The Beginning

Actually, within the current Demon Slayer Corps, while there were certainly high-ranking people who supported and valued Tanjirou, many others didn't acknowledge him.

It was because of a simple reason—Tanjirou had violated the rules of the Demon Slayer Corps.

As a Demon Slayer of the Demon Slayer Corps, Tanjirou not only sheltered a demon, who was considered their enemy but also kept this demon by his side.

Yes, the wooden box that he carried around so carefully actually contained a demon.

As a result, he faced hostility from many Hashira within the Demon Slayer Corps. Only the Water Hashira and the Insect Hashira could be considered to stand by his side, choosing to support him.

As for Kyoujurou, the Flame Hashira, although he did not show hostility toward Tanjirou because the Master acknowledged his situation, it was still a bit early to say that he had fully accepted Tanjirou and chosen to support him.

Kyoujurou's current attitude toward Tanjirou could be described as one of temporary observation, as evidenced by when he told Tanjirou that he wanted to observe him.

Tanjirou was aware of this, which was why a hint of gloom appeared on his face.

Fortunately, he recovered from this gloom very quickly.

"I believe in Nezuko."

Tanjirou declared firmly, placing a hand on the wooden box beside him as he looked at Kyoujurou.

"She will surely gain Mr. Rengoku's approval."

"Umu!" Kyoujurou nodded, maintaining a smile. "Naturally, I hope so too!"

Hearing that response, Tanjirou smiled.

Generally speaking, Kyoujurou was actually quite benevolent toward Tanjirou. He was not like some of the Hashira who blatantly acted hostile toward Tanjirou for sheltering a demon.

Perhaps realizing this, Tanjirou began to relax his expression.

"Umm... Are you also a member of the Corps?" Tanjirou finally shifted his attention to Riezel.

This mysterious young man, who looked only one or two years older than him, seemed to have a good relationship with the Flame Hashira, but he was not wearing the uniform of the Demon Slayer Corps, leaving him somewhat uncertain about this young man's identity.

Tanjirou's question was soon answered by Kyoujurou.

"This Bento Boy is going to be my Tsuguko!" Kyoujurou declared loudly.

'Ahh, I see! So this big brother is Mr. Rengoku's successor?' Tanjirou thought, finally understood.

The term 'Tsuguko' didn't refer to an adopted child but rather to the apprentice and successor of Hashira. They were usually direct subordinates of Hashira, with lower rank but considerable status and influence within the Demon Slayer Corps. They were often regarded as proxies for the Hashira.

'When Mr. Rengoku said this big brother is his Tsuguko, does that mean he is Mr. Rengoku's apprentice? So, he is also a user of Flame Breathing?' Tanjirou pondered inwardly. 'Miss Shinobu mentioned that only someone like Mr. Rengoku who understands Flame Breathing as a Flame Hashira might know something about the technique I used against the Lower Five last time. Does Mr. Rengoku's Tsuguko also know something about it?'

With those thoughts in mind, Tanjirou couldn't help but want to know. But before he could ask, Riezel spoke first.

"No." Riezel denied it briefly.

"Wh-What do you mean by no?" Tanjirou was taken aback.

"I am not Tsuguko of the Flame Hashira."

Riezel glanced at Kyoujurou, who was smiling beside him, then turned his head to Tanjirou.

"We just met on this train, and before this, we were strangers and had no idea of each other's existence."

"Eh?" Tanjirou's eyes widened as he turned to Kyoujurou, surprised. "I-Is that true, Mr. Rengoku?"

"Don't worry about these minor details!" Kyoujurou said confidently and firmly. "This Bento Boy will be my Tsuguko! This is my decision!"

Upon hearing that adamant answer, Tanjirou couldn't help but be dumbfounded, while Zenitsu, who was currently engaged in a fierce battle with Inosuke, couldn't help but chime in.

"Doesn't that mean you haven't got his consent yet?"

Zenitsu's words summarized the situation quite accurately.

In any case, Riezel was completely unaware of the matter of being a Tsuguko from start to finish and had no plans to become Kyoujurou's apprentice or successor.

"Since you guys just met on this train, doesn't that mean this big brother here is actually an outsider?" Zenitsu, being quite sharp, grasped the crucial point. 

"..."

Everyone instantly fell silent.

"Are you serious?! Involving ordinary people in our mission isn't allowed, right?! It could be dangerous!"

Although timid, Zenitsu was still kindhearted. Upon realizing that Riezel was just a bystander, he immediately stood up in a panic.

"Are you seriously discussing our mission and the Mugen Train incident so openly in front of an outsider?! Aren't you afraid of causing chaos?!"

Zenitsu sure liked to make a fuss, looking like he hadn't seen much of the world.

"It's okay, you guys don't have to worry about me."

Without even setting down his bento box, Riezel spoke calmly to Tanjirou and Zenitsu.

"Even though I'm not part of the Demon Slayer Corps and indeed just a bystander, don't be fooled by appearances. I do have some understanding of your circumstances. Besides, I can protect myself."

Upon hearing that, Zenitsu was speechless and didn't know what to say.

Tanjirou also fell into silence, gazing at Riezel, lost in thought.

It was Inosuke, who had been wild and erratic just moments ago, now leaning against the window, casually chimed in.

"He's telling the truth, y'know... I can sense it... he is strong, probably even stronger than the Flame Hashira next to him."

"Oh?" Kyoujurou raised an eyebrow.

Oddly enough, Inosuke's nonsensical remark gained Tanjirou's approval.

"Inosuke is right..." Tanjirou nodded earnestly. "Big Brother's words just now didn't carry the scent of lies, and I can detect an incredible scent emanating from him. It's the kind of scent that only a swordsman honed through a thousand trials would have..."

"Hmm?" Kyoujurou raised his eyebrow again.

"Seriously? You guys serious?" Zenitsu was bewildered by all this, but shortly afterward, he began to ponder as he gazed at Riezel. 'Now that I think about it... I can hear some strange sounds from him, kinda spooky...'

"Umu!" Kyoujurou crossed his arms, nodding thoughtfully.

Only Riezel, upon hearing the words of the three youths, spoke with genuine surprise.

"Your abilities are indeed quite special."

If someone else were to hear the words of Tanjirou, Zenitsu, and Inosuke here, they would surely find it nonsense.

However, Riezel knew that the words of these three had reasons behind them.

Whether it was Tanjirou, Inosuke, or even Zenitsu, each of them possessed an exceptionally sensitive and sharp sense.

Tanjirou had a sharp sense of smell.

Inosuke had an incredibly sensitive sense of touch.

Zenitsu had a heightened sense of hearing.

These three youths could each perceive information and clues through smell, hearing, and skin sensations that ordinary people couldn't confirm, stronger even than some famously sensitive animals.

Precisely because of this, these three became this world's main characters, forming a group not only because they were like-minded, but also because they were equally special.

As Riezel was about to say something else, someone walked into the carriage.

"Please show your tickets." 

A train conductor dressed in a train staff uniform spoke weakly and without strength.

Everyone in the carriage then noticed the conductor of the train approaching, seeming a bit lackluster, not only speaking sluggishly but also with a weary expression on his face.

"Please show your tickets..."

Undoubtedly, this conductor was here to check passenger tickets.

"Yosh, let's get the tickets checked first." Kyoujurou said to everyone. "We'll deal with the rest later."

""Yes!""

Agreeing, the three youths nodded.

One by one, the passengers presented their tickets, handing them over to be hole-punched by the conductor.

Seeing this scene, Riezel's eyes flickered.

As someone familiar with the original work, he knew that this was not a good idea.

Neither Kyoujurou nor the three main characters knew that the tickets for the Mugen Train had been tampered with by a hidden demon onboard, with demon blood mixed into the ink on the tickets.

Once the conductor hole-punched the tickets, the hidden demon would use the blood on the tickets to cast an illusion, hypnotizing all the passengers holding tickets.

For this reason, this ticket checking was actually dangerous.

Nevertheless, Riezel had no intention of stopping it.

Because he knew not only the tickets but the entire train had been tampered with by the demon.

If the members of the Demon Slayer Corps were not hypnotized but instead took action immediately, it was very likely to provoke an extreme reaction from the hidden demon, leading the demon to attack the entire train directly.

Since there were still two hundred passengers on this train, if something unexpected happened, it would definitely be a big trouble.

In that case, it was better to take matters into his own hands while everyone was hypnotized and asleep so he could defeat the demon without any nuisance.

"Please show your ticket..."

Before long, the conductor had now approached Riezel, asking him to show his ticket.

Riezel calmly took out his ticket and handed it to the conductor, allowing him to hole-punch it.

He wasn't afraid of being hypnotized.

Being completely immune to mental interference from Self-Redemption and possessing the highest rank development ability of Abnormal Resistance from Endless, he was impossible to hypnotize.

Unfortunately, as he thought like that, Riezel forgot one thing.

Within the skill effects of Self Redemption, there was an effect that said—Can accept and enhance the effects of friendly buffs on oneself.

In other words, if the hypnosis had no negative effects on him but instead benefited him, he would still be affected, and it would also be enhanced.

*Ding—ling—*

In this calm, Tanjirou's hanafuda earrings adorned with sun symbols gently swayed, emitting a barely perceptible pleasant tinkling sound.