"Where's Tanjiro right now?"
Perched on Karasuma Reiyu's shoulder, the kasugai crow tilted its head as he questioned it. Now that Reiyu had risen to the rank of Hashira, he no longer needed to follow mission orders around the clock; he was granted freedom of movement unless one of the Upper Moons appeared.
"Tanjiro completed his assignment in the northwestern town yesterday. He is currently en route to Tokyo Prefecture, Asakusa, as instructed," the crow answered in human speech atop Reiyu's shoulder.
"Tokyo Prefecture, Asakusa… take me there."
—
That night, Tanjiro arrived in Tokyo Prefecture and froze like a clueless country kid as he stared at a cityscape more dazzling than anything he had ever seen.
"Cities… have developed this much…?"
Horse-drawn carriages, rickshaws, and electric lamps all competed for space on the bustling street. Tanjiro could only sigh in awe.
On his back was his wooden box, and beside him, Nezuko stood with her eyes shut as if asleep—her little head bobbing slightly with each step, adorable beyond reason.
"These buildings are so tall… what are all these things?"Holding Nezuko's small hand as they walked through the main street, Tanjiro felt like someone who had time-traveled straight from the Stone Age."A big city… a really big city…"
"Nezuko, let's head this way."
He guided her into a narrow alley—only to stumble right into a couple passionately kissing.
"S-Sorry!"
Face flushed, Tanjiro bowed so deeply his forehead nearly hit the cobblestones before speed-walking away without looking back.
Eventually, he and Nezuko wandered to the edge of the district, where a small food stall caught Tanjiro's eye.
Settling himself before the stall, Karasuma Reiyu spoke to the owner seated out front:
"One bowl of grated-yam udon."
"Sure thing! Coming right up."The stall owner—cigarette dangling from his fingers—glanced at Tanjiro, then answered with hearty enthusiasm.
After a short wait, a steaming bowl of noodle soup was placed before him.
Tanjiro took a sip of the hot broth and exhaled in relief.But just as he raised his chopsticks to start eating, a scent drifted into his nose—sharp, chilling, and horribly familiar.
His heart lurched.
The bowl slipped from his hands, crashing to the ground—udon, broth, and shattered porcelain scattering across the dirt.
Shock froze him for a moment.
Then Tanjiro snatched the Nichirin Blade resting on the bench and sprinted toward the direction of that scent—completely forgetting the peacefully dozing Nezuko behind him.
"That smell… why is it here?"
Cold sweat streamed down his face as he accelerated.
Desperately searching for the scent's source, an image resurfaced in his mind—one burned into him two years ago:
His family lying in pools of blood.Everyone dead except Nezuko.
"The scent that lingered in the house…"
He shoved past pedestrians, panting heavily.Fear and urgency battled inside his chest, each moment more suffocating than the last.
"Kibutsuji Muzan!"
Two years ago, Tanjiro had been staying overnight at another family's home. When he returned the next day, he found everyone in his own family murdered—except for Nezuko, who had somehow turned into a demon.
At the time, aside from his family's scent, there had been another strange smell in the house. But in his panic to save Nezuko, he hadn't thought about it.
Later, Urokodaki Sakonji told him the truth:
The one who slaughtered his family was the Demon King—Kibutsuji Muzan.
As the world's first demon, Kibutsuji Muzan alone possessed the ability to transform humans into demons.
And now—The man Tanjiro hated more than anyone in existence, the monster he wanted to tear apart piece by piece—
His scent was here.
This was Tanjiro's chance to avenge his family.
"It's him!"
Tanjiro finally spotted a slim man wearing a Western suit and a rounded hat, standing with his back to them. The scent Tanjiro had been chasing was seeping from this man's body.
Just as he was about to close the distance, a hand appeared like a ghost and clamped onto his wrist.
A spike of terror shot through him—But when Tanjiro turned around, he saw a familiar face.
"Reiyu-aniue?"
That familiar face belonged to none other than Karasuma Reiyu—the senior who loved to smack him around during training.
"What's wrong? You look like you're trying to outrace time itself."Reiyu frowned, confused by Tanjiro's frantic expression and desperate posture.
Recognizing Reiyu, Tanjiro finally exhaled, fear draining from his chest.He quickly pointed toward the man ahead.
"Reiyu-aniue, that man—he's Kibutsuji Muzan! I remember his scent!"
Reiyu's brow tightened.As Tanjiro's senior, he knew exactly what had happened to Tanjiro's family.
If Tanjiro had smelled Muzan before, he would never mistake it.
"Go."
With a single rumbling word, Reiyu dashed forward—Tanjiro right beside him.
Reiyu's hand struck the stranger's shoulder.Slowly, the man turned around.
A pale face.Eyes the color of fresh blood.
"It's him!"
Tanjiro's vision reddened with rage.Veins bulged across his forehead, and his hand shot to the hilt of his Nichirin Blade.
But just as he drew the blade halfway, Reiyu blocked him—forcing the sword back into its sheath.
Tanjiro stared at him in confusion—Until a small, childish voice spoke.
"Papa?"
When Muzan turned fully, they saw her:
A tiny girl, round eyes wide with curiosity, held securely in his arms.
Tanjiro's mind blanked.
The Demon King—The cold-blooded monster who had slaughtered countless humans—Was holding a little girl?
A human girl?
Tanjiro's sharp nose confirmed it instantly—the child was human.
But the one holding her…
…was unmistakably a demon.