Shin Arashi's body was tense—ready to move at any second.
He was prepared to break the agreement and snatch Nezuko away by force if necessary. Morals could wait. If it came down to his life or a broken promise, the choice wasn't hard.
"Better alive and dishonorable than dead and principled," he thought grimly, keeping a close eye on Giyu Tomioka.
In the snow, Tanjiro stood firm, facing Nezuko without a hint of fear.
"Nezuko… it's me! your brother—Tanjiro!" he called out softly, his voice trembling more with emotion than fear.
Nezuko's sharp eyes lingered on Tanjiro for a moment… then slowly shifted toward Giyu Tomioka.
Suddenly, she stepped in front of her brother—protectively—and glared at the Giyu Tomioka, her body tense and low like a beast ready to strike.
Giyu Tomioka's breath hitched. "She's… protecting him?"
In that stunned moment, Nezuko lunged—not at Tanjiro, but at Giyu Tomioka.
"No, Nezuko—stop!" Tanjiro shouted in panic, his heart racing.
Shin's eyes widened in disbelief. "Seriously? She's going after Giyu Tomioka?! Does this girl have a death wish?"
Not wanting to risk everything collapsing into chaos, Shin made his move.
With a burst of speed, he appeared behind Nezuko and struck the back of her neck with the hilt of his sword. She collapsed instantly into his arms.
He caught her gently, blinking in surprise at how warm and soft her body was.
"This is… the first time I've held a girl," he thought absently, a flush rising to his cheeks—though the moment didn't last.
"Giyu Tomioka," Shin said sharply, lifting his head, "you lost. Remember our bet."
But before Giyu Tomioka could reply, Shin's vision spun.
His legs gave out. His sword slipped from his hand.
Everything turned black.
He fainted.
Nezuko, still unconscious, fell against his chest in the snow.
Giyu Tomioka stared at them, slightly stunned by Shin's sudden collapse.
Slowly, Shin's demonic features faded—his skin returning to its natural tone, his hair darkening, and the glowing lines along his body disappearing.
"He wasn't a demon?" Giyu Tomioka thought, stunned. "Then… what was that power?"
Tanjiro, panicked, crawled through the snow toward them.
Giyu Tomioka moved next, kneeling beside Shin and inspecting him closely. His breathing was steady, and his aura—no longer strange—felt purely human.
"He's… just few years younger than me," Giyu Tomioka muttered.
Tanjiro, also noticing Shin's youthful face, was struck by a deep wave of gratitude.
"He's just few years above my age… and he saved Nezuko without hesitation…" Tanjiro's heart swelled with admiration.
After a moment, Giyu Tomioka turned to Nezuko. Without a word, he gently picked her up.
Tanjiro's eyes widened in alarm.
"W-What are you doing?! Are you going back on your word?!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet.
Giyu Tomioka glanced at him calmly.
"No," he replied simply.
Without another word, he walked over to a nearby bamboo grove.
Drawing his Nichirin sword, he carefully cut down a stalk, selecting a thick, sturdy piece. With practiced hands, he carved it into a muzzle and gently placed it on Nezuko's mouth—to prevent her from ever accidentally biting someone.
Tanjiro watched, heart racing but slowly calming. "He's… helping her?"
Giyu Tomioka returned to Shin's side. Then, without hesitation, he unsheathed his blade again—and made a small cut on his index finger.
Blood welled up.
Tanjiro stared in confusion. "W-Why are you…?"
But Giyu Tomioka said nothing.
He let the blood drip.
(End of Chapters)
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