Chapter 18: Where are you?

(On the 1st floor.)

Tanjiro restlessly runs around, screaming Sol's name again and again. But suddenly, a scream that echoed in the endless corridor made him stop in his tracks. He rushes downstairs and turns to his right, only to see a locked room from afar.

Slowly and steadily, he approaches the room and tries to open it, only to get blood all over his palm. He realizes that the door needs a numeric passcode to be opened. He tries hard, gets frustrated, and starts pulling his hair while trying to figure out the passcode.

Soon he remembers that all the questions were related to Mitsuha, meaning that this passcode will also be related to her. He has three tries at this. But he doesn't know any numerical information about her except the day she died. Wait! The day she died! That's it!

He types in the date of her death, and the door unlocks. The first thing he sees is the person who drowned in the glass cage. Right next to her was the girl who was tied to the wall, with rats tearing her apart. The floor was covered in blood.

The stench of dead bodies filled the air, making him barely able to breathe when, suddenly, he heard a scream. He turns around to see Sol tied to a chair with her eyes and mouth taped shut. But to his surprise, she was completely unharmed. She was shaking in fear.

Tanjiro immediately rushes to her and tries to untie her, only to get hit by an iron rod. He falls to the side, and his head starts spinning. The person hits him once again, and this time he blacks out. A few minutes later, he slowly started coming back to his senses.

Tanjiro (in mind): Why is it so hot in here? I can hear it crackling.

He starts coughing due to the smoke. Despite not having any strength to pull himself up, he tries hard and finally opens his eyes. The room was on fire; Sol, the chair—it was all burning. His eyes started tearing up.

Tanjiro: Sol… no… Please tell me this is not happening.

Not able to hold on anymore, he loses consciousness again.

(At the hospital)

Tanjiro's pov

Rays of sunlight fall on my eyes. I slowly opened them, only to find myself in a hospital ward with a wire connected to me. My family is here. Eomma is holding my hand tight while Appa walks around the room in frustration. Kosei is sitting next to my mother, worried.

I try to sit up, but immediately Eomma notices me and throws her arms around me. Oh, how I missed her warmth so much. Appa also came running. He kept asking me how I felt. was beyond overjoyed, knowing nothing was wrong.

All I could do was smile at all this. I thought I would never be able to be with Eomma again. I thought I would never feel Appa's love again. I thought I would never hear my brother's voice again. Soon, without even realizing it, I started shedding tears of happiness and relief.

Tanjiro: "Bgo sipeosseoyo

The entire family started crying along with me while giving me a tight hug. But then suddenly, the realization hit me. Sol… She was burning. Where is she? Immediately, I broke from the hug.

Tanjiro: Eomma, where is Sol?

With that, the smile on my entire family's face faded. They all look at each other, worried. Something has gone wrong.