"Maito, Lee, you're back."
Before the wooden door, Shokyu smiled at the two figures before him.
Maito who crossed his arm and Lee who wrapped herself in a gray robe both nodded in response.
"How was it? Seems like you both have stories to tell from this trip. I can see the dust of travel on you." Shokyu led them into the small courtyard, curiosity lacing his words as they walked.
Maito curled his lip slightly and said indifferently, "Nothing much. Just sparred with Upper Moon Three under Muzan's command. Also ran into that kid Shinichi—pretty impressive, his progress is noticeable. As for Lee here, Shokyu, next time just let her sleep in her own pit. She's nothing but trouble."
Lee lifted her eyelids and shot a lazy, dead-fish glare at Maito but didn't argue.
Truth be told, she was exhausted and just wanted to return to her pit...
Noticing their little spat, Shokyu couldn't help but chuckle.
After a moment, he cautioned both of them, "Be more careful in the future. Try to avoid contact with Muzan's subordinates. If your whereabouts are exposed, it'll only bring trouble."
Maito waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, got it. Shokyu, you're more nagging than a woman."
Meanwhile, Lee walked straight past them without a backward glance, heading straight for her pit—er, den.
Seeing this, Shokyu shook his head helplessly.
****
Time passed quickly.
Late one night several days later, Shokyu, dressed in a black suit, sat poised before a tea table, reading an ancient text.
His gentle expression, so similar to Muzan's face, was something Muzan could never possess.
Perhaps the window wasn't fully closed—a sudden cold breeze swept into the room, stirring Shokyu's black hair.
His crimson eyes froze for an instant.
Snap!
Closing the book with a soft sound, Shokyu sighed and carefully placed it on the tea table.
He glanced around the room with a hint of regret.
"So, the day has finally come?"
Whoosh!
A sudden mist of blood enveloped Shokyu's body.
The next moment, the mist dispersed with the wind and his figure vanished from the room.
In the courtyard, a clear pond was adorned with exquisite sculptures and rock formations.
Beside it stood a long-bare peach tree.
Whoosh~
As the blood mist slowly coalesced near the tree, Shokyu reappeared in the courtyard.
He looked up, his gaze complex, at the figure standing silently atop the sharply ridged roof.
The figure wore a samurai robe from the Warring States period, its deep red hair appearing almost dark under the cold moonlight.
Six terrifying blood-red eyes marred what was once a handsome face.
The characters in the two central eyes sent chills down his spine: 'Upper One'.
"Upper Moon One, is it?"
Swish! Swish!
Two figures appeared almost simultaneously behind Shokyu—Maito clad in crimson armor and Lee, her gray robe fluttering wildly.
Both stared at Upper Moon One with unprecedented gravity.
Shouki sighed once again, not looking at Upper Moon One, but softly calling out.
"Brother, it's been a long time."
"Heh, Shokyu, you worthless trash, a stinking rat hiding in the sewers—do you even qualify to be called my brother?"
A cold, cruel voice echoed from the sky, followed by a figure appearing silently beside Upper Moon One.
A white suit, cold crimson eyes, the same curly black hair—the progenitor of demons, Muzan Kibutsuji!
"What an arrogant bastard!" Maito's forehead bulged with veins as he instinctively moved to teach this so-called progenitor a lesson, but Shokyu stopped him.
Now, two strikingly similar faces stared at each other.
Shokyu's expression was filled with nostalgia for their reunion and deep regret wash over him.
In contrast, Muzan's face held only cold killing intent as he seeth in rage.
"This trash dares to look at me with such lowly eyes?!"
"Kokushibo!"
At Muzan's command, Upper Moon One—Kokushibo, who had been standing silently in the background—moved.
Crack!
The ground beneath Maito's feet split instantly.
Unable to hold back any longer, he sneered, "Muzan's underlings—each one weirder than the last. If you want a fight, then lets fight! What's with the pretentious act?!"
Boom!!
Under the watchful eyes of Muzan and Shokyu, a battle exclusive to the most powerful demons erupted!
*****
Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters, training grounds.
Two incredibly swift figures chased and clashed within the confined space.
A bluish-green blur relentlessly pursued the purple figure, their collisions occasionally drawing gasps from the onlookers.
Well, mostly from a certain girl with shoulder-length orange hair who was making a fuss.
In contrast, Yuichiro, sitting beside her, was the picture of obedience—his Nichirin Blade resting on his knees as he sat properly, watching his master and Shinobu's training session.
Honestly, he was starting to regret bringing Tachibana Tsumugi here to observe.
"Ahhh!! Yuichiro! Did you see that?! Shinichi-sama is way too harsh! That was such a perfect opportunity! He could've shown off in front of Shinobu-sama, but he actually went through with the strike!" Tsumugi grabbed Yuichiro's arm, shaking him while wailing.
Yuichiro subtly freed his arm and sighed. "Tsumugi-senpai, they're training, not playing around. Training is about improving strength to fight demons. In battle, demons won't give you chances to show off."
Tsumugi plopped down on the ground dejectedly. "Ugh! But this is torture! When will I ever get to see Shinichi-sama and Shinobu-sama get together? Yuichiro, just listen to me—let's plan an amazing, super-romantic confession-slash-proposal for Shinichi-sama!"
Yuichiro: "...I refuse..."
"You traitor! Yuichiro, you didn't say that before! You've betrayed the organization!"
"Organization? What organization?" Yuichiro was baffled.
"Of course, it's the 'Demon Slayer Corps Forest Hashira and Insect Hashira and Wind Hashira and Flower Hashira Get Together Observation Squad'!" Tsumugi declared proudly, hands on her hips.
Yuichiro's forehead was practically steaming.
What a ridiculously silly ass name.
He had decided that once he was promoted to Hashira, the first thing he'd do was transfer Tsumugi Tachibana to the Kakushi Corps.
Keeping such an unreliable girl among the frontline fighter was just too irresponsible.
Meanwhile—clang!
"Ahhh!" came a startled cry as Shinobu looked at her Nichirin Blade, which had been knocked from her hand, with deep regret in her eyes.
Shinichi, on the other hand, leisurely sheathed his Nichirin Blade.
Watching the slightly puffed-up Shinobu, he chuckled and reached out to ruffle her hair.
"Not bad at all, Shinobu. You've improved a lot today—you're doing great."
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