Horitake, Tanjiro, and Nezuko stayed overnight in the town, with Horitake covering the cost. Tanjiro felt guilty. "Horitake-senpai, I'll repay you!"
"Heart's in the right place," Horitake replied.
The next day, Horitake carried Nezuko and supported Tanjiro back to the doctor for a wound check. No infection—good news. As the doctor confirmed their safety, the system chimed: "Ding! Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado are safe. Negative butterfly effect resolved. Task complete. Reward granted.
Ding! Congratulations, host, for mastering Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash! Six Flashes! Nine Flashes! Twelve Flashes! Twenty-Four Flashes! Thirty-Six Flashes! Seventy-Two Flashes! One Hundred Eight Flashes! Three Hundred Sixty-Five Flashes!
Note: This combo draws from Naruto's Hyuga clan's Eight Trigrams techniques."
Before Horitake could process, his physique surged—strength, stamina, even mental clarity skyrocketing. The system didn't just grant moves; it enhanced his body to wield them flawlessly. Three hundred sixty-five slashes in a flash demanded elite conditioning. Horitake grinned—he was Hashira-level now. What a haul!
Tanjiro, mid-bandage, sniffed, his uncanny nose catching something. Did Horitake-senpai just get stronger? Nah, impossible.
With Tanjiro's wound re-dressed, the trio left the clinic. Horitake offered, "I'll take you to Kisatsume Mountain."
Tanjiro hesitated. "Senpai, you've done too much already!"
"No big deal. We're headed the same way. What if you hit another demon?"
Tanjiro wavered. Another demon without Horitake would be a death sentence. Horitake pressed, "Don't overthink, Tanjiro. Repay me by training hard under Urokodaki, joining the Corps, and slaying demons!"
Hoisting Nezuko's basket, Horitake started walking. "Move it, Tanjiro!"
"Yes, Horitake-senpai!" Tanjiro hustled after him.
They traveled day and night—Nezuko in the basket by day, out to stretch at night—rushing toward Kisatsume Mountain. By the third day's dawn, they neared their goal.
Chatting on the night road, Tanjiro said, "That lady mentioned the next mountain is Kisatsume. We're close!"
Horitake groaned. "You've got too much energy, insisting on night travel."
Tanjiro chuckled. "Nezuko can only come out at night… Wait, senpai, there's light ahead—a temple?"
Horitake squinted. "A temple up here, lit at this hour? Hold on…" Familiarity struck—this was that scene.
Tanjiro's nose twitched, catching blood's scent. "Blood! Someone's hurt!" He grabbed Nezuko's hand and rushed in.
Horitake, recognizing the plot, followed. Tanjiro flung open the temple doors, freezing at the sight: a demon devouring a corpse, blood pooling everywhere. Though not his first demon, seeing one eat a human stunned him.
Worse, Nezuko's demonic instincts stirred. Her eyes locked on the mangled corpse, saliva dripping as she fought her bloodlust, trembling with effort.
Horitake sighed. "This is bad…"
Before Tanjiro could react, the temple demon lunged, sending him crashing into the courtyard. It pinned him, claws at his throat. "Another human? Bonus meal!"
Tanjiro thrashed, slicing the demon's neck with his axe. Its wound healed instantly. Knocking the axe away, it bared its fangs, ready to bite.
Horitake, by Nezuko, watched her closely. If she resisted her urges, great. If not… trouble. Please, no butterfly effect now.
"Horitake-senpai! Help!" Tanjiro's cry snapped him back.
Whoops, almost forgot him! Horitake tossed his Nichirin Blade, landing it beside Tanjiro. "You'll face this eventually! Borrow my blade, draw blood! Don't let Nezuko down!"
The protagonist shone. Tanjiro shoved the demon off, grabbed the blade, and slashed, cleaving its torso in two. But the demon, still alive, crawled toward him—upper half dragging arms, lower half legs.
"It's alive!" Tanjiro's voice cracked.
"Behead it with the Nichirin Blade! It's just a weak demon, Tanjiro—you've got this!"
"Yes!" Tanjiro swallowed fear, fighting on.
Nezuko, meanwhile, turned the tide. Eyes shut, refusing to look at the corpse, she clenched her jaw, saliva dripping but head turned away, resisting her instincts.
Horitake smiled, patting her head. "Well done, Nezuko."
A scream—Tanjiro was knocked back again. Nezuko dodged Horitake's hand, rushing to aid her brother.
Horitake's hand hung awkwardly. "Well… she lets me pat her head. That's something, considering her brother's her world."