章 42: To The Village!
Hearing Gyutaro's head land with a *thunk*, I stare carefully at his headless body, wondering if he was about to pull off any more tricks. And, lo and behold, I see as the notorious three blood blades form on his neck, but I had had enough of his wide-range destructive attack, so I use 'Ice Breathing Sixth Form: Frozen Tomb', encasing his soon to 'explode' body in ice.
Moments later, the sound of ice being slashes at hundreds of times comes from within the 'Frozen Tomb' before all goes silent.
Uzui, most likely upon seeing that Gyutaro had been decapitated, unceremoniously threw Daki's head, having it just so happen to land right in front of Gyutaro. As the two heads lock eyes with one another, they immediately begin to scream at one another.
"Who the hell gets that easily decapitated!" Gyutaro shrieks
"So, you were watching after all! I was facing four Demon Slayers at the same time! Why couldn't you have killed that one human and then save me, then?" Daki wails.
"I was battling the Hashira who injured Muzan and slain both Akaza and Dome, you know!"
"That's what I was trying to tell you before! But you didn't listen to me, so now you doomed the two of us to die!"
"It's not my fault! It's your fault for not doing a damn thing yourself, you could've at least tried to run away before!"
"Then you should've controlled me so that I could do that! But you did nothing! You only came out just to let your guard down and have your head chopped off!"
"You shut up! Look, if you're going to call yourself an Upper Rank, then you should be able to make rational decision on when to fight and when to run!"
"Hey, you're the idiot!"
"What did you say?"
The two of them take a momentary reprieve from yelling at one another, before Daki, while crying, disparages Gyutaro. "No one as ugly as you… …could possibly be my brother! I bet you and I… …aren't even related by blood! Since we look nothing alike! You're so useless! Your one saving grace is your strength! Nothing else! You have no value at all if you lose! You worthless, ugly freak!"
Not only does Gyokko stare at his sister with eyes wide with disbelief, but so too do us as the spectators. And I personally feel my chest tighten as the bond between siblings is simply the only thing that keeps some people moving forward.
Yet consumed by anger, Gyutaro retorts, "Don't give me that crap! If you were on your own, you'd be long dead by now! How many times have I saved you? You're the worthless one, and you know it! You're weak, and you have no value whatsoever! I wish I hadn't protected someone like you all this time! If it hadn't been for you, my life would've been different! Right, if it hadn't been for you! Why do I always have to clean up your messes? You just never should've been born—"
Before Gyutaro can push it any further, I cover his mouth with my hand. "That's a lie. You don't really feel that way at all. As siblings, it's your duty to get along with one another. After all, in this whole world, you two siblings have only each other. Even when the entire world hates you for what you've done, at least the two of you can fight that world together. So, you shouldn't be cursing each other out like this! Even if you want to hate each other, in times of peril, the two of you should stand side by side, taking it on together…"
Letting out a high pitch squeal, Daki cries, "Why don't you shut up? Don't you dare lecture us! You stupid brat! Get out of here! Just get lost! I'm so pissed! Fix this somehow, Brother! I don't want to die, Brother! Brother! Bro—"
Seeing Daki disappear, I uncover Gyutaro's mouth, and he instantly shouts, "Ume!" a sense of realization dawning over him.
Before long, Gyutaro finally dies, leaving me to sit there in silence. Feeling a hand on my shoulder, I look back at Shinobu.
"Shiro, you're crying…"
Touching at my eyes, I find that they're wet. "Sorry… Sorry…"
Yet, Shinobu doesn't say anything, only embracing me in a hug. Kanao and Mitsuri soon joined in on that hug. I guess that in their final moments, I no longer looked at them as demons, but rather as two siblings.
Yet, my tears were short lived as an annoying voice soon sounded out.
"Ah, what's this, the ever-infamous Kōri to Kokū Hashira crying over the deaths of a few worthless demons. Probably only feels remorse over the fact that they are related to him." All of us glare backwards at Obanai. "And the demon was only Six. That would be the lowest of the Upper Ranks. So, that's not much to write home about. After all, a filthy part-demon like you shouldn't deserve to receive my praise."
"Well, not that you praise will do anything for me." I shoot back. "And why are you here Obanai? We already had three separate Hashiras here."
In response, his snake wrapped around his collar hissed at us. "I was simply checking to make sure you hadn't done anything to said Hashiras. After all, now that I know your true nature, I refuse to accept you. As it is, too many youngsters are dying on us before reaching their potential. And I'd rather not let such youngsters die by the hands of an insider."
"Iguro," Mitsuri begins threateningly, "If you don't shut up now, I'll make you myself."
"Hey… No way. Mitsuri, you're even defending someone like him?"
"Of course!" Mitsuri boasts.
"Bunch of heretics…" After saying that, Iguro fades into the shadows, never to be seen (for the time being).
"Now what are we planning to do?" Shinobu asks.
"Well…. I need to have this fixed." Pointing to my sword still stuck in its sheath. "And I think that all of us need a reprieve, especially me."
"So, does that mean we're going there then?" Mitsuri asks, stars staring to appear in her eyes.
"It does indeed." I show a light smile.
"Where?" Kanao tilts her head.
Rubbing my hand against it, I answer, "The Swordsmith Village!"
---
(Kokushibo POV)
'Ah… these meeting are getting rather… frequent.' I think to myself.
Staring up from where I sat in the Infinity Castle, I can already see the appearance of Gyokko, Hantengu, Nakime, and the new Upper Kizuki Kaigaku. Seeing that Daki and her brother weren't here, it was most likely them who had died. Changing the direction of where I looked, I bow my head to Muzan who stood presented right above Nakime.
"I don't even know why any of you should be left alive anymore…" Muzan begins, his domineering aura falling over us. "It hasn't even been an entire year, and yet… one of you managed to die once again. The Demon Slayers are making incredible progress in dulling our ranks, yet what have we done to them. We haven't eliminated the new era of Slayers, nor have we slain a single Hashira yet."
Muzan gazes then solely falls on Gyokko. "And what of your progress Gyokko?"
Breathing heavily while sweating buckets, Gyokko answers, "I finally found the location that I was looking for. Yet before Hantengu and I could infiltrate, we were called to this meeting."
Gyokko's head then suddenly disappears from his body, being dangled over an endless pit in the Infinity Castle.
"I shouldn't have to ask, so explain it properly."
"Ah… ah…. We found the location of the Swordsmith Village, where the Nichirin Swords are being made. Once Hantengu and I attack it, it will cripple the future generations of Demon Slayers as they will no longer have a way to create Nichirin Blades."
"And how does this help to remove that abnormality amongst their ranks?" Muzan tilts his head, clearly referring to the one which had injured him.
"We-well… If we get rid of any excess Demon Slayers, then we should be able to overwhelm him with numbers… Hyo…" Ending in a whimper, I could see the grip on Gyokko's head get tighter before getting suddenly released and kicked straight back to his body.
"You're lucky that I still need you Gyokko, or you'd soon find yourself dead." Muzan begins, "I order you to hold off your invasion for now, I'll send reinforcements for you to add to your army of deformed things. I don't want any more disappointments."
"O-of course Master… Who am I but to be a loyal servant to fulfil your will?"
"If that were true, then why have you not found the location of Ubuyashiki's household or the Blue Spider Lily. If you truly lived for me, then you should have found those first."
"That… would be…. my fault… Muzan." I speak. "They still remain elusive… even now."
"Oh, don't worry about it Kokushibo… I already am having Nakime look for their residence. You should focus on finding the blue spider lily instead."
"As you… command." I bow.
"And Gyokko, I shall expect nothing less than success. If you put not only my forces but you own life to rest, I won't stop for a single moment to torment your soul when you resurrect."
"Hyo… of course Master."
"Now, get out of my sight, you all are so bothersome."
Waving his hand, Nakime plays her biwa, sending me back to my residence. Now having a new mission from Muzan, I wouldn't hesitate to try and complete it, but I had the feeling that Gyokko and Hantengu would fail, and I would be seeing the Upper Moons once again.
---
(Shiro POV)
I had of course returned to the Butterfly Mansion before heading out for the Swordsmith Village and, unsurprisingly, the Kamado Family wanted to travel with us. And as you might be able to infer, this meant that Rengoku, Inosuke, Zenitsu, Kanae, and the remainder of the Butterfly Mansion would be heading with us as well. After all, it's not very often in our line of work for us to get the chance to relax and have actual bonding with one another for a prolonged period.
Along with that, I also heard that Muichiro was already at the Swordsmith Village, so my short little reprieve now had a total of five Hashiras in one place. I had also taken the liberty to invite Uzui, but he said that he wanted to spend some personal time with his wives.
Now, off to the Village!
And we of course use the very inefficient way of travel that's required by the Demon Slayers, forcing me to blindfold and plug every sense beside taste and touch of every non-Hashira. It's rather funny when we travel with Kakushi and when everyone is passed off. The Hashiras love watching as they squirm in a new presence before then yelling out thanks (mainly Tanjiro).
Finally reaching the hidden village, the smell of the hot springs instantly assaults us. Proceeding through the village, we are led to the chief's home. Upon entering, we see two bodyguards sitting behind a tiny little man wearing the weird tengu mask.
"Hello there. I am the chief of this village. Tecchikawahara Tecchin. Very nice to meet you. I may be the smallest in the village. But I am also the best at my craft. Now, bow your heads so low it touches the mat."
Not even one of us go against his words, instantly prostrating and then introducing ourselves separately to Tecchin.
"Such good people. Now, come over here and take some dough cakes."
Being the first to shoot up, Rengoku takes the entire bowl, shouting, "Thank you!" and then passing it around to each visitor.
"May I—"
"Umai!" He's interrupted by Rengoku.
Looking at Rengoku with irritation, Tecchin continues, "May I know the reason for your visit?"
"Well, all of us are here so that we can relax in your top-of-the-line hot springs. But personally, I am here to fix this." Placing my blade in front of me, I see a plume of smoke jet out from Tecchin's mouth.
"Did you break it?!?" he hurriedly asks, appearing in front of me in an instant and starts slapping my face silly.
Grabbing his old hand, I quickly answer, "No, no, nothing like that."
Almost instantly, Tecchin's temper cools and he calmly sits back on his pillow.
"Oh, then what may the problem be."
"My sword's stuck in the sheathe."
I can feel a wave of confusion come over Tecchin before he shoots over to my sword and tries to pull it out. Finding that it was stuck, he looks up at me.
"What did you do to get it stuck?"
"Well, I am a master of multiple breathing techniques, and they all require that I pull my blade out differently, so it may have something to do with that…"
"Ah, that's right, you're the weird one." Tecchin shakes his head. "Well, this is a simple solution. Honestly much better than the blade itself being nicked or destroyed, so as the creator to such a blade, I'm proud. Now, come along strange one, we'll get this fixed now. The rest of you… do whatever you want, I don't care."
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