Sanemi Shinazugawa slew Lower Rank One, Ubume, and became the new Wind Hashira.
As the newly appointed Wind Hashira, he also attended the Pillar Meeting.
"Be sure to get along with the other Hashira. Especially Sui-san—you absolutely must thank her properly! And Miss Kocho too, for taking care of you. Be polite. Smile more. Sanemi, you're the best!"
That had been Masachika's advice before Sanemi left.
Though Masachika had survived, his legs were gone for good. Even the medical skills of Butterfly Estate could do nothing about that. He could only step back from the front lines and take over the position once held by their own teacher, the former trainer of Wind Breathing.
Unlike Sanemi, whose face darkened every time he looked at the space where Masachika's legs used to be, Masachika himself seemed to delight in teaching the next generation of swordsmen. Every student under him admired him from the bottom of their heart.
Standing before the gates of the Ubuyashiki estate, Sanemi felt, to his own irritation, something close to unease.
Masachika's smile.
Sui's cold expression under the pounding rain.
Ubume's detestable face.
His younger brother Genya screaming, "You killed Mother! You murderer!"
And now—
the woman standing in front of him opening the door: Flower Hashira Kanae Kocho.
"Welcome, Shinazugawa-kun. Please, come in."
The gates opened. Wisteria flowers swayed in the light, and though it was the dead of winter, the estate still held a quiet warmth.
Sanemi followed Kanae into the courtyard and saw the Hashira gathered there.
The Stone Hashira and Sound Hashira stood beneath a tree. Sui sat under the shade nearby, quietly holding a biwa with her eyes closed, perhaps resting, perhaps already observing Sanemi's arrival. The sight of her like that made him involuntarily think of the one-eyed demon woman with the biwa from Ubume's manor. The resemblance gave him a strange sense of dislocation.
Farther away stood a man with his back to everyone, draped in a half-and-half haori.
Sanemi barely spared him a glance.
Remembering Masachika's instructions, he tried to pull the corners of his mouth into something resembling a smile.
"Shinazugawa-kun…?" Kanae said gently.
"What?"
"Did Tomioka-san offend you somehow? Why are you making that face?"
Sanemi was about to ask who the hell Tomioka was when the Sound Hashira strode over in all his gaudy splendor, the air around him already brimming with battle intent.
Then—
Sui swept her fingers across the strings.
The notes rang sharply from Scorched Tail, the four strings slicing down like a blade between the Sound Hashira and Sanemi.
"Uzumaki-san," Sui said softly, "there's no need to play the villain every time. I witnessed Shinazugawa-kun slay Lower Rank One with my own eyes. His strength is more than sufficient for the position of Wind Hashira."
"Oh?" Tengen Uzuui dragged out the sound. "If Miss Sui herself speaks for him, then as the God of Festivals, I shall temporarily grant him my flamboyant approval!"
"Speaking of which," the Stone Hashira said, turning toward Sui, "have you recently taken to studying music? That biwa was not with you last time."
"A thing connected by fate should not be left to gather dust," Sui replied.
The Stone Hashira nodded solemnly. "Then I have a request, if I may. Lately I've been troubled by the fact that people always seem pained when I play the flute. I suspect my skill is simply too poor. If Miss Sui would be willing to teach me something of music, I would be deeply grateful."
"It would hardly be a burden. There is no need for such courtesy, Himejima-san."
Sanemi moved to sit down. Kanae settled beside Sui, while Sanemi found himself seated next to the Sound Hashira. Off at a distance sat the man in the half-and-half haori, whose behavior was so odd that Sanemi couldn't help wondering if he really was one of the Hashira at all.
"He is the Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka," Kanae explained.
Sanemi frowned.
That was a Hashira?
In the past, he would have blurted the thought aloud without hesitation.
But now he had learned to restrain himself—at least enough to maintain a minimum of "manners" at a Pillar Meeting.
Then the voice of a child rang out:
"The Master has arrived."
Supported by Lady Amane, Ubuyashiki Kagaya stepped into the courtyard. In his hands he carried a weathered old journal. His sightless gaze swept across them all, and there was a tightly held smile on his face.
For the first time, the Stone Hashira saw a genuine trace of joy on the Master's expression. He folded his hands in prayer at once. He knew the Master was about to announce something momentous.
Something astonishingly good.
"My children," Ubuyashiki said, "the method of killing the progenitor of demons…"
He paused.
"We have found it."
"What?"
Every Hashira present was shocked.
Only Sui, seated beneath the tree with her biwa, continued pressing the strings thoughtfully.
"The means of killing the progenitor…"
Even the Stone Hashira was shaken.
This was no ordinary good news.
This meant the end of the Corps' centuries-long fate.
The end of demons themselves.
Ubuyashiki handed the old journal around.
"This is the demon-hunting journal of Princess Crimson Moon, the Thunder Hashira of the Warring States era. Within it is recorded a long-lost primal breathing style—the source from which all breathing styles were born."
"In the Warring States period, a genius swordsman appeared. He taught this original breathing style to warriors who had never before come into contact with breathing techniques. Yet because ordinary swordsmen could not master it directly, they adapted it to fit themselves. That was how the five foundational breathing styles were born—Flame, Wind, Water, Thunder, and Stone—as well as their many derivatives. It was the turning point in the history of the Demon Slayer Corps."
"The original breathing style—Sun Breathing. A breathing style like the sun itself. It was wielded by that genius swordsman, and with it, he nearly killed Muzan."
From the Stone Hashira down to the newly appointed Wind Hashira, the Pillars passed the journal from hand to hand, each of them shaken by what it contained.
The original breathing style.
The Hashira of the Warring States period.
A Kizuki who betrayed their own kind and became a demon.
The slaughter of those who knew the truth.
"But our family already knew that much," Ubuyashiki said quietly.
"At the end of the Warring States era, after that swordsman died, Muzan killed everyone who knew the original breathing style and its transmission. That is why we have never known how it was practiced. Yet Princess Crimson Moon foresaw the end of that age. Though she herself did not know how to learn Sun Breathing, she left us, in her journal, a way to recreate the original style."
"The Method of Fusion."
"The original breathing style was divided into the five foundational styles. Therefore, it should be possible to reverse that process—to use those five styles to infer the forms and rhythm of the original. Before now, we have attempted this before, but always failed. The five styles as they exist today are already too complete; there has been no way to know where to begin. But the Method of Fusion recorded in this journal allows one to restore the breathing styles to the way they were at the very start."
There was a stir in the courtyard.
"However, it requires that the Hashira of all five foundational styles gather together. Only Hashira possess a deep enough understanding of their styles to alter them."
"They must each learn the other foundational styles," Ubuyashiki said, "and grind themselves down until they approach the original breathing style."
"Learning other breathing styles…" the Stone Hashira said in a low voice. "That is extremely difficult. The differences between styles are immense. Even a Hashira cannot simply take up another foundational style."
"Because this is not ordinary learning," Sui said at last.
All eyes turned toward her.
"What will be born at the end is not a manual for Sun Breathing. It is a single swordsman capable of using Sun Breathing. Only afterward can that swordsman record the method."
"I see," Kanae murmured. "So that is the price. If anything goes wrong during the process of learning the other styles, the swordsman's body will collapse and they will die."
The original breathing style was not some power one could casually grasp. Otherwise, there would have been no need for the five foundational styles to split off from it.
It was a gamble.
And at minimum, the stake was the life of a Hashira.
"That is why none of you will be ordered into it recklessly," Ubuyashiki said. "You are Hashira—the indispensable pillars of the Corps."
"But if so," Sanemi said darkly, "won't this once-in-a-lifetime chance just be buried and wasted? How long are we supposed to wait before we kill every last demon?"
"I'll do it!"
Tengen shot to his feet first, laughing boldly.
"Who else if not me? Let me become the swordsman of the original breathing style in the most flamboyant possible fashion!"
Throughout all of this, the Stone Hashira had slowly come to understand the Master's meaning.
He looked toward the woman beneath the tree.
Sui showed no surprise whatsoever at the contents of the journal. Clearly, she was the one who had brought it back.
The Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzuui, had never trained in the true foundational form of Thunder Breathing, so he could not be a candidate.
The Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, was newly appointed and far too volatile in temperament for learning other breathing styles.
The Flower Hashira, Kanae Kocho, did not use a foundational style at all.
The Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka…
He lacked confidence.
And as for the Stone Hashira himself—
he was already beyond the age at which such a transformation could reasonably begin.
If one Hashira had to be chosen…
There had only ever been one answer.
The Thunder Hashira.
Sui.
In her, one could glimpse every breathing style's qualities at once:
the softness of water,
the sharpness of wind,
the heat of flame,
the swiftness of thunder,
and even the immovable weight of stone.
The Stone Hashira pressed his palms together.
"Namu Amida Butsu."
As the prayer faded, the Master spoke.
Both Sanemi and Tengen fell silent.
"This matter… I must entrust to you, Miss Sui."
Kanae leaned closer and whispered, "The Master and you had already discussed this in advance, hadn't you?"
She had, as always, made the correct guess.
Sui answered only with a smile.
Sanemi stared at her. "Damn woman. Why do you have to steal the spotlight even in something like this?"
"If even I cannot do it," Sui said softly, "then the rest of you would only die for nothing. Wind Hashira-sama, please sit down. The most urgent matter now is filling the vacancy of the Flame Hashira."
Sanemi had finally heard her call him Wind Hashira-sama, just as he had once wanted.
But not like this.
Not in a conversation that sounded too much like a farewell.
Still, Giyu spoke up for the first time.
"But the Thunder Hashira is stationed in Osaka. If she leaves to train in other breathing styles, will that not cause problems?"
Sanemi remembered the earlier question he had once asked.
What exactly did it mean to guard Osaka?
He asked it aloud.
And received an answer.
"A demon of the Upper Ranks once appeared in Osaka," Tengen said. "The Thunder Hashira has been investigating its trail. A very flamboyant assignment."
"No matter," Sui said. "Osaka can be guarded temporarily by the Wind Hashira."
Sanemi stared.
"What?"
"Wind Hashira Sanemi Shinazugawa slew Lower Rank One. His ability is sufficient for the post of sentry over Osaka. If anything stirs there, I will return from the other Hashira's training grounds as quickly as possible."
"Sanemi."
The Master looked at him and spoke his name softly, waiting for his answer.
Sanemi dropped to one knee, one fist against the ground.
"Wind Hashira Sanemi Shinazugawa… accepts."
"In that case," Sui said, "since everyone is temporarily free, we should begin training in the foundational breathing styles as soon as possible. I will visit each Hashira's residence in turn and learn the other foundational forms."
"Namu Amida Butsu… but I am quite busy at present," the Stone Hashira said. "There is a demon causing havoc within my jurisdiction…"
"Not long ago, Miss Sui slew three Lower Rank demons," Ubuyashiki said, offering explanation. "That has already eased the burden on the children of the Corps significantly. For the moment, the Hashira have been granted a small measure of leisure."
Then he turned toward Sui.
"If that is your wish, then we shall proceed according to your judgment and begin the training early. With whom do you intend to begin?"
Sanemi straightened at once.
Naturally it should have been Wind Breathing.
The damn woman.
The words were already on the tip of his tongue—
when Sui smiled and answered first.
"Let us begin with Water Breathing. Tomioka-san, I'll be in your care from here on."
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 115)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter116)
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I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter144)
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Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 118
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 111
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass 80
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 112
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 80
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 74
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player 48
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 50
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 47
Uma Musume: From Beginner 42
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