[That's not right...]
Suddenly, Muichiro remembered a detail.
When the incident erupted earlier and everyone rushed to the mansion, he seemed to... not have seen Kanae?
Strange, had he unintentionally overlooked her?
Or had Kanae arrived slightly later and missed it?
Inexplicably, a sense of unease suddenly rose in Muichiro's heart.
"What do you mean? Kagaya clearly blew himself up. How can you blame that on us?
Though regarding your brother, there is something to be said..."
Saying this, Mitsuba considerately reached out to wipe the blood from the corner of Muichiro's mouth, then asked with a smile:
"Little one, interested in hearing the story of that Child of God?"
Though it was a question, Mitsuba clearly gave Muichiro no choice. She began speaking on her own:
"That man who was the Child of God had two tragic pasts.
The first time, he met a country girl he liked. Later, this girl was killed by a demon. This experience became the source that drove him to vow to eliminate all demons.
The second time, he grew tired from walking and happened upon an isolated mountain village. It was a beautiful village, so beautiful that it even made him want to stay there forever.
Then, that small mountain village was also discovered by a demon chasing fleeing humans, and destroyed.
What an incredible coincidence—these demons seemed to have heavenly eyes, each time precisely avoiding this Child of God, precisely timing it for when he was away, and ruthlessly killing those he cherished."
"Little one, what do you think is the reason for this?"
"What else could it be... you demons are so pervasive... casually killing people others cherish..."
"Indeed, from a general perspective that's true. I don't deny it."
Mitsuba lightly nodded, continuing:
"But if we add a premise to these two stories?
Suppose there truly exists a god in this world who can control everything. Now look again at this Child of God's story—can you generate some new thoughts?"
"What exactly are you trying to say..."
"Just expressing a bit of mockery and pity..."
Taking the Nichirin sword from Muichiro's hand, Mitsuba slowly stood up and forcefully threw it toward a certain location to her right!
"Ugh!"
The next instant, a scream of pain rang out.
Genya, who had been quietly approaching and hiding behind a building attempting to ambush Mitsuba, was directly pierced through the chest by this Nichirin sword. His entire body was sent flying backward, nailed to a wall behind him.
"Genya?!"
Recognizing Genya's scream, Muichiro struggled to get up, but the pain deep in his lungs made him unable to stand.
As for Mitsuba, she was like someone who had casually swatted a fly—she didn't even turn her head to look, only continuing the conversation they had been having.
"The mockery is directed at that god. Hundreds of years have passed, yet He's still using such crude methods.
The pity is for you—for those of you who have always been pushed forward by that foolish god, already reduced to His puppets without even realizing it.
You're still so young, why bother?"
"My brother died at your hands, how could I possibly..."
"Huh? Your brother wasn't killed by me. Little one, why must you vent your hatred on me?
Hmm, though I'd like to say that, after all, he was your only family member. It's understandable for you to hate us demons by association.
Then what if I said I could find a way to try to resurrect your brother in the future—would you be willing to abandon your hatred then?"
Mitsuba proposed a very tempting offer.
[She wants to help me... resurrect my brother?]
Muichiro was first stunned upon hearing this, an obviously shaken expression appearing on his face.
But it only lasted for an instant before the emotion called anger swept away this hesitation.
"Resurrect when you want! Kill when you want! Demon! What do you take human lives for?!"
Memories that Muichiro's brain had deliberately forgotten gradually returned at this moment.
"My brother was killed by demons! I remember everything from his final moments clearly!
His pain, his sorrow... I remember everything! Even if you could really bring my brother back, so what?
Do you think everything can just be written off?!
I will definitely... I will definitely return the pain my brother once felt to you a thousandfold, ten thousandfold!"
"So little one, what you mean is that compared to having your brother return, you actually want more to vent that anger in your heart toward us?"
"I...!"
Mitsuba's counter-question directly silenced Muichiro.
Her words were still so sharp, each time precisely inserting into details easily overlooked by ordinary people.
"How interesting, little one. So can you tell me—are you avenging your brother, or are you avenging that anger in your heart?"
Mitsuba tilted her head, looking with a smile at the extremely conflicted Muichiro.
"No, I..."
Muichiro had never imagined he would encounter such a difficult choice.
A demon said she could have a way to bring his dead brother back, and the price was for him to abandon the Demon Slayer Corps, abandon his duty as a Demon Slayer.
This was a very simple choice.
In the end, it came down to one sentence: was he to choose his brother or Master?
But it was precisely this choice that made Muichiro incomparably painful.
He did want his brother to return to his side, but Master...
[No, in the end, it's not even certain whether this demon truly has this ability... perhaps, she's actually just deceiving me?]
[She's deliberately using these words to influence me, wanting to enjoy my pained reaction?]
[Yes, that's right, it must be like this... Muichiro, don't overthink. Demons are the most cunning creatures in this world. Their words absolutely cannot be trusted.]
[You are a Demon Slayer. Your duty is to slay demons. Besides that, you must not think of anything else...]
Repeating these words to himself internally, Muichiro's originally shaken expression became firm once more.
Seeing this, Mitsuba lightly shook her head, sighed, and the pity in her eyes deepened.
This time, she didn't say anything more.
"How pitiful... forget it, I'm tired of talking too. Then be on your way."
Wind Breathing · Fourth Form · Rising Dust Storm!
Just as Mitsuba prepared to act, a figure wrapped in fierce winds suddenly rushed forward!
Lightly sidestepping, once again precisely evading the opponent's attack with perfect posture, Mitsuba swept her gaze over and saw through the newcomer's identity.
"Wind Hashira, Shinazugawa Sanemi... Oh~ I see, so that one I nailed to the wall just now was your younger brother?"
---
(These past few days I've seen that things on the other side of the ocean are really intense. Compared to them, Muzan and Mitsuba are simply as pure and innocent as two little white flowers...)