Sever

"Mr. Purgatory, Mr. Asuka! Wake up! We're under attack!"

Inside the carriage, Tanjiro, having broken free from his dream, quickly knocked out several accomplices connected by Blood Demon Art ropes who were attempting to attack their companions in the dream, and loudly called out to the two Pillar-level swordsmen.

But for some reason, Mr. Rengoku was alright; he was able to react to Tanjiro's words even slightly.

The birds, on the other hand, were completely silent, their breathing extremely faint.

What happened?! Was Mr. Asuka attacked in his dream?!

Tanjiro was shocked and quickly checked the rope connecting Asuka's wrist.

To his surprise, he discovered that the other end of the rope was the flight attendant who had checked his ticket.

But he was already dead.

No, I can't waste any more time here!

If Nezuko hadn't headbutted Tanjiro, making him smell blood, he'd probably still be dreaming.

"Niedouzi, you stay here. It's dangerous outside. Don't go anywhere!" He ordered in a deep voice to the bewildered Nedouzi.

Tanjiro made a decision: he would first find the demon on the train that was controlling dreams and then try to wake everyone up!

He rushed out of the carriage, climbed onto the roof, and was immediately met with an overwhelming, ghostly aura!

The person who started all of this was standing at the front of the car.

Lower Moon One: Nightmare.

"Huh? You're awake? Good morning~"

Nightmare's voice, with its nauseating affectation, cut through the howling wind and reached Tanjiro's ears: "Why are you up so soon? I gave you a wonderful dream."

He grinned, revealing a sinister smile:

"Or do you want to have a nightmare where your whole family is brutally murdered?"

Tanjiro's forehead veins bulged, and his hand gripping the Nichirin Blade turned slightly blue.

"Hehe, actually what I like most is to make people have a wonderful dream first, followed by a nightmare~" Enmu completely ignored Tanjiro's reaction and continued to talk to himself: "The twisted expressions of humans are truly the most delicious thing."

"Shut up!" Tanjiro roared, his chest blazing with fury. "Don't you dare toy with people's hearts! I will kill you!"

Even though the demon in front of him is a Lower Moon demon, Tanjiro will never back down because of it.

Everyone is still in a false dream, and we don't know if we will encounter any danger!

He must defeat the evil spirit before him as soon as possible!

"Water Breathing - Pick-up Form: The Flow of Life!!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Tanjiro unleashed his sword strike, the Nichirin Blade tracing a cold, azure arc in the moonlight.

Braving the fierce wind, it charged headlong towards the nightmare at the front of the car!

However, Nightmare merely smiled dismissively and didn't even move a step.

"Blood Demon Art: Whispers of Sleep! Sleep!"

Om-!

Just as the blade was about to touch Nightmare's skin, Tanjiro felt the scene before him suddenly distort, and his mind went blank.

An irresistible wave of drowsiness washed over him, causing him to lose his balance instantly, and his consciousness began to sink into darkness.

"Sleep now...go back to that blissful dream..."

Nightmare's whispers were like a spell, instantly captivating Tanjiro.

Kitchen door, snowy night.

"Brother, try this!" Mi Douzi picked up a roasted sweet potato and held it to his lips with a sweet smile.

Tanjiro instinctively opened his mouth, and a sweet, warm taste melted on his tongue.

wrong!

A voice inside him suddenly awakened him:

"Don't be fooled! This is a dream! We're fighting ghosts!"

"My family members...were all killed by Muzan Kibutsuji!!"

A wave of immense grief swept over them, piercing the false illusion of warmth.

The intense tearing sensation caused Tanjiro to curl up in pain.

"What's wrong, Tanjiro?" His mother asked, looking at him with concern.

"Brother, are you feeling unwell?" Midouzi's pure eyes were full of concern.

Tanjiro, be strong.

My father's voice came calmly and deeply, as if it had pierced through the barrier of a dream.

Cut it off!

An unprecedented sense of determination and courage rose within Tanjiro!

He suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the fake family members beside him, whom he longed for day and night.

"I'm sorry..." he murmured.

The next second, to the astonishment of his family, Tanjiro drew his Nichirin Blade without hesitation!

He swung the knife in a backhand motion, the cold blade carrying the resolve to sever everything, resolutely slicing towards his own neck!

puff!

The excruciating pain came not only from the body.

This decision to give up time with family and shatter the warm memories pierced Tanjiro's heart!

The Infinite Train, on its roof.

"Cough—ah!"

Tanjiro suddenly opened his eyes, his body convulsing from the intense pain he felt.

But he cannot fall, for he is still fighting! He remains on the roof!

He forcefully steadied himself, once again channeling the life-flowing sword energy, and charged towards Nightmare once more!

"How is this possible?" Nightmare asked in disbelief, immediately raising her left hand. "Go to sleep!"

Om-!

The intense mental shock caused Tanjiro to faint, his eyes rolling back in his head.

But almost instantly, he regained his balance and broke free from the nightmare!

Charge after charge, hypnosis after hypnosis.

On the roof of the roaring car, Enmu and Tanjiro put on a waltz of swordplay, constantly dodging and weaving back and forth.

"Ineffective? Why is it ineffective for you?"

While dodging Tanjiro's attacks, the Lower Moon Demon Moon pondered deeply...

"It's not invalid...you lunatic..."

He realized that Tanjiro wasn't immune to hypnosis; rather, he would immediately come to his senses and commit suicide every time he fell asleep!

In other words, in those few dozen seconds, he had already committed suicide countless times!

Even if it's a dream, the pain is real.

Isn't he afraid?

"Since that's the case, then I'll let you have the most painful nightmare!"

Om-! !

The warm fire in the hearth suddenly went out, turning into cold ashes.

The sweet aroma of food was replaced by an overwhelming, pungent smell of blood.

The entire family of Zaomen lay dead in pools of blood.

Mother Kui Zhi's gentle smile turned into an empty stare, and a deep, bone-revealing laceration on her neck was gushing black blood.

The younger brother, Takeo, stopped fighting. His small body was covered with hideous claw marks, and he stared at him with unseeing eyes.

Hanako, the younger sister, and Rokuta, the boy in her arms, turned into two cold corpses.

Sitting beside him was Midouzi, whose long, black hair was stained with dark red blood, and whose once pure and innocent eyes were now filled with endless resentment and pain.

"Tanjiro...why...why are you the only one who survived?!"

"Tanjiro..." His mother's head was tilted at an unnatural angle, her empty eyes looking at him. "You useless thing... why didn't you protect us..."

"It's all your fault..." Takeo and Shigeru whispered.

"Just letting myself live on alone..." Hanako sneered.

Even the most innocent and naive Rokuta uttered a cold question:

"What were you doing when we were being killed?!"

"How dare you still be alive!"

...The venomous voices converged into sharp scimitars, constantly tearing at Tanjiro's heart!

"How could my family say such a thing?!"

In reality, Tanjiro, his eyes blazing with fury, roared as he broke free from the hypnotic spell of the nightmare!

"You are not allowed to...insult them!!"

Tanjiro's Nichirin Blade roared down with uncontrollable rage, drawing a powerful wave of energy in the air!

laugh--!!

The blade pierced flesh, striking Nightmare's neck with deadly force!

puff--!!

The deep blue spiral blade light was unstoppable, directly severing Nightmare's head! It sent Nightmare crashing heavily onto the roof of the car!

Heh... Heh...

Tanjiro, breathing heavily and trying to calm his anger, still felt uneasy.

He didn't feel like he had killed Nightmare; the ghostly aura hadn't dissipated...

"Could this also be a dream?" He was somewhat uncertain.

Just as Tanjiro was hesitating, Enmu's severed head spoke on its own:

"That lord said... besides the Pillars, the most important things are killing you, the one with the earring, and the black-haired boy..."

"I understand that feeling perfectly now..."

Glug glug.....

A chilling change is taking place!

Suddenly, the steel car body emitted a writhing, grotesque sound as if flesh was writhing!

The train's cold metal shell was quickly covered by dark red flesh and blood covered in mucus!

Thick, pulsating veins grew from the connecting parts of the carriages!

In just a few breaths, the entire Infinite Train transformed into a colossal, terrifying monster of flesh and blood!

The Nightmare's head, after a series of writhing movements, connected to a gigantic tentacle, which then spoke menacingly:

"What a pity... While you were all sound asleep, I had already merged with the train!"

"Pathetic demon hunter... Everything in this vehicle is my blood, my flesh! How are you going to kill me?!"

"Can you protect the hundreds of people on this bus... huff huff huff..."

He grinned maliciously, relishing Tanjiro's expression of despair:

"I will kill you all, leaving not a single one alive!!"