Demon Slayer: My breathing technique went awry after Nezuko pushed me down.

Kanao carefully opened her palm.

The side engraved with the word 'watch' seemed to be smiling at her.

Kanao smiled too, though she had been smiling the whole time, but this time it was definitely a little different.

After showing the coin on the back of her hand to the nervous Shirakawa Yu, Kanao turned her back and waited in place.

At this moment, the smile on Bai Chuanyu's face became even brighter.

"Well... Ms. Kanao~ please take care of me for the rest of the time~"

Kanao didn't speak, still with her back to Shirakawa Yu, but with her delicate white hand, she pointed firmly at the stone pot and the two small wooden bowls...

The final selection rule is to survive for seven days in an area of ​​the mountain where there are no wisteria flowers.

Fighting, eating, being on guard, resting—each is a test.

The battle—there's not much to say about it.

For the two of them who have already mastered the entire collection and the ordinary ones.

This selection process was virtually effortless.

As you can see, in the original drama, Kanao was wearing a kimono.

They will appear at the starting point seven days later.

There wasn't even a single stain on that pink kimono.

Food was entirely in Shirakawa Yu's care.

For more than two years, picking mushrooms, hunting small animals, and finding ingredients on Mount Xiaowu were all a piece of cake.

All he had to do was try different things to make the little girl happy.

These days, he hasn't missed a single thing: collecting bird eggs and honey.

Although we can't have three meals a day, we still have two regular meals a day, and we rarely repeat the same dish twice.

Every time she eats, Kanae's purple eyes light up.

Of course, the little girl wasn't really enjoying the taste either. After all, compared to proper cooking, wild food lacking seasonings isn't necessarily much better.

What she ate was mainly something new and novel.

As for vigilance and rest.

During the day, ghosts generally cease their activities, especially in places where the sun shines directly.

The two only needed to choose an open, sunny spot to rest.

Nighttime is when ghosts are most active.

However, it's definitely not right to be completely careless.

No one can guarantee that there won't be a ghost lurking in the shadows somewhere nearby.

Even if they couldn't possibly rush out and attack the two of them.

But with the strength of a ghost, even throwing a stone from afar can kill a person.

So even when they slept during the day, they would take turns keeping watch, each taking half a day.

As for... Tanjiro...

Hehehe, this poor junior brother has long been forgotten by Bai Chuanyu.

With Kanao by my side, how could I possibly think about him?

Besides, with Tanjiro's strength, he wouldn't be defeated on Mount Fujikasa.

......

Over the course of a few days, a tacit understanding developed between the two.

They fought demons together, searched for water together, ate together, and rested together...

And chatting together...

Of course, it was mainly Shirakawa Yu who was talking.

He talked about the training at Mount Sagiri, Tanjiro's silliness, Urokodaki's mask and tsundere attitude, Nezuko's cuteness (omitting some obsessive remarks), and some random, nonsensical little stories.

Kanao mostly just listened quietly, occasionally nodding or blinking slightly when Shirakawa asked, "Right?" or "Isn't that going too far?"

During this time, Shirakawa Yu maintained a slight outward release of the Colored Breath, allowing the tranquil pink aura to gently envelop the two of them like an invisible domain.

As for the system, although the growth is slow, it is indeed constantly moving.

However, Shirakawa Yu didn't pay attention to those things for the time being.

Being able to walk side by side like this, breathing in the clear floral fragrance unique to Kanao so close at hand, is already a pleasure in itself.

Not to mention that when he uses his Color Breathing technique, and that warm pink current surrounds him, Kanao will gradually feel closer to him.

Day three...during the day, we took turns resting.

It was supposed to be Shirakawa Yu guarding the first half of the day, and Kanao guarding the second half.

But perhaps it was the fatigue from the continuous battles, the irregular schedule, the reassuring aura around Shirakawa Yu that was so soothing, or perhaps Kanao had completely let her guard down around Shirakawa Yu.

Kanao, who should have been in a light sleep and waiting for her turn, was still fast asleep when Shirakawa Yu's shift ended.

She fell asleep during the second half of her shift, completely unaware of what was happening.

As the sun set and night fell, she suddenly woke up, and the first thing she saw was Bai Chuanyu's back.

He stood before her, holding the knife, motionless, like a statue.

Kanao immediately sat up, her face showing obvious self-reproach and panic for the first time.

She opened her mouth, her face flushed, wanting to apologize, but before she could speak, Bai Chuanyu had already turned his head away.

"Awake? Did you sleep well?" There was no reproach on his face, and his smile remained cheerful.

Why didn't you call me...?

"I saw you were sleeping soundly, so I didn't wake you. Girls need to sleep more, it's good for their skin."

"But...you also need to rest..." Kanao's voice was barely audible.

"Oh, what's the big deal?" Shirakawa Yu waved his hand. "Isn't protecting girls just a matter of course?"

Kanao was stunned.

"Protecting girls...is it a matter of course?"

These words, like a small pebble, were thrown into the long-dormant lake of her heart.

Sold as a child, she lived a life of constant displacement and had no one to protect her.

Later, she was rescued by Shinobu and entered the Butterfly Mansion. What she learned was independence, resilience, and how to protect others as a demon slayer.

Kanao blinked her large, pale purple eyes.

Growing up... it seems like no one has ever told her... that she should be protected...

Shirakawa Yu's words, which seemed so natural, were completely foreign to her.

but......

She didn't say anything, but silently got up and stood next to Bai Chuanyu.

Although she knew very well that she didn't need to be protected.

But... she didn't dislike this feeling.

......

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

As the morning light once again bathed the starting point at the edge of the wisteria sea, Shirakawa Yu and Kanao walked out side by side.

Chapter 28: Kanao and Nezuko part ways. Nezuko wakes up.

There were already people in the open space.

A blond-haired boy was crouching on the ground, clutching his head, radiating an aura of utter despair. "I survived... but I'll definitely die... I'll definitely die!"

—Zenitsu Agatsuma, a standard start.

In another direction, Shinazugawa Genya, dressed in samurai attire, crossed his arms and continued to act fierce, even though there weren't many people around. It was unclear who he was trying to intimidate.

as well as......

"Senior Brother!!!"

(╬◣д◢)

A roar filled with resentment, anger, and grievance, along with a slow, dark aura, swept over us.

Tanjiro sported a head of messy red hair. His eyes, which were originally just red in the pupils, had turned completely red, with even the whites of his eyes turning red, due to lack of rest and repeated battles.

With those fiery red eyes, he stared intently at Shirakawa Yu, his eyes filled with accusations of "forgetting friends for lust," "abandoning his junior brother," and "shameless scoundrel."

Especially when he saw Shirakawa Yu and Kanao walking towards him almost side by side, his resentment became almost tangible.

Shirakawa Yu remained unfazed, even raising his hand in greeting: "Yo, Tanjiro, you look to be in good spirits. You haven't let your master down."

"You still remember having a junior brother like me?!" Tanjiro jumped up and down in anger.

"We agreed to come out together, but you left me all alone! You ran off... ran off..."

He glanced at the quiet, beautiful, and elegant Kanao beside him, his words caught in his throat, but his eyes showed even more grief and indignation.

Kanao seemed a little confused by the scene. She glanced at Tanjiro, then at Shirakawa Yu, and then...

Silently, she moved half a step behind Shirakawa Yu.

This subtle movement struck Tanjiro like a thunderbolt; his finger pointing at Shirakawa Yu trembled as he stammered, "You...you all..."

At this moment, the two twin 'girls' dressed in wisteria kimonos reappeared and congratulated the survivors in calm, even voices.

Then......

The irritable Shinazugawa, just like in the show, rushed forward and grabbed the young lord by the hair.