But the snow fell heavier and heavier, as if, after entering winter, the heavens wanted to release all the reserves accumulated over three seasons at once, and it continued to fall for three days and three nights.
Shimizu sat under the eaves, wiping his Nichirin Blade, watching the gradually diminishing snow.
The day is about to dawn, it's time to set off.
...
...
Heavy snow presses the green pines, the green pines stand tall and straight.
The snow in the mountains and forests was very deep, but if one used chakra to adhere to the soles of their feet, they could walk on water as if it were flat ground, let alone this snowy ground.
"Tsk, as expected, I'm still late?"
Shimizu walked through the snowy forest, feeling the strong smell of blood coming from ahead, and couldn't help but shake his head.
From the nearby woods, came the sound of fierce fighting. Shimizu pushed aside the bushes and walked over.
A beautiful-faced, but fiercely expressive female demon was protecting a boy holding an axe with her hands.
Opposite them was a young man with a cold expression and complex eyes.
As expected, it's Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado and Giyu Tomioka.
Fortunately, Tanjiro Kamado is still alive, so the Hinokami Kagura has not been lost.
Upon seeing Shimizu, Giyu Tomioka frowned slightly.
At this time, he already had the idea of protecting the Kamado siblings because Nezuko's behavior was different from ordinary demons, and he even planned to take them to Mt. Sagiri and hand them over to his most trusted teacher, Sakonji Urokodaki, to take care of.
But Shimizu's arrival made Giyu Tomioka hesitate.
What if this member of the Demon Slayer Corps wants to kill this boy's sister?
Should I distract him first?
Before Giyu Tomioka could speak, Shimizu spoke first:
"I didn't expect the Water Pillar to be here as well. It seems you also investigated the origins of this family?"
The origins of this family?
"Does their origin matter?"
Giyu Tomioka said.
Shimizu rolled his eyes at Giyu Tomioka.
"What you want to say is, isn't there something special about their family's origin, right?"
"Yes, you're quite eloquent."
Several black lines appeared on Shimizu's forehead.
So the actual meaning of this sentence is that my translation of your previous sentence was correct, right? Why does it sound so much like sarcasm?
Coupled with Giyu Tomioka's ice-cold expression, it was even more like sarcasm. If it were Sanemi Shinazugawa, that hothead, who appeared here, he would have already drawn his sword and started fighting.
"What... what are you talking about?"
Tanjiro held the wood-chopping axe and stood beside Nezuko.
"I already asked someone to invite you down the mountain before, but you were unwilling to leave. Otherwise, your family's tragedy would not have happened."
Tanjiro's axe fell to the ground, stunned.
"How could it be..."
When someone came to invite his family down the mountain, Tanjiro and his mother, Kie, discussed it and unanimously agreed that staying on the mountain was more convenient for chopping wood and burning charcoal, so they refused the invitation.
But did this action actually kill his family?
"Do you know that demons were going to harm them today? Then do you know that only Muzan and the Twelve Kizuki can turn people into demons."
Giyu Tomioka questioned Shimizu.
"How would I know when the demons would come to them."
Shimizu shook his head and said:
"Do you remember what I said before? The Kamado family's origins are not ordinary. After inferring and summarizing all the information recorded in the ancient books that my Uesugi clan has mobilized relationships to inquire about, I discovered that the Kamado family is very likely related to the originator swordsman who created the Breathing Style."
"The records in the classics state that that person was the most powerful swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps to date, and even almost killed the Demon King Muzan. It's just that that person's Breathing Style was too strong, and no one at the time could learn it, so it turned into a dance to worship the fire god and has been passed down among the people in an extremely secretive way."
"Muzan will not allow the existence of power in this world that can still harm him, so the Kamado family will be targeted by demons sooner or later, in order to erase all traces left in the world by the originator swordsman who almost killed Muzan."
Giyu Tomioka turned his head and looked at Tanjiro.
"So, does your family have that kind of dance to worship the fire god? If not, then your family died in vain."
Shimizu looked at Giyu Tomioka's serious expression and couldn't help but cover his forehead.
Is this guy really feeling sorry?
With this guy's weird way of speaking, how could he still be alive now?
It's probably because his strength is strong enough, so he hasn't been beaten to death yet!
"A dance to worship the fire god... Hinokami Kagura..."
Tanjiro looked down at his reflection in the axe blade and muttered in a low voice.
"Very good, so you do have it."
Shimizu walked to Tanjiro's side and pressed his shoulder amidst Nezuko's wary gaze.
"You can actually restrain yourself from attacking, you're completely different from other demons. Giyu-senpai, don't you think this demon is very special?"
After speaking, without waiting for Giyu Tomioka to answer, Shimizu looked at Tanjiro again.
"We are demon slayers of the Demon Slayer Corps, specializing in killing demons like your sister."
Tanjiro hurriedly raised his axe again to protect Nezuko in front of him.
"But I think Giyu-senpai probably thinks the same as me, that your sister is a special demon, perhaps she doesn't need to be killed, but if other demon slayers see her, your sister will definitely die."
Shimizu pointed at Giyu Tomioka again.
"Do you want to protect your sister?"
Tanjiro nodded firmly.
"I'll teach you! Just use the Hinokami Kagura in your hand as a bargaining chip! You should do this..."
Shimizu babbled in front of Tanjiro, making the simple farm boy stunned.
Shimizu didn't think he was fooling Tanjiro.
Although in the original timeline, two years later, after Nezuko's situation was discovered, Giyu Tomioka used "If Nezuko Kamado eats a human, then he and Sakonji Urokodaki will commit seppuku" to make the Demon Slayer Corps have to agree to Tanjiro Kamado's approach, but that was based on their two years of getting along.
Sakonji Urokodaki and the Kamado siblings already regarded each other as family, and Giyu Tomioka also regarded Sakonji Urokodaki as family.
The guarantee from a Water Pillar plus a former Water Pillar has a lot of gold content, but Shimizu's operation is also feasible.
Of course, Shimizu definitely has his own selfish motives, because if he doesn't do this, how can he make Tanjiro obediently take out the Hinokami Kagura as soon as possible?
Giyu Tomioka stood aside, listening to Shimizu's explanation, and finally said:
"I really envy your brain, being able to think of such difficult things so simply."
