Kimetsu no Yaiba doesn't belong to me. This story is a translation of another fanfic of mine. I hope you like it!
Kagaya was helped by Amane to sit up. The pain he had been feeling had worsened in recent weeks, making it impossible for him to stand for long periods of time.
"Thank you," murmured the man. His dependence on his wife had understandably increased.
"You're welcome," replied the woman, bringing the tray of food closer and, after informing the boss, began to help him eat. Amane hesitated for a moment before adding, "I sent the crows to notify the other Pillars about what happened to Tengen."
Kagaya nodded. They received the news the previous night and decided to wait until the next morning to communicate it.
"Can you collect Tengen's will?" he asked. He needed to give the late demon slayer's last will and testament to his two widows.
The woman nodded and got up. Every demon slayer, upon joining the Corps, drafted one. And it was the boss who kept them jealously until the time came.
Amane left the bedroom and headed towards the archives room where all those documents were kept.
It was a large room with several shelves that reached up to the ceiling. In each of the neat compartments, there were rolled-up papers held by a ribbon.
Those belonging to the Pillars were placed in a slightly separate area, and to reach them, Amane had to climb a ladder.
She found the one that belonged to the Sound Pillar and climbed down the ladder. They had a procedure for these situations. The boss had always liked to deliver it in person, but given his current condition, Amane doubted that was going to be possible anymore.
And she was gradually taking on more responsibilities. Although she always made sure her son was present. He needed to be prepared for when it was his turn to succeed his father as leader of the Corps.
She sighed a little, increasingly aware that her husband's death was just around the corner. No matter how much longer he had lived than the doctors thought, the disease that plagued him was still advancing.
She pushed those thoughts out of her mind. It wasn't good to dwell on it. After all, there was nothing she could do to prevent it. Her only function right now was to make Kagaya's life more comfortable.
It was her duty as a wife. And Amane fulfilled it to the letter. She returned to the bedroom and approached Kagaya with the paper in her hand.
"I found it," she said softly. The man nodded slightly.
Shinobu got up early. She had a lot to do that morning, and it was best to start as early as possible. As expected, Tengen's sudden death had caused the boss to organize an emergency meeting.
They had to take care of the territory he had protected. And being adjacent to the regions that Tomioka and she supervised, it was quite likely that it would be divided between them. After all, the Chûbu region was very extensive.
She left her bedroom and went to the kitchen to prepare something for breakfast. She had to wait for Rengoku to wake up, so she still had some time.
She made herself some coffee and poured it into a cup. She had become fond of that drink, it helped her wake up in the mornings and when she had a mission, it also kept her awake.
She turned around when she heard footsteps and saw Hinatsuru and Makio come in. She left the cup on the table for a moment.
"Do you want something for breakfast?" she asked kindly. Both women declined, in those moments, the last thing they were thinking about was eating.
"Thanks, but we have upset stomachs," Hinatsuru apologized.
Shinobu bit her lip a little, thinking she understood how both of them felt. She took her cup again and prepared to take a sip.
"There's something I'd like to ask you," Makio approached her until she was facing her. "I want to join the Demon Slayer Corps."
That statement completely caught the Insect Pillar off guard, causing her to choke and cough.
"Excuse me?" she asked when the coughing subsided.
"I was thinking about it all night," explained Makio. "I want to learn Total Concentration Breathing too."
"And you want me to teach you," Shinobu finished drinking her coffee and left the cup in the sink. "And what breath do you want to learn?"
"The Sound one, of course," the kunoichi didn't hesitate. It was the only way she could think of to honor her husband's memory.
Shinobu watched her silently for a few seconds before responding, "I think you should think about it carefully. It's not a decision that should be taken lightly."
"I'm pretty sure about it," the other woman replied. She had no intention of changing her mind. And she knew what the life of the soldiers in the Corps was like.
"I've been thinking about it too," Hinatsuru admitted. "Kocho, we know exactly what we're up against. And we have to do it. For Suma and Tengen."
The Pillar nodded, serious. She was about to say something else, but the arrival of Rengoku saved her from that.
"Good morning!" he greeted with his usual energy.
"Good morning, Rengoku," she replied, grateful he was there. "Do you want coffee?"
"Yes, thank you very much. Do you have milk and sugar?" Rengoku didn't like the bitter taste of black coffee.
"Of course." As she spoke, Shinobu walked over to one of the shelves, opened the door, and took out the jar where she kept the sugar and placed it on the table. Then she grabbed the milk bottle she kept in the fridge and handed it to her companion.
Makio and Hinatsuru muttered a quick excuse and left the kitchen, leaving the two Pillars alone. Shinobu relaxed a little.
"The boss has called an urgent meeting," she commented, serious.
"I know, we can't delay much longer," Rengoku took a couple of sips of his coffee with milk, savoring it.
Amane, who had been reviewing some books, sighed a little when her oldest daughter came to let her know that the Pillars were already there.
This time she would preside over the meeting. Although she felt somewhat nervous, she made sure to keep her face impassive.
"Thank you for letting me know," she said as she put the book back in its place. The girl nodded and stayed waiting for her mother to approach her.
"Let your brother know, I want him to be present too." Even though he was only six years old, Kiriya had to get used to it.
Hinaki nodded and quickly left.
Sanemi still couldn't believe the news. Tengen couldn't be dead. Given the situation the Corps was going through, losing one of the Pillars was a heavy blow. He, Giyuu, and Gyomei had been the most veteran members of the group.
And they didn't have anyone who could fill the void left by Tengen. He trusted that the boss had thought of something to mitigate the effects. Yes, he was sure he already had a solution.
That's why his surprise, seeing that those who came were his wife and eldest son, was enormous.
"Has something happened to the boss?" he couldn't help but ask. He was worried about Kagaya's health.
"His health has worsened," she explained, "so from now on, I will preside over the biannual meetings."
The Pillars exchanged a worried glance. None of them were sure how to act, although they knew the woman, she had never attended any meetings.
"We're very sorry to hear that," Mitsuri took the initiative to express that.
Amane nodded. "I've called you together following the death of the Sound Pillar," she confessed.
"It was the Sixth Upper Rank, wasn't it?" Muichiro asked.
"Yes, that's right." Amane looked at him and sighed. "We don't have much information about that demon. The only thing we know is that he was hiding in the Red Light District."
"We should investigate that place," Giyuu suggested, serious.
"It's too risky." Amane doubted it would be a good idea. "We don't know if he's still there or not."
They couldn't rush into things. They had already lost a Pillar, and she wouldn't send others to die there.
"Are you suggesting we do nothing?" Sanemi couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"I'm not going to send anyone to certain death." Amane held his gaze, feeling unafraid. "Now we need to focus on assigning someone to cover Tengen's territory."
"Can I suggest something?" Kocho asked. Amane nodded, and the Insect Pillar cleared her throat for a moment. "Tomioka and I can split that area. After all, our territories were adjacent to his."
Amane smiled a little, with some relief. That was the most convenient solution, and it seemed to have convinced the rest of the Pillars.
"I think it's a good idea," Amane said aloud. "But that wasn't the only thing I wanted to talk to you about."
"What's going on?" Obanai wanted to know.
"The appearances of demons have multiplied in recent months, and we don't have enough personnel to cover everything."
It was a problem they had been struggling with for some time now. And with the recent events, it had worsened.
"We'll do our best to make up for that!" Rengoku promised.
"I trust you," Amane relaxed a bit. They could recover, no, they had to. There was no other viable option.
Senjuro was completely focused on the task at hand. He had started restoring the first of the Flame Pillars' diaries.
He had never reviewed them before. And, so far, the first one seemed quite interesting.
It was about the origin of the Flame Breathing. What had caught his attention the most was discovering that it in turn came from another, the Sun Breathing. Senjuro had never heard of it.
He sighed a bit, if he could, he would have asked his brother. But Kyojuro was out at the moment. He paid attention to the notebook again and continued with the transcription, as he wanted to make the most of the remaining daylight hours.
"Senjuro?" He had been so focused on his task that he hadn't heard someone calling him. He turned around startled and saw that Aoi was in the room. "I've been calling you for a while and you weren't responding."
"Sorry, I didn't hear you," the boy apologized, quite embarrassed.
"Do you want something?" As soon as he asked that question, he felt stupid. Of course she wanted something, otherwise she wouldn't have come in.
"Several patients have arrived. We're a bit overwhelmed."
"I'm coming." Senjuro put away the pen he had been using to write and, after leaving everything neatly arranged, followed the girl to the infirmary.
There were about seven hunters there with wounds of varying severity. The best off had only superficial injuries, but the most serious had lost his right eye and several fingers on his left hand.
"I need you to help me hold him," Aoi asked, advancing towards the young man with the most serious injuries. She was going to have to sedate him.
"Sure." Senjuro, who had had to do that several times before, obeyed immediately while the girl prepared the appropriate dose.
Once she had it, he approached both of them and rolled up the soldier's right sleeve. "Please squeeze your fist," she asked him. She needed to find the vein to inject the substance.
The young man obeyed immediately, and when she found it, Aoi plunged the needle into that area and administered the sedative.
"It will take a while to take effect," she warned him. "And you'll start feeling more and more drowsy."
It took a long time to take effect, which they took advantage of to attend to the others. Bandaging wounds and giving necessary medications.
Aoi lay down on the bed. It had been a hectic day. Although she appreciated it, the girl found it difficult to stay still and do nothing.
Her gaze landed on the sword leaning in one of the corners of the bedroom. She had not wielded it since the day of the Final Selection, years ago.
She must have seemed like a coward, while others like Kanao, Shinobu, and Sumiko risked their lives, she stayed there, not doing much.
This feeling of guilt had intensified when she learned Senjuro's story. And she had put all her effort into keeping him from finding out why she didn't fight. She believed that if he knew, he would hate her.
She had started practicing the Water Breathing technique again. Although the years without using it had taken a toll on her, and she did not move as agilely as she should, with practice, she would remedy that.
She got up and took her weapon. She unsheathed it and examined the blade. It was dark blue, the characteristic color of those who practiced the Water Breathing technique.
Once she was ready, she would start going on missions. She still felt some fear, knowing the fate that many of them faced. She had already discussed it with Shinobu, and the Insect Pillar, though somewhat surprised, supported her.
Aoi couldn't blame her for being bewildered. But she couldn't keep hiding and using her fear as an excuse. Didn't the other hunters feel the same way at some point? And yet, they were capable of moving forward with their heads held high.
Hinatsuru and Makio knelt in front of Uzui's grave. He had been buried next to Suma.
They had received Tengen's last wish from his boss. He wanted them to have a peaceful life, away from the Corps.
But neither of them was willing to do that. They couldn't do that knowing that the demon who had taken away both of them was still alive somewhere.
They saw no other way. They hoped Shinobu would agree to teach them Total Concentration Breathing. And then they would master Tengen's breathing style.
They placed two bouquets of flowers on each of the graves. Neither of them was certain they would ever meet their killer, but the least they could do was carry on their husband's legacy.
The two had decided not to return to what had been their home until then. Without Suma and Tengen, it was too empty.
The two women broke down in tears at that moment. Hinatsuru hugged Makio, who leaned on her, grateful for that support. Right now, more than ever, they needed each other to keep going.
After a while, when they felt somewhat calmer, they got up and, after taking one last look at the place where the other two rested, they left.
It would take them a couple of hours to get to the Butterfly Mansion, but they didn't mind. They would take advantage of that time to calm down. Neither of them said a word, but the silence wasn't entirely unpleasant to them.
If Suma had been there, on the other hand, she would have been talking all the time, trying to make conversation.
Makio wiped away the tears that came to her eyes. She still hadn't completely come to terms with the fact that she would never see them again. It hurt, more than the kunoichi was willing to admit.
All she wanted was for it to get better over time. Although the idea of getting used to Tengen and Suma's absence made her feel sick. She glanced at Hinatsuru, at least she wouldn't be completely alone. They would support each other.
"Do you think she'll agree to teach us that?" Hinatsuru asked at that moment.
"I hope so." If she didn't, they would have to find an instructor and get him to accept them.
Giyuu followed Shinobu and Rengoku in silence, having agreed to accompany them to their home to talk about how to divide the territory of Tengen.
"How's everything in your territory?" the woman asked, glancing at her companions.
"Good, I've only come across weak demons," Giyuu replied. The Upper Moons and/or Lower Moons were not easy to find. They were capable of hiding their presence much better than low-level demons.
"I'm glad to hear that," Rengoku chimed in. "Everything has been quiet in my territory lately."
Shinobu nodded. "Do you have any missions now?" She didn't want to keep Giyuu any longer than necessary if that was the case.
"No, not at the moment."
"Perfect." Shinobu considered telling him directly about Aoi's situation. "Have you thought about choosing an apprentice?" Rengoku looked curious when he heard Shinobu's question.
"I didn't know you had any intention of teaching anyone!" exclaimed the Flame Hashira, realizing how little he knew about his companion.
Giyuu shook his head. "I haven't had time to even consider that."
"One of the girls who works for me practices Water Breathing," the woman then commented, as if it were nothing.
"And you want me to accept her as a student," Giyuu deduced, looking at his companion for the first time since they started walking.
"I would like that, yes." If Aoi traveled with Giyuu, Shinobu would feel much more at ease.
"I understand, I have no problem with that."
Shinobu couldn't contain her sigh of relief. For a second, she had feared that Giyuu would refuse.
"Thank you very much, Giyuu." She noticed that her companion stopped abruptly and only then realized. She had called him by his name. But when she turned to apologize, thinking she had bothered him, she saw that the man was smiling.
Rengoku, who had remained silent, also noticed and looked surprised at both of them. Was he missing something? He wasn't entirely sure, but they seemed closer than the last time he had seen them.
"You should smile more," Shinobu commented when she recovered from the impression, and Giyuu resumed his usual impassive expression.
"I agree!" Kyojuro agreed.
Aoi had been in the backyard practicing the ten forms of the Water Breathing technique when Shinobu, Kyojuro, and Giyuu arrived. She was so focused on what she was doing that she didn't hear them approaching. The three Pillars stood silently observing her.
"Relax your legs a little," Giyuu instructed, startling the young woman, who turned around and saw them.
Shinobu chuckled a bit at the girl's surprised expression. "I'll leave you to practice alone."
"K-Kocho," Aoi tried to stop her, but Shinobu had already entered the house. Rengoku, mumbling an apology, soon followed suit and left.
"Shinobu asked me to train you," Giyuu explained, approaching Aoi, serious. "Do you mind going through the ten forms?"
Aoi, who was still not fully recovered from her surprise, hastened to comply. Under the watchful eye of the Pillar, she paid attention to his corrections.
"Like this?" the young woman asked, after adjusting her posture once again. She had already started to sweat, but she didn't stop to rest.
"You have your shoulders too tense," Giyuu pointed out. Aoi nodded, but she couldn't be completely relaxed in the presence of one of the Pillars. She tried to do so and continued with the training. And, at Tomioka's order, she repeated all the forms again.
Shinobu saw Hinatsuru and Makio in the tea room. In front of them was a tray with two cups. The two women seemed engrossed in conversation.
"Hello," greeted the newcomer, approaching and sitting in front of them. She had agreed to talk with Giyuu about those issues later that night, after dinner, so she had plenty of time.
"Hello, Kocho," both women replied. Makio looked at her seriously and added, "Have you considered our proposal?"
"Are you sure that's what you want?" Shinobu hesitated for a moment. She could refuse, but from the determination she saw in their eyes, that wouldn't stop them.
"We'll start at dawn tomorrow. I'll be waiting for you in the training room, do you know where it is?"
"Yes, don't worry. We'll be there," said Makio, relieved.
"Thank you very much, Kocho, really," Hinatsuru said.
Shinobu forced a smile and shook her head. "It's nothing."
She hoped she was doing the right thing, but she wasn't sure if that was what Tengen would have liked. But she couldn't turn back now. She just hoped everything would be okay.
Rengoku went to look for Senjuro, as one of the girls had told him that the Pillar was in his room. He gently knocked on the door and asked, "Senjuro?" hoping that his brother was still inside.
He heard a chair being moved and footsteps approaching. Seconds later, the door opened, revealing a smiling Senjuro.
"Brother! Come in, come in."
Kyojuro chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm and entered the room immediately. "I'm glad to see you too. How's everything going?"
"Good. As usual," the boy replied. "I started transcribing the first notebook already."
"And how are you doing?" Rengoku asked.
"I haven't had much time," the boy admitted. "I've only typed up ten pages so far. Can I ask you something that I read there?"
"Of course!" the Pillar exclaimed. "Although I'm not sure if I can answer it."
"In the little that I've read, the Breath of the Sun is mentioned several times. Have you heard of it?" Senjuro asked.
"No, I don't know it," Rengoku replied. It was the first time he had heard of it. As far as he knew, the original Breathing Techniques were the Flame, Water, Wind, Stone, and Thunder. The rest were just adaptations.
Giyuu stopped at Shinobu's office. They had agreed to talk there about the distribution of territory.
He knocked on the door softly.
"Come in, Giyuu!" came the muffled voice of the woman from inside. He obeyed and, after entering, closed the door.
Shinobu was sitting in her chair, in front of her work table. On it, there was a map spread out and held in the corners with four stones.
Giyuu sat in front of her and looked at the paper. It was a political map of Japan, with all its regions marked in different colors.
Shinobu had divided the area that had belonged to Tengen into two equal parts.
"I was thinking about how we could do it," the woman admitted. "And I believe this is the best way."
Giyuu observed the map for a few seconds, thoughtfully. "I agree, Ko-Shinobu." He had hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he had decided to follow her lead and address her informally. "Can I call you that?"
The woman smiled slightly and nodded. After all, it was quite fair, and, to be honest, it was not something she found unpleasant. "Sure, don't worry. After all, we are friends."
Giyuu opened his eyes wide in surprise at that statement and, for the second time that day, he smiled.
See you soon with the next chapter! Don't forget to leave a review! I would love to hear your thoughts!