Time flew by in the blink of an eye, and almost a week had passed since Seiichi arrived at the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters. He spent most of his time training and adapting to his rapidly increasing strength. During his free time, he would communicate with Mitsuri and the other swordsmen who had returned to the Headquarters, exchanging insights about Breathing Styles and swordsmanship techniques.
Some time ago, Seiichi had taken the time to visit the three young slayers who were recovering from their injuries. Inosuke had recovered the best and was already bursting with energy, eager to get back into action.
Zenitsu's injuries weren't too severe, and he had almost fully healed, but he still wore a sullen expression on his face. He was clearly pretending to be more injured than he actually was, desperately trying to avoid any new missions that might come his way.
Tanjiro, on the other hand, was still wrapped in bandages from head to toe. He had been the most seriously injured during their last mission, not only losing too much blood but also pushing his body beyond its limits while already wounded. It would definitely take more time for him to fully recover and get back to his usual self.
The three young slayers had been absolutely overjoyed when Seiichi came to visit them. Zenitsu had even started boasting loudly to the three girls from the Butterfly Estate—Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho—about how amazing and brave he had been during their recent battles.
Meanwhile, Inosuke had immediately started clamoring for a sparring match with Seiichi, completely ignoring his own recovery needs. Seiichi had unceremoniously beaten him up during that sparring session, and as a result, Inosuke had earned himself another half-week of mandatory recovery time in bed.
During that visit, the three young slayers had told Seiichi that Shinobu Kocho would be returning to the Headquarters soon, most likely within the next few days. This news had particularly caught his attention.
Seiichi had been interested in Shinobu Kocho for quite some time now. Of course, he wasn't interested in her as a person in any romantic sense, but rather in the incredible poison techniques and pharmaceutical knowledge she had mastered over the years.
If it was possible, he still hoped to learn more diverse skills and abilities to avoid being caught off guard by similar enemies when he eventually traveled through different worlds in the future.
Today seemed to be that day. Seiichi shielded his eyes from the bright morning sun as he looked up at the sky. The brilliant blue heavens were dotted with several fluffy white clouds drifting lazily across the horizon. It was definitely going to be a bright and sunny day, perfect for what he had planned.
He carefully packed his belongings, secured his katana at his side, and set off toward the Butterfly Estate with determined steps.
"Good afternoon, Sun Hashira!"
"Sun Hashira, thank you so much for your guidance yesterday!"
"Sun Hashira, it's an honor to see you today!"
Several Demon Slayer Corps members he encountered along the winding road greeted Seiichi with deep respect and genuine appreciation. During his various exchanges and conversations with these dedicated swordsmen over the past week, he would inevitably end up offering helpful pointers and advice about their techniques.
Over time, all the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen stationed at the Headquarters had learned about this new Hashira who had joined their ranks, and they had grown increasingly respectful and admiring of his abilities. Seiichi acknowledged each greeting with a polite nod and a warm smile, appreciating their dedication to their craft.
It wasn't very long before he finally arrived at the peaceful Butterfly Estate. Even before he could open the front door, he could already hear Inosuke's characteristically boisterous voice echoing from inside, mixed with the sounds of Tanjiro's ongoing rehabilitation training exercises.
As he looked up toward the entrance, he noticed a purple-haired girl standing perfectly still on the bamboo fence wall, staring directly at him with an almost blank expression.
She had beautiful pinkish-purple eyes with distinctive diamond-shaped highlights that seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, soft cherry-pink lips, perfectly straight bangs that framed her face, and a single side ponytail that was elegantly tied with a turquoise butterfly hair clip decorated with delicate pink edges.
Kanao. If Seiichi's memory served him correctly, this should be Shinobu Kocho's adopted daughter and protégé. Besides that important connection, she also had a very interesting identity that would become significant in the future: she was destined to become Tanjiro's wife.
Honestly, the latter fact interested Seiichi much more than the former relationship. Tanjiro, do you even realize you're going to have such a beautiful wife someday? he thought to himself with amusement.
He approached the door and gently knocked on the wooden surface. The door was promptly opened by a black-haired, blue-eyed girl with neat twin pigtails and a blue butterfly hair accessory that matched her uniform perfectly. This was Aoi Kanzaki, one of the dedicated caretakers at the estate.
"Mou! Kanao, since you're already standing right there, why don't you open the door yourself?"
She complained with a slightly exasperated tone as she hurried over and opened the door wide. Standing outside was an incredibly handsome swordsman with striking blue eyes and long hair that was neatly tied back and draped elegantly over his shoulders. He wore a relatively loose-fitting woven garment that looked both comfortable and practical, and at his right side hung a katana that didn't quite resemble the typical Nichirin Sword that most demon slayers carried.
"Excuse me, but who might you be?" Aoi Kanzaki asked with genuine confusion, not immediately recognizing the visitor.
"Seiichi! Have you come to visit us again?" Tanjiro, who was still being carefully supervised by little Sumi as he performed his rehabilitation exercises, called out loudly with obvious excitement and joy.
"Oh! Are you the Sun Hashira? Please forgive my terrible rudeness! Please come in right away!" Aoi Kanzaki quickly stepped aside and opened the door even wider, bowing respectfully as she realized who their distinguished visitor was.
Seiichi smiled warmly and nodded his appreciation, his keen gaze sweeping around the courtyard area to take in the scene. He waved cheerfully to Tanjiro and prepared to follow Aoi Kanzaki into the main house. He noticed that Inosuke was still doing push-ups with intense concentration, while Kanao remained in her previous position, still seemingly lost in her own thoughts.
Did I hit Inosuke too hard during our last sparring match? Seiichi wondered to himself. He wouldn't have become withdrawn and reclusive, would he? What Seiichi didn't realize was that Inosuke was actually secretly peeking at him from the corner of his eye. When Inosuke saw that Seiichi didn't seem to be paying any attention to him at all, he instantly sprang into action with his usual impulsive nature.
"I found a weak point! Beast Breathing: Eighth Form- Explosive Rush!"
Seiichi, who hadn't even reached the doorway yet, gave a mischievous and somewhat wicked smile. He calmly turned his head and extended his hand with lightning-fast reflexes, directly pressing down on the charging Inosuke with effortless ease. Inosuke immediately shivered at the sight of Seiichi's intimidating smile, and cold sweat began to drip steadily from beneath his distinctive boar mask.
"Tanjiro, I'm adding some extra weight to your training regimen!"
With those words, he twisted his legs and allowed his spiritual energy to form a controlled vortex around his body. Inosuke was directly thrown away with a subtle but powerful force, sailing through the air and heading straight toward the unsuspecting Tanjiro.
Tanjiro's face changed dramatically as he watched his friend falling from the sky like a human projectile. He quickly rolled to the side with impressive agility, barely managing to dodge the incoming Inosuke. His friend crashed straight onto the hard ground with a loud thud.
What a good and loyal friend, Seiichi thought with amusement as he gave Tanjiro an approving thumbs-up for his quick reflexes. He then turned around and calmly entered the house as if nothing unusual had happened.
Inside the warm and elegantly decorated room, Shinobu Kocho sat gracefully at a traditional tea table, her every movement fluid and refined like a perfectly choreographed dance. The subtle and pleasant aroma of freshly brewed tea filled the entire room, creating a peaceful and welcoming atmosphere.
"Oh my, it seems we have quite a distinguished guest visiting us today."
She paused her tea preparation and looked up with genuine curiosity, carefully observing Seiichi with her intelligent eyes. In her mind, she knew that this person would become one of her most trusted and reliable companions in the dangerous battles that lay ahead.
After all, every single Hashira was a precious comrade with whom one could face life and death situations without hesitation.
Seiichi was also taking the opportunity to carefully observe the dignified and elegant woman sitting before him. Shinobu Kocho had absolutely beautiful black hair, with the ends of her perfectly cut bangs displaying a distinct and striking purple color. She wore an ornate butterfly hair ornament at the back of her head that held her hair up in a sophisticated style.
Her deep purple eyes were both intelligent and bright, seeming to hold countless secrets, and she wore her signature haori decorated with an intricate butterfly wing pattern that was both beautiful and symbolic of her fighting style.
In Seiichi's memories from his previous life, Shinobu Kocho's popularity had always remained consistently high among fans of the series. Besides her undeniably beautiful appearance and graceful demeanor, her seemingly gentle and caring personality that actually concealed a much darker and more ruthless side had created a fascinating contrast that left a lasting impression on people.
"I learned that the Insect Hashira had returned to the Headquarters earlier than expected, and coincidentally, we also need to meet each other before the upcoming Hashira Meeting anyway. Since there's no time like the present, I thought it would be beneficial to visit you in advance. I must also admit that I have a somewhat selfish motive: I wish to exchange swordsmanship insights and knowledge with every single Hashira to improve my own abilities."
Seiichi sat up straight and proper in the seat directly across from her, maintaining respectful posture. Shinobu Kocho's delicate hand gracefully lifted the ceramic teapot and carefully poured a steaming cup of fragrant tea for her guest.
"If there's any way I can help you in your endeavors, I would be absolutely glad to assist. However, I'm afraid I might end up disappointing you, as my physical strength is quite insufficient compared to other Hashira, and my swordsmanship level is definitely not as refined or powerful as that of a typical Hashira."
Seiichi did not show any sign of surprise at her modest admission but instead rubbed his teacup thoughtfully between his hands, considering his words carefully.
"I see what you mean. However, I've heard that the Insect Hashira possesses incredibly profound insights in the fields of pharmacology and poison creation, which more than adequately makes up for any perceived deficiencies in raw physical strength. To be completely frank and honest with you, I am also extremely interested in gaining knowledge about potions and pharmaceutical applications. I was wondering if we might be able to exchange insights and learn from each other in this area."
Now it was Shinobu Kocho's turn to look genuinely surprised by his request. Knowledge about potions and pharmaceutical work was typically considered very dry, boring, and tedious by most people, and as far as she knew from reports, this particular Hashira standing before her was renowned as an exceptionally strong swordsman who specialized in direct confrontation and overwhelming offensive power.
"Of course, I would be happy to share my knowledge with you."
But since her guest had shown genuine interest and this knowledge could potentially help save lives and protect others, she naturally had no objections whatsoever to the arrangement.
"Then I hope you won't mind if I come to bother you starting tomorrow morning."
After making these arrangements, the two of them continued talking for quite some time about many different topics, including their various experiences during missions outside the Headquarters, Seiichi's mysterious past and background, and their different perspectives on demon slaying techniques.
"It's getting quite late now, so I think I should head back and return again tomorrow as we discussed." After politely bidding farewell to Shinobu Kocho and expressing his gratitude for her hospitality, Seiichi prepared to leave the estate.
As he passed by the infirmary on his way out, he caught a glimpse of Tanjiro through the partially open door. The dedicated young slayer was actually secretly doing additional training exercises beyond what had been prescribed for his recovery.
What a dedicated workaholic! Seiichi thought with both admiration and slight concern for the boy's well-being.
Not wanting to disturb Tanjiro's intense focus or get him in trouble with his caretakers, Seiichi quietly slipped away from the Butterfly Estate and made his way back to his own quarters, already looking forward to tomorrow's learning opportunity.