Chapter 5: Demons and the Demon Slayer Corps
Ubuyashiki Kagaya clearly registered the soft footfalls approaching, but he gave no outward sign. In any case, any child who had survived an encounter with a demon would be taken under the Corps' protection. There was no need to worry about information leaking.
"Akira-kun?" Gyomei, however, turned his head slightly, his heightened senses easily identifying the newcomer. He had a deep impression of this boy, the one who had told him how to kill the demon last night. He had been a great help, and Gyomei could now recognize him by the unique cadence of his steps alone.
Akira wasn't the least bit surprised by Gyomei's extraordinary hearing. The man's other senses were so overdeveloped to compensate for his blindness that his daily life was largely unaffected, leading some to mistakenly believe he could see.
"If you're talking about that monster from last night," Akira said, his voice clear and steady, "I want to hear it, too." He met the gazes of the two men who now focused their attention on him.
Kagaya was one thing; his true age wasn't much greater than Akira's own, and he was only a little taller. But Gyomei, standing at his full height of nearly two meters, forced Akira to crane his neck back at an uncomfortable angle just to look him in the eye.
Who would have thought, Akira mused, that someone with such an absurd build, someone who could beat a demon so badly it must have thought it had seen a ghost, has likely never had a full meal in his life? He even looks somewhat malnourished.
"If you wish to listen, little friend, then of course," Kagaya said with a gentle smile. He reached out a hand, intending to pat Akira's head, but the boy took a deliberate half-step back, causing his hand to miss.
Kagaya's smile froze for a fraction of a second. Are you serious with that half-step back?
Akira met his gaze impassively. And are you licensed to be singing that tune?
The future master of the Ubuyashiki family and leader of the entire Demon Slayer Corps was, at his core, still a young man. Yet he would not allow himself to be embarrassed by such a small thing. He simply withdrew his hand as if nothing had happened and turned to follow Gyomei, who had resumed leading the way.
It's fine, Kagaya told himself. No one saw it. It's fine...
Though he appeared composed on the surface, Akira's supernaturally sharp observation skills caught the almost imperceptible stiffness in Kagaya's gait. He was, after all, only a boy a little over ten years old. In Akira's previous world, he wouldn't have even graduated from middle school.
Yet, after only a few steps, Kagaya adjusted his posture. The hint of unnaturalness in his movements vanished completely, causing Akira's own gaze to flicker with surprise.
At that same moment, Kagaya made a preliminary judgment of Akira in his heart. 'Terrifying powers of observation, and a temperament far too precocious for his age.'
Kagaya knew his movements had been stiff for a moment. He was confident that even his own wife, Amane, would not have noticed such a negligible flaw. Yet this boy had seen it at a glance; that was why his gaze had wavered the instant Kagaya's movements returned to normal.
In a shared, unspoken silence, the three of them entered the only quiet room in the temple.
Akira and Gyomei sat on one side of a low wooden table, while Kagaya took his seat on the other.
After brief self-introductions, Kagaya first asked for the specific details of the previous night. Upon learning that Akira had played a crucial role, his estimation of the boy—who seemed a few years younger than himself—rose even higher.
With the preliminaries out of the way, it was time for Kagaya's explanation.
"Regarding demons," he began, his voice taking on a solemn tone, "I do indeed possess more information."
"The demons that plague the world today all originate from a single source—the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji. He is a monster born a thousand years ago, the Progenitor of all Demons. And for hundreds of years, an organization has existed to fight against these evil creatures: the Demon Slayer Corps."
"For centuries, it has gathered people dedicated to eliminating demons. They discovered methods to kill them beyond exposure to sunlight. Some gifted individuals even created Breathing Techniques—methods that can significantly enhance the physical qualities of the human body, allowing us to contend with demons on more even footing."
"I, Ubuyashiki Kagaya, am the current master of the Demon Slayer Corps. I have come here today to invite you, Himejima-san, to join us. Your powerful combat talent will surely make a monumental contribution to the cause of slaying demons..."
It started off fine, so why the sudden pivot to making grand, sweeping promises? Akira muttered internally, watching the impassioned young leader. Having struggled in the corporate world for years in his past life, Akira was all too familiar with this brand of rhetoric, painting pretty pictures of ideals and the future.
Even if Kagaya spoke with deep emotion, and even if he genuinely believed every word he said, Akira remained thoroughly unimpressed by the sales pitch.
Gyomei, however, was clearly more susceptible.
As a monk—albeit one who had not shaved his head—he deeply identified with and practiced Buddhist doctrines of compassion and protection. Otherwise, he would never have taken such diligent care of the children in the temple, nor would he have fought so desperately against the demon. As Kagaya spoke, Gyomei's massive form leaned forward slightly, his expression one of deep consideration.
"Ahem."
Just as Kagaya was reaching the peak of his passionate speech and Gyomei was visibly moved, Akira let out a soft, deliberate cough, drawing both of their gazes.
"I acknowledge that the ideals of Ubuyashiki-san and the Demon Slayer Corps are noble. Your work protecting countless commoners from the shadows is admirable," Akira began, his tone polite but firm. "But for now, why don't we discuss some practical matters?"
He leaned forward slightly. "For example, what are the conditions for learning a Breathing Technique and becoming an official swordsman? What is the salary and benefits package? Is there a rank system? Performance evaluations?"
Faced with this barrage of intensely practical questions, both Gyomei and Kagaya were momentarily stunned into silence.
Kagaya silently amended his mental evaluation of Akira from 'somewhat precocious'to'extremely precocious.'
"Those are... certainly valid questions. There is no problem answering them," Kagaya recovered smoothly. "First, as long as you are willing to join the Demon Slayer Corps, you can find a specialized Cultivator to learn a Breathing Technique. They are all retired swordsmen, many of whom were once Hashira—the most outstanding swordsmen in the Corps."
"As for the test to become an official swordsman, you must participate in a trial..."
This was information that would normally be taught by a prospective recruit's Cultivator. However, the two individuals before him possessed extraordinary talent, making them worth the extra effort., Kagaya was in his early teens, an age where the desire to express oneself is strongest. He usually had to suppress this urge to maintain his image as the head of the family and the Corps, but now, with a suitable audience, he found himself wanting to speak more.
Kagaya's explanation was almost identical to what Akira remembered, but he provided far more detail regarding the classification of swordsman ranks and the requirements for promotion.
Akira had no major issues with most of the Corps' systems, but the so-called "Final Selection" made him unable to hold his tongue. "Isn't there a problem with this entrance exam?" he interjected.
"You take a group of candidates, place them on Fujikasane Mountain where demons have been captured and released, and tell them to survive for seven days. What happens if a highly talented person appears and kills most of the demons on the mountain by himself? The other participants could become official swordsmen without ever proving they can even defeat a single demon. How do you know you aren't just passing cannon fodder?"
"For people with such limited strength, logistics work would be far more suitable."
", you said the demons on that mountain are killed and then replenished. What if a demon with a special ability, or one that is simply very cunning, learns to avoid the inspections of high-level swordsmen and hides away, surviving selection after selection?"
Akira's voice grew more serious. "Even if it only eats two or three people during each exam, over time, it will inevitably grow into an existence that rookie swordsmen have absolutely no chance against. Continuing the exam at that point would be nothing more than feeding that demon."
He had originally wanted to add that those with high talent shouldn't have to start from the lowest rank, as it was an inefficient use of their abilities. But on second thought, he himself would be joining the Demon Slayer Corps. If he performed too well and was immediately promoted, the strength of the demons he'd face and the density of his missions would both skyrocket. That wouldn't do.
He was still a child. He had no intention of returning to the life of a corporate slave from his previous world so soon.
Thus, Akira immediately suppressed that last suggestion.
His reasons for joining the Corps were simple. First, he needed to learn a Breathing Technique to have a means of self-preservation in this dangerous world. Second, joining the Corps was the only practical way to get into a position to rewrite some of the tragedies he knew were coming.
Of course, after hearing Kagaya's description of the compensation, a third reason had emerged—they simply paid too much.
Ubuyashiki-san moved me with his sincerity, Akira thought with a hint of dry humor.
The salary of even the lowest-ranking swordsman was incredibly generous for this era. As for the highest-ranking Hashira, it could be summed up in two words: as much as needed.
After hearing the sharp, logical points raised by Akira, Ubuyashiki Kagaya fell into a deep, contemplative silence.
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