Prayer

In the end, Tanjiro agrees with Isao's offers since the words that come out of Isao's mouth make him worried about his family. Still, while he was in doubt about Isao, he didn't think that Isao would harm his family. 

Why? 

It was because if Isao and his group wanted to massacre the entire villagers, it was possible. 

Moreover, if Isao planned to take down his family, Tanjiro could have done nothing, especially when the location of his house was clear. He also didn't doubt that if Isao paid one of the villagers, those villagers who had always treated him kindly with a gentle smile would definitely lead Isao and his group to his house without hesitation. 

In just a day, Tanjiro realized the malice of the world and the craziness that came from money. 

With money, one could turn a good citizen into a cursed demon. 

When Tanjiro thought about all of this, he felt his body shiver. He realized that even if Isao didn't do anything, he was as good as trapped, and nothing could save him. It was frightening, yet at the same time, he was also curious why Isao was so interested in his family's traditional art. 

However, Tanjiro had to admit that his family art was powerful as his father could slay a gigantic bear with his sickly body in the past with this art. 

If Isao was a good person, then it was all fine. 

However, Isao was a chaotic person, and it was hard to gauge what kind of person he was. 

Frankly, it was Tanjiro's first time seeing someone like this; it was like he gazed into an abyss with nothing but darkness. When he gazed into him and used his keen sense of smell, all he could see and smell was nothing, and it frightened him. 

Yet, even so, Isao was kind of chill. 

Isao was like a deep abyss. It did nothing—it was just there. As long as one did nothing and didn't plunge into that bottomless darkness, nothing would happen to them. 

So, Tanjiro couldn't help but ask, "Why?" 

"Why?" Isao glanced at Tanjiro and said, "You are a kid. Isn't it normal for us to accompany you back?" 

Anyway, they were all the Demon Slayer Corps, and in case a demon really appeared in Tanjiro's house, wasn't it their duty to protect all of Tanjiro and his family and also slay the demon? 

This was also the case with everyone who was being ordered by Isao to send Tanjiro home. If nothing happened, then it was all okay. However, if a demon really appeared, then it was their job to fight it, right? 

Moreover, just accompanying someone to go home was nothing for them, especially with their trained physical ability. 

At the same time, they all could feel Isao's kindness, which made them feel strange somehow, as they had gotten used to this guy's evilness. 

If Isao had to say, his attitude was like that of a tsundere heroine. Usually, he would be hard on them, showing his "tsun-tsun" side, but then, he showed his "dere" side. 

Yet, if one knew what Isao thought, they would curse him since there was nothing cute about his action! 

"N-No! That's not what I mean!" Tanjiro quickly shook his head and felt speechless by Isao's answer. However, he had to admit that he felt warm somehow. He had been harassed by Isao and his group for the entire day, and a slight kindness from Isao made him feel strangely happy for some reason. 

Still, if the people of the modern world knew what Tanjiro thought, they would say that he had received Stockholm syndrome. 

"I mean... why do you want to learn my family's art?" 

If Isao came to learn his family's art due to a great cause, then even if Isao didn't pay anything, Tanjiro was willing to teach him. 

However, Isao only smiled and rubbed Tanjiro's head. "You are a kid. There is no need for you to know." 

At that moment, Tanjiro was nothing but a good boy who just wanted to take care of his family. There was no need for him to know the existence of a demon that rampaged on this country. Moreover, even if he knew, what was the use of it? 

Such knowledge would mean nothing to Tanjiro, and instead, it might cause him a lot of trouble, considering the existence of the protagonist would always pull all the troubles to their side.

Moreover, if Tanjiro knew about the demon, Isao was sure that he would be hit by one of the sicknesses that was often encountered by every protagonist. 

Hero syndrome. 

Isao could imagine that Tanjiro would propose to become a Demon Slayer, fighting a demon to protect everyone once Tanjiro knew about a demon. 

Every boy was like that, and even Takashi Komuro would have done the same if he had been born in this world. 

Being treated like a child, naturally, Tanjiro was unhappy, especially when he could tell that Isao's age wasn't that much different from him, but then suddenly his nose twitched and his expression quickly changed. 

Without saying anything, Tanjiro quickly ran away in the direction of his house without saying anything. 

"He-Hey!" 

Everyone was startled when Tanjiro suddenly ran away without any precautions. 

Was this guy running away?

However, Shinobu and Mitsuru noticed something strange when Tanjiro suddenly ran. 

"Isao..." 

"Let's follow him." 

Hearing his words, no one hesitated, and all of them decided to follow Tanjiro. 

On the other hand, Tanjiro lost his calm, and his expression was that of horror, especially when he smelled this smell. He was familiar with this smell, especially due to his father's ailments.

This distinctive metallic scent was the smell of blood!

But whose blood was it? 

On the mountain, there was only his house, and if it wasn't from his family, then whose blood was it? 

Knowing that, it was impossible for Tanjiro to remain calm, so he ran as fast as possible toward his family! 

However, he was greeted by a horrible sight. 

Before him, the sight of many of his bloody siblings lay lifelessly in various places, and also his mother, whose neck was grasped and seemed to be in horror as she could do nothing to protect her children. Even if she was about to die from asphyxiation, this pain was nothing compared to the pain of losing her children. 

However, Tanjiro's mother, who was in terror as she could do nothing, noticed Tanjiro. Watching her son in the distance, she squeezed all the power in her body to scream, "Run, Tanjiro!" 

Yet, Tanjiro didn't move. No, he couldn't move, especially when he saw the culprit who caused this tragedy to his family. 

A man with cat-like eyes stared at him from the dark house. 

Feeling the stare of this man, Tanjiro could feel his body telling him to run away, but the fear stunned him and made him unable to do anything. 

"TANJIRO!" 

However, his mother screamed once again, waking Tanjiro up. 

"RUN!" 

Kie Kamado shouted, hoping that her son could run away, but it was too late. 

The man's hand seemed to extend, moving like a whip, ready to strike down Tanjiro, killing him with one blow! 

Facing this bizarre and frightening situation, Tanjiro could do nothing, and what he could tell was that he was about to die! 

'I'm going to die! I'm going to die! I'm going to die!' 

As he was about to die, Tanjiro prayed with all of his might. 'Anyone, it doesn't matter who it is! Please help us! Oh, god, buddha, and all the higher beings! Please save us from this demon!' 

Yet, this prayer did nothing. 

His prayer wasn't heard, especially when the man's whip-like hand was about to kill him.

Yet, when he was about to give up in despair, someone suddenly appeared in front of Tanjiro and cut down the man's hand. 

The whip-like hand was cut and flew into the air before it was caught by the one who cut it. 

The man, Muzan Kibutsuji, was stunned, but Isao, who had caught Muzan's hand, smiled inwardly as he licked his lips. 

[You have acquired Muzan Kibutsuji's DNA.]

[Do you want to absorb it?]

There was no hesitation; he agreed directly, and as the system helped him to absorb Muzan's DNA, Isao took a deep breath, causing all the surrounding oxygen to disappear momentarily.

The ground suddenly cracked, and Isao disappeared. 

"Dance of the Praying Mantis..."

At that moment, Tanjiro felt like he had seen a praying mantis on Isao's body, suddenly appearing in front of Muzan. 

However, at that moment, unable to react, Muzan's head was snapped off by a poleaxe and a saber, which moved like the claws of a praying mantis. 

"Eh?" 

Muzan's head was cut, and it fell onto the ground with a plop. 

"Holy Wailing."