"Was I… too late after all…"
Stepping into the village, everywhere Rengoku Kyojuro looked was stained with blood, severed arms and broken bodies strewn across the ground. His heart grew heavier by the second.
He raised his hand slightly. A crow circling overhead swooped down and landed nearby.
"Have the Demon Slayer Corps dispatch members of the Kakushi to this location," Kyojuro said to the Kasugai Crow.
The crow cawed twice in response, then flapped its wings and flew off in a certain direction.
After it left, Kyojuro began searching the village for any survivors. Before long, he heard the sound of quiet sobbing. Following the sound, he found Kazuki kneeling before his mother's remains, crying.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… Mother…"
A hand gently rested on Kazuki's shoulder.
"Boy, let us first lay them to rest," Kyojuro said in a heavy voice.
Kyojuro himself felt deep pain in his heart. His guiding principle in life was to protect the weak, a belief he had always upheld—especially after becoming a Hashira. Now, with nearly an entire village slaughtered by demons, the weight on his heart was unimaginable.
Kazuki knew someone had approached, yet he didn't move. He felt lost, unsure of what to do next. Kyojuro's words reminded him that the most important thing now was to properly bury his mother.
"If it's too much for you to bear, I can help bury your mother," Kyojuro said gently, understanding the boy's grief.
"Thank you… but there's no need."
Kazuki wiped away his tears and stood up. When his eyes fell upon the scene again, they reddened uncontrollably, hatred toward that monster surging to the extreme.
Even so, he forcibly suppressed his grief. With hollow eyes, he carefully pieced together his mother's scattered remains, then found a hoe and began digging.
Watching this, Kyojuro looked at Kazuki with a trace of admiration before turning to help bury the villagers who had been killed.
That green-skinned demon hadn't eaten many people—most had been tortured to death. The number of bodies that needed burial was far from small.
Before long, a large number of Kakushi arrived and began handling the aftermath.
Kazuki naturally noticed them, but he said nothing.
After burying his mother, Kazuki knelt before her grave and bowed his head three times. By then, all those who had perished in the village had been laid to rest. Kyojuro walked to his side.
"Live on with strength, boy. The dead are gone—those who remain must be even stronger," Kyojuro said, offering comfort.
"Did you come here because of that monster?" Kazuki suddenly asked.
He wanted to know exactly what that creature was—and why it had attacked their village.
Kyojuro paused for a moment. He had originally thought the boy survived because he hadn't encountered the demon. Now, it seemed he had been mistaken.
Most likely, the demon had simply eaten its fill.
He didn't dwell on it further.
"Yes. The monster that attacked your village was a demon—a creature that must eat humans to survive. Once they come into existence, they slaughter humans as food."
"And you?" Kazuki asked again.
"We are members of the Demon Slayer Corps, a civilian organization formed of our own accord. Our goal is to eradicate all demons from this world, so tragedies like this will never happen again.
I came here to eliminate the demon in this area… but I was a step too late. My apologies."
There was nothing confidential about this. Since Kazuki asked, Kyojuro told him everything.
"Can I join you?"
Kazuki stood up and turned to face Kyojuro. His eyes were bloodshot, filled with hatred toward demons.
Kyojuro wasn't surprised by his reaction. Nearly all members of the Demon Slayer Corps were people who had lost something to demons—those who sought revenge or wished to protect others.
"Joining us means constantly facing the risk of being killed by demons," Kyojuro said solemnly.
"These demons can only be slain by severing their necks with blades made of special materials. Otherwise, their weaknesses are sunlight and wisteria. They possess powerful regeneration and all manner of strange and deadly techniques.
That said, once you join, the Demon Slayer Corps will teach you Breathing Techniques and corresponding sword forms, granting you the power to fight demons. Even so, battling demons is still extremely dangerous. Are you certain you wish to join?"
In Kyojuro's eyes, Kazuki was still just an ordinary boy. He had not witnessed the earlier battle, nor had he realized how terrifying this boy's talent truly was.
"I'm certain. I will erase every demon in this world!" Kazuki answered without hesitation.
"Very well! Become my tsuguko. I will train you into an outstanding swordsman!" Kyojuro said decisively, understanding the boy's resolve and wasting no further words.
"Yes, Master!" Kazuki immediately changed how he addressed him.
He trusted the man before him. Within the Transparent World, he had seen the righteous aura surrounding Kyojuro. Moreover, Kyojuro had personally helped bury the villagers—everything he did had been clearly seen by Kazuki.
Perhaps it was fate.
A hundred years ago, a swordsman born with both the Transparent World and the mark had been brought into the Demon Slayer Corps by the Flame Hashira of that era.
And now, a hundred years later, another genius born with the Transparent World and a mark was taken in by the Flame Hashira of this generation.
The morning sun rose from behind the eastern mountains. Sunlight dispelled the darkness and bathed everyone in its glow.
Kazuki looked back at the village one last time, then turned and followed after Kyojuro.
—
Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters
Kyojuro knelt on one knee and finished reporting the details of the mission to Ubuyashiki Kagaya, also informing him of his intention to take Kazuki as his tsuguko.
"I see… You've done well, Kyojuro," Kagaya said gently, smiling as he spoke.
"Do not blame yourself too much. Child, the movements of demons are inherently unpredictable. You've been on consecutive missions—failing to arrive in time was unavoidable."
From Kyojuro's report, Kagaya sensed his deep self-reproach. Taking in the sole surviving child as a tsuguko was likely influenced by that guilt as well.
Kyojuro froze slightly at his words. He truly had blamed himself deeply for this incident, though he had never spoken it aloud. Kagaya's reassurance eased that burden considerably.
"Since you've already made your decision, that child will be entrusted to you," Kagaya continued.
"However, the Final Selection will begin in just seven days. He likely won't make it in time for this one."
"That's true," Kyojuro nodded. "But training a bit longer before participating isn't a bad thing. I'll teach him properly."
"I trust you," Kagaya said with a smile.
After exchanging farewells, Kyojuro departed the estate.
Waiting outside, Kazuki stepped forward when he saw him emerge.
"Rengoku-sensei," Kazuki said respectfully.
The two had already learned each other's names along the way, and Kyojuro had explained much about demons and the Demon Slayer Corps during their journey.
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