THE GREEK HASHIRA CHAPTER 7

Riding as fast as I could back to Hashira HQ I saw the other Hashira in view and ran inside while Ayano was shouting for me to slow down.

"Shinobu sensei!" I shouted as I rushed in.

Before I could say another word though I saw everyone standing around a body already wrapped up ready to go into a coffin. It had to be Rengoku.

Holding back tears I walked forward and placed my hand on the body and said, "who did this…"

Shinobu looked at me trying not to cry and said, "according to the young Kamado boy he was attacked by upper rank three, a master of martial arts."

I bit my lip and said, "wheres his Tsuba…"

Sinobu handed it to me and said, "as his only Tsuguko his Tsuba is yours to use…Rengoku also had one final request of for you Nikolaos"

Trying not to cry as Ayano finally ran in and broke down crying over Rengoku I said, "what was his final request…I swear by the river styx to do it."

Shinobu said, "he wanted you to train young Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zenitsu…a Kasugai crow came in while he was still around detailing how he believed the three could be the trump card they were waiting for."

I raised my eyebrow and said, "may I see the letter?"

Shinobu nodded and handed me the letter and looking it over he detailed how the boys had the fire but it was out of control they needed someone to hone their edge into strong katanas and he could think of no one better than his wise Tsuguko.

"Rengoku sensei…I will honor your dying request "I said crying my eyes out over the letter.

Ayano wrapped her arms around me as she said, "so what's the plan…"

Chuckling I said, "we're heading to the butterfly manor…we need to assess their skills first" before wiping my eyes and walking towards the body where I put two gold coins on it, walked out of the manor and went to my horse where I pulled out a gourd of Greek wine.

Returning back to the HQ and walking up to the body I looked at the others and said, "with your permission I would like to perform a funeral rite from my homeland."

They all looked at me and Gyomei said, "if this would put your mind at ease young Nikolaos do what must be done."

I bowed in appreciated and started to pour the wine on Rengoku Sensei's body as I chanted in Greek praying for the gods to bless his journey through the underworld to the field of wheat and the gates of Elysium before grabbing some wood and putting it around him. It seems Shinobu, Giyuu, Tengen and Mitsuri knew what I was about to do and helped me gather sticks for a funeral pyre.

Before setting it on fire I walked up to Rengoku sensei and bowed saying, "Sensei, I swear by the river Styx I will do my best to uphold your teachings, and make sure to continue training to be the best like you" before setting him on fire and keening over Rengoku Sensei in pain and sorrow.

When all was said and done, we drank to Rengoku Sensei using the remaining bit of the wine I hadn't poured over Rengoku sensei.

The master looked at me and said, "Nikolaos, what you were saying during your funeral rite, that wasn't modern Greek was it."

I nodded my head and said, "ancient Mycenean Greek, every soldier is taught it so they can perform burial rites while in combat for those waiting to go to the underworld, I blessed Rengoku's path to Elysium."

Gyomei drank the last of his wine and said, "Rengoku died fighting like a true warrior, I pray we would only have half his courage, a feat it seems only Nikolaos has come to."

Muichiro then said, "so far you have taken out three of the eclipses, right? Shouldn't you go out and kill the rest?"

I looked at Muichiro and said, "I was lucky to have found Farid last time…"

Ayano nodded taking a sip from her cup and said, "Muzan will have taken notice that three of his aces have been killed and be on the offensive even more, before he just wanted to kill slayers who fought like Nikolaos, but now I assume he'll be sending them after Nikolaos, or after Hashira…we'll have to be careful."

Sanemi looked at us and said, "tch let them come I can take them!"

Shinobu then said, "I think it would be wise to let Nikolaos take them on and not try to get involved Sanemi, we have our hands full as it is protecting our parts of Japan from demons and hunting down Muzan, if we went out of our way to hunt down an eclipse and got knocked out we might not be able to protect people from demons too strong for normal slayers"

Giyuu nodded and said, "I think that would be best…"

I chuckled before getting up and saying, "well it is time for us to head out, as much as I would love to mourn Rengoku Sensei more, Ayano is right, the Eclipses are going on the offense and must be taken out before we take down Muzan, that and I got three young slayers to start mentoring"

Shinobu looked at me confused and said, "you're leaving already?"

I nodded my head and said, "Rengoku trusted me with this request, so I wish to get right to it, for him."

Shinobu walked up to me crying and holding me tight and said, "swear by the river Styx you'll train these three as well as we did with you, and report regularly to me"

I laughed and said, "I swear sensei I'll train these three as hard as you and rengoku sensei did! And more importantly I'll make sure these three are ready for whatever comes their way!"

As I left HQ I was stopped by Obanai who looked at me and said, "you're making the rest of us Hashira look bad Nikolaos, I'd suggest changing"

Raising my eyebrow and looking down at him saying, "oh? And what do you mean!"

Obanai looked at me and said, "your tactics are brutish, your loud and cocky, and more importantly you have three eclipses, and loads of lower moons under your belt, I'm saying if you keep this up the master might get rid of the other hashira"

I laughed and walked away saying, "I think that might mean you guys need to step it up, you've relied on Rengoku, Shinobu, and myself to keep demons at bay, you'll need to step it up Obanai"

Approaching the butterfly manor, I laughed as I watched Hagenezuka chase after Tanjiro about his sword and watched as Hagenezuka soon stopped and allowed me to walk inside the manor to see Tanjiro with the other two training.

"ahh Nikolaos! What brings you here?" Aoi asked coming up to me.

I smiled and said, "I'm here for Tanjiro, Insouke and Zenitsu, I'm bringing them to the bronze Pavilion."

Aoi looked at me a bit shocked and said, "wait the bronze pavilion! Why, is HQ not satisfied with how things are going for them?"

I shook my head and said, "it's not that, its…well it was Rengoku sensei's final word that I train their wills and strengthen their bodies."

Aoi looked at me a bit shocked and said, "well now…I'll let them know and get some travel supply ready cause the journey is long to the bronze pavilion."

I smiled and said, "I can always count on you to be levelheaded Aoi"

Aoi laughed and left bowing as Ayano walked in too saying, "horses are all tied up, I'm gonna get something to eat really quick and then I'll meet you to talk to the others."

I nodded my head and walked over to the front of the manor to see Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke assembled with their gear.

Smirking I said, "well now you all seem strong! But your wills"

I then rushed Tanjiro and punched him in the stomach and felt nothing, his fire had been dimmed considerably.

"Your wills are only kindling…ever since Rengoku sensei's death, so I'll be taking you to train!" I gave them a serious look.

Suddenly Inosuke lunged at me shouting how dare I attack Tanjiro but I sidestepped him and suplexed Inosuke and as Zenitsu tried to attack me I blocked him and punched him square in the jaw.

"Weak, all three of you are weak! By the gods I knew you three needed help but I didn't realize how much help!" I shouted in rage before looking at Ayano who walking up with some dumplings.

Ayano whistled and said, "damn you really roughed them up, so what's the verdict?"

I sighed and said, "their wills have been diminished…is sad but I think it's needed to take them".

Tanjiro stumbled a bit and said, "wait s-so what's going on exactly?"

I chuckled and said, "consider this your wake-up call, in the past your training was all about japanese training philosophies, this time you'll be getting the spartan training doctrine drilled into your mind! Be ready for the Agoge!"

I then pointed at the box on Tanjiro's back and said, "and while we're at it I'll be having Ayano train Nezuko"

This shocked Tanjiro who said, "wait you mean your translator?"

I nodded and said, "she's not only my translator, she's also a demon, and a strong one at that!"

Ayano bowed and said, "I'll gladly help out however I can!" before flexing her muscles.

Tanjiro looked up at me with a smile and said, "we're ready for training Nikoalos!"

I smirked and said, "we're not training here, no I have a special training ground just right for all of this" before leading them outside to see Aoi with a carriage attached to our horses.

Aoi smirked and said, "everything is fully prepared for the trip lord Nikolaos."

I walked over and gave Aoi a head pat and said, "I am thankful for you as usual, Aoi"

Aoi smiled and along with the other three butterfly girls they bowed and said, "take care!" as we loaded everything up and started to ride off.

As we did Tanjiro leaned forward in the carriage and said, "Um lord Nikolaos can I ask you something?"

I nodded my head and said, "go ahead Tanjiro what's up?"

Tanjiro looked at me and said, "so you were Big Bro's Tsuguko…his first and only am I correct?"

I nodded my head and said, "I owe everything to Rengoku sensei, as you guys know I don't speak Japanese as well as the other Hashira, so I had no one to help me, he was the first one to help me out and taught me everything I needed to know about Japanese swordsmanship…"

Tanjiro chuckled and said, "so Rengoku sensei was just naturally helpful, you owed him everything."

I nodded and said, "correct, and as such I will be paying it back through the Agoge"

Zenitsu looked at me confused and said, "theres that word again…Agoge what is it?"

I chuckled and said, "it is the spartan training doctrine, it's what turned young boys into men and from men into Spartans, in the past many people died in the agoge, in some of the most brutal fashions too"

Zenitsu started to panic shouting about how he was going to die and be tortured to death and wanted to return to the butterfly manor which angered me a lot.

"Is this how you want to honor Rengoku Sensei! You want to cower behind walls and let demons kill innocent people! If that's how you want to act all the time give up, quit, hell commit Seppuku for all I care! Just remember when you cower someone innocent could have just died because you hesitated!" I shouted in anger looking back at the trio.

This calmed them down and Ayano put a hand on my shoulder in comfort as I took a deep breath in and said, "Apologies for that…I just hate seeing fear like that…look the Agoge I run isn't as bad as the ancient days but it will be tougher than anything you have faced I can assure you of that"

Soon though the bronze pavilion was in sight with what I dubbed slayer town surrounding it and with a smile I said, "Young Zenitsu, you asked where we were heading? Take a look over there" pointing to the bronze Pavilion.

Ayano sighed and said, "finally home!"

Tanjior whistled and said, "wooaaahh! What is that!"

Smiling I said, "a little slice of Greece in Japan, I welcome you to the bronze Pavilion! Welcome to my training ground where slayers of lesser quality become great hoplites as strong as Herakles!"

The bronze pavilion arc!

End of chapter:

Nikolaos: fwehahahahahaha! Finally my own arc! About damn time I get a whole couple chapters with the main trio!

Inosuke: fwegaragaragaragara ahhh great lion of Greece I can't wait to see how strong you are in combat!

Nikolaos: oh hohoho! Well now someone is hyped up! I like your will of fire young Inosuke! Tell you what if you show this same will how about I make you my Tsuguko and second protégé!

Ayano: OH HELL THE FUCK NO! PUTTING UP WITH ONE NIKOLAOS IS BAD ENOUGH DEALING WITH TWO WOULD BE FAR TOO MANY ALSO CAN SOMEONE GET THIS BRAT OFF ME! (zenitsu was holding on the Ayano simping like crazy)

Tanjiro: hahaha boy I have a feeling these next couple chapters are going to be interesting wouldn't you agree Nezuko?

Nezuko: MMPH! *Puffs out her chest and starts laughing like Nikolaos and Inosuke*

Ayano *looking horrified*: dear god his personality is infectious first rengoku, then Tengen, now Inosuke and Nezuko…. Well time to turn to drinking to get through this!

Nikolaos: and now time for a taisho era secret! Even though Ayano is a demon Wisteria poison isn't as dangerous to her, instead she gets rashes and becomes Ill instead!

Tanjiro: Next chapter! The bronze pavilion! Train as hard as you can till you die!