‹Demon Slayer Nezuko› : A Kimetsu no Yaiba Story

Chapter 16: Sunrise

Nezuko glanced at the boy, who was sliding his foot against the ground as he walked, and raised her voice.

"B-but.... you're still injured! Why don't we stay together at least for tonight!?"

".............tch."

The boy audibly clicked his tongue and turned around.

His slanted black eyes were narrowed in an angry look, meeting Nezuko's pink-purple eyes. The boy's expression filled with animosity sent a chill down her back, making her shiver slightly on the spot.

While Nezuko was unable to speak out, the boy growled in a deep voice.

"None, of, your, business. Get lost."

Having emphasised each phrase he mouthed distastefully, he turned around and continued limping down his way into the dark forest.

——Nezuko could do nothing but stare at the boy's back as he disappeared into the darkness.

"P-Please, don't die!!"

She called after him, but no response could be seen on the boy, not even a slight halt in his steps. Soon enough, he was completely out of Nezuko's sight.

Nezuko lowered her gaze.

——Did... I do something to offend him....?

She recalled the boy's expression — the hatred and disgust on his face directed specifically at her. It didn't make sense to Nezuko why the boy would act that way to her, when they'd never met before.

She gently shook her head, dispersing her thoughts.

——It's no use thinking about it... all I can do is wish for his survival for the rest of the nights.

"..........now then."

Nezuko turned around over her shoulder to take a look at the weight that had been on her back all this time.

——She was carrying an unconscious human being on her back.... a grey-haired girl who had passed out in their earlier fight with the Hand Demon.

Nezuko smiled weakly at the girl's sleeping face.

"Let's go, Nagisa-san."

* * *

* * *

——The second morning on Mt. Fujikasane was still very cold from despite the spring climate.

"A fear.... of morphed flesh?"

Nodding to Nezuko's words, Kogarashi Nagisa pursed her lips and hugged her knees tighter against herself. The girl had awakened from her sleep a while ago; the two of them were now sitting facing each other near a small stream in the forest.

Nezuko eyed Nagisa's arms hugging her knees, and saw how it was trembling.

"You... don't have to tell me if you don't want to, you know?"

Nagisa squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head violently.

"No...! This... this problem of mine has caused you enough trouble already."

The girl looked up with a solemn determination in her eyes.

"And so... it's a responsibility to explain it to you."