At this time, Tanjiro arrived.
"Hey? Giyu! And… Sanemi Genya!"
Tomioka Giyu smiled and waved, responding, "Hello, Tanjiro."
Genya snorted and ignored Tanjiro.
Tanjiro didn't mind. He took off his clothes, did a frog jump into the hot spring, then swam over to Tomioka Giyu and said happily:
"I'm so glad you're alright, Giyu! I was planning to go to the Butterfly Estate to look for you."
"But Kiyo said you had already left. I thought it would be a while before we met again. I didn't expect to run into you here at the Swordsmith Village!"
Tomioka Giyu looked up at the moon and said, "Yeah, it's quite a coincidence."
Though in truth, it wasn't a coincidence at all—Giyu had come here specifically for Tanjiro.
But he wasn't in a rush to act. The battle with Gyokko would be left to Tokito Muichiro.
There was still half a day left, so he would simply delay things for now.
Once the battle began, Giyu planned to prioritize rescuing the villagers—ensuring none of them died.
Afterward, he intended to observe Tanjiro's progress and train with him and Genya to assess their strength.
As for killing Hantengu directly, Giyu would never do that.
Without undergoing the necessary trials, how could Tanjiro one day defeat Muzan? Most importantly, Nezuko still had to overcome sunlight!
There was also the matter that weighed heavily on Giyu's mind—the price of awakening the Demon Slayer Mark.
After all, activating the Mark meant pushing the body past its limits. If a way could be found to recover from this toll, then perhaps the risk would not be fatal.
Of course, this was all still speculation. They would have to rely on Tamayo when the time came.
But first, they needed Nezuko's blood after she conquered the sun—and Muzan's blood as well.
As Tomioka Giyu was deep in thought, Tanjiro called out to Sanemi Genya.
"Long time no see! Are you okay?!"
"Your name sounds just like the Wind Hashira's!"
Genya grabbed Tanjiro's head irritably. "Don't talk to me!!"
Tomioka Giyu stood up, stretched, and walked out of the hot spring. While putting on his clothes, he said:
"I'm heading back now. I won't disturb the two of you while you're playing."
As Giyu walked away, Tanjiro and Genya spoke up at the same time.
"Giyu, stay safe!"
"See you at dinner."
Giyu didn't look back, but he raised a hand in response.
By the time he arrived at the dining area, Kanroji Mitsuri had already started eating—probably because she ate so fast.
Several empty bowls were already stacked in front of her.
Giyu glanced at the pile and thought to himself, Iguro's going to have a tough life ahead.
"Hey? Giyu!" Mitsuri's eyes sparkled as she said cheerfully, "Is it about your sword again? Oh, by the way, have you been to the Butterfly Estate? Shinobu was really worried about you!"
Giyu sat down at a separate table and replied softly, "Yes, I went. I also saw the Master."
"A bowl of salmon with radish, thanks."
The masked swordsmith beside him gave a silent nod and rushed off to prepare the food.
Just then, Tanjiro arrived with little Nezuko.
"Giyu-san! Mitsuri-san!"
"Yaa~!" Nezuko raised a hand to greet the two.
After sitting down, Tanjiro noticed the pile of bowls in front of Kanroji and exclaimed, "Wow! That's a lot!"
Kanroji Mitsuri giggled. "Eh? Really? I didn't eat much today~"
Tanjiro quickly added, "Then I should eat more too so I can get stronger!"
"Right, Giyu?"
Tomioka, still eating, looked up and responded plainly:
"It's good to eat more. But don't compare yourself to Kanroji."
"Her muscle density is eight times that of a normal person. So it's natural for her to have a big appetite."
"Is that so? No wonder Mitsuri-san is so strong!" Tanjiro looked at her in awe as she played with Nezuko.
"Oh, by the way, the guy you ran into in the hot spring was Sanemi Genya! He's in the same generation as me!"
"Eh? Really?"
Kanroji suddenly recalled something and asked in a slightly troubled voice, "He's Shinazugawa-san's younger brother, right?"
"But Shinazugawa-san said he doesn't have a younger brother. Does that mean they don't get along? That's so sad…"
Tanjiro frowned and said in confusion, "Is that so… Why?"
Nezuko and Mitsuri continued playing. Mitsuri gently patted Nezuko's head and smiled warmly.
"There are five siblings in my family. We all get along well, so I can't really understand that kind of thing. But the Shinazugawa brothers… they do seem a bit scary~"
Tanjiro turned back to the sliding door and said, "Genya still hasn't shown up. I wish I could talk to him properly…"
"It seems like he won't come. People in the village said he doesn't eat with others. Did he bring his own food?"
Hearing this, Tanjiro looked worried. "Is that okay? I'll bring him some rice balls later."
Kanroji Mitsuri smiled. "Good idea! Let's do that!"
By then, Giyu had finished eating and stood up.
"It's better not to. Genya's body was seriously damaged in a battle with a demon—his digestive system included."
"But you don't have to worry about him starving. He's a demon eater. He has other ways to restore his strength."
After saying that, Giyu yawned, opened the door, and walked out.
For some reason, ever since returning from that pure white space, he often felt drowsy.
Time seemed to move differently in that realm.
"Well, the battle doesn't start until tomorrow night. There's no rush."
Nothing happened that night. The next morning, after breakfast, Giyu Tomioka made his way up the mountain.
He was bored and tried to chat with Haganezuka, but the swordsmith was too focused on his forging and completely ignored him.
Left with no choice, Giyu climbed higher to find Tokito Muichiro and "play."
Sure enough, after walking for a while, he heard Tokito's flat, emotionless voice echoing from up ahead.
"He's just a foolish kid. So what if it's broken? Can't they just make another?"
"Do you realize how many people have died because of people like you wasting time?"
"That's what it means to hold back a Hashira. Our time and yours are completely different in value."
"You should be able to figure that out, right? Swordsmiths can't fight or save lives. The only thing you're good for is making weapons."
"Understand your place before you act. You're not a baby anymore."
"Alright. Hand over the key."
***
Snap——
Tanjiro held his breath and slapped Tokito Muichiro's hand.
"What are you doing?" Tokito asked, confused.
"It's just… a very annoying feeling!! How should I put it—?"
"You have no consideration for others. It's so cruel!!"
"Is this cruel? You—" Muichiro had a blank expression but was interrupted by Tanjiro.
"Right!! You're basically right, but swordsmithing is also an important job!"
"Swordsmiths have very excellent skills that are different from swordsmen! And the fact is that if they didn't forge swords for us, we wouldn't be able to do anything, right?"
"Swordsmen and swordsmiths need each other. We're fighting the same battle! We fight on our respective battlefields every day."
Muichiro kept a blank expression the whole time. To him, Tanjiro's words were just noise.
"Sorry. I don't have time to talk nonsense with you…"
Snap———
Tanjiro's eyes widened in shock as he saw the knife hand nearly strike him. Muichiro's speed was too fast—he had no time to react.
But someone caught Muichiro's wrist.
Muichiro blinked, confused. "Huh… Who are you?"
Tomioka Giyu let go of his hand with a sigh.
"You really have a good memory, Muichiro."
"I'm the Water Hashira—Tomioka Giyu."
"Ah, it's you. What's going on?"
Seeing Muichiro's usual emotionless face, Giyu pointed at Yuichi Zero-Shiki.
"Since the child won't let you use it, don't make things difficult for him."
"Let me train with you. I've got time."
"Besides, what kind of training effect do you think a nearly broken mechanical puppet is going to give you?"
Muichiro paused for a few seconds, then nodded.
"Alright. Come on, then."
Seeing this, Tanjiro quickly pulled Kotetsu back behind the nearby bushes. He had never seen two Hashira spar before.
Tomioka Giyu stepped back, gripping the hilt of his blade.
"Be careful, Muichiro."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Giyu unsheathed his sword and appeared in front of Muichiro in an instant, slashing downward.
Clang—
Muichiro reacted quickly, raising his sword to block the heavy blow, then using the recoil to retreat and counterattack.
"Mist Breathing, Second Form: Eight-Layered Mist!"
The mist swirled as multiple slashes shot toward Giyu!
Rather than respond immediately, Giyu paused for a moment, locking onto the trajectory of Muichiro's blade.
"Found it."
He moved, attacking at a subtle, difficult angle!
Clang—
Muichiro parried the attack, then took several steps back. A flicker of surprise passed through his normally serene gaze.
"How did you do that?"
"I don't know," Giyu replied, shrugging. "But I can somehow see the flaws in your movements."
He didn't fully understand it either, but ever since he awakened his Mark and fought Kokushibo, things had changed.
Muichiro grew serious. Saying nothing more, he readied his blade.
"Mist Breathing, Fourth Form: Shifting Flow Slash!"
Clang—
"Water Breathing, Eleventh Form: Dead Calm."
Even though Muichiro was fast, he was still blocked by Giyu's seamless, still blade—his attack had been absorbed entirely.
Slash slash slash———
Muichiro didn't let up. He launched multiple consecutive slashes, not giving Giyu any room to retreat. He wanted to overwhelm him, to force out an opening.
Clang clang clang clang—
But no matter how precise his strikes, each one felt like cutting into water—ineffective.
"…That's enough."
Boom—
Giyu swung a powerful slash that forced Muichiro back. He had already seen through Muichiro's rhythm and style. It was time to respond in earnest.
"Water Breathing, Tenth Form: Constant Flux."
"Mist Breathing: Land Form!"
As the distance between them collapsed, they both moved at once.
"Flowing Life!"
"Moonlit Mist Fade!"
Muichiro spun in the air, disappointment flickering in his eyes. He had used the back of the blade—he thought that would end the match.
But Giyu had still blocked him.
The moment Muichiro landed, he lunged forward and unleashed—
"Mist Breathing, Fifth Form: Sea of Clouds and Haze!"
Mist surged outward, cloaking the battlefield. Muichiro dashed forward, using the haze to conceal the direction of his next strike.
But it wouldn't work.
Not on Giyu.
Even without sight—he could still sense.
His Mirror Flowers, Water Moon mind was like a cheat.
As Muichiro moved in, Giyu did something unexpected—he stepped into the strike.
Muichiro's eyes widened, but he had already committed. He tried to lighten the blow. At worst, it would graze Giyu.
But then something unbelievable happened.
His blade passed through Giyu's body—without cutting a thing.
Hidden nearby in the bushes, Tanjiro gasped.
"Brother Giyu's gotten even stronger… I really need to train harder too."
He glanced toward Muichiro and added,
"And that person's amazing too. He's just a few years older than me and already a Hashira."
Just then, an elegant, smug voice drifted over.
"Of course! He's a descendant of a Sun Breathing user!"
"He's a genius! Not in the same realm as you commoners—oh ho ho ho~"
Tanjiro blinked and looked down.
It was a crow.
Tokito Muichiro's crow—Ginko.
"Are you Tokito's crow? Wait—Sun Breathing? Is that where Mist Breathing comes from?"
"He's incredible."
Then Tanjiro paused and tilted his head.
"But… he didn't use Sun Breathing."
That remark struck a nerve. Ginko pecked his cheek in fury.
"Silence! I'll peck your eyes out!"
Elsewhere, both Hashira stopped at the same time.
Giyu spoke calmly.
"This form's a bit unfair… but the advantage is that I can go all out."
"Don't hold back, Muichiro. You can't hurt me."
Muichiro twitched slightly, the only hint of emotion, and replied flatly:
"…Fine."
"Mist Breathing, Fourth Form: Shifting Flow Slash!"
A rapid horizontal slash cut toward Giyu's waist—