The moment Muzan injected his blood, Tanjiro lost consciousness completely.
He wanted to wake up, but both his body and his mind felt unbearably heavy, dragging him toward an endless slumber—until a rich, sweet scent drifted into his awareness.
[What… is that smell?]
Tanjiro swayed as he stood, turning toward the source of the scent. A boy wearing a checkered haori entered his field of vision.
[It smells so good… I'm so hungry… I need to eat… That's right, I have to eat everything. Once I'm full, it'll be fine.]
The thought barely formed before Tanjiro lunged forward.
But the space in front of him suddenly emptied, and a crushing weight slammed down onto his back. Before he could even register what had happened, he was pinned to the ground.
[Why are you stopping me?]
Tanjiro looked up in confusion at the man in the light green kimono, struggling instinctively.
[We smell the same. Aren't we the same kind? Isn't he hungry at all?
Ah… is that his food? But I'm really hungry… I'll just eat one first and find something else to give him later, right?
I'm so hungry… why is he talking to the food? Can't he let me go first? It's almost dawn. I need to hide quickly—]
Before he could finish the thought, his consciousness slipped away again.
Even as darkness swallowed him, the hunger clung tightly, refusing to let go.
[I'm so hungry… I want to eat…]
{Tanjiro…}
[Tanjiro… who is that?]
{Tanjiro, pull yourself together.}
[Ah… right. Tanjiro is my name.]
In the haze, Tanjiro focused, staring at the tall figure with a sickly face.
[Who is he? Why does he know my name?]
{Tanjiro, remember. Remember what I taught you. Don't fall here.}
[Such a sad scent… Remember what he taught me? Did this person teach me something?]
{Tanjiro, right now only you can protect everyone… please, remember.}
[Protect… everyone?]
Tanjiro stared blankly at the man in front of him, his eyes finally gaining a trace of focus.
[That's right. I have to protect everyone. Someone broke in—I have to drive him away, or everyone will get hurt.]
But the light in his eyes quickly dimmed again.
[But I can't beat him… no matter what I do, I can't win. My hands, my legs… everything hurts so much. I really want to give up…]
{Breathe, Tanjiro. Remember to breathe. If you use it correctly, breathing can lead you to miracles.}
[Breathing… right. Father taught me. Breathing without tiring… but how did I do it again?]
Tanjiro slowly closed his eyes, sinking his mind inward.
The hunger still tore at his reason like a restless beast, but it no longer mattered. Compared to hunger, gaining the strength to protect everyone was more important.
[But… who is everyone?]
Confusion welled up again—but he steadied himself.
[One step at a time. First, remember breathing. Only if I can breathe properly can I think about anything else.]
With that, Tanjiro calmed himself, exhaling the stale air from his lungs before slowly drawing in fresh air.
In the next instant, a violent burning sensation surged through his body from the inside out.
"Ah—!!"
Hiru immediately stepped forward when Tanjiro suddenly screamed and curled into himself.
"Awake?"
Tanjiro gasped for air, not daring to use breathing again. He forced himself to look up at the man approaching him.
[It's that person from before… why is he here? Is he the one who attacked everyone?]
Hiru crouched down, frowning as he examined Tanjiro's eyes. They were still clear and bright—but now one was a human's round pupil, while the other had become a demon's slender vertical slit.
"Looks like you managed to recover some sanity on your own. How is it? Can you talk?"
Once the burning inside him eased, Tanjiro slowly sat up, his gaze fixed tightly on Hiru.
"…Talk?"
"Yeah. How much do you remember?" Hiru sat down across from him. "Do you remember who you are? What you're supposed to do?"
Tanjiro looked around the cave, where only the spot he sat in was protected by shadow. After a long pause, he finally spoke.
"…Tanjiro. My name is Kamado Tanjiro. I need to… protect everyone."
"Then do you remember what you were doing before you fainted?"
"Before I fainted…" Tanjiro hesitated. "I think… I wanted to eat something."
He glanced at Hiru cautiously.
"Um… did I accidentally go after your food? If so, I'm really sorry. I was too hungry at the time—I just rushed over without thinking."
"Food… that's what you thought it was?"
"…Wasn't it?"
Staring into Tanjiro's purely confused eyes, Hiru silently pressed a hand to his forehead.
"Is this really what goes on in a newly turned demon's head… Listen, Tanjiro."
"…Yes?"
"Those were your family," Hiru said gravely. "The people who knelt down, abandoned their dignity, and were willing to give up everything just so you could live."
"So don't insult them with thoughts like 'weren't they just food?'"
"But… you and I are the same kind, right?" Tanjiro tilted his head in confusion. "I can smell the same scent on you that I have on myself. But those peo—those humans don't have it. How could they be my family?"
"Haaah—"
Hiru covered his face again.
"You remember that you have to protect your family, but you don't remember who your family is… When I turned, aside from being starving out of my mind, I didn't have this many problems. Is this Muzan's influence? Thoughts inherited through blood or something… It's possible. I did become a demon through medicine, after all…"
Tanjiro watched Hiru mutter to himself while holding his head, then pressed a hand to his growling stomach. Seeing the sunlight pouring in from the cave entrance, he sighed in frustration.
"Looks like we'll have to wait until night…"
"Hm? What do you mean, night?"
"Well, I'm really hungry, but there's sunlight right now, so I can't go out to look for food—"
"—Ugh!"
Tanjiro flinched back when Hiru's expression suddenly darkened.
"I-I won't go after those peo—those humans anymore. I'll find something else—"
"If you're planning to eat people, I might as well kill you right now."
Hiru's eyes turned gray.
"Your family would probably be devastated, but there's nothing else to be done. After all, if Kamado Tanjiro isn't Kamado Tanjiro anymore, then killing him can't be helped… right?"
"Why would you say that?"
Tanjiro looked at Hiru in confusion. His instincts screamed at him to run, yet he couldn't smell even a trace of malice.
"I am Kamado Tanjiro. How could I not be me?"
"Hah… didn't expect you to be this bold."
"It's because I don't smell any hostility," Tanjiro said with a small smile. "You might not believe me, but my nose is really sharp. You feel dangerous, but you don't smell malicious, so I don't think I need to be afraid."
Hiru: …Tsk. This kid is going to be a handful. (— —;)