“You again?”
The Hand Demon’s enormous body trembled slightly as its eyes narrowed.
Its huge nose sniffed forcefully several times, producing wheezing noises like a broken bellows.
Then, an unbearably shrill laugh filled with mockery and malice erupted from its mouth, which stretched almost all the way to its ears.
“Hehehehehe!
Hahahahahaha!!”
The Hand Demon laughed so violently that the fat covering its body jiggled wildly.
Its countless arms flailed through the air like they had gone mad, as though it had just heard the funniest joke in the world.
It lowered its head and looked down at Kiyohiko as though staring at an idiot—or a piece of garbage.
“So that’s what happened… I was wondering why your presence had become so weak.
You’re as pitifully fragile as some inferior demon that was only recently born!”
One of its arms suddenly extended, its fingertip nearly poking Kiyohiko in the nose.
Scraps of flesh from some unknown victim remained lodged beneath its fingernails.
“And your entire body reeks of those little rats!
That’s the scent of living humans—the scent of food that should be inside your stomach!”
“You idiot… Don’t tell me you actually went around saving people?”
Kiyohiko said nothing.
Tch.
It’s certainly helping me look good in front of Tanjiro, but something about that tone really pisses me off.
Seeing Kiyohiko remain silent, the Hand Demon laughed even more arrogantly.
Its voice was as piercing as fingernails scraping across a blackboard.
“My, my!
This is hilarious!
Do you think you’re playing house?
Do you truly believe you’re still human?”
“Look at your hands!
Look at your teeth!
You’re a demon—a monster that devours humans!”
“You weakened yourself to save your own food… Is your brain stuffed with wisteria flowers?!”
Its words struck the clearing like the blows of a heavy hammer.
Tanjiro’s eyes widened.
Even on a battlefield where his life hung in the balance, even while standing before the enemy who had murdered countless senior disciples of his master, disbelief and shock appeared within Tanjiro’s crimson eyes.
He looked at the figure standing protectively before him—the figure who unmistakably carried the scent of a demon, yet had placed himself in danger to protect humans.
“To… save people…?”
Tanjiro’s fingers tightened around his Nichirin Sword until his knuckles turned white.
What he had just heard resonated deeply with everything he believed.
There could be an older brother who fought to protect his younger sister.
Nezuko could exist without devouring humans.
In that case…
Perhaps it was not impossible for a demon who fought to save people to exist as well.
[Current Bond Value with Tanjiro Kamado: 45.]
Thanks to the Hand Demon’s assistance, Tanjiro’s Bond Value had skyrocketed before Kiyohiko had even said a single word to him.
At that moment, the corners of Kiyohiko’s mouth were harder to keep down than the recoil of an AK.
As expected of Demon Slayer’s little sun.
As expected of its most charming protagonist.
I love you, Tanjiro.
“Hey, Long-Arms.
You sure talk a lot.”
Kiyohiko finally spoke.
Although his voice carried a trace of hoarseness, his tone remained as infuriating as ever.
He raised his head and gave the Hand Demon the middle finger.
“Whether I’m human or not doesn’t matter.
But a brainless freak like you, who grew nothing but arms and considers eating people its only source of pleasure, is unquestionably a monster.”
Kiyohiko inhaled deeply, forcibly suppressing the hunger churning within his body before continuing:
“Besides, even if I’ve become weaker, that doesn’t mean you’ve become stronger, does it?”
The moment he finished speaking, the Hand Demon’s laughter abruptly ceased, replaced by an even more intense killing intent.
“If you’re that desperate to die, I’ll grant your wish!
Once I chew you and this little fox to pieces and swallow you both, I’ll return to my peak!!”
Boom—!
Dozens of arms descended upon them like battering rams, producing deafening whistles as they tore through the air!
Faced with the overwhelming barrage of thick arms, Kiyohiko relied on his speed to dodge.
Even when the occasional attack struck him, he merely patted the wound as though it were nothing.
Ow, ow, ow!
Internally, Kiyohiko was jumping around in agony.
There are so many arms and so many attacks, yet seventy percent of them are coming after me!
What’s that supposed to mean?!
Isn’t Urokodaki the one you hate?
Isn’t your enemy supposed to be the kid in the fox mask?
What does any of that have to do with me?!
“A-Amazing…”
Tanjiro stared at Kiyohiko and praised him in awe.
“But I can’t fall behind either!”
“Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel!”
Tanjiro’s fierce shout interrupted Kiyohiko’s internal greetings to the Hand Demon’s entire family.
The boy somersaulted through the air, his blade sweeping out a circular current of water that severed several incoming arms.
“Nicely done!”
Kiyohiko shouted encouragement at Tanjiro while repeatedly leaping between the tree trunks like a slippery loach, drawing the Hand Demon’s attention toward himself.
“Hey, Long-Arms!
Are you trying to tickle me?
Your aim is terrible!”
The Hand Demon was completely enraged.
The arms it had been using to attack Kiyohiko suddenly twisted in an unnatural manner.
They tangled together and fused in midair, forming a gigantic cage of flesh before abruptly changing their trajectory.
“DIE, YOU DAMNED INSECT!!”
It was not merely an attack.
It was a trap designed to seal off every possible route of escape.
Tanjiro had only just landed.
His previous momentum was spent, but he had yet to gather the strength for his next movement.
Before he could adjust his breathing, he discovered pale arms closing in from every direction like walls of iron.
“Damn it… I can’t dodge!!”
Tanjiro’s pupils contracted as the presence of death rushed toward him.
Not far away, Kiyohiko caught sight of the scene from the corner of his eye.
What the hell?!
This wasn’t in the script!
Wasn’t the protagonist’s plot armor supposed to be invincible?
Why did the Hand Demon suddenly get a power-up?
This isn’t scientifically possible!
Kiyohiko’s heart skipped a beat.
Logic told him that if he charged over now, he would most likely be crushed into a pile of minced meat alongside Tanjiro.
Besides, given the protection of the protagonist’s plot armor, Tanjiro would probably be fine.
But what if he was not?
What if Tanjiro truly died here?
No matter what happened, Kiyohiko could not gamble with another person’s life.
With an anguished roar, the muscles in Kiyohiko’s legs bulged, and his feet blasted a deep crater into the ground.
He did not attempt to attack.
Instead, he launched himself forward like a cannonball and plunged directly into the cage of arms just before it closed!
Shlk!
Shlk!
Shlk!
The sickening sound of flesh being pierced rang through the clearing.
At the final possible moment, Kiyohiko placed himself in front of Tanjiro.
Three arms as thick as tree trunks pierced directly through his abdomen, left shoulder, and thigh, pinning him firmly in midair.
Blood erupted like a fountain, splattering across Tanjiro’s face behind him.
“M-Mr.
Demon?!”
Tanjiro stared blankly at the scene before him.
The warm blood covering his face made his entire body tremble.
“Cough… Ugh…”
Kiyohiko spat out a large mouthful of blood, his features twisting together from the excruciating pain.
That hurts like hell!
There is absolutely nothing cool about this!
Kiyohiko could not understand it.
Why had the story refused to follow his script from the moment he arrived in this world?
…
TL: Not me checking if I accidentally clicked the Yaoi section.
(Don’t worry, guys, I’m just joking—it really is single female lead with Shinobu.)