"Giyu, what can I do for you?" Giyu was silent as he stared at a pale man who looked as if he was rotting alive, with large portions of his skin appearing with a sickly, shriveled pink hue. In front of him was no ordinary man, this was the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, known as Oyakata-sama by all his subordinates.
"I wish to access the family library, Oyakata-sama." Giyu requested politely, kneeling before his leader. Kagaya smiled, sensing that something has changed with Giyu.
"May I know your reasons for this request?"
"I... I'm searching for something... I don't know what yet... Maybe the library could offer me something." Giyu admitted honestly. Kagaya nodded, his serene smile still remaining. It made him look charming, despite his physical condition.
"I hope you find what you need." Giyu bowed a little at Kagaya before getting up.
"You've changed." Giyu stopped in hus tracks, glancing back at Kagaya.
"What do you mean by that, Oyakata-sama?" He asked. Kagaya's smile widened a little more.
"You've never made requests like these before. And your eyes, they're brighter than before. I wonder what happened?" Giyu silently looked away as his hands reached for the sliding door.
"I guess... I want to take matters to my own hands now..." Without saying anything more, he exited the room, leaving Kagaya alone.
The leader of the corps stared. In actuality, the Hashira were allowed to enter the family library, but it was rarely used. The current generation of Hashira, minus Giyu had never entered it before. Kagaya knew why Giyu wanted to enter. The Water Hashira wanted strength, strength to overpower demons. His foresight ability told him that Giyu would come to him, and he was glad that he was right.
"Well done, Giyu. It seems you have removed the barrier limiting yourself..."
...
"The mark?" Giyu whispered as he flipped through centuries old journals. He was in the library like he wanted, searching through logs of past demon slayer members beg coming across a few journals that intrigued him, thus learning about a strange ability called 'The Mark'.
"When the Marked one arrives, the Mark will appear on others around that person, as if in resonance..." He read the account by a nameless swordsman who used the first Breathing Style. Then he focused on what little descriptions there was about this mysterious mark.
'Enhanced physical capabilities, increased healing rate, access to Transparent World, allowing users to perceive the bodies of others as if their skin was transparent.' He summarized. It sounded impossible, like something out of a fairy tale. Yet demons are something from a fairy tale too, but unfortunately they're real.
'This could be a huge advantage over the demons, even the Upper Moons...' His eyes then landed on another account that made him silently stare at it. It seems that all who unlock the mark will not live past the age of 25 without exception.
Now Giyu was wondering if it was worth it, he'd never encountered an Upper Moon demon, even a Lower Moon demon was rare to come by these days. What's to say he will encounter Muzan? No matter, having knowledge of this technique was still important.
'Though this demon slayer... Who is he? He was the first man to ever use a breathing style and has all of these abilities. Why have I not heard of this until now?' Giyu wondered, snapping the old book shut before going through the others. He went through countless books that day.
Giyu flipped through records of demon encounters, notes on Blood Demon Arts, case studies of victories and catastrophic failures, family lineages, breathing style refinements, maps of regions with high demon activity, and journals from past Hashira. This was humanity's longest-running 'how to kill demons' instruction manual, volume after blood-soaked volume.
Eventually he came across a name, Tsugikuni Yoriichi, the progenitor of Breathing Styles and the most powerful Demon Slayer. He was the first to bear The Mark, and the only one that encountered Kitbusuji Muzan and almost killed him.
Information about him was scarce, but from journals of the Hashira during the Sengoku era, Giyu did learn that this Yoriichi used a breathing style called Sun Breathing and that all other Breathing Styles were modified, 'inferior' versions of it, due to the rest of the swordsmen lacking the innate talent for peerless swordsmanship Yoriichi possessed.
As for how strong Sun Breathing was, Giyu didn't need to guess, after all it was effective against the King of Demons. A small part of his mind formed a question. If he knew what the forms were, would he be able to learn it?
But that was impossible, the breathing style was extinct, and all that was left were downgraded versions of it that had its own respective identities. Giyu closed the book and exited the library, his mind filled with more questions than answers. If he was to do something about it, where would he start?
"Was it a fruitful discovery?" Giyu was faced with Kagaya again, his wife Amane by his side, supporting him. Giyu looked back at the library door.
"Not really..." He answered, deciding to be honest. "I'm left with more questions than answers. And I find myself doubtful that we are able to be on the offensive against Muzan. It been more than a hundred years since an Upper Rank has been killed, and the journals claim that the strength of an Upper Rank demon is at least at minimum, comparable to three Hashira." Giyu revealed.
"Then train as if victory is not required." He paused, letting it sink in before continuing.
"Do not train to defeat an Upper Moon. Train so that tomorrow, you are slightly more difficult to kill than today. Demons prepare to fight heroes. They do not prepare to fight men who keep improving after they should have broken. If you stop training because success seems unlikely, then the demons win twice, once in strength, and once in spirit. Do not let them win." Giyu nodded a little.
"I have received word from Swordsmith Village that they have repaired a new device, a battle doll of sorts, created during the Sengoku Period to train Demon Slayers. It is modelled after a certain Demon Slayer, one they called The Progenitor." Giyu widened his eyes, realizing who he was talking about.
"It seems that name is familiar to you now, yes? I feel as if you are not satisfied with your current level of strength, Giyu. A human body's potential is limitless after all, that's what makes us different from demons." Kagaya then nodded at the Water Hashira.
"I want you to head there, and train with this battle doll until you are able. This is my personal mission for you. Of course, you would still be completing missions, but I would like you to train with that doll until you break your limits." Kagaya requested. Giyu nodded and silently bowed.
"Yes, Oyakata-sama. I will be heading there now." Giyu stood straight before walking away. He heard Kagaya chuckling a little and glanced back.
"I'm sure the rest of the Hashira would miss you dearly." He commented. Giyu blinked, resisting a snort. Kagaya then smiled. "Though I can tell you disagree." He then commented.
"I have... mixed feelings towards them. I'm not sure how they would react if I suddenly wanted to befriend them. Most of them already have bad impressions of me." Giyu spoke.
'Most of them except...' His mind flashed to a certain petite woman, that had raven-black wavy hair that fades into a dark purple hue at the ends, who would always pick on him and tease him, always showing interest in wanting to befriend him, though being rejected every time by none other than himself.
Kagaya shook his head. "They are simply misunderstood. Both sides aren't at fault here. Now, you must allow yourself to be known, after you complete your mission." He reminded. Giyu nodded.
" Of course, Oyakata-sama. Thank you, for your advice." Giyu nodded a little before turning around and walking off. Kagaya stared at Giyu, his back shrinking with each step.
"You are not alone, Giyu..."
To be continued....