Just as Aoyama had said—
Inosuke threw himself forward with everything he had.
The strength he used to wrestle wild beasts in the mountains.
The stubborn will he'd forged in the forest.
He would take back his boar mask with his own hands.
"BOAR CHARGE!!!"
Aoyama leapt lightly into the air, evading the headlong assault.
"AHHH! Boar Charge! Boar Charge!!!"
Inosuke attacked relentlessly, without pause.
As his body moved—
The knot in his heart slowly loosened.
"Inosuke! Is that all you've got?" Aoyama taunted, dangling the boar mask in front of him. "Aside from wild, reckless swings, is there nothing else?"
Tanjiro watched the scene with mixed emotions.
He admired Aoyama.
He respected him.
And sometimes—
He really wanted to headbutt him.
"Mm! Mm!"
Nezuko cheered from the side, pumping her tiny fists enthusiastically for both of them.
"Nezuko-chan is so cute! Keep being adorable forever! Please!" Zenitsu suddenly dropped to his knees on the bed and bowed dramatically toward her.
Tanjiro immediately stepped in front of Nezuko, shielding her.
Lowering his voice, he whispered, "Nezuko, be careful of Zenitsu… he might not be normal."
"Mm?"
Nezuko tilted her head, confused.
At that exact moment—
The boar mask arced beautifully through the air—
And landed squarely on Zenitsu's head.
THUD.
Zenitsu was instantly flattened into the mattress, limbs splayed like a starfish.
"Aoyama-senpai, you—"
Before he could finish, Inosuke landed on his back with full force.
Zenitsu fainted.
"HAHAHA! Tanjiro! Did you see that? I did it! I got it back! I'm still strong! I've still got it!!!"
Inosuke raised the boar mask triumphantly—
Completely unaware he was still standing on Zenitsu.
Tanjiro smiled in relief.
Then coughed awkwardly.
"Inosuke… could you maybe get off Zenitsu?"
"Huh? Why's this guy under me?"
Only then did Inosuke notice.
Aoyama smirked slightly.
Encouraged Inosuke.
Knocked out Zenitsu.
Two birds. One stone.
Nezuko ran toward Aoyama excitedly, her tiny feet pattering.
Tanjiro watched—
And for some reason, his heart felt a little empty.
Ever since Muzan had slaughtered his family, Nezuko had been his entire world.
Now—
Watching her happily run to Aoyama—
Tanjiro suddenly felt like he wasn't as important anymore.
It stung.
Just a little.
Half a month later.
Tanjiro's injuries had nearly healed.
Inosuke had fully recovered—and was once again rampaging through the Butterfly Estate yelling "Boar Charge!" at full volume.
The peaceful estate was no longer peaceful.
Complaints began reaching its owner—
Shinobu Kocho.
As the mistress of the estate, she naturally had to handle it.
She soon found Inosuke challenging random people to duels.
"Inosuke, could you come here for a moment?"
Shinobu smiled sweetly and beckoned him over.
Wearing his boar mask, Inosuke stomped toward her.
"Have you seen Aoyama? He promised to spar with me today, but I can't find him."
Of course he couldn't.
Aoyama had deliberately avoided him.
Ever since regaining his fighting spirit, Inosuke sought him out daily.
Even after getting beaten into the ground—
He'd come back for more.
His stubbornness truly matched his boar mask.
Aoyama had begun regretting it.
He had even considered crushing Inosuke's confidence once and for all—
But Tanjiro had desperately stopped him.
Shinobu tilted her head slightly.
"Then… how about sparring with me instead?"
"No. I don't fight women," Inosuke replied bluntly. "People will say I'm bullying you."
A passerby nearby dropped everything in shock.
"Shinobu-sama! Please forgive him! Please!"
Inosuke grabbed the person's collar.
"Hey! What are you talking about? What did I do wrong? Forgive what?"
Having grown up alone in the mountains, he lacked basic social awareness.
Kindness confused him.
He genuinely didn't understand.
"Inosuke," Shinobu said gently, "you can't be rude."
She smiled.
"You'll only know whether you're capable of bullying me… after we spar."
That actually made sense to him.
He released the poor attendant.
"Fine! Since I can't find Aoyama, I'll fight you! Hahaha!"
Shinobu's smile remained perfect.
Inosuke's blades had been broken at Mount Natagumo, so Shinobu provided wooden swords for the spar.
Holding the wooden blade again—
Shinobu's expression shifted subtly.
Memories flickered.
Back when she trained with her older sister, Kanae—
They had used wooden swords like this.
Then Upper Moon Two.
Doma.
Hatred flickered in her eyes.
Inosuke tested the wooden sword's weight.
"Feels worse than my real blades."
He lowered his stance.
"I'm attacking! Don't expect mercy just because you're a woman!"
He charged.
Shinobu watched calmly.
At the last second, she bent her knees and leapt upward gracefully.
Her body flipped midair.
Her cloak fluttered like butterfly wings.
She descended lightly—
Wooden blade stabbing downward toward Inosuke.
Like a butterfly—
Elegant.
Deadly.
And far more dangerous—
Than he realized.
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