"Return to Headquarters"
"Sister-in-law?" Shinobu Kocho was taken aback, a blush rising on her cheeks. She said shyly, "We're not married yet. It's a little too soon to call me that."
Tanjiro then approached, bowing deeply in a rather clumsy manner. "Greetings, Sister-in-law!"
His greeting was heard by everyone present. Although they were all aware of Aoki and Shinobu's relationship, they still looked at Shinobu with surprised expressions.
Overwhelmed by the sudden shyness, Shinobu rushed to Aoki's side, eyes closed. "Are you alright?! If you are, let me treat your wounds. If not, I'm leaving!"
After a moment of silence, Aoki reached out and gently stroked Shinobu's head. He attempted to sit up but lacked the strength.
Seeing Aoki's struggle, Shinobu quickly helped him sit up.
"What's this? You're injured again! Really, don't worry people so much," Shinobu chided, though her eyes kept glancing at Aoki—a classic case of actions speaking louder than words.
Aoki almost smiled but couldn't quite manage it.
"Shinobu, this is for you," he said weakly, taking out the Nichirin Blade he'd intended to give her.
Upon removing it, he noticed the damage from the battle: the scabbard was severely worn, and the blade itself showed signs of chipping.
Embarrassed, Aoki chuckled wryly. "I came to the Swordsmith Village to have a new Nichirin Blade made for you… but look at this. It's completely unusable."
He lost his grip, and the blade fell to the ground.
Shinobu was silent for a long time, then bent down, picked it up, brushed off the dust, and cradled it lovingly in her arms.
"No, this is perfect. I'll treasure it," she said, her face radiating happiness.
…
Because the demons now knew the location of the Swordsmith Village, a swift evacuation and rebuilding process began. Despite the simultaneous attack by two Upper Moons, the damage was kept to a minimum.
There was no time for mourning the dead; demons wouldn't wait. Even with significant loss of life, the world continued its relentless march.
Shortly after the attack, the entire Swordsmith Village, people and belongings, relocated to a backup village. While its security wasn't as robust as the original, it would be difficult for demons to locate in the short term.
This provided the swordsmiths with time to fortify the new village's defenses and fully resume operations. In essence, the Demon Slayer Corps had essentially profited from the loss of the Swordsmith Village by eliminating two Upper Moons.
Nezuko became a particularly noteworthy figure within the Demon Slayer Corps. She was a demon who had overcome the sunlight weakness—an unprecedented event, making her a unique case.
…
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!"
A deafening scream echoed from the Butterfly Mansion courtyard at Demon Slayer headquarters—Zenitsu Agatsuma, upon seeing Nezuko as a human.
"She's so cute, I'm going to die! I can't wait any longer! Nezuko-chan can talk! Is it because of me?! Did she learn to speak for me?! I'm so happy! When are we getting married?!"
"Nezuko-chan was cute in the moonlight, but in the sunlight, she's even more unbelievably cute! I'll never let go! When we're married, I'll feed you the finest sushi and eel every day! Please marry me!"
Nezuko, seeing Zenitsu's ecstatic state, smiled innocently. "You… you're back, Inosuke."
The air fell silent.
Zenitsu: "…"
A second passed…
Two seconds passed…
Three seconds passed…
"Where's that boar-headed idiot?! I'll personally slaughter him!" Zenitsu's face contorted into a monstrous grimace as he began searching for Inosuke.
Nezuko mistook Zenitsu for Inosuke because, during a recent visit to the Butterfly Mansion for treatment, he'd used intensive repetition to teach her his name.
That day, an urgent Hashira meeting was convened at the Ubuyashiki mansion.
Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa: "Sigh, so envious. Why can't I ever encounter Upper Moons?"
Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro: "You can't force it. Kanroji, Tokito, and Aoki, how are your injuries?"
Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji: "Ah, um! Thank you for your concern. I'm much better!"
Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito: "Same here, but I'm not yet at my peak."
Devouring Hashira, Aoki: "My injuries aren't serious, just exhaustion. My muscles are a bit sore, but nothing else."
Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima: "If we lose any more Hashira, the Demon Slayer Corps will be in danger. Surviving after killing two Upper Moons is incredibly lucky."
Flame Hashira, Kyōjurō Rengoku: "Ah! But it's not just luck! Aoki has killed two Upper Moons. He's undoubtedly the strongest Hashira now!"
Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho: "The three of you sustained significant injuries but recovered remarkably quickly. Did something unusual happen?"
Water Hashira, Giyū Tomioka: "I imagine the urgent summons is related to this, Master."
As they chatted, the shōji screen slid open, revealing Kagaya Ubuyashiki's wife, Amane Ubuyashiki, and their two children. Kagaya Ubuyashiki himself was absent.
"My apologies for the wait," Amane Ubuyashiki bowed. "I, Amane Ubuyashiki, will be representing Kagaya Ubuyashiki at today's Hashira meeting."
"Furthermore, due to the worsening of Demon Slayer Corps Master Kagaya Ubuyashiki's condition, he will be unable to appear before you. Please understand."
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