Giyu Tomioka's Story: Part 1

Giyu Tomioka Gaiden: Part 1 (冨岡 義勇: 外伝) is the first of a two part side story based on an encounter of the Water Pillar, Giyu Tomioka.

Description
The gaiden is a crossover project written by the Kimetsu no Yaiba author, Koyoharu Gotōge, and is illustrated by Kimetsu no Aima author, Ryōji Hirano. It is the first spin-off series of the Kimestu no Yaiba franchise.

Summary
The story begins with a swordsman confronting a man begging for mercy, who appears to hugging a woman. He begins to back away in fear, letting the woman fall to the ground to reveal her bloodied body. The man's demeanor changes and he swiftly transforms into a demon while lunging at the swordsman. However, The swordsman swiftly decapitates the man with a fluid movement before he can attack him.

Not long afterward, a crow arrives to inform the mysterious swordsman to head towards the mountains to investigate a home where several hunters have been eaten by demons.

Meanwhile, in the northern part of the village, A young women⁠—revealed to be Shinobu Kocho⁠—is making a delivery for an herbal medication when she inquires about the rumor of a man-eating bear roaming the village. She finds from a local out that the majority of the villagers believe that the bear was responsible for the deaths of the hunters instead of a demon.

As she finishes up her delivery, she notices a commotion outside the door. A young girl is seen being scolded by an older man after travelling up the mountain alone. She strongly refutes his claims saying that she was accompanied by the canine, Taro. Intrigued by the commotion, Shinobu asks the local for the reason behind the dispute between the two. The local woman explains that the young girl named Yae, was the daughter of one of the hunters killed up on the mountain. She further reveals that Yae was present when the attack occurred and is constantly trying to seek justice for her father's death.

Shinobu observes the girl and is stunned when she witnesses a man approach Yae from behind. The hand reaches for Yae's shotgun and she reacts by furiously elbowing the man demanding that he releases her rifle. However, before the man can get hit in the chest, he swiftly grabs her elbow causing her to turn around. The man nonchalantly introduces himself as Giyu Tomioka, a demon hunter, and immediately tries to inquire about the 'demon' attack that had occured.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Giyu Tomioka
 * Shinobu Kocho
 * Yae
 * Taro
 * Matazo