Chapter 27: The Dinner After the Training

The three of them sat around the iron pot. Tanjiro, looking at the abundant dinner before him, asked with both joy and confusion, "Why are there so many ingredients today?"

Urokodaki was holding a ladle, serving Tanjiro a bowl of hot soup and food from the iron pot.

"This is to celebrate you finishing all your training. Don't be shy, eat up! These were specially brought back by your senior brother, Haru!"

"Thank you, Master. Thank you, Haru-senpai. I won't hold back then!" Tanjiro expressed his gratitude to both Haru and Urokodaki, then happily took the bowl of food from Urokodaki and eagerly began to eat.

Urokodaki also served a bowl to Haru and said, "Haru, you should eat as well!"

"Thanks, Master!" This time, Haru, for the first time, called Urokodaki "Master." Though Haru acknowledged Urokodaki as his master in his heart, he usually referred to him as "Old man."

This time, Haru didn't wait for Urokodaki to start eating first, as it was a celebration from an elder to a younger one.

Urokodaki looked at his two disciples and couldn't help but reminisce about the past when Giyu Tomioka and his brother were together. It really felt just like those days!

— "Tanjiro, the one I was most worried about was you. What I could do for you ends here. From now on, I hope you can truly transform under Haru's guidance!"

After dinner, Haru was using scissors to cut off Tanjiro's long, messy hair that had accumulated over the past year, a gesture of care from Haru as an older brother.

While kneeling by the fire, Urokodaki suddenly asked in a murmuring voice, "Haru, Tanjiro, was the hot pot and fish slices delicious?"

Haru didn't answer immediately, silently continuing to cut Tanjiro's hair.

Although he didn't answer, Haru couldn't help but admit that tonight's meal was indeed abundant and delicious.

"It was so good, Master! I haven't had anything this delicious in a long time!" Tanjiro happily replied, thoroughly satisfied with the meal.

"A kid with an appetite like yours, the more you eat, the more strength you'll gain, and your body will grow accordingly. But, demons are the same."

With that, Urokodaki turned his gaze toward Haru and Tanjiro and continued, "Remember, generally speaking, the strength of a demon is proportional to the number of people it has eaten. The more people a demon consumes, the stronger it becomes. Some grow in strength, some change their bodies, and some can even use sorcery."

As he spoke, Urokodaki stood up and walked over to a cabinet. He opened it and took out two fox masks.

"These are disaster-repelling masks. I've cast a spell on them, and they will protect you from calamity."

— "This is the last gift I'm giving you as your master!"

With that, Urokodaki handed the masks to Haru and Tanjiro.

---

The Next Morning

Haru and Tanjiro both woke up early. They put on their clothes, strapped on their swords, and wore the disaster-repelling masks that Urokodaki had given them.

Before leaving, Tanjiro didn't forget to say goodbye to his sister, who had been in a deep sleep.

Haru didn't say much and simply walked out of the cabin.

Outside the cabin, Urokodaki was already waiting to give them his final farewell. When he saw Haru walk out, he said to him, "You are the most talented of all the children I've had. You must survive and come back. Don't let such a tragedy happen again."