Chitoshi and Ren settled in a small town, starting a new life. During his time in the Demon Slayer Corps, Ren had saved some money, which he used to open a sushi shop for Chitoshi. The shop was modest but enough to cover their daily expenses.
Chitoshi saved a portion of the earnings, while the rest went toward finding doctors for Ren's injuries.
But over the years, they consulted renowned physicians nearby, and all were helpless. They called it a miracle that Ren's hands could even move, let alone wield a blade again.
The relentless setbacks finally forced Ren to accept reality.
He gave up.
He stopped chasing recovery for his arms, recognizing that he was no longer the warrior of the Demon Slayer Corps. He had left that life behind. Now, he was just an ordinary man who couldn't hold a sword.
With this clarity, he shifted his focus to Chitoshi. Under his management, their small sushi shop grew, its business thriving.
Watching Chitoshi grow day by day, Ren's once-irritable heart, scarred by his unhealed injuries, began to find peace.
If he couldn't slay demons, he'd live as an ordinary person.
Over the years, Ren didn't forget to write to his master and Tanjuro Kamado. In his letters, he shared news of their sushi shop, inviting them to visit and taste their food.
Tanjuro and Kie warmly congratulated Ren for moving on from his past, but the distance was too great. They promised to visit someday, noting they'd never forgotten Chitoshi's cooking.
Tanjuro even wrote that the town was blessed to have Chitoshi's sushi shop.
As for Yoriichi Tsugikuni, his correspondence with Ren was less frequent.
His replies were often brief and similar: he was tracking Muzan Kibutsuji's whereabouts or had spotted demon activity somewhere. He mentioned connecting with Tamayo, the demon who had been with Muzan.
Strangely, after Muzan's escape, Tamayo had broken free of his control. For years, she'd been aiding Yoriichi in his search for Muzan.
But, as she warned, Muzan was too cautious to appear before Ren and Yoriichi's deaths, making the chance of finding him nearly zero.
Still, Yoriichi refused to give up. Though human life was fleeting, he vowed to let his burn until the final moment.
"Brother, stop reading and help!" Chitoshi's voice snapped Ren out of his thoughts as he held Yoriichi's latest letter, barely opened.
"Coming." Ren tucked the letter away and hurried over.
Chitoshi, waiting impatiently, handed Ren stacks of packed sushi. "These are today's deliveries. Can you handle them alone, Brother?"
"Piece of cake."
Ren slung the sushi over his shoulder and headed out without looking back.
Their shop's booming business had led them to offer delivery services.
By the time Ren finished deliveries, it was evening. Counting the day's earnings, he smiled.
But as he walked back to the shop, something felt off. Why was a crowd gathered outside?
"Chitoshi!"
A chilling premonition gripped Ren. He pushed through the crowd, and the sight inside made his pupils shrink.
Chitoshi lay on the ground, covered in blood, his fate unknown.
Who did this?
A demon?
Impossible—it was daytime. Demons couldn't appear now!
"Chitoshi! Chitoshi!" Ren carefully lifted his brother. "How are you? Are you okay? Open your eyes, wake up, don't scare me!"
But no matter how he called, Chitoshi didn't respond.
Ren's voice trembled, his eyes blazing crimson. He glared at the crowd like a maddened beast. "Who did this? Who!"
"We did."
A blunt voice came from the back. The crowd parted, revealing two figures.
Ren froze upon seeing them.
He didn't know them, but he recognized their clothes—Demon Slayer Corps uniforms.
"Didn't expect a Corps disgrace like you to do so well after leaving, even opening a shop," one said with a smirk. "We just mentioned you, and your brother got all worked up defending a failure like you."
Ren stood silently, clutching a bloodstained shard of glass.
"What, you gonna fight us?" the other sneered. "We know you were a cripple when you left the Corps."
His gaze dripped with mockery. "Take your brother to a doctor. I'll cover the costs."
"You can come at me with whatever you want, but you never should've touched my brother." Ren's body shook with rage.
"Your brother attacked us first!" one said, pointing to a bruise on his face. "See this? He did that. We were just defending ourselves."
Murderous intent flooded Ren's eyes. His body became a blur, charging at the two.
The Corps members flinched at his speed.
"So fast!"
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
Yellow lightning flashed, but Ren's eyes remained calm. "Too slow."
Though his arms were injured, the rest of his body was intact. To his eyes, their movements were like slow motion.
With a slight sidestep, he dodged the man's slash, then flicked his hand. Crimson blood bloomed like a radiant flower.
The other man barely reacted, meeting Ren's cold, lethal gaze.
"Wait, I didn't touch your brother…" he stammered, terrified.
"It's fine," Ren said. "I'm just acting in self-defense."