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Butterfly Mansion
Three months had passed in the blink of an eye.
"It's been three whole months! Why hasn't Dragon Hashira-sama woken up yet??" A girl with twin-tails spoke anxiously.
"Shinobu-nee said Dragon Hashira-sama's spine was seriously damaged in the fight. He won't wake up anytime soon."
"I heard Dragon Hashira-sama fought an Upper Rank demon all night! That's why he's hurt so badly!"
"Kiyo, Sumi, Naho—keep your voices down! Don't disturb the patients!" A girl with a side ponytail walked in from the hall.
"Aoi-nee!" the three chorused.
Aoi Kanzaki—medical staff at the Butterfly Mansion. A girl with a side ponytail and butterfly hair ornament who strictly managed unruly patients. Even Zenitsu, who normally fawned over every girl he met, was terrified of her. After Tanjiro and the others completed their recovery training, she'd confessed that she'd passed Final Selection but had been too afraid to go to the battlefield. When Tanjiro promised to carry her feelings with him into battle, she'd started paying special attention to him.
The three young girls were Kiyo Terauchi, Sumi Nakahara, and Naho Takada.
"Aoi-nee, when will Dragon Hashira-sama wake up?" Kiyo asked.
"I don't know either."
As Aoi turned to check on Kaidō, she noticed something—a crystalline tear sliding down his cheek. She rushed to his bedside. At that exact moment, his eyes opened.
"Kiyo, Sumi, Naho—go tell Insect Hashira-sama right now! Dragon Hashira-sama is awake!" Shinobu had given explicit instructions: the moment Kaidō woke up, notify her immediately. She had important questions.
"Yes!" the three responded in unison.
...
Three Months Ago
After Kaidō was transported to the Butterfly Mansion for treatment, Kagaya Ubuyashiki convened an emergency Hashira meeting.
"Can't believe that kid ran into an Upper Rank. Lucky bastard. If it had been me, I would've killed it." Sanemi's confidence was absolute.
"Coming from someone he beat in a sparring match, your confidence is almost inspiring. He repelled an Upper Rank at the cost of severe injuries—your strength must be truly enviable."
For once, Giyu spoke more than two sentences.
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY??" Sanemi roared.
"Nothing."
"Namu Amida Butsu. Please, everyone, calm down. Let's wait until the Master arrives."
As the eldest Hashira, Gyomei's word carried weight. Everyone quieted down.
"Good evening, my beloved children."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki arrived and took his seat on a cushion before the assembled Hashira.
The moment they saw him, shock rippled through the group—not for any trivial reason, but because the curse marks on his face had visibly receded. Traces remained, but minimal.
More importantly, he radiated vitality. While shocking, the emotion they felt most was joy. Their Master would no longer suffer under the curse's torment.
"Master, the curse on your body..." Shinobu couldn't help but ask what everyone was thinking.
Kagaya smiled gently. "There's no need for surprise. This is all thanks to Kaidō. He gave me a pill passed down through his family. While it cannot eliminate the curse entirely, it has significantly delayed its progression. I can feel the change in my body. Now I can continue serving the Demon Slayer Corps for much longer. If not for me, he could have kept that pill for himself. Perhaps then he wouldn't have been so severely injured fighting the Upper Rank."
Gyomei pressed his palms together, tears streaming. "Ah, we are grateful for Kaidō's contributions to the Corps. May he recover swiftly so we can fight alongside him once more. Namu Amida Butsu."
"Mm! Young Kaidō will definitely recover! I'm quite fond of him!" Rengoku's eyes blazed with fighting spirit, remembering their sparring match.
"Today's meeting concerns the Upper Rank demons. Obanai, please explain the situation you encountered."
All eyes turned to the Snake Hashira.
"Very well. I'll describe what I found when I arrived."
"That night, I was on a mission when I heard the crow's call for reinforcements. I immediately headed to support Kaidō, but I was still too late. After traveling for hours, dawn had already broken. The battlefield was covered in shattered ice and blood. I could sense demonic energy from the ice fragments—incredibly powerful. Based on the evidence left behind, the battle that night was absolutely brutal."
Hearing the word "ice," Shinobu tensed. Ice techniques—the same as what her sister had faced. The demon that killed Kanae had also used ice-based Blood Demon Arts. If that was the case, then the Upper Rank Kaidō encountered must be the same one. Her fists clenched unconsciously.
"I searched the area and found Kaidō beneath a dead tree. His face was covered in blood, severely wounded, barely clinging to life. He blamed himself for failing to kill the Upper Rank. Kyojuro and the Kakushi arrived shortly after. The Kakushi provided emergency treatment, which saved his life. Otherwise, he might already be..." Obanai didn't finish. Everyone understood what he meant.
He added one final observation. "You all know Kaidō's strength. Yet even at the cost of severe injuries, he only managed to repel the Upper Rank. That should tell you how powerful these demons truly are."
The meeting continued through the night. Beyond discussing Upper Ranks, they strategized about how to respond to encounters and coordinate reinforcements.
...
"Insect Hashira-sama! Dragon Hashira-sama is awake! Aoi-nee told us to inform you!" The three girls found Shinobu and delivered the news.
"Understood. I'll head there immediately." She rushed toward the infirmary.
Shinobu had two reasons for wanting to be notified the instant Kaidō woke.
First, she needed intelligence about the demon he'd fought. Second, she wanted information about that pill. If she could research its properties, it might be crucial for the Corps' eventual confrontation with Muzan Kibutsuji.
Arriving at the room, she found Kaidō sitting upright in bed. "You're awake. How do you feel?" But he didn't respond—only sat there with tears streaming down his face.
"What's wrong? Are you upset about the Upper Rank? You don't need to blame yourself. Even if other Hashira had encountered an Upper Rank, they might not have been able to kill it either. The Master said once you wake up, you should rest properly. Mitsuri is temporarily covering your patrol zone."
Shinobu assumed he was suffering from guilt over failing to decapitate the demon.
"My child, you're awake."
"Master."
Everyone in the room started to kneel at the sight of Kagaya Ubuyashiki and his wife Amane, but he gestured for them to remain standing. He approached Kaidō's bedside.
"Child, if something is troubling you, you can tell me. If it will ease your burden, I'm willing to listen."
That voice—still capable of putting anyone at ease.
Kaidō slowly lifted his head to meet Kagaya's gaze. He smiled. "I dreamed about my family. It was so warm. I want to see them again."
'So he's homesick... I understand that feeling. I miss my sister too. He's been alone for so long—living like that must be exhausting.' Shinobu's thoughts softened.
Kagaya didn't say much. He simply reached out and gently stroked Kaidō's head.
"If you wish, the Demon Slayer Corps is also your home. Everyone here is your family. Every member of the Corps is like my child—I want them all to live. I can be replaced, but these children cannot. You, too, are irreplaceable."
"Thank you, Master." Tears rolled down his face as he smiled. Images of his mother and Reika flashed through his mind. Today, his smile was genuine.
...
Butterfly Mansion—Night
[Ding! Hidden Quest Complete: Challenge Any Upper Rank Demon 1/1]
[Rewards: System Lifestyle Shop Unlocked, Hundred Flowers Wine x1, Breathing Affinity Pills x2, Interdimensional Energy +5%]
[Current Interdimensional Energy: 55%]
'Huh? A hidden quest?' Just as he was about to rest, the system notification chimed.
[Hidden quests trigger randomly. Anything related to demon slaying may activate one.]
"I see. Let's check out this Lifestyle Shop."
Opening the shop, Kaidō found it stocked with everyday items—bedding, furniture, kitchenware, all in traditional style. Actually pretty useful—his estate could definitely use some furnishings. Better yet, everything was purchased with regular currency. Between his Hashira salary and system rewards, he had plenty of cash.
'Wait, what's this?'
In the upper-left corner was a box labeled "Random Draw."
"System, what's the Random Draw?"
[The Random Draw provides combat-related items—cold weapons, medicinal pills, and similar goods. Occasionally, items from other worlds may appear, such as firearms. Can be used once per month.]
"Interesting. Let's try it."
[Drawing... Draw complete.]
[Item Obtained: Healing Pills x2]
[Healing Pills: Rapidly restore physical injuries. Severe wounds require longer recovery time—up to ten days. Minor injuries heal within one day.]
"Perfect. This is exactly what I need."
[Hundred Flowers Wine: Exquisite liquor brewed from a hundred varieties of famous flowers. A heavenly vintage with an unforgettable aftertaste.]
[Breathing Affinity Pills: Enhance affinity with Breathing Styles. Even those unable to use Breathing techniques can do so after consumption.]
'Breathing Affinity Pills—those could be useful. They'd strengthen my connection to Dragon Breathing, making my techniques more refined. They might also improve my Water Breathing affinity and eliminate the rejection. That's another combat advantage right there.'
His earlier melancholy began to fade.
'I don't drink, so I'll save the Hundred Flowers Wine. Might come in handy later.' The thought of alcohol brought back an unfortunate memory—getting drunk in his past life and waking up in women's clothing courtesy of Reika. He still had no idea how she'd managed it. Walking outside that day had nearly been the most humiliating moment of his entire existence.
'Ugh, don't think about it. Still makes me cringe. Focus on healing first.'
He pulled out a Healing Pill and swallowed it. Immediately, gentle medicinal energy spread through his limbs.
'Should be healed in a few days. Then I can start rehabilitation training. Doma... one day, I'm going to tear you apart piece by piece.'
At that moment, Aoi entered to check on his condition. She found him sitting on the bed, seemingly lost in thought, and assumed he was thinking about his family again.
"Are you... still thinking about your family?"
"I'm fine now. Sorry for making everyone worry so late at night." He smiled with a hint of apology.
"It's... it's okay! I just... I-I-I just came to check on you! You seem much better, so I... I have other things to do! G-good night!" She covered her flushed face and bolted from the room.
'That girl is something else.' Kaidō chuckled helplessly. The little interruption had chased away his drowsiness, so he got up and headed to the courtyard for some fresh air.
Outside in the hallway, Aoi couldn't stop replaying Kaidō's smile in her mind. Her face burned.
'What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? People in the Corps say Dragon Hashira-sama is incredibly kind—that he speaks gently to everyone regardless of who they are, never acting superior despite being a Hashira.'
She recalled the rumors about the prodigy who'd become a Hashira in less than a month, just like Muichiro Tokito, but who treated lower-ranked members with warmth and respect. Remembering his smile made her heart race.
"Aoi-nee!" the three girls called from behind her.
"Ah—ah! Wh-what is it?" She jumped, startled.
"Are you okay, Aoi-nee?"
"Yeah, your face is really red! Are you sick?"
"We called you like five times and you didn't answer!"
"D-did you? Sorry, I was just thinking about something. You three should get to bed. I need to check on the other patients!" She hurried off without looking back.
"Aoi-nee is acting weird."
"Mm-hmm."
"Let's go check on Dragon Hashira-sama. Aoi-nee just came from his room."
"Mm-hmm." The other two nodded.
...
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