish!

A blade flashed.

A long section of tongue was sliced off and fell to the ground.

Murata was filled with amazement:

So fast!

Was this the strength of a Hashira?

I didn't even see when Mr. Tomioka drew his sword!

Giyu Tomioka's seemingly ever-calm face was now filled with anger:

"Just how many Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen have you killed?"

The demon seemed utterly unconcerned about the severed section of his tongue on the ground. Instead, he said with sheer malice:

"When I was still human, I worked as an apprentice at 'Shima Bakery' in Nagoya."

"Thanks to that job, I don't even know how much bread I snuck bites of."

"Asking me how many Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen I've killed is like asking me..."

"Do you remember how much bread you've eaten?"

As he spoke, the demon suddenly launched another attack!

He spat the severed tongue straight out of his mouth.

Like a long spear, it shot toward Giyu Tomioka.

The severed section of tongue on the ground instantly coiled around Murata like a great snake!

The demon himself, however, charged toward Lin Yoriichi.

In his eyes, Murata was as slippery as a loach, making it difficult to catch him immediately.

The fellow wearing a Demon Slayer Corps uniform beneath a two-tone haori was definitely an expert!

Only the fellow with dark red hair wore an ordinary yellow garment beneath his red haori.

And his presence was even a little weaker than Murata's.

Clearly, this fellow was not a member of the Demon Slayer Corps at all!

Besides, he had not said a word the entire time. He must have been scared out of his wits.

Thus, the demon's target had been Lin Yoriichi from the very beginning.

Both his earlier Blood Demon Art and his words had been meant to distract the two Demon Slayer Corps members and lull them into a false sense of security.

The demon had gone to all this trouble just to seize the opportunity to take Lin Yoriichi hostage!

As long as he could catch him, he would surely escape with his life!

Facing the charging demon, Lin Yoriichi could not help looking surprised.

With the aid of the Transparent World, none of the demon's little tricks could escape his eyes.

But until the demon actually attacked him, Lin Yoriichi had not dared to be certain that this fellow's target really was him!

All Lin Yoriichi could say about this demon was that his courage was commendable.

And against such a brave warrior, of course he had to give it his all!

So Lin Yoriichi drew his sword.

The blade turned dark red the instant it left its sheath.

Wisps of white mist began escaping from the corners of his mouth.

His heartbeat accelerated, his body temperature rose, and the Demon Slayer Mark at his temple spread.

Transparent World, Sun Breathing, Bright Red Nichirin Sword, Demon Slayer Mark.

All four pieces of the demon-slaying set were assembled, fully expressing Lin Yoriichi's respect!