Chapter Forty-Eight: The Sun Hashira in the Modern Era!
Note: This is the second chapter for today. If we reach 150 Power Stones before the end of the day, I will publish a third chapter. If we reach 200, I will publish two chapters instead of one. Can we do it?
Question: Do you prefer this style where we switch between different versions of Ren, or would you rather we shorten things and show only the important events?
Enjoy~~~
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The sky was a clear blue, almost provocatively so, defying the usual gloom, while the sun stood at the center of the heavens, sending down golden rays that gently played with the wisteria flowers surrounding the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.
In the wide gravel courtyard, the air was saturated with tension and awe.
Nine figures. Nine living legends standing (or sitting) in perfect order, representing the pinnacle of human strength against the tyranny of demons.
The Hashira.
Everyone knelt in silence and respect, their heads bowed toward the Enga-shiki (the veranda), where their master sat.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya.
Illness had clearly taken its toll on him over the past two years. Bandages covered a larger portion of his face, and his eyes had completely lost their sight. Yet his voice… his voice still carried that gentle, almost magical tone that calmed even the most restless souls.
"Good morning, my beloved children," Kagaya said softly but clearly, a gentle smile adorning his pale lips. "The weather today is very beautiful, is it not? I can feel the warmth of the sun on my face."
"Yes, my lord!" the Hashira replied in unison, their voices strong and resolute.
Shinazugawa Sanemi, the Wind Hashira, lifted his head slightly and spoke in a rough but respectful tone.
"We are glad to see you in good health, my lord. We wish you lasting wellness."
Kagaya nodded gently.
"Thank you, Sanemi. I am grateful that you all answered this urgent summons."
Silence followed for a brief moment, allowing the Hashira the chance to speak or question before the meeting began.
Kanroji Mitsuri, the Love Hashira, glanced left and right with her large, sparkling eyes, trying to suppress her usual excitement. But something caught her attention.
Beside her, Kochou Shinobu, the Insect Hashira, knelt calmly. Normally, Shinobu wore a polite smile that concealed a cold anger beneath it, but today…
"Eh?" Mitsuri thought as she stared at her friend. "Shinobu-chan… she's really smiling! Her eyes are shining! Did something good happen? Did she discover a new demon poison recipe? Or did she… fall in love?!"
Mitsuri's face reddened from her overly romantic imagination, and she couldn't stop herself from whispering.
"P-psst! Shinobu-chan!"
Shinobu turned to her calmly.
"Yes, Mitsuri-san?"
"You look… really radiant today!" Mitsuri whispered with restrained excitement. "Did something amazing happen? Tell me! My heart is fluttering from curiosity!"
On the other side, Iguro Obanai (the Serpent Hashira) cast Shinobu a suspicious glance from above his bandages, slightly irritated that Mitsuri was paying attention to someone else. Meanwhile, Tomioka Giyuu (the Water Hashira) stood a bit apart from everyone as usual, staring into the void with lifeless eyes.
Shinobu smiled, and this time the smile reached her eyes.
"You'll find out soon, Mitsuri-san. It's something… unexpected."
"Hmmm?" Uzui Tengen (the Sound Hashira) raised his jewel-adorned eyebrow. "Unexpected? Is it flashy? If it's not flashy, I'm not interested."
At that moment, Kagaya intervened with his calm voice, cutting off the side chatter.
"Amani… would you?"
His wife, Amani, bowed beside him, then stood gracefully and walked toward the closed wooden door behind the veranda.
"Please, look ahead," Amani said softly as she placed her hand on the sliding door.
Everyone held their breath. Even Himejima Gyomei (the Stone Hashira) stopped rubbing his prayer beads and chanting his prayers.
The door slid open slowly.
Shhhhh…
The light from behind pierced the shadow of the figure standing there.
He was not a large man.
Nor was he a heavily armed warrior.
He was a boy.
A relatively short boy (two centimeters shorter than Tanjiro, a painful fact for him), wearing the standard Demon Slayer Corps uniform, over which he wore a uniquely designed haori that none of them had ever seen before.
Long black hair tied messily, and emerald-green eyes that gleamed with sharp intelligence and a likable arrogance.
The Hashira's eyes widened.
"Impossible…" Tokito Muichiro (the Mist Hashira) whispered, and for the first time in months, he wasn't looking at the clouds. "That face…"
"Namu Amida Butsu…" Tears poured more heavily from Gyomei's eyes. "The spirits of the dead have returned… what a miracle."
"Hah?!" Sanemi shouted, the veins on his forehead bulging. "You… weren't you dead, you brat?!"
Amid everyone's shock, the boy stepped forward once and stood under the sunlight.
He raised his hand with an exaggerated sideways grin, trying to look as cool as possible.
"Yo!"
"….."
A cold breeze passed through the courtyard. A single bird chirped in the background.
No one clapped. No one screamed. An awkward, heavy silence fell, so thick that the boy (Ren) felt a cold drop of sweat slide down his back.
(Ren, in his mind):
"Rina… didn't you say my entrance would be legendary? Why are they looking at me like I'm an alien who just landed? This is embarrassing! Sukuna is laughing in his cell right now, I can hear it!"
[Rina: You're the one who chose to say "yo" like a cliché anime character. Deal with the consequences.]
Ren cleared his throat and tried to recover with a tense smile.
"Oh, come on, guys! No warm welcome? Group hug? Tears of joy? I just came back from the dead, a little appreciation wouldn't hurt!"
Amani sighed with a small smile and broke the ice.
"As you can see, the former Storm Hashira, Yukihara Ren, has fully regained consciousness after two years of coma."
"Ren! Yukihara Ren!"
A booming, enthusiastic voice shattered the awkward silence.
Rengoku Kyojuro, the Flame Hashira, suddenly stood up, his eyes blazing with fiery passion.
"Umai! (Splendid!) This is truly heartwarming news! I was worried that your flame had gone out, young man! But here you are, burning with vitality!"
Ren laughed, feeling relieved.
"Rengoku-san! You're the only one here with good taste!"
Ren hopped down from the veranda lightly and walked toward Rengoku. He raised his clenched fist.
Rengoku looked at the fist in confusion for a moment, then smiled widely as he understood.
"Bam!"
Their fists collided.
"Welcome back, you little genius!" Rengoku said loudly.
"I'm back, Mr. Flaming Eyebrows," Ren replied with playful arrogance.
"Kyaaaaa! So cuuuute!"
Mitsuri screamed, pressing her hands to her flushed cheeks.
"Ren-kun! You've become so handsome! And that confident aura… it makes my heart flutter! I knew you wouldn't die!"
"Hmph," Obanai grunted irritably, glaring at Ren as if to say, Come any closer and I'll feed you to my snake.
Ren walked until he stood in the center of the Hashira circle, displaying his new attire.
He wore the standard black Corps uniform, but his personal haori was a masterpiece.
Pitch-black like night at the top, gradually fading downward into incredibly realistic crimson flames that seemed to move with every step he took.
(A design inspired by merging Sun Breathing with Sukuna's cursed energy.)
"Flashy…" Tengen muttered, stroking his chin as he evaluated Ren's appearance.
"Not bad for a brat returning from the grave. But…"
Tengen narrowed his eyes, his tone turning serious and sharp like a blade.
"Oi, Ren. Coming back from the dead is flashy, I'll admit that. But… is your body still fit for battle? You've been asleep for two years. Your muscles should've atrophied, and your reflexes dulled."
Sanemi nodded in agreement, a feral grin spreading across his scarred face.
"Tengen's right. We don't need a Hashira who's a burden and needs someone to carry his bags. If you're weak, you'd better go back to sleep."
Giyuu Tomioka glanced at Ren from the corner of his eye, waiting for his response.
Ren smiled. It wasn't a defensive smile. It was the smile of a "king" hearing the jokes of his subjects.
"Weak? Rusty?"
Ren chuckled softly and placed his hand on the hilt of his new sword.
"Listen, Uzui-san, Sanemi-san…"
Suddenly, the atmosphere changed.
Whoooooom!
A terrifying aura erupted from Ren. It wasn't visible to the naked eye, but the Hashira's trained senses screamed danger.
It was heavy, suffocating, and dark, laced with scorching heat. It felt as if an ancient beast had opened its eyes among them.
"I'm not who I was two years ago," Ren said calmly, his voice resonating in their bones.
"Honestly? The version of me that killed the Upper Moon Two… I can now crush him with a single blow."
"…..!!"
Sanemi's eyes widened. Tengen took a step back unconsciously. Even Gyomei stopped praying.
"Hah?!" Sanemi shouted, veins bulging. "With one blow?! Are you mocking us? You barely defeated the Upper Moon Two, and now you're saying you're twice as strong?!"
"Not twice," Ren corrected coldly, raising one finger. "Many times over. I'm on a completely different level now."
"Tch… such arrogance," Obanai muttered, though his hand tightened nervously around his sword hilt.
Before Sanemi could explode and start a fight in their master's presence, Kagaya gently raised his hand.
"My children… calm yourselves."
Everyone immediately stopped and knelt once more.
Kagaya continued in his soothing voice.
"Ren did not waste his time sleeping. He told me something astonishing."
Kagaya turned his blind eyes toward Ren.
"He told me that during his coma, he lived another life… the memories of an ancient ancestor, the founder of the breathing techniques."
"An ancient ancestor?" Tokito echoed absentmindedly. "You mean… in a dream?"
"It wasn't an ordinary dream," Ren interjected, skillfully weaving his lie (which was half-truth).
"I lived his life completely. I trained for years, fought demons from ancient eras, and refined skills lost to time. My body slept, but my soul fought wars."
Rina: [Overly dramatic, but acceptable.]
Ren looked at Rengoku, who was staring at him intensely.
"Rengoku-san, the Rengoku family preserved ancient records, didn't they? About the first breathing… the breathing style from which all others branched?"
Rengoku's eyes widened.
"You mean… Sun Breathing?!"
The Hashira gasped.
"Sun Breathing?!"
"Isn't that a legend?" Shinobu asked with curiosity, though she already knew part of the story.
"It's not a legend," Ren said.
With confident steps, Ren moved back slightly to give himself space.
He gripped the hilt of his black Nichirin blade.
"I'll show you… the difference between me and what you thought you knew."
He took a deep breath.
It wasn't an ordinary breathing sound. It was deep, as if he were drawing the heat of the sun itself into his lungs.
[Total Concentration: Sun Breathing!]
Tssssss!
The temperature of the courtyard rose suddenly. Dew droplets evaporated instantly from the flowers.
Ren drew his sword.
"Shing!"
The blade was no longer ordinary.
The moment it left the sheath, its color shifted from deep black to glowing crimson.
Flames erupted around the blade, but they were not the orange flames of Rengoku's Flame Breathing.
They were solar flames, golden and crimson, moving like living beings, dancing around Ren's body like dragons.
"What is this pressure…" Giyuu muttered, his eyes wide with rare shock. "It feels like I'm standing in front of a blazing furnace."
Ren swung his sword through the air with a single simple motion.
Whoooosh!
A crescent of flames tore through the sky, dispersing the few remaining clouds above them.
Ren slowly sheathed his sword.
Click.
The flames vanished, but the heat lingered in the air, along with the shock gripping the Hashira.
Ren turned to Kagaya and bowed respectfully, then turned back to the Hashira with a confident smile, his emerald eyes shining with a leader's brilliance.
"So, my lord," Ren said in a strong voice.
"I formally request a change of title."
"I am no longer the 'Storm Hashira.'"
Ren placed his hand on his chest and looked at everyone with challenge and resolve.
"From this moment onward, I am Yukihara Ren…"
"The Sun Hashira of the Modern Era!"
A powerful wind blew at that moment, lifting the black haori adorned with crimson flames, making Ren look like the embodiment of a sun god descending to burn away the long night of demons.
Kagaya looked up at the bright sky and smiled in relief.
"Approved… Sun Hashira, Yukihara Ren."
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End of Chapter 48.
I'm thinking of making Sukuna interact with Ren in the Demon Slayer world. What do you think?
Don't forget the comments, they're the fuel for my motivation! 🔥