Chapter 168

Never Disappear is the one hundred and sixty-eight chapter of Koyoharu Gotoge's Kimetsu no Yaiba.

Summary
Sanemi Shinazugawa recounts how he first learned about the special quality of his blood and thinks back to the night his mother became a demon. He had noticed that her movements had become duller after his blood had spilled and surmised that she had gotten drunken at the smell of it.

Afterwards he began to hunt demons all on his own, being unaware of the Demon Slayer Corps or Nichirin Swords. Instead he relied on his blood to disorient the demons enough for him to restrain them and then burn them in the sun. The nights were difficult for him as he had become partially colorblind after killing his mother. Afterwards, he realised that this had been a reckless endeavour and he had been incredibly lucky to have gotten through unscathed.

One day, while hunting for a demon, Sanemi ran into a Demon Slayer named Masachika Kumeno, who was also hunting the same demon. This is where Sanemi learned of the existence of the Corps and would join them afterwards. They became friends and even fought and defeated Lower Rank 1 while working together. However, Masachika was fatally wounded in the fight against the Lower Rank and died, leaving Sanemi the only one to become Hashira as a result of their triumph.

Back in the fight against Kokushibo, Sanemi unleashes a Wind Breathing: Sixth Form - Black Wind Mountain Mist which the Upper Rank narrowly dodges. Shocked to see Sanemi still being capable of fighting, Kokushibo guesses that the Hashira is squeezing his muscles to prevent his organs from spilling out and solidifying his blood with his breaths to stem his bleeding.

Impressed at the Hashira's immense skill, Kokushibo notes that this is a feat no ordinary human could achieve and begins trading blows with Sanemi. The Wind Hashira keeps pushing Kokushibo back but the demon suddenly stomps down on his blade, preventing him from moving it and then attempts to behead Sanemi.

Flashing back to when he first became a Hashira, still raw from his sadness over the death of Masachika, Sanemi recalls his Hashira Meeting. When he had first laid eyes on Kagaya Ubuyashiki, Sanemi had boiled with rage at seeing someone who was smiling while there were people who were suffering at the hands of demons. Hurling verbal abuse at the Oyakata and saying he only saw the Demon Slayers as pawns, Sanemi had immediately earned the ire of his fellow Hashira with his disrespect.

Gyomei Himejima had reproached him but Kagaya assured the Hashira it was alright before things could escalate further and then addressed Sanemi directly. Kagaya told him that he had wished to fight with a blade himself as well but was never able to do anymore than ten swings before his pulse went wild and he would have to stop. He continued and said that if the Demon Slayers were pawns, then he was nothing more than a pawn who moved them around as well. Kagaya continued his response to Sanemi's words and told the Wind Hashira that even if he died nothing would change as he already had his successor. The Oyakata said that since this was Sanemi's first Hashira Meeting and that he had probably just had a misunderstanding, to treat him however he wished and to just focus on protecting people's lives as a Hashira.

Kagaya continued and said that it was his fault for calling Sanemi so soon after Masachika died as they had been as close as brothers. Sanemi was dumbfounded to hear that the Oyakata knew Masachika's name and Kanae Kocho told him that Kagaya had memorised the names of all the Demon Slayers and their upbringings ever since he had taken over as Oyakata. Having been shocked to hear so, Sanemi had looked on in awe as Kagaya had gotten up and then informed him of Masachika's will. Saying that the wills of most Demon Slayers would always be similar, Kagaya had handed over Kumeno's will to Sanemi and as the boy tearfully read it told him that the Demon Slayers would always want their loved ones to live with a smile and not die unnatural deaths at the hands of demons.

Remembering these moments, Sanemi pulls out a pistol and blocks Kokushibo's blade with the underside of it, before firing straight at the demon's face. Kokushibo deftly blocks the bullets with his blade and then unleashes a Moon Breathing: Third Form - Loathsome Moon - Chains. Sanemi vanishes from the range of the attack and Kokushibo exasperatedly says that the Demon Slayers just keep on coming as he sees Gyomei Himejima standing in front of him as the Stone Hashira declares that the Demon Slayers have permanence until every last demon is exterminated from the world.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Kokushibo
 * Sanemi Shinazugawa
 * Gyomei Himejima
 * Genya Shinazugawa
 * Masachika Kumeno (flashback)
 * Kiriya Ubuyashiki (flashback)
 * Kagaya Ubuyashiki (flashback)
 * Kanata Ubuyashiki (flashback)
 * Kanae Kocho (flashback)
 * Tengen Uzui (flashback)
 * Amane Ubuyashiki (flashback)
 * Giyu Tomioka (flashback)

Events

 * Sanemi's first Hashira Meeting and his introduction to the Corps is shown.
 * Gyomei joins the fight against Kokushibo.

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