Demon Slayer: Tanjuro Kamado returns from Sekiro

Chapter 156: A Confrontation Across Four Hundred Years

……

Warring States Period.

Kamado's house.

In the courtyard.

wow——

The summer breeze blew through the treetops, the leaves swayed and rubbed against each other, making a crackling sound, and swinging the sunlight falling under the eaves.

Two figures sat under the eaves, looking quietly at the blue sky under the eaves.

pat.

The man in the crimson haori put down the teacup in his hand, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

The clear sunlight was reflected in his eyes.

Next to the two men, there were two wooden swords that were broken in the middle, and the blades were covered with scratches from the collision.

Since the last battle, Yoriichi often accompanies Tanji in training, and Tanji's progress is visible to the naked eye every time.

But Yoriichi also vaguely realized that the courtyard where he and Tanjiro were now was the ambiguous dividing line between reality and dreams.

"Mr. Yunyi."

At this time, Tanji, who was sitting next to Yunichi, spoke first, waking up the thoughtful Yunichi. He also looked up at the sky and sorted out his breath:

"How do you feel now?"

Tanji smiled and turned his head. His question was very vague and sounded confusing.

But that sunny smile is irresistible.

How does it feel? Yunyi looked sideways with some confusion, glancing at Tanji who was standing beside him with a raised corner of his mouth - even though he knew that it was not Tanji.

He withdrew his gaze, and his emotions, as deep as a pool, did not fluctuate at all.

After witnessing Tanji fully perform the Sun Breathing and all sword moves, he felt extremely reassured.

That is hope for the future.

As you feel more down-to-earth, the pain of self-blame will become more intense.

Yoriichi did not ask who "Tankichi" was.

Nor was he asked how far in the future he came from.

But since there is an unknown person who has inherited his breathing method and is still practicing it.

that means
——He indeed failed to kill Muzan.

Failed.

In the future, countless people will lose their lives because of his failure.

——But there will be countless people repeating this path until one person succeeds.

Thinking of this, Yunyi raised his head slightly. He looked at the birds flying across the blue sky and cleared his mind:
"I am very happy."

Upon hearing this, "Tanji" was stunned for a moment. He observed Yoriichi's expressionless face - was this really a happy expression?

“Really?” He retracted his gaze, took a deep breath, stood up, walked two steps into the courtyard, smiled and looked back at Yunyi:

"Mr. Yunyi, draw your sword!"

When Yuan was stopped, he instinctively reached for the wooden sword beside him, but was stopped by Tanji again.

"It's not a wooden sword."

Tanji pointed to the other side of Yunyi's body:
“It’s a real sword.”

The latter followed Tankichi's gaze and looked—that was Yoriichi's Sun Blade.

Why…?
Just as Tsugikoku Yoshiichi was about to ask a question, he heard Tanji's voice coming from afar, sounding quite happy:
"I want to give you a gift."

Although he didn't know the reason, Tsugaru Yoshiichi still nodded and picked up the Nichirin Sword beside him.

And at Tanji's signal, he stood up.

next moment.

There was a gust of wind.

Wow——!
Tanji's figure blurred and disappeared on the spot.

The environment in front of me flashes and changes rapidly!
Tsugikoku Yoriichi, who had a dull expression, droopy eyelids and an empty mind, slowly opened his eyes and murmured unconsciously:
"…This is."

The naturally insightful Tsugikoku Yoriichi almost instantly grasped the situation around him that he had repeated countless times in his mind:

The bright summer sun disappears.

The light and shadow changed, the azure sky above turned into a quiet bright moon, and the surrounding environment suddenly dimmed.

The soft ground beneath my feet turned into hard gravel.

The smell of mud, along with the unique fragrance of bamboo leaves, rushed into the nose.

The environment of the Kamado family courtyard disappeared, replaced by a gravel path.

On both sides of the road, dense bamboo forests swayed slightly, making rustling sounds, and the moonlight cast swaying bamboo shadows.

——This is the bamboo forest where he first met Muzan!
Jiguo Yuanyi was stunned for a moment. After he realized it, he almost subconsciously looked towards the place where Muzan stood in his memory.

The vision swayed, and standing at the other end of the path came into view.

A panicked black figure.

“…Huh?” Muzan seemed to have just woken up. He was stunned for a moment, turned his head and looked around in astonishment. His eyes trembled and his breathing suddenly became rapid:

“…Why is it here?!!!”——This bamboo forest is the place he least wants to think of.

It is also the place I think of most often.

The young ghost king suffered his first defeat here.

In my mind, Tanjuro’s words, “I am not Yoriichi Tsugumi” are still echoing.

He subconsciously took two steps back and looked up at the very familiar road ahead:

The real Yoriichi Tsugakuni was wearing a maroon haori, holding a Nichirin sword, and standing silently opposite with an expressionless face.

Their eyes met in mid-air.

Tsugaru Yoshiichi stared into Muzan's eyes without saying a word.

This is a gaze that spans 400 years.

next moment.

"Ah!!" A suffocating feeling as if the heart was being strangled surged into his heart. Muzan's pupils suddenly shrank and sweat uncontrollably oozed from his forehead.

The extremely clear and familiar face appeared in his field of vision, instantly awakening Muzan's memories that had been silent for more than 400 years!
The guy opposite is the real Yoriichi Tsugikoku!

At this time.

Tread, step.

The sound of wooden clogs hitting the ground could be heard.

Wuzan looked towards Ji Guoyuan in horror - and then breathed a sigh of relief, because the other party didn't move at all.

Suddenly, he seemed to have thought of something and his ears twitched twice.

Muzan suddenly lowered his head and looked at his legs in disbelief.

It was he himself who made the walking sound!
His legs moved on their own!!
Heading towards Tsugumi Yoriichi!!

A trembling voice came:

"…Why…Don't move! Stop! My feet!!"

Wuzan was wearing a black coat. At this moment, he was staring at his legs moving forward with horror, sweating profusely, and lowering his voice:
"Don't go any further!!" His face turned pale and he tried to control his hands and pinch his legs, but it was of no use.

His legs continued to move forward on their own, just as he remembered.

Muzan's eyes frantically scanned back and forth between his own legs and Yoriichi who was standing still opposite him.

-Don't come any closer!!

At this time.

Swish!
A female figure in a purple kimono suddenly appeared behind Muzan.

It’s Tamayo.

“…What’s going on?”

Her expression was clearly stunned for a moment, and then she subconsciously looked around - until she saw Muzan slowly moving forward beside her, and Yoriichi standing still opposite her.

Then I calmed down a little:
"...I..." Tamayo's lavender eyes revealed some doubts: "Are you dreaming?"

She was in her room just now, but came here in a flash.

In memory, when Muzan and Yoriichi first met, it was just like this:

Tamayo followed Muzan, and Muzan walked towards Tsugaru Yoshiichi.

Thinking of this, Tamayo glanced at Muzan beside her, but was surprised to find that the other person's expression was extremely frightened, which was different from the arrogant appearance she remembered when she first met Yuichi.

At this time.

Middle of the road.

"what……"

In extreme panic, Muzan's legs became weak and he let out a weak howl.

The image of Yoshiichi in his field of vision continued to expand - Muzan was looking at the other person's feet, and as for his eyes, he no longer dared to look at them a second time.

pat.

Finally, the legs stopped and stood still.

Stop it!!

The black jacket was already soaked with sweat, Wuzan's face lit up with joy, and he took a deep breath of fresh air.

He glanced at Yunyi's feet in horror, and found that the other party still did not move, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Sudden.

Wuzan's mouth twitched unconsciously.

! !
A series of familiar reactions made Muzan finally understand what he was experiencing at the moment!
Everything in my memory is reappearing!

His legs moved forward on their own, recreating the movements he made when he first met Jiguo Yuan!

And in his memory, the next thing he did was...

——Provocative words to Tsugikuni Yoriichi.

Muzan only felt a buzzing in his head and a chill rising from his back. He subconsciously covered his mouth - but it was too late.

His mouth moved on its own, and an arrogant, cold and confident tone came out of his mouth, and he even raised a disdainful smile:

"I have lost interest in swordsmen who use breathing."

Wuzan was so frightened that his eyes rolled back and he almost fainted.

(End of this chapter)