[Seiji's POV]
The sun was already high in the sky, indicating that it was not so early anymore. In fact, it was nearly noon.
"Okay, let's do this then," I said and rubbed my palms together.
On this fine day, you could see that I was in the training area of the Flower Mansion. You could also see the little boy Muichiro glaring at me as he stood a few meters away, facing me.
He was upset I didn't wake him up early in the morning and let him sleep however long he wanted.
Although he was glaring at me as much as he could with that stoic face of his, I saw this as an absolute win. Not only did I let him rest, but I also made an expression show on his face. It was hitting two birds with one stone.
There was also a young girl standing next to him. She was a few inches taller than Muichiro, and she too, had a very stoic face except for the slightest curve in her lips. With her porcelain skin and neutral face, she looked more like a doll than a human girl.
It was, of courses, my sweet little Kanao whom I promised to train too,
"Muichiro, you wanted to learn how to wield a sword, didn't you? I wouldn't ask you why considering you lost your memories and it's pretty obvious from what happened to you," I said.
"And you..." I said, pointing a finger at Kanao, "It doesn't matter because I will do anything for you,"
Her slight smile bloomed into a full smile. She was just the cutest thing.
Her bright smile made me add passionately, "Literally,"
"So let's get right into it!"
The Flower Mansion was pretty quiet this morning, mainly because Mitsuri was still sleeping with Kanae. I haven't the faintest clue why they slept so much, maybe they didn't sleep well last night.
The training started, and at first, it went well. I showed both children how to hold a sword properly, correct their forms and guide them through every stroke of the blade.
My eyes could see imperfections and could pinpoint exactly where their movement went wrong, which made it incredibly easier for me to correct them and teach them where they went wrong.
But as the training continued, the stark difference between Kanao and Muichiro's talents became evident. Teaching them at the same pace was no longer possible, as Muichiro learned in an instant what Kanao took an hour to learn.
I was a little worried that Kanao would be disheartened to see someone so young learning things so efficiently. Maybe it would be better not to train them together.
Phooow!
Phooow!
*Swish!!*
Kanao and I stared at Muichiro, baffled as he learned a combination I was teaching him in just a few tries.
And it was not just on performance either. Normally, even when you could execute an attack perfectly in training, you would need years to imprint that in your body and use it in battle. But Muichiro was doing that in real-time, he was imprinting all my teaching into his body, soaking up the skills I was trying to share like a sponge soaking up water.
I could see it, the way his muscles literally rearranged with every new skill taught, ready to perform the attacks instantly like they had been honed for years. It was kind of gross and weird.
"Huuu..." Muichiro released his breath and then turned to me, "I've mastered it Seiji-san, what's next,"
I could see the stars in his eyes. He was enjoying it.
Kanao looked at me curiously and I nodded my head, "He is right. Literally no imperfection,"
Forget about Kanao being disheartened, I was feeling disheartened.
"Go sit under that tree," I said while pointing at the giant tree in the corner, "Meditate as I taught you and simulate fighting an opponent with what you've learned,"
Muichiro simply nodded and did as instructed.
"Are you okay Kanao?" I asked after Muichiro left.
"No, I'm feeling complicated. I feel sad and discouraged, and I have lost all my motivation, plus determination," she said and paused for a moment.
She hummed thoughtfully, trying to name what she was feeling, "I also feel jealous,"
"That's fair," I said, wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close to my body. I rubbed her shoulder to console her.
I was glad she was honest. I taught her to always be completely honest with Seiji-nii, I can see all lies anyway so lying was meaningless.
"He is a special case that boy," I said, "He's similar to me,"
"!!!!!" Kanao was surprised. She looked at me and back at Muichiro who was sitting under a tree in the distance.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
Well, I was clearly not as talented as he was in training, but with all my other gifts, "Yes,"
"....That makes me feel a little better," she said and her tensed shoulder relaxed.
"It does?"
"Hn," she looked at me, straight into my eyes and said, "I've classified you completely different from the rest of the humans,"
"...." I did not know how to respond to that. Should I be offended? But I could see she thought of that as a compliment.
"So Muichiro is like you, entities that can't be measured with human terms and logic," she said.
I could see that she was not feeling complicated or disheartened anymore. That's one way to deal with that I guess. If it works, it works.
Although it meant Kanao put the likes of me and Muichiro in a different realm than humans.
"If that is so, let's continue with your training," I said with a smile and we continued.
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"Awesome job, both of you," I said and gave them head pats, their hair wet from all the sweat.
"You both surprised me today. Although there is an obvious difference in talent, I can see you both have equally great potential," I said and gave them a smile.
I hoped my smile looked okay. I have been trying to be more expressive instead of being robotic like I used to be. This is because I realized that I would have many people under me who looked up to me like an idol.
If I remained stoic and aloof like I used to, it would set a bad example for Muichiro and Kanao who were both like me, stoic.
"Talent and potential," Muichiro asked with a tilt of his head "Isn't that the same thing?"
"They are not. Think of it this way, your potential refers to your cup, the amount of strength and power your body can hold. Whereas talent refers to a spoon which you would use to fill the cup," I explained it in a very simple way, like I was explaining it to a ten-year-old because I was.
"So that means even if people have different talents, they would eventually attain the same level of power if they have similar potential?" Kanao asked.
"Correct," I nodded, "Although there are people with very little talent, or spoon, that they would never fill their cup even if they worked their entire life,"
"Muichiro probably has a smaller cup instead of a spoon to fill his cup," I joked.
That was why although Muichiro was more talented than me, I would always be stronger due to the sole fact that I had higher potential.
Forget about my eyes, we've established that I had as much potential as Yoriichi. Learning Sun breathing alone required you to have the potential to be a master of everything, speed, strength, precision etc.
It was like comparing Itachi and Naruto. Itachi was way more talented and if you compare them at young ages, Itachi was much stronger. But if you compare a 17-year-old Itachi and 17-year-old Naruto, the latter would be stronger by a mile. Naruto was fighting a God at that point.
That's the difference between talent and potential. I'd argue that although Tanjiro was not so talented, he had the greatest potential among the Demon Slayer cast.
"Any other question?" I asked and Muichiro raised a hand. "Yes?"
"Do you think I have the potential to be as strong as you, Seiji-san," Muichiro asked earnestly.
I did not answer immediately and thought about it. The answer was no but I didn't want to say that, even I was not so sure since Muichiro was only 14 years old when the story ended.
So who knows?
The only thing I knew for certain was that he would never surpass me while it mattered.
"Tell you what, I was able to become a Hashira after 1 month and 3 weeks since I became a Demon Slayer," I said, "Try and beat that and you will know the answer,"
Muichiro nodded seriously, a challenging glint in his eyes.
The progress I made after I became a Demon Slayer was immense. I was talented in a way that grew rapidly after each battle. My eyes helped me memorize moves and copy attacks. I was like Luffy who is always stronger even though Zoror trained way harder.
In that way, talents are not only different in quantity but also different in type. There are people who can grow fast with training, those who grow during a fight and those that grew strong after.
"That ends our training today, go and clean up before dinner," I said and they both bowed at me.
"Thank you,"
Heh, having pupils was not so bad.
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[IMAGE]
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Author : There is going to be a four-month time skip after this. I will do it like usual and give brief summaries. It will be two chapters covering the events that happen in two months respectively.
Finally, the next arc will be Muzan Kibutsuji who will try and kill the Tanjiro family like the canon story.
[Seiji's POV]
It was the end of the most eventful Summer in my life. I killed two Upper Moons this season, reinvented and mastered Sun Breathing, found the Kamado family, affirmed my relationship with Kanae and Mitsuri, formed an alliance with Lady Tamayo etc.
That was only some of the things that happened this summer. It was funny how so many events could build up and happen in the span of one short season.
But as the heat of Summer resided and a calm autumn breeze blew, I was hopeful that my life would slow down for a short while.
I just wanted a few months of peace until my eventual return to the Kamado family where I would be waiting for Muzan Kibutsujoi to show his face.
I was certain that I wouldn't be able to end everything at that time but I was hopeful. Not only that, saving the Kamado family was of great importance to me.
Fortunately, the great Buddha or whatever God was up there seemed to listen to my prayers. The next two months rolled out in peace and serenity.
My days consisted of training my two new pupils, Muichiro and Kanao, while I also trained myself. Although I could no longer improve much, a blade needs constant polishing to remain sharp.
Mitsuri would join us when she was off mission. On other days she was usually busy taking missions like a madman, determined to climb the rank as quickly as she could and finally stand on my level. I did my best to support her.
On the other hand, Kanae had fully healed from her injury. She would spend most days wandering around the Mansion, helping the patients in any way she could. Her favourite pastime though was to sit on the veranda overlooking the training ground and listen to our training, the small gasp of exhaustion and the frequent clashing of steel seemed to bring her peace.
Mitsuri and Kanae were also getting along exceptionally well. So well in fact that I was left speechless whenever I saw them behaving like sisters.
The expected drama of me loving both of them also never occurred. The two girls seemed to have come to a secret agreement somehow.
Then again, maybe it's not so surprising. Mitsuri was the type of girl to be extremely vulnerable to the one she loved. You know, she is the type to keep staying with her abusive husband even if she knew full well she should leave. She'd remain just because she loved him and hoped he would change someday.
If I were to cheat on her constantly she would voice her complaints and even rebel but she would never leave me. Which is why I felt scummier for doing this to her. She is so precious, she should be protected forever.
Then there was Kanae who was exposed to things like harem from her comrade Tenegn and was a very traditional girl who thought it was not forbidden for strong men to have more than one wife.
And finally, both of them were kind-hearted girls with barely anything but goodness in their hearts. Them finding a peaceful way to settle the drama was a forgone conclusion.
Although, I liked to pretend that my sheer aura made them get along and okay with the idea of me having two lovers haha.
One noteworthy event that happened during the span of these two months was the Hashira meeting.
"Everyone, we have a new Hashira," Ubuyashiki himself had announced with a bright smile that was too happy to get another monster on his side.
"Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Pillar," we all looked at the young boy not a day older than 10 reaching the same rank as us.
"He became eligible to be a Hashira by slaying two Lower Moons. He is also a pupil of the Sun Pillar Seiji Shigan and he broke the record set by his master by becoming a Hashira only after one and half months of becoming a Demon Slayer," Ubuyashiki said.
"Great, the genius made a genius. They are multiplying," Sanemi grumbled under his breath.
"This is a good outcome for us, I don't understand why you are upset," Giyu said beside him.
"I'm not upset, you are the one brooding all this time!!" Sanemi replied.
Giyu immediately became depressed again, his head hanging down low, "It's because another one has strayed from the path of Water Breathing and derived a new Breathing from it. Even my Tsuguko kept leaving to create new styles,"
"Hah! Good thing I don't take any students! I wouldn't wanna deal with those kinds of things," Sanemi said and laughed. In truth, he couldn't take students even if he wanted to. His personality chased away all candidates after one meeting.
"Speaking of.." Sanemi said and turned his head to me, "Oi scarface!! Are you sure he is good enough to be a Hashira!!"
I felt a tickmark on my forehead, how shameless must you be to tease someone for their scar when you yourself were filled with scars?
"I am certain he can whoop your ass even now sweet tooth," I said back.
Sanemi too grew a tickmark, "Are you trying to make me fight a child? No way I will lower myself to that standard no matter how you taunt me,"
Thirteen was when you normally consider someone an adult and even eligible for marriage. So even by traditional Japanese standards, Muichiro was but a child.
The Hashira meeting was quite chaotic but otherwise, the mood was good. We not only got a new Hashira but the demon activities were also dwindling rapidly.
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(Evening dinner : Flower Mansion}
"The demon goes, 'If you don't put down your sword, I will kill this woman who was nice enough to cook you rice and fish!!'. So I had no choice but to put down my weapon. Then the demon took my sword by the hilt and threw it far away where I couldn't take it anymore," Mitsuri said rather passionately.
All of us, Mitsuri, Kanae, Kanao, Shinobu and me were in the kitchen as we had our dinner. Mitsuri had returned from one of her missions and was eagerly retelling what happened.
There were already plenty of empty bowls beside her. She always ate a lot but she ate even more after missions.
"But luckily, the demon let go of the woman and she ran away immediately. But then I was alone without a weapon to defend myself, surrounded by the demon and his demonic centipede underlings," she said dramatically.
I didn't like it when she was in danger. I could barely endure when she was retelling what happened. Sometimes, I wanted to lock all the people I loved in my basement while I fought the world alone.
"But luckily, the woman was Umaoi (Animal harder) so she left her whip behind on the ground. I quickly picked up the whip and started fighting the demons with it since it was the only weapon I had and the centipede had poison skin so I couldn't touch them."
At this point, everyone was listening to her with rapt attention. She was quite the storyteller, her sheer enthusiasm carried her story. She was adorable.
"But then magic happened. The whip felt natural in my hand! It was like I was not using a weapon at all but was fighting with my own body!! I fought the demons for a long time since I was not able to slay them. But it was enough to keep them away from me while slowly dragging the fight to the place where my sword had fallen," she said and we all gave a low cheer.
"During the long confrontation, I was able to invent three whole new breathing forms relating to the whip!! It was incredible. And after I got my sword back, I was able to finish them off," she finished and we all clapped.
'I see, so that's how she came to learn that she is adept at using a whip,' I thought to myself. I was glad that she followed the canon, if she did not, I was going to introduce the whip to her after she became a Hashira.
"That's remarkable Mitsuri. I encountered something like that once and had to use a sickle to fight against one demon since my sword got broken in the fight," Kanae added and also gave some advice. She had vast experience, even vaster than mine so she was helping Mitsuri as much as she could.
We continued having varying conversations while we had dinner. I couldn't help but look at them fondly while all of this was happening.
It felt nice to be surrounded by people I love. This was the family I found.
It was everything I hoped for when I was in the pits of despair.
I realized at that moment, I did not feel foreign to this world. I knew belonged here, among them. They want me and they need me. And being needed was all the reason a man could need to keep fighting.
That same night, I got busy scribbling on a paper. I was writing a letter and designing a new sword to send to Hatori in the swordsmith village.
It was of course for Mitsuri. I was designing her whip sword and giving vivid details so that it could be made.
Then I sent Raven to deliver my letter.
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{1 week later)
"Here you go," I said, handing a gift to Mitsuri.
The setting sun was barely peeking on the horizon. I had already sent Muichiro and Kanae inside to clean up but I told Mitsuri to remain.
"What is this?" she asked while taking the giant gift. Her face was flushed, showing sensual sensitivity due to the intense training and her hair was sticking on the edge of her face.
"Open it," I said.
She opened the gift to see a sheathed sword inside. It was pink in colour, similar to how her sword was in the canon but the shape was a little different as I added some things of my own.
"A new sword!!" she exclaimed, ecstatic even though she had not realized it was unlike any ordinary sword.
It was telling that she would be this happy and grateful even if I had given her a normal sword.
"Thank you!" she smiled. Her gratitude was overwhelming.
"Try it," I said and she did after a nod.
She pulled the sword out from the sheath slowly and she was shocked when she realized the whip-like shape. It came out curving from the sheath.
"This is...." she looked at me quizzically but I just gave a smile, letting her discover what it was on her own.
I watched with a soft smile as she tried her new sword, getting accustomed to it. I saw that it felt natural in her hand like she was always meant to use that type of sword.
In the end, after she was done trying, she dropped the sword on the ground. Her hand gave up holding her precious gift because she wanted to hold something even more valuable.
She threw herself at me, fully confident in my ability to catch her. She wrapped her arms around my waist as she chanted.
"Thank you thank you thank you!!"
"I'm glad you liked it," I said, holding her tight and kissing her head.
She continued embracing me even when the moment had passed. After a few minutes or so, I couldn't help but notice the heat of her body, the softness and the lovely scent of her sweat.
The passionate moment was gone, leaving my mind to search for other stimulation. And as any man, when my first head was not occupied, the job immediately went to my second head.
Mitsuri on the other hand seemed to have no intention of letting me go so easy. Her arms remained tight and she hugged me in a way that we made the most contact.
Her boobs were also smashing against my body. I could feel their shape if I thought about it, even the little bean that slowly grew harder.
"Mitsuri?" I called as it was getting out of hand.
I looked down and I saw a sly smirk on her lips. She hid her face on my body and pushed her chest even stronger on mine.
'This girl.' I thought helplessly.
It was not only me, she was also leading me on to think what I thought, She was getting quite naughty these days.
If she kept this on, I won't hold back.
I embraced her too. Two could play that game. I for one didn't mind staying like this forever.
"Thank you," it was my turn.
"What for?" she asked after a beat of silence.
"For loving me," I said, "Despite all shortcomings, despite all my flaws,"
The fact that I had another lover and my job put her at risk was only one of the few flaws I had.
She released a sound that was a weird mix of sobbing and a chuckle.
"Silly boy,"
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[IMAGE]
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