The morning sun washed Gyomei's training grounds in soft warmth as Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Murata, and Jinwoo stood together one last time. The boulder behind them sat unmoved now—except for the path Tanjiro carved through sheer will.
Their bodies ached. Their spirits strengthened. Their determination sharpened.
Gyomei bowed gently.
"You have all… grown. Walk your paths… with conviction."
Tanjiro bowed deeply. Zenitsu cried. Inosuke flexed his muscles and screamed something unintelligible. Murata sighed with relief. Jinwoo nodded respectfully.
Then Jinwoo system appears:
> [Training Complete — Hashira Progress: 5/7]
Reward Granted: 560,000 XP
LEVEL UP!
Current Level: 138→ 141
2 Hashira training incomplete
And so—
They left Gyomei's temple together.
---
Return to Butterfly Mansion
By noon, the Butterfly Mansion came into sight.
Warm pink petals drifted across the yard.
Nurses walked with baskets of herbs.
The scent of medicine lingered softly in the air.
Tanjiro stretched his arms.
"It feels comforting… being back here."
Zenitsu collapsed onto the wooden floor instantly.
"FINALLY! REAL REST! NORMAL FOOD! NORMAL PEOPLE!"
Inosuke jumped onto a railing.
"THIS PLACE IS MINE NOW!"
Murata fell face-first onto a pillow.
Jinwoo sat near the veranda silently, reaching into his pocket.
He pulled out a strange metallic square device—sleek, glowing faintly blue.
A memory flashed in his mind.
Cha Hae-In's voice:
"Jinwoo… the demon domain is a floating dimension.
If you place this anchor inside, the gate will no longer teleport randomly.
It will stay locked in that dimension only."
Jinwoo turned the device over in his hand. Simple. Compact. Dangerous.
Zenitsu peeked over his shoulder.
"W-WHAT IS THAT?! SOME KIND OF BOMB?!"
Jinwoo closed his hand.
"…Something that will stop demons from hiding."
Tanjiro didn't fully understand—but he trusted Jinwoo.
They rested, talked about the Hashira trainings they passed, shared food, and let time breathe slowly around them.
But soon—
A crow landed.
"CAW! NEXT TRAINING!! SHINOBU KOCHO!! BUTTERFLY ESTATE GARDENS!!"
Zenitsu fainted on the spot.
---
Shinobu and Kanao — Private Moment
Meanwhile…
In a quiet garden filled with drifting golden fishes, Shinobu Kocho watched them swim, her eyes soft yet distant.
Kanao stepped beside her.
"Shinobu-san… may I train with you today?"
Shinobu's smile carried both warmth and hidden sorrow.
"Kanao… soon, we will avenge my sister.
That demon… took her smile from this world."
Kanao's eyes trembled briefly.
"I'm ready, Shinobu-san."
The air stilled.
Footsteps approached.
They turned—
Jinwoo walked toward them, sun behind him, coat fluttering slightly.
Both Shinobu and Kanao blinked—
and blushed just a little.
"J-Jinwoo-san…"
"Ah…"
A second later, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Murata entered—bursting the quiet atmosphere.
Zenitsu yelled dramatically,
"SHINOBU-SAN! TRAIN ME!!! PLEASE!!!"
Shinobu raised a polite hand.
"I cannot train anyone physically.
My training… is endurance-based.
Patience… and pain tolerance."
Zenitsu fainted. Inosuke roared in excitement. Murata screamed internally.
Everyone left the training garden— Except Jinwoo.
He stood there quietly.
Shinobu tilted her head.
"You stayed… Jinwoo-san?"
Jinwoo nodded once.
"I heard what you said earlier. About your sister."
Her smile faltered. Her eyes dimmed slightly.
"…Let's sit."
---
Jinwoo & Shinobu — Quiet Conversation
The late afternoon sun spilled warm gold across the Butterfly Mansion garden.
Beneath the wooden pavilion, the koi pond shimmered—its golden fishes drifting in soft circles, their movements calm and unhurried.
Shinobu sat with her legs folded neatly, her hands resting on her lap.
Jinwoo sat beside her, leaning slightly forward, elbows on his knees, watching the ripples in the water.
For a long moment, neither spoke.
The breeze brushed Shinobu's hair across her cheek, and she gently tucked it back behind her ear.
Finally, she broke the silence.
"Jinwoo-san… do you want to know about my sister?"
Her voice was soft—almost too soft for someone known to provoke demons with her mocking smile.
Jinwoo turned his head slightly.
he answered honestly. "But… I want to."
Shinobu's lips curved faintly, but the sadness in her eyes deepened.
"My sister… Kanae… she was gentle."
She inhaled slowly.
"Kind beyond words. She believed—truly believed—that one day, humans and demons could coexist."
Jinwoo didn't interrupt.
He simply listened.
Shinobu continued, "She always smiled. Even when she fought. Even when she cried. Even when… she…"
Her voice faltered.
Jinwoo's brows softened.
"Shinobu," he said quietly, "you don't have to force yourself."
"No… I want to say it."
She clasped her hands together.
"The demon who killed her… Upper Rank Two. The one with that mocking smile…"
Her fingers trembled.
Jinwoo lowered his gaze.
"Your sister meant a lot to you."
"More than you know," she whispered.
"She was everything."
The breeze stopped for a moment—everything became still.
Jinwoo inhaled deeply, his eyes narrowing with resolve.
"One day," he said slowly, "you'll get your chance to avenge her."
He paused, voice firm but warm.
"I promise."
Shinobu's eyes widened, her expression softening in surprise.
"You… promise?"
Jinwoo nodded.
"I don't make promises lightly."
Shinobu looked down quickly, hiding her blush.
"…Thank you. That means more than you think."
As she exhaled, a faint purple light flickered across her palm—
a poison mark swelling, then shrinking as she quickly concealed her hand in her sleeve.
Jinwoo noticed, but he pretended not to.
Shinobu, flustered, changed the subject immediately.
"Actually… Tamayo-san and I are working on something. A medicine—one that could turn demons back into humans, for nezuko."
Jinwoo raised an eyebrow.
"That's incredible. You're closer to finding peace than you think."
"O-oh… thank you…"
Shinobu's voice cracked, just a little.
Jinwoo smiled.
A rare, gentle smile.
"You don't need to hide it," he teased lightly.
"You're proud of your work."
She looked away, cheeks reddening.
"W-well, a little…"
Jinwoo chuckled quietly, the sound deep and warm.
---
While Shinobu spoke about herbs and formulas, Jinwoo quietly opened his system.
No lights.
No sound.
Just a faint blue glow only he could see.
SHADOW ASSIGNMENT: ACTIVE
TARGET: SHINOBU KOCHO
HONOR: 98/100 — WORTHY
Jinwoo's eyes softened.
"She risks her life every day…
She deserves someone watching her back."
He tapped:
Would you like to assign a Guardian Shadow?
→ Yes/No
A black ripple formed silently under Shinobu's seat.
For a brief half-second—
Igris rose from her shadow, his massive armored form towering silently, red eyes scanning the surroundings.
Shinobu didn't notice.
She was looking up, talking about wisteria toxins.
But someone did.
Standing a few meters away, sweeping fallen petals off the path—
Kanao Tsuyuri froze.
Her eyes widened slightly, her coin slipping from her fingers as she witnessed Igris's glowing silhouette sink back down into Shinobu's shadow.
A demon?
No.
Too calm.
Too obedient.
A protector?
She clutched her broom tightly, uncertain.
But she said nothing.
She simply watched Jinwoo quietly from the corner of her eye—
the man who could summon such a terrifying being with no effort.
---
Continued Interaction
Shinobu finally noticed Kanao staring.
"Kanao? Is something wrong?"
Kanao blinked once.
Twice.
"…Nothing, Shinobu-sama."
But her eyes flickered toward Jinwoo.
Jinwoo met her gaze for a moment.
He gave her a small nod—
a quiet reassurance.
Kanao hesitated… but nodded back.
Shinobu looked between them, confused.
"Did I miss something?"
"No," Jinwoo said smoothly.
"She was just… making sure you're safe."
Shinobu blinked.
"Well… as long as nothing strange is going on."
Kanao looked away immediately.
Jinwoo hid a smirk.
The golden fishes continued their slow dance beneath the pavilion.
The wind picked up again, carrying the scent of flowers through the garden.
Shinobu relaxed.
Jinwoo closed the system.
A peaceful moment—
but one with shadows quietly watching over her.
---
Shinobu returned with a small cloth bag.
Inside were vials glowing faintly pink.
"This is the medicine to help Nezuko.
Give it to it to Urokodaki-san."
Jinwoo accepted it gently.
"I will."
---
Later that evening—
Jinwoo, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Murata stood at the gate.
Jinwoo holds a bag
"You three go ahead.
I'm going to urokodaki san house..."
Tanjiro nodded firmly.
"Take Care.."
Zenitsu cried,
"JINWOO-SAN TAKE CARE!!"
Inosuke flexed,
"DON'T DIE UNTIL I BEAT YOU!"
Murata waved weakly.
They disappeared down the road.
Jinwoo walked in the opposite direction.
Night fell.
Quiet.
Still.
Until—
A faint wet sound echoed.
drip… drip…
Jinwoo halted mid-step.
Someone… watching me?.
His eyes narrowed.
Behind him, floating above the trees—
A single eyeball
with twitching tentacles
stared directly at him.
Upper Rank 4's remote vision.
Jinwoo exhaled calmly.
He didn't turn.
He simply raised one hand.
RULER'S AUTHORITY — GRIP
FWIP—
The eyeball was snatched into his palm violently.
It writhed. Twisted. Shrieked silently.
Jinwoo squeezed.
CRACK—
Blood splattered. The eyeball crushed.
The forest went silent.
Then…
A presence.
Cold. Royal. Heavy.
A voice drifted behind him—
"…Interesting."
Jinwoo slowly turned.
A pale man stood beneath the moonlight, eyes blood-red, hair flowing like ink.
The Demon King.
KIBUTSUJI MUZAN.
Their eyes met.
And the chapter ends.