After returning back to the Demon Slayer Headquarters, Joichirou began to explain that a relationship with the demons he encountered back when he was younger and back at Mt. Natagumo is possible.
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"Hmm, is that so Joichirou?" Kagaya spoke as the candle-lit room showed all the Pillars seated side by side with each other. "Then I guess our next priority will be to find the rest of these Stars. Incidentally, I have one of them looking over my family as we speak."
"And I have one in my estate." Shinobu added, causing everyone to look her way.
"Isn't it dangerous to have two demons in your home, Shinobu?" Tengen asked as he looked towards the smallest Pillar in their group.
"It's fine. She protect my sister some 7 years back and had her mind on it for the entirety of the time." Shinobu replied. "And besides, if she really had some evil intent, she would've attack Tanjiro and Nezuko back when they first met her."
"Well, that is true." Himejima's deep, booming voice was heard as he spoke after listening intently to his comrade's words. "But we have a bigger problem. How are we going to find these demons?"
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Everyone began to quiet down. Now coming to the realization that they had no idea how these demon's look like, they had nothing to go on. Not even names.
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"I'll figure something out." Shinobu answered after the silence had begun to annoy her. "I'll speak with Koharu and see if she knows the locations of the other demons in her group."
"Shinobu you do that, while the rest of you…I have a certain job for you." Kagaya spoke while still maintain his small, yet powerful smile.
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As the Pillars left the meeting room, Kagaya sat by his lonesome self for a few seconds before someone he familiarized with entered the room.
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"You called for me?" Suzuha spoke up after seeing Kagaya alone in the giant room.
"Tell me Suzuha, is there even a possibility that the group you are a part of can find or even defeat Muzan Kibutsuji?" As he asked, Suzuha was seen walking up to Kagaya ever so slowly.
"While both my sister and I may still be the youngest of the group, we are just as powerful as the ones who had been a part of it for years." Suzuha explained as best as she could. "Unlike Kibutsuji, Lily thought it be best to share the entirety of her strength from the very beginning. Not just to hide behind walls, but instead to guard them."
"So, you are her walls?" Kagaya asked.
"Yes. And we have but one goal." Suzuha stopped for a quick seconds before continuing. "Ensuring that Lily would be able to replicate herself. Hence the reason for Kaguya." Sounding surprised, Kagaya just sat there taking in what the young demon just said. "Kaguya's appearance was not by accident. It wasn't just to keep Tanjiro and Nezuko safe, but instead to ensure that a legacy continued."
"Legacy? What legacy?" Kayaga continued to question the young demon.
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Speaking ever so softly, Kagaya felt Suzuha's words begin to weigh on his shoulders. Her words were so heavy that if it was a poem, it would definitely move him to tears. After speaking for a few more minutes, Suzuha excused herself from the room, leaving once again Kagaya by his lonesome self.
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"That is a cursed fate, is it not, Lily?" Kagaya looked up toward the moon and tried to imagine how it looked that night. "You must always be reborn even when you die. You must always carry the burden of people's memories when you move forward, even when you don't want to. Tell me, did you ever cry?" On command, Kagaya's eyes began to tear up. "If not, then I shall cry in your stead."
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As he did, he felt very warm hands on his shoulders, and at the same time, the sound of wind blowing against the wisteria trees began to grow. Then ever so slowly, a sweet voice spoke up.
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"I never cursed myself for having such a fate. So, please don't cry for me, but instead cry for the fate placed upon the children that fight." And like that the voice vanished alongside the roaring wind.
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Several days later…
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"Well, then…" Kyojuro Rengoku bowed and placed his sword on his side as he looked towards Joichirou. "I'll be going now."
"It's a shame that I cannot join you on this mission, Kyojuro." Joichirou spoke softly.
"Don't worry. For your words will always be blazing in my heart, Sensei!" Kyojuro spoke with a grand smile as he pounded his chest with pride.
"Then, take care, and bring back the children who may have lost their way." With those final words, Rengoku left. "To think that one of the 12 Moon's had begun their attack so soon after Lower Moon 5's death." Glaring into the distance, Joichirou spoke to himself. "Just what are you thinking, Kibutsuji?"
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As he began to walk away, Joichirou was so lost in thought, that someone had begun to sneak up on him. And without warning, shot what looked to be a whip, only for Joichirou to dodge it with ease. Seeing this, the enemy tried to grab him with their weapon, but to no avail. After a few short minutes, Joichirou's opponent was exhausted and had stopped attacking.
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"You've gotten faster, Kanroji." Joichirou complemented Kanroji's efforts. "But I was able to sense your presence. Listen, when you attack, you cannot allow yourself to be seen until it is too late."
"How am I supposed to do that?" Kanroji asked between her heavy breathing. But her answer came to soon, and Joichirou stood just before her, nearly causing her to tumble backwards, but grabbing her hand in time, Joichirou pulled her back to her feet. "Oh, that's how."
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But before Joichirou could answer, Kanroji closed what little distance they had between them. Surprised by her actions, Joichirou stood there, dumbfounded. Closing the distance more and more, Joichirou began to hear Kanroji's subtle but composed breathing. Sighing after a minute to recollect his thoughts, he pushed away Kanroji.
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"I understand how you feel, Kanroji." He smiled embarrassingly towards her. "But I'm an old man. It be in her best interest to find someone about your age and with more drive and vigor. You know, someone like Iguro." Not liking how he was speaking, Kanroji closing the distance once more, and wrapped her arms around the old man.
"I don't want to." Kanroji spoke up. "You came to me. You freed me from the life I've known and brought me here. You trained me and gave me a purpose." Seeing a cyan blue rise from her body, Joichirou sighed once more. "I don't care if you are of old age, I want to be there in every moment of your life. Can't you grant my wish?"
"Kanroji, I…" Biting his lower lip, Joichirou sighed and pulled Kanroji's arms off his waist. And after seeing her face, he smiled sweetly at her. "You may spend as much time with me as you want, however, you cannot fall in love with me. That purpose belongs to someone else." After wiping away the tears that had begun to form on her eyes, Joichirou placed his hand on the young girl's head before setting off.
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Meanwhile, inside said estate…
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"Huh?!" Shinobu yelled catching everyone's ears, or at least anyone within hearing range. "You don't know where the other members of your group are?"
"I'm telling you, Shinobu, I sensed the others while in Mt. Natagumo, but I never had a chance to interact with them." Koharu was covering her face from Shinobu's outburst.
"Do you know how they look like at least?" Shinobu asked desperately.
"Well, one was a very old man, another used her hair, and another seemed to come from a hunting family. But I guess that doesn't answer your question does it?" Koharu began to chuckle embarrassingly. Then feeling her cheeks being pulled off her face, she began to pat the hands that hurt her. "Psheas shtop." Koharu spoke with her mouth open.
"Well, that is something, but yes it doesn't answer my question." Thinking very hard about, Shinobu put what she just heard from Koharu, then rushed off.
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Rushing towards the dojo, she opened the door in a hurry that it distracted Tanjiro who almost caught Kanao but missed by a hair. After seeing Tanjiro fall to the ground, Shinobu yelled.
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"Nezuko, are you here? Zenitsu, too?!" Responding to their names, the two walked up to the Butterfly Pillar. And without warning, grabbed both of their hand and began to drag them away.
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After taking them outside, both Nezuko and Zenitsu had sat down before Shinobu who looked to be very pissed at this point. Then, without warning, Shinobu spoke, spooking the two young demon slayers.
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"Why didn't you tell me that you two met one of the Stars?" Shinobu questioned as she began to tap her finger on her arm.
"Wait, we did?!" Zenitsu began to panic. "Are they dangerous, do I have to fight them?!"
"Zenitsu, shut up. You're only making the situation worse." Nezuko spoke. "Besides, didn't I tell you I hate seeing purple?"
"Oh, right. You did say that." Zenitsu answered.
"Nezuko, can you see colors, too?" Shinobu asked completely forgetting why she pulled out the two out of training.
"Huh? Oh yes I can. Ever since I met Lily, I've been able to see colors. But lately, I've been able to see them more clearly." Nezuko responded.
"Then, you're just like Sensei." Shinobu spoke in a quiet voice.
"Um, Miss Shinobu? Were you going to ask us something?" As Nezuko spoke, she brought Shinobu back to reality.
"Oh, right." Shinobu responded as she fully turned her attention back to the young slayers.
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After explaining the predicament, the Pillars were in, Shinobu asked for a detailed description of any demons with the Star emblem, and as Nezuko began to explain, mostly because Zenitsu had passed out due to fear, she began to recall how the demon they met might be part of said group.
Writing down anything she could that Nezuko spoke, Shinobu listen intently so as to write a more detailed description of the demon they encountered. Nezuko explained what she wore, and how she looked, but wasn't very confident about her description, since she was frozen in fear due to thinking her life was about to end in that moment. But the one thing that she was confident in saying was that the demon used her hair as if it was an extension of her own body. After writing everything down, Shinobu thanked the two and left, but not before leaving some words for Nezuko.
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"Nezuko, I suggest you go back and see Sensei, since he knows more about the colors of the world better than you do." And with that Shinobu left.
"Colors of the world?" Nezuko repeated as she saw Shinobu leave.
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Walking out of the Butterfly Estate…
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Eager to give the news of a lead to the Master, Shinobu left in a hurry, only to see the man she mentioned not long ago.
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"Sensei!" Shinobu exclaimed as she nearly ran into him upon opening the main door to her house.
"Oh, Shinobu. You seem to be in a rush. Is something the matter?" Joichirou asked concerningly.
"Well, I just told Nezuko to go to you since, she could also see the colors of people like you do, then I see you here before me. So, I was kind of taken aback." Shinobu answered honestly.
"Is that so?" Joichirou began to chuckle a bit.
"Is there something you need?" Shinobu questioned once again.
"No, nothing of the sort. It's just like you said, I came here for Nezuko Kamado, may I enter?" Joichirou answered.
"Go right ahead." Seeing an honest color of magenta coming off of Shinobu shocked Joichirou for a bit, but later composed himself as he walked by her, but not before leaving her with a few words.
"You're finally being honest, huh?" And left Shinobu at the door before she could say anything.
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Later that evening, aboard the Infinite Train…
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Before a scream could be sent, it was silence by a hideous monster with multiple eyes. As it began to munch on the woman, blood splattered from its monstrous bite. Spraying on the walls, windows and floor. But even as it did, the demon turned around, only to be sent flying down the cramped hall.
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"You always take lives needlessly, don't you, Enmu? A slender man spoke as he curved his right hand just below his upper chest, but the creature never responded. "Is that so? Then I guess you'll have to ensure you can only crawl back to that coward of a master of yours."
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Upon hearing that, the monstrous Enmu rushed forward, only to be sent back to where it originally was. Confused as to what had happened, it tried to move again, only for its attempts to be for naught.
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"Oh, what's this? Can't move, can you?" the man spoke once more. "Well as it should, creatures such as yourself who thrive on taking, myself, as well as those who follow Lily, thrive from protecting others." As the man said this with confidence, he clenched his right hand to show a star emblem on the back of his hand, shining a bright red for the world to see. "So, let's see how desperate you become with me around, shall we?"