To Natsunishi, this might have been just another ordinary support mission.
The name of that demon and the trivial details of the task were tossed to the back of his mind the moment it was over. The only thing that left a slight impression was that demon's Blood Demon Art.
The next day, while Natsunishi and Sashiko sat in a yakiniku restaurant, arguing over whether the vegetables or the meat should go on the grill first, the vast and precise organization of the Demon Slayer Corps was reacting differently.
Because of the rescue operation at the Yokohama factory, ripples were spreading far deeper than Natsunishi could have imagined.
Deep in the mountains of Honshu.
Kazami Sarayoshi was holding the letter brought by the Kasugai Crow, reading the battle report word by word.
[Suppressed the demon head-on with martial arts]
[Rescued six missing swordsmen]
[Prioritized the treatment of all civilians and wounded after the battle concluded]
...
Every word made the stern old swordsman's lips curl upward uncontrollably. His fingers tapped the tabletop unconsciously. A sense of relief and pride quietly blossomed in his heart.
Has this child already grown to this level?
And he's proactively helping and treating others... it seems he is no longer merely drowning in hatred.
That was a good thing.
Thinking of the letter he had recently received from Natsunishi—which was undoubtedly full of recognition for Natsunishi's talent and character—Kazami smiled even more broadly.
Nearby, seeing the old swordsman with such an expression, a young teen stopped swinging his sword and couldn't help but lean in to ask, "Master, who is the letter from?"
"It's about your senior."
"Eh? Senior Kuguruma? I haven't heard news of him for a long time."
The boy curiously poked his head over to try and see the paper, but the old man laughed and shooed him back to his suburi practice.
"Your senior has made much more progress than before."
"Practice hard, Masachika. Don't let your two seniors leave you too far behind."
"Yes! Master!"
The boy smiled sheepishly, pouring his strength into the wooden sword as he continued practicing his forms. As he swung, a gentle breeze began to stir within the training grounds.
Mount Sagiri.
After listening to the news the Master had specifically sent via Kasugai Crow, Urokodaki Sakonji fell into deep thought.
"Ruthless to enemies, merciful to people."
"Whether in swordsmanship or medical arts, this child has truly entered the inner sanctum."
He spoke slowly, his voice laced with a hint of admiration. Recalling the days Natsunishi had trained here, the old man wearing the Tengu mask nodded.
"Kazami's eye was indeed correct."
Beside him, Sabito added seriously, "Senior Natsunishi was always very strong. It's only natural he could slay a demon like that."
Giyu didn't speak, but he silently reminisced about the food from when Natsunishi was still there. It was the fifth month since Senior left—he missed him.
"Hey, Rock, you heard about that kid too, didn't you?"
The one-eyed female swordsman took a drink of sake and pushed her cup toward the middle-aged man sitting opposite her. The man simply shook his head, showing no intention of drinking with her.
The female swordsman didn't mind and continued drinking alone.
"At this rate, that kid Natsunishi might become a Hashira very soon."
The middle-aged man replied flatly, "As long as he is strong enough and does not stray from his original intent, he will naturally become a Hashira."
The female swordsman rested her chin on her hand, a playful expression on her face.
"Aside from that, I heard he's using his fists instead of sword forms to use Thunder Breathing."
"That couldn't have been learned from you, could it, Rock?"
"First it was hammers, then flails, and now we have someone using fists?"
"You're leading the youth astray."
Faced with his friend's teasing, the middle-aged man shook his head.
"I did not teach him any sword forms. Besides, as long as he can slay demons, I don't care what weapon he uses."
He glanced at the one-eyed woman. "On the contrary, you seem quite bothered by the fact that he didn't use a Nichirin Sword when using Thunder Breathing, Nikaido."
Nikaido Mei: (#-皿-)
She twitched her lip and said crossly, "You old cripple!"
Matsuyama Daimon wasn't angry; he just nodded. "Right back at you, Blind Lady."
Nikaido Mei: ...
This bastard, is he provoking me?!
In a sun-drenched courtyard somewhere in Kyoto.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya, whose body was already showing slight signs of weakening, had a smile on his face warmer than the sunlight. He looked toward the Kakushi liaison kneeling before him.
"It seems that Kuguruma-kun has indeed proven his ability and character."
"In the report, Ichima-kun repeatedly emphasized that Natsunishi has not only a talent for combat but also the potential for leadership and a kindness that cherishes his comrades."
"According to custom, it is time for his rank to advance another step."
The Kakushi member asked curiously, "Master, are you going to promote Lord Kuguruma to the 'Tsuchinoto' rank so soon?"
One had to remember that not long ago, this swordsman had jumped three ranks to reach "Kanoe." How long had it been since then?
"By custom, promoting from Kanoe to Tsuchinoto is appropriate. However... I believe we can go a bit further."
Ubuyashiki Kagaya smiled, his voice gentle yet firm.
"Promote him directly to 'Tsuchinoe.' His recent contributions and potential deserve this reward."
The Kakushi liaison was visibly stunned for a moment before immediately bowing his head.
"By your command, Master!"
Two consecutive extraordinary promotions...
The Master truly placed great importance on this Lord Kuguruma.
In several corners of the Far East, ripples were being stirred by Natsunishi's latest mission. But all these undercurrents, evaluations, surprises, and expectations were currently isolated outside the lingering aroma of the yakiniku restaurant.
"Ah! Natsunishi-kun! That piece of meat was the one I was grilling!"
"Is yakiniku such an inconvenient thing? Naturally, it belongs to whoever grabs it first."
"Ugh... so cunning!"
The charcoal crackled and the meat sizzled. Natsunishi took the perfectly cooked slice from in front of Sashiko, dipped it in sauce, and popped it into his mouth.
How should he put it? Although the spices and seasonings were far less rich and layered than the flavors of the year 2099, and the meat wasn't the top-tier ingredient of the current era, compared to the "synthetic technological sludge" and protein compounds he usually ate, this was infinitely better.
Not bad.
Delicious!
The girl across from him rested her chin in her hands, pouting and pretending to be angry. Natsunishi, of course, noticed.
"It was just one slice of meat."
"Here, this piece of beef is finished grilling... consider it compensation."
The girl's dissatisfaction vanished instantly.
"Wow! Thank you, Natsunishi-kun!"
She happily picked it up, blew on it, and carefully placed it in her mouth. Then, she narrowed her eyes in bliss.
"Oishii! This place is definitely the best! The meat quality is great, and the sauce is amazing!"
Natsunishi thought: Look how hungry this kid was.
Then he picked up a piece for himself and began to eat unhurriedly.
After several rounds of meat, whether from the steam or something else, a slight flush appeared on the girl's face. She put down her chopsticks, her fingers on her lap unconsciously fiddling with the hem of her clothes.
It's time to tell Natsunishi-kun.
Go for it!
Sashiko, you can do this.
The girl cheered herself up. Finally gathering her courage, her eyes no longer wandered, but looked directly at Natsunishi.
"Um... Natsunishi-kun."
"Hmm?"
Natsunishi was just picking up a slice of meat, dipping it in soy sauce, and bringing it to his mouth. Hearing her, he looked over in confusion.
Does Sashiko want to order more? There's still quite a bit left; we haven't finished yet.
The girl's face seemed to turn even redder, and her voice came out stuttering, much softer than usual.
"I... have a favor to ask of you."
In the booth, the lively atmosphere of eating silently shifted. Natsunishi's gaze became serious. He quickly filtered through his interactions with Sashiko: fighting side-by-side, casual chatting, eating together...
In any other RPG, the affection level would have accumulated to the second or third tier by now.
As expected, a special event!
He just didn't know if it was to unlock a new skill or start a personal quest. He slowly put the meat back in his bowl and sat up straight. He became uncharacteristically solemn.
"What is it? Tell me."
His tone even unconsciously carried a hint of caution.
The girl took a deep breath, her hands under the table clenched into fists. As if she had made a great decision, she lifted her head and looked at Natsunishi with burning eyes.
"Please help me with my training, Natsunishi-kun!"
Natsunishi: "?"
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