"Ha?"
Shinobu couldn't hold herself back at this unreasonable, twisted nonsense.
"Do you hear what you're saying?! It's impossible for a demon to be immune to sunlight!"
"A demon's transformation can produce different Blood Demon Arts depending on its host's traits. Demon forms have kept shifting for hundreds and thousands of years—so why are you so certain a sunlight-resistant demon can never exist?"
"..."
Shinobu opened her mouth and found she had nothing to say. Everything he'd said was technically true. The way demons had developed over time really was exactly that. This kid was no official Corps member, but he'd done his homework.
—What on earth do we do... Onee-san. Inori...
"I was also attacked by her! The feathers she fires don't just work as thrown blades—they have a mental erosion effect on humans too! I'm the victim here—why would I lie?"
"That's because you bullied Kanao!"
"But the fact that she attacked me with a Blood Demon Art is still a fact!"
No matter what was said, Kaigaku clung stubbornly to one point and wouldn't let go: that Inori possessed abilities no human should have. He was like a rabid dog yapping furiously without end.
"Then all the more reason she must be killed." Sanemi Shinazugawa dropped the line without warning. "Because overcoming sunlight is Muzan Kibutsuji's lifelong obsession. If he learns a sunlight-resistant demon has appeared in this world, he will find a way to make contact. And once Muzan uses her to overcome sunlight, that would be the worst-case scenario in the entire history of the Demon Slayer Corps. The greatest crisis we have ever faced."
"Will you not trust me, no matter what, Sanemi-san?"
Kanae Kocho's voice trembled. Her eyes held an endless depth of disappointment.
"I don't distrust you, Flower Hashira. I just want to protect humans. I don't want other children to lose their families the way I lost mine."
Inori didn't find fault with that. That was just the kind of person the Wind Hashira was—his hatred toward demons ran far past what was ordinary. In the original story, he'd nearly cut down Nezuko outright. Right now, if not for Kanae's presence, he would already have attacked her.
"You're a Hashira too. Why, after discovering a demon this extraordinary, have you said nothing? Do you actually pity these creatures?!" Sanemi barked, a vein standing out sharply on his forehead.
"It seems... there's nothing more to discuss."
Kanae knew. Arguing further was useless; it would only make things worse. Even if Master was a gentle and reasonable man, he never showed weakness where demons were concerned. Especially in a situation like this: even if he took her feelings into account and spared Inori's life, he would almost certainly have her confined.
Someone like Inori would never tolerate being anyone's prisoner.
"Kanae-nee, come with us. We'll sit down with Master and figure out what to do together; there has to be a way."
Compared to Sanemi, who tolerated no compromise whatsoever, Rengoku's approach toward demons was only marginally more moderate. He didn't want the Corps tearing itself apart over this—drawing blades on your own comrades was a violation.
Kanae fell silent. At last, she turned to look at Inori.
She was still standing there. The spider lily Kanae had given her caught the moonlight, throwing back a dark, lightless gleam. She hadn't said a word throughout all of this, hadn't even tried to speak in her own defense. What was she thinking? Or perhaps... she was waiting to see which way Kanae would move first?
—You didn't actually think you could walk away unscathed facing two Hashira at once, did you?
A bitter smile tugged at Kanae's lips.
—A choice—that's not something I need to think about.
She stared at the Nichirin blade in her hands. She had picked up this sword because she never wanted to lose someone precious to her again. Inori-chan... I think I may have genuinely come to like you. And so, right now, I will listen to my heart—and make my choice.
She was about to draw. To buy Inori time to run.
But in that very instant, the hand she'd placed on the hilt was gently held down by another.
Inori had appeared at her side. She didn't know when.
In the moonlight, the pink-haired girl was smiling, just like the first time they'd met. But different now. This smile carried warmth, and something like quiet relief.
She said nothing. Only shook her head, slowly, gently. Everything understood without words.
"That's right. I am a demon."
Inori stepped forward two paces and faced both Hashira with perfect composure.
"Ha! Finally admitting it!"
Kaigaku laughed and laughed. Every last trace of unease left him.
—Serves you right. Some lowly demon, hiding in the Demon Slayer Corps of all places? And not even keeping a low profile, laying hands on me. This is what you get.
"Don't worry. Master won't necessarily kill you—you might be useful as bait to draw out Muzan."
Sanemi answered. Now that she was cooperating of her own accord, he had no reason to push harder.
"Isn't that exactly what you wanted me to say?"
Inori was unhurried.
"I've never had anywhere to call home. Now that you intend to take away the only one I had, I'm not going to sit here and wait to die."
"What do you think you're doing?"
Sanemi's expression shifted sharply. Behind him, Rengoku tensed too, hand already on his hilt.
"Hmph."
A soft, contemptuous exhale—and everything about her was suddenly different. A crimson madness flickered in her eyes, and every movement she made radiated a killing intent so crushing it pressed down on both Hashira like the weight of a mountain.
She'd been so quiet the whole time. They'd assumed she was a gentle little girl. Neither of them had imagined how thoroughly she'd hidden it.
"If the two of you die here, Kanae can't escape the consequences."
"So... I'll be leaving today. I won't be fighting either of you."
"Ha?" Sanemi's brow knitted. He leveled his Nichirin at her. "You think you can just walk out of here?!"
"I really can."
Inori smiled.
"But before I leave, there's still someone I need to kill."
"?"
She said it with the same casual tone as someone saying they wanted a little more dessert tonight. Sanemi had yet to react—but Rengoku caught the shift. He heard a sharp crack, like a blade splitting the air, and snapped to full alert. A crimson streak was already flying out of the dark. He grabbed Kaigaku and yanked him sideways.
A beat too slow. The blade went wide and struck Kaigaku's left shoulder only—but it buried itself deep into flesh. Kaigaku crumpled to the ground, wailing, clutching at the wound.
Watching this, Shinobu felt a fierce jolt of dark satisfaction.
"Eyes—the feathers have eyes on them—she really isn't human!" Rengoku called out urgently.
"You dare attack someone in front of a Hashira?!"
Sanemi exploded, his fury fixed on Inori.
—That casual tone just now. That precision. Who knows how much blood has stained her hands. Nothing remotely gentle about her—I cannot let her go.
"Wind Breathing."
"First Form—"
"—Dust Whirlwind Cutter!"
Sanemi dropped into a brief, coiled draw-stance, then launched himself like an arrow from a bowstring. The Nichirin swept out a dense horizontal gale, a thrust so fast it could not be followed by the eye.
Inori had no interest in a prolonged fight. She didn't block. The moment Sanemi's body moved, she leapt to the side, landing at the edge of the garden pond. Where she'd been standing, the savage gale carved the flat earth to ruin.
—Everyone knows: you can't back away from a thrust. You either read it, or you sidestep.
But this wasn't over—there were two Hashira here. The moment Sanemi moved, Rengoku had no choice but to draw as well. He came in immediately on the heels of Sanemi's failed thrust.
"Flame Breathing, Fifth Form!"
"Flame Tiger!!"
Rengoku moved with terrifying speed. The fire-red Nichirin blazed up into roaring flame and shaped itself into a snarling tiger, lunging at Inori with open jaws.
But just then —
A single golden feather shot from Inori's fingertips. Rengoku saw it. He didn't dodge—he was confident the force of Flame Tiger would simply swat this tiny thing aside.
The golden feather struck him and was deflected.
But when Rengoku came back to himself... Flame Tiger had already driven forward, and Inori had vanished from the spot without a sound. All his fire drove into nothing but the small garden pond, and the water erupted into a rolling boil.