Demon Slayer: Dragon Hashira#34/35: Kaidō's Apology, Hashira Gathering, The Generation to Eliminate Muzan

Aside from Kaidō, Shinobu, Kanae, and Giyu remaining silent, the others expressed opposition and refused to accept the situation.

"Very well. Bring out the letters," Kagaya nodded to Hinaki.

"Yes." Hinaki produced two letters from her kimono. "These are from former Water Hashira Sakonji Urokodaki. I will read relevant excerpts."

She began reading:

[Please forgive Tanjiro for traveling with his demon sister, Nezuko. Through immense willpower, Nezuko has maintained her humanity as a demon.]

[Even while starving, she refuses to eat humans. She has gone two years like this—this is an undeniable fact. If Nezuko attacks anyone, Tanjiro Kamado, Giyu Tomioka, and Sakonji Urokodaki will commit seppuku!]

Tears streamed down Tanjiro's face. He hadn't realized everyone was willing to stake their lives for him and Nezuko.

"Seppuku means nothing! Go rot somewhere if you want to die! If she attacks someone, it'll be too late!" Sanemi's anger was palpable.

"As Shinazugawa says," Kyojuro added, glancing at Kaidō, "if that happens, the victims won't come back. Even if they could be revived... the price would be devastating."

"Um..." Kaidō raised his hand. "Why did only Giyu-senpai and Master Urokodaki vouch for them? What about me? I'm also Master Urokodaki's student—I can vouch too."

Kagaya smiled. "Read the second letter."

"Yes. This letter is from Sakonji Urokodaki to the Dragon Hashira. I'll read an excerpt."

[Kaidō, I have heard everything about your accomplishments in the Demon Slayer Corps. I am proud you have mastered Water Breathing. Therefore, I do not want you involved in this matter! You must survive! Do not let Water Breathing's legacy die.]

[I ask that you serve as Tanjiro and Nezuko's supervisor. If Nezuko harms anyone, please eliminate her yourself!]

As Hinaki finished reading, Kaidō clenched his fists—then relaxed them. He understood what Urokodaki meant by "survive." It was probably because he had revived Kanae and Ruka.

"I understand. I will fulfill Master Urokodaki's wishes and supervise Tanjiro and Nezuko."

Kagaya addressed the Hashira. "Nezuko hasn't eaten anyone in two years—that is a fact. Two people have staked their lives on her."

"To deny this fact, the opposing party must offer an even greater stake."

"Furthermore, there is another reason to recognize Tanjiro and Nezuko—they have encountered Muzan Kibutsuji!"

The Hashira reacted instantly: "!!"

"None of the Hashira present have ever encountered him...?"

"What does he look like?"

"Did you fight him? What are his abilities?"

"Answer us!!"

Kagaya raised a finger to his lips, signaling for quiet. The Hashira immediately fell silent.

"Muzan sent subordinates to kill Tanjiro—probably just to silence him. This is the first time Muzan has shown his tail. I don't want to let go of this lead. Perhaps something unexpected happened with Nezuko that even Muzan didn't anticipate."

"Do you understand now?"

The Hashira fell silent once more. Seeing this, Kaidō spoke up. "I know some of you still don't want to accept Nezuko. But I have a way to test her. Master, with your permission." He brought the box containing Nezuko into Kagaya's room.

Opening it, Nezuko saw Kaidō and immediately jumped into his arms, happily nuzzling against him.

"Good girl, Nezuko." He stroked her head, then looked at Sanemi.

Understanding Kaidō's intent, Sanemi said, "Master, pardon me." He approached Kaidō and, in front of everyone, sliced his arm with his Nichirin blade. Blood flowed immediately.

"My blood is Marechi—the rarest type. No demon can resist it." He extended his bleeding arm toward Nezuko.

"Nezuko!" Tanjiro rushed to the room's entrance but Kaidō stopped him with a shout. "Tanjiro! This is your chance to prove your sister! If she truly hasn't eaten people, you should trust her!"

"Yes, Kaidō-san!"

"Nezuko!" Kaidō called out, pointing at Sanemi. "Do your best! Don't let me, your brother, or everyone else down!" He stood aside.

"Mm-hmm!" Nezuko nodded and looked at Sanemi.

"Come on, demon. Here's your favorite food—rare blood." He extended his arm again. Nezuko grabbed it. Everyone expected her demonic nature to surface. Sanemi's hand moved to his sword hilt.

'You can do it, Nezuko! Don't disappoint everyone! I believe in you!' Tanjiro thought desperately.

Something unexpected happened. Nezuko covered Sanemi's wounded arm with her kimono sleeve, then reached up and patted his head with her small hand, her eyes crinkling happily.

Everyone witnessed this clearly—even Kagaya.

Sanemi was stunned. He'd expected her demonic nature to emerge, but reality proved otherwise.

After this gesture, Nezuko ran back to Kaidō, arms raised, asking to be held. He picked her up and stroked her head. "Nezuko, you did wonderfully! So proud of you!"

"Mm-hmm!" She wrapped her arms around his neck contentedly.

Kagaya spoke then. "This proves Nezuko won't attack humans, doesn't it?"

"Tanjiro, even so, some still harbor reservations about Nezuko. You must prove yourselves."

Hearing this, Tanjiro immediately assumed a proper kneeling position.

"From today forward, Tanjiro and Nezuko will fight as Demon Slayer Corps members, lending their strength to our cause."

Kagaya's voice had a strange effect on Tanjiro—it made his head feel light and pleasantly relaxed.

'Is it his voice? Hearing him speak makes me feel so at ease. Incredible...'

"Defeat one of the Twelve Kizuki. Then your words will carry weight. Just like Kaidō—his actions have earned him immense respect throughout the Corps."

"Yes! Nezuko and I will definitely defeat Muzan Kibutsuji! We'll swing our blades to sever the chain of sorrow!" Tanjiro declared passionately, brimming with determination.

"You are not ready for that yet, Tanjiro. First, defeat a single Twelve Kizuki member," Kagaya smiled gently.

"Pfft~" Mitsuri puffed out her cheeks, trying desperately not to laugh.

'Just like that iconic anime scene...'

Kaidō struggled internally, knowing this was Tanjiro's famous moment. Seeing it in person was... profoundly embarrassing.

The other Hashira also suppressed laughter. Shinobu covered her mouth. A question mark appeared above Muichiro's head—he didn't understand what was happening.

"YES!!" Tanjiro, kneeling on the ground, felt mortified. His face turned bright red.

"The Demon Slayer Corps' Hashira possess exceptional abilities and operate independently. They have survived countless life-or-death situations and defeated Twelve Kizuki members. So Tanjiro, please be mindful of your words," Kagaya advised.

"Yes."

"That concludes Tanjiro's matter. You may withdraw. Time to begin the Hashira meeting!"

"Then Tanjiro and the others will stay at the Butterfly Mansion under my care!" Shinobu clapped her hands, summoning Kakushi to take Tanjiro away.

Hearing the order, Goto sprinted over, grabbed Tanjiro by the collar, and ran off. "Sorry about earlier!"

"Nezuko, you should rest too. I'll visit you tonight, okay?" Kaidō stroked Nezuko's head, pointing to the box on the tatami.

"Mm-hmm." She nodded and crawled inside.

"I'll leave her in your care!" He handed the box to another Kakushi member.

"Dragon Hashira-sama, you are too kind! This is my duty!" The Kakushi accepted the box and hurried away—the other Hashira seemed intimidating.

"Now we can begin the Hashira meeting—" Kagaya started, but a shout interrupted him.

"Wait! Let me headbutt that scarred bastard! He shouldn't have said those things about Master Urokodaki! One headbutt shouldn't violate regulations, right?" Tanjiro had run back, clinging to a support beam.

"Shut up already!" Two Kakushi members pulled and tugged at him desperately.

"Kaidō Chop!!"

Kaidō appeared instantly in front of Tanjiro and delivered a karate chop to his head.

"Kaidō-san, what was that for?" Tanjiro clutched his head.

"Tanjiro, interrupting the Master is extremely rude! Goto, sorry for the trouble—take him to the Butterfly Mansion for treatment!"

"Yes! Dragon Hashira-sama, we apologize for the disturbance!" They hoisted Tanjiro over their shoulders and fled.

Muichiro quietly dropped the small pebbles he had been holding.

"Tanjiro, please give Lady Tamayo my regards!" Kagaya called out.

"!?"

"Wait, just now... just now..."

'He mentioned Lady Tamayo...' Tanjiro thought.

<><><><><><><><>

Butterfly Mansion – Infirmary

After Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke arrived at the infirmary, their treatments began.

Tanjiro: Facial injuries, multiple abrasions, full-body muscle strains, fractured jaw.

Zenitsu: Severe condition—limbs showing signs of transformation from Spider Demon poison, shortening and becoming numb.

Inosuke: Relatively minor—throat and vocal cord contusions, though mentally drained.

Nezuko: Sleep deprivation.

Zenitsu was particularly dramatic, constantly crying about the bitter medicine. Only Aoi seemed able to manage him.

During recovery: Tanjiro endured his pain, Nezuko slept constantly, Zenitsu whined nonstop, and Inosuke remained dejected.

———————

Hashira Meeting

"The Hashira assembled here represent the most elite swordsmen since the 'Original Breathing' users of the Sengoku period."

"Tengen Uzui."

"Kyojuro Rengoku."

"Shinobu Kocho."

"Mitsuri Kanroji."

"Muichiro Tokito."

"Gyomei Himejima."

"Sanemi Shinazugawa."

"Obanai Iguro."

"Giyu Tomioka."

"Kanae Kocho."

"Ryūjin Kaidō."

"My beloved children, I look forward to your performance."

"I believe that in our generation, we will eliminate Muzan Kibutsuji."

———————

After the meeting concluded and everyone left the building, Sanemi called out to Kaidō.

"Kaidō, wait!"

"What is it, Sanemi?"

"I apologize. Urokodaki-san is your mentor, yet I spoke so disrespectfully. I am truly sorry." Sanemi bowed deeply.

"Hah, it's fine. You were just thinking of everyone's safety."

"But—"

"No buts. If you really feel guilty, consider it a favor you owe me. I'll let you know what I want later. Deal?"

"Deal!"

Watching Sanemi leave, Kaidō headed to the Butterfly Mansion to check on Tanjiro and the others—and especially Nezuko.

'I'll visit Tanjiro and the others first, then see Nezuko last. I need to use Demonic Eye to confirm something. If what I suspect is true, I'll need a different plan. But if I'm wrong... I need to apologize.' His expression grew serious.

Arriving at the Mansion, he heard Zenitsu's wailing from outside.

"NOOOOO!"

"This is too bitter! I really can't drink anymore! Five more times? For THREE MONTHS?"

"You have to drink it. Your condition is the worst."

Entering the ward, he found Murata chatting with Tanjiro.

Everyone turned to look at Kaidō.

"Yo! Hello, everyone! Murata's here too!"

"Such a beautiful girl... like a white fairy. Have I seen her somewhere before?" Zenitsu stopped complaining, staring at Kaidō with recognition.

"Dragon Hashira-sama!" Murata greeted respectfully.

"Kaidō-san!" Tanjiro called out.

"Huh? Kaidō? Isn't she a girl?" Zenitsu shrieked in confusion.

"No, Kaidō-san is male—he just looks like a girl!"

"WHY WHY WHY? Why isn't he a girl? Wouldn't being a girl be better? Commit seppuku! SEPPUKU!"

Seeing this, Kaidō instantly appeared in front of Zenitsu.

Murata: "!!"

Tanjiro: "!!"

"Zenitsu-kun, what did you just say? I didn't quite hear. Could you repeat that?" Kaidō's smile didn't reach his eyes as he slowly leaned closer.

Zenitsu leaped over Inosuke's bed and dove behind Tanjiro. "A DEMON! Tanjiro, he's definitely a demon! Did you see? He appeared right in front of me instantly! Terrifying!"

"No, Zenitsu—Kaidō-san is a Demon Slayer Corps Hashira. He's incredibly strong."

As they talked, a girl's voice rang out.

"How lively!"

Murata jumped at the voice behind him. Turning, he saw Shinobu.

"H-Hashira! Shinobu-sama!"

"Hello."

"Ah, hello! Sorry for the intrusion! Goodbye!" Murata bolted from the room.

"How is your recovery coming along?" Shinobu asked.

"Much better, thank you!" Tanjiro replied.

"Then you should be ready to start physical rehabilitation training soon?"

"Physical rehabilitation training?"

———————

While Tanjiro and the others prepared for rehabilitation training, Kaidō followed Tanjiro's directions to find Nezuko's room.

Entering, he found her sleeping peacefully. The curtains were drawn, blocking all sunlight.

Approaching the bed, he gently pinched her cheek.

"Just as adorable as in the story. But Nezuko, I need to confirm something. Please help me with this."

He took her small hand and placed it on his face. "If what I suspect is wrong, I need to apologize."

Activating Demonic Eye, he connected with Nezuko's mind, searching for answers...

Half an hour later, Kaidō withdrew from Nezuko's consciousness. He had found what he was looking for.

Recalling the scenes he had witnessed in her mind, he reflected for a moment before laughing self-deprecatingly. 'Heh... This is my fault. If I hadn't skipped chapters when reading the manga in my previous life, I wouldn't have jumped to such absurd conclusions.'

"I need to apologize. This mistake is on me."

He laid Nezuko's hand down and tucked her blanket in properly.

'Thank you, Kaidō-oniichan!'

As he turned to leave, he thought he heard Nezuko's voice in his mind. He paused, then smiled.

"Nezuko, I should be thanking you."

Exiting the room, he summoned Kuroha and asked the crow to inform Kagaya that he wished to see him.

———————

Ubuyashiki Estate

Arriving at the estate, Kaidō met with the Master.

"Child, is something troubling you?"

Kaidō bowed deeply. "Master, I apologize. I shouldn't have doubted you." He explained his previous suspicions to Kagaya. (Chapters 3 and 4)

After listening, Kagaya smiled. "Child, please stand and raise your head."

Kaidō obeyed.

"Though I don't know what made you think that way—I assume it related to the Kamado siblings—you have done wonderfully."

"But I doubted you. Aren't you—"

"Not at all. The fact that you are telling me your thoughts is the best apology you could give. Everyone has witnessed your contributions to the Demon Slayer Corps."

Hearing Kagaya's words, warmth flooded Kaidō's chest.

After chatting with the Master for a while, he departed.

Watching Kaidō's retreating figure, Amane asked her husband, "Kagaya, why did he have those suspicions? I feel like he's carrying some burden."

"You cannot really blame him. For nearly a thousand years, Muzan has hidden in large cities without showing himself. The Kamado family lived on a remote snowy mountain—there is no obvious connection between the two."

"Muzan going to that mountain in the dead of night was likely coincidental—he was looking for something or planning something, which is why he slaughtered Tanjiro's family."

"The root cause of all this tragedy was Muzan Kibutsuji himself."

"I understand."