Chapter 40

Hinokami (ヒノカミ) is the fortieth chapter of Koyoharu Gotōge's Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Summary
During Tanjiro's childhood, he is seen standing in the cold alongside his mother to watch his father perform a ritual. His mother informs him that his father is performing a Kagura dance, which has been performed as an offering to the Hinokami in order to keep them safe. Following the ritual, Tanjiro lays on his father's lap, and asks him how he is able to endure dancing in the cold for extended periods of time. His father pats Tanjiro's head and explains that "there's a special way of breathing that lets you never get tired no matter how long you move", he also tells Tanjiro to promise him to never lose the hanafuda earrings when his time comes to perform the Kagura dance.

As the memory ends, Tanjiro's eyes glisten as a dragon-like fire emits from his blade and uses the Hinokami Kagura: Dance to cut through the threads. Rui is left astonished as the threads fall before his eyes, and Tanjiro closes in to cut off his head, however he is once again surrounded by the threads in an instant. Tanjiro subtly begins to panic as he becomes entrapped, but within the moment he sees Rui's opening thread and decides to push forward. He apologizes to his family as he decides to to sacrifice himself in order to protect Nezuko, and he lunges towards Rui and his threads. As Nezuko remains unconscious, her mother appears as an apparition in her mind and begs her to wake up, she encourages Nezuko to try hard and rejoin the fight, if not her brother will die. In that instant, Nezuko awakens and witnesses her brother about to be killed by the threads, but musters up the strength to use Blood Demon Art: Exploding Blood to set them on fire.

As the threads makes contact with Tanjiro's face, they burn away allowing his blade to reach Rui's neck. He nonchalantly dismisses Tanjiro's attempt at cutting his neck knowing that his body is stronger than his threads. However, with Nezuko's blood splattered onto Tanjiro's blade and the activation of her Blood Demon Art, the blade forcefully pushes through Rui's neck.

The chapter concludes with Tanjiro ambitiously declaring that no one can break the bond shared between him and Nezuko, as he successfully decapitates Rui with a burst of flames.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Tanjiro Kamado
 * Kie Kamado
 * Tanjuro Kamado
 * Takeo Kamado
 * Hanako Kamado
 * Nezuko Kamado
 * Rui

Events

 * Tanjiro uses Dance of the Fire God for the first time.
 * Nezuko uses Blood Demon Art for the first time.
 * Rui's head is cut off.

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