Cruelty 3

After leaving Sabura's house, Tanjiro and Ayame began walking towards the mountain. As they walked, Ayame's heart was beating rapidly, and she felt extremely tense. What if Muzan hadn't left yet? She thought to herself, trying to trust in the power of the plot to keep them safe.

As they approached the house, a strong smell of blood reached their noses. Ayame's legs trembled, but Tanjiro quickly took a deep breath and rushed towards the house.

Inside, they saw a distressing scene. Nezuko was protecting Rokuta, embracing him in a defensive posture, covered in blood. Tanjiro gasped, pulling Ayame close to protect her. He dropped the basket from his back and ran to Nezuko and Rokuta.

Kneeling down, Tanjiro cried out, "Nezuko! What happened? What happened to both of you?" His eyes wide with shock, he looked at Nezuko and Rokuta, holding Ayame tightly.

Ayame was trembling with fear and disgust at the sight of the blood and bodies. It was her first time witnessing corpses, and the horror of it all overwhelmed her. The people who had greeted and treated them kindly just yesterday were now dead.

Her face darkened, and she muttered to herself, "Is God or whoever sent me to this world playing a cruel joke on me? If I had come here last night, I wouldn't have been able to escape death! I'm grateful that I was lucky enough to leave at the right time with Tanjiro... In my previous life, I died painfully from cancer, and now in this life, I'm facing death because of Muzan!"

Ayame's expression was terrifying; she didn't want to die and was deeply afraid. Who said that someone who had died once wouldn't fear death? She knew better; having experienced death once, she was even more afraid, especially of a painful death.

Unable to bear seeing Ayame cry, Tanjiro held her tightly and covered her eyes. Feeling Ayame's trembling body, he, too, became fearful.

He then looked towards the entrance of the house, his eyes widening in shock once more. Holding Ayame tightly and covering her eyes, Tanjiro slowly stood up. Ayame's crying intensified, "Brother, what happened to Nezuko and Rokuta? Mo-mommy!"

Ayame felt that she needed to act now. If she didn't cry or show enough sorrow, Tanjiro would get suspicious and might kill her if he discovered her true identity. So she acted, pretending to be upset and frightened. She knew she had to play the part well; otherwise, she might expose her hidden emotions from before she possessed this body.

Because of that, Ayame thought about her past memories and unleashed her suppressed emotions to be able to act convincingly. She felt a sense of relief.

Tanjiro stood at the entrance of the house, trembling, and Ayame's hands that covered her eyes had loosened. Ayame looked at the corpses, her face darkening with disgust, and her nausea intensified.

Organs and blood were scattered everywhere, emitting a repulsive odor. Ayame ran towards the bodies and started crying, while Tanjiro collapsed at the entrance with a deep sigh.

While crying, Tanjiro muttered to himself, "Mother... Hanako... Takeo... Shigeru... Nezuko... Rokuta..."

Ayame grabbed Takeo's axe and let out a loud scream, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh." All her emotions and tears flowed like a torrent, but it wasn't for these people; it was for what she had experienced in her past life.

Tanjiro, holding onto the edge of the door, walked slowly and shakily to Ayame's side, embracing her tightly while crying. He tried to comfort both himself and Ayame by stroking her head.

With their eyes wide open, they stood up and checked each person, hoping to find someone alive. Upon realizing that no one in the house had survived, Tanjiro took a deep breath and looked at his weeping sister, clenching his teeth. He then turned his gaze to Nezuko and Rokuta.

Tanjiro was praying for Nezuko and Rokuta to breathe,tightly held Ayame's hand. Their hands were stained with blood, as if a seal and an agreement were formed to keep Tanjiro and Ayame together forever and protect each other.

Upon confirming that Nezuko was breathing, Tanjiro's eyes filled with a glimmer of hope. However, as he checked Rokuta, he noticed that Rokuta wasn't breathing. Tanjiro felt panic rising within him. Nezuko's breaths were becoming heavier and less frequent. In a state of urgency, Tanjiro quickly placed Nezuko on his back while tightly holding onto Ayame's hand and began running down the mountain towards the town.

The snow poured heavily around them, and Tanjiro's gaze was fixed on Nezuko, whose body temperature was dropping rapidly. Panic was evident on his face. The cold air made every breath painful for both Tanjiro and Ayame.

Ayame's tears had stopped, and she was looking ahead with vacant eyes, her eye sockets reddened from crying.

Gradually, Tanjiro's steps slowed down as they still had a long way to reach the town. He shouted, trying to hasten his pace, "I won't let you die!"

Nezuko's hands moved slightly, and Ayame snapped out of her trance. She refrained from saying anything to avoid altering the course of events, but she tightly held her axe in her hands. Nezuko's head was twitching, and she was making strange sounds. Ayame became increasingly worried.

Suddenly, Nezuko's canine teeth elongated, resembling vampire fangs, and Tanjiro panicked, glancing back. They were dangerously close to the edge of a cliff. Without control, they lost their balance and fell off the cliff.

Ayame knew they wouldn't die, but she couldn't shake off her fear of death completely. She still had anxiety about being killed by Tanjiro, who didn't possess any powers yet. Moreover, she feared that her existence might alter the events. Hence, even though she knew they wouldn't die from the fall, there was still a trace of fear in her heart.

When she opened her eyes, she found Nezuko on top of Tanjiro, attempting to bite him. Tanjiro was blocking her mouth with his axe to prevent her from biting. He was saying something to Nezuko, but Ayame couldn't hear it over the sounds of their struggle.

Nezuko's body had grown even larger, and Tanjiro's emotions were deeply touched, tears filled his eyes as he looked at her. Nezuko then stopped biting Tanjiro and looked at him. Ayame noticed that Nezuko had calmed down, and while Tanjiro and Nezuko were together, she heard a faint sound a few steps away. Ayame immediately remembered the original events of the storyline, grabbed her axe, and ran towards the sound, hoping to catch up with a Hashira.

Ayame prayed for the souls she absorbed to grant her some sort of ability or improvement for herself. She also had faith in her Swift Speed ability, and if she could match the partially speed of a Hashira, it would be enough for her. If she could gain the approval of a Hashira, it would be even more delightful.

"Clang!"

The sound of a collision was heard as Ayame's axe was blocked. Standing before her was a man with black hair and blue eyes, looking surprised at her. Just like in the original storyline, Tanjiro had saved Nezuko and his hair was cut.

Using his strength, Tanjiro clutched Nezuko tightly and was sent flying towards a tree, hitting it. Ayame, too, was sent flying towards them and landed next to them.

As Nezuko's body returned to its normal size, the man with black hair and blue eyes lifted his sword and looked intently at Ayame."How did you almost keep up with my speed?"

"Come over here, Ayame," Tanjiro called out to her with a concerned look on his face. Ayame quickly retrieved her cut axe from where it fell and approached Tanjiro.

The man with black hair and blue eyes asked again, "How did you almost keep up with my speed?" Ayame remained vigilant, thinking about how she managed to match his speed. Was it because of the souls she absorbed and her Instantaneous Speed ability? She realized that wasn't enough. The main reason was probably that she had noticed him before he attacked and preemptively tried to block him. Additionally, the souls she absorbed not only granted her their abilities but also enhanced her senses, quick thinking, and physical strength. Ayame realized that she was assimilating not only the abilities of those she absorbed but also their sensory and cognitive faculties, and strengthening her own muscles in the process.

Hoping that her thoughts were correct, Ayame suppressed her excitement and also attributed her almost reaching Giyu to her Swift Speed ability. "Quite a powerful ability," she thought to herself.

Ayame looked at the Hashira in front of her, recognizing him as Giyu Tomioka, the Water Hashira. He probably hadn't used his full speed, or else there would have been no way for Ayame to catch up to him. Moreover, her advantage came from detecting him beforehand. If Giyu were to attack now at full speed, she wouldn't be able to respond, and if he attacked at his regular speed, she still wouldn't stand a chance.

Her earlier defense was solely due to her detecting Giyu in advance, her absorbed souls, and her Swift Speed ability. Right now, she had no chance against him.

Suddenly, Nezuko started making noises again and tried to escape from Tanjiro's grasp. "Ahhh!" Giyu turned to Tanjiro and asked, "Why are you trying to protect that thing?"

Tanjiro quickly replied, "Because she's my sister!" Giyu remained indifferent and commented, "She looks more like your sister than the one you're with."

Then, Giyu lunged again. Tanjiro lowered his head, but when he looked up, Nezuko had already slipped from his grasp. Ayame was in shock, not even realizing when Giyu had taken Nezuko.

Now that she had confirmed her thoughts, Ayame was certain that she couldn't stand a chance against Giyu. Tanjiro got up and pulled Ayame close to him, holding her hand tightly with determination. Ayame firmly held onto her broken axe, wanting to compare her own strength and speed to Giyu's. She needed to understand the difference between a Hashira and a regular human. Besides, she had to play the role of a good sister.

Ignoring Giyu's words, Ayame leaped from where she stood, attempting to attack him with her severed axe. However, the only thing she hit was a tree. "Let my big sister go!" Ayame looked at Giyu's current position with a furious expression, but she remained calm in her heart. She had understood the vast difference between a Hashira and an ordinary individual.

Giyu power was currently at an unreachable peak. A fierce snowstorm then raged around Giyu's location. "Truly faster than an ordinary human," Giyu praised herself in her heart. With an emotionless expression, she looked at Tanjiro and Ayame while speaking, and Nezuko was still struggling to break free from Giyu's grip.

"My duty is to slay demons. And for that reason, I will take your sister's head as well." Tanjiro looked at Giyu with pleading eyes and said, "Please wait! Nezuko didn't kill anyone! There was a scent in my house that I had never smelled before. It was probably her! Nezuko didn't do it! I don't know why she became like this, but-"

Before Tanjiro could finish, Giyu interrupted, still looking at Ayame, considering the possibility of recruiting her into the Demon Slayer Corps.

"Ayane, Nezuko turned into a demon because demon blood entered her body through her open wounds. Demons multiply in this way," Giyu stated, his voice remaining emotionless, with a hint of mockery. He glanced at Ayane, seeing her angry expression, but paid no heed.

Tanjiro continued to deny, "You're wrong! Nezuko still know who we are!" He stretched his arms wide, opposing Giyu's words. "I won't allow anyone to be hurt! I believe Nezuko can return to being human again! Ayane and I will heal her together!"

Ayane interjected, "Yes, we will heal her!" Giyu looked into Ayane's eyes and reaffirmed, "It's impossible. Once she becomes a demon, she can never become human again."

Tanjiro's eyes widened, and he stretched his arms wide in desperation. "I will search for a way! Ayame and I will definitely find a solution together! Please don't kill her! We will also find the person who killed my family! We can handle everything!" Giyu raised his weapon and aimed it at Nezuko's throat.

Tanjiro fell to his knees, pleading with a desperate tone, "Please, don't do it! I beg you!" Giyu remained indifferent, saying, "You have another sister." Tanjiro paid no attention to Giyu's words and continued, crying, "Please don't do it! I'm begging you!"

Then, Giyu gritted his teeth and shouted in anger, "Don't hand over the blade that will kill you to someone else! Stop acting so pitiful! Be a bit more like your sister! If you were capable enough, your family wouldn't have been slaughtered!"

Tanjiro looked at Giyu with wide eyes, and Giyu continued in a furious tone, "Are you going to steal or protect? Will you heal your sister? Will you find the killer of your family? You will end up dragging your sister to her death because of your weakness! The weak have no privileges or choices! They are meant to be swallowed by the strong! Demons might know a way to heal your sister, but don't expect them to respect your desires or wishes! And naturally, don't expect me to respect them either! That's reality!"

Tanjiro looked at Giyu with a shattered expression as Giyu continued with an angry tone, "Instead of fighting back against my attack like your sister did, why did you throw yourself over her? Were you intending to protect her? Why didn't you swing your ax like she did? This way, you'll only be a burden to your sister, trying to protect and save her!" Giyu then pointed his weapon at Tanjiro and said, "If your sister hadn't protected you earlier, I could have slain both of you together

As Nezuko struggled and kicked the snow, tears streamed down Tanjiro's eyes. Giyu stared at Tanjiro with a stern expression and thought to himself, "Don't cry. Don't despair! This is not the time for it. I know you're broken, your family was slaughtered, and your sister turned into a demon. Just like your sister, you want to protect her, and I'm sure it hurts. You probably want to scream in agony. I understand... If only I had arrived half a day earlier, maybe your family wouldn't be dead right now.

But there's no way to turn back time." Then Giyu looked at Ayame, furrowing his brows, "Be strong, just like your sister. What was her name? Ayame... Just like Ayame, don't succumb to despair; just try to protect her! In your current state, you'll only be a hindrance to Ayame. Hah? Are you going to heal your sister with this weak state? While trying to protect Ayame, you'll die, and both of you will lose your lives in regret!"

Then, Giyu moved the katana closer to Nezuko's neck. Tanjiro panicked and stood up, "Wait..." Giyu thrust the katana into Nezuko's heart. Tanjiro screamed and threw a rock, yelling, "Don't do it!"

Then Ayame swiftly lunged at Giyu with her severed axe, attempting to attack him. Giyu looked at her in surprise, as her hair scattered forward with determination in her eyes.

Giyu quickly parried Tanjiro's thrown rock and evaded Ayame's attack, marveling at her speed and agility. "How can someone without breathing techniques be this fast?" he thought to himself in astonishment.

As Tanjiro charged straightforwardly at Giyu, the latter furrowed his brows and a furious expression appeared on his face. "Just a simple attack driven by emotions, unlike Ayame... You'll only be a burden to the talented Ayame!" Giyu then struck the tip of his katana against Tanjiro's back.

"Big brother!" Ayame tried to feign a panicked expression while Tanjiro fell to the ground. Suddenly, the sound of a flying axe echoed through the air. Ayame rushed towards Giyu with incredible speed and launched a ferocious attack.

Giyu flinched and tilted his head slightly back, and Ayame's axe grazed his cheek. Before Ayame landed, Giyu was propelled back by her kick, "Oh no, she's going to devour him!" Nezuko immediately took a defensive stance, protecting Tanjiro. "Nezuko... Nezuko is different! She doesn't eat humans!" Tanjiro reassured. Then Ayame arrived at the spot where Nezuko and Tanjiro were, lifting her axe and looking at Giyu, her hair fluttering in the wind.

Her crimson eyes became more prominent in the snowy surroundings. "Don't you dare harm my big brother and big sister again!" Ayame inwardly pleaded, "Please, don't kill any of us, please!"

As Giyu looked at the blood flowing from his cheek, both Nezuko and Ayame lunged at him simultaneously, attacking him. Giyu was thinking, "Just before he went behind the tree, he threw a stone and tossed his axe into the air. He pretended to attack, concealing his hand so I wouldn't realize he was unarmed. He knew he couldn't win against me directly."

Giyu continued to watch Tanjiro with a surprised expression, wondering, "Who is this guy?" Then, Giyu looked at Ayame, who had taken on a terrifying demeanor, her eyebrows furrowed. "What kind of person is Ayame? How could she be so fast and hurt me? She could have hurt me with the axe while it was in the air and then kicked me to save her sister! Incredible! These three might be different."

In a sudden burst of speed, Giyu struck both Nezuko and Ayame on their necks, and Ayame's vision went dark. She could only read one line before losing consciousness.

[Congratulations! You have earned Giyu Tomioka's approval.]

Kie's voice echoed in Tanjiro's ears, "Tanjiro, I'm sorry for leaving you behind. I entrust Nezuko and Ayame to you, okay?" Tanjiro opened his eyes, tears streaming down his face, as he looked at Ayame and Nezuko lying beside him.

"Are you awake?" Giyu's voice came, and Tanjiro immediately pulled Nezuko and Ayame closer, embracing them in his arms. Giyu continued speaking, "Go to Urokodaki Sakonji, the old man living at the foot of Mt. Sagiri. Tell him you were sent by Tomioka Giyuu. Everything seems fine for now because of the cloudy weather, but never let your sister see the sun."

With his last words, Giyu vanished from where he stood. Tanjiro's eyes trembled as he looked at the spot where Giyu disappeared, tightly holding both Ayame and Nezuko.

When Ayame opened her eyes, she found herself in Nezuko's arms. She rubbed her eyes and asked, "Sister, what's in your mouth?" Nezuko smiled and gently stroked Ayame's head.

Later, after they had laid their family to rest, the trio left their home. Tanjiro held both Ayame's and Nezuko's hands firmly as they looked resolutely at their old house.

Taking fast steps, holding their hands tightly, they walked away from there.