Disclaimer: Demon Slayer is not mine. This fanfic is a translation.
Enjoy Reading!
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As more and more people gathered in the Butterfly Mansion, the noise gradually became a buzzing of bees.
The Kakushi, as well as lower-ranking members and the injured patients, make their way to see the duel between two swordsmen.
Everyone appeared in the courtyard.
In the middle of the encirclement were Shinjuro and Tanjuro, who prepared themselves, staring at each other, silent and communicating with their eyes only.
"Everyone, the patient ward is next door! Please be quiet! Be quiet!"
Tanjiro was attracted by the noise and came out to see the commotion. His arms stretched out to part the crowd, and he shouted at the top of his lungs for them to be calm.
"Please Be Quiet!" Tanjiro shouted again but to no effect.
The crowd were already lost in their conversation and awe as they waited for the duel to begin.
"Ah... what should I do..." A drop of sweat rolled down Tanjiro's forehead as he looked over the crowded people in front of him. "...It's not working at all."
His shouting could not attract the attention of everyone.
And his effort was drowned out by the noise of the crowd.
'This can't go on.'
Tanjiro looked back at the direction of the ward. If the rest of the patients who were recuperating were disturbed...
Clatter.
"Fuuh, that's great."
Murata walked out. He has his hair parted in the middle to show the recovering scar on his forehead.
"It's very lively here." He stopped beside Tanjiro and looked at the crowd. "Kocho-sama would be displeased..."
"Murata-san?" Tanjiro turned his head slightly at the arrival of Murata.
The two of them had met and gotten to know each other since Murata had been coming every day for "rehabilitation" training during his treatment of his wound.
Tanjiro was busy with chores when he saw Murata hiding discreetly from Aoi and her entourage and struck up a conversation, which got Murata dragged back to his "rehabilitation."
"Oh, it's you, Tanjiro." Murata turned to look at him and nodded, greeting him with a blank stare.
His voice was so soft that it's hard to hear him; his face was pale like a ghost, and if concentrated, there is a silhouette of a soul coming out of his mouth. His eyes were dull, as if he had been tortured. "Don't worry, it will be quiet here later."
"...I'll need to find a place to sit down and rest."
Murata made his way opposite of the crowd, swaying like a drunk man as he tried to put one foot in front of the other with difficulty.
"Ah... okay..."
Tanjiro opened his mouth to say something, maybe some comforting words, but the words he wanted to say clogged in his throat. He looked at Murata with a worried expression.
'Is "rehabilitation" so scary..." ｢(ﾟﾍﾟ)?
Tanjiro was lost in thought and missed the second part of Murata's words.
In the next moment, the crowd became still.
"Eh?" Tanjiro was stunned at the sight. He was about to ask his father for help when he noticed the silence.
He looked at the people's faces around him, whose excitement and curiosity turned solemn.
'Wha—what's wrong? Why are they...?'
"Hello everyone."
A gentle female voice slowly came from behind Tanjiro, which made him twitch from the surprise.
"It's just past noon, and there are so many people gathered here."
She spoke softly, yet her words were heard clearly through the gathering of people.
It was the [Insect Hashira, Kocho Shinobu.]
She was smiling, but her purple eyes showed no emotions. Her mouth curved into an imitation of a smile, like she was trying hard to maintain a happy facade.
"Is there something interesting happening?"
She looked at each person in the eyes... well, anyone who was confident enough to hold a stare with her anyway, but they didn't last long before they turned away from her gaze.
"Can you tell me about it too?"
"..."
"..."
The crowd grew restless.
Although, Kocho-sama is usually very gentle and kind to everyone in the Corps.
But once she gets angry...
The crowd looked at each other and saw the gradual fear growing in everyone's eyes, as well as the cold sweat running down their foreheads.
"I—I'll need to go! I h-haven't finished my work today!"
"Me too!"
"Hey, wait f-for me!"
With that, most of the Kakushi in the crowd left in groups. Leaving only a few members bold enough to stay with a stiff upper lip.
"Kocho-san." Shinjuro answered Shinobu's question as he raised his sword in front of him.
"I came here to ask for guidance with Kamado-san. If we have caused any inconvenience, we will change places."
A spark of interest lit up in Shinobu's eyes when he heard Shinjuro answer.
She quietly walked, and the people parted to make way for her and see the standoff between the two swordsmen.
Shinobu blinked slowly, the only indication that she was surprised by this unexpected event.
"Shinjuro-dono? Sparring?" She looked back and forth between the two men.
"I see..." She smiled a little honestly.
"The Butterfly Mansion is a place for recovery and rehab."
She raised her hands and clapped them in front of her face and tilted her head to the left, smiling brightly. "Since Shinjuro-dono would like to spar, I'll stay and watch."
As she finished speaking, Shinobu made her way to the porch and sat down beside Hanako and Takeo, who was standing.
She rubbed Hanako's head as she made herself comfortable to watch two masters duel in swordsmanship and signaled for them to finally begin.
Tanjuro withdrew his gaze as he prepared to face Shinjuro.
He also threw glances at Tanjiro and Takeo in the crowd and motioned with his chin.
Tanjiro noticed his father's gaze and immediately understood his father's intention.
He made his way in Takeo's direction and grabbed hold of Takeo's shoulder with his right hand and whispered in his brother's ear to watch closely.
'Father...'
'What is it you want us to watch?'
...
"Let's begin." Tanjuro said.
"Yes." Shinjuro nodded as he concentrated his mind, and he clenched tighter on his wooden sword in his hands.
In his orange-red pupils, Tanjuro's whole stance and calm were reflected.
"Hiss—!"
"...Here I come."
After taking a deep breath, Shinjuro pulled back his foot and tensed his calf muscles. He slid into the first form of the Flame Breathing stance as he prepared his charges to cut down Tanjuro.
'Let me see...'
'The Sun Breathing...'
Shinjuro's eyes gained a glint of killer instinct as a slayer.
Whoosh!
His calf muscles tensed to the extreme as he launched himself forward. His launched foot kicked up dust from the power it generated. Shinjuro turned into an afterimage, too fast for the normal eyes to see, and rushed straight toward Tanjuro.
The power that had been dormant in his body for a long time burst brilliantly in a flower of flames, instantly covering his blade with fire and condensing its energy at the tip of the sword.
All his muscles were brimming with strength, and a resounding boom was heard from his launching ground.
In less than a millisecond, Shinjuro appeared in front of Tanjuro and executed his technique. His eyes locked on to Tanjuro's neck, and he swung his sword with all his strength.
)—Flame Breathing First Form—(
)—Shiranui—(
(tr. Unknowing Fire)
The swing of the sword creates a crescent moon of fire. Heat emitted from the blade was so hot it could be felt by the audience around them. Cutting through the air and burning everything in its path.
Tanjuro's pupils followed Shinjuro's blade.
Under the technique of the Transparent World, Shinjuro's movement seemed to be slowed down as he saw the attack path of the swing slowly approach.
A sudden thought pops into his head...
...that Shinjuro's form is not at the same level as the current Kyojuro.
What exquisite swordsmanship!