Bang! Bang! Bang!
Inosuke's figure left afterimages in midair. The twin blades in his hands were like two rabid dogs, biting down on Gyokko and refusing to let go.
"Die already, damn it!"
The more Inosuke fought, the smoother it felt—the more heated he became.
His Breathing technique was running at full throttle, and that perfectly fused power gave him an intoxicating illusion of invincibility.
He calculated rapidly in his mind:
I still have two minutes of demonization each day. If I use it now, there's about an eighty percent chance I can solo this rotten pot.
His fingers twitched slightly. He really wanted to try.
But the next second, from the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Rengoku Kyojuro and Uzui Tengen standing not far away—hands on their sword hilts, faces tight with worry.
No.
Inosuke instantly calmed down.
If I demonize now, it'll be troublesome. The fewer people who know that secret, the better.
And besides… if I look too strong, what if they start treating me like a work ox afterward?
At that thought, a crafty glint flashed through his multicolored eyes.
Just as Gyokko swung his tentacles again, Inosuke—who could've easily dodged—suddenly staggered underfoot.
"Ah!" Inosuke let out an extremely exaggerated cry.
BOOM!
A massive tentacle slammed squarely into his raised twin blades. His whole body was sent flying like a rag doll, crashing heavily at Rengoku Kyojuro's feet.
"Pff—!!!"
"Inoko boy!!!"
Rengoku and Uzui cried out in shock at the same time.
Inosuke trembled as he propped himself up with his serrated blade, struggling to stand—only to collapse weakly again.
He looked up, his face smeared with blood, and stretched out a hand toward the people about to rush over, shouting hoarsely:
"Don't come any closer!!
Cough—cough! None of you come closer!"
He stared at Gyokko with eyes filled with tragic resolve.
"This guy… he's too strong…
I've been… barely holding on this whole time…
If I don't lure him away… everyone will die…
So… I still can't do it…?
Am I really… not a good big brother… Tanjiro… Zenitsu…"
Turning his head toward Rengoku and Tanjiro, Inosuke squeezed out two perfectly timed crocodile tears.
"Run… take Gonpachiro and the others and go…
This young master… will stay behind alone to cover the retreat…
As long as you can survive…
This lousy life of mine…
It doesn't matter…"
The entire scene fell into dead silence.
Only the wind wailed.
Tanjiro's tears burst forth instantly, snot bubbles forming as he cried.
"Waaah! Inosuke-kun! I can smell it!
That's the scent of willingly facing death—the noblest scent of all!
You're the best big brother in the world!"
Zenitsu cried even harder, sobbing his heart out.
"Big bro! Even though you usually steal my food and beat me up, I never thought you'd be this loyal!
I'll never secretly curse you again, and I'll never secretly throw your tempura on the ground and pick it back up to feed you again!"
"Umu…" Rengoku Kyojuro's hands trembled.
"For the sake of protecting the weak… for the sake of comrades…
To go this far…"
Uzui Tengen's grip on his twin blades bulged with veins. He clenched his teeth, his eyes inexplicably red.
"Even if it's not flashy…
This kid… is a real man!"
On the opposite side, Gyokko watched the scene, so moved that his tentacles were shaking.
"So professional! So touching!
This kid is really ruthless toward himself!
The lines! The emotional explosion!!
You truly understand art!!"
Just as everyone was drowning in their own emotions—
"But!! Who said you're covering the retreat!!!"
A furious roar shattered the night sky.
Rengoku Kyojuro's aura erupted violently. The crimson peony kimono burned to ashes in an instant, revealing the Demon Slayer Corps uniform beneath.
"As a Hashira! As a big brother!
How could I let a junior sacrifice himself to protect me?!"
"Umu! Unforgivable! Absolutely unforgivable!"
BOOM!
Rengoku Kyojuro turned into a blazing meteor, charging at Gyokko with world-destroying momentum.
Right after him came Uzui Tengen.
"Get out of my way! That rotten pot's head is mine!
I'm chopping it up and feeding it to the dogs!"
Then Tanjiro and Zenitsu.
"You bastard fish! Give Inosuke-kun his health back—aaah!!"
Four people, each carrying the intent to dig up Gyokko's ancestral grave, charged forward like madmen.
Lying on the ground, Inosuke secretly cracked open one eye, watching Gyokko—now being gang-beaten into confusion and starting to question his entire demonic existence.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and a smile crept unconsciously onto his lips.
...
At the same time, thousands of miles away—
the Eternal Paradise Cult.
Outside, snow and wind still raged, but inside the inner hall it was warm as spring.
"Oh~ I see, I see."
Doma sat cross-legged on a lotus platform, holding the wrinkled letter Inosuke had written, smiling with benevolent warmth.
"Old man, these two were your friends, but now they're my subordinates.
The guy's ugly but can fight, the girl's dumb but can make money.
Keep an eye on them for me—don't let them run, and don't let Muzan find out.
Once I'm done with my big business, I'm opening a branch at home."
After reading, Doma folded the letter and wiped the corners of his eyes—where no tears actually existed—looking deeply gratified.
"Kotoha-chan, did you hear that?
Inosuke finally made some proper friends."
"Even if they're idiots, as long as they're willing to work with Inosuke, they're good kids."
Kotoha smiled and nodded beside him.
"That's right. Inosuke has always had strong leadership since he was little."
In the corner of the hall—
The newly hired members of the Paradise Faith, Daki and Gyutaro, huddled together, shivering as they stared at the pink-haired man mopping the floor.
Upper Rank Three—Akaza.
Sleeves rolled up, rag in hand, he scrubbed the hall floor meticulously. Every plank gleamed so brightly it could be used as a mirror.
"Um…" Daki whispered,
"Brother… that really is Upper Rank Three, right?
Why is he doing this kind of work?"
Gyutaro swallowed.
"Probably… this is how the strong cultivate themselves."
Just then, Kotoha walked over. Seeing the spotless floor, she covered her mouth in surprise.
"Wow! Lord Akaza, you're amazing!
You clean even better than the previous believers!
There's not even dust in the cracks!"
She praised him sincerely, eyes full of admiration.
"It's… it's nothing worth mentioning," Akaza said awkwardly, stopping his movements, the tips of his ears faintly red.
"This is… for training control over my strength.
Since I'm staying here, it's only right that I help out."
"You're such a good person, Lord Akaza."
Kotoha smiled and handed him a cup of tea.
Watching this harmonious scene, Doma's smile on the lotus platform stiffened.
He was unhappy. Extremely unhappy.
That was his Kotoha-chan. She usually praised him.
Why was she praising that punch-only striped basketball today?
And besides, he was just mopping the floor—was that really worth that much praise?
I can mop too! I can mop even shinier than him!
Doma narrowed his eyes, snapped his fan shut, and floated behind Akaza like a ghost, speaking in a mocking tone:
"Oh my, Lord Akaza is truly multitalented."
He pointed at the floor with his fan, dripping with sarcasm.
"To think that the dignified Upper Rank Three isn't just good with fists, but also so skilled on his knees.
That mopping posture looks very practiced.
Before becoming a demon, were you perhaps a servant specializing in attending others?"
Akaza's grip on the rag tightened violently. The floor let out a sharp crack.
"Doma… are you looking for a fight?"
"A fight? Oh no, no, no."
Doma waved his hand innocently.
"I'm just admiring your talents.
See, this is what they call putting everything to good use, right?"
Leaning close to Akaza's ear, Doma whispered:
"But this is my house. And Kotoha-chan is mine."
"You, an outsider, working so hard to stand out…
Are you trying to steal my spotlight?
Jealous to the point of wanting to take my life away?"
"Or is it that…"
Doma's eyes turned ice-cold in an instant.
"You think that pitiful bit of atonement can make up for injuring Inosuke?"
"Don't get carried away.
A watchdog should behave like a watchdog."
"If you make Kotoha-chan look at you with that admiring gaze again…"
Doma smiled sweetly and pointed at the freshly cleaned floor.
"I'll freeze you into an ice sculpture and put you at the front door as a doormat, okay?"
Veins bulged on Akaza's forehead. The rag in his hand instantly turned to ash.
But he endured it.
A man under another's roof has no choice but to bow his head.
"I'll go chop firewood."
Akaza stood up and walked out with a dark expression.
Watching Akaza's defeated back, Doma instantly changed expressions, cheerfully turning and pouncing toward Kotoha.
"Kotoha-chan! Look, look! I'm amazing too!
I can do magic! I'll conjure a flower for you!"
In the corner, Daki and Gyutaro exchanged a glance.
Just like Inosuke said… wasn't it.
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