Years Ago

The Ubayishiki estate was a grand site with a wood manor and a pebble courtyard. A small pond was near its wooden base and low-hanging walls, where deeply rooted wisteria trees surrounded the base. The grassy landscape surrounding the estate made it seem like a picturesque place to spend one's final remaining days. It was gorgeous.

My fingers are beginning to numb...

No one knew that better than Kagaya Ubayishiki, who had never left the estate due to his body and had buried both his father and grandfather in it. He knew the beauty of this estate—every inch of it.

When will these flowers become featureless?

His favorite spot was on the balcony overlooking the courtyard of pebble and stone. His fingers fiddled with a flower his new children had given him, a gift they had picked out from the garden. He twisted it as he heard his wife walk out behind him, "Dear, Kanae has come back with a report."

Kagaya thought it was funny that Amane was as beautiful as this white Lillie in his fingers yet nowhere near as frail. He was the frail one.

"As well as a guest."

What a twisted yet beautiful thing.

"Should I bring them in?" Amane asked, unaware of her husband's thoughts, as he twisted the flower in his hands before setting it gently between the oak floorboards and nodding, "Bring the guest first."

Kagaya had a feeling, one he had from time to time.

"I wish to speak to him alone."

It was as if the wind was whispering into his ears.

"I will address Kanae afterward," Kagaya said with a grateful smile towards his wife as she nodded and left to fetch the guest. The minutes passed as Kagaya peacefully fiddled with the flowers peaking out of the floorboards before he heard the door behind him open and turned to see a teenager, about 16 years of age, walk in.

Ah...

He wore a half-and-half haori. One side was adorned with checkered yellow and green triangles, the other a deep red. The boy also had black, messy, shoulder-length hair, a blue sword by his waist, and blue eyes that functioned as a mirror of misery.

What a painful sight.

The misery that boy must have experienced.

"My name is Kagaya Ubayishiki." Kagaya said softly, his lips curled up slightly as he watched the boy's dead eyes widen at his soothing words. The surprise faded a second later as the boy's black and frankly dull expression returned. The silence was telling as the boy bowed his head in a respectful yet hesitant greeting, "My name is Giyuu..."

How fascinating.

"Giyuu Tomioka"

Kagaya had never met someone quite like this.

"I am sorry for disturbing you," the boy said remorsefully, surprising Kagaya once again in his demeanor. The boy was respectful, and more than that, he was quiet, near silent, in every word he uttered, "I was told I needed to report on my past missions."

Kagaya was curious... but formalities were essential.

"If it is alright, I will do so now."

Kagaya could hold it until the report was out of the way.

"Please do," Kagaya said with a simple smile. His voice again elicited slightly, lowering the Giyuu's raised shoulders before the boy delved into his explanation. Giyuu recounted the nest he had encountered earlier and the others he had faced since the final selection. Since he hadn't been using a crow and mostly wandered around aimlessly, he was the only one with the official tally of the demons he'd slayed. It was Kagaya's first time hearing of it.

Giyuu Tomioka...

Yet the more he thought about it, this may not be the first time this swordsman's name reached his ears. It tickled his memory. The wind whispered a long-forgotten conversation he'd had with his children after they returned from monitoring the final selection two years ago.

Why does that name sound familiar?

Kagaya furrowed his brows in concentration as the boy finished recounting his ventures. The final count of the demons he'd slayed was 53 in two years, the number staggering but not nearly as staggering as when Kagaya realized where he had heard the name from. His children had told him that one recruit vanished after the strange final selection two years ago.

He was a part of the lucky batch...

It was strange because only one aspiring demon slayer died during it.

I thought most of them had been picked off by now.

Unfortunately, the luck those survivors were granted in the final selection didn't carry over to their missions. Most of them had died, only a handful were still around, and this stranger was by far the most impressive of the group. He had slayed 53 demons.

"Giyuu..."

That was a feat only a Hashira was capable of.

"Is it safe to assume you practice Water Breathing?" Kagaya asked softly as he watched Giyuu's eyes widen imperceptibly. His fingers fiddled with the sky blue sword at his waist, a dead giveaway, before he nodded slowly, "I do."

"But you didn't stay to get an ore after the final selection?"

"...I didn't."

"Then, can you tell me how you acquired that sword?" Kagaya asked sympathetically. He wasn't accusing, but he was confused. The only way to get a Nichiren sword was to have one granted after the final selection or gifted one by a past member of the corps. Trainers usually.

"...my Master gave it to me."

Who could have trained such a swordsman?

"Could you tell me who your master is?"

Kagaya needed to know, as the head of the demon corps, if another high-caliber swordsman wasn't being utilized properly. If the student followed the master's example, then two Hashira-level swordsmen hadn't come forth to be recognized. That couldn't continue, but after a few moments of silence, and as Kagaya watched the boy's face somehow fall even further, he realized it wouldn't be an issue.

"Sakonji..."

The boy's master was already retired.

"Sakonji Urokodaki."

A retired Hashira, at that.

"Sakonji trained you?" Kagaya asked for confirmation as the boy nodded. The silence stretched as Kagaya hummed in thought before pushing the topic aside. He had been unaware that the former Water Pillar had taken on a student, as the man was a very private individual. Kagaya would write a letter asking for an explanation and informing the man of his student's previous activities while out of contact with the Demon Slayer Corps.

"Well, I suppose that would make sense..."

As well as his student's vast accomplishments.

"Only he could have trained someone of your caliber," Kagaya observed as he noticed the boy shift uncomfortably at his praise. The seconds ticked by as the two settled in a tense silence before Kagaya brought up the main issues of the previous conversation.

"You will need to be given a crow from now on..."

Kagaya couldn't let the boy continue his unmonitored activities.

"As well as your own sword."

It would be a waste of his ability.

"You are now ordered to rest in this estate for a few days, during which you will be provided all the necessary commodities," Kagaya ordered as he watched the boy's eyes droop further downwards. The unsaid dissatisfaction brimmed beneath the boy's skin before he bowed and murmured, "Yes, Oyakata-sama." The boy then stood, expressing an apparent desire to leave, but his expectations were shot down as Kagaya spoke with a sympathetic voice.

"As for what you've told me..."

Kagaya couldn't be merciful to all his children.

"I have no reason to believe you have lied."

The wind didn't need to whisper for him to realize that the boy in front of him had been through far too much. He looked a second from breaking, and even though he was held together, it was only a matter of time before he shattered. Kagaya couldn't let that happen. After the final selection, he had already failed to support the boy. He refused to fail again.

"Giyuu Tomioka..."

The boy looked lost and disheveled. The stories Kagaya heard made it seem like the boy was looking for a demon to kill him—a monster he couldn't defeat, but by fate or fortune, he had failed. Now, Kagaya stood before a boy who had all but given up on living, so even if cruel and selfish, Kagaya would give the boy a reason to live.

"As a reward for defeating over 50 demons..."

Responsibility was a privilege as well as a curse.

"You will, at this moment, take the position of the Water Hashira."

Kagaya was willing to curse the boy if it meant he could live.

"I will not change my mind on this matter," Kagaya said sternly as he watched the boy's eyes shake at the news. The boy's entire face was pale, and his mouth was open for a second to challenge him before the boy gave up and nodded slowly. His gaze was dead as he turned to leave before Kagaya commented with a deeply sympathetic and remorseful tone.

"If there is anything you need, feel free to ask."

The pillars were Kagaya's arms and legs.

"I will give you anything you desire as long as it is in my power."

He knew best that he had to treasure every one of them, and while he hadn't expected the request the newest pillar made, he was more than happy to comply with it. It was the least he could do after shoving such a burden on a broken soul.

"An old crow..."

A broken soul with beautiful swordsmanship.

"I would like an old crow," the boy murmured, and Kagaya nodded. His eyes quirked in interest, and he asked, slightly curiously, "Is there a reason why?"

It was a strange request, but the response made Kagaya confident he had made the right decision.

"I don't want any of the younger ones to be wasted on me."

The title pillar couldn't have been granted to a more deserving person.

"I'll make sure it is a retired crow," Kagaya said as he watched the boy nod somberly before leaving through the door to the manor. The door shut, only to open a minute later as Amane walked out with a slight bow and a soft question: "Should I bring in Kanae now?"

"In a moment," Kagaya murmured as he turned to the courtyard, his gaze soft and his mood somber. With a knowing tone, he asked, "You're curious?"

"It isn't every day a new hashira pops up out of nowhere." Amane admitted with a shrug as she sat beside her husband, her words earning a soft chuckle out of Kagaya as he shook his head, "Well, that is fair, although I wouldn't say he came out of nowhere. Sakonji trained him."

"The former Water Pillar?" Amane asked with a wide-eyed expression, her disbelief traded for astonishment as Kagaya nodded. Her mouth was slightly agape as she turned towards the pond in the courtyard and mumbled, "I thought he isolated himself from the corps."

"I suppose he didn't."

"Will the boy be able to handle it?" Amane asked honestly, not because she didn't believe in her husband's choice but because Urokodaki was legendary. One of only two living hashira to retire from old age, his reign as the Water Hashira was the longest in recorded history.

"If you are asking if he'll live up to the title of the Water Hashira, then I have full faith in him."

Water breathing was the most common style in the corps; out of the multitude of slayers, only one stood above all of them and had done so for decades.

"If you are asking if he will live up to Sakonji..."

Amane didn't expect Urokodaki to have a student but was grateful.

"I would have to say no."

Urokodaki having a student was an unimaginable boon for the corps.

"Sakonji is old for a reason."

Even if the student had never reached the same heights as his predecessor.

Present Day

Atop Sagiri mountain, hidden in fog and memories, two figures could be seen near a lake of empty graves. They held blue swords, one sky blue and one the deepest shade of azure. They flashed in and out of sight, coursing water streaming from their blades as sparks flew through the night air. Eventually, a loud clang echoed through the mountaintop, and a deep blue sword fell to the ground, followed by a young man with messy, long black hair. The dirt was strewn across the area as the man laid his back to the ground, his half-and-half haori to the dirt as he dully looked up at a red tengu mask that failed to hide his master's disappointment.

"Giyuu..."

Urokodaki's mask might as well have mirrored his actual expression.

"Why did you give up so soon?"

Urokodaki had won. He hadn't wanted to. He wanted his son to surpass him, but it was impossible. The idea of victory wasn't even a thought in Giyuu's head. It was pathetic but nothing compared to what else Urokodaki had glimpsed from their spar. "Why have you stopped training, Giyuu?"

His son hadn't trained in months, maybe years. It was inexcusable.

"Answer me." Urokodaki accused as a trail of blood trickled down his lips. His attention was unwavering as he ignored the way his stomach was contorting in pain and saw his stubborn, bull-headed son look at him with the dullest blue eyes imaginable.

"It doesn't matter..."

Giyuu's tone was dead.

"My strength is not enough to survive as a pillar."

Giyuu's smell was utterly exhausted, and his eyes were lightless.

"I will die regardless of whether I train or not."

Giyuu's body moved slowly, as if programmed to, as he stood up, grabbed his sword from the ground, and sheathed it without a word. Urokodaki watched as his son turned back to him and bowed deeply before murmuring, "I am sorry..."

The scent of despair that hit Urokodaki's nose was as cold and deep as a frozen ocean.

"Sabito should have survived."

Urokodaki had never smelled such a painful scent before.

"I am sorry," Giyuu repeated as he gazed towards the ground. Giyuu didn't move or look up as he heard old footsteps saunter towards his position, and his glassy eyes widened imperceptibly as an aged fist smacked dully against the back of his head, and he felt the world turn backward. His eyes shook as he recalled how Urokodaki used to do this to him and Sabito, saying it was meant to 'knock the stupid out of him.' The old memory lingered in his mind even as his master's aged and exhausted words pulled him out of his nostalgic past.

"You dumbass." Urokodaki's said with grave sadness, his words dragging Giyuu out of his quiet mind. Giyuu's eyes widened slightly as he looked up and saw Urokodaki reach into his pocket before fetching out a small leather notebook and handing it to Giyuu.

"This notebook belonged to the first Water Pillar."

Giyuu watched without the faintest hint of expression as he took it in his hands and thumbed over the aged cover; it felt old. Centuries-old.

"It's yours now."

Giyuu barely heard the words, his hands steady as he took the book and tried to return it to his master. His hands stalled as he saw a new line of blood drip from under his master's tengu mask and fall down his chin. His master ignored it as he held out an open palm and spoke gravely: "Even if you don't read it, it's yours. It was yours the moment you became the water pillar."

Giyuu hated it.

"So promise me that you'll start training again."

Giyuu hated the iron that laced his master's words.

"As long as you hold that title, you cannot die from your inactions."

Urokodaki's will was etched into each syllable, and Giyuu didn't have the strength to deny him such a request. He didn't have the right to rebuttal. It reminded him that he held a position he didn't deserve, and as long as Giyuu could, he had to retain it. As long as he wore this false title, he had to live.

"Yes, Shisho."

It was the responsibility Kagaya had bestowed upon him, and the Urokodaki replenished the curse with a sigh of relief. "Good," Urokodaki said with a slight huff, watching with an approving expression as he saw his stubborn boy put the notebook in his sister's haori pocket. Urokodaki knew Giyuu most likely wouldn't read it or even touch it, but just him having it was enough. It would be a reminder that Giyuu had to live, even if it was to find someone else to pass the notebook to.

"Giyuu..."

Urokodaki could live with that much.

"Thank you for surviving."

Urokodaki could die knowing his son had outlived him. His heart was at peace, so he removed his tengu mask with a shaking hand, dropping from his lax fingers and falling softly into the ground. Revealing his scarred face, marred by the claws of a demon he killed ages ago, disfiguring his face to the point that it was barely recognizable.

"I love you, Giyuu..."

The only thing on Urokodaki's face that was unmistakable was the tears that drilled from his eyes and the blood that dripped freely from his curled lips. An aged smile etched itself onto Urokodaki's face as he saw his son's eyes light up for the briefest moment, surprise etched in them as Urokodaki's aged muscles moved and took his son into his arms. Holding him in a hug that let him feel the moment his son's breathing fell from its constant rhythm.

"So don't come chasing after me so soon."

Urokodaki's eyes closed as his words echoed through the air, and he felt the slightest touch on his back as Giyuu reciprocated his hug. Urokadaki's smile softened as he felt the slight drops touch his shoulder. He heard his son mumble in a tone that no longer sounded like it was the dullest blade. Instead, it was laced with tremors of emotion.

"I'm sorry..."

To Urokodaki, it sounded like a dam had cracked for the first time, and his son's soft murmurs and trembling voice were the aftershocks. It smelt like his son was taking a last, shaky breath of air before diving into deep and dark water for a long time.

"Thank you..."

It was a bittersweet scent for Urodaki to smell before his heartbeat finally descended to nothingness. Yet he found some comfort in it, knowing that his son would be alive. Giyuu would be alive, and as long as he was alive, even if his last words were soaked in grief and despair so heavy it trumped any waterfall, Urokodaki could die with a smile on his face.

"Shisho."

Urokodaki could slip into endless sleep with the lingering hope that someone would come along to bring his son to the surface.