Night was as dark as ink, and the evening wind was gentle.
Perhaps touched by the words just now, Uzui Tengen also opened up.
"Father wished for us to have no emotions. What he wanted was a machine that only knew missions and killing."
"Those inhuman trainings, the endless slaughter, are still deep in my memories to this day."
"..."
After a long silence, Ryosuke sighed: "You had a hard time before."
In the original work, Uzui Tengen's obsession with flamboyance wasn't innate.
It was deliberately done after fleeing the clan.
Flashy and ostentatious, carrying a teenager's rebellion and chuunibyou.
But how was this not his resistance against the past?
Rather than a machine, he yearned to be a human.
To cry in sadness for the passing of companions, to be angry and furious when life was trampled upon.
A person with emotions, feelings, personality, flesh and blood!
"You are remarkable, and very brave."
Ryosuke admired him sincerely.
Resisting the clan, resisting fate, resisting patriarchy.
As everyone knows, Missing-nin (rogue ninjas) and Genin (low-rank ninjas) are not simple.
They are all geniuses inside, nice people, and speak pleasantly.
Uzui Tengen shook his head with a smile: "But wanting to live flamboyantly with the three of them is much harder than expected."
He swirled his sake cup: "Now I have to protect, to survive, to find a new path. Every step is like walking a tightrope."
"Mhm, I know. Because just living itself is already a huge gamble for some people."
Ryosuke's voice was calm, carrying a sense of strength tempered by hardships.
"But as long as you hold the blade in your hand tight and protect those you want to protect, the path beneath your feet will eventually be trampled out."
"Even if this path looks full of hardships, even if this path looks muddy and messy, not flamboyant at all."
"Well said!"
Uzui Tengen looked at Ryosuke and suddenly grinned, revealing a flamboyant and genuine smile.
"Then let us live flamboyantly together, and flamboyantly slash out a path!"
He raised his sake cup and gently clinked it against the wine jar in Ryosuke's hand.
Ryosuke frowned, his voice very faint.
"So, do you want to join the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Mhm."
Uzui Tengen nodded.
He was never a hesitant person; his answer was simple and direct.
The decisions made were often in a single thought.
Even if behind this decision lay countless hardships, even if this decision was another path of blood and storm.
...
Several days later, Ubuyashiki Estate.
Kagaya sat reclining on the corridor, an ancient scroll spread on his knees. The morning light sprinkled lazily on him, making even his eyebrows and eyes appear gentle.
"Chirp—chirp chirp!"
The dark blue hummingbird flew over and hovered in front of Kagaya.
"Good work."
Kagaya extended his palm, his voice warm as jade.
The hummingbird placed the paper scroll in his palm and rubbed its head against his finger before flying familiarly to the small dish in the shadow of the pillar.
There was always grain prepared for it there.
Kagaya unrolled the paper scroll.
Ryosuke's handwriting wasn't exactly neat; it was even a bit scrawled and crooked.
"To be opened personally by Oyakata-sama:
Report from Kanoe Rank member Yasui Ryosuke.
A new friend from a ninja clan has arrived at Momoyama, Uzui Tengen.
He defected to protect his three wives from the shackles of the clan, encountered a demon midway, and was saved by me.
Tengen is powerful. Though he hasn't learned Breathing Styles, he could contend with a demon for a long time relying solely on Taijutsu and ninja tools. His potential is immense, his temperament... unique.
However, his nature is resilient, and his heart to protect the weak is fierce.
Ryosuke boldly recommends him, hoping Oyakata-sama will consider the possibility of him joining the Demon Slayer Corps.
Respectfully,
Yasui Ryosuke."
"Momoyama again..."
A helpless laugh sounded from behind.
Amane, holding hot tea, knelt beside Kagaya, her gaze sweeping over the letter in his hand.
"Mr. Ryosuke has found another special child for us."
Kagaya handed the letter to Amane, feeling quite emotional.
"Somehow, I always feel that Mr. Ryosuke's thoughts and perceptions on 'picking up people' coincide with mine."
"If I were the one meeting them, I would also say those words and do those things."
"..."
Amane took the letter and scanned it quickly, her beautiful brows raising slightly.
Ninja clan... Uzui...
This name wasn't small.
For Uzui Tengen to lead three wives in defecting from the clan, his strength and decisiveness must be extraordinary.
Amane chuckled softly.
"Momoyama is really getting livelier."
"Lively is good."
Kagaya picked up the tea cup and took a small sip.
"In this era of turbulence, one more like-minded person is one more hope to break the shackles of darkness. I look forward to meeting him."
Amane nodded slightly in agreement, then suddenly thought of something.
"Speaking of people recommended by Mr. Ryosuke... regarding Mr. Himejima, the Kakushi just sent back news."
"Hmm?"
"Mr. Himejima is very strong. Yesterday, after being exceptionally promoted to Kanoe Rank, he slew several demons entrenched in an abandoned mine."
Amane paused: "It's just that when Mr. Himejima kills demons, he constantly chants sutras and sheds tears."
Granting salvation while killing?
Kagaya was silent for a moment, then sighed softly.
"Killing to protect life, cutting karma not cutting people."
"The tears Mr. Himejima sheds are not weakness, but the torment of a great compassionate heart in the hellfire."
"After all, demons are souls fallen into darkness; they were humans before too."
"Precisely because he harbors such boundless compassion, the karma and weight carried by every blade he swings is far heavier than that of ordinary swordsmen."
Amane listened quietly and nodded helplessly.
"This compassion is strength, but also a shackle."
Kagaya agreed.
A thousand-year fate, entangled life after life.
Every one of them carried the same shackles.
It was precisely because the Demon Slayer Corps was composed of such a group of people that they could struggle against fate endlessly, wave after wave.
"Reply to Mr. Ryosuke."
Kagaya's voice was faint, carrying gladness.
"Uzui Tengen... the Demon Slayer Corps welcomes his joining. Please also trouble Mr. Kuwajima to guide him onto the path of Breathing Styles. As for Mr. Himejima..."
He paused, only speaking after a slight silence.
"Have the Kakushi ensure Mr. Himejima gets the best medical treatment and rest. His body and soul... are too heavy."
"Tell him that for every soul he grants salvation to, Ubuyashiki Kagaya feels the same."