Where Nichirin Steel is Forged
Hello everyone and welcome to the latest chapter of Breath of the Rifleman! Sorry if it's out a little later than I hoped, I was a bit more focused on the Re:Zero story at the time. But here it is now. As always I'd like to give the usual shout outs to LoneTaker, groche9655, and Noble Eight for their contributions to this story and to the rest of you, my fellow readers, for all your support! Now then, with no apparent guest questions aside from a 'Barasu' comment in the reviews, let's get on with the story!
Daytime: Unknown Path
'This is…one of the more unusual ways I've had to travel,' decided Subaru as he clung to the back of a Kakushi. That's not to say being transported by a Kakushi was anything new to the Matagi given the number of times he'd been carried around by them due to his injuries. But this time was different in two ways. One: he wasn't all that injured or even in any kind of serious discomfort thanks to his time spent healing in Hokkaido, and Two: he was being forced to wear a blindfold and earplugs for the duration of the journey.
The reason being, according to the first Kakushi who he'd started the journey with, was that the Swordsmith Village was also a hidden village. Understandable given that if Muzan or another demon discovered it, the slayers would be hard pressed to maintain a supply of Nichirin blades and assorted weapons to fight against the demons. So in order for a slayer to visit the village, Ubuyashiki first had to give his permission and then the slayer had to be blindfolded and have their ears plugged. The Kakushi would then carry said slayer for a certain distance before handing them off to another Kakushi.
This exchange would happen over and over again, to the point that Subaru didn't even bother counting how many times he would get passed along like a sack of rice. And even if he didn't have any earplugs on, it'd still be pointless to ask the Kakushi whether or not they were getting close to the village as the Kakushi themselves followed Kasugai crows. Both the crows and the Kakushi were also swapped out frequently in order to ensure no one but a select few knew the exact location of the village. Personally, Subaru hated being blindfolded as he preferred to see if a possible attack was coming.
But he figured he'd just have to trust the speed and reaction time of the Kakushi if something did happen. 'I just hope they can get me there in time to see Tanjiro and Nezuko,' thought Subaru as he felt the shifting feet of the Kakushi, indicating they were on a more rocky path. He'd been a bit disappointed to learn that his best friend and girlfriend weren't at the Butterfly Mansion when he arrived, but his mood quickly shifted when he learned they'd departed for the Swordsmith Village themselves.
Apparently, Haganezuka was still being difficult when it came to repairing Tanjiro's sword, not that he was surprised given the rather strongly-worded letters he'd seen before departing to Hokkaido. As far as Subaru was concerned, worse came to worse Tanjiro could find a different swordsmith as opposed to his situation where if Hidan and Izayoi suddenly decided to stop supplying him, he'd be in a bit of a sticky situation. 'Let's hope everyone's more or less agreeable at this village,' thought Subaru as he felt the Kakushi suddenly stop and set him down. "Alright," said the Kakushi as he pulled off the blindfold and removed the earplugs, "we're here, so you won't be needing these anymore."
The Matagi blinked a bit at the sudden light. It seemed a lot brighter when one had their eyes more or less closed for several hours. But when his eyes finally did adjust, the Rifleman let out a low whistle. All around him were large buildings ranging in size from single to two and even a few three stories here and there. It was closer to a small but well-developed town than a village. And Subaru was also quick to realize the rocky features of a mountainous area.
"Well this is quite impressive," the Matagi thought aloud, "I guess you've had some time to develop the place over the centuries."
"Yes, it took a lot of time and effort to build all of this," said the Kakushi as they pointed down the street, "now there's a building down the street and on the left. Before you do anything else, you'd best greet the village chief and the other swordsmiths."
"And what are you gonna do?" Questioned Subaru as he glanced at the Kakushi.
"I have fulfilled my role," replied the Kakushi, "I must return and receive my next assignment." With that, the Corps member turned and started on his way out of the village.
"Right, thanks for the lift then," Subaru called before turning and heading down the street per the Kakushi's directions. But as he approached the main building, he noted there was an awful lot of raised voices, some of which were in languages the Matagi didn't even recognize.
"Alright, alright that's enough," said a girl's voice as the door suddenly slid open, "we're clearly not getting anywhere right now, so we're breaking for lunch at the moment. We'll reconvene when everyone's had a chance to cool down." A chorus of dissatisfied murmurs answered the girl's statement as a number of men in business suits from various nationalities came walking out of the door, escorted by none other than Izayoi.
"Hey Izayoi," said Subaru as he walked up, "don't tell me you brought the press here of all places?" Before the shinobi could answer, one of the men stepped forward. He seemed to be of the nationality called 'Italian' as he studied the rifleman. His face brightened up then as he suddenly shook Subaru's hand before talking excitedly in his mother tongue. "Uh, yeah nice to meet you too?"
"He says he recognizes you from the newspaper," Izayoi translated, "he's apparently very honored to meet you and was wondering if you were available for some field tests."
"It's not just him," said one of two Japanese businessmen, "we've brought samples of our own work for you to try as well. Surely you've heard of the Arasaka rifle?!"
"I mean yeah I have-," said Subaru before another one of the businessmen, an American, cut in who was quickly followed by a British man. In no time at all it became impossible to discern who was asking a question and who was answering as one businessman tried to talk over the other.
"Gentlemen please," said the girl from earlier as she got in between the Matagi and the businessmen, "we have already agreed to a break in the proceedings. Please go and reconvene at the allotted time while I explain to our guest about the current circumstances." Izayoi assisted in transalting a few phrases to ensure the message got across.
A bit of grumbling was heard from the businessmen but they eventually relented and headed towards another part of the village while the girl proceeded to rub her temples and Izayoi decided to put his hands into a meditative pose, likely to calm himself. "You know a bunch of suits was the last thing I expected to see in a village of swordmakers," commented Subaru, "but it's even more surprising to see you here, Anita."
"I should be saying that to you, Subaru Genjirou," replied Anita playfully as she gave him a quick hug around his waist. She was wearing a more rugged outfit than last time with proper traveling boots and a more sturdy-looking skirt. "Word has it that even the Hashira don't venture here that often, so what brings you here?"
"Weapons mainly," replied Subaru, "most of them got torn up on my last mission. But I'm also hoping to find my friend and his sister, Tanjiro and Nezuko."
"I don't know about a sister," said Anita, "but there was a boy who showed up here a little while ago wearing a green and black-checkered hakama carrying a red box on his back."
"Yeah that's him," said Subaru, "which reminds me, I need to check in with the village chief. Is he here right now?"
"Just inside actually," said Anita as she signaled for the Matagi to follow her, "come on I'll introduce you. There are some really amazing craftsman in this place."
"I don't doubt it given the caliber of the blades I've seen," said Subaru as he, Anita and Izayoi entered. It was at that point, though, that the Rifleman had to do a doubletake. The inside was more or less a traditional room with tatami mat floors and a place up front where the host could greet their visitors. But that's not what had Subaru tilting his head in confusion.
"Ah, Miss Anita," said the Village Chief as he sat on a pillow in between two other smiths, all of whom were wearing clown masks, "and who have you brought me now? He doesn't look like a businessman and he's not exactly carrying a sword."
"This is Subaru Genjirou," introduced Anita as the three of them took a kneeling position on the floor, "one of the Corp's slayers and also one of only two gunwielders at the moment."
"Ah, the Kamado boy mentioned you," said the Village Chief, "I am Tecchikawahara Tecchin, a pleasure to meet you. And don't let my size fool you, I may be the smallest in the village, but I am also the most skilled in my craft!" Small was an understatement. If not for the man's grey hair poking out on either side of his mask, Subaru might've mistaken him for a very young child. "Now be sure to bow so low that your head touches the floor."
Subaru had to avoid rolling his eyes before doing as instructed. "Thank you for having me," said the Matagi as he sat back up.
"Ah good, another polite boy," said Tecchin as he set some food in front of them, "enjoy some dough cakes." Anita didn't need to be told twice as she and Subaru each grabbed a handful. Izayoi politely declined, clearly not wanting his face to be seen.
"So what's the situation with Tanjiro's swordmaker anyway?" Questioned Subaru, "I get that Haganezuka doesn't like him breaking his sword on accident or otherwise, but I thought it was rather common for them to get damaged in combat with powerful demons."
"The issue is that Hotaru has gone missing," explained Tecchin, "we've been at work trying to find him for a little while now, so please be patient."
"Well if that's the case, I just got back from a long job and recovery in Hokkaido anyway," said Subaru, "I can wait another day or two. His name is Hotaru?"
"Haganezuka Hotaru, yes," replied the Chief, "I gave him the name, though he keeps badmouthing me because he says it's too cute."
"He strikes me as the type to get pissed off easily," said Subaru, "he always been like that?"
"Ever since he was a child," affirmed Tecchin, "he would throw tantrums and then go off somewhere. Sorry you have to put up with that."
"Well I've only met three people from this village," said Subaru, "is it uncommon for a swordsmith to get angry when their sword breaks in combat?"
"It's more common for them to be angry at themselves," replied Tecchin, "after all, it's their own fault for creating a sword that can actually break. Hotaru likes to think he's an exception to that, but if his swords break, then he has only himself to blame."
"Well I guess that's something you guys and Tanjiro will have to work out," said Subaru with a shrug as he crossed his arms, "in the meantime, I got some things to discuss with Hidan if he's available."
"Ah yes, Hidan," said Tecchin, "he's been absolutely thrilled over the last several days. Not so surprising when we have so many strange guns being brought in. I'll see if I can arrange a meeting of sorts with him tomorrow, provided those weapons salesmen give us a moment's rest."
"Yeah, that's been a headache and a half so far," said Anita as she massaged her temple with a sigh, "My cousin wasn't kidding when he said the market was rough."
"You've done plenty for now, Ms. Garand," said Tecchin, "we'll worry about them for the time being, so you two just try to relax and enjoy this village's hot springs. It does wonders for the body."
"Guess we've got nothing much else to do right at this moment," admitted Subaru as the three of them bowed again, "so thanks for the hospitality. If you happen to need anything, just let us know."
"Oh it's our pleasure," said Tecchin as he waved dismissively, "you can thank us by continuing to do good work in the slaying of demons."
A Few Minutes Later: The Village Hot Springs
It took Subaru a little bit to store his uniform and change into the regular gray robes for visiting the springs. He still kept his knife and revolver with him, though, just to be prepared. 'Can't remember the last time I visited a hotsprings,' thought the Matagi, 'but after a frigid time like Hokkaido, even a regular bath would probably feel like a trip to the hot springs for me.' He would've continued pondering this if not for sighting a familiar person at the foot of the stairs leading up to the springs. "Huh, hey Tanjiro, is that you?!"
"Oh, Subaru!" Cheered his friend as he waved at him, "it's great to see you, when did you get back?!"
"Close to a day ago, give or take," said Subaru, "had to say goodbye to some new friends at the boat dock."
"Well why don't we talk it over at the springs," said Tanjiro, "Nezuko already went ahead to the girl's section. It's shaded so she won't have to worry about the sun."
"Were it not for me valuing my life I'd be heading that way right now. But as long as she's okay I guess I can wait to see my girlfriend. Besides, I've got a lot to tell you," said the Matagi as they started up the stairs, "while you were nice and warm sleeping in that bed, I was freezing my ass off almost literally up North in Hokkaido."
"They sent you that far," said a surprised Tanjiro, "I guess demons really are all over Japan-."
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH, TANJIRO, SUBARU!" Said a voice that sounded both excited and upset at the same time. The two slayers looked up to see the Love Pillar, Mitsuri Kanroji, practically bounding down the stairs towards them wearing a dark blue hakama and rather loose fitting kimono. A fact the two of them very quickly took notice of.
"AAAAAHHH, please be careful!" Exclaimed Tanjiro as he waved his hands worriedly, "your breasts are going to spill out."
"You're talking about it like that's some sort of drawback," said the Rifleman.
"Subaru, I thought you only had eyes for Nezuko?!" Said Tanjiro in confusion and possibly mild irritation, "how can you say something like that?"
"I do only have eyes for Nezuko," replied Subaru, "but you need to find a girl at some point too and that won't happen if you shy away from the goods."
"Oh please don't tell me you're going to ignore me too?!" Exclaimed the now clearly upset Love Pillar, "I've already been ignored once!"
"What," said Tanjiro, "who ignored you up there?"
"I don't know," whined Kanroji, "because he ignored me when I asked his name! And I'm a pillar, so it's even more cruel! Now all that good energy I got from bathing in the springs is gone completely!" The Love Pillar was on her knees sobbing now, looking more like a girl that had just been rejected than a fiercesome slayer. 'She's supposed to be a Hashira,' thought Subaru, 'getting this bent out of shape because someone was rude to her. Though if it was a guy, they were probably just tongue-tied seeing a girl like this at the springs.'
"Well uh," said Tanjiro as he tried to think of something to say, "I heard dinner would be ready soon. Do you like Matsutake mushrooms?"
"I love them!" Exclaimed Mitsuri, her mood shifting instantly, "thanks for telling me! I'll see you both at dinner!" She got up and continued down the stairs then, singing to herself without a care in the world.
"Well that was, uh, interesting," said Subaru, "do you think she's alright in the head?"
"She does seem to like eating at the very least," noted Tanjiro. The Matagi simply shrugged as they continued up to the spring, but stopped right at the edge as Subaru suddenly reached out and caught something that had been flying through the air towards his friend's head.
"Well this ain't something people usually throw," noted the Matagi as he opened his hand for the two of them to get a look at it.
"T-That's a tooth!" Said Tanjiro, "Who'd lose a tooth?!"
"You're acting like that's the most unusual thing we've ever seen," Subaru pointed out, "or is this just you being concerned again?"
"Obviously I'm concerned," said Tanjiro, "If someone lost their tooth then that might mean-oh hey look it's him." Subaru glanced over to see a familiar head of Mohawk hair, "It's Genya Shinazugawa!"
"Oh wonderful, it's you two," said the now named Shotgun wielder who was already in the springs as he finally took note of their presence. Judging by the lack of a tooth currently in his mouth, there was little doubt that he was the one who threw it. That and him being the only one there besides them. "Why are you here?"
"Probably the same reason as you, weapons," replied Subaru with a shrug, "unless you're actually here as a hot springs connoisseur which, if so, I applaud you for having an unexpected hobby."
"By the way," said Tanjiro, "I just noticed you have the same last name as the wind pillar. Are you two related?"
"What I am is leaving," said Genya as he stood up and exited the springs, "I was done here anyway, so enjoy."
"Huh, well that was unusual," said Tanjiro, "maybe we should've gotten here earlier and then we all could've talked."
"You know Genya ain't big on talking unless he has too," said Subaru as they both ditched their robes and entered the spring, "all business all the time with him."
"And I thought since we were all in the springs that we'd be able to relax," said Tanjiro, "guess relationships are harder than I thought."
"If you really want to be friends with the guy then you go right ahead," said Subaru as he leaned back in the springs, "I'm personally surprised we've been able to work together with him effectively in the past. But it wouldn't be the first time something like that's happened."
"Well we can worry about it a bit later," said Tanjiro, "it'll still take time for my body to heal and I'd like to hear how you've been doing while I was unconscious."
"Oh where to begin," said Subaru as he scratched his chin, "I suppose we can start with the first horde of demons and go from there." Tanjiro nodded in agreement with that decision, listening intently and occasionally commenting. The remaining hours of daylight went by quickly during that time as the two managed to relax for the first time in what felt like ages.
That Night: Large Village House
"Wow, that's amazing," said Tanjiro as they all sat around a large but low dinner table with Mitsuri, Nezuko and Anita present.
"You mean fighting an ice dragon or the amount of food Kanroji's managed to put away," questioned Subaru as he glanced at the four high stacks of plates and bowls in front of the Love Pillar.
"I didn't eat that much today, though," said Mitsuri bashfully, "but I'm glad you think so." 'I've seen bears eat less,' thought Subaru as he worked on finishing his own meal.
"It's still impressive though," said Tanjiro, "I'm gonna eat a whole lot and get strong one day too!"
"Speaking of eating," said Anita, who had her own light blue kimono on now, "isn't your sister going to eat anything Tanjiro? And forgive me if I'm being rude, but is that bamboo muzzle for some kind of medical condition? She had it on even when we got in the springs."
"You could say that," replied Tanjiro, "my sister can't eat much in the way of regular food because she's a demon."
"WHAT!" Exclaimed Anita as she backed away and pulled a gun from her robes, "you have a demon just running around loose in the village?!"
"You don't need to worry," said Subaru as Nezuko hid and peeked out from behind him, trying not to frighten Anita more and to keep from getting shot, "she's different from all other demons. Hasn't eaten a bite of human flesh since she became one." Nezuko nodded her head, giving out a muffled 'don't worry' from behind her muzzle.
"You're absolutely sure," said Anita, not quite convinced as she only partially lowered the gun.
"If she was going to eat anyone, Tanjiro and I would've been dead almost three years ago," assured the Matagi, "she didn't even go after the dickhead who stabbed her in the shoulder."
"Well you'd be the expert out of the two of us," Anita said with a sigh as she lowered her gun, "but I'll be keeping an eye on her. I don't want another demon sinking it's fangs into my shoulder like last time."
"No doubt that's what the gun is for," said Subaru, "is that one of those 'semiautomatic' pistols I've heard about?"
"A gift from Colt Firearms," said Anita, "It was a bit small for my cousin, John's, tastes though, so he sent it to me after hearing that I was looking for something to carry. They call it the Colt 1908 Vest Pocket Model or Vest Gun for short. It comes in .380 ACP, which is at least enough to put a hole in something at close range."
"Do you have any more like that?" Questioned Subaru, "I'm, what is it they say, in the market right now."
"We've got all kinds of stuff in the village right now," replied Anita, "all those suits you saw earlier brought different samples of weaponry with them. The problem is they're all competing right now to be the sole seller to the Demon Slayer Corps, likely in hopes that the Japanese army will take notice too. There's a whole bunch of other logistics that are going into it too, but you do not wanna to hear about it."
"Subaru wasn't kidding when he said you had good business sense," complimented Tanjiro, "I'm grateful for you helping the Corps too."
"And he also wasn't kidding when he said you were a kind soul," replied Anita, "unlike that Genya guy. I know I owe him one too but his mood just makes it hard to stand him sometimes."
"Genya?" Said Mitsuri after finishing another plate of food, "was he the one who ignored me earlier?"
"His full name is Genya Shinazugawa," explained Tanjiro, "he was in the same group as me and Subaru."
"But Shinazugawa told me he didn't have a brother," said a confused Mitsuri, "so why do they have the same last name?"
"Oh they're brothers alright," said Subaru, "just try to imagine Genya smiling. Their faces are like freaky mirror images of each other."
"Maybe they just don't get along," surmised Mitsuri, "that's just tragic to think about. I mean, I have five siblings and we all get along just fine." She pulled Nezuko over and started tickling the demon girl, who shrank a little bit to look more like a child as she laughed through her muzzle. "Perhaps they're both just scary is all."
"Maybe we could have a chat with Genya," said Tanjiro, "whenever he comes over here that is."
"Well, he's apparently not come over to eat here yet since he arrived," informed Mitsuri as Nezuko was now asking for a hug, which the Hashira happily gave, "and he told the villagers he won't eat at all. Maybe he brought some of his own food with him."
"Genya has something of a, unique diet," said Subaru, "at least from what I've heard. But he didn't look like he was starving, so I don't think there's anything for us to worry about."
"I hope he's okay," said Tanjiro, "maybe we should bring him some leftovers."
"That's a great idea!" Cheered Mitsuri as she stood up and took Nezuko's hand. The currently child-sized demon didn't mind, in fact she looked very much like a little girl being led along by her mother as the Love Pillar sang a little tune. Subaru and Tanjiro stood up and started after her with the latter carrying what few leftovers that managed to escape the hungry slayer.
"You guys can go ahead with that," said Anita, "I need to get some sleep to deal with shouting businessmen again tomorrow." A quick series of good nights came in response to that as the group headed out of the room. No one said much as they walked down the wooded hallway and onto the outside deck, save for Mitsuri's singing.
That is until a question occurred to Tanjiro. "Kanroji," said Tanjiro, "could I ask why you decided to join the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Oh, why did I join," replied Mitsuri, acting bashful all of a sudden, "I don't know if I should tell you, it's kind of embarrassing. I joined so I could find a gentleman who would make me his bride!" She exclaimed as she put her hands to her cheeks as if trying to contain her excitement. "It's hard to explain, but they always say girls like to be protected by men who are stronger than themselves and pillars are supposed to be really strong and I was always stronger than a girl should be, so I decided to work really hard to become a Hashira because it's really hard to see the Hashira if you're not one yourself-!"
Sweat broke out on Tanjiro's face as he realized her explanation would not only carry on for a bit, but her excitement also made it hard to understand. He glanced at his Matagi friend and received this simple response. "Don't look at me, you're the one who asked." The two of them could only sigh as Kanroji happily carried on about her reasons for joining the Corps. She only stopped once they arrived at Genya's room and slid open the door to reveal, that he wasn't present.
"He left recently," said Tanjiro as he sniffed the air, "his scent is still relatively strong here."
"Guess when he wants to be alone, he really wants to be alone," said Subaru with a shrug. Before anyone could comment on that, a female Kakushi came walking around the corner.
"Lady Kanroji," said the Kakushi, "Your sword will be done very soon. Would you mind coming over to the workshop so we can add the finishing touches?"
"Awww," said a somewhat disappointed Love Pillar, "once that sword's done I'll need to go back to my district. Guess this is it for our time together right now."
"It's okay, we can see you off," replied Tanjiro, being his typical courteous self.
"I appreciate it, but I'll probably be leaving in the dead of night," informed Kanroji, "so there's no need for the three of you to stay up waiting on me."
"Oh, but we…...okay then," said Tanjiro in mild disappointment while Nezuko let out a sad sigh.
"But I'd best say this before I go, Tanjiro, Subaru," said Mitsuri with a smile, "I don't know if any of us will be alive the next time we meet, but let's all do what we can. After all, you three survived a battle against an Upper Moon which is a learning experience greater than five to maybe even ten years of training. You're all definitely a lot stronger now than the last time I saw you." She knelt down and patted Nezuko lovingly on the head as she continued to speak, "and I just want you all to know, that Mitsuri Kanroji fully supports the Kamado Siblings and their friend Genjirou!"
Nezuko's response to this was to give the Hashira another hug before allowing her to stand up. "Thank you so much," said Tanjiro, "but I still have a ways to go. We only 'won' last time because we had a lot of help from Uzui. So I'm gonna work harder than ever until we can finally beat Muzan Kibutsuji!"
"And that goes without saying for me," added Subaru with a hand on his friend's shoulder, "someone's gotta watch your back during all this mess." The two of them nodded as Kanroji's face suddenly lit up, an idea or rather something she just remembered coming to mind.
"Tanjiro, Subaru," said Mitsuri, "you both have permission to stay here for a little bit, right?"
"I just got here and haven't had the chance to conduct any business so far," informed Subaru, "and Tanjiro's waiting on his swordmaker to get the stick out of his ass. So yeah, we got a day or two to spend here at the very least." Mitsuri glanced at the Kakushi, who looked around nervously for a moment, before leaning in really close to whisper in Tanjiro's ear.
"I heard that there's a secret weapon in this village that can make anyone who has it stronger," whispered Kanroji, "since you have the time, go look for it." She then pulled away and went along with the Kakushi, waving back one more time as she went. The three of them watched the Hashira leave for a moment until she was out of sight. Tanjiro then proceeded to raise the leftover food above his head as he suffered a massive nosebleed.
Subaru's response to this, was to double over laughing. "I'll be damn, that thing below your belt works after all!"
The Next Morning
"You really didn't need to come along with me for this," said Tanjiro as he trekked through the woods around the village with Subaru walking next to him and Nezuko in her box on his back.
"You have a good sense of smell," said Subaru, "but how well can it work if you don't even know what smell you're looking for? All we know is that there's apparently some sort of weapon lying around here and that could mean a lot of things depending on what one's definition of a 'weapon' is."
"I think it's probably a sword, given this village's specialty in making Nichirin blades," surmised Tanjiro, "maybe it's buried somewhere. Oh, it's like a treasure hunt!"
"Well we got maybe an hour or two to search for it before I need to head back," said Subaru, "those suits will be up and at it soon enough and I still need to talk to Hidan about some new weapons. So if we don't find it before then, you're on your own."
"That's okay," said Tanjiro, "you can always come and find me later, just like when you'd hunt me down back home. Even if we don't find the sword, though, we still might find Haganezuka. But I should probably mention, I can still smell the hotsprings from here, so I think it's possible my nose isn't working as good as it could yet because I'm still recovering."
"You're right about that," said Subaru as he stopped suddenly, "you would've smelled those two well before we saw them otherwise." Tanjiro stopped and followed Subaru's gaze until he caught sight of a young boy wearing the signature clown mask of the village inhabitants. He was standing in front of someone else who was a bit taller than him with long hair that ended in blue highlights. He wore the uniform of a demon slayer but its sleeves were altered to look more robe-like and the regular pants were replaced by more samurai-like pants.
"That's one of the other Hashira," noted Subaru as he recalled both the trial and something Shinobu had said to them, "if I recall correctly, he's the Mist Pillar: Tokitou Muichirou." But the question still remained, what was this Hashira doing at the Swordsmith Village? As it would turn out, his training and their search was more interwoven than any of them could've suspected.
And it seems our heroes have encountered not one, but two Hashira in this village. But will the Mist Pillar be as accommodating as some of the other pillars? That's question and more is something we'll need to wait 'til next time to see. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time As our heroes juggle a Hashira, new training routines and weapons, and a whole lot of yelling businessmen. 'Til then.
