Inside an ordinary little wooden cabin, Shinichi quietly leaned against the wall, his heterochromatic eyes occasionally glancing at the nearly identical Tokito brothers.
Unlike the somewhat shy and gentle Tokito Muichiro, his older brother Tokito Yuichiro's face remained stern.
Despite being only eleven years old, he carried an air of severity that didn't belong to a child.
Not only did the Tokito brothers look alike, but their clothing was also similar, except that Yuichiro's attire was dark green.
Meanwhile, Ubuyashiki Amane sat properly across from the Tokito brothers, explaining in detail about their ancestors, the stories of the Demon Slayer Corps and various tales of Demons that seemed like legends but were actually real.
Muichiro listened with sparkling eyes, especially when he learned that Amane had come to invite them to join the Demon Slayer Corps.
His face lit up with excitement.
However, Yuichiro's expression was far from pleased.
He looked impatient and his gaze towards Ubuyashiki Amane and Shinichi was filled with clear dissatisfaction and disdain.
'Interesting kid' Shinichi thought silently, observing Yuichiro's reactions.
Sure enough, while Amane was still speaking, Yuichiro couldn't hold back any longer.
He slammed his hand on the low table in front of him and shouted loudly at her.
"Get out! Shut up!"
With that, Yuichiro jumped off the bed platform, yanked open the door of their house, and pointed outside.
Turning back, he glared fiercely at Shinichi and Amane, cursing.
"Our house doesn't welcome you! Get lost! We're not joining any damn Demon Slayer Corps—it's all lies!
Your sweet talk is disgusting. Don't think I don't know—you two don't look like decent people at all. Get out!"
"Brother..." Muichiro was startled by his brother's sudden outburst, turning to stare at Yuichiro in shock.
Even though she was being verbally attacked, Amane showed no trace of anger.
Her smile remained perfectly composed.
Seeing Yuichiro's anger, she simply nodded, bowed slightly to the brothers, and said.
"My apologies for disturbing you. We can talk another time."
"Talk? Talk my ass! Damn woman!" Yuichiro muttered under his breath.
He couldn't care less about the Demon Slayer Corps and had no intention of being polite to Ubuyashiki Amane or Shinichi.
The truth was, Yuichiro hadn't always been like this.
Over a year ago, the Tokito family, though poor, had lived a happy and peaceful life.
But after their parents passed away one after another, Yuichiro gradually changed.
It wasn't entirely his fault—after all, he was just a child left to care for his younger brother alone.
A shift in personality was only to be expected.
And so, amidst the grumbling of Tokito Yuichiro, Ubuyashiki Amane and Shinichi were driven out of the Tokito household.
Though Tokito Muichiro felt this was wrong, seeing his brother's furious expression left him speechless, only able to watch with apologetic and regretful eyes as Shinichi and Ubuyashiki Amane disappeared into the forest.
However, when night fell, Ubuyashiki Amane and Shinichi did not simply leave.
Instead, they found a relatively open area by the daytime stream and set up a small makeshift camp there.
Ubuyashiki Amane—or rather, the leader Ubuyashiki Kagaya—had already anticipated Yuichiro's resistance.
It wasn't hard to imagine.
Two helpless children suddenly encountering a group of strangers, hearing tales of ancestors from centuries past and being invited to join an organization that sounded anything but legitimate—under such circumstances, any reaction was hardly surprising.
After casually lighting a fire and eating some simple rations, Shinichi spent the night still pondering the Tokito brothers.
***
Over the next few days, accompanied by Shinichi, Ubuyashiki Amane persistently visited the Tokito brothers.
Yet, all they received in return were increasingly impatient scoldings and curses from Tokito Yuichiro.
At his worst, Yuichiro even grabbed a water dipper and flung a large scoop of water directly at Ubuyashiki Amane.
Fortunately, Shinichi reacted swiftly, pulling Amane out of harm's way.
But Yuichiro's terrible attitude finally ignited anger in Shinichi's heart.
This brat was truly ungrateful and downright insolent!
After days of persistent visits, even a block of wood would have softened a little.
Yet this little brat remained as stubborn as ever.
Furious, Shinichi raised his hand, ready to teach Yuichiro a lesson.
"Kid! I think you've eaten so many radishes your brain's clogged with radish greens! I've put up with you long enough, you disrespectful little runt. Today, I'll make sure you remember this!"
Shinichi's harsh tone and the oppressive aura he unconsciously exuded instantly terrified everyone present.
After all, Shinichi had faced Upper Moon demons head-on, and his recent sparring sessions with Martial Demon had honed his presence to an entirely different level.
Even ordinary Demon Slayer Corps members would feel uneasy around him, let alone two eleven-year-old children.
Tokito Muichiro was the first to snap out of it, instinctively spreading his arms to shield his brother as he shouted at Shinichi.
"Don't you dare hurt my brother!!"
Meanwhile, Ubuyashiki Amane grabbed Shinichi from behind, urgently pleading.
"Shinichi-san, please don't act rashly. They're just children. You'll frighten them."
Yuichiro, seeing his younger brother step in front of him, froze momentarily, a flicker of emotion crossing his eyes before he roughly pulled Muichiro behind him and snapped.
"Who asked you to interfere? You're nothing but trouble—get lost! And you two! Finally showing your true colors, huh?"
"Only a fool like Muichiro would fall for your tricks! If he really joined your so-called Demon Slayer Corps, he'd probably be used as some kind of idiot pawn! Want to fight? Fine! Go ahead and kill me then, take this fool Muichiro away!"
With their interference, Shinichi had no choice but to abandon his intention to fight.
He shot an exasperated yet amused glare at Yuichiro and the dejected Muichiro behind him, before finally following Ubuyashiki Amane out of the wooden house once more.
"Brother, I..." After Shinichi and the others left, Muichiro called out softly to his brother, his spirits visibly dampened by the earlier scolding.
But the only response Muichiro received was a cold snort from Yuichiro.
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