But in reality…
the moment he hugged Mitsuri and wailed for his mother, whether or not he was a demon no longer mattered…
Serpent Hashira, Iguro Obanai was the first to burst in, those heterochromatic snake-like pupils shrinking suddenly the moment they saw the scene inside the room!
Especially seeing Mitsuri’s thigh being hugged by a male demon, and her face flushed bright red, a nameless rage surged to his head with a “boom,”
veins popping on his temples: “You bastard—! Let go of your filthy hands! Get away from Mitsuri!”
Behind him, Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui also widened his eyes, the gems on his flamboyant headpiece shaking: “Oh? This is certainly… an incredibly ‘flamboyant’ way to make an entrance, Mr. Demon! To think you’d sneak into the Butterfly Mansion and commit such an unflamboyant act against the Love Hashira!”
Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima pressed his hands together, tears already streaming down: “Namu Amida Butsu… How tragic, how lamentable.”
A demon has actually infiltrated this far and committed such…
a sacrilegious act.
He must be sent to the afterlife immediately.
Wind Hashira Sanemi Shinazugawa radiated a violent aura, his teeth grinding together: “A demon! How dare you show up here! And you’ve taken the Love Hashira hostage?! Unforgivable!”
Water Hashira Tomioka Giyuu stood silently to the side, his hand already on his hilt, his cold gaze locked onto Hanayuki Ichika.
Mist Hashira Muichiro Tokito tilted his head, seemingly still trying to process the situation.
Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku’s nichirin sword left its scabbard with a clang, his voice loud and righteous: “Demon, let me burn away your sins with flames!”
After the initial shock, all of the Hashira’s boundless killing intent and anger filled the entire room like something physical.
A demon!
Appearing in the Butterfly Mansion near the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters!
And entangling a Hashira in such a disgraceful manner!
This was nothing short of a humiliating insult!
Even more alarming to them was how this demon had managed to infiltrate so silently.
Why was there a demon in Kochou Shinobu’s room?
“Kill this demon immediately!” Iguro Obanai hissed,
Kaburamaru raising its head and hissing loudly.
“Let me blow him into the most unflamboyant of pieces!”
Tengen Uzui already had explosive beads pinched between his fingers.
“Namu… The demon must be slain!”
Gyomei Himejima’s spiked flail began to hum.
“Wait!” Just as several Hashira were about to strike, in the nick of time before Hanayuki Ichika was blasted to dust, an urgent yet characteristically gentle female voice suddenly rang out from the distance!
A purple figure rushed into the room like a whirlwind, instantly shielding Hanayuki Ichika from the Hashira.
Kochou Shinobu breathed slightly hard, clearly having rushed back; her face still wore that signature gentle smile, but her purple eyes were filled with unprecedented urgency and determination.
She spread her arms wide, protecting Hanayuki Ichika behind her.
“Shinobu (Shinobu-san)?!” The Hashira exclaimed in shock, their movements coming to a sudden halt.
Iguro Obanai’s gaze became dangerous and confused: “Kochou, what is the meaning of this? Why are you protecting a demon?”
Sanemi Shinazugawa’s anger flared even hotter: “Kochou Shinobu! Move! The thing behind you is a demon! A man-eating monster!”
Gyomei Himejima’s tears flowed even more heavily: “Shinobu… why do you stop us from slaying the demon? Do you have some hidden reason?”
Kanroji Mitsuri finally regained a sliver of her Hashira rationality from her extreme embarrassment, though her face was still incredibly red and her voice stuttered: “Shi-Shinobu-san! Wh-what exactly is going on?”
This demon…
he, he…” She looked at Hanayuki Ichika, who was still clinging to her leg, then at Kochou Shinobu shielding him, completely unable to grasp the situation, but out of trust for her companion and a natural focus on “abnormal circumstances,”
she temporarily suppressed the urge to immediately break free and swing her blade, simply questioning Kochou Shinobu with her eyes.
Kochou Shinobu took a deep breath, her smile unchanged, but her voice was exceptionally clear and rapid: “Everyone, please listen to me! He… Hanayuki Ichika, he is not the kind of demon you think! Although he has turned into a demon, he has never harmed anyone!”
I met him on my way back from a mission, his parents were both killed by demons, and he is a child who just turned into a demon during that tragedy!
Not only has he never eaten a human or done anything bad, he was even willing to let me kill him after recognizing me as a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, and after surviving by accident, he was willing to help me when I was in a desperate situation…”
“Absurd!” Sanemi Shinazugawa interrupted her crudely, his bloodshot eyes glaring intensely at Hanayuki Ichika behind Kochou Shinobu,
“How could a demon possibly help a demon slayer? Don’t make me laugh!!”
Once a demon, always a demon!!
A demon’s nature is to eat humans!
He’s not eating now only because he hasn’t had the chance!
Wait until his fangs grow and hunger strikes, then see if he doesn’t devour you whole!”
Iguro Obanai also added coldly: “Shinobu, you are too naive.”
A demon’s words cannot be trusted, and a demon’s existence itself is a sin.
Move, or don’t blame me for disregarding our camaraderie.”
Although Tomioka Giyu didn’t speak, his gaze clearly indicated agreement.
Tengen Uzui shook his head: “Shinobu, your kindness is misplaced.”
A demon is, after all, a demon.
This naivety might get you and many others killed.”
Gyomei Himejima softly chanted a prayer, but his grip on the heavy chain tightened.
Kochou Shinobu’s body trembled almost imperceptibly, not out of fear, but because of urgency—the bone-deep hatred for demons that she had always suppressed with a smile was now in violent conflict with the impulse to protect this special existence behind her.
She knew her companions’ words were based on bloody experience and common sense…
Even she herself hadn’t wanted to believe it at first.
But she had seen it with her own eyes, felt it herself…
that youth who cried under the moonlight and begged her to end his life…
She bit her lower lip, her smile still on her face, though it appeared somewhat pale: “I am not deluded, and I hate demons more than anyone. But he is different… please trust me just this once…”
Kanroji Mitsuri looked at Kochou Shinobu’s resolute back, then looked down at the handsome white-haired Demon Youth still hugging her leg.
She remembered when Kochou Shinobu mentioned his “parents were both killed by demons,”
the deep sorrow that had flashed through the youth’s eyes.
Mitsuri’s heart, that naturally soft and empathetic heart, stirred slightly.
But she immediately shook her head to dispel the impractical thought.
He is a demon.
This realization was deep-rooted.
But…
Shinobu-san is so persistent…
though her blush hadn’t faded and her voice trembled, her gaze became firm,
“Shinobu-san knows demons better than any of us, and she hates them more too!”
Since she said so, there must be a reason!
We should at least…
at least hear her out and find out exactly what happened!” After she finished, she seemed to have exhausted her courage and lowered her head in embarrassment.
Iguro Obanai looked at Mitsuri in disbelief: “Mitsuri! What kind of spell has he cast on you…!”
Tsuyuri Kanao stood quietly in the corner, watching her master, then looked at the Love Hashira, who had shown rare hesitation but ultimately chose to support her master.
Master was smiling, smiling on and on, but she knew better than anyone that beneath that smiling mask was a rage that burned every single moment, an unquenchable hatred for the demon that took away Kanae-nee-san.
But now…
Master was using that body, which was always angry, to shield a demon??
And the Love Hashira, though panicked and shy, also stood on Master’s side.
Deep within Kanao’s purple eyes, a turbulence more violent than any before was stirred.
She didn’t understand, didn’t understand at all.
The Master who loathed demons most in the Demon Slayer Corps…
The Master who had always been angry, disgusted, and hateful toward demons because of her sister’s death…
Why was she protecting a demon like this?
The air froze as killing intent collided with confusion, and anger with persistence in the small room.
Hanayuki Ichika was still hugging Mitsuri’s leg, and Mitsuri had fallen back into shyness and tension after her declaration of support.
The nichirin swords in the hands of the Hashira were still ready to strike, while Kochou Shinobu was like a fragile yet stubborn purple barrier standing between the two sides.
Just at this tense, almost explosive moment of confrontation, a gentle, steady voice carrying an unquestionable authority flowed into the room like a cool spring, miraculously dousing the scorching killing intent and anger in the air.
“Please, everyone, put away your weapons for a moment.”
Everyone’s gaze instantly turned toward the door.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya slowly entered the room, supported by his family.
Amane-sama accompanied him quietly, her beautiful face carrying its usual calm and support.
And behind them, five small figures followed silently—the five children of the Ubuyashiki family:
the eldest son Kiriya, and four daughters Hinaki, Nichika, Kanata, and Kanao.
The children wore neat clothes, their small faces carrying a quietness and maturity beyond their years, their clear gazes curiously scanning the tense adults in the room, until finally, the gazes of the four young girls—Hinaki, Nichika, Kanata, and Kanao— fell simultaneously on Hanayuki Ichika, the handsome white-haired Demon Youth surrounded in the center.
Their eyes widened slightly, seemingly surprised that this “demon” so hated by the adults had such a non-demonic, even peerlessly beautiful appearance…
Hanayuki Ichika noticed those few innocent and curious gazes.
In such a grim and tense atmosphere, those clear eyes were particularly striking.
Subconsciously, he looked at the four little girls watching him, curled his lips slightly, and gave an extremely soft, non-malicious smile, even gently winking.
This abrupt yet purely friendly gesture made Hinaki, Nichika, Kanata, and Kanao all freeze for a moment, their eyes widening further as they stared back at him without blinking, their curiosity seemingly amplified in an instant.
Almost at the same time, Kochou Shinobu gave Hanayuki Ichika her signature, particularly black-hearted death smile, and in a volume only the two of them could hear, she teased softly: “Mr. Demon~ please don’t flirt with Oyakata-sama’s children as you please, lest you be mistaken for a perverted lolicon~”
Her tone was sugary sweet, but the underlying teasing, which viewed him with the disdain and disgust reserved for a pervert, was thick enough to cut…