Kimetsu no Yaiba doesn't belong to me. This story is a translation of another fanfic of mine. I hope you like it!
Kyojuro listened to the crow. As the bird conveyed its message, the man became more convinced that it had to be some kind of nightmare. It couldn't be true, the master couldn't be dead.
"Rengoku?" Sumiko asked. She had been training with him in the courtyard when Kaname, the bird, arrived with the grim news. The Pillar looked at her and tried to hide his emotions; he couldn't let her see him like this.
"Go back inside, it's better if we stop the training for now," he said.
Sumiko looked at him hesitantly but nodded and went inside the house. Rengoku relaxed when he was alone and rubbed his eyes with both hands. It was too much. The Corps couldn't endure more blows like this.
They would probably keep the master's death a secret; it was too risky for such news to reach the demons' ears. Kyojuro didn't want to think about what a monster like Muzan could do. Nor was it something that lower-ranked soldiers needed to know.
He shook his head. Dwelling on that wouldn't do him any good. All he could do was prepare to attend the funeral. According to the crow's information, the Pillars and their successors were obliged to attend. They would likely have to pledge loyalty to the new master afterward.
Kyojuro wasn't entirely sure about the latter, and he couldn't ask the other Pillars either, as they, like him, had only served Kagaya Ubuyashiki. Kaname, his crow, landed on his right shoulder at that moment, and Kyojuro, still somewhat distracted, petted it.
"Thank you for letting us know," the man said.
"It's my duty," the bird responded, almost automatically.
Kyojuro didn't say anything else and, like his pupil, entered his house. They had arrived at his family's mansion the night before, returning from a mission in their territory.
He had to admit that Naoko had done an excellent job cleaning. When they arrived, Kyojuro couldn't help but notice that the whole house was spotless, not a speck of dust in sight. It's not that he had doubted that woman's abilities to do her job, but he liked seeing such great results.
He passed by the bathroom and heard the sound of running water. Sumiko must be taking a bath to wash off the sweat. It was something she usually did after training.
Aoi listened, surprised, to Giyuu. When the Water Pillar asked her to speak alone for a moment, the young woman had imagined everything but that.
"And well?" the man asked. "If you don't want to, it's fine."
"Are you sure I'm the right one to be your successor?"
"You have potential," he admitted. "I've been searching for someone to succeed me for a long time."
"It's a great honor," said the young woman. "I hope to live up to it and not disappoint you."
Giyuu nodded. He was glad she had accepted; now he only had to wait for her to be ready to replace him as the Water Pillar.
"Alright," the man continued, "I need you to accompany me to the master's mansion."
Aoi, caught off guard again, looked at him in disbelief. Giyuu, somewhat uncomfortable with that, cleared his throat a bit.
"All the Pillars and successors have to attend," he clarified. "Do you have a white kimono?"
"Yes, of course, why?"
"You have to wear that."
"But, isn't that clothing..." Aoi didn't finish speaking; she paled as she understood the implication of the adult's words.
"Yes. The master has passed away."
Aoi fell silent. She didn't know how to feel; the master's death didn't evoke any kind of emotion in her. All she knew was that he existed. She had never seen him. And now she was supposed to attend his funeral?
"I'm going to see if Shinobu has something I can wear," Giyuu said at that moment, leaving her alone there.
Aoi nodded and went to her bedroom. She went straight to her closet and took out the only white kimono she had.
She laid it on the bed and, after closing the door, began to take off her uniform.
Amane received the Pillars and the successors. She had been waiting for them at the entrance of her mansion.
"I'm glad you could all come," the woman murmured, looking serious. She had dark circles under her eyes, and the accumulated fatigue was evident.
"We are deeply sorry for your loss," Shinobu said, approaching her. Amane nodded and looked at the seven Pillars and the four successors.
"Please, come in," she requested, turning around, and the others followed her without saying a word.
Amane led them to a cemetery on a nearby hill. They entered and, after walking for a while, they stopped in front of a gate.
"This is where the Corps' masters are buried," the woman explained.
"Everyone buried here was a member?" Genya asked.
"That's correct, from the first generation of hunters to the current one," Amane replied, looking at him.
Genya, realizing at that moment that he had become the center of attention, lowered his gaze and took a couple of steps back, a slight blush of embarrassment covering his cheeks.
With some effort, the widow opened the heavy metal door, and they entered. They walked for a while among the different graves until they stopped in front of one, next to a group of children. All of them had white hair except for one, who had black hair.
Sumiko recognized two of them. One of the girls with snowy hair and the... girl? with black hair. Although, from the outfit she was wearing now, she seemed like a boy.
"Allow me to introduce my children," Amane said, pausing next to the children. "My two elder daughters, Hinaki and Nichika," she continued, and the two girls bowed their heads slightly. "My son, Kiriya," the woman continued, and the black-haired boy imitated his two sisters. "And my two younger daughters, Kuina and Kanata."
Sumiko followed the Pillars' example and bowed her head slightly as a sign of respect. She was nervous; it was the first time she attended a funeral like this. When she buried her family, she did it without any ceremony.
Daiki and Hideki waited nervously for their parents to leave. They had spent weeks planning how to escape and gathering money. They had asked their older sister, claiming they wanted to start saving to buy a gift for Azumi. Believing them right away, Mitsuri had sent them a considerable amount of yen.
They had kept the money in a piggy bank, waiting for the right moment to leave. Perhaps running away in broad daylight wasn't the best idea, but they couldn't risk doing it at night while their parents were at home. So, they decided to escape when their father went to work and their mother went out on errands.
"Are they gone already?" Daiki asked nervously. He had put on a black jacket over his blue kimono, ready to leave as soon as possible.
"I think so, yes," Hideki murmured. He dressed similarly to his brother and was the one carrying the money, tucked into a small leather bag. "Let's go, try not to make any noise."
Even though their parents had left, Azumi was still in the house, possibly cleaning, and they didn't want to risk her hearing them. They tiptoed down the stairs, avoiding the creaky steps.
They reached the hallway and remained silent, holding their breath. They were restless, able to hear their sister cleaning a nearby room. They exchanged glances and, after nodding, they moved toward the front door. They opened it, but upon hearing it creak a bit, they grimaced.
"Hideki? Daiki?" they heard Azumi ask, and they heard footsteps approaching. They panicked and, without answering, hurriedly left the house and closed the door. As soon as they stepped outside, they started running. They heard the door open, and Azumi called after them from the entrance, bewildered.
But neither of them had the courage to turn and look at her. They knew that if they did, they wouldn't be able to carry out their plan. And they had to go. If they wanted to join the Corps and follow in Mitsuri's footsteps, it was the only way.
They picked up the pace of their run and looked up at the sky. They had convinced one of the crows they used to send letters to their sister to help them find one of the instructors who trained future Corps members. Offering enough of their favorite treats had been enough to persuade him to assist them.
And now, the crow was showing them the way.
Hinatsuru and Makio were having a peaceful breakfast. They had returned to the Butterfly Mansion a few days ago and found the house half-empty. Only Kocho's three assistants and Rengoku's younger brother were there, and when they asked about the others, no one knew where they had gone. They could only say that it seemed to be something urgent.
Makio yawned a little. They had slept until late that morning due to the exhaustion accumulated during the week-long Final Selection.
"Sleeping in felt so good, didn't it?" the blonde-haired woman asked.
"Well, yes, it was quite refreshing," Hinatsuru responded and took a small sip of her coffee. She tried not to laugh; of the two, Makio was the one who had suffered the most from lack of sleep and hadn't fully recovered yet.
Makio left her cup in the sink when she finished her drink and looked at the other woman.
"Today, everything was supposed to arrive, right?"
"Yes," Hinatsuru confirmed.
She finished her coffee and left the cup in the sink, rinsing it with water as well. Although they already had crows, two males, they couldn't go on any missions until they received their uniforms, nichirin katanas, and identification cards that marked them as active members of the Corps.
"It's hard to believe that only one of us survived besides us," Makio said as the two women left the kitchen. "It wasn't that complicated either."
"I think it's common," the other woman commented, vaguely recalling the moment her husband took that test. If her memory didn't fail her, something similar had happened.
"It doesn't matter."
The conversation between the two women was interrupted by the sudden entrance of Kiyo, who was smiling from ear to ear.
"Your uniforms and two blacksmiths have arrived!"
Makio and Hinatsuru exchanged a quick look and, without a word due to nerves, followed the girl to the living room of the house. There, neatly folded on the table, were the two uniforms. And sitting in front of two cups of tea and some snacks, there were two men wearing Hyottoko masks, covering their faces. The two women noticed the two elongated packages wrapped in cloth that were near them.
"Good morning," both women greeted and sat in front of them, expectantly.
"Good morning," the two men replied and began removing the cloth from the packages, revealing two katanas sheathed in black scabbards. They handed them over, and Makio and Hinatsuru took them.
Nervous, aware of the importance of the moment, they unsheathed the nichirin katanas and held them vertically. They held their breath for a moment, but when the edges began to take on a golden color, they relaxed. For a second, they had feared that it wouldn't happen.
"What a beautiful color!" one of the blacksmiths exclaimed, observing the edge of the katanas with interest. "I've never seen anything like it!"
"Me neither," the other blacksmith acknowledged.
Makio's katana had an amber tone, while Hinatsuru's had the shade of gold. To their eyes, they were beautiful colors.
Genya squirmed nervously in his place. The funeral had already ended, and they were now in the home of the former head of the Demon Slayer Corps and his family. The Pillars now had to swear allegiance to the new leader.
They entered a room one by one, depending on the years they had been serving. The first to enter were the Water Pillar, Giyuu Tomioka, and his successor, Aoi Kanzaki, whom Genya knew from the times he had to go to the Butterfly Mansion.
The fact that the Wind Pillar had been glaring at him for a while only added to his discomfort. He didn't want to be there and wished the whole ceremony would end.
He saw Tomioka and Aoi leaving the room, and immediately, without being told anything, the Wind Pillar, Sanemi Shinazugawa, entered. Automatically, Genya relaxed, thankful to momentarily escape from it. He glanced at the others present; it was the first time he had the opportunity to meet other Pillars besides Shinobu Kocho.
He smiled a bit, barely perceptibly, as he noticed Sumiko and Kanao. Unlike him, they didn't seem nervous. Although they hadn't had a Pillar glaring at them with hatred either.
He averted his gaze when the door opened again, and Shinazugawa returned. Amane, the wife of the former head, peeked in and gestured for Kocho and Kanao to enter. The two women obeyed immediately, and Amane closed the door behind them.
He wanted to approach Sumiko and ask her about the ceremony. He didn't want to put his foot in his mouth and say something inappropriate, but doing so would make him the center of attention, and he didn't want that, especially now that the hateful glares of the Wind Pillar had returned. So, in the end, he didn't have the courage to go near the girl and ask her about it.
Several minutes passed, which felt endless to Genya, and he used them to look around, trying not to look at the others. He was sure that, by now, everyone had noticed his discomfort. And it was getting worse.
Lost in his thoughts, he didn't realize that Kanao and the Insect Pillar were leaving, and the Flame Pillar and Sumiko entered in their place after being called by Amane.
When those two came back, the Love Pillar, Mitsuri Kanroji, entered. And after her, it was the turn of the Serpent Pillar, Obanai Iguro. After him, the last and youngest of the group, Muichiro Tokito, who, at fifteen years old, held the position of the Mist Pillar.
Still, Genya only snapped out of his daze when he felt someone touch his arm. When he looked up, he met Sumiko's concerned face. The boy noticed that, as he feared, he had become the center of attention; all the present Pillars were looking at him.
"Are you okay?" Sumiko asked. "They called your name several times, and you didn't respond."
Hearing that, Genya blushed with embarrassment and, without replying to the girl, entered the room. Amane, who didn't seem bothered by what happened, entered as well and closed the door behind her.
In the center of the room, sitting on the floor, was the child who now held the position of the head. After hesitating for a moment, Genya knelt in front of him and swallowed hard. He didn't know if that's what he was supposed to do, but it was the first thing that came to his mind.
"Genya Shinazugawa, right?" the child asked, staring at him.
"Yes," the young man murmured, feeling his mouth go dry. He kept his gaze fixed on the floor, trying to relax.
"You were the successor of the Rock Pillar," the boy continued. Genya was about to answer again with a yes, but the boy kept speaking. "Do you swear to continue serving the Corps under my command?"
"Yes, but can I say something?" Genya wanted to know, hoping he wasn't overstepping with that request.
"What is it?"
"I... I can't use any kind of breathing. Someone like me will never become a Pillar," the boy declared.
"But you possess a unique ability, and Gyomei Himejima believed in you," the new head said. "Therefore, out of respect for his memory and his will, I will do the same. I have high expectations for you, Genya Shinazugawa."
Those words, far from calming him, made Genya's throat tighten, and he could barely muster the strength to nod.
"I swear to continue serving the Corps," he finally said, feeling as if those words were a death sentence.
Makio looked at herself in the mirror. She had just tried on the uniform, and she wasn't satisfied with how it fit. It was too tight, and it revealed quite a bit of her bust. There was no doubt it was too small, even though they had taken her measurements before making the uniform.
She glanced over at Hinatsuru, who was having the same problem. Resignedly, both women took off the clothes and put back on what they were wearing before.
"We'll have to ask them to make us a larger one," Makio said.
"Yes, fighting in something so tight won't be comfortable at all."
"Do you know who we should talk to?" Makio asked, but Hinatsuru shook her head.
"I think we'll have to wait for Kocho to come back. Maybe she knows," Hinatsuru said, adjusting her ponytail.
"I hope so."
Their two crows perched on the windowsill, staring at them intently. They were a male and a female. Makio had named hers Suma, and Hinatsuru had chosen to call hers Tengen.
"Now what?" Makio asked.
"I suppose there's nothing we can do until we have the uniforms sorted out."
"Do you want to take a walk around the village?" Makio suggested. It would help pass the time; they didn't have anything better to do. Hinatsuru thought about it for a moment but eventually nodded.
But as they were about to open the door to leave the estate, they ran into Kocho and Kanao. The Pillar smiled when she saw them. Hinatsuru also noticed Tomioka, Kanroji, and Aoi, who were following behind without saying anything.
"Congratulations on passing the Final Selection!" Kocho congratulated them at that moment.
"Thank you very much, Kocho, but..."
"Is something wrong?" Kocho asked, adopting an expression of concern.
"We received our uniforms today, and, well, they're too small."
"Oh, I see," Kocho said, rummaging through one of her pockets. She pulled out a matchbox and looked at them. "If you give them to me, I can fix everything in a jiffy."
"What are you going to do?" Makio asked, confused, looking at the matchbox.
"I'm going to set them on fire in front of the person who made the uniforms."
"Oh..."
Akiko was crying bitterly as she struggled to write a letter addressed to Mitsuri. She and her husband had returned home, and Azumi had told them what had happened. Hisashi immediately went out to search for their two sons, while Akiko and Azumi stayed home in case they returned.
Remembering how determined the two boys were to follow in their older sister's footsteps, Akiko had chosen to write to Mitsuri for help. She sobbed as she wrote, and some tears fell onto the paper, dampening it.
"Mother, do you want me to go to Hikari's house and ask for help?" Azumi suggested, peeking in. The adult woman looked at her and tried to hold back a sob. Seeing her in that state, the girl walked over to her mother and hugged her tightly, causing Akiko to break down crying and embrace her back.
"Hisashi went to ask for their help," the woman murmured once she had regained some composure, though she was still crying. "All we can do now is wait and ask Mitsuri for help."
Azumi noticed the letter, took it, and read what her mother had written. She folded the paper, whistled, summoning one of the crows they had, and when the bird landed on her left arm, she tied the paper to one of its legs.
"Please take the message to Mitsuri," the girl requested, and she opened the window. Both women watched as the bird took flight and quickly disappeared from their view.
"I hope we can find them before something happens to them," Akiko murmured, wiping away her tears.
She was starting to feel resentment toward the Demon Slayer Corps. Because of them, one of her daughters risked her life every day. And if they didn't stop Daiki and Hideki in time, they would end up the same way. And that anxiety was more than Akiko was willing to bear.
"I'm sure we will, Mother," Azumi said, trying to comfort her, but it didn't seem to help.
"If we hadn't let Mitsuri join, none of this would have happened," Akiko lamented. Azumi looked away, not knowing what to say, knowing that her mother was partly right.
Kokushibo was angry. After dealing with those Pillars, he had continued his mission, but since that day, he couldn't find any more wisteria houses.
He had already traveled through two villages, and not a single house bore the mark of the wisteria flower. Not being able to fulfill that part of his mission caused his rage, although deep down, he wasn't surprised that the hunters had made that decision.
He had no choice but to move on to the next part. He had to find the village of the blacksmiths or find Sumiko Kamado and turn her into a demon. The order didn't matter to him, though the latter was more likely to happen first.
He had to devise a plan because wandering aimlessly through the country without any clues about her whereabouts would be a waste of time.
He sighed and, after executing the Total Concentration Breathing, he started to relax. He would fulfill the missions his lord had given him, even if he had to move heaven and earth to do so.
See you soon with the next chapter! Don't forget to leave a review! I would love to hear your thoughts!