Kimetsu no Yaiba doesn't belong to me. This story is a translation of another fanfic of mine. I hope you like it!
Mitsuri reread the letter for the sixth time. She was lying on one of the beds in the Butterfly Mansion's infirmary when she received a message from her family. Unfolding the paper with a smile, she hoped to learn how they were doing. However, as she began to read, her smile faded.
In disbelief, she read the letter several times, trying to make sense of what her mother was telling her. Her mother was asking for help to find Mitsuri's two brothers. They had run away, and there had been no news of them.
She got up from the bed. She couldn't just sit around and do nothing. Mitsuri grabbed the uniform from the nightstand, which Shinobu had left there the previous night, and with it in hand, she headed to the bathroom to change.
She changed in record time, paying little attention while buttoning up, which caused her to do it wrong more than once and have to repeat it. She didn't even bother to braid her hair, which, completely loose, reached her hips.
Normally, she would have informed Shinobu that she was leaving, but this was an exceptional situation, and she hoped her friend would understand. Mitsuri adjusted the eyepatch over her useless eye and headed for the door.
"I don't recall discharging you, Kanroji," Shinobu said from behind her just as the Love Pillar was about to leave.
Mitsuri closed her eye, let out a sigh, and then opened it again. She turned and looked seriously at her companion.
"I know, and I'm sorry, but I have to go," Mitsuri apologized. "It's urgent."
"What's going on?" Shinobu asked, furrowing her brow slightly, leaving behind her previous reproachful tone. Whenever Kanroji needed medical attention, she behaved like a model patient. All of this was uncharacteristic of her.
"My brothers have run away from home," Mitsuri murmured, seeing no reason to hide it.
Shinobu, not expecting that, widened her eyes and fell silent. She approached Mitsuri and stopped in front of the Love Pillar.
"When did this happen?" she asked.
"I don't know, I think it's recent," Kanroji admitted. "I just found out."
"If you need help, let me know," Shinobu offered. Mitsuri nodded and opened the door, leaving.
The Love Pillar stopped in front of her house and, without bothering to call, opened the door using the key her parents kept under a nearby flowerpot.
As soon as she entered, she heard hurried footsteps, and her mother appeared in the hallway. The hopeful expression on the woman's face vanished instantly.
"Mitsuri!" she exclaimed, advancing toward her, looking in horror at the eyepatch covering one of her eyes. "What happened to you!?"
"Don't worry," the young woman tried to reassure her, but her words had no effect. The situation only worsened when Azumi and Hikari, who were also in the house, peered out to see what was happening and saw their older sister. Before they could say anything, Mitsuri continued speaking. "I assume Father is still searching. I want to help with that."
"He's been searching through the forest and the nearby village, but nothing. They haven't had any luck," her mother replied.
Mitsuri thought for a moment, trying to figure out where her brothers could be.
"They took one of the crows and two of the bags of wisteria flowers you gave us," said Azumi, looking serious.
"They might be on their way to an instructor's house," the Pillar of Love said. The three women looked at her, waiting for her to add more. Mitsuri was trying to remember, but she didn't know any of the other instructors aside from Kyojuro, who was her only mentor.
"Where?" Akiko asked, gripping her shoulders with some force. "If you know where they went, why are you standing here like a statue?"
"I really don't know," Mitsuri said, trying to stay calm for both their sakes. It was evident from the dark circles and sleepiness in her mother's eyes that she wasn't going through her best moment, and Mitsuri couldn't blame her. She herself was trying to maintain composure, even though she was far from feeling composed.
However, if her brothers had gone to such extremes to follow her path, Mitsuri doubted there would be any way to convince them to come back once they found them. She glanced at the street for a moment. The crows they had were perched on a wooden bar.
Since she received the letter until she arrived home, almost a week had passed. She wasn't completely recovered from her injuries, and unfortunately, she had to take the journey at a slower pace. Although the wounds no longer hurt, there was discomfort, and Shinobu was very clear about it—she had to take everything easy.
"I'll use one of the crows to take me to the nearest instructor's house," the Pillar decided. Her mother nodded seriously.
"If you find them, please let us know."
Daiki and Hideki looked at the house the crow had led them to. It was small, with a roof made of branches and white stone walls. It had a single window to the right of the door, with bars. Daiki shielded his eyes with his hands to protect them from the sun and tried to peer through the window, but Hideki stopped him.
"Well, it looks like this is the place," Hideki murmured. It had taken them two weeks to get there, and many nights they had to sleep outdoors, preferring to avoid populated areas in case they were being searched for.
Daiki stepped forward and knocked on the door. Both held their breath, nervous. However, no one came to open the door after a while.
"Maybe he's not home?"
"Who are you?" said a man behind them. The two young men jumped and turned around. It was a man with a red mask covering his face. He had gray hair and dressed simply—a blue kimono with wave motifs in white foam and black pants.
"We are looking for the instructor who lives here," Hideki clarified, serious. "Do you know him?"
"Who sent you?"
"No one. Do you know him or not?" Daiki insisted.
"It's me," the newcomer replied, examining the two boys with his gaze. "How old are you?"
"Fifteen."
"Both of you?"
"Yes," Hideki immediately responded.
"My name is Sakonji Urokodaki," the man introduced himself.
"Hideki and Daiki Kanroji," Daiki said, pointing to his brother with a finger of his right hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Urokodaki."
"We want to train to become demon slayers," declared Hideki.
"I'll have to see if you have what it takes first," Urokodaki told them. "Follow me."
Without waiting for them, the man started running towards the nearby mountain. The two boys, initially surprised by his speed, took a moment to react and follow him. Although Urokodaki remained within their sight, he never got too far away, but neither of them could keep up with his pace. The ascent was far from easy. As they climbed, it became harder to breathe, as if the oxygen was gradually diminishing.
They stumbled and fell several times but didn't stop. They weren't sure how long it took them to reach the top, but they eventually made it.
Urokodaki observed them while sitting on a huge rock beside the path. Due to his mask, they couldn't tell what expression he had.
"The test begins now," the old man said. "You have until sunrise to descend. If you fail, I won't accept you as my disciples."
Having said that, without giving them time to react, he ran down the mountain even faster than before.
The two boys didn't think twice and tried to follow him. It seemed too easy, and they expected to have plenty of time. However, their excess of confidence played against them. When Hideki stepped on a particular spot on the ground, a trap was activated, and a hole opened beneath him, causing him to fall. Daiki, grateful that it wasn't too deep, extended his hand and helped him out.
Sakonji calmly prepared breakfast, although there was still an hour until sunrise, he had already woken up. From time to time, he glanced at the door, waiting for the two young men to arrive at any moment.
He stirred the contents of the pot, which was heating up over the fire. He had prepared a hearty stew, with venison and vegetables from the garden he cultivated in his free time.
He slightly lifted his mask, revealing his mouth, and after taking a ladle, he tasted a bit of the stew. It was hot, but not boiling. He smiled a little, pleased with how it turned out.
He looked towards the door when he heard footsteps. The two boys entered, and Sakonji adjusted his mask, observing them. Daiki had messy hair filled with branches and leaves, and his clothes were stained with mud. Hideki, with similarly disheveled hair, had dirt and mud on his face, and one of his sandals was missing.
Urokodaki moved away from the pot and approached the two. He stood in front of them, not saying anything yet.
"Congratulations," he said, trying to maintain a neutral tone of voice. He was glad they had succeeded. If they hadn't been so dirty, he would have hugged them, but he didn't want to get dirty.
"We did it," Daiki murmured. They were exhausted and could barely keep their eyes open, but they were proud of what they had accomplished. They were one step closer.
"I have a couple of changes of clothes you can use. Change into something comfortable and try to rest a bit. Tomorrow we'll wake up at dawn," he said, offering them comfortable sleepwear.
The two boys didn't wait for him to repeat it. They took what he offered and, after asking where the bathroom was, they went to change there.
While they were doing that, Urokodaki took the opportunity to fill three bowls with the stew and placed them on the table. The boys returned, and the three sat down to eat. Urokodaki sat facing them and lifted his mask enough to reveal his mouth.
Daiki and Hideki noticed the visible scar on his lips. It ran vertically across his mouth. They looked away before the man could call them out for being impolite.
"I will teach you the Water Breathing," Urokodaki explained to them. Hideki opened his mouth and was about to protest. That was not what they wanted to learn, but before he could say anything, Daiki silenced him with a certain kick to the shin. The boy winced in pain but understood the message and said nothing.
"Thank you very much," said Daiki.
"Don't mention it, it's still too early," Urokodaki warned them. "You are in for a tough training." After saying that, the instructor began to eat. "Hurry up, or the food will get cold."
"Bon appétit," they both said and started eating.
Mitsuri and Hisashi were observing the house in front of them. It had taken them weeks to get there, as Mitsuri had to adjust her pace to her father's. He wasn't as fast as her, which had delayed their journey, but he insisted on accompanying her. And Mitsuri didn't have the heart to deny him that.
"Father," Mitsuri said, getting his attention. "If they have been accepted as disciples, there won't be anything I can do now."
The instructors were not active members of the Corps, so they weren't obligated to follow the Pillars' orders. They only answered to the Master.
"We can still do something, right?"
Mitsuri didn't respond. She approached the door and knocked. Seconds later, a man wearing a red Hyottoko mask opened the door and stared at the girl.
"Good morning, my name is Mitsuri Kanroji," she introduced herself respectfully. "I wanted to know if Daiki and Hideki Kanroji are here. I am their sister, and..."
"They are training in the mountains," Urokodaki interrupted. Mitsuri swallowed nervously. It was what she had feared.
"I don't care," Hisashi intervened, approaching the instructor in a threatening manner. "They are coming with us."
"Father, please," Mitsuri said, trying to calm him down before the situation escalated.
"They are my students at the moment. I accepted to train them two weeks ago," Urokodaki said, staying calm.
Mitsuri bit her lip. If that was the case, there was nothing she could do.
"I deduce from your uniform that you belong to the Corps," Urokodaki said, observing Mitsuri with interest.
"Yes, I am the Pillar of Love's Breathing. I apologize for not introducing myself properly before," Mitsuri apologized.
"Please come in," Urokodaki requested. "We can eat something while we wait for their return."
Hideki and Daiki entered the house with great difficulty. They were dirty and exhausted after descending the mountain, but upon seeing their older sister and their father, all that fatigue vanished. The two young men opened their eyes wide when they noticed the eyepatch Mitsuri was wearing.
Hisashi, as soon as he saw them, jumped up and approached them.
"What were you thinking!?" he yelled at them, completely losing his composure. "Do you have any idea how worried you had us all!?"
"We didn't think there was any other way," Hideki replied, somewhat arrogant, only to receive a slap from his father seconds later.
Mitsuri, who had also stood up, approached. And perhaps with more force than necessary, she separated them. She locked eyes with her two brothers and sighed.
"I can understand that you wanted to join the Corps. But running away from home wasn't the best way to do it," she scolded them.
"Are you going to force us to go back?" Daiki asked, tense. To their relief, Mitsuri shook her head. "But... what happened to your eye?" the boy finally asked.
Mitsuri let out a long sigh and placed her right hand on her eyepatch. She still wasn't used to it.
"It was a battle against an Upper Moon, one of the strongest demons there is," she explained. This caught Urokodaki's attention, and he looked at her with interest.
"An Upper Moon?" the old man asked, joining the conversation.
"Yes. The First," the young woman added.
"Did you defeat it?"
"I'm afraid not. It was too powerful," Mitsuri admitted and glanced at her brothers. "What breathing style are they learning?"
"The Water Breathing."
"Mitsuri! You're not thinking of letting them join the Corps, are you?" Hisashi exclaimed, realizing where the conversation was heading.
"I don't have the authority to stop them," she reminded him. "The instructors are not active members of the Corps."
"That's right," Urokodaki added seriously.
"But I would like to know something: are both of them suited for that breathing style?" she wanted to know. If not, perhaps she could do something.
"Why the question?"
"Because if one of them isn't, I would like the chance to train him personally."
"Mitsuri! That's enough!" Hisashi yelled angrily, but his words were ignored.
The Love Hashira knew that was her only option and hoped she could convince the man.
"I have created a breathing style, and I would like to pass it on and not let it be lost."
"You can find your own successor."
"I want it to be one of them," Mitsuri insisted. "I want the Love Breathing to be taught only to members of the Kanroji family."
That last part was a lie, but something like that wasn't so unusual among the hunters. She hoped it would help overcome Urokodaki's reluctance.
"I understand," the instructor said. It was not an unreasonable request. He knew of other families that followed that tradition.
"Can it be me?" Hideki asked seriously. He was unable to execute the Water Breathing forms properly despite weeks of training. Unlike Daiki, who had no problems.
Everyone's attention was on him, but the boy didn't flinch and looked at his sister, hoping she would accept.
Mitsuri exchanged a look with Urokodaki. She felt deeply relieved when the man nodded, accepting.
The only one not at all happy with all this was Hisashi. His children were not coming back home, although he was somewhat relieved to know that one of them would be under Mitsuri's tutelage.
With that slightly bitter taste in their father's mouth, the three of them left the house. Mitsuri stopped when they were far from the house and looked at the two men.
"Hideki, although I managed to get Urokodaki to accept, I won't name you my successor for now," she told him, and before her brother could protest, she added, "I'll do it once you've passed the Final Selection. And the same goes for Daiki".
Once both entered the Corps, no one would prevent her from doing that. And it was the best way to ensure her brothers' survival. If they passed the Final Selection, that is.
Muzan glared angrily at Kokushibo. The latter had come to the Infinite Fortress to inform him about the mission's status.
"And you let four Pillars escape?" Muzan asked.
"If it hadn't dawned, I would have killed them all," Kokushibo said, keeping his head bowed.
"You are Upper Moon One, the second most powerful demon," Muzan reminded him. "And what about your other mission?"
"I haven't found the girl yet," the demon admitted.
Muzan growled, furious. He had given him two straightforward tasks.
"I've planned everything carefully, my lord," Kokushibo said, trying to appease him. "They no longer have wisteria houses at their disposal to aid them."
"And then what?"
"I will find the village of blacksmiths and kill them all."
Muzan nodded, not entirely convinced. Those humans were particularly elusive, just like the Ubuyashiki family.
"Don't fail me, Kokushibo."
"I won't."
See you soon with the next chapter! Don't forget to leave a review! I would love to hear your thoughts!