On the road to the Ubuyashiki estate, one man and one boy walked side by side.
The morning air was cool, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and cedar. Birds sang somewhere beyond the mist, their calls distant, muted, as if even nature itself held its breath near the heart of the Demon Slayer Corps.
"You nervous, Kage?" Shinjuro asked, glancing at the boy beside him.
Kagerou took a slow drag from his kiseru, exhaled a thin line of smoke that swirled in the breeze, and answered flatly, "Nervous? How should I be?"
"I see…" Shinjuro said, hiding a small smile. He could tell his son was lying. The rhythm of his steps was too stiff, and the boy had been puffing on that pipe a little too often.
"Don't pressure yourself," Shinjuro added after a moment. "It's just a normal meeting. Hmm… with an abnormal person"
Kagerou raised an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to make me feel calm?"
"Well," Shinjuro chuckled, "just act like you usually do. They're not normal, yes, but they're good people. Come on, we're here"
They stopped before a towering gate.
For Shinjuro, it was familiar, he had walked this path countless times. But for Kagerou, it was foreign, heavy with a presence that pressed against his chest. The faint sound of crows echoed somewhere within, like whispers behind unseen curtains.
Shinjuro glanced at him and smiled. "Come on, let's go in"
And together, the Flame Hashira and the boy of Smoke stepped through the gate of the Ubuyashiki estate, the heart of the Demon Slayer Corps.
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The corridor stretched on, silent and empty, or so it seemed.
As Kagerou followed behind Shinjuro, the sound of their footsteps echoed faintly against the polished wood. Yet beneath that rhythm, he felt it, several presences, faint but distinct, hidden behind the walls, ceiling, and shadows.
He glanced at his father. Shinjuro walked forward, calm and unbothered.
Kagerou exhaled softly and decided to ignore it. If his father wasn't worried, then neither should he be.
"…You're curious about the presences you feel, aren't you, Kage?" Shinjuro said suddenly, his voice calm but knowing.
"…It'd be a lie if I said I wasn't," Kagerou admitted. "So who are they, Father?"
"They're called Kakushi," Shinjuro explained briefly. "You don't have to worry about them"
"Kakushi?"
"They're not Demon Slayers," Shinjuro continued as they walked. 'They're the Corps' support unit, handling first aid, cleanup, transport, and anything else needed after a battle. Some are retired Demon Slayers who can no longer fight, while others are those who failed the Final Selection but still chose to serve. You've met them before… that night. The ones in black and with a mask, remember? They were Kakushi"
"…I see." Kagerou nodded thoughtfully. "A supporting role, huh? It's an important one. Even if you can't become a Slayer, there's still a way to contribute-"
"That's how strong our desire is for this madness to end," a new voice interrupted, low and smooth.
Kagerou froze.
He hadn't sensed a thing. Not even a breath.
His hand instinctively went to the tanto tucked inside his yukata. He spun around, nothing. The hallway was still empty.
"…What are you planning to do with that toy, kid?" the same voice spoke again, this time, from the front. "And for someone your age to have a kiseru… what kind of parent do you have?"
Kagerou reacted instantly, leaping back.
When his feet landed, his gray eyes locked onto another pair, brilliant pink, swirling with subtle shades of violet. They were striking, almost mesmerizing, like fuchsia blossoms under moonlight, symbols of courage, confidence, and sincerity.
And their owner stood tall between him and Shinjuro.
A man, muscular, broad-shouldered, white-haired. His hair gleamed under the lantern light, and from his headband hung six pale pink gemstones, their luster soft yet dazzling. Chains dangled from either side, each ending in pale blue gems that shimmered faintly as he moved.
"…A ninja?" Kagerou muttered under his breath.
The man grinned, sharp and amused. "Flamboyant observation, kid. But no, I'm not a ninja. Not anymore"
He turned his gaze toward Shinjuro, his tone dripping with mockery. "... Rejecting a mission and bringing an outsider to a Hashira meeting? You're amazing in some way, huh, Rengoku-san?"
"He's my son, Uzui," Shinjuro replied firmly. "And I brought him because Oyakata-sama asked me to"
"This kid?" Tengen Uzui arched a brow, his bright eyes flicking back to Kagerou. "Oyakata-sama's interested in him? How so? Because he already smokes a kiseru at his age? Well~ that's flamboyant in its own way, I suppose"
"My name is Kagerou," the boy said evenly, smoke trailing from his lips.
"Huh? You say something, kid?"
"I said, my name is Kagerou," he repeated, eyes steady.
Tengen Uzui tilted his head slightly, still smiling, still amused. "…Still a kid. An unusual kid"
"Well, if it's Oyakata-sama's order, I can't say anything," Tengen said as he walked past Shinjuro. "But that doesn't justify you rejecting a mission, Rengoku-san. I understand that Oyakata-sama allowed it, but it still bothers me, you know?"
With that, Tengen kept walking and disappeared into one of the rooms.
Kagerou stood there quietly for a moment before speaking. "He is, Father?"
"He's the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui," Shinjuro answered.
"He's a Hashira too?"
"Yeah." Shinjuro nodded and started moving again. "Come on, let's keep going"
Kagerou followed behind. His steps were calm, but his eyes stayed alert, taking in every sound and shadow in the corridor.
When they reached the room Tengen had entered earlier, Shinjuro stopped. The door was open, revealing a quiet yet heavy atmosphere inside.
Kagerou's eyes scanned the room. Only two people were there: Tengen Uzui and another towering man sitting calmly in the center, his palms pressed together in prayer. Around his hand was a thick beaded bracelet, and across his forehead ran a long horizontal scar.
Tears streamed silently down his face.
'…He's crying?' Kagerou thought, eyes narrowing slightly.
He didn't know who the man was, but the quiet weight around him, calm yet overwhelming, told him enough.
That was Gyomei Himejima, the Stone Hashira, said to be the strongest among them.