Eroking
patreon
Chapter 19: Tanjiro's First Battle X The Price of Arrogance
🕑 Added 2025-10-19 10:27:37 +0000 UTCChapter 19: Tanjiro's First Battle X The Price of Arrogance
Tanjuro had always dreamed of building a proper shrine for the God of Fire. But with a large family to feed and always being strapped for cash, it remained just that—a dream. He would often tell the young Roy and Tanjiro that he was a poor excuse for a believer, and that he hoped one day they would have the means to give the Fire God a place of shelter. Nothing grand, just a place that was clean and respectful.
Standing at the bottom of the moss-covered stone steps, Tanjiro thought this shrine was perfect. It wasn't large or extravagant, but it had a quiet, solemn dignity. He was sure the Fire God would love it.
He adjusted the basket on his back. "Bro, let's go in and pay our respects."
If you were to stay the night in a shrine, tradition dictated you offer thanks to the spirits within.
But Roy didn't believe in gods or ghosts. He had no intention of praying. Instead, he pointed a finger at the steps. "The snow is falling hard. Why are these steps completely clear?"
"It must have a caretaker!" Tanjiro said, his face lighting up. "He must be a very diligent person to be sweeping the snow this late. Bro, maybe we'll even get a hot meal tonight!"
"We are the hot meal," Roy said, a smirk playing on his lips.
"?"
Tanjiro's expression shifted. Before he could ask what Roy meant, the scent hit him. A sharp, coppery tang of blood. It was faint, but it was the exact same smell from the day they'd encountered the demon in the forest.
Which meant...
A demon!
"There's a demon in the shrine!" The hairs on Tanjiro's arms stood on end.
Roy gave him a sidelong glance. So he's not a complete idiot. He started up the steps. "Let's go," he said casually. "If we're late, we'll miss dinner."
Tanjiro's face flushed. With a sharp shing, he drew the axe from his belt. He was a hothead by nature. Even in the original story, he had charged headfirst into this same shrine despite smelling blood. Courage was not something he lacked.
"Don't worry, Bro!" he declared, the glint of the axe giving him a surge of confidence. "This time, I'll protect you!" He swore to himself that he wouldn't hide behind a tree again.
"Okay," Roy said, and simply stepped aside, giving him a clear path.
Tanjiro froze, not sure whether to laugh or cry. But he'd been put on the spot. He had to follow through. Steeling himself, he charged up the steps.
Roy followed at a leisurely pace, a thin layer of Nen already coating his eyes. With Gyo, he could see everything inside the shrine with perfect clarity. It was exactly as he remembered from the story: a low-level demon that used the shrine as a lure for travelers and merchants. The rash of disappearances in the area was undoubtedly its handiwork. It had no Blood Demon Art, but its raw strength and regenerative abilities were more than enough to dominate the local countryside.
Crunch... crunch...
The demon was enjoying its meal. A unfortunate traveling merchant had "stopped for a hot meal," alright. The man's body was slumped against a broken statue, his entrails ripped out. The demon was chewing on a long, bloody intestine with relish.
"And what do you want, my friend?" the demon growled, turning its head. Its bloodshot eyes fixed on the entrance. "This is my dining hall. It's rude to interrupt a meal."
Tanjiro stood frozen in the doorway, his axe held high. He watched, horrified, as the demon took another bite. His stomach churned, and the rice balls he'd eaten for lunch threatened to make a reappearance.
"Swallow it," Roy's voice said, firm and cold, from behind him. "Don't waste Mother's hard work." He stepped up beside his brother.
The demon pushed itself to its feet, wiping its bloody mouth with the back of its hand. It grinned, revealing a set of jagged fangs. "Two of you? Excellent. I do love winter. A never-ending supply of food..."
"You talk too much," Roy said, and gave Tanjiro a sharp shove in the back. "Go."
Caught off guard, Tanjiro stumbled forward with a cry, charging on pure reflex.
BAM!
A brutal knee strike sent him flying back out the door.
Even the weakest demon, empowered by Muzan's blood, possessed superhuman strength and speed. Tanjiro had seen Roy fight Sato, and it had looked so... easy. Now, he realized how terribly he had misjudged both his brother and his enemy.
This isn't something a human can fight!
The impact felt like he'd been hit by a freight train. His whole body screamed in protest. As the demon loomed over him, he managed to twist in mid-air and swing his axe at its neck. His instincts, at least, were sharp.
SLASH!
Blood sprayed from the wound. The demon staggered back, clutching a deep gash in its neck that had nearly decapitated it. "An axe?" it snarled, its eyes wide with disbelief. "Not bad, kid. But a scratch like this will heal in a second."
As he spoke, the bleeding stopped, and the flesh began to knit itself back together. Tanjiro remembered Sato's arm regenerating. He knew that unless he killed it, any injury was meaningless. He forced himself to his feet, gripping the axe with both hands, his eyes locked on the demon.
WHOOSH!
The demon vanished. It moved too fast for Tanjiro's eyes to follow, appearing in his blind spot and slamming him to the ground, its hand clamped around his throat.
So fast... I can't even see him. Tanjiro managed to wedge the handle of his axe between the demon's claws and his neck, but the crushing force was overwhelming. His vision began to swim with black spots.
"Heh heh heh... you won't get me a second time!" the demon cackled. "Now, let's see if your neck will snap!"
It squeezed, and Tanjiro's world exploded into pain. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind.
What do I do?
Should I call for Bro?
No... I said I would protect him! I can't go back on my word!
But I'm going to die... If I die, it's all over...
I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die...
"BRO! HELP ME!"
