For the fourth time, Haruto collapsed to his knees in front of the wooden hut on Mount Sagiri, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
He clutched his chest in desperation, feeling the muscles knit together as the wounds from his last timeline's end were mended. His face was pale, his body trembling. Death loomed closer with every cycle, and for the first time, true fear took root in his heart.
Would there even be a next time?
What if he were killed by Muzan again? Wh...
2025-01-05 20:58:41 +0000 UTC
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Is this… the power of the First Demon?
Haruto could barely comprehend the massive arm swinging toward him. He raised his Nichirin blade just in time to block, but the enormous claw gripped both him and the sword, crushing him at the waist like a twig.
The agony of being bisected was indescribable. For minutes, he writhed on the ground, spitting curses at Muzan Kibutsuji—every foul word he could muster, he hurled with venom.
Yet that wretched beast... mer...
2025-01-05 20:58:12 +0000 UTC
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(Relax, the Kamado family isn't dying yet.)
The Demon King.
The progenitor of all demons.
Muzan Kibutsuji.
This man, who has plunged the entirety of Tokyo Prefecture—and indeed, all of Japan—into chaos for over a thousand years... what has he done with his interminable existence?
Leather shoes pressed against the soft snow, yet the young man with curled hair left no footprints behind. Muzan strolled leisurely through the night-shroud...
2025-01-05 20:57:30 +0000 UTC
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Before the first snow of winter, Haruto returned to Sagiri Mountain from the Swordsmith Village.
Sakonji Urokodaki was sitting calmly in front of his cabin, greeting him with a steady gaze.
Over the years, Master Urokodaki's children—one by one—grew up and left, each departing to fulfill their duties with the Demon Slayer Corps. Once lively and bustling, Sagiri Mountain had gradually grown quiet with time.
But things will be different after the New Year, Haruto thought.
...
2025-01-05 20:57:03 +0000 UTC
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Haruto paused briefly at the door to the Butterfly Mansion before stepping inside, Genya's puzzled gaze trailing him as he entered.
The room was lively, with people bustling around. Standing off to one side was Murata, his hair neatly parted down the middle. He seemed to be chatting animatedly with one of the mansion's attendants. His bright expression and unscathed appearance stood in sharp contrast to the chaos around him.
Further in, Haruto's eyes fell on Shinobu, carefully ten...
2025-01-05 20:56:31 +0000 UTC
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"Who is this?"
"He's using the Breath of the Stars, isn't he?"
Murata leaned on his knees, gasping for breath as he tried to recover his strength.
"Haruto has another apprentice besides Genya? Why have I never heard of this?"
Of course, it might have been because, despite passing the selection at the same time, Murata and Haruto were little more than acquaintances.
But Tanjiro had no time to dwell on Murata's thoughts. The demon, enraged after narrowly dodging hi...
2025-01-05 20:56:06 +0000 UTC
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It wasn't until Haruto and Genya disappeared at the end of the mountain path that Tanjiro finally lowered his hand, which had been waving goodbye.
"Brother." Nezuko's soft voice carried a note of concern as she looked at him. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Nezuko." Tanjiro reached out to gently touch her braided hair, offering a small, reassuring smile. "I was just thinking... What I thought were chance encounters may have all been planned by fate."
The Hinokami Kagura, Father, ...
2025-01-05 20:55:27 +0000 UTC
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"The speed of the burst... it's insane."
"Add the swift, seamless slashes, like streaks of light…"
"The damage it deals is several times that of the First Light… But the strain on your ankles is immense. Are you even listening, or are you just nodding your head? Do you get it?"
Tanjiro blinked his round eyes, then shook his head firmly.
"...What a waste of time," muttered Genya, turning his head away with a scoff. "This idiot."
"And you're no better," Haruto retort...
2025-01-05 20:54:44 +0000 UTC
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Gyomei Himejima.
Himejima.
Master Himejima.
Kaigaku thought he had buried that name deep in his memories, along with his filthy past—a past he believed would fade with time, sinking to the bottom of everyone's recollections.
No one would remember.
No one would recall that years ago, a child made a deal with a demon just to survive.
"I'll go back to the temple and extinguish the wisteria incense…" The young Kaigaku trembled as he whispered his resolve.
"And...
2025-01-05 20:54:12 +0000 UTC
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Haruto descended from the mountain, casually draping his haori over his shoulders. As he passed the area where the younger swordsmen were training, he was about to call out to Genya when he heard voices coming from the peach grove.
Peeking through the gaps in the trees, he saw three young swordsmen, including Genya, walking down a narrow path. Kaigaku was at the front, his face cold as usual. He nonchalantly bit into a peach while effortlessly stepping over what appeared to be a suspici...
2025-01-05 20:53:42 +0000 UTC
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Haruto could have never imagined that his first day on Mt. Momoyama would unfold like this.
He had helped Kuwajima Jigorō carry the round-browed boy down to the medical clinic at the base of the mountain. To Haruto's astonishment, the boy struck by lightning was miraculously unharmed!
It wasn't long before the boy, alive and well, was energetically lamenting in front of a mirror. His black hair and eyebrows had turned a striking yellow, and he sobbed as if the world were ending.<...
2025-01-05 20:53:15 +0000 UTC
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With the significant reduction in Hashira-level missions, Haruto found himself with little to do aside from patrolling. As a result, he began making more frequent trips between the Swordsmith Village and Sagiri Mountain.
Hotaru Haganezuka, however, didn't seem thrilled to see Haruto loitering around the village.
"Don't tell me—it's my sword again? Something wrong with it?" Hotaru asked, his tone laced with suspicion.
"Not at all," Haruto replied calmly. "It's sturdy and ex...
2025-01-05 20:52:45 +0000 UTC
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After leaving headquarters, Haruto had expected the postponed mid-year meeting to happen soon. However, it wasn't until three months later, in autumn, that he saw Kagaya Ubuyashiki again.
"Ubuyashiki-sama."
The Hashira knelt on one knee in unison, each one eager to be the first to greet their leader.
Sanemi, who managed to speak first, wore a triumphant smirk, as if he'd just won some internal competition among the Hashira. Haruto glanced around, surprised to spot the boy he...
2025-01-05 20:52:11 +0000 UTC
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—Time accelerates, pushing the plot forward—
"It's been ages since we've heard about a new Twelve Kizuki appearing."
Another sweltering summer had arrived. The children of Sagiri Mountain were back at the mountain retreat, sitting around a bonfire and sharing a hotpot meal.
With their stomachs full, Haruto, Sabito, and Giyu sat on the veranda, listening to the cicadas' evening song. Naturally, their conversation turned to the Demon Slayer Corps.
"Yeah," Sa...
2025-01-05 20:51:37 +0000 UTC
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Shinobu Kocho wearily shrugged off her white coat, standing under the lamp as she rubbed her tired, aching eyes.
She had been tending to the patients brought back from Suzuka for three whole days. Finally, their vitals had stabilized, lifting a heavy burden off her shoulders.
What now?
She wandered over to the bookshelf, randomly pulling out a book on herbal medicine. But no matter how much she flipped through it, not a single word stuck in her head.
Ah, right. I shoul...
2025-01-05 20:50:59 +0000 UTC
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Yushiro sat in front of Haruto, his brow furrowed as he watched the silver-haired swordsman drift into an inexplicable slumber and then jolt awake.
Haruto opened his palm, revealing a butterfly-shaped pin resting there.
The cold pin left a fiery red burn in his hand. Tamayo held an unused syringe in her hand, as though coming to a realization.
"Did it fail?"
Haruto didn't immediately respond. Instead, he reached up to touch his eye socket.
It wasn't until he felt...
2025-01-05 20:50:28 +0000 UTC
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After spending so much time around Haruto, Genya had become intimately familiar with every stance and movement of the Breath of Stars techniques.
The moment Tanjiro raised his hand, Genya could already predict his next move.
Planting a hand firmly on the ground, Genya flipped backward with effortless agility, narrowly evading the starlit slash aimed at his face. Without missing a beat, he extended his body in a powerful spinning kick, sending Tanjiro flying.
"That's it? Thre...
2025-01-05 20:49:52 +0000 UTC
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No good—his words seemed to make her even angrier.
A glimmer of a tear shimmered in her beautiful violet eyes before falling onto the pristine white fabric of her robe. Yet, Shinobu Kocho didn't appear to cry. Instead, she raised her eyebrows, her signature stubbornness gleaming in her gaze.
"If sacrifices must be made, let it start with me—a swordswoman who can't even sever a demon's head."
She gritted her teeth, spitting the words out like venom, and stormed into the B...
2025-01-05 20:49:21 +0000 UTC
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How should he face Shinobu's feelings? This question had been on Haruto's mind for a long time.
A girl's sincerity is the hardest to ignore—especially when it's someone he had watched grow up.
There were moments when Haruto had caught himself reflecting on Shinobu while she practiced her sword techniques in the flower fields. Though she hadn't grown much taller, her poise and demeanor had become more mature by the day. Perhaps it was because she had lost her parents so early, or...
2025-01-05 20:48:47 +0000 UTC
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The blade pierced through flesh, the resistance of the neck bone briefly slowing her down before she managed to sever it cleanly.
Shinobu straightened, the fire of her anger extinguished, and glanced awkwardly at the others around her.
The demon's remains began to burn, and its expression returned to one of eerie calm as it muttered incoherently. Shinobu didn't bother to listen. That was one way she differed from Kanae—Kanae would always take the time to hear a demon's last word...
2025-01-05 20:48:19 +0000 UTC
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The blade failed to sever the thick neck bone, but with a deft flick of her fingers, Shinobu injected a massive dose of poison into Kyouka's body.
"Hgh…"
Kyouka's graceful composure crumbled as the poison rapidly spread from the wound on her neck, leaving dark streaks across her pale skin. Veins bulged on her face, and her once-serene eyes filled with bloodshot rage.
"Damn swordsman!" she spat, shaking the bell in her hand. The soundwaves rippled outward like a hammer's bl...
2025-01-05 20:47:50 +0000 UTC
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Bang!
With a deafening gunshot from Genya, Shinobu Kocho darted forward, unsheathing her blade to divert the demon's attention away from him.
Insect Breathing, Dance of the Bee Sting: True Flutter!
Her Nichirin blade, as sharp and precise as a stinger, lunged forward with unwavering momentum. The demon, Kyouka, had barely sidestepped Genya's bullet and was caught off guard by the sudden thrust.
Yet the kimono-clad woman remained eerily compose...
2025-01-05 20:47:19 +0000 UTC
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After spending a good half-month in the Swordsmith Village, Haganezuka Hotaru finally came down from the mountain, carrying Haruto's new sword.
The burly swordsmith looked as intimidating as ever—one hand gripping a freshly forged Nichirin blade, the other clutching his personal kitchen knife, which he wielded like a weapon. His booming voice echoed through the air.
"If you dare to—"
"I understand! Haganezuka-san!" Haruto interrupted with a grin, slipping a handful of le...
2025-01-05 20:46:47 +0000 UTC
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The name "Yoriichi Type Zero" sparked a memory in Haruto's mind. It reminded him of a name he'd seen floating across the barrage of comments before.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
"Was he from the Sengoku era?" Haruto's gaze locked onto the paper flower earrings adorning the mechanical doll's ears. A flash of realization struck him.
They're the same as… the ones Tanjiro wears.
From what he'd read in the comments, Yoriichi Tsugikuni must have left a lasting scar on Muzan Kibutsu...
2025-01-05 20:46:15 +0000 UTC
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"Haah!"
The wooden sword struck the training post with a resounding thud. Shirtless, Haruto's movements were unpredictable, weaving around the post with an almost eerie grace.
Elbows, knees, fists…
His attacks weren't limited to the wooden sword. Every part of his body capable of inflicting damage was utilized. Under the storm-like barrage, the sturdy training post trembled precariously.
During these days of waiting for Haganezuka Hotaru to finish forging his blade, ...
2025-01-05 20:45:48 +0000 UTC
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Cool fingertips pressed against his face, pulling down Haruto's eyelids for inspection.
His lips were tugged downward, exposing his neatly aligned teeth.
Next came his ears, his hairline, and even his fingernails.
In Tamayo's hands, Haruto felt less like a human being and more like a dog being evaluated for the purity of its lineage.
After the battle with Douma, Himejima Gyomei returned to headquarters as soon as possible to share the details of the Upper Moon's fighti...
2025-01-05 20:45:20 +0000 UTC
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Dōma's expression froze.
His gaze swept across Haruto, whose torn flesh was rapidly healing, then shifted to his face.
"No scent of a demon, yet your regenerative ability rivals that of a Lower Moon..."
It was an instinctive reaction, like how humans feel unease when facing another apex predator. Though Dōma lacked the capacity for "anxiety," an uncontrollable sense of danger welled up within him as he stared at Haruto's demon-like recovery ability.
His multicolored ...
2025-01-05 20:44:50 +0000 UTC
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It was so dark.
Haruto's consciousness drifted in and out, his ears faintly catching the hurried shuffle of footsteps.
Am I… not dead?
No, that can't be right. Lying there, on the floor, was unmistakably his body—lifeless for some time now. The blood that had poured from his chest had already congealed.
Not far away, Kanae's chest rose and fell weakly. She was struggling to hold on, clinging to some thread of hope, waiting for someone to arrive.
The sun had r...
2025-01-05 20:44:21 +0000 UTC
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Cough, cough, cough…
Haruto pounded his chest forcefully, expelling the icy powder from his lungs before it could cause further damage.
This demon's Blood Demon Art... it completely countered the Breathing Techniques of Demon Slayers!
"How fascinating~" Doma leaned in close, his face hovering mere inches from Haruto's. "How does it feel? Like your organs are freezing solid?"
Thud!
Haruto didn't waste a second—his fist shot forward, aiming di...
2025-01-05 20:43:56 +0000 UTC
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Doma's face held its usual flawless smile, but in the wake of having devoured the elder sister of the girl before him, that smile exuded a chilling malevolence. He walked toward the terrified girl with an elegance that resembled dancing atop a pool of blood.
"Oh?" he murmured, tilting his head slightly as though sensing something. His pupils shifted, seemingly focusing on nothing in particular. "Someone's coming?"
It happened in an instant. A figure as graceful as a butterfly burs...
2025-01-05 20:43:28 +0000 UTC
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