Chapter 170: Shinjuro: I'm Done Playing with You Geniuses
"Actually... it's fine."
Akira averted his gaze, entirely unable to meet Kanae's eyes. The affection swimming in her deep purple irises was far too gentle, yet overwhelmingly intense. It left him momentarily stripped of his usual composure, his heart skipping an unfamiliar beat.
"'It's fine', 'it's okay'..." Kanae sighed softly. "As expected, whenever it comes to yourself, you always use such vague terms as an answer. You're not being honest at all."
Reaching out, her slender fingers cupped his cheek. With a gentle but entirely irresistible force, she guided his face back to meet her unwavering gaze.
"Is it ultimately because we are too incompetent?" she asked, her voice dropping to a quiet whisper. "Because we are unable to share the burden for you?"
"How could that be? You..."
Seeing the faint glisten of unshed tears pooling in Kanae's eyes, a rare spike of panic pierced through Akira's chest. He scrambled to organize his thoughts, desperate to reassure her, but before the words could leave his throat, she pressed a soft finger against his lips.
"Alright, I'm just joking. I didn't mean to blame you, Akira." Her expression shifted, the sorrow melting into a fierce, unyielding determination. "However, in the future, when you encounter danger, you cannot treat me as a burden and leave me behind. A few days ago, I fought to a draw with Senior Brother Sabito."
Saying this, Kanae winked at him, a triumphant little smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
Although her tone made it sound like a trivial everyday occurrence, her gaze remained absolute—just as it had been on the day she first told him she wanted to learn the Breathing Styles.
Kanae knew exactly why Akira kept his struggles buried deep in his heart, choosing to shoulder the weight of the world alone. It was born from his terrifyingly deep desire to protect them, to ensure they never got hurt. But that didn't erase the harsh reality that their strength had simply been insufficient to stand by his side.
She still vividly remembered the apocalyptic aftermath of the battlefield where Akira had clashed with the Upper Rank Three, Akaza. The cratered earth and pulverized forests were a proof of a world of combat they simply couldn't interfere in. If they had stepped into that fray, it would have only been a fatal hindrance. Akira would never allow such meaningless sacrifices to occur, especially not among the family he cherished so deeply.
But now, Kanae needed him to understand that she had grown. Fighting the Demon Slayer Corps' third-ranked combatant, the Water Hashira Sabito, to a standstill was her obvious proof.
Even if a massive chasm still existed between Sabito's strength and Akira's monstrous power, it was at least enough to guarantee she wouldn't be dead weight. She could participate in his battles against the Upper Moons. She might not be able to hold her ground for long against the top three, but she could absolutely protect herself and provide support against a demon of Gyokko's caliber.
Therefore, the next time the shadows lengthened, she would absolutely not let him face the danger alone.
After locking eyes for a long, silent moment, Akira finally let out a breath and nodded.
Kanae's growth speed had completely shattered his expectations. He knew better than anyone that this level of strength was forged through agonizing, bone-breaking hardships that were difficult to put into words. To reject her resolve now would be an insult to her blood, sweat, and tears. He simply couldn't bear to refuse her again.
Seeing his nod of approval, the smile on Kanae's face bloomed into something breathtakingly radiant. All of her grueling efforts, all the endless nights of swinging her blade until her hands bled, had finally been recognized by the man she loved.
Overcome with a sudden surge of pure excitement, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a fiercely tight embrace.
"Ugh... Kanae, air... give me some air..."
Akira felt a sudden, overwhelming pressure against his face, the soft weight pressing into him so deeply that he actually felt suffocated. He couldn't help but struggle a little, his hands weakly tapping her back.
"Ah—!"
Realizing exactly what was pressing against his face, Kanae's entire face flushed a brilliant shade of crimson. This was the very first time she had ever initiated such a bold, intimate move. Feeling him squirm against her chest—even if his struggles were weak—sent a jolt of electricity straight to her brain.
A moment later, Akira finally regained his freedom to breathe.
But before he could even catch a glimpse of Kanae's rare, flustered expression, a pair of hands grabbed his shoulders and firmly shoved his head down onto her lap.
Blinking in surprise, he found his cheek resting against an incredibly soft, elastic surface. He opened his eyes, but his vision was completely blocked by the fabric of her uniform. She was deliberately hiding her burning face from him.
Making such a bold move in the heat of the moment had completely short-circuited her mind, leaving her far too shy to figure out how to look him in the eye.
Akira understood perfectly. She just needed a little time to cool down and process her own emotions. After all, their previous interactions had always lingered in the safe territory of simple hand-holding, gentle hugs, and leaning against each other's shoulders. To jump straight to this was a massive leap.
Honestly, Akira himself felt a bit dizzy from the sudden sensory overload.
However, just lying here quietly was absolute bliss. The faint, sweet scent of peach blossoms drifted into his nose, calming his racing heart. Slowly, hesitantly, the girl's soft little hands descended, her fingers gently threading through his hair and massaging his scalp. The afternoon sunlight spilled through the window, wrapping them both in a lazy, golden warmth.
Akira squinted his eyes, melting completely into the comfort.
Above him, Kanae's racing heartbeat finally began to steady. She took a deep breath, reorganizing her chaotic emotions, and allowed herself to sink into the deep tranquility of the moment.
But as the old saying goes: wonderful times always have an end.
"Caw—! Two days later! Hashira Meeting! Caw!!"
The serene atmosphere was violently shattered by the sudden, screeching arrival of Ink Shadow. The Kasugai Crow landed on the windowsill, squawking its lungs out. But before it could even finish detailing the reason for the mandatory gathering, the bird froze.
It slowly turned its head, meeting Akira's half-open eye.
"Ink Shadow..."
The two words ground out from between Akira's teeth, carrying a weight that made the air drop ten degrees.
The crow's feathers puffed up in sheer terror. It didn't sense a massive wave of anger, but rather a thin, exceptionally pure thread of absolute killing intent locking onto its tiny body. Without a second thought, the bird launched itself backward out the window, fleeing toward the horizon at a speed that broke its own personal records.
Watching Akira sit upright, gnashing his teeth as he glared at the rapidly shrinking black dot in the sky, Kanae couldn't hold it in anymore. She covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with melodic giggles.
"Aha, if you like it, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future," she teased gently, smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt. "Ink Shadow was just carrying out his mission."
Not long after, Kanae's own Kasugai Crow arrived, bringing the full details of the upcoming Hashira Meeting.
Rengoku Kyoujurou was officially succeeding his father as the Flame Hashira.
It had been almost two years since Kyoujurou passed the Final Selection. Akira wasn't surprised in the slightest that the fiery prodigy had accumulated enough merits and strength to be promoted to Hashira. However, the fact that it was a direct succession meant that Shinjuro was officially retiring.
Akira rubbed his chin, genuinely curious. Rengoku Ruka was still alive, healthy, and recovering beautifully. Why was this uncle, a man not even forty years old and still in his physical prime, suddenly hanging up his blade?
Somewhere in the back of his mind, a highly accurate thought surfaced: Shinjuro is probably just completely done trying to compete with all the monstrous geniuses popping up around him.
Two days later.
Akira strolled through the gates of the Ubuyashiki Estate, his hands comfortably intertwined with Makomo's and Kanae's.
The moment they stepped into the main courtyard, his eyes landed on two 'yellow owls' standing side-by-side, their identical fiery hair making them look like they were carved from the exact same mold.
"Kanzaki Senior!"
Kyoujurou's booming, excessively loud voice echoed across the entire estate, using the one title that never failed to give Akira a headache.
Standing a few paces away, Shinjuro crossed his arms, a highly amused smirk playing on his lips. Uzui Tengen, who had just arrived, leaned against a tree, clearly enjoying the show. There were very few things in this world that could make Akira look so utterly defeated, and they were going to savor every second of it.
"Kyoujurou..." Akira sighed, rubbing his temples. "After today, you will officially be a Hashira-level swordsman. We are equals. There is absolutely no need to call me 'Senior' anymore, right? I'm really not that old."
Having corrected the energetic young man countless times in the past and having given up struggling long ago, Akira figured Kyoujurou's new rank was the perfect excuse to finally kill the honorific.
Kyoujurou stood at attention, his chest puffed out proudly. "Respect in address has absolutely nothing to do with age! Even if we stand as swordsmen of the exact same rank in the future, the distinction of seniority and guidance remains! There is absolutely nothing wrong with addressing you as Senior!"
Akira narrowed his eyes, unwilling to surrender just yet. He pointed a finger at the rest of the Hashira gathered in the courtyard. "Then, according to your own logic, wouldn't you have to scream 'Senior' at every single one of them too?"
Kyoujurou blinked, his golden eyes widening as if a deep truth had just been revealed to him. He bowed deeply. "Yes! Thank you for the excellent reminder, Kanzaki Senior!"
Akira's jaw dropped slightly. He stared at the beaming Flame Hashira, completely out of ideas.
Heh. He gave up.
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