Kimetsu no Yaiba doesn't belong to me. I decided to continue this story, so, here it is the seventh 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?
Nezuko growled, annoyed. She had her crimson eyes fixed on the mannequins in front of her. She let out a frustrated scream and attacked them with the wooden sword she held, hitting them hard and releasing some of the anger she felt.
From the outer hallway of the house where she was, well protected from the sunlight, a man watched her, evaluating every move of the young woman.
"You're letting hate blind you," he commented, serious.
Nezuko turned quickly, and far from feeling intimidated by her master's three pairs of eyes, she confronted him. "And how am I supposed to feel, Kokushibo?"
"I can... understand your pain," the demon sincerely admitted, adopting a more conciliatory tone. "But none of this will help you get your brother back. It won't make you learn the Moon Breathing forms faster either."
Nezuko continued to glare at the demon. The fire burning in her eyes had not diminished in the slightest. Kokushibo sighed and looked away for a few seconds.
"You need to consider a scenario. It's possible that your brother is already one of them," Kokushibo suggested calmly.
"What do you mean by 'one of them'?" asked Nezuko, throwing the sword aside and striding towards her master, clenching her teeth in anger.
"Kagaya can be very... persuasive when he's interested," Kokushibo admitted reluctantly. The demon avoided looking Nezuko in the eyes as he said all this. "I know this perfectly well. And your brother has been in his possession for weeks"
"We don't know that!" Nezuko protested.
"It's the most probable scenario, Nezuko," Kokushibo pointed out. He blinked a little and, after a brief hesitation, looked back into Nezuko's eyes.
Nezuko lowered her head and clenched her fists. Kokushibo watched her in silence, noticing the tears falling from her eyes. He didn't comment on it, figuring that it was better to cry now while there's still time.
"I met Ubuyashiki four centuries ago," Kokushibo confessed in a soft voice. Nezuko watched him curiously. Without saying a word, Kokushibo stepped up onto the outer hallway and approached her. Kokushibo let out a sigh before continuing, "As you can imagine, it was he who turned me into the monster I am now."
"You're not a monster," Nezuko protested. The young woman frowned and looked at him angrily. She didn't like to hear him saying those things.
Upon hearing this, Kokushibo began to laugh bitterly, without enthusiasm. "Look at me closely, Nezuko, and tell me that I don't look like an abominable creature."
"Your appearance may not be human, but you help people. You save them from other demons who try to harm them," Nezuko reasoned quickly. Kokushibo watched her silently. He approached her and, following an impulse, stroked her head with his right hand.
Nezuko opened her eyes wide and stood still. After a moment, Kokushibo withdrew his hand and adopted a more reserved expression.
"I had a younger brother a long time ago," he told her. The demon sat in the shade and with his right hand, he gave several taps to his side. Nezuko understood immediately what he wanted and sat there. She looked at the demon expectantly. Only then did Kokushibo continue speaking. "His name was Yoriichi. We were twins, you know?" he explained. Due to the strands of hair covering the demon's face, Nezuko was unable to see what expression he had. But the melancholy and sadness that tinged his voice were enough.
"Did he die?" the teenager asked, afraid that might be the answer. Kokushibo took in a breath and expelled it. After that, he firmly denied it.
"He joined the Demon Slayer Corps before me," the demon told her, serious. "I don't know what led him to enlist, he never told me," he admitted. "And maybe I should have asked him. Maybe that would have changed things."
"What happened to him?" Nezuko asked. She had both hands resting on her lap. The girl looked at her teacher, expectant.
Kokushibo closed his eyes for a moment, and the last memory he had of his younger brother came to his mind. Even though four hundred years had passed, the demon remembered it vividly, as if it were just yesterday when it happened.
"He became a demon, like me," Kokushibo said after a while. Nezuko, who had been watching him attentively, could discern deep sadness in his eyes.
"I'm sorry, I..." Nezuko felt the need to apologize. After all, it had been she who brought up the subject. And it was evident that, for Kokushibo, it was quite personal.
"I'll tell you later," promised the demon. "For now, what you need to do is resume your training," he instructed her. The girl nodded, sighed a bit, and looked at the mannequins, serious. She launched herself at them again and continued striking.
Kokushibo walked towards the exterior hallway of the residence and sat down. He kept his six eyes fixed on Nezuko, correcting her posture and grip on the wooden sword when necessary.
He looked up at the night sky when he heard something approaching. A crow was flying over the area and heading towards their location. The demon stood up and extended his right arm. The bird perched there, and Kokushibo noticed it had a paper in the small capsule attached to its left leg. He opened the lid and retrieved the letter. Unfolding it, he read its contents.
He sighed as he crumpled the paper into a ball.
"Nezuko," he called his student. The girl turned and looked at him, confused. "I have to attend a meeting with the other Pillars."
"Oh, so I'll stay here then, right?"
Kokushibo shook his head, serious. "As my student, you must come with me, but you will be in a different area, with other apprentices like yourself, if there are any."
It was a rule established by the first leader of the Demon Slayer Corps to protect future Pillars, and it had been strictly followed to this day.
"Oh, I see," Nezuko murmured. "I'll go prepare," she said, walking inside the house.
The girl observed, impressed, the residence that was before them. The garden was filled with wisteria trees, all in bloom. There was a small stream nearby, and Nezuko swore she had seen fish swimming in the water. Although the house didn't differ, from the outside, from others she had seen while accompanying Kokushibo to slay demons, it was evident that the owner was wealthy.
Kokushibo caught her attention at that moment, and the girl averted her gaze from the house and looked at him.
"You will wait there," said the demon, pointing to a second building adjacent to the main residence. It was smaller but in the same style. Nezuko nodded and quickly made her way there. Kokushibo kept an eye on his pupil until she entered the building and closed the door.
He sighed a bit and headed towards Kibutsuji's main residence. He tried to maintain a neutral expression as he reached the courtyard and saw that he wasn't the first to arrive. The Water Pillar, Managi Yamada, was already there. He grimaced at the sight of his eccentric appearance. Not only was his hair an unusual color, a mix of purple and dark pink, but to make it even more pronounced, Managi had painted his lips and eyes green.
"Hello, Kokushibo!" greeted Managi, in a cheerful mood, when he saw him. "You're early," he commented, approaching.
"Hello, Yamada," the demon responded with much less enthusiasm.
"How many times have I told you to call me Managi?" asked the man, crossing his arms.
Kokushibo didn't respond; he took a few steps forward, distancing himself from his companion. Managi sighed a bit and observed him with a hint of pity. But he didn't insist on talking further. He examined his nails, also painted green, and began to whistle a melody typical of the fishing village where he was born. He noticed Kokushibo's three pairs of eyes fixed on him, but he remained unfazed.
The silence that had settled was not uncomfortable for either of the two Pillars, so they made no effort to break it. However, this did not last long as they soon heard footsteps approaching.
They both looked in that direction and saw Hakuji Soyama and Kagome Sato approaching. The Pillars of Snow and Music Breathing, respectively.
"Good evening," greeted Kagome respectfully, inclining her head slightly. Like the Moon Pillar, she maintained an inscrutable expression. Her greenish eyes also revealed nothing at all.
"Kokushibo, Managi," said Hakuji, approaching his two companions. For some reason, he seemed particularly cheerful that night. "How is the training with Nezuko going?" the Snow Pillar inquired. Managi and Kagome watched the Moon Pillar with a certain interest.
"She's doing well, learning quite fast," Kokushibo responded succinctly.
"Have you chosen a successor?" Managi intervened in the conversation.
"No, I haven't decided yet. I'm just teaching her Moon Breathing," clarified Kokushibo. The last thing he needed was baseless rumors starting to circulate.
Nezuko observed the paintings hanging throughout the house. They were everywhere on the walls. Most of them depicted beautiful landscapes ranging from coastal areas to mountains. Others showcased women of dazzling beauty.
It was the first time she had seen something like this, but Nezuko was convinced that acquiring these works of art must have been far from cheap.
There were also vases of various shapes and colors with intricate designs. She examined them carefully, trying to pass the time.
"They must have cost a fortune, no doubt," Nezuko thought, pausing and gazing at one of the vases. It was white with dark blue painted waves. She reached out her left hand and was about to touch it when she heard someone enter. Hurriedly, she moved away as quickly as she could and looked towards the door.
Her brow furrowed slightly when she saw that it was Douma. The Ice Pillar was accompanied by a boy and a girl who were also dressed in demon slayer uniforms, Nezuko noticed and looked at them, curious.
"Nezuko! Good evening!" exclaimed Douma, sporting a wide smile.
"Good evening," the girl responded without any enthusiasm, causing the two companions of the Pillar to glare at her.
"That's not how you speak to one of the Pillars, brat," scolded the boy, approaching her clearly angry. Nezuko, far from being intimidated, stared back at him, observing the black marks on his face. This seemed to be a bad idea as it only managed to make him even angrier. "What are you looking at, kid!?"
"Gyutaro, enough," reprimanded Douma, grabbing the boy's left shoulder and squeezing it as a warning. The boy grumbled and averted his gaze. Douma regained his previous smile and looked at Nezuko. "Allow me to introduce my two successors, Gyutaro and Ume Shabana."
"Pleased to meet you, my name is Nezuko Kamado," the girl said, extending her right hand to shake hands with the two, but neither Ume nor Gyutaro returned the gesture. Nezuko sensed their dislike towards her. She clenched her teeth, annoyed, but said nothing.
"Well, I'll leave you all here. I have to go to the meeting," Douma apologized and left before any of the three had a chance to protest.
Nezuko turned her attention back to the paintings, completely ignoring the unfriendly glares directed at her by the other two.
"Hey, brat, which Pillar are you the successor of?" Ume asked at that moment. Nezuko glanced at her. For such a pretty girl with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes, she had a foul mouth, just like the other boy.
"None," Nezuko replied and continued with her own business.
"Then what the hell are you doing here?" Gyutaro snapped, irritated.
Nezuko suppressed a growl of annoyance and looked at the boy. "I'm Kokushibo's pupil, but not his successor."
"I knew it. You're too weak for something like that," Gyutaro mocked. "How old are you? Nine?"
"Just so you know, I'm not nine," Nezuko said, tightly clenching her fists. She could feel her nails digging into her palms and tried to relax. She couldn't lose her temper over something like this. "I'm twelve years old."
"Twelve? Come on! Are you kidding?"
Ume sighed, annoyed. "Gyutaro, leave her alone. Can't you see it's not worth talking to this brat?"
Nezuko gritted her teeth and quickly walked away. She slammed the door behind her and let out a sigh.
"What's wrong with those two!?" she mentally exclaimed. She headed towards the small stream and sat down nearby. She watched the fish swimming carelessly. She picked up a stone and threw it into the water, causing it to skip several times before sinking.
She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. She needed to calm down. "Tanjiro would have more patience with people like them," the girl thought. It was almost impossible to make her brother angry, no matter how much he was insulted. She wiped away the tears in her eyes and looked at her reflection.
"Where are you, Tanjiro?" she wondered. She missed him greatly, and the idea of Kokushibo's predictions coming true was terrifying.
Muzan glared at the kneeling Pillars in front of him. By his side stood Ayumi, who, in contrast, looked at the swordsmen with a mix of respect and admiration. She wore a dreamy smile that made Muzan's stomach turn. He still remembered their conversation weeks ago, and it seemed that his daughter had not given up on that absurd dream.
"I have read your reports," Muzan said, sternly, focusing all his attention on his subordinates. He would have a serious talk with his daughter about it later. "I can't believe you haven't even killed a Lower Moon yet."
"Since the incident with the Lower Moon One, they have become more cautious," Hakuji reluctantly admitted. It had been four years since then.
"They avoid us," Kokushibo added, staring at the ground as he felt Muzan's violet eyes piercing him. "I don't think it will be easy to find them."
"I don't want excuses!" Muzan exploded. Ayumi looked at him, surprised by his outburst of anger. "Your job is to eliminate demons," he snapped at them, lowering his voice slightly. "And it's something we haven't achieved all this time. How can you be Pillars if you can't even accomplish such a simple task?"
"I promise you, if I encounter another Lower Moon, I will easily dispose of them," Douma said, smirking, ignoring the contemptuous looks from several Pillars.
"I'm not interested in your promises, Douma. I want action. Words are meaningless."
"We will make an effort," Kokushibo said, hoping to appease their boss's anger. Muzan silently observed him for several seconds.
"And what's this I've heard about you finding a successor, Kokushibo?" Despite saying it calmly, the icy and threatening tone in his words was evident. "Have you forgotten your oath?"
"No, I haven't forgotten," Kokushibo said cautiously, choosing his words carefully. "That girl is not my successor. I am merely teaching her Moon Breathing, nothing more."
Muzan grumbled something under his breath, not entirely convinced by that response. However, fortunately for Kokushibo, he didn't press the matter further.
—I hope that for the next meeting, your reports will be more favorable," said Muzan, looking irritated at the Pillars.
They nodded and began to rise. Muzan watched solemnly as they departed after saying their goodbyes. When they were completely alone, he directed his full attention to Ayumi. The girl, seeing how he was looking at her, involuntarily took a step back.
—Ayumi—the icy tone still present in his voice, and his eyes revealed the anger that Muzan felt in that moment—. You're still considering joining the Corps, am I wrong?
—N-No, it's not like that!—the girl cried out, frightened. Muzan furrowed his brow and observed her, annoyed.
—Are you going to lie to your father?—he asked, sternly.
Ayumi, realizing what she had done, began shaking her head frantically, while apologizing over and over again. But it was already too late, the girl understood when she saw the adult pulling a wooden stick from his pocket.
—Extend your hands, Ayumi.
—Father, I'm so sorry!—the girl repeated, desperate—. I won't do it again! I promise!
—Extend your hands, now.
Ayumi started to cry and slowly obeyed her father. She tightly closed her eyes when the wooden stick struck her hands. She suppressed a scream of pain as she felt the subsequent blows.
—I hope this serves as a lesson, Ayumi—her father said, wiping the blood off the wooden rod with a handkerchief—. Now go to your mother to have your hands treated.
Ayumi didn't need to be told twice. She ran inside the house, ignoring the throbbing pain in her palms, which had open wounds that continued to bleed.
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