Rushing day and night, it was already dusk a few days later when he returned to Momoyama.
A familiar aura washed over him, and Ryosuke's tense nerves finally relaxed a bit.
Just as he stepped into the training ground, a dense flurry of sounds entered his ears.
In the center of the field, Shota was shirtless, unleashing frantic attacks on a wooden dummy.
The blade edge wrapped in the momentum of wind and thunder fell like raindrops.
"One hundred ninety-seven! One hundred ninety-eight! One hundred ninety-nine!"
He roared out the count, putting full strength into every slash.
Ryosuke had just taken a few steps closer when Shota suddenly stopped, his chest heaving violently as he panted heavily.
He grabbed a towel to wipe his face, huffed heavily through his nose, and lifted his chin high.
"Hmph! You're back? Your complexion doesn't look too good! Unlike me, my mission this time was clean and swift, didn't even hurt a hair."
"Mhm, amazing."
Ryosuke couldn't be bothered to argue with him and gave a perfunctory thumbs up.
He just wanted to go back to his room and collapse, giving his faintly aching, broken liver a break.
"Ryosuke-nii!"
A crisp voice rang out from behind.
Rika rushed in front of Ryosuke, her big eyes filled with pure joy.
"You're finally back! Was it fun outside? Did you encounter anything interesting? Tell me quickly!"
She naturally took Ryosuke's sleeve and shook it gently.
Shota: (╬▔皿▔)
Seeing this scene, veins popped on Shota's forehead, and his fists clenched even tighter.
"Yeah, I'm back."
Ryosuke rubbed the top of Rika's head and said casually, "Outside was just the same old, same old. Just chopped a few demons."
"Chopped a few? What kind of demons?" Rika's interest grew even higher.
Shota crossed his arms beside them and sneered.
"Tch! What powerful demons could he kill? Probably just some demons that had barely eaten two or three people!"
Ryosuke yawned and spoke nonchalantly.
"It was alright. One where the head and body could separate and do their own thing, called a Rokurokubi. Cutting it was a bit troublesome."
"The other one liked to sing in the middle of the night and give seashells to coax little girls, called Meng E or something. His Blood Demon Art was annoying, drilling into people's brains. Very noisy."
The expression on Shota's face froze instantly.
Rokurokubi? Meng E?!
The two demons that were rumored to be terrifyingly evil in the Demon Slayer Corps these past few days?!
Shota opened his mouth, subconsciously wanting to question him.
Just based on you?!
Stop bragging, little bro!
But looking at Ryosuke's lazy "I'm talking, you're listening" attitude, he forcibly swallowed his words back, his face turning green then red.
"What tall tales are you spinning again?"
Jigoro walked over with his cane, his gaze sweeping over Shota's stifled face before finally landing on Ryosuke.
"Grandpa."
Ryosuke and Rika called out simultaneously.
Jigoro pulled out a neatly folded letter from his chest pocket. The envelope was stamped with a special flame crest.
He handed the letter to Ryosuke, his eyes complex: "Look at this. From Rengoku Shinjuro, the Flame Hashira."
Ryosuke raised an eyebrow and unfolded the letter.
The handwriting on the paper penetrated to the back, overflowing with the bold and unrestrained style unique to the Rengoku family. The core message was just one thing:
"Become my Tsuguko!"
"Hurry up and become my Tsuguko!!"
"Hurry the fxxk up and become my Tsuguko, Ryosuke-san!!!"
Shota craned his neck trying to see what it was, his eyes nearly popping out.
Flame Hashira! Tsuguko!
This is an honor and opportunity that everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps wouldn't even dare to dream of!
This kid... this kid actually...
"Mr. Shinjuro is certainly enthusiastic."
Ryosuke scanned it quickly, then casually refolded the letter and stuffed it back into the envelope, his tone flat and waveless.
"However, I refused."
"What?!"
Shota screamed out, as if he had heard the most absurd thing in the world.
"You... you refused?! The position of the Flame Hashira's Tsuguko?! Was your brain eaten by a demon?!"
He almost wanted to chop Ryosuke right there!
Jigoro also frowned tightly.
"Why refuse? Shinjuro is the Flame Hashira, his strength is superb. His personality... is a bit boisterous, but he is upright and honest. Becoming his Tsuguko is a rare opportunity and aid for you; countless people beg for it but cannot get it!"
"I know."
Ryosuke rubbed his throbbing temples.
I can't exactly say that my experiences in my previous life left me with psychological trauma...
"Mr. Shinjuro is a good person and strong too, but..."
Ryosuke paused and looked at Jigoro, a cheeky smile on his face: "First: I can't learn Flame Breathing. My temperament doesn't fit; forcing it would be a waste of effort."
"Second: That voice and enthusiasm of his... I really can't handle it."
"Third..."
Ryosuke dragged out the tone, chuckling under Jigoro's slightly puzzled gaze.
"I can't bear to leave you, Grandpa! Momoyama is so good. I have Grandpa to teach me, Shota to spur me on, and little sister Rika to care for me. Why run so far away?"
This rogue-like speech bordering on acting spoiled was incredibly effective.
The sternness on Jigoro's face softened instantly. The corners of his mouth curled up uncontrollably, helpless yet affectionate.
He feigned anger and tapped Ryosuke with his cane.
"Brat! You only know how to be glib!"
The words were scolding, but the tone was soft as mush.
Shota pouted.
Although he was jealous, he also knew that Ryosuke earned these things with his own strength.
There was nothing to be jealous of really; it was just a teenager's competitiveness acting up, making him envious and annoyed!
Rika pursued her lips and snickered.
Ryosuke-nii said he couldn't bear to leave Momoyama!
Then he definitely can't bear to leave me too!
Hehe~
After scolding him with a smile, Jigoro looked at Ryosuke's slightly pale face and changed the subject.
"However, Ryosuke, you aren't young anymore. Seventeen. Look at Oyakata-sama; at such a young age, he is already the father of two children."
Ryosuke's mouth twitched.
This familiar set of phrases! This familiar tone!
Oh no!
It's the "Urging to Marry" combo!!!
Sure enough, Jigoro looked at him eagerly, with the excitement of an old child prying for secrets.
"You travel north and south on missions, and you meet many people..."
"Have you met any girls who caught your eye?"
Called it!
Ryosuke's mouth twitched.
Rika, eavesdropping nearby, instantly pricked up her ears. Her small hands subconsciously twisted the hem of her clothes tighter, sneaking glances at Ryosuke nervously and expectantly.
Even Shota, who was sulking, pricked up his ears to listen.
Gossip is a human instinct.
Ryosuke felt his scalp tingle under Jigoro's probing gaze.
He wanted to brush it off casually, but hesitated.
With this kind of thing, if you fudge it once, there's a second time; fudge it twice, there's a third.
However, regarding catching his eye...
The Japanese-style room in Asakusa suddenly flashed through Ryosuke's mind.
The woman was elegant and calm, her black hair like clouds, her temperament gentle as jade, carrying a tenderness and resilience that had weathered the vicissitudes of life, and the fleeting coldness of her fingertips at parting...
Like a ghost at work, without filtering through his brain at all, Ryosuke blurted it out.
"Hmm... if I really have to say, there is actually one."
Jigoro's eyes lit up with a zing, as if two lanterns had been lit.
"Oh? Tell me quickly! Whose daughter is she? Where does she live? What does she do? How old is she?"
A barrage of questions smashed over.
Rika's heart sank heavily, her hands twisting even tighter.
Shota also leaned closer, revealing a smile.
Huh?
You have a girl outside!
Then you can't plague my little sister anymore, yo~