Chapter 120: Did you expect this too, Yoriichi?

Whoosh——

In the forest, the treetops sway, reflecting the phantom under the moon that has climbed to the middle of the sky.

"Cough...heh!"

Rui stares, his head rolling on the ground, he looks at the people in front of him in a daze.

For a moment, he can't react.

His head has been chopped off!

Why would the former Upper Rank One mix with humans...?!

——Does Muzan-sama know about this?!

He opens his mouth wide, trembling as he tries to say something, but chokes, only able to make an unintelligible hoarse sound.

His pupils slowly look towards Tanjuro.

——Who is this guy?!

He is able to chop off the head of an Upper Rank like himself...extremely dangerous!

Perhaps due to his unique experiences, Rui had already seen all the Upper Ranks when he was a Lower Rank.

This was a privilege granted by Muzan.

At that moment.

"Muichiro!" Yuichiro glanced at Rui's head on the ground, which was beginning to turn into ashes, and he suddenly realized:

"Stay still!"

He quickly turned his head, ran to his younger brother's side, and anxiously examined Muichiro up and down, shouting:

"You haven't been cut into pieces, have you?"

Slap!

His eyes were filled with fear, and his hands trembled as he covered Muichiro's ears from both sides, his voice unnaturally shaky:

"Your head is still there!"

As he spoke, he even vigorously rubbed Muichiro's head.

"Ouch, big brother, what's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

Muichiro looked puzzled at his suddenly frantic brother, casually brushing off the hands that were on either side of his head:

"I'm obviously fine... no, wait."

"...Something's not right." He furrowed his brows slightly, feeling a bit strange, and even took a small step back in fright.

In his memory, where was that brother who always had a sour face and would occasionally scold him?

Muichiro became alert, even sizing up his abnormal brother with his gaze:

"Could it be some kind of hallucinatory demon art?"

The two brothers who had been staying at the Butterfly Mansion naturally learned a lot about demons from Kocho Shinobu.

"No!" Yuichiro noticed his younger brother taking a half-step back, and his worried thoughts choked in his throat.

He looked at the doubt in Muichiro's eyes, feeling as if his brother's words were several swords deeply piercing his chest.

"Because just now..." He suddenly maintained his forward-leaning posture, frozen in place.

His mouth was open, choked up.

This might be the first time that Yuichiro, as an older brother, felt a sense of failure in front of his younger brother.

Step.

Wiping the sweat off his face, Tadaichiro walked over, looking at the noisy brothers, then looked up at the two people who had come over.

Whoosh!

"...Haha." Tadaichiro laughed, spreading his arms and hugging the two brothers, one on each side, tears squeezing out of the corners of his eyes:

"It's okay as long as you're safe!"

On the ground.

Perhaps because he was about to die, Rui's thoughts gradually gathered.

"...Family." Rui's gaze passed through Tanjiro and Tsugikuni Michikatsu's legs, staring straight at the two brothers who were talking.

In a daze, he noticed that everything in front of him was white.

The slowly falling snowflakes landed in his silver pupils, not melting.

Snow?

Rui was stunned.

When did... it start snowing?

The clothing style of the two people standing in front of him seemed to have changed into a form he had never seen before.

At that moment.

Shh...

Shasha...

"I'm sorry I couldn't give birth to you with a healthy body..."

In his gradually whitening vision, the "mother" from his memory, her tears mixed with blood, fell into a pool of blood, her voice hoarse.

"It's okay, Rui."

His father, with tears in his eyes, was holding a sword, aiming at himself who had already become a demon:

"I will die with you."

His pupils shrank.

So that's it,

He remembered.

He wants a family was just because of his own...

——Guilt towards his parents.

In his silver eyes, reflecting the dim moon, it seemed that the shadows of a man and a woman appeared.

"...I'm sorry."

A hoarse voice came out of his throat.

The breeze blew.

He completely turned into ashes.

...

...

After watching Rui completely turn into ashes, Tanjiro turned to the side, inserting Muichiro's sword into his sheath.

"Eh?" Muichiro looked at his sheath in surprise, he had no idea when he had lost his Nichirin Sword.

Tanjuro turned his head back, his chest slightly heaving.

He stuffed his crow into his chest to lead the way, and ran almost at full speed all the way.

And, when he was at the foot of the mountain, he ran into——

He looked to his side.

A tall swordsman dressed in snake-patterned haori.

The six golden pupils no longer bear the words "Upper Rank" from the past.

——Kokushibo.

"Has Upper Rank Four weakened to this extent..."

He stands upright, slowly sheathing his no longer ferocious sword, his tone filled with sighs:

"The concentration of blood in his body is so heavy, yet his strength does not match with his blood."

After all, as a demon, Kokushibo doesn't need to worry about whether his body will be injured, so his way of traveling is naturally different from that of a human.

The high-speed sprint that almost plowed the ground left a deep impression on Tanjuro.

Looking at the flute broken into two pieces on the ground, Tsugikuni Michikatsu bends down and carefully picks up the flute.

Although it's not the one he keeps in his chest, it's also carved by him.

Sensing Tanjuro's gaze, he slightly turns his eyes.

After observing Tanjuro at close range, his expression is taken aback.

It always feels...

Tsugikuni Michikatsu squints slightly.

——It's more like before.

The two look at each other, neither of them speaks first.

For a long time.

Until Yuichiro, who has come back to his senses, looks at the two with a strange look.

"We meet again."

Tsugikuni Michikatsu closes his four eyes, his voice low:

"——Gohachiro."

The last time they met face to face like this, they were still enemies.

Of course, they are not allies now, it's just that his own position has changed a little.

Seemingly to show that he has no malice, he circles his hand and holds it in front of his chest——this is a movement that can't quickly draw a sword.

For a demon, this can only be a gesture.

At this moment.

"Caw!"

The crow pops its head out of Tanjuro's arms, it curiously turns its head to look left and right: "Who is calling my name..."

The crow's words are cut off halfway, and it is pushed back by Tanjuro, who has an expressionless face.

"Hmm." Tanjuro looks at Kokushibo, who is very serious in both expression and emotion, and for a moment, he doesn't know how to explain.

His gaze shifts slightly.

——I'll explain later if I have a chance.

His gaze looks at Yuichiro behind Kokushibo, and he nods slightly.

It seems that the current Kokushibo cares a lot about the Tokito family.

Seeing Tanjuro's taciturn appearance, Tsugikuni Michikatsu doesn't show any surprise.

Since it's the future that Yoriichi expected, it must be very similar to Yoriichi's temperament.

——Yoriichi.

After leaving Muzan, Tsugikuni Michikatsu hasn't been able to find someone to confide in his inner thoughts for a long time.

Although there wasn't much he wanted to confide in before.

Everything changed after Gohachiro appeared.

"After last time, I've been thinking."

Seemingly reminded of someone, Tsugikuni Michikatsu's eyes deepen as he looks through the forest and starts to talk to himself:

"I.....why was I born in this world."

"——What do I want to do, what is the meaning of what I have done so far."

He lowers his head, looks at his palm, and clenches his fist slightly.

"While thinking, I walk aimlessly."

As he speaks, his gaze rests on the side, on the somewhat dazed Tokito father and sons:

"After solving one question, the next one follows."

"Perhaps, the road I am walking now still does not belong to me, or perhaps..."

After speaking, he turns his head, his gaze directly at Tanjuro, and asks him the question in his heart:

"Gohachiro, you——"

"Do you know the meaning of your existence in the world."

Tanjuro's figure is reflected in the golden pupils.

He is expectant and curious about the other's answer.

During this period, he has had a lot of contact with humans, but unfortunately——most humans are ignorant and he can't communicate with them at all.

And.

He was even more curious about this person who carried Yoriichi's vision for the future.

After hearing Kokushibo's words, Tanjuro felt a strange sensation in his heart.

He couldn't help but cast a doubtful glance at him.

He had previously wondered why Kokushibo would betray Muzan, but...

...was it because he doubted life?

Tanjuro had thought it would have something to do with himself or Tsugikuni Yoriichi, but he had never thought of this.

"I'm just an ordinary and insignificant human." He shook his head, deciding to answer as a woodcutter:

"So insignificant that I can only protect my loved ones."

Tanjuro opened his eyes, his tone straightforward, giving Kokushibo a negative answer:

"So—I've never thought about it."

Upon hearing this.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu stared at Tanjiro, not speaking for a long time.

On the side,

Yuichiro frowned tightly, his gaze moving back and forth between the two.

—What are these two old guys talking about?

He furrowed his brows.

At this moment.

"I see."

Tsugikuni Michikatsu slowly blinked, nodding his head, his eyebrows furrowed.

Family, huh...

Tanjuro held his expression, not saying a word.

"Let's go." Tsugikuni Michikatsu turned his head back, speaking to the Tokito family in front of him:

"Come with me."

He specifically referred to the Tokito family.

"Eh—where to?" Muichiro asked, his mood to chat with the six-eyed old man suddenly gone.

Muichiro who has been tired for a whole day just wanted to rest at this moment.

Yuichiro, on the other hand, slapped the back of his head out of habit:

"Don't talk too much, just go when you're told."

Feeling the familiar touch, Muichiro was both a little happy and a little aggrieved. He pursed his lips, lifted his head, and looked at his brother:

"Why are you so fierce!"

"I've already been able to use the Hinokami Kagura! Aren't you going to praise me?"

Upon hearing this.

Step.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu, who was walking a step ahead, stopped and slowly turned his head.

Opening his six eyes, he looked at Muichiro for the first time in this way.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu's tone was heavy with some confusion:

"Muichiro... what have you... learned?"

He, who had been teaching Muichiro Moon Breathing to no avail before, was now hearing this news.

—He was quite surprised.

Startled by the sudden opening of six eyes, Muichiro subconsciously shrank his head, carefully looking at Tsugikuni Michikatsu:

"Hi... Hi... Hinoka..." His voice also became unnatural.

At this moment.

"It's called Sun Breathing, the Hinokami Kagura is just the name of the dance."

Yuichiro helplessly covered his forehead, completely relieved after confirming that his younger brother was okay:

"Really, practicing this kind of breathing method and swordsmanship every day, don't you know what Uncle Kamado said during training?"

"I know all about it..." He spread his hands.

Looking smug, as if he wanted to regain the upper hand from his younger brother.

"Big brother!" Muichiro unwillingly lifted his head, but couldn't say anything. Under Tsugikuni Michikatsu's gaze, he finally lowered his head, scratching his head in embarrassment.

Upon hearing this.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu's originally surprised eyes, paused for a moment.

Becoming even more surprised, and even a little horrified.

"Sun Breathing...?" He repeated in his mouth, his voice trembling, even incredulous:

"Muichiro learned it?"

"That's right." Yuichiro nods, pointing to Tanjuro who is standing aside and hasn't gone far:

"Uncle Kamado taught us."

After Yuichiro finishes this sentence.

He doesn't get a response from Tsugikuni Michikatsu for a while, nor does he see any movement in the other's body.

His body stiffens slightly for a while.

He looks at the six-eyed uncle in front of him.

Only to see him.

"I see..."

"...Did you foresee this too?"

Tsugikuni Michikatsu is looking straight ahead, at the pitch-black spot deep in the forest, his six eyes wide open.

He mutters unconsciously:

"Yoriichi..."

Seeing Tsugikuni Michikatsu standing in place in a daze, Yuichiro looks somewhat at a loss at Muichiro and his father next to him.

——The six-eyed uncle is broken!

Muichiro and Yuichiro look at each other.

Tadaichiro, on the other hand is smiling looking at Tsugikuni Michikatsu's trembling figure with a rather complicated gaze.

At this moment.

Whoosh!

Tsugikuni Michikatsu, who is standing in front of the three, suddenly disappears into an afterimage.

A gust of wind sweeps past the three, rushing towards the side.

When Muichiro reacts.

Tsugikuni Michikatsu has already returned to Tanjuro.

Tanjuro stands in place without moving, he senses a subtle atmosphere.

After a while.

"Tsugikuni Michikatsu."

Tsugikuni Michikatsu looks at Tanjuro, his tone slightly different from before:

"This is my name."

Tanjuro is somewhat puzzled, but he suddenly realizes.

——Now seems to be a good opportunity.

"...Kamado Tanjuro." He says.

Upon hearing this, Tsugikuni Michikatsu's expression doesn't change, he just nods slowly.

Then he turns around and leaves.

Taking the Tokito family with him, he slowly heads down the mountain.

...

Tanjuro stands in place, he turns his head, his gaze sweeps deep into the forest.

The "family" who were tied by Rui, seems to be scattering in a mess because of Rui's death.

Click.

He grips the hilt of Kusabimaru tightly.

...

This night.

The thunder that strikes down in the sky above the Spider Mountain is particularly numerous.

...

Soon.

In front of Tamayo's mansion.

On the open ground.

A box as tall as a person is placed here.

"...Isn't this..."

Yuichiro frowns, pointing at the somewhat familiar box in front of him, and looks at his father next to him.

——That puppet from the swordsmith's house!

After confirming their thoughts, the father and son nod.

"Take this... back to your residence."

Tsugikuni Michikatsu folds his arms, saying this to the increasingly astonished Tokito father and sons.

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