Chapter 2: Voices That Remain on Mount Sagiri
After nearly half a day had passed, Tomioka Giyu finally returned to Mount Sagiri.
The sky was dyed a deep crimson as the sun slowly sank beyond the mountains. The horizon looked as though it had been set ablaze, clouds layered one after another like burning embers. Giyu stood silently at the foot of the mountain path, his eyes fixed on the distant glow.
He did not move for a long time.
He did not know how to face Urokodaki Sakonji.
Sabito's face kept surfacing in his mind. The smile, the confidence, the unwavering belief. Each memory pressed down on his chest, making it difficult to breathe.
Just as he was hesitating, the wooden door of the cabin creaked open.
"Since you are back, why do you not come in?"
The familiar voice made Giyu's body stiffen.
"Master, I…"
Before he could finish speaking, Urokodaki Sakonji stepped forward and pulled him into his arms.
"It is enough that you returned alive," the old man said softly. "Sabito's death is my responsibility. You do not need to blame yourself."
Giyu's body trembled slightly. He slowly shook his head while being held.
"No, Master. It was not your fault either."
His voice was quiet but firm.
"From now on, I will carry Sabito's share as well. I will eliminate demons. All of them."
His fingers tightened at his side.
"As for the Hand Demon, it will not live much longer."
Urokodaki Sakonji said nothing more. He simply patted Giyu's back and led him inside.
Inside the wooden cabin, the master and disciple talked for a long while. Giyu explained that he intended to stay on Mount Sagiri temporarily. On one hand, he was waiting for his Nichirin Blade to be forged. On the other, he wanted to continue training in this place.
Urokodaki Sakonji did not object.
"If you encounter any doubts or difficulties," he said calmly, "you may come to me at any time."
After thanking him, Giyu picked up a wooden sword and headed deeper into the mountain.
There was a place he needed to go.
Before long, he arrived in front of a massive round stone. Its surface was covered in countless shallow and deep sword marks, each one a trace of past struggles.
He stood there quietly.
Then he closed his eyes.
"Sabito," he said softly.
"Sabito."
A familiar voice answered him.
"Giyu. How did you know I would appear here?"
Giyu opened his eyes.
Standing atop the giant stone was a young man wearing a haori, a faint scar visible at the corner of his mouth. He was smiling, just as he always had.
Tears flowed down Giyu's face without restraint.
"Sabito," he said hoarsely. "You should not have died."
Sabito's expression did not change. He had already expected these words.
"Saving the weak," Sabito replied calmly, "that is what a man does."
"You are always like this…"
Giyu let out a quiet sigh. He wiped his tears away and looked at Sabito seriously.
"Can we spar again, like before? My swordsmanship is still not mature enough."
He lowered his head slightly.
"Please."
"I want to become stronger. Strong enough to carry your will and slay every demon in the future."
Sabito was momentarily stunned. The Giyu before him felt different. Quieter, heavier, but far more resolute than before.
And that made him genuinely happy.
"Of course," Sabito said with a bright smile. "And I believe you will definitely do it."
Warmth spread through Giyu's chest. From the moment he met Sabito, he had known that he was a truly good person.
Giyu adjusted his breathing, gripped the wooden sword with both hands, and attacked first. The blade swept horizontally with determination.
However, it was still too slow.
Sabito saw through it midway.
With a loud impact, Sabito blocked the strike and used the force to turn smoothly, delivering a counter slash in one flowing motion.
"So fast," Giyu thought in shock.
He immediately leaned backward. That was the only option. There was no time for anything else.
The strike missed.
Sabito did not stop. He crouched down and swept his leg in one continuous motion.
Giyu fell heavily to the ground.
The tip of the wooden sword stopped right in front of his eyes.
"Still too slow," Sabito said calmly. "Definitely not mature enough. Get up and continue."
He extended his hand and pulled Giyu back to his feet.
"Yes. I know," Giyu replied. "I will do better."
This time, Giyu pressed forward relentlessly. He knew that once Sabito created distance, his chances would become even smaller.
Sabito was best at using the surrounding terrain, moving rapidly, and attacking from blind spots.
After several exchanges, Sabito immediately understood Giyu's intention.
"Do not rush," Sabito warned. "Your breathing is unstable."
As soon as he finished speaking, Sabito slipped past Giyu's strike from a tricky angle and countered, slashing across his waist.
Giyu sucked in a sharp breath. Just as he stabilized himself, the wooden sword was already resting against his neck.
"This time you were faster," Sabito said. "But disorder is worse than slowness."
"Reckless attacks will only cost you your life. Remember that."
"I will remember it," Giyu replied seriously.
"Let us continue."
Several hours passed.
Eventually, Giyu collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. His entire body felt heavy.
Through constant exchanges, he had finally managed to hit Sabito several times. Even so, it was still far from enough.
If these had been real blades, he would have died countless times already.
"You have done very well," Sabito said. "Your talent is not much weaker than mine."
He folded his arms and nodded.
"A man should be like this."
Giyu smiled faintly and gazed at the moon quietly, not responding.
After a moment, Sabito tilted his head.
"You are not leaving tonight?"
"Mm," Giyu replied.
"I already told Master. I will stay here for more than ten days. I will train while waiting for my sword."
"Alright. Good night."
With those words, Sabito vanished.
Giyu closed his eyes. Fatigue quickly pulled him into deep sleep.
At some point, a young girl wearing a pink kimono decorated with plum blossom patterns approached quietly. She gently placed another kimono over Giyu's body and disappeared without a sound.
Early the next morning, Sabito pulled Giyu up to continue training.
As for the kimono covering him, Giyu knew whose it was the moment he saw it.
On Mount Sagiri, such a pink kimono could only belong to one person.
Makomo.
The senior sister he had never met.
Fifteen days passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Giyu became capable of maintaining Total Concentration Breathing more frequently. His mastery of the Water Breathing Ten Forms steadily improved.
More importantly, he was gradually able to keep up with Sabito's rhythm.
At noon on the fifteenth day, Urokodaki Sakonji arrived and informed him that his sword had been forged.
Giyu nodded slightly. He took a deep look at the giant stone and thought silently.
I will return.
Thank you, Sabito.
And thank you for the clothes, Makomo.
When he returned to the wooden cabin, he immediately noticed a burly figure sitting inside. The man wore a strange mask and held a sword in his hands.
For a brief moment, Giyu almost thought that a former member of the Demon Slayer Corps had changed professions.
With that physique, he even mistook him for the Stone Hashira.
The man noticed them and stood up immediately. His deep voice echoed through the cabin.
"You must be Tomioka Giyu. My name is Mori Tekko. From now on, I will be responsible for forging all of your swords. Please take care of me."
Giyu smiled and shook his hand.
The thick calluses and steady grip told him everything.
This was likely a reliable and stable craftsman.
At the very least, he probably would not threaten to chop him up over a broken blade.
That alone was reassuring.