The demon's throat glowed white and hazy in the depths. Tanjirou's nose caught it instantly. This was nothing like before. The amount of smoke accumulating beyond that light—it would reach the town. Not just the Butterfly Mansion, but far beyond. "[serious]Zenitsu! Inosuke! Stop the smoke's flow! Nezuko, burn the smoke! Giyu, cut off its escape route!" He said it all in one breath. He didn't ask anyone for confirmation. "[scared]W-wait, I'm supposed to stop it on the front lines!? That's scary, scary, scary!!" Zenitsu's face went pale. But—his feet were already moving. "……" Giyu drew his sword without a word. He circled behind the demon with movements like flowing water. "[excited]Don't order me around! But fine—I'll do it!!" Inosuke complained while already sprinting low to the ground. Nezuko raised both hands. Her demonic power activated, and pale pink flames spread quietly outward. The demon opened its mouth wide. The smoke was released— CRACKLE!!! Lightning tore through the air. Zenitsu unleashed Thunder Breathing, First Form, splitting the front of the smoke stream clean in half. The smoke scattered everywhere. "[excited]How's that!!" "[excited]Too slow! I'm already done!!" Inosuke sprinted across the ground with Beast Breathing, using wild wind pressure to push the smoke mass back away from the Butterfly Mansion. Beast Breathing was strong for this—running just above the earth, creating wind currents with his own body. "[excited]Inosuke, that was amazing, right!?" "[excited]Of course it was! Being strong is what matters!!" The two of them laughed together for just a moment. Two people who were always fighting. Tanjirou watched them from the corner of his eye and felt something warm bloom inside him. Nezuko's flames burned away the remaining smoke. The scent changed to something sweet and clean. A fragrance like wisteria flowers—something demons hated. "[angry]Why…why won't the smoke increase…!!" The demon's voice cracked with genuine panic for the first time. Giyu was quietly cutting off the demon's escape route. The Stillness stance. Every time it tried to retreat, he advanced just one step. Just one. But that was enough. The demon couldn't back away anymore. Only Tanjirou stood in front. "[sarcastic]……What can a mere human do, just because their body changed" The demon stood up. A mocking expression. Eyes full of confidence. Tanjirou shouted. "[serious]Even if my body changed—my feelings haven't!!" His voice echoed through the forest. It was a high voice. But there was no wavering in it. "I want to protect my friends. I want to protect Nezuko. I want to protect the people I care about. That feeling—it's the same no matter what body I have" Sakonji's words surfaced in his mind. Water remains water even when the vessel changes. That's right. It had always been that way since the beginning. Ever since he started fighting in this body, he'd been searching for it. The way of moving suited to this body—lowering his center of gravity, generating power through arm rotation. That response he'd felt for just an instant during reconnaissance in the forest. It all connected now. Tanjirou lowered his center of gravity. He bent his knees deeply, bringing his body close to the ground. He gripped his sword firmly with both hands, imagining his arms rotating in a wide arc from his body's axis. "[serious]Water Breathing—Vessel-Changed Form!!" He stepped forward. Low. His body was closer to the ground than usual. But not unstable—solid like a tree with deep roots. His arms traced an arc. All the centrifugal force rode on the blade's edge. SLASH!!! The final defense made of smoke split open in a single stroke. The demon—was there. Tanjirou pressed forward. One more step. The blade reached. It found the neck. "……!!" The demon's eyes took on the shape of "surprise" for the first time. Slash. It was done. Silence. The demon's body crumbled slowly. The last smoke spilled from its mouth. But that smoke no longer had the power to amplify anyone's emotions. Like white mist, it dissolved quietly into the air before dawn. --- Light came. Soft light that gently wrapped around everyone's body. Tanjirou looked at his own hands. The thin, delicate hands of a female body—transformed back into the large, sun-darkened hands he knew. "[crying]I'm back!! I'm back!! My voice is deep again!! I'm back!!" Zenitsu cried out loud. He crouched down on the spot, covering his face with both hands, sobbing. "[sarcastic]Shut up" Inosuke said while briefly checking the muscles in his own arms. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. Tanjirou felt the relief of being back in his original body—but noticed something lingering in his chest. The shout Zenitsu made when he ran forward despite his fear. The warmth of Giyu's hands when he silently supported him. Even though his body had changed, those things hadn't disappeared. They weren't in his body—they were in his heart. (What is this?) While he was thinking—Zenitsu stood directly in front of Tanjirou. His face was bright red. "[serious]L-listen, Tanjirou…! Even if my body's back to normal, my feelings haven't changed!!" He said it straight. His eyes were swimming, but his voice was serious. While Tanjirou was thinking of a response—Giyu slowly stepped forward. One step. Silent. But that step was toward Tanjirou. "[surprised]Huh…um…uh…" Tanjirou froze between Zenitsu and Giyu. Both of them were looking at him. His face burned hot. "[laughing]Big brother, your face is all red" Nezuko said with a smile. "[surprised]Why is it red? The fight's over" Inosuke tilted his head. He genuinely didn't understand. Zenitsu and Giyu glanced at each other sideways. For a moment—quiet sparks scattered between them. --- They returned to the Butterfly Mansion before dawn. The eastern sky was just beginning to turn white. The wisteria flowers in the medicinal herb garden were wet with night dew, their sweet scent drifting through the air. Shinobu was waiting. Her face showed signs of an all-nighter, but when she saw everyone's faces, she let out a small breath. "[serious]Everyone, come here. I need to examine you" Everyone gathered in the great hall. Shinobu carefully examined each person's body. Her gloved hands took Tanjirou's pulse. She checked the color of the solution in a medicine bottle. "[gentle]……You've returned to nearly normal" Everyone relaxed. Zenitsu shouted "Thank goodness!!" and Inosuke puffed out his chest saying "Of course!!" Shinobu's eyebrows moved slightly. "[serious]However" The air stopped. "Trace amounts of the smoke's residual components remain in your bodies" "[surprised]……Residual?" "On nights with a full moon. There's a possibility your bodies will temporarily revert to their previous state" "[surprised]Ehhhhhhh!!" "[scared]How many days until the full moon!!" Zenitsu's face went pale. "[angry]Explain in detail! What does that mean!!" Inosuke slammed the table. Tanjirou was speechless. Shinobu continued calmly. "[serious]I'll research a treatment, but it will take time. There's nothing we can do about it" And then—Shinobu placed something she'd been holding in her hand quietly on the table. A small marking. Extracted from the demon's remains. Shinobu's expression changed slightly. "[cold]……It's the marking of the Lower Moons of the Twelve Kizuki" Heavy air fell over the great hall. The Twelve Kizuki—the twelve strongest demons under Muzan's direct command. That the demon had the marking of the Lower Moons meant it wasn't acting alone. There was something above it. A higher existence controlling that demon. No one said anything. After a while—Tanjirou slowly looked around at his friends' faces. Zenitsu's face was pale as he gripped the table. Inosuke had his arms crossed, his expression serious. Nezuko looked slightly anxious, watching Tanjirou. Shinobu gazed quietly at the marking. Giyu—kept his unchanged expression, watching Tanjirou. Tanjirou smiled slowly. "[gentle]……It's not over yet. But if everyone's here, we'll be fine" Zenitsu stood up. He moved to Tanjirou's side. Giyu moved at the same time. He stood on Tanjirou's other side. The two of them noticed each other's presence—their eyes met briefly. Again, quiet sparks scattered. "[surprised]Um, um…both of you are too close" His face turned red again. "[laughing]He's red again" "[surprised]Still red? I don't understand" Inosuke tilted his head in genuine confusion. Shinobu put the marking away in a medicine bottle and murmured quietly. "[whispers]……There's nothing we can do about it" Her voice held the shape of a wry smile. The eastern sky changed from white to pale orange. Beyond the Butterfly Mansion's roof, dawn was beginning. Cold morning air flowed in from the medicinal herb garden, passing gently through the great hall. Tanjirou, sandwiched between Zenitsu and Giyu, looked up at the sky. The smoke's aftereffects, the threat of the Lower Moons, Zenitsu's confession, Giyu's single step—nothing was settled yet. But that was fine for now.