People in Demon Slayer: The Journey That Began with Demon Slayer

This is a derivative technique that Tanjiro created on the spot, imitating Zenitsu's Thunder Flash. He concentrates his power into one leg and then unleashes it in one breath, creating a thunderous sound that seems to tear through the air as he approaches Kaidake Inatama at high speed.

Faced with Tanjiro's slash wreathed in flames, Inatama Kaigaku was terrified and raised his Nichirin Blade to defend himself.

Tanjiro's Nichirin Blade made contact with Inatama Kaigaku's Nichirin Blade. Tanjiro roared and relentlessly pushed his physical strength to the limit, causing the scar on his forehead to transform into markings.

Tanjiro, having successfully activated his Demon Slayer Mark, saw the "line of the gap"!

Before Inatama Kaigaku's incredulous eyes, Tanjiro's Nichirin Blade actually severed its blade and was slashing straight towards Inatama Kaigaku.

Terrified, Inatama Kaigaku forcibly twisted his body, sacrificing his left arm to avoid being beheaded.

Having lost its balance in mid-air, Inatama Kaigaku fell into a pile of ruins. After struggling to stand up, it discovered that its left arm, like the one inflicted on it by Tsugikuni Iwakatsu, was completely unable to heal itself.

Inatama Kaigaku was terrified, and his feet began to move backward uncontrollably.

Zenitsu, dragging his heavily injured body, blocked Inatama Kaigaku's path and sneered, "Trying to run away?"

Zenitsu's eyes were full of contempt: "Once fear takes hold, it's hard to overcome. Right now, you're pretending to be ready to fight to the death, but in reality, you've already started planning to back down."

Inatama Kaigaku roared, his voice sharp but his tone weak: "Don't be so arrogant, I'm not going to run away!"

"Then why is your arm, which was severed by Mr. Tsugikuni's Breath of the Sun, trembling? In the end, you are just a coward who dares not fight against the strong!"

Inatama Kaigaku looked down at his right arm, which was indeed trembling incessantly.

Zenitsu murmured, "I am different from you. I have companions I can entrust my back to, but you, who are selfish and self-serving, will only have one ending: to die a lonely and miserable death!"

Enraged, Inatama Kaigaku roared, "I am the one on the side of justice, and you are all evil!"

"Breathing of Thunder? Fourth Form? Far Thunder!"

With lightning speed, Inatama Kaigaku charged at Zenitsu with a single hand, wielding his Nichirin Blade.

"I once hoped to fight alongside you, so I created the Seventh Form. But I never wanted to use this sword form because it contained my feelings for you. But... now it's unnecessary..."

Chapter 123 The Sudden Arrival of Douma

"Thunder Breathing? Seventh Form? Fire Thunder God!"

This is Zenitsu's own unique sword style, a technique that combines all the other sword styles of Thunder Breathing.

Zenitsu launched a sudden slash at a speed imperceptible to his demonic eyes. Its trajectory resembled a flying thunder dragon, and he instantly arrived in front of Kaigaku, severing Indama Kaigaku's head with a single strike.

With his neck severed, Inatama Kaigaku's head fell to the ground, glaring resentfully at Zenitsu before him: "Why is it that a useless bastard like you can create your own sword form? Why am I, who became a demon and gained immense power, still losing? Why?!"

"You will never receive anything in return if you don't know how to give. If you let your desires swell, you will eventually have nothing. You have always selfishly sought everything you wanted, but you never knew how to give. It was destined that you would have such an ending."

Facing the soon-to-be-turned-to-ash Inatama Kaidake, Zenitsu felt neither joy nor sorrow, only a sense of desolation lingering in his heart.

Lost in confusion, Inatama Kaigaku turned to ashes and vanished alone.

Zenitsu suddenly coughed up another mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground.

Tanjiro quickly gave Zenitsu emergency treatment, carried him on his back, and said to Inosuke, "Inosuke, let's go back quickly, Zenitsu's condition is not good!"

Then, just as Tanjiro and Inosuke were about to retreat, a voice came from not far away.

"Oh dear, that man who calls himself the God Lord next to Lord Muzan was right after all. Kaigaku really is dead. What a pity. I was the one who turned Kaigaku into a demon. I feel ashamed that he died like this."

Tanjiro and Inosuke turned their heads stiffly and found Doma standing not far away.

Doma rested his fan on his chin, pondering, "Lord Muzan ordered me to capture one of you and take you back. Although I really want to kill you all here, the order is to capture one of you... Hmm~ which one should I capture?"

"Inosuke! Run!" Tanjiro hugged Zenitsu tightly and called to Inosuke.

Zenitsu is now severely injured, and Tanjiro and Inosuke are exhausted. They have no chance of winning against Upper Moon Two, Doma.

"Blood Demon Art? Manlien Flower!"

Doma created several ice vines wrapped with ice lotus flowers, which spread and bound Tanjiro and Inosuke.

"Beast's Breath? Pick-up Fang? Round Spinning Fang!"

Inosuke stood behind Tanjiro, rapidly spinning his two Nichirin Blades to destroy the ice vines.

However, an ice vine still struck Inosuke's head, knocking his boar head mask off and revealing his true face.

Doma looked at Inosuke's somewhat familiar face and said, "I feel like I've seen you before. When was it?"

Doma inserted his fingers into his head and began to recall the past: "I remember now, you are the son of Kotohachi, a believer I once ate."

Inosuke retorted, "I'm an orphan! Stop talking nonsense!"

"I didn't mistake you. Your mother once fled to the Eternal Bliss Sect for protection because of domestic violence from her husband and mother-in-law. However, Qinye's husband and mother-in-law also followed her to the Eternal Bliss Sect, but they were too noisy and I killed them casually. Qinye was very grateful to me at that time because of me, she was able to escape her suffering."

After saying that, Douma shook his head with a regretful expression and said, "But it's really a pity. I really like Kotoha's singing. I originally planned to keep her by my side until she passed away peacefully without eating her."

But unfortunately, Kotoha witnessed me eating people. I kept explaining to her that I was trying to lead them out of suffering and into a blissful world, but she didn't understand my good deed and chose to run away. Left with no other choice, I had to eat her.

Doma continued recounting Kotohata's deeds, and even insulted her, saying, "Kotohata is really stupid. She could have survived by just being honest, but she chose the most foolish thing to do: to rebel against me. Her life has really been meaningless."

Inosuke had no memory of his mother, but faced with Doma's insults, he couldn't control the burning rage within him.

"Beast Breathing? Eighth Form? Explosive Advance!"

Inosuke charged toward Doma recklessly.

"Blood Demon Art? Scattered Lotus Blossoms!"

Tongmo waved his fans, scattering a large number of tiny ice petals, each petal as sharp as a blade.

In an instant, Inosuke's body was covered in wounds, and the already exhausted Inosuke collapsed to the ground.

Inosuke's mind was somewhat hazy, as if he had returned to his childhood, with a gentle song lingering in his ears.

Inosuke always believed that he was a child abandoned by his mother and not needed by her, so when others asked him, he vehemently denied that he had a mother.

But now, Inosuke's childhood memories suddenly came back: when he cried, his mother would always sing lullabies to lull him to sleep.

While fleeing the Eternal Bliss Cult, she repeatedly apologized to herself, believing that her foolishness had burdened him and that she had failed in her responsibilities as a mother.

In order to save his own life, he threw him off a cliff and let him drift away on the river, praying that he would survive, while he himself stayed behind to face Doma.

Before he knew it, Inosuke was already in tears. For the first time, Inosuke was filled with longing and sorrow as he cried continuously because of his mother's passing.

"It turns out I wasn't an unwanted child after all; my mother loved me so much..."

Inosuke stared at Doma with hatred in his eyes. The demon who killed his mother was right in front of him.

Seeing Inosuke's expression, Tanjiro guessed that what Doma said might be true.

However, Zenitsu is now seriously injured, and with only the two of them nearly exhausted, they are no match for Doma.

Inosuke turned to Tanjiro and gave him a forced smile: "Tanjiro, you should take Zenitsu back quickly."

Tanjiro was somewhat taken aback, because this was the first time Inosuke had called him by his name correctly: "Inosuke, and what about you?"

"I'll stay here and stop it!"

"No, Inosuke, we are no match for it now. Retreating is the wisest thing to do!" Tanjiro advised Inosuke.

“I’m not blinded by hatred. If we run together, we’ll all die!”

At this moment, Inosuke's mind was incredibly clear: "That guy just said he was taking someone back, which means he won't kill me. Osumi Village isn't far from the Butterfly Mansion. Tanjiro, you should quickly take Zenitsu back and notify our companions to come and support me."

"Inosuke..."

Inosuke picked up the Nichirin Blade from the ground and turned his back to Tanjiro.

"Hurry up and leave! Tanjiro! I promise you, I won't die here! I'm begging you..."

Chapter 124 Capture

Doma waved his fan, looking at Inosuke with a mocking expression: "You really are alike, not only in appearance but also in actions. Back then, Kotoha stayed behind to face me alone for your sake, and now you're going to stay behind to face me alone for your companions? It's quite an enviable relationship. Can you tell me what that kind of feeling is like?"

Inosuke cursed venomously, "You heartless beast, you don't deserve any joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness!"

The fake smile on Douma's face disappeared, and he said expressionlessly, "Your words are truly malicious."

"Tanjiro, run! If you and Zenitsu die here, I will never forgive myself!"

With that, Inosuke gripped his two Nichirin Blades and charged toward Doma.

Tanjiro was now extremely conflicted. He gritted his teeth, turned around, and fled.

"Inosuke...you have to survive!"

Tanjiro activated his breathing technique at full speed; every second he arrived at the Butterfly Mansion sooner meant a greater chance of safety for Inosuke.

"Blood Demon Art? Winter Ice Pillars!"

Doma created many sharp ice pillars and pierced Tanjiro, who was running continuously.

"Beast's Breath? Pick-up Fang? Round Spinning Fang!"

Inosuke appeared just in time and used his twin swords to block all the ice pillars.

"Damn it! Your opponent is me! Beast Breathing? Fang of the Fourth Blade? Shattering Blades!"

Inosuke crossed the two swords together and simultaneously unleashed multiple slashes at Doma.

Tanjiro, who had been caught off guard by Inosuke's sudden intervention and used his Breathing Technique to escape, had already disappeared.

Doma waved his fans, creating an ice wall that blocked all of Inosuke's attacks. He then let out a soft sigh.

"You're really putting me in a difficult position. Although I'm very interested in you, Lord Muzan prefers that brat with the sun-shaped earring. Oh well, since Lord Muzan's order is to bring one of the three of you back, it makes no difference."

"Hmph, don't underestimate me. I can kill you all by myself! Beast Breathing - Second Fang - Sharp Blade Slash!" Inosuke snorted coldly and launched a fierce attack on Doma.

"Blood Demon Art? Lotus Leaf Ice!"

Doma waved his fans, scattering lotus-shaped ice crystals along Inosuke's path. As Inosuke approached the ice lotus, it suddenly exploded, scattering countless tiny ice dust particles invisible to the naked eye.

Inosuke's skin began to freeze gradually when it came into contact with the ice dust generated by the explosion of the ice lotus.

The extreme cold enveloped Inosuke's entire body, making his movements incredibly sluggish.

Inosuke's steps faltered, and the sword technique he was executing was forcibly interrupted.

The ice lotus continued to explode, and the resulting ice dust enveloped Inosuke's entire body. After a moment, Inosuke was frozen solid, like an ice sculpture.

Inosuke glared at Doma with resentment, his enemy right in front of him, yet he was powerless to fight back.

Filled with rage, Inosuke's heart raced, his body temperature rose, and his frozen body began to slowly thaw.