Chapter 2: Clinging to a Thigh
"Whew..."
Tatsu let out a long sigh of relief.
His life was, for the moment, secured.
"Right, Mr. Demon."
Kanae suddenly seemed to recall something and leaned in a little closer, her large eyes blinking as she looked at Tatsu.
"What is your name?"
"My name?"
"Yes. After becoming demons, many people are consumed by the instinct of hunger and forget the memories of when they were human, turning into monsters that only know how to eat people."
There was a hint of faint sadness in Kanae's voice.
"If you still remember the memories of when you were human, it means you have truly retained your complete humanity."
This was the setting from the original story.
Most low-level demons only have two concepts in their minds: "eat" and "Muzan Kibutsuji."
Those who can retain their memories are either exceptionally gifted or possess an incredibly deep obsession.
"Tatsu."
Tatsu stood under the tree's shadow, hands in his worn-out pockets.
His expression was somewhat desolate, yet it carried an air of indifference as if he had seen through the world:
"My name is Tatsu. I am an orphan. I was recently forcibly turned into a demon."
Saying this, he paused and looked directly at Kanae.
"By the way, since I've told you my name, out of politeness, shouldn't you also formally introduce yourself?"
Although he knew who she was, it would be too suspicious if he called her by name directly.
How could an orphan who had just turned into a demon know a swordsman from the Demon Slayer Corps?
Kanae was slightly taken aback.
He remembered.
He not only remembered his name and his background, but he was also emotionally rich, showing absolutely no signs of losing his humanity.
This level of clarity was incredibly precious for a demon.
A warm current welled up in Kanae's heart.
Perhaps Heaven had truly heard her prayers and sent her such a miracle.
She wanted to understand more, wanted to confirm if this miracle was real, and wanted to see...
Where this demon named Tatsu would end up in the future.
"You are right, it was rude of me."
Kanae straightened her body again, a brilliant smile blossoming on her face.
"My name is Kanae Kocho, the newly appointed Flower Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. Nice to meet you, Mr. Tatsu."
"Kanae... Kocho."
Tatsu repeated it feignedly, as if hearing the name for the first time.
In this world full of demon slayers, as a demon, even if he did not eat people, he would still be hunted by other unsuspecting swordsmen.
Furthermore, Muzan Kibutsuji had zero tolerance for outliers who "did not eat people."
His current strength was too weak; acting alone was simply suicide.
And the person in front of him was a Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps!
Her strength was definitely immense.
Moreover, she was kind-hearted and advocated for coexistence between humans and demons; she was simply the perfect "protective umbrella."
He had to cling to this patron tightly!
Meanwhile, Kanae was also thinking.
Although Mr. Tatsu said he did not eat people, a demon's power was formidable.
If she let such a special demon wander alone, what if he lost control?
What if he was killed by mistake by other members of the Demon Slayer Corps?
The best way was to keep him by her side.
It was both a form of surveillance and a form of protection.
If he could truly maintain not eating people, he would be living proof of the possibility of "human-demon coexistence."
The human and the demon exchanged a glance.
It felt as if some kind of electrical current was crackling in the air.
Tatsu and Kanae Kocho spoke almost at the same time:
"How about you come with me?"
"Then I will follow you to see if you really do not eat people."
As the words fell, both of them were stunned for a moment.
Kanae blinked, then covered her mouth and chuckled, her laughter crisp and melodious:
"Ara, it seems our thoughts are quite in sync, Mr. Tatsu."
Tatsu also shrugged helplessly, his previously tense nerves completely relaxing:
"Yes, Miss Kanae. But let's get this straight: you have to cover the food expenses along the way. I'm a broke demon with no money right now."
"No problem."
Kanae agreed with a smile, a glint of mischief flashing in her eyes,
"However, if you can't help but want to eat people, my sword will not show mercy."
"Rest assured."
Tatsu turned around and walked towards the town at the foot of the mountain, where the lights were dim.
"Compared to human flesh, I look forward more to you treating me to a large bowl of ramen."
"Do you want a soft-boiled egg added?"
Kanae quickly caught up and walked side by side with him.
"Of course, two."
"Hehe, Mr. Tatsu is quite a glutton."
The night deepened; a demon and a human walked along the winding mountain road, heading toward the human world filled with the scent of life.
If this scene were seen by other Demon Slayer Corps members, their jaws would likely drop, but for Kanae Kocho, it was the most beautiful scenery in her heart.
...
The mountain road was rugged. The human and the demon walked side by side, the initial awkwardness dissipating quite a bit during their idle chatter.
"Say, Mr. Tatsu."
As they walked, Kanae suddenly seemed to remember something, turned her head, and asked curiously,
"Although it might be presumptuous, I would still like to ask..."
"What is your Blood Demon Art?"
"Blood Demon Art?"
Tatsu was stunned for a moment.
"Yes."
Kanae nodded, her eyes flashing with a thirst for knowledge,
"Generally speaking, demons with better aptitude will awaken their own special abilities shortly after transformation—that is, the Blood Demon Art."
"Since Mr. Tatsu can retain his sanity and memories, and also has the special constitution of 'eating human food,' I think... your Blood Demon Art must be very special too, right?"
This was also a professional habit of the Demon Slayer Corps members: gathering intelligence.
Information on every special demon was valuable; it might come in handy in the future when dealing with Muzan Kibutsuji.
Moreover, she was genuinely curious. What kind of power did this special demon possess?
"Um... Miss Kanae..."
Tatsu rubbed his nose awkwardly and said with some embarrassment,
"You might not believe me if I say it..."
"I... do not have a Blood Demon Art."
"Eh?"
Kanae widened her eyes in surprise,
"You don't?"
"I really don't."
Tatsu spread his hands, looking helpless,
"Look at me; do I look like the kind of powerful demon? Aside from having a bit more strength than before and my wounds healing a bit faster, I have nothing else."
"If I had to say... does being able to eat count as a Blood Demon Art?"
Hearing this self-deprecating joke, Kanae couldn't help but burst into a giggle.
"Hehehe... Mr. Tatsu is really humorous."
She laughed with her eyes curved like crescent moons,
"But it's quite good not to have a Blood Demon Art; that way, it's not easy to hurt people."
"Yeah."
Tatsu nodded heavily,
"I will prove it to you. I, Tatsu, will definitely become a... good demon who only eats food, not people!"
As long as he behaved well and proved he truly did not eat people, Kanae would be his strongest amulet for now.
People? He wouldn't even eat them if he were a dog.
"Then I shall wait and see~"
The two walked out of the forest, and the silhouette of a town appeared ahead.
It was a fairly bustling small town; even in the middle of the night, there were still little lights dotted in the darkness.
The aroma of food wafted through the air.
Tatsu's nose twitched twice—that was the smell of roasted sweet potatoes, and the aroma of oden drifting from an izakaya in the distance.
His stomach growled uncooperatively again, this time louder than the last, almost as if it were protesting.
Kanae couldn't help but burst into laughter, her eyes curved:
"It seems Mr. Tatsu is truly starving. Let's go; there is a shop with very good food just ahead. I've been there when I was on missions before."
"Then what are we waiting for! Let's go!"
Tatsu's eyes lit up, and his pace instantly quickened.
Looking at his eager expression, he was nothing like a demon; he was more like a starved ghost reincarnated just after school.
Watching Tatsu's unguarded back, the smile on Kanae's face gradually faded, turning into a touch of gentle determination.
She gripped the Nichirin Sword at her waist and quickly followed.
"Wait for me, Mr. Tatsu, you are going the wrong way; that's the bathhouse over there..."
"Ah? I saw steam rising over there and thought it was a steamed bun shop..."
"Hehehe..."
That night, Kanae Kocho of the Demon Slayer Corps picked up a strange demon named Tatsu.