Chapter 186

Ancient Memories (の) is the one hundred and eighty sixth chapter of Koyoharu Gotōge's Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Summary
After having been knocked unconscious, Tanjiro's conscious awakens to find himself at an unknown home, commenting how similar it appears to his own. He stands confused at what is happening around him until he sees a man under a tree nearby, respectfully bowing to him. He realises the man is the swordsman of the original breath: Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

Meanwhile, Murata desperately attempt to resuscitate Tanjiro's physical body, He tries to listen for a pulse but has found that his breathing has stopped and that his heart is no longer beating. A second swordsman discovers Murata and brings him to assist in digging out Yushiro, in the hope that he would be able to save Tanjiro.

Back at the home, Yoriichi reveals that he came to speak about what was on his mind and he wanted someone to listen. Tanjiro wonders if it involves the thirteenth form. He suddenly speaks, saying it's been two years since they met and he's glad that Yoriichi is doing alright. As a confounded Tanjiro ponders on the situation, he also states Sumire was just a baby back then, now much bigger. He realises his actions and words are those of his ancestor, Sumiyoshi, he cannot interact with them. Yoriichi states he is happy to see him happy. He is happy when he sees other people happy, and believe it to be a blessing to be born to this world.

His mother was a religious woman, who prayed for conflict to be removed from the world and she prayed to the sun god to shine on his ears, back when he was considered deaf. It worried her when he was unable to speak at the time, something Yoriichi was regretful for on his part. His brother Michikatsu was a kind boy, who always worried for him, despite garnering abuse from his father for it, even gifting him with a handmade flute. The day his mother died, Yoriichi ran from the house, knowing he was unwanted and he was to become a priest of the temple, as well ensuring Michikatsu would be the rightful heir. He ran as far as he could, seeing the beautiful night sky, but despite running for most of an entire day, his feet never became tired. Soon after, Yoriichi comes across a young girl roughly his age standing alone in a paddy. When asked about what she was doing, she sadly states her entire family had died of a plague, leaving her the only survivor; she wanted to take some tadpoles home for company. But she remained unmoving for the rest of the day, and as the sun began to set, she decides to release them, unwilling to separate the tadpoles from their families. Yoriichi offered her to come home with him. She look at his face, and he saw her eyes were dark like obsidian.

The girl's name was Uta and she began to live with Yoriichi; she was talkative, capable of speaking for most of an entire day, contrasting his quiet nature. But Uta taught him how different he was to normal people. She stated she had never met another person who could see inside a living creature like Yoriichi. This epiphany lead to his reasoning as to why he always felt alienated from other. But Uta cared for Yoriichi greatly; he considered himself like a kite with a cut string; she grabbed it and held on tightly.

Ten years later, Yoriichi and Uta have married, and Uta is in her last month of pregnancy. Yoriichi left to take a midwife to prepare for the birth, hoping to return before the sun set. He encounters an old man attempting to cross the mountain despite being in poor shape. The man's son was wounded in battle and Yoriichi took the man to see him for his final moments, deciding to fetch the midwife the next day. He ran home as quickly as he could but the sun has already set; Yoriichi found Uta had been killed by a demon, along with the child inside her. As a shocked Tanjiro listens, Yoriichi comments, "Even if, something is more precious than your own life, other can easily trample over it". He spent ten days absentmindedly cradling the corpses of his family, until a demon slayer, chasing the demon, had found him. He believes the two should receive a proper burial.

All Yoriichi dreamt of was to live with his family, even in a small house. He wanted to place their futons together. A distance where he could see the face of his family, a distance he could easily reach to grab their hands. It would have been enough for him. But that dream would never happen, he sadly says, "Demons exist in this beautiful world". Yoriichi became a demon slayer soon after this, learning people have been chasing demons for a long time. Nobody had used breaths like him, so Yoriichi taught them how they worked. The best swordsmen were known as the Hashira and now armed with the new breaths of Flame, Wind, Water, Thunder and Stone, their powers increased even further. They began killing demons like never before; Yoriichi also adding his own brother had joined upon the deaths of his subordinates.

Soon after, Yoriichi came face to face with the progenitor of demons, Muzan Kibutsuji. And he understood then upon meeting him; "I knew that I had been born for the purpose, of defeating him".

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Sumiyoshi
 * Sumire
 * Yoriichi Tsugikuni
 * Murata
 * Tanjiro Kamado
 * Akeno Tsugikuni
 * Kokushibo
 * Uta
 * Muzan Kibutsuji
 * Tamayo