Meeting Tanjiro's pleading gaze, Aoyama calmly turned his back.
Tanjiro withdrew his hopeful look.
As expected.
Out of ten times asking Senior Brother Aoyama for help, if even one succeeded, it would be a miracle.
And this time—
It failed too.
"Hey, little one, get up already," Shinobu said patiently. "The one beneath you is a demon. She could hurt you. Stop protecting her."
She couldn't persuade Aoyama Ren or Tomioka Giyu.
So perhaps she could convince this battered boy instead.
Tanjiro's heart tightened.
He hugged Nezuko even more tightly and shook his head.
"N-No… Nezuko is a demon… but she's also my sister!"
"Oh~ so she's your sister," Shinobu said gently. "A sister who became a demon… and you're the older brother… how tragic."
Her eyes softened with feigned sympathy.
"In that case, let me kill her gently—with a painless poison."
Her smile returned—warm and serene.
Protecting a demon sister like this…
It truly was touching.
Seeing Shinobu intent on killing Nezuko, Tanjiro's breathing faltered.
Aoyama, who had turned away earlier, now looked back at Tanjiro.
The boy's voice was louder than before—his stamina must have recovered slightly.
Aoyama shot him a meaningful glance.
Run.
Take Nezuko and go.
I'll hold her off.
Tanjiro froze for a split second—
Then understood.
He took a deep breath, scooped Nezuko into his arms, and bolted.
As he passed the wooden box, he grabbed it too.
He couldn't leave it behind.
If dawn came while they were fleeing, Nezuko would have nowhere to hide.
Aoyama stepped forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with Giyu.
Across from them, Shinobu instantly understood.
Not two.
Three of them were protecting that girl.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
"You're violating Corps regulations, you know," she said lightly.
Giyu remained expressionless.
His eyes never left Shinobu, prepared for her to make a move.
As for Aoyama—
He didn't care.
There was no way—absolutely no way—he would abandon Nezuko because of regulations.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro ran with Nezuko in his arms.
His chest burned.
Every step sent waves of pain through his body.
But he couldn't stop.
It hurts.
It hurts so much.
I want to scream that it hurts—
No.
Endure.
Endure.
Endure!
Come on, Tanjiro. You have to endure!
His thoughts were chaotic.
He was a Demon Slayer—
Yet he traveled with a demon.
Would he have to leave the Corps?
Even if she was his sister—
A swordsman who protected a demon would never be accepted.
Back at the clearing—
Shinobu, firm in her resolve to slay demons, engaged the two who blocked her.
Aoyama cut off her path toward Tanjiro.
Giyu counterattacked directly.
Blades flashed.
The three Hashira-level fighters entered a tense standoff.
Shinobu's smile faded.
Her gaze sharpened as she looked at Giyu.
"So you're serious, Mr. Tomioka. I didn't expect a Hashira to shield a demon."
Her eyes shifted to Aoyama.
"And you too, Aoyama-kun. Even if you're not a Hashira, protecting a demon and attacking me—you and Mr. Tomioka are both violating regulations."
Aoyama shrugged, unconcerned.
"It's fine. I just do what I believe is right. Slaying demons is right. Protecting Nezuko is also right."
A faint smile curved his lips.
Shinobu raised a brow.
Negotiation was pointless for now.
Being stalled by both of them wasn't ideal either.
With a light leap, she landed gracefully on a tree branch.
"I won't stay here and waste time with you two," she said sweetly. "Well then—goodbye~"
She moved from branch to branch, light as a butterfly.
Giyu and Aoyama immediately pursued her from below.
Glancing down at the two chasing her, Shinobu smiled.
"You think you can catch me like that?"
She stepped onto another branch and launched herself higher.
"Heh—trying to stop me is admirable, but don't forget there's someone else~"
Aoyama's expression changed.
He kicked off with force and leapt up onto the branches.
"Mr. Tomioka! Please go help Tanjiro! I'll handle this!"
Giyu nodded once.
Without another glance at Shinobu, he sprinted ahead.
Aoyama continued pursuing Shinobu along the treetops.
As long as he held her here—
The "someone else" she mentioned would be dealt with by Giyu.
In Tanjiro's arms, Nezuko slowly opened her eyes.
She looked at her brother's profile.
"Faster… I have to go faster… I have to get farther away… I can't waste Senior Brother Aoyama and Mr. Tomioka's help!"
"Come on, Tanjiro!"
Tanjiro kept running, encouraging himself with every breath.
He couldn't fall here.
Absolutely not.
What he didn't realize—
Was that behind him—
A shadow had been chasing him the entire time.
And it was getting closer.
To Read 100+ advanced Chapters, head over to P@treon
patreon.com/DarkVerse146