Chapter 81

Layered Memories (なる) is the eighty-first chapter of Koyoharu Gotōge's Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Summary
Tanjiro recalls a letter that was addressed to him by Shinjuro Rengoku, who admits that he had wronged him. In the letter he thanks him for mourning Kyojuro's death, as well as for befriending Senjuro and proceeds to express his embarrassment for his behavior when they first met. He explained that he was wallowing in sorrow over the death of his wife and incompetence as a Hashira that he turned to alcohol. Despite his lack of presence as a father, Kyojuro had proven himself to be a better son that he was by managing to become a Hashira, even after Shinjuro had refused to continue teaching him. Shinjuro writes in his letter that Tanjiro is gifted with a power and is destined for greatness as seen from the Demon Slayer Mark he was born with. However, Tanjiro clarifies that Shinjuro is wrong because he wasn't born with the mark.

He recalls getting the mark when he was protecting his younger brother from a falling brazier, and it then changed in appearance during the Final Selection. Unlike his father who was born with the mark, Tanjiro simply acquired it meaning he wasn't a chosen one, nonetheless he refuses to back down. As Daki walks away from him, Tanjiro quickly grabs her and narrowly cuts her neck, but she manages to avoid the attack and back away from him. She loses her foot in the process, but her regeneration skills allow her to develop a new one within seconds. Tanjiro notices her regeneration and asks Daki why she steals people's lives and ruins them, his tone of voice comes off as familiar to Daki and she envisions a different swordsman before her. Although she doesn't recognize the swordsman, Daki realizes that she is envisioning Muzan's memories. Tanjiro continues to question her reasoning and taunts her with the fact that she was once a human who endured hardships as well. Daki becomes enraged by Tanjiro's comments and smashes her first into the roof tile, demanding that he stop rambling about the past since she is now Demon. Daki proceeds to glorify the privileges of being a Demon, seemingly mocking the circumstances that humans face. Having heard enough from her, Tanjiro approaches Daki to make an attack but she defends herself using her Blood Demon Art: Eight-Layered Obi Slash to keep him from closing in.

Her confidence grows as Daki believes that she is now untouchable due to the fact that she has returned back to her original form, she bids Tanjiro farewell and begins to think about going after the Hashira. However, Tanjiro utilizes the Hinokami Kagura: Burning Bones, Summer Sun to burn the obi blocking his path. Daki is left stunned by her wounds and inability to regenerate to the point where she begins to shake, and is left to defend herself from Tanjiro's flurry of attacks. He closes in and swings his blade to decapitate her, but she continues to resist as her neck transforms into an obi, refusing to be cut.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Shinjuro Rengoku (image)
 * Tanjiro Kamado
 * Ruka Rengoku (flashback)
 * Senjuro Rengoku (flashback)
 * Kyojuro Rengoku (flashback)
 * Rokuta Kamado (flashback)
 * Daki
 * Nezuko Kamado

Events

 * Its revealed that Shinjuro apologized to Tanjiro in a letter.
 * Tanjiro's blade makes contact with Daki's neck.

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