Staying at the Wisteria Crest House would take quite some time for recovery.
Aoyama decided to return to Mount Sagiri alone. There was something he needed to take care of.
Tanjiro hadn't expected his senior brother to suddenly announce he was going back. Having been away for so long, he also wanted to visit Urokodaki-sensei.
He brought it up several times.
Each time, he was either rejected—
Or ignored.
"Senior Brother Aoyama, can't I really go with you? I think… Nezuko would want to see Urokodaki-sensei too."
Nezuko clenched her small fists and nodded vigorously.
"Mm! Mm!"
Aoyama patted her head gently.
Still refused.
"Tanjiro, don't say more. I'll return before your injuries heal. And…"
His gaze shifted slowly toward Zenitsu.
"Stay away from Nezuko."
There was a faint killing intent in his eyes.
Tanjiro's expression stiffened.
So in the end… Senior Brother's biggest concern was still Nezuko.
Zenitsu, who had been called out, instinctively stepped back.
Not being allowed near Nezuko?
That was basically a death sentence for him.
Senior Aoyama was cruel.
There was a trace of grievance in his eyes.
Aoyama smiled faintly and walked over, patting Zenitsu's shoulder.
"Zenitsu, remember what your senior said. Don't disturb Nezuko. Your life will only get better."
Crack.
Zenitsu's face turned pale.
His arm dislocated.
"AHHH! Doctor! Doctor! My arm—my arm's broken!"
He ran around the room flailing his limp arm while the elderly lady calmly went to fetch the doctor.
Tanjiro's eyelids twitched.
He wisely said nothing and went to see Aoyama off.
Inosuke, seeing what Aoyama had done, insisted on dislocating Zenitsu's other arm too.
If Aoyama could do it, so could he.
In an instant, chaos erupted inside the house.
After leaving the Wisteria Crest estate, Aoyama set off alone.
The crow circled overhead, clearly wanting to say something but not daring to land without Tanjiro present.
Aoyama raised his arm slightly.
"Come down."
With permission granted, the crow tremblingly landed.
"Caw! Caw! Unauthorized departure from squad is forbidden! Aoyama-kun, return! Return!"
Aoyama lowered his arm. The crow flapped into the air again, shouting nonstop.
The noise made his ears buzz.
He bent down, picked up a small stone, tossed it in his palm twice.
"You flying off on your own, or should I knock you down and roast you?"
Several feathers fell midair as the crow fled in terror, still yelling for him to return before disappearing into the night.
Aoyama tossed the stone aside and continued forward.
That night, he stopped at an abandoned wooden cabin to rest.
He had just lain down when a nauseating stench filled the room.
His hand moved to the hilt of his blade.
His eyes remained closed.
He continued pretending to sleep.
Soft rustling came from the roof.
One demon had landed above.
The foul odor near the door was heavier—this one had eaten many humans.
Only demons that had devoured numerous people emitted such thick, disgusting aura.
Suddenly—
The roof collapsed.
Aoyama rolled instantly, leaping aside and pressing against the wall.
"Heh. Didn't crush you to death."
The one that dropped from above had four eyes, sharp fangs, a horn on its head, and a thick tail dragging behind it.
The door was ripped in half by a massive hand.
Another demon squeezed in—huge body, powerful limbs.
Aoyama assessed quickly.
The one on the ground: agile type.
The large one: strength-focused, slower movements.
"You two… planning to eat me?" he asked calmly, gaze sweeping over them.
"Eat you?"
The bulky demon glanced at the four-eyed one.
Clearly—
The smarter of the two was the one crouching on the ground.
Aoyama noted it immediately.
Then the ground demon had to die first.
"Eat you? Of course we'll eat you. But your head stays. That Lord wants it."
Aoyama frowned slightly.
That Lord.
Kibutsuji Muzan.
He let out a cold laugh.
"Your Lord's awfully petty. Just because I sliced off a corner of his clothes last time, he sends two trash bags to collect a debt?"
Both demons stiffened.
This boy—
Had cut Lord Muzan's clothing?
The four-eyed demon spun, whipping its thick tail toward Aoyama, aiming to smash him against the wall.
Aoyama drew instantly.
Blade vertical.
Edge outward.
The tail struck—
And was cleanly severed in two.
Blood splattered across the ruined cabin.
The severed half turned to ash.
The already crumbling hut collapsed further under their clash until only a single wall remained standing.
Out in the open, however—
Aoyama had more space.
The two demons flanked him, front and back.
They coordinated well.
He had to eliminate one quickly.
His eyes settled lazily on the agile one.
Since it had a brain—
It would die first.
His expression sharpened.
Grip tightening, he sprinted to the side.
The agile demon chased, fast.
After running a short distance—
Aoyama stopped abruptly.
Turned.
In his vision, the Transparent World revealed a Line of Opening stretching from his blade to the demon's neck.
Total Concentration Breathing.
Water Breathing.
Second Form—Water Wheel.
Water rippled along the blade as he spun a full circle.
By the time the sword tip touched earth—
The demon's head had already separated.
"How… did you… suddenly stop… turn…?"
It died with eyes wide open.
It had nearly caught him.
One bite from behind would have ended it—
Yet that sudden pivot and counterstrike left it no time to evade.
Its body disintegrated into ash under the night sky.
One down.
One left.
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