A soft, gentle, slightly mature feminine voice drifted lightly into Yuko's ears.
Yuko absentmindedly lifted her head, the back of it brushing against Shinobu's already well-developed chest. She froze for a moment.
Unexpectedly… well-endowed.
"Mm."
A faint herbal fragrance clung to Shinobu, drifting into Yuko's nose and straight to her head. Yuko couldn't help but close her eyes in comfort.
But before she could enjoy it for long, Yuko opened her eyes expressionlessly.
Her crimson dual pupils stared straight ahead at a masked man bent at the waist, his fingers less than three centimeters away from her Nichirin sword.
Hotaru shuddered violently. A chill shot straight up his spine, and he stiffly turned his neck.
Yuko covered her face and waved her hand casually.
Hotaru immediately sat upright, slammed his head into the floor several times, then grabbed Yuko's Nichirin sword and bolted outside.
At once, the two swordsmiths' shocked cries could be heard.
Shinobu, Yuko: "..."
A man who knew when to bend and when to submit.
"That's enough, it feels very nice."
Interrupted by Hotaru's antics, Yuko had no more mood to rest. She turned back, gave Shinobu a shallow smile, and stood up to leave the room.
"Haha, how is it?!"
In the corridor, Tanjiro and Inosuke were admiring the pair of "artistic" twin blades Inosuke had hammered out.
It had to be said—his craftsmanship really wasn't bad. The serrations were surprisingly even.
In the corner, the two swordsmiths were crouched together, backsides sticking up.
"See? I told you it was a good blade."
"Mhm! Truly a rare sword—hard to imagine the skill of its creator."
"Oh right! Which master forged it? Could we—"
Before Kanamori Kozo could finish, Haganezuka Hotaru smacked him on the head.
"Idiot! Didn't you see the 'Slay' character?! This is a blade from before the rank system existed—are you trying to dig up graves?!"
Yuko: "..."
Ignoring them, Yuko lowered her gaze to Tanjiro.
"Tanjiro."
He looked up.
"Miss Yuko?"
Yuko smiled faintly.
"We talked about this before, didn't we? Once you mastered Constant Concentration, I would give you this sword."
Shinobu, who had followed her out, paused slightly.
So Yuko really was raising this child as a successor.
Before Tanjiro could reply, Hotaru jumped up.
"How cou—"
Yuko glanced sideways.
Hotaru shuddered instantly, clamped his mouth shut, and collapsed back to the floor.
Tanjiro wiped some sweat and said seriously,
"I'm very used to the sword Mr. Haganezuka made for me. If possible, I'd like to keep using it."
He smiled slightly.
"And… casually discarding one's sword doesn't seem right."
Besides, he felt that sword was very important to Miss Yuko.
Yuko lowered her gaze, about to speak—
Hotaru delivered a flying kick straight into Tanjiro.
"You little brat! Don't think I'll like you just because you said something touching!"
Inosuke burst out laughing.
"I'll join too!"
Yuko's head started aching again.
Not a single normal person among them.
Speaking of which… where was Zenitsu?
In the end, Yuko found him in the room where Nezuko was kept. The guy was squatting next to the box, harassing Nezuko.
As expected—none of them were normal.
...
Time rewound slightly.
Infinity Castle.
The demons gathered here once more felt deeply uneasy. The man who appeared before them was openly radiating violent hostility, his face dark with fury.
The moment they saw him, they knew who he was.
All the demons knelt instantly.
"Lord Muzan!"
Kibutsuji Muzan was in a very bad mood.
Ever since encountering that Demon Slayer wearing hanafuda earrings, an ominous premonition had taken root in his heart.
Sure enough, it had come true.
Muzan's face darkened.
"Rui has been killed. By that Demon Slayer with the hanafuda earrings."
Because he had taken an interest in that child, Muzan had been closely watching the Lower Ranks' situation.
The successor of that monster.
So weak at first—and now he had grown strong enough to fight and defeat one of the Twelve Kizuki.
That child was growing at an unimaginable speed.
Only then did the demons notice that one Lower Rank was missing.
Lower Rank Four's subordinate trembled violently.
"My deepest apologies. I was unable to find the Demon Slayer you mentioned."
"Oh, I know."
If Muzan hadn't known they were indeed carrying out his orders, he would have already abolished the Lower Ranks.
His direct subordinates—yet utterly pathetic.
Without giving them any chance to resist, several thick, whip-like tendrils pierced into the demons' bodies.
"I will give you more of my blood. You will become stronger."
"Go. Find that Demon Slayer."
Muzan stared coldly at the demons writhing in agony below.
This time, there would be no accidents.
...
After three months of recovery, everyone had fully healed.
Tanjiro's promotion was not made into a grand event. Among the Hashira, only Shinobu—who stayed at the Butterfly Estate—was present.
After meeting with Ubuyashiki Kagaya, Tanjiro returned with Shinobu and was formally promoted to Sun Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Zenitsu stomped his feet in frustration.
"Damn it, Tanjiro! You dared to sneak ahead!"
"I was supposed to become the Sound Hashira! You just got lucky and ran into a Lower Rank first!"
He had already imagined himself as the Sound Hashira, adored by countless girls.
Tanjiro scratched his head, smiling awkwardly.
Inosuke waved his hand dismissively.
"No, no—you were terrified back then, weren't you?"
Zenitsu exploded instantly.
"Bastard! Who was scared?!"
Shinobu watched with a smile.
"Tanjiro really is very talented."
"Mm."
Yuko pressed her lips together lightly.
More accurately, all three of them were talented.
As the protagonist group, it was only natural that they had the potential to become Hashira.
If only they were a bit more mature, that would be even better.
A black feather drifted down from the sky—it was Yuko's Kasugai crow, Snow Sparrow.
"Tanjiro! Inosuke! Zenitsu! Your next mission—Mugen Train!"
The laughter and bickering stopped instantly.
Yuko's expression shifted slightly.
So it's finally here.
Worried that Tanjiro's assignments might change after becoming a Hashira, Yuko had informed Kagaya in advance that any missions assigned to Tanjiro should be reported to her first.
Mugen Train—where Upper Rank Three would appear.
Inosuke shouted excitedly,
"Whoa!! I'm gonna become a Hashira too!"
"Idiot!" Zenitsu snapped.
"You think the Twelve Kizuki grow on trees? Most people never encounter one their whole lives—we just ran into one! There's no way it happens that easily!"
"..."
Yuko, for the first time in a while, covered her face with a cloth and turned toward her Nichirin sword.
Shinobu smiled as she handed it to her.
"Take care."
---
Currently at chapter 489 for advance chapters
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