Chapter 65 – Hinokami Kagura
Blades of light collided in the mist—
The battle had begun.
Blue arcs sliced through the air like flowing water, each slash dancing with grace, yet carrying deadly precision.
In the thick fog, Tanjuro Kamado moved like a man performing a sacred ritual. His every motion flowed effortlessly with the "instrument" in his hand—a simple wooden branch.
There was a sharp crack when his branch met Tanjiro's blade. And in the next breath, the tip of that branch pierced the air—fast, sharp, almost as if it tore through space itself—landing right in front of Tanjiro's chest.
With a clean sweep, the branch struck, sending Tanjiro flying backward.
The fog wrapped around him like a curtain, obscuring everything beyond a few feet.
Tanjiro landed hard, pain shooting through his body, but he gritted his teeth and stood back up.
"Father... You're still so incredibly strong."
He tightened his grip around the Nichirin Blade, its watery blue hue gleaming faintly.
His red hair danced in the wind, and the iconic hanafuda earrings of the Kamado family swayed gently from his ears.
His crimson eyes stayed fixed on the figure ahead.
He knew—if his father hadn't held back just now, if that blow had landed with the sharp tip, not the side of the branch—he wouldn't still be standing.
That was the kind of strength his father wielded.
And yet...
"Even so… I still can't bring myself to swing my sword at him."
Tanjiro let out a deep breath.
This wasn't the first time he'd been sent flying.
Each time he tried to get close—each time he saw his father's familiar face—his heart hesitated. His hands refused to strike.
He couldn't hurt someone he loved.
Even if this was only a spiritual trial, an illusion, part of the training…
"Come, Tanjiro."
His father's calm but firm voice echoed through the fog.
"If you can't defeat me… how will you protect your mother, Nezuko, and your siblings?"
Tanjiro exhaled again, this time deeper, steadier.
Then slowly, he raised his blade once more.
This was a trial.
And if it's a trial—then it's one he had to overcome.
"Water Breathing: First Form – Water Surface Slash!"
Tanjiro stepped forward, unleashing a clean, horizontal slash. The blade carved through the mist with elegance and force.
His father smiled softly.
"So… you've finally made up your mind."
Tanjuro lifted the branch in his hand, preparing to counter.
"Come, Tanjiro. Show me the strength of your resolve—the will to protect those you love."
Water trailed through the air like silk, tracing a path that reached his father's cheek with a glimmer of cold.
But just before it could land a clean blow—
Tanjiro twisted his wrist.
The blade curved, slicing again in a smooth arc—like a dance.
And his father moved in kind.
With nimble steps and flowing motion, Tanjuro advanced—spinning the branch in a way that resembled an ancient dance.
This was Hinokami Kagura—the Dance of the Fire God. A ceremonial dance passed down through generations in the Kamado family. Nothing more than a folk ritual...
But in Tanjuro's hands, it became something divine.
The branch twirled and circled through the air, cutting across Tanjiro's path like fire made flesh. The tip glowed faintly—an ember burning in the darkness.
And just before their movements fully clashed—
Tanjiro spun again, changing the direction of his blade—
Blue and red light met in midair.
Tanjuro froze.
Tanjiro was… moving in perfect unison with him.
The steps.
The rhythm.
The breathing.
Everything mirrored.
"Tanjiro, you…"
"Don't forget, Father. You were the one who taught me Hinokami Kagura!"
Tanjiro's voice was clear and unwavering.
"I'll never hurt my family. Not ever!"
Even as he moved, his eyes stayed locked on his father's.
And those eyes… blazed like fire.
Tanjuro paused for a moment.
And then—
He laughed.
A soft, proud laugh.
"So that's it…"
He'd seen it.
Tanjiro's resolve.
It wasn't hesitation.
It wasn't fear.
It was belief.
Belief that he didn't need to fight his family to prove his strength.
Belief that they could still be protected.
Belief that love and resolve could coexist.
And so...
"Very well. Then let us, as father and son, offer this dance together—to the Fire God."
Tanjuro smiled warmly.
Tanjiro blinked.
For the first time… he saw a new expression on his father's face.
"Yes, Father."
He nodded.
Even if this was all just a dream—
Even if it wasn't real—
In this moment, he chose to believe it.
The mist swirled gently around them.
Two figures—father and son—danced as one, their movements synchronized like mirrored flames. Blue and red light blended together, illuminating the fog in soft waves.
And slowly—
Tanjuro Kamado's body began to fade.
"Tanjiro… from here on, I leave everything to you."
His final steps were completed.
His voice lingered in the air.
Tanjiro came to a stop.
Alone once more—only white mist remained around him.
He stood still.
Then exhaled long and deep.
"I will… Father."
He sheathed his sword.
The light in his eyes burned more steadily now. The pattern on his forehead—the Demon Slayer Mark—shifted slightly in form, growing sharper, more defined.
Even if it was just a vision—
His promise remained real.
— — —
"That wasn't an illusion."
A quiet voice drifted from the porch outside the house.
Hikaru smiled faintly.
"I've yet to create any illusion powerful enough to replicate the Transparent World, or the full grace of Hinokami Kagura."
Beside him, Nezuko had fallen asleep without even noticing—her head resting gently against his shoulder.
Night had deepened.
The fog still cloaked the mountain.
And from within that fog… a figure slowly emerged.
A man in a long, deep green haori. Slim, pale-skinned, with long red hair and matching crimson eyes.
"Good evening, Kamado-san."
"Good evening, Hikaru-san."
Tanjuro Kamado sat quietly across from Hikaru.
His face was calm, as always—expressionless yet not cold. And when his gaze fell upon Nezuko's peaceful sleeping face, he smiled.
Silent, but warm.
"Too bad there's no tea."
"Even if there were, I couldn't drink it."
"Still, it's polite to offer."
Hikaru chuckled quietly.
"So… is it enough?"
"Yes. It's enough."
Tanjuro looked toward the mist, eyes soft.
"Tanjiro has grown well. There's nothing left to worry about. It's time for me to move on… to return to the other side."
He slowly stood, bowing deeply toward Hikaru.
"Thank you… Hikaru-san."
"No, thank you."
Hikaru clapped his hands together gently.
"Your Hinokami Kagura… was truly beautiful."
Tanjuro smiled faintly.
The mist thickened once again, and his form vanished into the white.
"May you find peace in reincarnation… Though this may be our first meeting, I hope fate brings us together again someday."
Hikaru whispered softly.
The fog drifted quietly around him.
And once more—everything returned to silence.
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