Rui watched this scene in astonishment.
"Are you… a family? Is that woman your sister?"
"So what?!" Tanjirou had no intention of being kind to this demon who had hurt Yoizumi-nii and Nezuko. If they weren't demons, he couldn't even imagine how much impact such injuries would have.
"Brother, sister… a brother and a sister both turned into demons, yet you're still with them, and you even protected him together…"
With a hand covering his mouth, Rui's body trembled all over, his eyes wide, filled with longing.
"True family bonds, I want them so badly!"
"Eh? Wait! I'm the elder sister, don't abandon me!" Another demon cried out anxiously, her face full of fear. If she were abandoned, she would surely be tormented by Rui.
"Shut up!"
He casually flung out a spider web, tearing the female demon into several pieces, his cold eyes staring at her menacingly.
"Ultimately, it's because you didn't fulfill your duties."
"I've been a good older sister, haven't I? Give me a chance to make amends!"
"Then go deal with all those bugs wandering around in the mountains!"
"Mm…"
The female demon said no more, repaired her body, picked up her head from the side, and ran into the forest.
His gaze returned to Tanjirou and the others, his voice uncharacteristically softer.
"Little one, let's talk."
Little one? Is he calling me?
Tanjirou didn't know what the other party was planning. His nichirin blade was broken, and to be honest, he was a bit at a loss for what to do now.
"After witnessing the bond between you all, I was deeply moved; my body is even trembling." His pale hand pressed against his chest; his normally calm heart was stirred by the scene just now.
"I don't think any words in this world can express this emotion, but you can only be killed by me!"
"Isn't that tragic!"
"I have a proposal," Rui said, putting a finger to his lips, looking determined.
"Give me your brother and sister to be my family, and I can let you live."
Tanjirou's face darkened. What was this demon even talking about? He wanted him to hand over Yoizumi-nii and Nezuko just so he could survive?
What a joke?!
Since that snowy day, he had regretted every moment he lay in his warm bed, eating delicious food, while his family suffered unimaginable disaster!
How he wished he could prevent all of it, even at the cost of his own life.
Now this demon actually wanted him to hand over the only remaining family he had in this world?
"What a joke!" A vein bulged on Tanjirou's forehead as he roared with uncontrollable fury.
"Yoizumi-nii and Nezuko are not items that can be exchanged at will; they have their own consciousness and thoughts!"
Rui didn't care about that. No matter what, as long as the punishment was sufficient, they would naturally obey.
"It's fine; I'm very good at that. Once I teach them the consequences of resistance, they won't defy me."
Clutching his broken nichirin blade, Tanjirou's face was full of anger, "I will not hand over my family!"
"Forget it, killing you doesn't matter anyway."
"Before that, I'll cut off your neck!"
Rui seemed to have heard the biggest joke, raising a hand to brush back the hair covering his right eye, revealing the numbers beneath, and showing a malicious grin.
"Then try it. Let's see if you can defeat me, a member of the Twelve Kizuki!"
Lower Rank Five!
"Tanjirou, calm down, concentrate." Yoizumi-nii spoke to remind him, and also to caution himself. If he were alone here, he might use every means possible to kill this demon, but Tanjirou was human, a person who could die with the slightest mistake.
Yoizumi-nii had to protect him.
Yoizumi-nii and Nezuko stood on either side of Tanjirou. The broken nichirin blade's attack range was shortened; he needed to get much closer to the opponent to cut off the demon's head.
He had to strike first!
He needed to draw the opponent's attention to himself, creating an opportunity for Tanjirou!
His golden hair was still a dazzling presence in the dim forest. Power condensed in his legs, and in an instant, he lunged in front of Rui, punching him in the face. His fist was shattered by Rui's reaction and the spider threads.
"Hmph!" He flew backward, crashing into several trees, and finally wove a spider web behind his body to catch himself, stopping his momentum.
His silver-grey eyes looked at the demon with surprise. Such great strength, both in speed and power, this was no ordinary demon. Even that woman was the same; both demons had a special feeling about them.
"Interesting."
Then let's see if your speed is faster, or if my speed in tearing you apart is faster!
Tanjirou seized the opportunity and took a deep breath.
Total Concentration! Water Breathing, Tenth Form: Constant Flux!
The roaring water dragon reappeared. Rui flung out threads, which were easily cut.
Does the power increase with each rotation?
Do you think I only have these kinds of spider threads?
Blood stained Rui's pale hand red, soaking into the spider threads and coloring them. Tanjirou swung his nichirin blade, but it was actually repelled.
The spider threads had become even harder and more resilient!
Nezuko leaped forward and kicked with all her might. Rui tilted his head to dodge, then raised a hand to grab Nezuko's ankle.
Got her!
Before he could fully bind Nezuko with spider threads, the threads were cut out of thin air.
What's going on?
As Rui was surprised, Yoizumi-nii closed in, prying open Rui's arm that was gripping Nezuko, and pulling Nezuko away.
Clutching his severed arm, Rui gritted his teeth, reattaching it. His face was gloomy, glaring viciously at everyone present.
"How infuriating! You've angered me!"
Blood Demon Art: Threaded Cage!
He overlapped his hands and pulled out blood-red spider threads. Around Tanjirou, who was still approaching, countless spider threads appeared, about to bind and strangle him!
Tanjirou!
He couldn't get him out from this distance; he had to use his Blood Demon Art! But it might hurt Tanjirou, and even if its power was weakened, it wouldn't be able to break through this spider web cage.
Yoizumi-nii hesitated, then heard Nezuko's muffled groan, and his blue eyes trembled.
"Ugh!"
Nezuko was carried away by the spider threads, hanging upside down in the air. The sharp threads directly cut Nezuko's skin, and a large amount of blood sprayed out. Nezuko let out a painful wail.
"Nezuko!" Tanjirou cried out.
He couldn't lose! He was going to die, he was going to lose!
"Ding~"
Tanjirou, you need to breathe. Adjust your breathing, and turn yourself into the God of Fire.
Father's voice?
In his mind, his father's weak and gentle face was smiling at him.
Why was he thinking of his father at this moment?
Tanjirou remembered how his usually sickly father could, on a cold, biting snowy day, dance the Kagura barefoot for an entire day, each movement filled with immense power.
He could almost still feel his father's warm touch on his forehead from childhood.
"There is a method to breathing. As long as you use the correct breathing, you won't feel tired."
Breathing?
"Tanjirou, at least these earrings and the Kagura, you must carry them on."
"We…"
"Agreed."
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