At noon, in the quiet forest path, two figures walked beneath the dappled shade of the trees.
Ubuyashiki Amane, dressed in simple kimono with a straw hat and holding a wooden staff, looked as beautiful as a birch tree spirit.
Beside Ubuyashiki Amane stood Shinichi, arms crossed and a thoughtful expression on his face.
He now wore a new blue-green battle robe, with an additional short sword at his waist.
The Nichirin short sword Mori no Ryuu.
During the battle against Upper Moon Two Douma, Shinichi's dual-colored Nichirin Blade had been broken.
However, his short sword, Mori no Ryuu, had fortunately remained intact and was later retrieved from the ruins by members of the Kakushi Corps who arrived at the scene.
The Master personally returned Mori no Ryuu to Shinichi.
However, upon learning that Ubuyashiki Amane was heading to Ishikawa Prefecture to invite a pair of brothers, Shinichi volunteered to escort Amane along the way.
Firstly, Ubuyashiki Amane didn't know any Breathing Styles, so encountering a Demon would be extremely dangerous.
Secondly, after arriving in Ishikawa, Shinichi could make a detour to the Moriki residence—it had been a long time since he'd seen the Old Man and he wondered how he had taken the news of his "death" half a year ago.
Additionally, Shinichi also planned to visit the Swordsmith Village, as he was, after all, a swordsman who practiced the Two-Sword Style.
Thus, Shinichi escorted Ubuyashiki Amane all the way from headquarters to Ishikawa Prefecture.
Along the journey, curiosity got the better of him and he asked Amane about the brothers they were seeking.
"Tokito"—an uncommon surname.
But the most crucial detail was that these Tokito brothers were descendants of the Inventor of Breathing Styles.
"The Inventor of Breathing Style? The first-generation Demon Slayer? Who were they?" A breeze ruffled Shinichi's black hair, revealing his puzzled expression.
Hearing Shinichi's question, Ubuyashiki Amane fell silent for a moment before carefully responding.
"Apart from the most basic Flame, Stone, Water, Thunder and Wind Breathing Styles today, that original Breathing Style has likely been lost. But one thing is certain—the Breathing Styles created by the first-generation swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps must have been incredibly powerful."
"Is that so? What a shame."
Ubuyashiki Amane sighed softly, her tone heavy with guilt.
"Over the centuries, the Demon Slayer Corps has faced countless life-and-death crises. Several times, we nearly vanished from history. It was only through the fearless battles of generations of brave swordsmen against the Demons that the Corps has endured to this day.
"The sacrifices of countless swordsmen built the Demon Slayer Corps as it is today. Yet, we've still fallen short. The Tokito brothers' plight is a result of our negligence. If we had learned of their family's situation sooner, their parents might not have…"
Shinichi looked at the downcast Amane.
He had heard of the Tokito brothers' past—about a year ago, a family who made their living by logging suffered a devastating blow.
Their mother had succumbed to illness, and their father had tragically fallen off a cliff while gathering herbs for her during a storm.
"Lady Amane, you need not blame yourself. No one in this world is perfect. Every swordsman who joins the Demon Slayer Corps has already prepared themselves mentally. Sacrifice holds no fear for us. As long as the will to slay demons persists, the Demon Slayer Corps shall never perish."
Not knowing what else to say, Shinichi could only speak his mind, hoping to offer Amane some small comfort.
Unconsciously, Shinichi and Ubuyashiki Amane had ventured deep into the forest.
The surroundings were filled with vibrant sounds—the cheerful chirping of birds and the gentle flow of water—soothing to the ears.
The crisp, fresh scent of the forest filled Shinichi's senses, bringing him immense comfort.
"Setting everything else aside, the sheer vitality here is incredibly dense. If I had fought Douma in this place back then... well, there might still have been a gap in our strength, but at least it would've been better than battling in the city streets."
Shinichi casually plucked a vine entwined around the trunk of a nearby tree as he spoke.
His breathing rhythm subtly synchronized with the forest's vitality.
Amids such a lively woodland, Shinichi truly felt as though he had returned home.
Before long, the two walking beneath the dappled shade of trees suddenly found themselves in an open space.
Bright sunlight illuminated the path ahead, revealing a crystal-clear stream flowing gently before them.
Shinichi stretched out his hand, letting the sunlight fall upon it.
Yet, to his dismay, he felt no warmth—only the same lifeless stillness as always.
Even though he could walk under the sun using his Blood Demon Art: Rashomon, he was still, at his core, a demon who could not truly bask in sunlight.
With a melancholic sigh, Shinichi clenched his fist before withdrawing his hand.
He then retrieved Amane's water flask from the silver mirror at his waist and handed it to her.
Having a convenient silver mirror was truly a blessing—no need to worry about lugging around heavy baggage while traveling.
Unfortunately, there was only one such mirror.
The Martial Demon had coveted it for a long time, even attempting to capture other demons with spatial Blood Demon Arts, but to no avail.
"Thank you."
However, before Ubuyashiki Amane could take the flask, both of them noticed a small figure approaching the stream.
A frail-looking boy with long black hair—its tips tinged a beautiful blue—stood by the water.
His face was delicate and sweet, dressed in a light blue, striped, sleeveless robe.
Over his shoulders, he carried two sizable buckets, clearly here to fetch water.
Shinichi and Amane saw the boy, and the boy saw them in return.
Both parties paused momentarily in surprise.
Yet, compared to Shinichi's cold demeanor, the gentle and beautiful Amane naturally drew Tokito Muichiro's attention more.
'So beautiful... like a spirit of the birch trees, just like Mother.'
"Where did this child come from?" Shinichi frowned, eyeing Tokito Muichiro.
He didn't recognize the Tokito brothers, but his instincts told him that a lone boy appearing in the depths of the mountains was somewhat eerie.
However, Ubuyashiki Amane quickly dispelled Shinichi's concerns.
Removing her straw hat, she bowed slightly to Tokito Muichiro with utmost sincerity and spoke softly.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Ubuyashiki Amane, wife of Ubuyashiki Kagaya, the current leader of the Demon Slayer Corps. I'm delighted to encounter you here—descendant of the first-generation Demon Slayer."
"The descendant of the first-generation Demon Slayer? This little guy?"
Hearing this, Shinichi couldn't help but scrutinize the bewildered Tokito Muichiro up and down.
He didn't seem particularly special, did he?
Well, at most, he was just a bit cuter and fairer than the average lumberjack's child.
Tokito Muichiro was indeed confused.
He had no idea what the beautiful woman before him was talking about—descendant of a Demon Slayer?
He'd never heard of such a thing.
But since they seemed to know him, maybe he should take them back to meet his brother?
The thought of his brother's perpetually stern face made Muichiro jolt.
That's right!
His brother had told him to fetch water!
Oh no! It was already late, and now he'd wasted even more time!
Frustrated, Muichiro immediately crouched down in front of Shinichi and Ubuyashiki Amane, hurriedly scooping water from the stream.
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