Chapter 42

## Behind

**Behind** (後 (うし) ろ, *Ushiro*?) is the forty-second chapter of Koyoharu Gotoge's Kimetsu no Yaiba.

## Summary

Shinobu Kocho approaches one of the cocoons left behind by the Daughter Spider Demon and pierces it, allowing its contents to spill out. Murata, the Demon Slayer that was entrapped inside, coughs out the contents from the cocoon and looks up at the Hashira amazed by her katana, he tells her that he's okay and inquiries if the Demon is still in the vicinity. Shinobu reassures him that the Demon has been taken cared of and lets Murata know that his clothes have been melted leaving him naked, and he sheepishly covers his body.

Elsewhere on the mountain, Tanjiro has just collapsed on the ground after successfully decapitating Rui. He begins to feel the after effects of recklessly transitioning between the combat styles, but he refuses to give up and tries to return to Nezuko and Inosuke. He sees Nezuko on the ground and tries to crawl to her, but unbeknownst to him, Rui's headless body has stood up from behind him. Tanjiro smells the aura of his blood grow stronger and begins to worry about him still being alive. To his horror, Rui angrily confronts him and reveals that he has not been defeated, because he used his own thread to decapitate himself before Tanjiro's blade could. He eerily approaches Tanjiro and proclaims that he is going to kill both him and his sister for angering him.

Tanjiro tries to use his breathing techniques in order to defend himself, but his body is too physically exhausted that he can't muster the strength to stand up. Rui uses his **Blood Demon Art: Murderous Eye Basket** to form a dome over Tanjiro and cut slice him into pieces, but as the web begins to close, Giyu Tomioka cuts the threads and saves Tanjiro. He compliments Tanjiro for remaining alive until he arrived, and reassures him that he can leave the rest up to him. The arrival of the Water Hashira sets Rui on edge and he uses his **Blood Demon Art: Cutting Thread Rotation** as an attempt to quickly kill Giyu, but to his dismay, Giyu uses the **Water Breathing, Eleventh Form: Dead Calm** to disintegrate his threads.

Rui fails to understand how his threads could be destroyed and tries to utilize the move again, however Giyu's speed proves to be too advanced as he quickly approaches and decapitates the Demon. As Rui's head falls to the ground, he curses Giyu as well as the Kamado siblings, but once he spots them embracing on the ground, he begins to reminisce on his thoughts.

He recalls an instance when the Mother Spider Demon had asked him what he wanted, to which he could not answer. He could not remember his human memories and thought that by forming the Spider Family, he would be able to recall what he wanted. Right before his head hits the ground, the chapter ends with his thoughts remembering the appearances of a man and a woman.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Shinobu Kocho
* Murata
* Tanjiro Kamado
* Rui
* Tanjuro Kamado (Flashback)
* Inosuke Hashibira (Vision)
* Nezuko Kamado
* Giyu Tomioka
* Spider Demon (Mother) (Vision)
* Spider Demon (Father) (Vision)
* Spider Demon (Daughter) (Vision)
* Spider Demon (Son) (Vision)
* Rui's Father (Vision)
* Rui's Mother (Vision)

## Events

* Shinobu rescues Murata.
* Tanjiro Kamado and Nezuko Kamado vs Rui.
* Giyu arrives and defeats Rui.
* Rui begins to regain his memories.