Chapter 12: Guidance

"Hahaha!" The demon laughed triumphantly, regaining its arrogance now that it had hostages in hand.

"Look at what I'm holding! If you don't want them to die, hand over your sword!" the demon commanded Haru.

From its perspective, the only real threat was the Demon-Slaying Blade. As long as Haru lost his weapon, he would be nothing more than easy prey.

And if Haru refused? Then the demon would simply devour the siblings, grow stronger, and finally kill him.

Of course, that was merely the demon's assumption. In reality, Haru didn't see its threats as anything worth worrying about.

First: Even if the demon devoured Tanjiro, it wouldn't affect him.

Second: Nezuko was a demon herself, so there was no way this wild demon could kill her easily.

Third: Despite never having consumed a human, Nezuko's combat abilities as a demon were not to be underestimated.

"Using them to threaten me is the most foolish move you could make," Haru said indifferently.

The moment his words fell, Nezuko suddenly lashed out. In midair, she delivered a powerful kick that sent the demon's head flying.

—"Impossible! That girl is a demon?! Why is she with humans?!"

"Water Breathing—activate!"

As Nezuko struck, Haru simultaneously unleashed the Water Breathing technique he had obtained as a mission reward. His physical abilities surged in an instant.

In the span of a single breath, he closed the distance to the headless demon's body. With a swift slash of his Demon-Slaying Blade, he severed the arm gripping Tanjiro, sending both him and the dismembered limb tumbling to the ground.

Now free, Tanjiro yanked the demon's severed hand off himself and turned to Haru. "Thank you, senpai!"

But Haru didn't acknowledge the gratitude. Instead, he said, "The demon's severed head is your responsibility. Treat it as your trial. Do not let it escape—if you do, more people will suffer, just like your family did."

Tanjiro froze for a moment, not expecting Haru to entrust him with such a task. However, Haru's final words struck a chord deep within him.

"Senpai, what about you?" Tanjiro asked before taking action.

"I'll handle the demon's body while protecting your sister," Haru replied.

Tanjiro quickly understood—Haru alone couldn't keep both the head and body in check. If he acted alone, there was a high chance that one part of the demon would escape.

After all, demons had formidable regenerative abilities. As long as even a small portion remained, it could still regenerate.

"I understand!" Tanjiro didn't hesitate any longer. He grabbed the axe he had used for years and rushed toward the demon's head.

Meanwhile, Haru unleashed another flurry of Water Breathing attacks, striking the demon's headless body more than a dozen times. However, he deliberately held back, inflicting only deep cuts rather than completely dismembering it.

This was intentional. The demon's body wasn't its true core—if he shattered it completely, it might only create more fragmented parts, increasing the chances of escape.

As for why Haru didn't simply kill the demon outright? The reason was Tanjiro.

After all, Tanjiro was the true protagonist of this world. This was a trial he was meant to face. If Haru took care of everything for him, it could trigger the butterfly effect, leading to unpredictable consequences.

Haru understood that his role was to guide, not to take the lead.