Kapitel 33: Chapter 33

As Ginryu flew away from the scene, various thoughts troubled his mind. He had gone in with high hopes of saving Uta and her children, and perhaps even gaining the support of Yoriichi through them.

But now, as he looked back at the outcome, he couldn't help but question his own actions.

'If I truly wanted to, I could have still saved Uta. Yet, I found so many reasons not to. All for the sake of plot,' he mocked himself, feeling a sense of disappointment in his own morals.

He couldn't shake the feeling that he had been treating people as mere characters in a story. Was that truly who he had become, or had he been like this all along and simply failed to notice? He wondered, but there was no one to answer his questions.

Suddenly, the sound of crying children snapped Ginryu out of his thoughts. The children, still unnamed and defenseless, were in tears. It was almost sunrise, and Ginryu had been flying for quite some time now.

Taking a deep breath, he realized that he couldn't change the past. But he could at least ensure the survival of these innocent children, whom he had promised to protect.

He made a mental note to reflect on himself at a later time, but for now, he had to focus on the present.

Consulting his virtual map, Ginryu searched for the nearest village where he could find food for the children.

The sun was rising, so he knew that the demons must have lost his trail. He gently landed in a nearby clearing and transformed back into his base form.

As he put on his clothes and searched his inventory for money, his mind was occupied with thoughts about the children.

He didn't even know what to name them, or if he had the right to do so. Their mother was gone, and their father would soon be consumed by grief and revenge.

Cradling the twins in his hands, Ginryu approached the village. He could see that the residents were just starting their day, and they quickly took notice of the crying children in his arms.

Upon spotting them, the residents went on alert and prepared to defend themselves. This was not unusual in a time where war and violence were a daily occurrence.

"Who are you, stranger? What do you want?" an elderly man armed with a hoe asked cautiously as he approached Ginryu.

"I am just passing through, and these children need food," Ginryu replied, briefly revealing the crying twins wrapped in fur.

The cold weather was not suitable for newborns, but these were not ordinary newborns. They were the children of Yoriichi, and there was no way that they would be normal.

The elderly man's expression softened at the sight of the children, and he ushered Ginryu and the twins into his home.

He was the village chief, and he felt less wary of Ginryu once he saw him with the children.

Ginryu couldn't help but wonder what babies could eat besides breast milk.

He had seen on television that newborns could be fed animal milk, but he wasn't very sure if that was a reliable source of information.

The village chief led him to a lady who had recently given birth, and she graciously offered to feed the twins.

As the babies started to calm down and feed, Ginryu couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Despite the troubled circumstances, at least these children were safe and well-fed for now.

As the children were being fed, Ginryu learned that animal milk was safe for the children to drink, so he made a decision to acquire some animal milk in case the village had any available.

He could not rely on a young woman to breastfeed the children while they traveled. His intention was to quickly stop by the Ubuyashiki clan manor without many people he knew becoming aware of the children existence.

It was crucial for him to retrieve the cubs, as they often caused chaos whenever he was away for extended periods of time.

Moreover, it was best for the children to not get involved in any demon affairs until they were reunited with their father.

Thus, Ginryu's plan was to bring them back to Yoriichi after he created and taught the demon slayers the breathing techniques. This would help return some stability to the original story.

Ginryu's main goal was to make sure that the crucial scene where Muzan is given the medicine that ages him rapidly, takes place.

This particular event gave Muzan a significant power boost, it was like dry aging premium meat.

Additionally, it was vital for Yoriichi to be present as the creator of the medicine, Tamayo, would only be freed from Muzan's control in his presence.

Ginryu's selfish desire was to then devour Muzan after this was accomplished. It was to be his final act before leaving the world.

He estimated that by then, he would have gathered enough dimensional energy to depart.

Soon, he came across a villager who was willing to sell some animal milk to him. The villager presented some goat milk stored in clay jars, stating it was all they had.

Ginryu thanked the villager and paid for the milk before preparing to continue his journey back to Mount Fujikasane.

He purchased some clothes to use as diapers and some other supplies for the children.

It was surprising to him that none of the villagers showed any signs of greed when they saw his money pouch, so he generously paid extra for the milk and breastfeeding services.

During such times of scarcity, such acts of kindness were rare. With his business in the village concluded, Ginryu resumed his journey.

.........

Several days had gone by since Ginryu set out on his quest to retrieve his cubs. The journey had been far from smooth, with the twins proving to be a constant source of frustration and mental exhaustion.

At times, Ginryu even found himself questioning whether he was doing Yoriichi a favor by taking the troublesome babies away from him.

He had already sent word through a raven, informing the demon slayer corps of his intentions to retrieve the cubs before heading towards the Owari province.

Temporarily shirking his duties, Ginryu had business to attend to first. It was not like anyone would really question him. He was already being tracked and watched by raven anyway. It was always like this anytime he came close to the clan's territory.

Of course, the current head of the Ubuyashiki clan was likely aware that he was not alone on his journey. As long as Ginryu didn't reveal the twins' identities and features, it would take some time for them to be connected to Yoriichi after their eventual meeting.

"Yin, Yang, Tora," Ginryu greeted the cubs with a soft smile, gently rubbing their fur as they yelped with excitement.

It had been almost a year since he had last seen them, and he couldn't believe how much they had grown and changed.

It didn't take long for the cubs to spot the sleeping twins strapped to Ginryu's back. With curious whimpers, they circled him, trying to make sense of the strange creatures and their placement on Ginryu's back – a spot that should rightfully be occupied by them.

Realizing he would need to keep the cubs separate from the twins, Ginryu retrieved a bag from his inventory and carefully placed the cubs inside.

"No need to be jealous, my little ones," he reassured them, his tone smooth and calm. "They will only be with us for a short while."

The cubs seemed to understand, quietly settling down in their new home within the bag. "What big babies," Ginryu chuckled to himself, shaking his head at their behavior.

Once everything was in order, Ginryu consulted his virtual map and began the next leg of his journey to the Owari province.

It would be a temporary stop, but a necessary one, as he prepared to raise the twins he had yet to name there.