The two were still talking when the boy's face suddenly turned pale.
A hand appeared behind him.
Then an entire body.
Zenitsu noticed the boy's expression change and slowly turned his head.
On the floor crouched a demon with triangular eyes, two horns on its head, and a long, wet tongue lolling from its mouth. It licked its lips greedily.
"Oh? A child. Looks tender. Should taste quite nice."
Zenitsu's entire world collapsed.
See?!
He'd said it!
Fear summons fear!
"It's here! It's really here!"
Compared to the demon, the boy honestly felt Zenitsu's screaming was more terrifying.
Grabbing the boy, Zenitsu bolted down the hallway.
"Don't come over! Don't come over! Don't come over! AHHHH!"
They ran at full speed.
Behind them, the tongue demon crawled on all fours, laughing gleefully as it gave chase.
Speed versus terror.
Zenitsu's survival instinct was speed.
If he didn't run, his brains would absolutely be sucked out through his ears by that disgusting tongue.
The demon cackled.
"I wonder how you'll taste."
"I don't taste good! I'm not tasty at all! And the kid's all skin and bones! Definitely not tasty! Stop chasing us!"
"Hehehe… how would I know without trying?"
Elsewhere in the mansion, Tanjiro heard Zenitsu's desperate screaming and knew something was wrong. He gripped his sword and rushed toward the sound.
But no matter how he ran, the distance didn't shorten. The rooms kept shifting with the drumbeats.
The tongue demon suddenly lashed out.
Bang—
Its tongue smashed a water jar instead of the boys. The jar shattered, water splashing everywhere.
The tongue whipped toward them again.
Zenitsu instinctively hugged the boy and threw himself aside, crashing through two sliding doors. They rolled into another room.
The boy scrambled up.
"Zenitsu! Get up! Hurry!"
Zenitsu trembled violently on the floor.
"It's up to my knees… the fear is up to my knees…"
The boy felt his soul leaving his body.
Now of all times?!
"Just leave me! Don't worry about me!"
Zenitsu's legs had completely given out.
"I can't leave you!"
The boy gritted his teeth.
Such a good kid.
Even though his "voice" was full of fear, he refused to abandon him.
Zenitsu swallowed.
He had to do something.
If he didn't protect this child, the kid might die before even reaching double digits in age.
Be brave, Zenitsu.
You're weak. You're useless.
But you can still protect someone.
His hand gripped the sword at his waist.
He turned—
And met the demon's face.
"Hehehe… I'll suck your brains out through your ears."
Click.
Zenitsu fainted on the spot.
"Ah— Zenitsu! Zenitsu?!"
He was snoring.
Actually snoring.
Even a snot bubble formed at his nose.
Unbelievable.
The boy dragged him backward desperately.
"Wake up…"
The long, wet tongue stretched toward them—
Slash.
The tongue fell, severed cleanly.
The cut piece wriggled once on the floor before going still.
Zenitsu's hand moved.
Then he rose slowly.
One hand on the sheath.
One hand on the hilt.
The demon's tongue regenerated instantly.
But something had changed.
The air around Zenitsu was different.
"Zenitsu…?"
The boy blinked in confusion.
A thumb pushed the blade slightly from the sheath.
Golden light shimmered.
"Thunder Breathing. First Form — Thunderclap and Flash."
Lightning exploded forward.
In a blink—
The demon's head separated from its body.
The sword slid back into its sheath with a soft click.
Silence.
The boy stood frozen.
The difference was absurd.
Zenitsu's eyes opened at that exact moment. The snot bubble popped.
The demon's head rolled to his feet.
He jumped three feet into the air.
"AHHH! Why is it dead?! What is this?! I can't handle this anymore!"
The demon crumbled into ash.
Zenitsu turned and stared at the boy.
"…Shoichi… could it be…"
He suddenly threw himself at the boy.
"Thank you! You saved my life! I'll never forget this kindness! If you're that strong, why didn't you say so earlier?!"
Tanjiro finally arrived at the doorway.
"Zenitsu! Are you alright?!"
"Tanjiro!" Zenitsu pointed proudly. "Shoichi saved me!"
…
Tanjiro's mouth twitched.
That… seemed unlikely.
Still, they were safe.
That was what mattered.
He had already slain a four-eyed demon elsewhere in the house.
But he still hadn't found Senior Brother Aoyama or Shoji.
The drumbeats echoed on.
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