"Please save my children and stop my husband from coming here. He has the same birthmark as my children," Uta weakly pleaded, her voice filled with desperation. 

Time was running out, and it was up to Ginryu to make a decision.

As Ginryu weighed his options, he couldn't help but reflect on how he ended up in this precarious situation. 

‘Sigh, just how did I get myself into this mess?’ he thought to himself, feeling the weight of his choices. 

One option he considered was taking a risk turning Uta into whatever his skill did.  

This went against the rules he set for turning people, also he didn’t particularly care for Uta, if so why was he struggling with a decision now.

If she became a beast, she might have the strength to defend the children while he hunted down the demons. 

However, this option came with its own risks. Ginryu hadn't given his blood to any human before, so he wasn't sure what would happen. 

Too little would fail to turn her, while too much would kill her instantly.

Also if she had a weak mind, she might lose her mind to the beast instincts, leading her to attack him or even her own children.

‘Ugh, I should have practiced this skill on some bandits or something,’ Ginryu scolded himself, regretting his lack of preparation. 

Perhaps even if Uta turned, she wouldn't be instantly strong enough to handle the older demons that threatened them.

In the end, Ginryu made a decision. "I will," he replied to Uta, making up his mind to let fate play out. 

Deep down, he hoped that his choice would lead to the best outcome for everyone involved.

"Thank you," Uta weakly replied, using her head to gesture towards the crying babies, too weak to raise her arms to hand them to Ginryu. 

Sensing her vulnerability, Ginryu silently handed her a knife. Even though she was weak, at least she could take  her own life. 

It was a better alternative to being eaten alive or turned into a demon. Ginryu didn’t want to be the one to directly end her life.

"I see," Uta replied, understanding the gravity of the situation. 

"Please tell my husband and children that I love them," she pleaded, her voice filled with a mix of sadness and resignation.

"I will, someday," Ginryu whispered inaudibly, knowing that he couldn't fulfill that promise until Yoriichi created the breathing styles for the demon slayers. 

Without those techniques, the demon slayers wouldn't stand a chance and last long enough till the canon events.

With the children cradled in his arms, Ginryu wrapped them in thick cloths and fur to protect them from the cold wind. 

The house had stopped sinking midway into the ground, leaving Ginryu uncertain about the demons' plans. However, he couldn't afford to dwell on that now.

‘Why do I feel like such a terrible person? There must have been better ways to handle this,’ Ginryu berated himself, wrestling a bit with a prickly sensation within his mind. 

Though he had only spent a short time with Uta in person, he had been observing her and her husband  for a while, making him feel personally connected to their plight.

But there was no time for self-blame. "Lucia, bring out the map," Ginryu requested, pushing his emotions aside. 

He needed to know the direction he should travel. His AI companion, Lucia, obliged, displaying the map that indicated their current location. 

According to the information he received a few days ago from his crow, his presence was required in the Owari province.

Determined to at least keep the children safe, Ginryu decided to return to the Ubuyashiki clan to retrieve his cubs before heading to Owari. 

He would protect the children at his side until the time was right to introduce them to Yoriichi.

Looking back, Uta appeared lifeless, her body completely drained of blood. The scent of her blood had roused the demons, who now began to stir and make their move. 

Reacting swiftly, Ginryu transformed into an owl and delicately scooped up the children, wrapped in thick cloth with his sharp claws. 

With a powerful flap of his wings, he burst through the roof of the house, soaring into the air.

Hovering high above the house, Ginryu observed the demons' confusion and shock at the unexpected turn of events. 

Their insatiable desire for Uta's blood led them to lose control, relentlessly charging towards her lifeless body, their hunger palpable. In unison, they shrieked "Marechi," their voices filled with demonic fervor.

Ginryu, taken aback by the scene unfolding before him, felt a sense of urgency. 

He needed to draw a few demons away from the house to ensure Yoriichi's safety upon his return. 

He didn’t have to wait long as five of the six demons emerged from the house, their mouths dripping with Uta's blood-soaked flesh. 

Without wasting a moment, Ginryu propelled himself towards the Ubuyashiki clan estate at a speed that allowed the pursuing demons to follow, but kept them just out of reach.

Ordinarily, the demons would hesitate to pursue Ginryu, but their objective now was not him, but the defenseless children he carried. 

It was Muzan's vindictive payback for the countless demon loses he had suffered at the hands of Ginryu over the years. 

True to his expectations, the demons gave chase without hesitation, their determination emanating from every gory stride.

Knowing that he could maintain his owl transformation as long as he had calories to burn, Ginryu calculated that he would lose the demons by morning. 

………………………………………………………………………………………..

Earlier in the late evening, Yoriichi, a loving and devoted husband, ventured down the mountain to seek a midwife for his wife, whose pregnancy was nearing its end. 

Reluctantly leaving her side, for they were the only two living atop the mountain, he treaded carefully through the snow-covered terrain, aware of the potential dangers that lurked beneath.

As Yoriichi made his way halfway down the mountain, a desperate cry for help pierced the stillness of the winter evening. 

His compassionate nature urged him to investigate, and he hurried towards the source of the voice. 

Soon, he discovered an old man who had fallen into a deep crevice, clutching tightly onto a basket filled with precious winter herbs.

Relieved at the sight of Yoriichi, the old man expressed gratitude, admitting that he believed his leg to be broken. 

Without hesitation, Yoriichi assured him that he would find a way to rescue him and scurried off in search of vines to assist in the rescue. 

The winter season made it challenging to find such resources, but Yoriichi remained determined.

As he continued his quest for vines, the snow began to fall, altering his plans. 

Realizing that it would be safer to gather help from the village and return with a rope, Yoriichi considered abandoning his own efforts. 

However, his kind-heartedness and concern for the old man's well-being propelled him to descend into the crevice himself.

Several minutes later, Yoriichi successfully pulled the old man to safety. Now, his task was to transport the injured man back to the village. 

However, the intensifying snowfall forced them to proceed cautiously, slowing their journey down the treacherous mountain.

Guided by the old man's directions, Yoriichi arrived at the outskirts of the village long after the sun had set. 

The old man's wife rushed to their aid, her worry palpable. 

Overwhelmed by questions, she clung to Yoriichi, seeking answers about her husband's condition. 

The old man intervened, admonishing his wife and urging her to stop burdening the young man who had saved him.

Embarrassed, the old woman apologized and invited Yoriichi inside their humble abode. 

The old man was gently laid on his bed, and Yoriichi's intention to depart was met with insistence from the elderly couple, who insisted on expressing their gratitude through a shared meal. 

They even offered Yoriichi some provisions to take home with him.

As Yoriichi stepped out of the old man's house, he gazed up at the dark, snow-filled sky. 

His mind was filled with worry for his pregnant wife, knowing he had been unable to secure a midwife that day. 

Determined to return home swiftly, he braved the snow and made his way towards his house, his heart heavy with concern.

As he approached his dwelling, an unsettling feeling enveloped him. 

The frigid winds carried the metallic scent of blood, alarming his senses. 

It couldn't be animal blood; the thought of what it might be and where it came from briefly crossed his mind, but he suppressed it, unwilling to entertain the worst-case scenario.

Drawing nearer to his home, the smell of blood grew stronger, and upon reaching his house, a devastating sight unfolded before him. 

His once-cozy sanctuary was now partially submerged in the earth, a chilling testament to the horrors that awaited him. 

Emotions surged through Yoriichi like a tempestuous wave, but his mind refused to accept the unthinkable until he laid eyes on the unimaginable.

Trembling with trepidation, Yoriichi mustered the strength to enter his ravaged home. 

With trembling hands and a heavy heart, he approached the bed where his beloved wife should have been resting. 

There, on the bloodstained sheets, lay the severed head of his cherished partner, a sight that shattered his spirit and threatened to consume his sanity.

Exhausted and tormented, Yoriichi collapsed onto the floor, overwhelmed by grief, anger, and despair. 

The weight of his loss pressed upon him, his world forever shattered by the dark, unimaginable tragedy that had befallen him on this fateful night.