northernbook Chapter 158 Believe in Yourself
Chapter 158 Believe in Yourself
Upon hearing that anxious and confused call, Nezuko's Nichirin Blade, which was resting against her neck, suddenly stopped, the sharp blade halting at the edge of her skin, unable to press down any further.
Her body trembled uncontrollably, every nerve screaming for her to turn back.
But she clenched her teeth tightly, using all her strength to suppress that instinctive impulse.
[I can't turn back... I can't look... That's not my real brother, definitely not...]
She repeated it to herself over and over again, her fingertips turning bluish-white from the force.
Along the way, we met Mr. Urokodaki, Mr. Giyu, Lord Master, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and even my most beloved mother and siblings.
They were all fabricated illusions, but she hardened her heart and crossed them one by one.
We must not let this familiar voice cause us to collapse completely at the last moment.
But the next second, Tanjiro's anxious and sincere words rang out again, landing steadily in her ear, carrying a temperature she knew to the bone, easily breaking through the defenses she had barely erected.
"Nie Douzi, stop! This is not an illusion."
The panic and heartache in that voice were so real that Ni Douzi, who was about to strike hard, suddenly froze, as if all the strength in her body had been drained away at that moment.
She stared blankly at the swirling snowflakes before her, at the endless, cold snow-capped mountains. The surrounding scenery remained unchanged, still the false world that Nightmare was best at constructing. How could such a place not be an illusion?
"Niedouzi, this is still a train. We've all been blinded. Stop it!"
Tanjiro's voice came one after another, each word filled with deep anxiety, like fine needles gently pricking Nezuko's heart.
Her hand holding the knife trembled slightly. Her once unwavering heart began to waver at the sound of that familiar voice, and a barely perceptible wavering quietly spread through her.
Is it fake...? Is it really fake...?
Midouzi stared blankly at the vast expanse of white before her, silently murmuring to herself.
She told herself it was all a hoax, but the voice behind her was so real that she almost believed it.
That was her brother, her only living relative in the world.
Although her brother became a ghost, he was the last remaining relative who had never left her.
She still didn't put down her Nichirin Blade; the blade remained pressed against her cold skin, but her resolve had faded somewhat.
She dared not turn around, dared not confirm the appearance of the person behind her, fearing that if she looked, she would be completely immersed in this illusory warmth and never wake up again.
Along the way, she had hardened her heart and overcome her mother's gentle calls and the entanglements of her younger siblings' quarrels. Those were her lost past, and she could force herself to ignore them.
But Tanjiro behind her was different. He was her only living relative in this world, her brother who would protect her no matter what she became.
Even if he became a ghost, even if they walked together on the edge of a knife, he was still her only support, someone she couldn't bear to harm even slightly, whether in reality or in her dreams.
"Nie Douzi, don't you believe me anymore?"
Behind her, Tanjiro's voice suddenly took on a hint of grievance, carrying the unique softness of a young boy, and clearly reached Nezuko's ears.
The penetrating tone echoed in her mind, making her feel weak all over, almost unable to stand, and her hand holding the knife hilt loosened.
No, brother, no... It's me, I can't tell the difference...
Midouzi responded desperately in her heart, her eyes slightly hot, but she still bit her lip tightly, not daring to make a sound or turn around.
She feared that if she opened her mouth or turned around, she would fall into an even deeper trap from which she would never be able to escape.
"Nezuko, Mr. Rengoku, Inosuke, and Zenitsu are all fighting demons outside. We need to find a way out, so let's put down the Nichirin Blade for now."
Tanjiro's words remained gentle yet anxious, every sentence showing his concern for her, just like his brother in real life.
Nezuko remained silent for a very long time, as if an entire century had passed, and even the weight of her Nichirin Blade became incredibly heavy.
All the struggles and exhaustion she had endured overwhelmed her at this moment. She was truly tired and almost followed the sound, slowly putting down the knife in her hand.
But just as her fingertips relaxed and the blade was about to leave her neck, a clear and childlike voice suddenly rang out from the depths of her mind without warning, gentle yet incredibly firm.
"Sister, you can't."
【Hanako? 】
Midouzi was startled and looked up in surprise at the empty, white snow scene before her.
There was no one around, no younger siblings, no wooden house, only the aura of "Tanjiro" behind him.
But Hanako's voice was so clear it seemed to be right next to her ear.
"Sister, don't give up. Believe in yourself and trust your own judgment."
Hanako's voice was urgent and earnest, without a trace of illusory detachment.
The voice was like the light of dawn, instantly dispelling all the confusion and wavering in her heart, causing her hand, which she was about to put down, to suddenly stop in mid-air.
Believe in yourself... Believe in your own judgment...
Mizuko slowly closed her eyes, and all the illusions she had experienced along the way flashed through her mind—
The gentle Urokodaki, the silent Giyu, the crybaby Zenitsu, and the impulsive Inosuke.
There was also her mother's gentle smile, the noisy figures of her younger siblings, and finally, the scene frozen at the moment she made up her mind to take her own life.
Just as she was about to sever the illusion, this "brother," who should never have appeared, suddenly appeared.
The answer couldn't be clearer.
"What's wrong, Midouzi...why aren't you saying anything?"
Behind her, Tanjiro's voice continued to ring out, carrying a hint of barely perceptible panic, as if he was afraid that she would see through this illusion.
This time, however, Mi Douzi did not waver or hesitate.
Her grip on the Nichirin Blade tightened suddenly, her knuckles turning white. All the strength in her body was concentrated in her arm, and with a do-or-die determination, she slashed fiercely at her own neck without the slightest hesitation.
"I'm sorry, brother... the person I want to see isn't the one you are now."
The soft murmur dissipated in the wind and snow, and the next second, the sharp blade slashed into flesh.
"Pfft—"
A clear sound rang out in the silent snow-covered mountains, and the falling snowflakes instantly shattered into countless fragments.
The entire illusory dream shattered with a crash, vanishing completely like broken glass.