『Nezuko』: "Where... am I?"
『Nezuko』: "Onii-chan?"
Just as Tanjiro wondered how Carl would heal Nezuko
A clear, delicate voice rang out beside him.
!!!
Tanjiro froze.
That voicehe had heard it countless times before.
It was Nezuko's voice!
Could it be… she'd recovered?
Since the day she turned into a demon, Nezuko had never spoken again.
Wellshe had, technically, once.
During the battle against Rui, the Lower Moon Five, she'd shouted the name of her attack
but Tanjiro, fighting for his life, hadn't even noticed.
Now, he slowly turned toward the source of the voice.
The bamboo muzzle that was once clenched between her lips now rested in her hand.
Nezuko's wide eyes blinked in confusion as she looked around the room.
Her expression was no longer the dazed, docile look of a demon
it was the same soft, innocent face she had before her transformation.
『Tanjiro』: "Nezuko!"
Tanjiro ran to her, voice breaking, and pulled her into a tight embrace.
Tears streamed freely down his face.
For over two years, every moment of his life had been devoted to one wish
to bring his sister back.
He had trained until his body broke,
fought countless demons,
and endured pain no ordinary boy could bear.
All for this.
He had grown stronger, braver
but now, as he held her once more, the tears wouldn't stop.
『Nezuko』: "Onii-chan..."
She didn't understand why her brother was crying,
nor where she was,
but seeing him weep so hard, she said nothing
only gently patted his back with a tender smile.
The Hashira who witnessed this stood frozen in disbelief.
As the strongest swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps,
they could instantly sense what Tanjiro could not
Nezuko… was human again.
Moments ago, she had undeniably been a demon.
They had seen her with their own eyes
her fangs, her aura, her restraint under sunlight.
Demons could not withstand the sun.
It was an immutable truth.
And yet, before them stood a girl who could.
Her presence radiated no malice, no demonic energy.
It was impossible.
Unheard of.
A demon turning back into a human?
And it had happened without a single movement from Carl.
No chanting, no ritual, no power surgenothing.
『Shinobu』: "…Did he… just do that? Without… doing anything?"
『Giyu』: "I don't know. But she's… human. Completely human."
They could scarcely believe their own senses.
Some even wanted to test itto bring her outside, into the sunlight.
But with Carl standing there,
none of them dared to move without permission.
The blind Ubuyashiki Kagaya, head of the Demon Slayer Corps,
could not see what had transpired.
But he could feel the shock that rippled through the room.
Beside him stood two silver-haired girls
his twin daughters, Ubuyashiki Hinae and Ubuyashiki Nichika.
They were his attendants, ever by his side due to his frail condition.
Hinae tugged gently on her father's sleeve.
『Ubuyashiki Hinae』: "Father…"
He lowered his head as she whispered softly into his ear.
!!
The moment her words reached him, Kagaya's calm composure shattered.
Even for someone as serene and wise as he was,
the idea was simply beyond comprehension.
A demon… turned human again?
Impossible.
In all his years as head of the Corps
even with his bloodline tied to Muzan Kibutsuji himself
he had never heard of such a miracle.
Not even the strongest Hashira had imagined this could happen.
The shock he felt was greater than anyone's.
Carl, watching Tanjiro clutch his now-human sister,
smiled faintly.
It was a touching sight
one he didn't wish to disturb.
He turned to leave quietly.
『Carl』: "…"
But then
『Ubuyashiki Kagaya』: "C–Carl… Carl."
The voice that stopped him was trembling.
Carl paused and looked back, surprised.
He hadn't expected the frail clan leader to call out to him.
『Carl』: "What is it?"
『Ubuyashiki Kagaya』: "Did you… truly turn Nezuko, once a demon, back into a human?"
『Carl』: "That's right."
The answer was calm, almost casual.
Kagaya fell silent for a momentthen asked again, voice shaking:
『Ubuyashiki Kagaya』: "How… how did you accomplish such a thing?"
『Carl』: "Just a flick of the wrist."
He smiled faintly.
『Carl』: "Why? You want to save someone?"
『Carl』: "Unfortunately, this method is mine alone."
『Ubuyashiki Kagaya』: "I see… I suppose something like this…"
His voice softened, tinged with both awe and sorrow.
『Ubuyashiki Kagaya』: "If anyone else could do it, the world would have already known."
After a long pause, he bowed his head.
『Ubuyashiki Kagaya』: "Thank youfor satisfying my curiosity."
『Carl』: "Mm."
Carl nodded lightly, a little surprised.
He had expected more from the leader
perhaps a plea, or a moral appeal to heal others.
But noUbuyashiki did neither.
He didn't beg, didn't pressure, didn't moralize.
He simply… accepted it.
And that alone earned Carl's respect.
『Carl』: (A wise man. Calm, intelligent, and not blinded by righteousness.)
His gaze drifted back to Tanjiro
still sobbing quietly, clutching Nezuko's shoulders.
Carl activated his Super Vision,
scanning the entire world of Kimetsu no Yaiba.
In seconds, he found what he was looking for.
His power pulsed, and with a twist of space
A figure appeared before him.
A tall young man, pale-skinned,
with black hair and burning red eyes beneath a soft-brimmed hat.
Elegant. Handsome.
And unmistakably dangerous.
!!
Tanjiro's senses flaredhis nose caught that all-too-familiar scent.
His tears stopped instantly.
He shoved Nezuko behind him, drawing his broken Nichirin Blade.
『Tanjiro』: "Muzan Kibutsuji! Why are you here!?"
Yes.
The figure standing before them
Was none other than Muzan Kibutsuji,
the King of Demons himself.