Demon Slayer: Tanjiro becomes a ghost, Nezuko becomes a pillar!

Chapter 142 I'm sorry

Almost in the blink of an eye, Lower Moon Four watched helplessly as Nezuko suddenly appeared in front of him, so fast that it didn't even have a chance to react.

That speed had already surpassed its dynamic vision as a ghost. Its eyes could barely catch a dazzling rainbow flash by, but its nerves were completely out of sync, and it couldn't even raise its hand to block.

Even demons with physiques far exceeding those of humans are rendered helpless and powerless in the face of this extreme speed.

[Rainbow Breathing? What kind of breathing technique is this...? Why have I never heard of it before...? It's too fast, no, am I going to die? Move, move faster!]

The "Si" character pattern etched in Xia Xian Si's eyes twisted violently, and the figure of Mizuko wielding her sword was reflected in her pupils.

It gritted its teeth and desperately tried to dodge, channeling all its demonic power, but it was already too late.

Even faster than its movement was the Nichirin Blade, which slashed down cleanly, enveloped in rainbow light.

"Pfft—"

A crisp yet dull sound of flesh being cleaved rang out across the snow, and Lower Moon Four's head rolled off.

Those terrified eyes could only stare blankly at Mizuko, who was slowly sheathing her sword and standing tall.

At this moment, Mi Douzi's breathing was steady and smooth, without any of the blockages and stagnations he used to experience when using breathing techniques. An unprecedented sense of comfort and power flowed slowly through his limbs and bones.

She finally found her own rhythm and was no longer bound by any particular breathing method.

But when she looked down at the fallen Lower Moon Four, a bizarre scene suddenly unfolded.

The scene that was expected—the demon being beheaded and dissipating into ashes—did not occur.

Xiaxian Si's body, along with his head, transformed into a wisp of pale red mist, which drifted away into the white dreamscape without leaving a trace.

Mi Douzi frowned deeply, looked around at the familiar snow-covered wooden house, and instantly understood.

She was still trapped in the dream woven by Nightmare. What she had just killed was merely the spiritual entity that Lower Moon Four had entered into the dream.

"It's not the master of this illusion... Could it be that more than one ghost is controlling the dream?"

Upon realizing this, Mi Douzi's heart clenched, and a strong sense of unease swept over her entire body.

She began to worry frantically about her real-life companions—the sleepy and timid Zenitsu, and the impulsive and competitive Inosuke.

There's also his older brother, Tanjiro, who turned into a demon.

Even the usually strong and reliable Kyojuro Rengoku couldn't help but make her start to worry.

"Mr. Rengoku should be alright... He's so strong, he's a Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, even if we're all trapped, he'll definitely be able to..."

Midouzi tried to comfort herself, but she couldn't finish her sentence and her expression instantly became extremely tense.

She turned abruptly to look at the snow-capped mountains behind her, her voice trembling as she murmured to herself.

"What if...we're the ones who drag Mr. Purgatory down?"

Once the thought arises, it can no longer be suppressed.

Midouzi's heart beat faster and faster, and her breathing became rapid.

She cannot linger here, nor can she indulge in false warmth. No matter the cost, she must break free from the dream and return to reality.

"No... Even if I can't help, I absolutely can't be a burden to Mr. Purgatory. I must get out, I can definitely get out!"

A firm thought exploded in her heart, and without further hesitation, Mi Douzi turned around and sprinted down the snow-capped mountain.

"Nie Douzi...where are you going?"

A gentle and familiar voice suddenly rang out, causing Mi Douzi, who was running wildly, to stop abruptly, her shoes leaving a long trail in the snow.

She slowly turned around and saw Tanjiro from her dream standing not far away, carrying a bamboo basket full of charcoal, looking at her with worry and confusion in his eyes, just like the gentle and reliable older brother in her memory.

Seeing this, Midouzi's eyes instantly reddened, and tears welled up uncontrollably in her eyes.

She recalled the massacre that wiped out her entire family; she had only survived by chance because she had gone out to sell charcoal in place of her brother.

If it had been the older brother who went there, how desperate and heartbroken he must have been to witness the horrific deaths of his family members.

"Nie Douzi...you, did something happen to you? And your clothes...how did they get like this?"

Seeing that she was about to cry, Tanjiro immediately showed a look of heartache on his face and quickly stepped forward to comfort her.

But Ni Douzi subconsciously took a step back, shook her head vigorously, and tears finally slid down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, brother... I'm so sorry."

Tanjiro felt a pang of sadness as he watched her apologize repeatedly, and managed to force a gentle smile.

"Niedouzi, what's wrong with you? Are you too tired?"

Mi Douzi gritted his teeth, his expression tense, and shook his head again.

The next second, to Tanjiro's sudden, horrified gaze, she slowly drew her Nichirin Blade from her waist and gently pressed the sharp blade against her neck.

"Nie Douzi! What are you doing?! Put the knife down right now!"

Tanjiro's expression changed drastically, and he cried out in alarm, immediately rushing forward to try and snatch the sword from her hand.

Mi Douzi gently turned aside, her eyes blurry with tears but unusually firm as she looked at her brother, her voice choked with emotion yet each word clear.

"Brother, I'm sorry... So many things have happened, and I want to tell you everything now, I want to tell you all the grievances I've suffered. But you need me more out there, and I can't stop here."

"I know that in front of you, I can always be your sister, and I can tell you all my hardships and fears. But brother, I can't, and I shouldn't. Please forgive me for using this method to force you not to stop me, not to ask any questions."

Tears streamed down her chin, and her voice was almost choked with sobs.

Tanjiro in the dream world calmed down abruptly after hearing these words.

He seemed to understand the whole truth from Mi Douzi's broken words, and a bitter yet gentle smile slowly appeared on his face.

"Really... You... aren't the Nezuko I've always known?"

Ni Douzi gritted his teeth, his whole body trembling as he nodded forcefully, unable to utter a single word.

Tanjiro gently closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his eyes were filled with relief and heartache. He opened his mouth, as if to say something.

The deep-rooted family ties prevented him from easily telling his sister to risk her life alone, even though he was just a phantom in the dream world.

As the eldest brother, he only ever wanted to protect his younger sister, so how could he just stand by and watch her go into danger?

"Brother, I'm sorry!"

With tears in her eyes, Mi Douzi spoke again, her voice so soft it was almost swallowed by the wind and snow.

Tanjiro shook his head gently with a wry smile, but the tenderness in his eyes never faded.

"I'm the one who should apologize, Nezuko... It's because your brother couldn't protect you. I won't stop you anymore, go ahead."

The moment those words were spoken, the entire dream world suddenly emitted a piercing cracking sound.