Something's Off About This Plot

"Mr. Demon!" Tanjiro tightened his grip on his Nichirin Blade, its tip trembling slightly. He could smell it: that pure, beastly hunger.

"Tanjiro..."

Kiyohiko struggled to force out the words. He had meant to tell Tanjiro to knock him out while he could still control himself, then let him recover slowly with time.

But before Kiyohiko could finish, he heard a rush of footsteps and Tanjiro's apologetic shout:

"I'm sorry! But I can't cut you down!"

What... That's not what I was trying to say...

Then Kiyohiko saw something rapidly expanding in his field of vision: a smooth, incredibly hard-forehead.

Thud!

A tremendously deep boom, like a temple bell being struck, echoed through the forest.

Time seemed to stop at that moment.

Kiyohiko felt as though his brain had been struck head-on by a speeding bullet train.

That wasn't pain. His soul had left his body.

His eyeballs nearly popped out from the impact, his fangs bit into his tongue, and his head snapped backward, sending his body flying through the air in a graceful arc.

Huh?

In the last 0.01 seconds before he lost consciousness, a flicker of confusion passed through Kiyohiko's brain, which had already turned to mush.

That's not what I meant.

The script... is wrong...

Thump.

Kiyohiko hit the ground hard, his eyes rolled back and his tongue hanging out as he passed out cold. The terrifying killing intent and hunger vanished the instant he lost consciousness.

Tanjiro crouched on the ground, clutching his swollen red forehead and hissing through the pain, tears shooting from the corners of his eyes. "Ow... Ow... A demon's skull really is harder than stone..."

Zenitsu slowly poked his head out from behind a tree. He looked at Kiyohiko lying motionless on the ground, then at Tanjiro clutching his forehead, and his jaw nearly hit the ground.

He had heard that tremendous bang loud and clear. It was the sound of bones colliding, and it sounded like... Tanjiro's bones had won.

"You..." Zenitsu pointed a trembling finger at Tanjiro, the terror on his face turning to awe. "You really are... a real iron-headed man!! You actually headbutted a demon unconscious?! What's inside your head?! Is it steel?!"

Tanjiro rubbed his forehead and explained with a serious look, "Mr. Demon became like this because he was saving someone... I can't kill him."

"Mr. Demon must have been trying to tell me to kill him just now. He's truly great, and I don't want him to die. If I just knock him unconscious, he should be able to calm down."

He walked over to the unconscious Kiyohiko and looked at the strange demon who had left himself battered and torn up for a stranger. With a soft sigh, he tore a strip of cloth from his haori and carefully stuffed it into Kiyohiko's mouth as a gag, to stop him from biting people when he woke up.

"Zenitsu, give me a hand. The sun's coming up soon. We need to hide him in the shade."

"Huh?! I have to carry him too? He'll eat me when he wakes up, won't he?! He'll definitely eat me first because my meat is tender!" Although Zenitsu kept protesting, his body was honest enough to run over. He sniffled as he prepared to lift Kiyohiko's feet.

"Hey... Tanjiro... Did he, did he get smaller?"

Zenitsu suddenly said, pointing at Kiyohiko.

Kiyohiko had originally been of normal build, but now, with his strength exhausted and hunger extreme, his body had instinctively activated a self-protection mechanism. He had shrunk to the size of an eight- or nine-year-old child and lay curled on the ground like a sleeping porcelain doll. His clothes were far too big for him now, hanging loosely around him, with only a tuft of black hair and one small, pale hand showing.

"Yeah."

Tanjiro's gaze was gentle and firm. "That makes things easier too. Zenitsu, let's make a wooden box and carry him along with us. Mr. Demon is too weak right now. We can't leave him here."

Clearly, he was treating Kiyohiko like Nezuko.

"That may be, but we're taking a demon to the finish line! We'll be killed, won't we?! The Hashira will definitely chop our heads off!"

Though Zenitsu continued to mutter in despair, he still turned to look for a suitable tree.

[System notification: Bond level with Tanjiro increased! Current level: Lv. 2]

[Reward obtained: Body strength increased by 30%, head strength increased by 50%]

[Reward obtained: All attributes increased slightly]

[System notification: Bond level with Zenitsu increased! Current level: Lv. 2]

[Reward obtained: Speed increased by 40%]

[Reward obtained: All attributes increased slightly]

As the system announcements sounded, Kiyohiko's body underwent changes without a sound. Of course, Kiyohiko had no way of knowing that now.

Just then, a rustling came from the bushes ahead.

"Who's there?!"

Tanjiro was instantly on alert, his hand on the hilt of his Nichirin Blade. Zenitsu immediately hid behind Tanjiro, his teeth chattering audibly.

"Um... Is that..."

The young swordsman's eyes widened as he pointed at the half of Kiyohiko's face visible in profile. "That demon?"

Tanjiro's heart tightened, and he instinctively turned sideways to shield the person on his back. "Please don't misunderstand! He may be a demon, but he hasn't eaten anyone! He..."

"It's him!!"

The young swordsman suddenly cut Tanjiro off in excitement, his eyes instantly reddening. He rushed forward and, under Tanjiro's wary gaze, bowed deeply.

"It really is him... I recognize those clothes. Last night, two deformed demons attacked me. I killed them, but I nearly died there too. He suddenly rushed out and 'sucked' my injuries away."

He glanced at Zenitsu. "Oh, and you too. That blond guy trailing after the demon with snot and tears running down his face. You're here too!"

"Hey! Who are you talking about?!" Zenitsu jumped up in anger.

The young man touched his chest, now completely healed, with a trembling hand. His voice choked:

"I saw how much pain he was in. I was so scared that I just ran away... I really regretted it. I thought he was dead."

Tanjiro stared, then smiled in relief. "He's not dead. He's just too tired."

"I saw it too."

Another voice came from behind a tree. A female swordsman with a scar on her face emerged, steadying herself against the trunk. Behind her were two injured people supporting each other.

"My eyes... I was nearly blind." The swordswoman pointed at her clear eyes. "He put his hand over my eyes, and then his eyes started bleeding. Who would believe a demon did something like that if they hadn't experienced it themselves?"

"You're going to the finish line, right?"

"I'm coming with you."

The first young swordsman drew his heavily notched blade and stood to Tanjiro's left.

"The Demon Slayer Corps might kill him. I'm willing to vouch for him, but I'm afraid I won't be enough on my own."

"Count me in." The swordswoman stood to his right. "I don't know if I can pass the selection, but if I don't repay a kindness, I'm not worthy of being a swordswoman."