Kimetsu no Yaiba doesn't belong to me. I decided to continue this story, so, here it is the tenth chapter!
And also, I have a question for the readers; would you be interested on reading about the past of the Twelve Demon Moons and the Hashiras?
Kokushibo observed Nezuko seriously. The girl was preparing herself to face the final test the demon had given her. The Moon Pillar had chosen the sturdiest rock he could find and assigned Nezuko the task of breaking it if she wanted his approval to participate in the Final Selection.
Almost eight months had passed since then. Every night, the girl had repeated all the exercises Kokushibo had imposed on her. She had descended the nearby mountain carrying a katana, swung a wooden sword over a thousand times each day. She had also practiced the sixteen stances of the Breath of the Moon.
Nezuko looked determinedly at the rock in front of her. She had to achieve it. This night couldn't pass without success. She tightened her grip on the katana's hilt and took an offensive stance.
"I have to be able to do it," she told herself. She had trained until she vomited blood in order to fully control the Total Concentration Breathing. She was now capable of using it consistently without experiencing any pain.
She lunged at the rock with her prepared katana. Kokushibo watched the girl with interest, attentive to her actions.
"Moon Breathing," Nezuko said, resolute. "First Form, Dark Moon, Evening Palace." The girl swung the katana horizontally, and waning moons emerged from the blade, heading towards the rock. Kokushibo smiled proudly as he saw the sturdy rock cleanly split in two.
Nezuko stared at the two pieces with her eyes wide open. Gradually, she smiled, still in disbelief.
"I DID IT!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, realizing what she had just accomplished. "KOKUSHIBO, I DID IT!" she repeated, turning to look at her mentor. Without giving him time to respond, she ran towards him, dropping the katana in the process, and hugged the demon tightly.
Kokushibo allowed himself to be embraced and observed her for several seconds, unsure of what to do. Somewhat hesitant and unsure, he reached his right hand to her head and clumsily caressed her crown. "You did very well, Nezuko," he said sincerely. "I'm... very proud of you."
When he heard her starting to cry, he abruptly pulled away and looked at her, worried. Nezuko was crying heavily, but the smile remained on her face. Seeing the panic in her mentor's eyes, the girl hurried to speak. "I'm fine, there's nothing wrong with me," she assured. "I'm very happy... that's all," she confessed, wiping her tears.
Kokushibo nodded and awkwardly embraced her. "You're ready to participate in the Final Selection," the demon said. Although there was still a month until the test took place, the instructors were already selecting the students who were ready. Kokushibo would have to send a crow to Kibutsuji to inform him.
"Come on, let's go inside and celebrate," Kokushibo requested, smiling slightly. The girl nodded and quickly entered the house. The demon momentarily stopped smiling and observed the girl. "I'll prepare your favorite meal, how does that sound?" he asked. He heard Nezuko say yes from inside the house and suppressed a sigh.
He couldn't do anything to stop her. Nezuko had worked too hard to achieve what she set out to do. So, passing the Final Selection shouldn't be a problem for her. Or at least, that's what he hoped.
"Aren't you coming, Kokushibo?" Nezuko asked from the kitchen.
"I have to get something, I'll be right there," the demon replied. He entered the house and went straight to his bedroom, ignoring the look of confusion from his pupil.
He entered the room and went directly to one of the closets. He opened the third drawer and took out a small brown package that was inside. It contained a small wooden box with a small gift for Nezuko.
With the package in hand, he returned to the kitchen and observed the girl. Nezuko had started cutting various vegetables and a bit of meat. She turned around upon hearing Kokushibo enter and smiled slightly, somewhat embarrassed.
"I started cooking already, hehe," she laughed a bit when she saw the way the demon was looking at her.
"Can you turn around?" Kokushibo asked. Nezuko looked at him, confused, but immediately obeyed. With evident clumsiness, the demon removed the ribbon that held the girl's hair in a ponytail. Nezuko's hair fell straight down to her waist. Kokushibo furrowed his brow slightly at the sight. Patiently, he gathered the girl's hair into a bun. "Is it okay for you to hold your hair like this for a moment?"
"... Sure," Nezuko murmured and held it with her right hand. Kokushibo took the opportunity to open the box and pulled out a silver hairpin in the shape of a waning moon. He secured the girl's bun with it. He took a few steps back to evaluate the result. He let out a sigh of relief—it turned out better than he expected at first. "Can I see?" Nezuko asked. She knew he had put something in her hair and wanted to see it.
"Yes, come, let's find a mirror."
They went to Nezuko's bedroom, and the girl looked at herself in the full-length mirror there. Kokushibo handed her a handheld mirror, and she used it to see the back of her head.
"Kokushibo... you didn't have to..." the girl murmured when she saw the hairpin.
"It looks very good on you," the demon said. "I wasn't entirely sure, but I think I did pretty well... or don't you like it?"
"I love it," the girl said. "Thank you so much, Kokushibo!"
Kokushibo smiled a little. He had wanted to wait and give it to her after the Final Selection, but maybe it was a good idea to do it now.
"I'll take good care of it," she assured, smiling widely and content.
"I'm glad to see that you liked it so much," the demon said as the two of them returned to the kitchen and Nezuko resumed preparing the food. Kokushibo watched her cook without saying anything. Now that she was about to leave, the demon realized how much he had become accustomed to the routine and spending time with Nezuko.
"Please, come back safely from the Final Selection," he thought to himself, unable to express it out loud.
Muzan read the letter he had just received from Kokushibo, his expression serious. He grunted and set it aside with the others he had received. He was in his office, organizing the list of participants for this year's Final Selection. With Kokushibo's pupil added to the list, there were now a total of thirty-six contenders.
"Not a bad number," Muzan thought, noting the girl's name on the list. "I can divide them into groups of four," he muttered to himself as he reviewed the names. Next to each name, he had written down the breathing style of each participant and the name of their instructor.
Muzan furrowed his brow slightly as he read a new breathing style. "Breathing of the Spider?" he asked himself aloud. He shook his head. "What a ridiculous name," he declared, bored. "And it's used by someone named Rui Kamiya."
"May I come in, Father?" his daughter asked from the hallway at that moment. Muzan put the paper in front of him and looked in her direction, his expression serious.
"Of course, come in," he said, hiding his annoyance as best he could. Ayumi entered and approached her father's desk.
The girl's eyes fell on the paper her father had been reviewing, and she briefly read it. Upon hearing Muzan clear his throat, she stopped and looked at her father.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry," the embarrassed girl apologized. To her surprise, Muzan shrugged and observed her.
"This year will be the first time you explain the Final Selection to the participants," the adult said in his characteristic velvety voice. "Have you memorized the script I gave you?"
"I'm still working on it," Ayumi confessed, avoiding eye contact. "There are some complicated words, and I'm having a bit of trouble."
"You have a month to memorize it. It's not that difficult," the man retorted.
"I won't disappoint you, Father," Ayumi murmured despondently.
"Why did you come to see me then?" Muzan asked at that moment. Ayumi looked up and gathered her courage.
"I received the mark for the last exam I took," the nervous girl announced, avoiding her father's gaze.
"What did you get?" the annoyed adult inquired.
"Eight points of ten," the girl muttered unintelligibly.
"You know that grade is not acceptable to me," Muzan said, his expression becoming even more severe. Ayumi, fearful, took a step back. But her father didn't make any move to chase after her. "I hope you won't get such a low score in the following exams."
"I won't!" Ayumi exclaimed. She didn't wait long before leaving. Her father seemed to be in a better mood that day, but she wasn't going to push her luck. She closed the door carefully and left her father alone.
Muzan returned his attention to the papers in front of him. However, he was soon interrupted again. This time it was his wife, Hitomi. The woman, elegantly dressed in a white blouse and a long pink skirt, fixed her green eyes on her husband, her expression serious.
"Why is it so hard for you to be happy for once about what Ayumi does?" she asked confrontationally.
"She should try harder with her exams," Muzan commented, looking up, annoyed.
"She's only eight years old," Hitomi continued, standing in front of the desk.
"So what?" the man asked, unfazed. "When I was her age, my grades were perfect. She has to be prepared for what awaits her."
"You could be happy for her just once!" she exclaimed, clenching her fists, furious.
"If I do that, she won't have any motivation to strive. She'll settle for those mediocre grades," Muzan reasoned.
"Telling her once, just once, that you're proud of her won't hurt," Hitomi was on the verge of losing her temper.
"Hitomi, my health deteriorates every day," Muzan told her, annoyed. "I don't even know if I'll be alive next year. Six months from now, I may not even be able to get out of bed."
Hitomi fell silent and looked at him, irritated. "You justify everything with that!"
"It doesn't make sense to have a conversation with you when you're so upset," Muzan said, standing up. "We'll continue this discussion when you're calmer and can think rationally."
Nezuko packed cans of food into a backpack she had acquired with some money given to her by Kokushibo. She was preparing the necessary items to pass the Final Selection following her master's advice.
"Have you packed bandages and hydrogen peroxide?" Kokushibo asked, peeking into the kitchen. Nezuko looked up and nodded.
"Yes, that was the first thing I packed," she said, flashing a nervous smile. The demon observed her, deep in thought.
"Good, keep in mind that the test will last for a week," advised Kokushibo. "So make sure you bring enough supplies."
"Yes, although I can't pack too much either," Nezuko said, closing the backpack. She slung it over her back and walked towards her master. "Well, I think I'm ready."
"You'll do well, Nezuko," encouraged Kokushibo. "I would like to accompany you to Mount Fujikasane, but..."
"It's okay, you told me it's not allowed," she reminded him. "So don't worry. I'll be back here as soon as it's over."
"Please be careful," the demon pleaded. He hugged her tightly and accompanied her to the entrance. The girl turned around to look at him one last time and managed a trembling smile.
"Thank you so much for everything, Kokushibo," she said. "See you in a week."
"Yes. Good luck, Nezuko."
She turned around and left, closing the door behind her. Kokushibo stayed there for a while until his sharpened ears could no longer hear Nezuko's fading footsteps.
Nezuko reached the mountaintop without any problem. The months of climbing up and down the nearby mountain near Kokushibo's house had paid off, although constantly using Total Concentration Breathing greatly helped.
But she wasn't the first one to arrive, the girl noticed. There were more people than she had expected. And they were all young boys and girls, roughly her age. They all carried swords on their belts and dressed similarly to her. With loose dark-colored pants and short kimonos tucked into the pants.
Nezuko noticed that the entire clearing was filled with blooming wisteria trees. They must be the same species as the ones found in houses marked with the wisteria flower seal. Or at least that's what the girl deduced before turning her attention to something else. The light of the full moon faintly illuminated the place, although there were lanterns spread throughout the clearing, making it perfectly visible.
Nezuko became absorbed in examining the people gathered there until her eyes settled on an elegantly dressed girl. Unlike the others, she wore a long dark blue kimono and stood apart from the youths, although she didn't take her eyes off them.
"Well, I believe you are all gathered now," the girl said, raising her voice enough for everyone to hear. "It's an honor to see so many gathered tonight to face the Final Selection. I'm sure you already know what it entails. But just in case, I'll repeat it. You must endure one week of fighting demons that you'll encounter beyond the wisteria trees that protect this area."
The participants looked at each other, uneasy, and then surveyed their surroundings, alert. Some reached for the hilts of their swords.
"To pass the test, you will be divided into six groups of four," the girl instructed, maintaining her composure. "As I call your names, you will advance to where I am and wear one of these armbands and venture into the mountain," she said, showing a box containing several colored armbands. "Each team will be assigned a color, and each team will have a lantern to light the way."
Nezuko watched as the different participants gradually left as they were called. When she heard her name called, she approached the girl. She extended her right arm and allowed the girl to tie a red armband around it. She glanced at the seven remaining participants, three of whom would be her teammates in the Final Selection.
"I hope we can get along," Nezuko nervously thought.
"Rui Kamiya," the girl called out, and a boy with black hair and indigo eyes stepped forward. He allowed her to tie a band of the same color as Nezuko's around his left arm. After that, he stood close to the girl and looked at her, curious.
"Pleasure to meet you, I'm Rui," the boy introduced himself, lowering his voice to avoid causing a disturbance.
"My name is Nezuko," she whispered, keeping her gaze on the girl, as she had just called the third member of their team, a boy named Enmu Nohara with straight black hair. He approached them with a happy smile and stood to Nezuko's right, facing forward. The final member of the team was a boy named Kaigaku Kaminari, who had an arrogant and disdainful appearance.
"Well, now we're all here," Rui commented, excited. "Shall we go?"
The three nodded and ventured into the forest.
Nezuko walked ahead of the three, holding the small lantern. She looked around anxiously, her ears catching even the slightest sound, and she couldn't help but feel increasingly nervous.
"What breathing styles do you use?" Enmu asked at that moment, looking at his companions with evident curiosity.
"Thunder Breathing," Kaigaku replied curtly. The boy wore a short black kimono with white triangles and loose dark-colored pants, and he didn't seem too keen on engaging in conversation with his teammates.
"Moon Breathing," Nezuko responded kindly, smiling faintly. "And what about you?"
"I came up with one based on Wind Breathing," Rui confessed, placing his left hand on the hilt of his sword when he thought he heard something slightly suspicious. "Spider Breathing."
Before Nezuko could inquire further, Enmu chimed in again. "I use Water Breathing, but inventing a new type of breathing sounds quite interesting."
Rui shrugged and looked ahead. "It's nothing special, I just felt Wind Breathing didn't suit me."
The sound of a branch snapping made the four boys stop in their tracks and reach for the hilts of their swords. Silence fell as they held their breath, attentive to any other suspicious sounds. But as minutes passed without anything happening, they started to relax a bit.
"Must have been a false alarm..." Enmu murmured, retracting his hand from the hilt.
"Who knows," Kaigaku responded grumpily, not lowering his guard in the slightest.
A scream from somewhere in the forest sent shivers down their spines.
The three boys quickly unsheathed their swords and looked around nervously. Nezuko followed suit, swallowing hard with unease.
"Shouldn't we go and see if someone needs help?" Nezuko asked, noticing that none of her teammates made a move. Kaigaku gave her an irritated look.
"Why should we?" he retorted. "We gain nothing from it."
"What our friend Kaigaku means is that it would be a completely unnecessary risk," Enmu explained, noticing Nezuko's incredulous expression. "Besides, if we were in such a situation, I doubt any other group would bother to help us, don't you think, Nezuko?"
"Well..." Nezuko tried to find an argument to refute that. "I suppose you're right," she murmured reluctantly.
"Our only focus should be on surviving. Nothing else," Kaigaku added, casting a stern glance at the only girl in the group.
"We shouldn't argue. We're a team now," Rui intervened, trying to ease the tense atmosphere. Nezuko looked at him gratefully, but the other two boys remained silent.
Kaigaku sat in front of the campfire and prodded the flames with a stick. They had stopped to rest for a while after walking non-stop for hours. It wasn't going to be a long break, but it was something they needed to regain their strength.
Rui's stomach growled at that moment, and the boy felt his cheeks turning slightly red in embarrassment. Avoiding eye contact with his companions, he rummaged through his backpack until he pulled out a small can that he opened with a can opener he had.
"Good idea!" exclaimed Nezuko, mimicking him and taking out some food from her bag. She sat down beside the boy, and they started eating.
"How old are you?" Rui asked, looking up. "I'm twelve."
"I'm thirteen," Nezuko replied first.
"I turned fifteen last month, in June," Enmu told them, locking his black eyes with Kaigaku's, waiting for his response.
Kaigaku grunted a bit, rolled his eyes, but still answered, "I'm sixteen."
Rui and Nezuko continued eating quietly while conversing calmly. But the conversation came to a halt when they heard approaching footsteps. The four of them stood up, alert, with their swords drawn.
A boy stumbled into the makeshift camp, his left arm pressed against his chest, trying to stop the bleeding. The newcomer's face was contorted in a panic-stricken expression. He managed to approach the four of them as best as he could.
"Please, help!" he exclaimed with obvious effort. "My companions..."
Noticing his condition, Nezuko had started rummaging through her bag, trying to find the medical supplies she had. Kaigaku, somewhat brusquely, grabbed her arm and made her stop.
"What do you think you're doing!?" he demanded.
"He needs help!" Nezuko retorted. "And I have bandages that could be useful."
"You'd only be wasting them," Kaigaku warned her. "Look closely, that wound is fatal. He probably has only a few minutes left. Snap out of it, Nezuko!"
Enmu and Rui had laid the boy down on the grass and examined his wound, their expressions filled with dismay and resignation. "It's a deep scratch," Enmu declared, his face serious.
Reluctantly, Nezuko released the bandages and placed them back in her bag. She closed her eyes and let out a tremulous sigh. She joined her companions and observed the injured boy. Kneeling in front of him, she took his right hand in an attempt to comfort him, but his breathing became slower and slower until it finally stopped altogether. His green eyes stared into nothingness. As a sign of respect, Nezuko closed the deceased boy's eyes.
She sat on the ground, still trembling from the shock, and looked at her can of food without much appetite. She had to force herself to eat, aware that she needed to regain her energy.
"Did I do the right thing?" she wondered to herself. She felt a void in her stomach that wouldn't dissipate.
Nezuko brandished her sword, serious. A group of six demons had ambushed them and cornered them, surrounding them. She observed the demon standing in front of her—a man with blue scaly skin and bulging red eyes that reminded Nezuko of a frog's.
The six demons leaped simultaneously towards the four children. Nezuko and Kaigaku moved at dizzying speed, responding to the attack.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form!" shouted Kaigaku. "Thunderclap and Flash!" The boy swiftly moved forward, effortlessly beheading the demon with a single horizontal slash.
"Moon Breathing, Third Form!" exclaimed Nezuko. "Loathsome Moon, Chains!" She rapidly thrust her sword, not giving the demon a chance to react. She easily severed its neck and watched as the head rolled on the ground.
Rui focused on the two demons in front of him, serious and struggling to control his anger. "Spider Breathing, Second Form!" he yelled. "Sand Trap!" He cleaved the nearest demon in half with a vertical cut, and before it could recover, he severed its neck.
Enmu smiled playfully. "Well, I can't be outdone," he said, looking at the remaining demons. "Water Breathing, Third Form, Flowing Dance." The boy swiftly moved and decapitated the remaining demons with that attack.
The four children relaxed as the demons began to turn into dust. They sheathed their swords and looked at each other, relieved.
"We make a good team," commented Rui, smiling with excitement.
"I'm not sure if this can be considered teamwork," Nezuko murmured uncertainly.
"The important thing is that we've taken care of them all," stated Enmu, shrugging.
"We should keep moving or they'll attack us again. And I don't know about you, but I don't want to fall into such a foolish trap again," Kaigaku urged as he started to move forward. He had picked up the lantern from the ground, and this time, he led the way. The other three followed him in silence.
Kaigaku relaxed as the sun began to rise in the sky. He closed his eyes for a moment and let out a sigh of relief. They had stopped to rest in a clearing and would get some sleep.
"We can finally rest," Nezuko said, covering her mouth as a yawn escaped.
"I'll take the first watch," Enmu said, sitting next to the girl. The four of them were eating a bit while regaining their strength.
"Is it really necessary?" Rui asked, confused. "There are no demons during the day."
"It's not the demons we have to worry about now," Kaigaku explained gruffly. "It's the other participants."
Rui and Nezuko exchanged a confused glance, and Kaigaku let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head. "They might try to steal our swords or supplies, idiots. Someone has to make sure that doesn't happen."
"...Do you really think something like that will happen?" Nezuko asked, unsure.
"Of course. And I'd rather not take any chances. Do you have a problem with that?"
Nezuko averted her gaze, feeling uncomfortable, and shook her head. She didn't know what to say to refute those comments. She lay down on the ground, using her black jacket as a pillow, and closed her eyes. She would try to get some sleep.
"Not only have I let someone die already, but now it seems like I have to distrust the other participants," she thought, tormenting herself with it. "Is it really the right thing to do?"
Fortunately for her, she was so tired that sleep quickly overcame her, as well as Kaigaku and Rui.
However, she didn't take long to be awakened by screams. She quickly got up and instinctively grabbed her sword. She looked around, still half asleep, and saw Rui holding his sword close to the neck of a young girl.
"What's going on, Rui?" Kaigaku asked, approaching the two.
"I caught her trying to steal some supplies," the boy said. "I had to step away for a moment, and she took advantage of that."
"I lost my backpack yesterday, and I haven't been able to find it!" the blonde-haired girl shouted, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground.
Nezuko observed her and couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Her face was dirty with dirt, and scratches could be seen on her face and arms. She rummaged through her bag and took out one of the cans; she could do without at least one.
She walked towards the girl, but before she could reach her, Kaigaku grabbed her arm with some force. Their eyes met, and Nezuko furrowed her brow at the disapproval in his eyes.
"What do you think you're doing!?" the boy snapped, furious.
"I can spare a can, and she needs help," Nezuko said, giving a tug and causing Kaigaku to let go.
"You're too kind. Have you considered that she might be lying?" he asked.
Nezuko directed her gaze towards the girl and noticed the pleading look she was giving her. She walked toward her and handed her the can. The girl grasped it tightly and smiled in relief. Rui, though reluctant, withdrew his sword from her neck, and she stood up.
"We won't give you any more," Kaigaku warned her. "You were lucky that Nezuko took pity on you. Now leave."
The girl thanked Nezuko one last time and ran off. The four of them looked at each other and sat in a circle.
"You should keep sleeping," Rui advised. "I still have a couple of hours left on watch."
"I'll take the next one," Nezuko offered immediately. Kaigaku gave her a distrustful look.
"So you can give supplies to anyone who comes near?" he asked with some malice. Nezuko didn't respond; she simply looked at him angrily for that comment.
"Well, it's settled then. Nezuko will take the next watch," Enmu intervened, calming the tense situation.
Nezuko watched the sunrise with relief, letting out a sigh of relief and looked at her companions. This was the seventh sunrise since the beginning of the Final Selection, and they must be close to leaving the mountain. She smiled with satisfaction and rubbed her left arm. Two nights ago, she had broken it while fighting against a demon, and Enmu had bandaged it, improvising a sling. Though not a professional job, it had alleviated Nezuko's pain considerably.
The only problem was that, even though her dominant arm was unharmed, her effectiveness in combat was reduced, and her companions had to cover for her on more than one occasion.
"We did it," murmured Rui, smiling contentedly. A few meters away, they could see blooming wisteria trees. The four exchanged glances and ran towards them eagerly.
They didn't stop until they were under the protection of those trees. It was a clearing similar to the one they had departed from a week ago. Even the same girl who explained the test was there. But now she wore a Western-style pink dress that reached her ankles. The girl smiled upon seeing them and gestured for them to approach.
"Congratulations on passing the Final Selection," she said. "Please hand me the handkerchiefs I gave you at the beginning." The four complied, and the girl took them. "Thank you very much. As I was saying, you have passed the entrance test to become Demon Slayer Corps members. Now you will choose the ore from which your Nichirin swords will be forged."
The girl led them to a small table with four irregularly shaped pieces of black ore. Nezuko, not understanding the significance, randomly chose one and observed it thoughtfully.
"Yes, this one is perfect," she murmured to herself and handed it to the girl. The other three boys quickly made their choices and gave them as well.
"Perfect, now several members of the Kakushi faction will take your measurements to make your custom uniforms."
Nezuko suppressed a yawn. She was exhausted and not paying much attention to the explanations. She followed her companions and let a woman, wearing the same uniform as Kokushibo and with her face covered, take her body measurements.
"Thank you very much, miss," the woman said kindly. "We're done now."
Nezuko nodded and left. The girl who had explained everything was still there. Their gazes met, and they smiled at each other. When they were all reunited again, the girl explained the ranks within the Demon Slayer Corps.
"The Kakushi will take you to the Infinite Paradise, where your wounds will be healed," the girl explained. "Your instructors will be waiting for you there. We will send your uniforms and swords there once they are ready."
"Infinite Paradise?" Enmu murmured, confused.
The girl nodded. "That's the name of the Ice Pillar's headquarters, which functions as the hospital for injured demon slayers," she directed her gaze at the Kakushi, adopting a more serious expression. "Please, carry these children there."
"Yes, Miss Ayumi," the four Kakushi said and obeyed immediately.
Nezuko tried on the demon slayer uniform with the help of one of the women attending to the injured in the Eternal Paradise. She looked at herself in the mirror and smiled a little. It fit her perfectly.
"It looks good on me," she murmured to herself. She glanced at her reflection and touched one of the bandages on her face absentmindedly.
"Now what will I do?" she wondered, feeling concerned. She had been assigned the boys she had passed the Final Selection with as her squadmates.
She shuddered at the realization. "Should I tell them about Tanjiro?" she asked herself, unsure. She could already imagine what Kaigaku would say about it. And perhaps Rui and Enmu would agree. "But are they really wrong?" She sighed a little. It would be expected of her to kill Tanjiro if she encountered him.
Nezuko turned and looked towards the door. She had wasted too much time pondering all of that. She walked towards the door, opened it, and stepped out. Kokushibo was waiting in the hallway, leaning against the wall. When he heard the door open, he looked up and examined Nezuko with his gaze.
"It suits you well," the demon commented, as concise as always.
"It's quite comfortable," Nezuko admitted, giving a small smile.
"Your sword has arrived, and your squad members are waiting for you," Kokushibo said. "Let's go to the guest room. They're all there."
The girl looked somewhat puzzled at the first part but didn't pay too much attention to it. She followed her instructor in complete silence to that room. They entered, and Nezuko walked towards Kaigaku and the other two boys.
There were two white-haired men nearby. One of them was missing a leg and walked with a cane, Nezuko noticed, and she forced herself to look away so as not to seem impolite. The other man wore a striking red tengu mask. Although he wasn't the only one, there were four others wearing similar masks, completely covering their faces.
"We're finally all here!" exclaimed one of those men, clearly enthusiastic. "We've come from the Blacksmith Village to deliver your nichirin swords."
As if it were a signal, the four blacksmiths unwrapped the long packages they had brought and handed them to Nezuko and the three boys.
Somewhat hesitantly, the girl grabbed the offered katana and, imitating Kaigaku, unsheathed it. She observed how the blade of her nichirin sword turned a purplish color. She curiously looked at her companions. Kaigaku's had turned into an intense yellow, while Enmu's was a light blue. In contrast, Rui's had a metallic grayish hue.
"They are quite beautiful colors," Nezuko thought, looking at her nichirin sword.
Then she noticed that in a corner of the room, there were four kasugai crows on the floor. They were staring fixedly at the group without moving from their positions. Kokushibo, realizing the direction his pupil was looking at, cleared his throat to get her attention.
"Those are kasugai crows. They will act as messengers for you, delivering the missions assigned to you by the Corps leader."
Nezuko nodded and waited, not entirely sure what to do in that moment. But Kaigaku seemed to have a clearer idea. He walked towards the birds, observed them for a few seconds, and pointed at the one on the far left. "That will be mine," he decided. As if understanding what the boy said, the bird took flight and perched on his right shoulder.
Nezuko, not willing to be left behind, stood up and approached the birds. Before she could even decide which one to choose, the one on the far right flew towards her and landed on her left shoulder. The girl smiled a little and petted the crow. She stepped back and sat next to Kokushibo. Rui and Enmu soon chose their birds as well.
Nezuko accompanied Kokushibo to the exit of the building. The demon insisted that he couldn't stay there any longer. Although Nezuko suspected it was due to the demon's low tolerance for Douma. And deep down, she couldn't blame him for that.
"Will we see each other again?" she asked, looking down.
Kokushibo stopped in front of her and ruffled her hair a bit. "I don't know," he honestly replied. "But we can exchange letters," he added, trying to cheer her up. "I advise you not to write anything about Tanjiro in them. And you shouldn't talk to your comrades about him either."
Nezuko's expression darkened upon hearing that. "There's something I'd like to ask you. During the trial, we denied assistance to one of the participants who was injured. Kaigaku said his injuries were too severe and didn't let me attend to him, saying it would be a waste of resources."
"Did he die?" Kokushibo asked, serious. Nezuko nodded, looking down. "I see... You won't always be able to save everyone, Nezuko."
"Was Kaigaku right then?" Nezuko insisted, tense.
"He was partially right, I'm afraid," the demon acknowledged.
"I see..."
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