Black Wolf Fang burst into laughter. “Hahaha, don’t even think about it—I won’t give you another chance. I’m going to kill you right now. With your head nailed to the wall by my blade, it’ll take ages for your head to regenerate into a body again.”

  He sneered, “But if you’re trying to remotely control your body, don’t be foolish. I didn’t stop you earlier just to give you hope only to let you despair again.”

  Kawagishi retorted bitterly, “I’ve been a demon for decades—I’ve endured decapitations before. I’m well aware of your little tricks.”

  Black Wolf Fang mocked, “Desperate, aren’t you? You thought you had a chance, but I saw right through you. I gave you an opportunity, but you’re useless.”

  “Ha! Die in your despair,” Black Wolf Fang jeered.

  As he spoke, Black Wolf Fang strode forward. The blade that had impaled Kawagishi’s head was absorbed back into his body as its crimson energy pulsed. Gripping Kawagishi’s head in one hand, he began repeatedly slamming it against the solid rock of the cave wall—determined to inflict torment until sunrise, so that this little demon would suffer an agonizing death.

  Each crushing blow left Kawagishi’s mind increasingly hazy; the precious feeling of reuniting with his body gradually faded. In that moment, however, a gentle voice reached his ears.

  “Kawagishi, don’t forget to breathe…”

  In his muddled state, Kawagishi recalled his father Tanjuro’s teachings. When he was eleven, he had insisted on joining Tanjuro in the mountains to chop wood. Although Tanjuro had refused several times, he eventually relented when he saw Kawagishi’s determination. The journey in the mountains was grueling—Kawagishi, though resolute, was still small and quickly exhausted. Yet he stubbornly kept pace with his father.

  There was a moment when Tanjuro had stopped and looked at him with a kindly smile. “Little one, if you can’t go on, just turn back,” Tanjuro had said.

  Kawagishi had pressed his lips together and replied, “No, I can do it.”

  Tanjuro had paused, then with a twinkle in his eye, bent down to pat Kawagishi’s head and neatly adjusted his disheveled collar. In a gentle tone he said, “Kawagishi, don’t forget to breathe.”

  Kawagishi had rolled his eyes and replied, “Dad, I’m breathing just fine—if I stopped, I’d die!”

  Tanjuro playfully flicked his finger against Kawagishi’s forehead. “You little rascal, how dare you roll your eyes at me!”

  With a chuckle, Kawagishi had replied, “I’m just telling the truth—no one forgets to breathe.”

  Then Tanjuro’s expression turned serious. “Kawagishi, listen carefully.”

  Sensing his father’s earnestness, young Kawagishi had tilted his head, straining his ears.

  “What do you hear?” Tanjuro had asked.

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  “Um… I hear the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the chirping of birds along the path,” Kawagishi answered.

  “Right. And did you hear my stomach growling?” Tanjuro had added.

  With a sigh, Tanjuro said, “If you’re hungry, just say so. Once we finish our work, I’ll take you down—the mother is probably cooking already.” Then, more seriously, he continued, “Kawagishi, remember: everything in this world has a rhythm—a breath, a pattern. While human breathing might seem chaotic, mastering the proper breathing technique can let you achieve feats beyond ordinary human limits. Remember the rhythm of my breath—that’s our family’s tradition: the Dance of the Fire God. You and Tanjiro will one day carry on not only the Dance of the Fire God but also our family’s heirloom earrings.”

  With that, Tanjuro had closed his eyes and signaled for Kawagishi to focus on his breathing. In that fleeting moment, Kawagishi had sensed a profound transformation in his father’s aura—lively, spirited, passionate, searing… and imbued with a deep, embracing warmth. Even though Tanjuro’s health had always been fragile, in that moment he radiated an indomitable, life-affirming energy—a fierce, nurturing force that made everything seem possible.

  This sensation was incredibly strange.

  Kawagishi had even memorized Tanjuro’s breathing rhythm.

  Then, he immediately began to attempt the Fire God Dance Breathing Technique. However, as soon as he took a deep breath, he was overwhelmed—tears and snot streaming down his face, nearly choking him in one go…

  Tanjuro opened his eyes and patted Kawagishi’s back, helping him steady his breathing before teasing, “Did you feel the gaze of the Fire God?”

  Kawagishi rolled his eyes once more. “I only felt the gaze of the Death God… Dad, you’re just fooling me, aren’t you?”

  Tanjuro burst into hearty laughter, and when his smile faded, he became serious again. “Kawagishi, I wasn’t lying to you. Right now you’re still young—your body isn’t strong enough to handle the Fire God Dance Breathing Technique. It’s a domineering method…”

  He continued, “When you grow up and your body is stronger, don’t ever forget to breathe; don’t ever forget the Fire God Dance. You must engrave this breathing method deep in your heart.”

  Kawagishi rarely saw Tanjuro so earnest. Though he initially thought his father was teasing him, he solemnly nodded, promising to remember the Fire God Dance well.

  Seeing his obedient and understanding son, Tanjuro let out a barely perceptible sigh. “Kawagishi, it’s a pity that I can’t be with you as you grow up. My time is near.”

  “I can already feel it—you and Tanjiro, both of you are far more gifted than I am. Sooner or later, you will truly master the Fire God Dance.”

  “As for me, I’ll go and meet the Fire God ahead of time.”

  …

  “Yeah… when did I start forgetting to breathe?”

  “I can feel that, even though Father has passed, he’s still helping me.”

  “Your soul is watching over me from above right now.”

  “I’m sorry…I forgot to breathe, and I couldn’t protect our family…”

  In a daze, Kawagishi felt as if he could see Tanjuro.

  Tanjuro sighed softly and, as he usually did, gently patted Kawagishi’s head.

  “If anyone should be apologizing, it should be me.”

  “I’m sorry that because of me, you had to bear such heavy responsibilities and sink into self-blame and regret.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up—I’ve never held it against you, and neither has your mother or your siblings. We only hope that you continue to live well.”

  “Even if you become a demon, always remain true to yourself.”

  “Kawagishi, never forget to breathe~”

  As the voice faded away, Kawagishi knew that Tanjuro had departed, transformed once again into a star in the sky, watching over him.

  “Father, I won’t let you down.”

  In Black Wolf Fang’s hands, Kawagishi’s head repeatedly regenerated, only to be smashed against the cave wall time and time again.

  Seeing the pained expression on Kawagishi’s face, Black Wolf Fang seemed to take perverse pleasure in it.

  But at this moment, Black Wolf Fang noticed that Kawagishi’s expression had shifted—not from pain, but to one of calm serenity.

  At the same time, a strange sound began to echo around Black Wolf Fang.

  “What is that sound?”

  “It sounds a bit like the breathing of a Demon Slayer swordsman…”

  Meanwhile, on Kawagishi’s blood-soaked head, his once dull, lifeless eyes began to glow ever brighter.

  “Fire God Dance!”

  “Blood Demon Art: Scorching Feather!”