pertwk Chapter 130 Dream
Chapter 130 Dream
Inosuke gripped his two sharp Beast Breathing Nichirin Blades tightly and kicked the tightly closed door of the train engine with a sudden jerk!
He had assumed that the area behind the door would be the core of the evil spirits controlling the train, but the moment the door crashed to the ground, he was greeted by a mountain breeze carrying the scent of damp earth and fresh grass.
Where is the steel locomotive now?
Inosuke was stunned for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing in his wild eyes.
He was immediately replaced by intense excitement, and he suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the empty mountain forest.
"This...it really is a monster! This is actually a monster's home! Hehe, this is my territory! I am the King of the Forest!"
Before he finished speaking, he shook off his companions, picked up his Nichirin Blade, and plunged into the deep forest like a wild beast breaking free of its restraints.
Standing behind Inosuke, Tanjiro Kamado took in everything. His heart sank, and an indescribable sense of unease spread from the depths of his heart.
Without thinking twice, he quickly took a step and chased after Inosuke, trying to stop his impulsive act.
But the moment his feet actually stepped inside the locomotive, the scene around him collapsed and reformed like a shattered mirror.
The cold, metallic feel was gone, the howling wind was gone, and even the stench of blood in the air had vanished.
Instead, there was the familiar warm air, carrying the smell of firewood and cooking smoke, and underfoot was the uneven dirt path that had been trodden for more than a decade.
Before me stood that familiar, simple wooden house.
That was his home.
Tanjiro froze on the spot, his pupils contracting violently, his hand gripping the Nichirin Blade tightening involuntarily, his knuckles turning white.
"Brother, why are you back so early? Have you sold all the charcoal?"
A soft, familiar voice rang in my ears like the warm spring sun.
Tanjiro slowly raised his head and saw Nezuko carrying Rokuta on her back, standing at the door of the wooden house. She had shallow dimples on her cheeks, her eyebrows were curved, and she was smiling gently and brightly.
At that moment, Tanjiro looked down at his hands, and his pupils suddenly contracted—
The Nichirin Blade that was once held tightly in his hand and used to slay countless demons had disappeared without him noticing, and in its place was a heavy wooden-handled axe held in his hand.
He no longer carried the Demon Slayer Corps equipment on his back, but the empty bamboo basket he used to carry to town to sell charcoal every day.
"How...how did I get here?"
Tanjiro's voice trembled uncontrollably, his throat felt like it was blocked by something, so dry that he couldn't utter a complete sentence.
He stared blankly at Midouzi in front of him, and at the unharmed Liutai in her arms, his eyes instantly reddening.
"Nie Douzi, you...you..."
Before she could finish speaking, hot tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.
Everything before my eyes felt so real: the warm sunshine, the laughter of my family.
The scene where you become a ghost and fight ghosts with Mizuko is a nightmare.
Now, he has finally woken up from the nightmare and returned to real life.
Tanjiro's consciousness began to blur, and his inner defenses crumbled little by little.
Meanwhile, inside the carriages of the Infinite Train, the scene was quite different.
Zenitsu huddled in the corner of the carriage, trembling uncontrollably. His golden hair was soaked with cold sweat and clung to his cheeks.
He gripped his Nichirin Blade tightly, his eyes closed, and kept muttering, "Don't come any closer," "I will protect everyone."
They did everything in their power to protect the seemingly innocent ordinary passengers around them.
Just then, a soft and sweet voice gently sounded from behind him, softly calling his name:
"Zhenyi..."
The voice was like heavenly music, instantly dispelling all the fear in Zenitsu's heart.
He suddenly opened his eyes and eagerly turned his head, only to see Mizuko wearing a pink cherry blossom haori, her eyes smiling as she looked at him tenderly.
"Niedouzi Jiang! You're back!"
Zenitsu was overjoyed, and all his fear and tension vanished.
He immediately skipped and hopped to Midouzi, his face beaming with an ecstatic smile, his eyes fixed solely on the girl before him.
He was completely unaware that the once enclosed, cold metal carriage behind him had vanished without him noticing.
The floor beneath my feet transformed into soft, verdant grass.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Kyojuro Rengoku stood tall with his broad back, using his loud and powerful voice to encourage Nezuko beside him, his eyes firm and his aura unstoppable.
After saying that, Rengoku Kyojuro turned around and stepped across the connecting area between the carriages, intending to go to the next carriage to check the situation and look for traces of the demon.
But the moment his foot touched the ground, the scene before him suddenly changed—
The cold train carriages have disappeared, replaced by a clean and tidy courtyard, where clean clothes are drying in the sun.
On the stone bench in the courtyard sat a gentle woman, holding a needle and thread, her head bowed, intently mending his clothes.
Those eyes and that gentle expression belonged to his long-deceased mother.
Rengoku Kyojuro was jolted, as if struck by lightning, and stood frozen in place. His loud voice instantly became choked with emotion as he spoke in disbelief.
"Mother, how...did you get here?"
The moment those words left his mouth, a strange feeling stirred within him, as if something was amiss.
But the warmth and longing of regaining what was lost instantly overwhelmed that faint sense of vigilance.
He looked at his mother's gentle profile and at her focused sewing, and his eyes welled up with tears. All his long-held strength and fortitude turned into longing for his loved ones at this moment.
The uniform he wore, which symbolized his status as a Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, and the distinctive haori that burned with white flames, gradually faded and disappeared without him noticing, transforming back into the coarse cloth undergarment he wore as a child.
Just after parting ways with Kyojuro Rengoku, Nezuko stood alone at the empty connecting area between the carriages, a strange, indescribable feeling suddenly welling up inside her.
It was an indescribable sense of unease, like a tiny needle gently pricking her heart, making her feel uncomfortable all over.
She frowned slightly and subconsciously turned her head to look at the demon she had just beheaded with her Nichirin Blade.
The demon's body was slowly dissipating, turning into black smoke and merging into the air. Everything was exactly the same as when he killed ordinary demons in the past, without any abnormalities.
But that sense of unease didn't disappear; instead, it grew stronger and stronger, like vines tightly binding her heart, making it hard for her to breathe.
Suppressing her unease, Midouzi slowly turned her head to look at the ordinary passengers sitting on both sides of the carriage.
That one glance sent shockwaves through her, and her blood seemed to freeze!
She finally understood what that lingering strangeness and unease was all about!
This is the Infinite Train, a hell inhabited by evil spirits who feed on humans!
Just now, right in front of these passengers, she fiercely fought with the demon, brandishing her Nichirin Blade and even personally beheading the demon. Blood and danger were just a stone's throw away.
But the "passengers" in front of them were all expressionless, with empty and lifeless eyes, like puppets controlled by invisible strings, sitting quietly in their seats, motionless.
They showed no fear, no screams, no panic, and not even the slightest emotional fluctuation.
He stared blankly ahead, oblivious to all the killing and danger happening around him.
"This is... Blood Demon Art!"
Mizuko reacted instantly, alarm bells ringing in her mind. She immediately gripped her Nichirin Blade tightly and shouted loudly in the direction where Rengoku Kyojuro had left.
"Mr. Purgatory! Something's not right here!"
Her voice was clear and urgent, filled with unprecedented panic and vigilance.
Without further hesitation, Mi Douzi pushed off with his feet, trying to rush into the depths of the rear of the car.
But just as she took a step, a familiar and gentle voice slowly sounded from behind her.
"Nie Douzi? Where are you going?"
That voice... it's her brother—Tanjiro!
Midouzi's steps suddenly stopped, her body instantly stiffened on the spot, and her heart pounded wildly.
She slowly, very slowly turned her head back.
The next second, she suddenly loosened her grip on the Nichirin Blade, and the sharp blade almost slipped from her hand, crashing heavily to the ground.
Standing before her was not Tanjiro Kamado, who had become a demon.
Instead, he was a boy dressed in coarse cloth, carrying a bamboo basket for selling charcoal, and holding his younger brother, Takeo, tightly in his right hand.
Tanjiro's face was filled with doubt, but his eyes were gentle and innocent.
And Takeo, who was being led by him, looked up at Mizuko with a smile and called out.
"Sister, are you taking Rokuta out to play again?"
(Friends, tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve. Has everyone gone home?)
(All the hardships and struggles of the past year can be put aside now. Everyone should have a good rest, a good reunion, and a wonderful New Year!)
(I'm also celebrating the Lunar New Year. I'll update on the third day of the Lunar New Year. I'm also embarking on my journey home for the New Year.)
(Whether you're rich or poor, you should go home for the Chinese New Year.)
(Friends, having a home makes us the happiest people!)
(Happy Chinese New Year, my dear readers!)