The forest was unnaturally quiet as Tanjiro faced Rui, the Spider Demon. The air was thick with tension, and the faint glow of Rui's white threads glinted ominously in the moonlight. Tanjiro's breathing was heavy, his grip on his sword tightening as he studied the demon. Rui's calm, almost serene expression sent chills down his spine, a sharp contrast to the malice radiating from him.
The air in the clearing was suffocating, heavy with the stench of blood and decay. Tanjiro stood battered and bruised, his breathing labored as he faced Rui, the Spider Demon, whose presence exuded a chilling, oppressive malice. His blade trembled in his hands, not from fear but from sheer exhaustion. Across from him, Rui's crimson eyes gleamed with twisted amusement, his pale, boyish face a stark contrast to the horrific aura he radiated.
"You're weak," Rui said softly, his voice deceptively calm. "You don't deserve her."
Tanjiro's heart pounded as he stepped protectively in front of Nezuko, who crouched behind him, her claws extended and her crimson eyes burning with determination. She was hurt, her kimono stained with blood, but she refused to back down. Tanjiro's grip on his sword tightened. "Don't you dare touch her," he growled, his voice trembling with rage.
Rui tilted his head, his eerie smile widening. "Touch her? No, no. You misunderstand." He raised a hand, and threads of white webbing gleamed in the moonlight. "I've decided. She will be my sister."
Tanjiro's eyes widened in horror. "What are you talking about?! Nezuko is my sister!"
"Is she?" Rui's voice dropped, his tone cold and cutting. "A demon like her? Protecting a weakling like you? That's not a true bond." His gaze sharpened, his webbing snapping to attention. "You don't understand what it means to have a real family."
"Don't talk about family like that!" Tanjiro shouted, his voice raw. "You think you can force someone to be your sister? That's not what family is!"
Rui's expression darkened, his calm mask slipping for a moment. "And what do you think family is, then? Suffering for each other? Sacrificing everything? I created my family from nothing, and they obey me because that's what bonds are."
Tanjiro's chest heaved as fury coursed through him. "You don't get it. True bonds aren't about control or fear. They're about love and trust. Nezuko stays with me because she chooses to, not because she has to!"
At that moment, Rui flicked his hand, and his threads shot out toward Nezuko. She moved instantly, leaping in front of Tanjiro and slashing through the threads with her claws. The threads tore at her arms, leaving deep gashes, but she stood her ground, baring her fangs at Rui.
Tanjiro's heart raced as Rui's threads shot out, ensnaring Nezuko before either of them could react. "Nezuko!" he shouted, his voice breaking as he lunged toward her. But Rui's threads whipped through the air, blocking his path and forcing him to retreat.
Nezuko struggled against the threads, her crimson eyes blazing with defiance as she clawed at them. Blood dripped from her wrists where the threads bit into her skin, but her strength wasn't enough to break free.
"She's mine now," Rui said, a small, eerie smile playing on his lips. "A proper sister, one who will never betray me."
Tanjiro's body trembled with rage as he raised his sword. "You're not taking her!" he shouted, charging forward. His blade clashed against Rui's threads, sparks flying as the steel barely sliced through them. Rui flicked his hand, sending more threads toward Tanjiro, each one razor-sharp and relentless.
Rui's lips curved into a delighted grin. "Such devotion. Such loyalty. She'll be perfect as my sister." With another flick of his hand, thicker webs wrapped around Nezuko, binding her arms and legs. She hissed and struggled, but the threads dug deeper, drawing blood.
"Let her go!" Tanjiro screamed, charging forward with his blade. But Rui blocked his path effortlessly with a wall of threads, forcing him to retreat.
"You're just too weak," Rui said, his tone laced with condescension. He raised Nezuko higher, her body suspended in the air like a puppet. "I'll show her what a real bond looks like."
"Stop it!" Tanjiro roared, his voice cracking with desperation. He lunged again, his sword flashing, but Rui's threads whipped out, forcing him back once more.
Then, as if summoned by Tanjiro's cry, a burst of radiant light descended from the sky. Both Tanjiro and Rui froze, their eyes drawn upward as Kuri appeared, her black wings outstretched and glowing faintly in the moonlight. She landed gracefully beside Tanjiro, her silver eyes locking onto Rui with unwavering determination.
Rui's expression shifted, a mixture of curiosity and annoyance. "And who are you supposed to be?" he asked, his threads twitching around Nezuko's suspended form. "Another weakling here to die for him?"
Tanjiro, still catching his breath, glanced at Kuri. The sight of her wings, her radiant presence, left him momentarily speechless. "Kuri…" he whispered, his awe clear.
Kuri stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Rui. "Let her go," she said, her voice calm but commanding. "You have no right to take her."
Rui tilted his head, studying her with a twisted smile. "And what kind of bond do you have with him?" His voice dripped with mockery. "Family? Friends? What makes you so certain you can protect him?"
Kuri didn't hesitate. Her silver eyes glimmered as she said firmly, "It's more than family."
Tanjiro straightened, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten as he stood beside her. His voice joined hers, steady and resolute. "More than family."
Rui's smile faltered, his threads trembling slightly as the weight of their words hung in the air. But his expression quickly twisted into one of anger. "Then let's see how strong this bond really is."
"Kuri…" Tanjiro repeated, awe filling his voice. He had never seen her like this before, and for a moment, the chaos around them faded as he took in the sight of her.
With a flick of his wrist, Rui's threads shot toward Kuri, wrapping around her wings. She gasped, her body jerking as the threads tightened, digging into her flesh. Rui's eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure as he began to pull, attempting to tear her wings apart.
"Kuri!" Tanjiro screamed, his heart pounding as he watched her struggle.
Kuri gritted her teeth, her sacred light flaring as she summoned her magic. "You won't win," she hissed, sending a pulse of radiant energy through the threads. The light forced Rui to recoil slightly, but his grip didn't falter.
"You're all so stubborn," Rui sneered, increasing the tension in the threads. Kuri cried out in pain as her wings were pulled taut, the radiant feathers dimming under the strain.
Tanjiro's chest burned with anger and despair. His breaths came faster, his mind racing. I have to stop him… I have to protect them… Images of his family flashed through his mind, their smiling faces, their laughter, their love. And then the flames—the flames of the HinoKami Kagura.
The words of his father echoed in his ears. "Breathe, Tanjiro. Let the flames guide you."
His grip on his sword steadied as his breathing slowed. "Nezuko… Kuri… I won't let you suffer anymore," he whispered.
As Rui pulled the threads tighter, a sudden burst of flames erupted, cutting through the tension. Nezuko's blood, dripping onto the threads, ignited in a brilliant blaze. The flames surged through Rui's web, burning away the threads that held her and Kuri captive.
"What?!" Rui shouted, his calm demeanor cracking as he recoiled from the flames.
Tanjiro's eyes blazed with determination as he surged forward, his body moving with newfound strength. "HinoKami Kagura!" he shouted, the flames wrapping around his blade as he spun toward Rui.
The forest lit up with the fiery dance of the HinoKami Kagura, the flames casting long shadows as Tanjiro's blade slashed through Rui's threads with ease. The heat was overwhelming, the flames roaring like a living entity, fueled by Tanjiro's rage and resolve.
As Tanjiro's blade closed in on Rui, the Spider Demon's eyes widened, a flicker of fear crossing his face for the first time. The chapter ended with the clash of flames and steel, the battlefield ablaze as Tanjiro poured everything he had into his attack.