Chapter 210: I’m You, But Better
A few days after awakening the Aura of the Hashira, I was spending my time enjoying some tea as a crow landed next to me.
I looked at it and nodded, "I see, so that's where those two are located, well then, it seems I'll have to do some clean up work soon enough." I say as I drank some more tea while I saw Florence drilling into the heads of those that work here in the ways of using medicine properly along with keeping one's hands and tools sterilized to keep infections from getting to the wounds.
I stood up as I cracked my neck and back before walking towards the group that had everyone in the Butterfly Manor learning from Florence along with Mikan.
"I'm going to head out, I found out the location of Upper Moons 2 & 3, so I'm going to deal with them." I say hefting up my sword onto my shoulder.
"Wait! I'll come-" Shinobu was about to say before lifting my hand to stop her.
"Shinobu, are you saying that the you right now is stronger than your sister? Sure you may have your Aura, but you have yet to master all your breathing styles as of yet, not only that but you haven't unlocked a game changer like Spiral Energy, so it should go without saying that you being there will cause problems for me in my fight with Doma, though Akaza, that being Upper Moon 3, would be a different story to say the least as I know he has a semblance of honor when it comes to battle, but nevertheless you already know my answer." I say without looking back at her as she clenched her fist in frustration from hearing that.
'Then again Akaza, hmmm…. Should I really kill him? From everything I remembered and looked up in the system he's an extremely strong Demon, but he has never eaten a human, he's killed plenty but his code kept him from eating humans even if it would give him power, and he especially never killed women either unless they were a demon slayer being the only exception, and supposedly he's killed over 250+ Demon Slayers in his long immortal life with 10 to 20 of those being Hashira Specifically and as for humans it's unknown but he would only fight and kill those that are strong and kill weaklings if they were in his line of sight during an interesting battle, hmmm…' I ponder these thoughts as I approached the front gate.
"Yamada-san! Please wait a moment!" Suddenly I heard the sound of a loud high pitched voice from above as I looked up to see a messenger Crow flying over head.
I held out my arm as the crow landed on my arm, and thanks to my high natural endurance its talons couldn't pierce my skin thanks to my 2000pts in Endurance.
"So? What's the message?" I asked the messenger crow.
"Uyabashiki-sama requests you return to Demon Slayer HQ, The Hashira have unanimously agreed on desiring to unlock the Spiral Energy within them." He said to which I raised an eyebrow.
"They mastered their Aura's already? That was fast, then again they are Hashira, fine I'll head on over, though it doesn't mean they will be able to do so." I say with a sigh as I lift my arm up as the Crow takes off.
"Well, change of plans I guess, I'll have to push those plans off for a few days while I try and help the Hashira, if you guys need me I'll be at the Main Base." I say waving my hand before using my shadow manipulation magic to teleport straight to the HQ.
"Sucks I can't just go everywhere in the world with this." I mutter to myself as I pull myself out of the shadows as I appear at the base.
Currently I can only travel for up to 1KM from where I am at through the shadows but if I have a marker, such as one of the cheery blossom trees in the HQ, I can arrive no matter the distance though it is taxing if it's obscenely far such as say the opposite side of the planet itself.
Seeing me appear like that startled them slightly, but realizing it was me they didn't draw there blades towards me as they have come to realize me as one of the Demon Slayers most trusted of Allies.
"Good, seems my messenger crow reached you just fine." Kagaya said as I approached him and nodded.
"It did, and I see everyone has control over their Aura now without letting it leak out along with all of you being able to turn it on or off at will, and it sits tight against the skin, so congratulations on getting the basics of Aura control down, the rest is up to you to figure out as it's more for you to discover what your aura is good at." I said as I went onto explain to them as everything aura related from here on out is for them to do on their own.
"But that's not why I'm here, it seems some of you have already decided it's high time to try and unlock your Spiral Energy, but as I have said unlocking it needs one to face their past and overcome it." I say as a crow watches us from a nearby tree.
"And I'm not talking about in a metaphorical sense but you need to face your past head on and overcome it to have the chance to liberate your very souls and unlock Spiral Energy, and no you haven't, cause if you did you wouldn't be asking me to help you figure this out now would you?" I said as I looked at them as they gave me an awkward look on their faces.
"But yes I can help you face your past, but I need an answer from all of you personally, do every single one of you Hashira that stand here before me, Rengoku, Tengen, Gyomei, Obanai, Sanemi and Mitsuri, do you all see me as an Ally to you, and an Ally to the Demon Slayers as a whole? Because I need to hear that from each and every single one of you that you honestly do before I can even possibly help you open up the path within your bodies to use Spiral Energy as it doesn't count if some else, such as Kagaya, says it for you." I went onto explain to them as the beady eyes of the crow watched it all unfold.
"Hifumi, even though we have only known you for a short time I can already tell what kind of person you are and what you have done for Kanae speaks volumes to me that you are a good person with a human heart and soul as no matter what made you change to whatever it is that you became, in the end I can tell your still who you always were and that's enough reason for me to see you as a comrade and ally." Rengoku said as he took a step forward.
"Your flashiness and way you move about yourself speaks volumes to me, so of course I'd see someone such as yourself to be a comrade to me." Tengen came up to say.
"I as well see that you are our ally, no matter the blood that has been spilled on your hands." Gyomei said his piece as well.
"I've seen you as a friend ever since you started to help us, maybe I'm a bit too trusting but I know good people when I see them!" Mitsuri said while nodding her head with a big smile on her face.
"You have helped me get stronger than I was before, doing that is enough to get you on my good side, even if I want to kick your ass." Sanemi said as he gave a sharped tooth grin as he cracked his knuckles.
"…. As for me I'll be up front and say I don't trust you as who knows when and if you would ever decide to betray us, but you have gained all the other's approval so while reluctant I shall also consider you one of my ally's, for the time being that is." Obanai with his suspicious personality as ever gave probably the best he could do for someone he was wary of and couldn't trust but enough to call as a comrade when the need arrives.
Hearing all their responses I simply nod, "That's all I needed to hear." I say before turning back and walking to the tree I appeared by before I sat down under it as the crow flew down to be beside me.
"Well then you said it yourself, you call me your comrade or ally and thus I can begin to try to help you unlock your Spiral Energy, but only one person at a time can try it a day, if everyone can do it within the day it should maybe take a week to unlock everyone's, but if it takes longer it could take a month." I said as I wouldn't be too surprised it took longer since a few of them have plenty of emotional baggage they need to deal with after all.
"So, who's going first?" I ask as Mitsuri instantly waved her hand.
"Oh! Oh! Can I go first? Can I? Can I!" She seemed eager to go as I looked at the others who just shrugged or nodded.
"Alright, Today will be Mitsuri's day to see if she can face her past, now then my friend, if you would be so kind?" I said looking down at the crow to which the others did as well though moderately more confused.
Soon the crow lifted off and into the sky before in a cloud of black feathers a second Mitsuri appeared before 'she' fell back to the ground with a graceful landing before 'she' opened 'her' eyes and slightly smiled at them.
"I can see your confusion, well this is another one of my servants, they are known as the Changling and they will be who you are fighting against to unlock your Spiral Powers." I said as Changling lifted up their exact copy of Mitsuri's whip shaped Nichirin blade as they wrapped the blade around their hand and smirked as they stared down with Mitsuri.
"Safe to say I'm you, But Better."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone