Horitake froze, utterly mortified by Tanjirou's misunderstanding.
What did he mean, doing strange things to Nezuko? Did Tanjirou really think he was that kind of person!?
Well… maybe just a little.
But was this really the time to dwell on such nonsense!? Horitake was in the middle of discussing serious matters with Tanjirou!
Fuming, Horitake's temper flared. Having gotten a bit too comfortable smacking Zenitsu around back at Peach Mountain, he barely resisted the urge to bonk Tanjirou on the head. His tone sharp, he snapped, "Tanjirou, do you seriously think I'm that kind of guy? Nezuko's in this state—what could I possibly do to her? What would I do!?"
Tanjirou, ever cautious, hesitated. "But… Horitake-senpai, why did you ask us to leave? Why do you need to be alone with Nezuko?"
That… was hard to explain.
Left with no choice, Horitake raised his hand as if taking an oath, swearing earnestly to Tanjirou, "I swear on my honor, Tanjirou, I won't do anything weird to Nezuko. If I do anything wrong, may lightning strike me dead!"
(You've already been struck by lightning, a small voice in his head reminded him.)
Tanjirou wavered for a moment but, seeing Horitake's sincerity, finally relented. "Alright. Master Urokodaki and I will step outside. But Horitake-senpai, you better not do anything strange!"
"Got it! Don't you trust me!?"
Tanjirou stood and left the room.
Urokodaki followed suit, trailing behind Tanjirou without a word.
As they left, Horitake called after them, "No peeking or eavesdropping, got it?"
With that, he shut the door, leaving Tanjirou and Urokodaki outside.
Urokodaki settled in the outer room, silent. As an outsider, he felt it wasn't his place to comment.
Tanjirou, however, frowned, his heart uneasy.
Suddenly, a memory struck him. When he first met Horitake, hadn't his senpai jokingly said he'd make Nezuko his bride?
That… couldn't have been serious, right?
Tanjirou's worry deepened. He considered pressing his ear to the door to listen, but Horitake's warning echoed in his mind.
No, Tanjirou was a good kid. He suppressed the urge, waiting anxiously instead.
Inside the room, none of Tanjirou's fears came to pass. After all, Horitake and Nezuko weren't alone—the spirits of the Kamado family lingered by her side. How could Horitake dare act out with them watching?
The real reason he'd asked Tanjirou and Urokodaki to leave was simple: he needed to speak with Tanjirou's family.
Activating his spirit vision, Horitake saw the Kamado family still gathered around Nezuko. He quickly bowed to her parents, a gesture of respect. "Uncle, Auntie, and all the little siblings, hello."
Takeo, Tanjirou's younger brother, gasped in surprise. "Huh? This big brother can actually see us!?"
Horitake smiled, pointing to his eyes. "These eyes of mine can see things others can't."
"That's amazing…" Takeo marveled.
Kie, the gentle mother, spoke warmly to Horitake. "Tanjirou and Nezuko are so lucky to have a friend as capable as you. Oh, I haven't thanked you yet for saving them before. Thank you, truly…"
She was referring to Horitake's first system mission, that fateful encounter.
With that, Kie bowed deeply in gratitude.
Such a grand gesture overwhelmed Horitake. This was his future mother-in-law, his elder—how could he accept such a bow!?
But as spirits, they were intangible, and he couldn't stop her. Left with no choice, Horitake returned an even deeper bow, his voice flustered. "No, no, it was nothing! I just happened to meet Tanjirou and Nezuko in danger. I couldn't stand by and do nothing. Please, Auntie, don't be so formal!"
After their mutual thanks, Tanjirou and Nezuko's father, Tanjuurou, spoke up. Though frail in appearance, his serious expression carried an undeniable weight. "Horitake, my boy, is it alright if I call you that?"
"Of course, Uncle!"
"Good. Horitake, tell me—is what you said about Nezuko's condition true?"
Facing his future father-in-law, Horitake answered with utmost sincerity. "It's true. My eyes can see beyond the ordinary. By observing Nezuko's state, I can confirm she's transforming her body through sleep. Uncle, Auntie, don't worry—when she wakes, she won't need to eat humans anymore. She'll recover her strength through sleep alone."
"I see…" Tanjuurou's stern expression softened visibly. He reached out, gently stroking Nezuko's forehead with a look of heartache. "This poor child… she's been through so much."
Kie's eyes glistened with tears. "And Tanjirou… these past six months, he's suffered so much. My heart aches for both of them."
Her soft sobs stirred Tanjuurou's own protective instincts. "Indeed. I passed too soon to care for our family. Tanjirou's been holding it together ever since, and now with this… both of them have endured far too much."
Seeing his future mother-in-law on the verge of tears, Horitake rushed to console them. "Disasters like this, no one can predict them, right? But Nezuko's condition is improving, and Tanjirou's working hard every day. I'm certain their future will be bright!"
"May your words come true, Horitake," Tanjuurou said, his tone warming slightly as Kie's tears subsided.
After introductions and pleasantries, Horitake was about to broach the main topic when Tanjuurou preempted him. "My boy, you sent Tanjirou out for a reason. Is there something you need to discuss with us alone?"
Horitake nodded, his expression grave. "I had to send Tanjirou out… his path will be fraught with hardship, and I worry knowing about you might distract him. There's something important I need to discuss with you all. First, Auntie, and the little ones—what did the demon who killed you look like?"
Though the memory was painful, Kie recalled it clearly. "It was… a man, dressed in black, with black hair and red eyes. His face was terrifying, unnatural even when calm. When he went mad with killing, he was even more horrifying—not human at all!"
Tanjirou's younger siblings chimed in with fragmented details, but nothing particularly noteworthy.
Horitake had suspected as much, but their account confirmed it. The demon who killed the Kamado family was almost certainly Muzan Kibutsuji himself.
The other details could vary—Muzan could change his form at will—but those red eyes were unmistakable. Muzan's crimson pupils were his hallmark.
After hearing their account, Horitake sighed. "The one who killed you was almost certainly Muzan Kibutsuji, the root of all this evil, the source of every tragedy, and the ultimate enemy of the Demon Slayer Corps. One day, I'll make sure that monster… gets roasted into jerky under the sun!"
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