novelhk Chapter 102 Capture Alive
Chapter 102 Capture Alive
Kanao's gaze swept over Tanjiro's running figure, then landed on Nezuko, who was trying to stop him not far away.
A faint hint of surprise flashed in those calm, unwavering eyes.
She recognized the face before her—it was the girl from the Fujikasayama auditions back then.
But when Kanao heard Nezuko clearly call that "ghost" "brother", she froze for a moment.
A demon and a human, are actually siblings?
This realization contradicted the teachings she had received since childhood, causing a ripple to appear in her usually calm heart.
But in just a moment, that surprise was suppressed.
Shinobu's orders before her departure echoed in her ears.
"Kill any ghost you see."
Without further hesitation, she lightly touched the ground with her feet and shot off like an arrow in the direction Tanjiro had fled.
Seeing this, Mizuko became very anxious and subconsciously reached out to grab Kanao's clothes, forgetting that she had just woken up from unconsciousness and had not yet recovered her strength.
She tripped over a protruding tree root, cried out in surprise, lost her balance, and fell heavily onto the ground covered with fallen leaves.
His forehead struck the hard rock, a sharp pain shot through him, his vision went black for a moment, and his consciousness seemed to be swallowed by the tide as he fell into unconsciousness again.
Her last thought was that her brother must not be caught.
Kanao caught a glimpse of Mizuko collapsing to the ground out of the corner of her eye, but she didn't stop walking.
In her mind, following orders was the primary principle, especially since the ghost was still on the run.
Tanjiro ran with all his might, and instantly smelled the scent of Nezuko's unconscious body.
Just as he was about to turn his head to check on Mi Douzi, a bone-chilling cold suddenly struck him from the side of his neck.
"not good!"
Tanjiro was shocked and almost instinctively activated the remaining demonic energy within his body, causing his body to shrink suddenly and transform into the appearance of a child.
Like a nimble raccoon dog, he suddenly crouched down, and the gleaming Nichirin Blade grazed his head, splitting the tree trunk in front of him, sending wood chips flying everywhere.
After shrinking, Tanjiro's limbs became short but exceptionally agile.
He skipped and hopped through the woods, avoiding the tangled branches and protruding rocks.
Wow! When did it get close to me? Without making a sound!
Kanao's attack missed its mark. Looking at Tanjiro, who had suddenly shrunk in front of her, her pupils contracted slightly, and for the first time, a clear look of astonishment appeared on her face.
[It's gotten smaller?]
This was the first time she had ever seen a ghost that could change its form at will, and she could hardly hide her surprise.
But she quickly calmed down, flipped her wrist, and swung her Nichirin Blade again, the blade whistling sharply as it swept towards Tanjiro.
Tanjiro dared not be careless in the slightest, relying on his agile body after shrinking to dodge left and right amidst the dense flashes of swords.
His movements were somewhat clumsy, sometimes rolling and sometimes jumping, with small cuts on his body from the branches, but he never fought back, only dodging.
The cold light of the Nichirin Blade intertwined around him, each strike missing by a hair's breadth, yet never managing to harm his vital points.
Kanao's attacks grew faster and faster, her blade flashing like a torrential rain.
But her doubts only grew deeper.
[Not fighting back? Just constantly dodging?]
Back in Fujishima, Midouzi's resilience and kindness earned her secret approval.
The ghost in front of her is the brother that Mizuko is desperately trying to protect.
Is he really the kind of evil spirit who drinks human blood and kills innocent people indiscriminately? For the first time, Kanao hesitated as she gripped the hilt of her sword.
On one side are the entrustment of her master Shinobu Kocho, the rules of the Demon Slayer Corps, and the countless humans who have been harmed by demons.
On the other side is the trust of the same year's contestants, the pure protective intent in the eyes of this ghost, and the fact that he has never intentionally harmed anyone.
Two conflicting thoughts clashed fiercely in her mind, causing her attack rhythm to gradually slow down.
Tanjiro keenly sensed Kanao's hesitation and was secretly delighted.
She hesitated! Perhaps I can explain it to her!
As he dodged the flashing blades, he pondered how to begin, wanting to tell Kanao that he had never harmed any humans, and that he only wanted to protect his sister.
Just as he was about to turn around to explain, a cold blade of light suddenly appeared before his eyes, faster than any of his previous attacks.
Tanjiro was startled and quickly lunged to the side. The Nichirin Blade grazed his shoulder, taking away a piece of his clothing and leaving a shallow bloodstain.
"That was close!"
Tanjiro broke out in a cold sweat, his heart pounding wildly.
[Weren't you hesitant? How did you act so decisively!]
He dared not harbor any more illusions and could only concentrate all his attention on dodging the dense flashes of blades.
A strange chase unfolded between a human and a ghost in the moonlit forest.
Meanwhile, in the clearing in the woods, Shinobu Kocho was still being held tightly by Giyu Tomioka's arm around her waist.
She still wore that gentle smile on her face, but the smile had long since vanished from her eyes. The veins on her forehead were becoming more and more prominent, and all the muscles in her body were exerting their strength, trying to break free from their restraints.
"Mr. Tomioka, if you continue to act so stubbornly, I will have to deal with you according to the team rules."
Shinobu's voice remained gentle, yet carried an undeniable threat.
Giyu Tomioka did not respond, but stared intently into the depths of the woods, his dark blue eyes filled with worry.
He could clearly sense the wind and aura of the sword coming from afar, knowing that Tanjiro was still being pursued.
He prayed silently that the brother and sister could escape Spider Mountain and get away from the conflict.
He didn't care about the consequences of violating team rules, nor did he care about being misunderstood by other team members; he just hoped they could survive.
This silence became unbearable for Shinobu Kocho.
Suddenly, her heel shot up, and a small dagger popped out from the sole of her shoe.
Taking advantage of the moment when Yoshiyuki Tomioka's attention was focused on the depths of the forest, she plunged the dagger fiercely towards Yoshiyuki Tomioka's forehead.
Giyu Tomioka was shocked. He felt a chilling coldness coming from between his eyebrows and immediately tried to swing his Nichirin Blade to block.
Just at this critical moment, a black raven suddenly swooped down from the clouds and circled in mid-air above the two of them.
The sharp chirping of birds shattered the silence of the forest, reaching everyone's ears clearly.
"Gah! Gah! Nezuko, Tanjiro, capture him alive! Bring him back to the Demon Slayer Corps! Gah! Gah! Nezuko, Tanjiro, capture him alive!"
The sudden broadcast caused Shinobu Kocho to freeze in her tracks.
Her hand holding the dagger froze in mid-air, her smile vanished, and her eyes were filled with disbelief.
[Captured alive?]
Giyu Tomioka was also stunned, and the arm he was holding Shinobu Kocho loosened slightly.
He looked at the ravens circling overhead, a hint of surprise flashing in his dark blue eyes, which quickly turned into a deep sense of relief.
The lord's decision undoubtedly gave the brother and sister a glimmer of hope.
Meanwhile, Kanao, who was chasing Tanjiro in the forest, suddenly stopped swinging her sword after hearing the Kasugai Crow's report.
She stood there, the Nichirin Blade in her hand still gleaming coldly, her eyes filled with confusion.
[Captured alive?]
Her master clearly said to "kill any ghost you see", but the crow brought her the lord's orders. Who should she listen to?
Upon hearing the sound of the kasugata crow, Tanjiro's tense body instantly relaxed.
He could no longer hold on and plopped down on the ground covered with fallen leaves, panting heavily, cold sweat streaming down his face.
He looked up at Kanao standing in front of him, a hint of relief at surviving a disaster and a slightly embarrassed smile on his face.
"Please...please don't kill me, okay?"