Chapter 172 Interlude
"Master Urokodaki! Master Urokodaki!"

"I did it! I passed the Demon Slayer Corps assessment!"

After the test, Tanjiro couldn't wait to rush up Mount Sagiri.

"Hey, this is..."

His nose twitched suddenly, and then he showed a surprised smile: "It smells like Mr. Tomioka!"

Sure enough, after rushing to the house on the top of the mountain, a man wearing a two-color patchwork jacket came out.

"Tanjiro." Tomioka Giyu nodded calmly at the visitor: "Congratulations."

"It's all because of Mr. Tomioka's willingness to believe in Nezuko and me, and his willingness to introduce us to Master Urokodaki... Thank you so much!"

Tanjiro bowed in gratitude.

Tomioka Giyu nodded and stepped aside to leave the room: "Your sister is inside."

Tanjiro, who had been impatient for a long time, immediately said sorry and ran into the room. Seeing Nezuko sleeping soundly on the bed, he leaned over and gently touched her hair.

"correct."

He suddenly realized: "Master Urokodaki, where are Senior Brother Mizutani? I don't think I've seen them."

Tomioka Giyuu clenched his fists unconsciously in his sleeves, but his voice remained calm: "Master Urokodaki and the others encountered an evil demon and are currently receiving treatment in the Demon Slayer Corps. You don't have to worry."

Tanjiro's face changed and he stood up immediately: "Please take me there!"

"no need."

Tomioka Giyuu subconsciously refused: "Going there won't change anything. What you need to do now is to wait for your Nichirin Sword at Sagiri Mountain."

"But……"

Tanjiro thought of the [Hand Demon] he encountered during the test, and said firmly: "I have something very important that I want to tell Master Urokodaki in person!"

Tomioka Giyuu stared at him for a moment and sighed imperceptibly.

"Come with me."

"Thank you!"

Tanjiro smiled, tucked in the quilt for Nezuko, and followed behind Tomioka Giyuu.

……

The team’s house for healing was not far from Xiawu Mountain, and the two of them arrived quickly by carriage.

Walking into a grand house in the town, Tanjiro immediately smelled a strong scent of medicine.

He followed Giyu Tomioka into a side room, and when he saw the old man's empty left arm on the bed, his lips instantly pursed.

——Urokodaki Sakonji’s injuries were more serious than he had imagined!
"master……"

When the old man saw that his disciple was alive, he finally let go of the worry he had been carrying. He smiled with some relief and said, "It's good that you're back... It's good that you're back!"

Tanjiro's eyes were slightly red, and he walked to the bed and held the old man's hand.

The smell of blood, herbs, alcohol...

Various smells flow into the nose along with the air.

Tanjiro was suddenly stunned!

Because, beneath the cover of several smells, there is also a slight strange smell that is about to dissipate.

It's like a ripe, fragrant apple, which is attractive yet nauseating.

"Master! Who is that evil ghost you encountered?!" Tanjiro's face changed drastically, full of anxiety.

"what happened?"

Urokodaki Sakonji was a little confused when he saw him like this.

"I can smell the scent he left on you... This ghost has been to my house and kidnapped my brother and sister!"

Tanjiro clenched his fists.

I felt angry but also a little happy - after so long, some clues finally appeared before my eyes!

He will never forget the pain in his heart and the tears of his family members after he discovered that the three people were missing!
"Is there such a thing?"

Urokodaki Sakonji was stunned and subconsciously thought about the other party's motives.

"Please tell me who he is?!" Tanjiro asked.

"…He is Akashi's brother." Urokodaki Sakonji did not hide it.

But as he spoke, he felt somewhat helpless. How come both of his disciples were related to each other?

Thinking of this, he immediately said solemnly: "Tanjiro, don't be impulsive! The opponent is very strong, I can't even survive a single move from him! If it weren't for Red, I would have died there."

Tanjiro was silent.

He could hear Urokodaki Sakonji's warnings to him, as well as his persuasion full of concern. But when it came to his family, he would never back down!
"Master Urokodaki, please tell me more about the other party."

Urokodaki Sakonji looked at his disciple's determination and sighed, "Really? Both of them are so stubborn."

He shook his head. "If you want to know more, ask Chi."

……

There is only one wall separating the other room.

Chi was wrapped in bandages and bowed like a girl with dark purple pupils.

"Please, Senior! Please teach me!"

“…It’s really embarrassing.”

Kocho Shinobu turned her back to him and grinded the herbs in the bowl with a smile: "Haven't you mastered the breathing method?"

Chi requested in a low voice: "I hope to learn pharmacology from you, especially about the configuration of poisons!"

"why?"

"I want revenge!"

Shinobu said nothing more, pounding the mortar again and again. A rhythmic "dong dong dong" sound rang out in the room.

And Chi just bent over and waited.

"I refuse." Shinobu Kocho finally turned around: "Although I don't understand your experience, the fact that you are injured so seriously shows that the gap between you two is irreparable..."

"In that case, why not just give up? There will be others to kill him anyway."

"Because I won't give up!"

The red lips moved.

He wanted to talk about the anger of being betrayed by his family, the pain of watching his brother die, the hatred of seeing his master's limbs torn apart, the humiliation of being trampled underfoot...

He had a lot to say.

But in the end, he just repeated: "I am unwilling..."

Shinobu Kocho looked down at the child in front of her who was clenching his fists, and vaguely recalled herself when she was 14 years old.

[Shinobu, please leave the Demon Slayer Corps. ]

That year, her sister, who was on her deathbed, touched her face and said this to her.

[Although you work really hard...I hope you can be as happy as an ordinary girl. ]

Fearing that she would kill herself in revenge, her sister hoped that she would lay down the blade and return to a normal life.

——But, sister.

——How can I live normally when you were injured like this by the evil spirit?

The smile on Shinobu Kocho's face revealed a hint of sadness.

She came back to her senses and asked softly, "What do you want to do by learning these?"

"I want to turn my body into poison!"

Chi gritted his teeth, a deep madness revealed on his ferocious face: "Since he said he would eat me the next time we meet! Then I want him to know... Even if I don't have any talent, I can drag him to hell with me!"

Kocho Shinobu was stunned.

——This is really...similar.

……

After coming out of Shinobu Kocho's residence, Chi clenched his fists, looked at the gray sky where snow was still falling, and let out a long sigh of relief.

——Shinobu Kocho has agreed to teach him about medicine starting tomorrow.

He was about to go back to rest when he suddenly heard a shout from behind.

"Brother!" Chi turned around and looked at Tanjiro behind him. After a pause, he nodded and said, "It seems that you have succeeded. Congratulations."

He suppressed the jealousy that welled up in his heart and forced a smile: "Thank you for your notes, they are very helpful to me."

"Really?" Tanjiro smiled gently, "That's good. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to help."

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while, and Aka seemed to realize something and said, "Tanjiro, is there anything you want to ask me?"

Tanjiro's lips moved.

But after a moment he scratched his hair, smiled and shook his head: "No, nothing. I just saw you, brother, and came over to say hello."

"...Is this so?"

Chi looked at him strangely, said goodbye and turned to leave.

Tanjiro watched his back, thought for a moment and suddenly stopped: "Wait a minute!"

When Chi turned around, he put his hands to his mouth and shouted, "Be sure to rest, brother!"

Chi looked at him in confusion for a while, then waved his hand to indicate that he understood.

When his figure disappeared from his sight, Tanjiro sighed worriedly. He recalled the pair of eyes he had just seen.

Struggle, confusion, hatred, dead silence...

In this situation, how could he ask the other person about his painful past?
##
The snow continued to fall.

After a day and night of heavy snow, the traces of the battle in the woods were covered up, and there were only a few broken branches sticking out of the snow.

Wuyilang squatted down to examine the broken end of the tree, then brushed away a layer of snow and pulled out a broken knife from it.

Looking at the twisted blade at the break, he said calmly, "He was able to break the Nichirin Sword with just his fingers... It seems like he is indeed an opponent that cannot be underestimated."

He flicked the blade with his fingers and turned his head as he heard the clanging sound: "Mr. Purgatory, what do you think?"

Rengokufu Kyojuro was also squatting on the ground observing the scene.

Hearing this, he agreed cheerfully: "I think you are right! Although Mr. Urokodaki said that the other party is not the [Twelve Demon Moons], no matter how you look at it, this kind of power is not comparable to the [Lower Moon] demons!"

Wuyilang nodded, and after a moment of patience, he said again: "Mr. Purgatory, can you lower your voice? After all, we are here to investigate, and you are..."

"Sorry sorry!"

Rengoku Kyojuro raised his thumbs up proudly: "I won't hold you back!"

【……never mind】

Muichiro sighed.

The two men searched the surrounding area, wrapped the half-broken arm tightly with cloth and took it away, then walked towards the east direction mentioned on the letter.

The sun sets quickly in winter.

It was dusk when we got off the carriage, but it was already dark after a while. However, under the reflection of the white snow, it didn't seem too dark.

The two of them didn't speak, but walked in tacit understanding, one in front and one behind. They also controlled their breathing so that their steps would not be too obvious.

then.

In the silent forest, the sudden barking of a dog from deep within seemed eerily loud.

The two looked at each other and quickened their pace.

Going around the increasingly dense trees and leaping over the snarling branches, the two men stepped on the tree trunks and took in the scenery below.

——It’s a small village!

There were no more than a dozen houses in total, all with mud-gray walls and tiled roofs. Many of the houses had cracks, and many had even collapsed into a heap.

The color is dark, and even covering it with white gauze cannot erase its shabby nature.

Since the village appeared in this direction, the two naturally had no intention of letting it go.

creak~

A dry friction sound.

Wuyilang reached out and pushed open a door, walked in and looked around.

The wooden bed and bedding were not covered with dust, and several pots and pans were scattered on the ground. He lifted the lid of the big pot on the stove and found some dried porridge soup inside.

Wuyilang frowned, left the house, and pushed open the next door.

Soon, he looked around the village.

"No one." He said softly after reuniting with Rengoku Kyojuro.

Kyojuro raised the black dog in his arms and said, "I only found it in a cage!"

The black dog stuck out its tongue and barked at Wuichiro, wagging its tail rapidly.

"Look! It seems to like you very much!" Kyojuro laughed and handed it forward.

Wuyilang took out some dry food, broke it into pieces and fed it to the dog, then scanned the clean snow with his empty eyes.

"From the signs, the villagers should have disappeared not long ago. There is no blood, which means the possibility of being eaten is not high."

He analyzed doubtfully: "Were they forced to leave collectively? But what was the purpose?"

"We'll talk about the purpose later!" Kyojuro said, "We should rescue them first!"

"But the footprints were covered by the heavy snow..."

As Wuyilang spoke, he raised his head and asked, "Yinzi, did you find anything unusual in the sky?"

A black crow was circling overhead. After a brief investigation, it landed on Wuyilang's shoulder, pecked its wings and said, "No, Wuyilang, I didn't find anything."

Wuyilang held up his chin.

"So, should we continue chasing eastward and give it a try?"

"How about asking about it?"

Rengoku Kyojuro put the dog on the ground: "Mr. Black Dog, can you lead us to those villagers?"

"…It's useless, Mr. Purgatory."

Muichiro said expressionlessly: "How can a dog understand human language?"

But unexpectedly, the black dog seemed to really understand. It circled around Kyojuro and barked a few times, moving its nose back and forth on the ground.

Soon, it began to run in the direction of northeast.

Rengoku Kyojuro followed behind, laughing and praising, "Good dog!"

Wuyilang's eyes twitched, but he was forced to follow.

"Really, Mr. Purgatory... Is it really reliable..."

Stepping on the branches of the trees, two figures floated in the night.

But suddenly!
The black dog running below whimpered, braked, and lay on the ground with its tail between its legs, trembling.

The two of them stopped instantly! They half-crouched down and pressed down the handle of the Sun Wheel Sword!
They all sensed something was wrong!
The forest fell silent again; even the sound of falling snow disappeared.

Everything seemed to be frozen in the painting.

But a violent wind suddenly tore it apart!
"Be careful--!"

The crows in the sky screamed!
But the two reacted even faster! They jumped away one after another before it could make a sound!

Boom~!
It's like a thunderstorm exploding in my ears!

A wide, deep pit was suddenly created on the flat ground! The cracks spread in all directions, shaking the nearby trees to the ground!

The snow is flying and blurry.

Facing the whistling wind, Wuyilang leaned forward and stretched out his hands to block in front of him.

But from the gap between his crossed arms, he suddenly saw a flash of knife light coming across!

Cut the corner of his clothes, chop off his hair, and hit his neck as his pupils suddenly dilated!

puff!
Cracked neck!
But what spurted out was not blood, but a layer of gray mist! Muichiro's sluggish figure gradually dissipated and completely blended into the surrounding snowstorm.

"Kasumi's Breathing?"

Su Beixun was not surprised that his attack missed.

He held the long sword back to block the hot blade that was flaming behind him.

Turning her head, she smiled at Kyojuro, whose hair was colorful, and said, "You really look like your father."

"Thanks for the compliment!"

Rengoku Kyojuro raised his eyebrows, and his orange-red pupils were unusually sharp.

(End of this chapter)