Chapter 12

## I Can't Tell You

**I Can't Tell You** (言 (い) えない, *Ienai*?) is the twelfth chapter of Koyoharu Gotoge's Kimetsu no Yaiba.

## Summary

Nezuko raises her leg and attempts to deliver an axe kick to the demon's clone, but it hides back into its swamp before she makes contact. Tanjiro warns her away from chasing after it and calls her to come back; as she does, another clone tries to grab her but she leaps over it and stands beside her brother. Remembering Sakonji's words that as a demon, Nezuko is no longer weak, Tanjiro wonders if he can leave Nezuko to protect Kazumi and the girl.

Suddenly, the swamp puddle appears beneath him and he begins to sink in, but not before telling Nezuko to protect the two bystanders. Inside the murky lair, he sees a large number of clothes and belongings once owned by the demon's victims, calling its actions unforgivable. Two clones then appear and mock him for deciding to enter their domain, as there is almost no air and the heaviness of the swamp will slow him movement. Nonetheless, Tanjiro warns them not to doubt him, as the training he received on Mount Sagiri had made him accustomed to even thinner air than the swamp.

He then sees an opportunity to use a form that will best utilize his conditions underwater. The clones then swim around him at great speeds and at sharp angles, momentarily confusing him. However, he remains focus and knows he can kill them up close. He aligns his sword for a form made with unsteady footwork and able to generate a strong spin. As the clones get close, Tanjiro detects the Opening Thread and uses **Water Breathing, Sixth Form: Whirlpool** and slashes the two demons' necks at once with a powerful cutting vortex, killing them. Afterwards, he begins to feel the strain of the lack of air and swims to the surface to Nezuko.

Above ground, Nezuko battles the last clone and lands a strong punch onto its stomach. It notes her strength without possessing any strange abilties and believes that she must have received much blood from Tanjiro. Nezuko is preventing him from entering his swamp, but the clone notes that her attacks are simple and easy to get accustomed to, and that he can heal any wound she gives. The clone succeeds in cutting Nezuko's face with his hand and dazes her. Seeing her standing still, he tries to kill her but has his right arm suddenly sliced off.

Tanjiro appears between them and cuts off its other limb. Falling to the ground and confronted by the Demon Slayer, the clone realizes that his other two selves have already been killed. Tanjiro admonishes them for their number of victims and the demon only growls at him that when women age, they get ugly and taste bad. When it claims the victims should be thankful they were devoured, Tanjiro angrily slashes its mouth to prevent it from talking further. Pointing his blade at the demon, he demands it tell him everything he knows about Muzan Kibutsuji. To his surprise, the demon suddenly becomes frightened.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Nezuko Kamado
* Swamp Demon
* Tanjiro Kamado
* Kazumi
* Sakonji Urokodaki (Vision)
* Hotaru Haganezuka (Vision)

## Events

* Tanjiro Kamado and Nezuko Kamado vs Swamp Demon.
* Tanjiro decides to let Nezuko protect Kazumi and the girl.
* Tanjiro enters the demon's swamp.
* Tanjiro kills two of the clones.
* Nezuko and Tanjiro defeat the last clone.
* Upon hearing Muzan's name, the Swamp Demon becomes afraid.