Tanjiro stared at Zenitsu, who was crying as if the world had ended. He walked over and patted his shoulder.
Expression blank, eyes lifeless, he said flatly,
"Hey. The one who left was my sister. You crying this hard… is that appropriate?"
"Ne–Ne–Nezuko left!!!"
Zenitsu wailed even louder, grief completely spiraling out of control. Just imagining not seeing adorable Nezuko for days—or worse, much longer—made his entire world turn pitch black.
"Excuse me~ Good afternoon, everyone."
A pleasant female voice drifted into the ward.
"Oh! Shinobu-sama, hello!"
Tanjiro greeted quickly.
Shinobu stepped inside. Seeing Zenitsu sobbing uncontrollably, she tilted her head slightly.
"Zenitsu, are you feeling unwell?"
Zenitsu sniffled and sat up, wiping his tears with his sleeve.
"Nezuko's gone… Shinobu-sama, could you hug me to comfort me?"
The smile on Shinobu's face stiffened.
Her hand slowly moved toward the sword at her waist.
"EH?!"
Before things escalated, Tanjiro leapt forward and chopped Zenitsu across the head with a hand strike, knocking him unconscious.
"I'm so sorry, Shinobu-sama! Zenitsu's brain is… malfunctioning at the moment."
Shinobu's hand slid away from her sword. Her smile returned.
"And how are you and Inosuke recovering?"
Recently defeated by her, Inosuke lay nearby, staring at Shinobu silently.
Another person added to his future challenge list.
"I'm almost fully recovered! I think I can fight again!" Tanjiro said confidently, clenching his fists.
Shinobu chuckled softly.
"Such determination. But don't rush. Starting today, you and Inosuke will begin functional recovery training."
"Functional recovery… training?"
Tanjiro blinked.
Shinobu interlaced her fingers and smiled sweetly.
"Yes."
Zenitsu, having been knocked out, was temporarily exempt. Spider poison plus refusal to take medicine had slowed his recovery considerably.
Later.
Tanjiro and Inosuke returned from their first session.
They looked… drained of their souls.
"Ah! You're back! How was it?" Zenitsu asked eagerly.
No response.
Both collapsed into their beds.
"Hey… what happened? Why aren't you answering me?!"
Wrapped tightly in his blanket, Tanjiro muttered weakly,
"Sorry, Zenitsu… let me be."
Inosuke's voice was hoarse and hollow.
"Please… don't mind me. Let me be too."
The less they said, the more Zenitsu's anxiety clawed at him.
He jumped up on the bed.
"You two were taken by Shinobu-sama—such a cute person! For training! What could possibly be so bad?! Tell me!!!"
By the end, he was crying again.
Curled up in a miserable ball.
Abandoned.
Nezuko left with Aoyama.
Now Shinobu took Tanjiro and Inosuke for training but not him.
Was he being left behind?
No!
He refused to give up!
"Someone! It's medicine time! I'll take it! And I want sunlight too!"
The nurse burst in with her iron club.
"Zenitsu-san, this is a hospital ward. Please keep quiet."
Zenitsu obediently cooperated from then on.
He took medicine.
He sunbathed.
The residual poison cleared completely—only his shortened limbs remained.
That didn't matter.
Tomorrow—
He would experience this "functional recovery training" himself.
Hehehe.
Elsewhere—
Far from headquarters—
Aoyama had already arrived at the town Shinobu mentioned.
It was daytime.
The town looked… perfectly normal.
No panic.
No visible fear.
Instead, it was lively.
Peaceful.
Bustling.
But Aoyama knew better.
Harmony like this—
Could be nothing more than a mask.
Demons did not roam during the day.
So he checked into an inn.
Since he had money—
He would eat well.
Sleep well.
Never mistreat himself.
That was his rule.
Night fell.
He pushed open the window.
Below, red lanterns lit the streets.
Vendors shouted.
Crowds bustled.
Behind him, the wooden box stirred.
Nezuko climbed out, stretching after sleeping through the day.
"Want to take a look outside?" Aoyama asked gently.
"Mm!"
She nodded eagerly.
They walked through the lively night market together.
Unnoticed—
In the darkness beyond the lantern glow—
A pair of blood-red eyes stared at them.
Aoyama felt it.
That gaze.
He turned.
A black shadow leapt down from a tree.
A demon.
Possibly his target.
Without hesitation, he tightened his grip on Nezuko's hand—
And gave chase into the shadows.
Because sometimes—
The brighter the lights—
The darker the truth hiding behind them.
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