I arrived outside of the Ubuyashiki Estate with a crack of displaced air startling the kasugai crows who were roosting on some nearby trees.
"Caw caw… the Wandering Hashira has arrived!" They called as they flew around.
Mitsuri came running out of the gates with a smile on her face. She pulled me into a hug with a soft laugh.
"Satoru! I missed you." She sniffled.
Chuckling I held her while rubbing circles on her back. "I missed you too Mitsuri-chan."
She eventually stepped away and grabbed my hand while pulling me towards the gates. I could see the warm smile on her face as she recounted her last mission.
She had apparently been sent to invenstigate a coastal village that had a string of disappearance. Fishermen were vanishing in the night from their boats.
She told me about how she made even more forms for Love Breathing and how she couldn't wait to show me.
'She's just so precious…' I walked by her smiling as she told her story.
We eventually arrived at the courtyard where the other Hashira were already gathered. Sanemi shot me a glare while Kanae and Shinobu offered smiles.
Tengen nodded in approval, while Gyomei sat silently. Giyu was actually present for once, and he gave me a passing glance before looking away.
There was some new faces that I recognised the moment I saw them.
'Huh… I guess Obanai and Muichiro joined at the same time.'
Everyone took their places and waited patiently for Kagaya to arrive. We didn't wait long as the master of the Demon Slayer Corps finally made his appearance with the usual presence of his family.
"Welcome Master!" Everyone said in unison around me.
'Do they practice that?' "Yo." I waved casually.
Kagaya smiled at everyone, "Welcome back everyone. It's good to see everyone in good health."
He paused for a moment then continued, "Please let us welcome two new very talented individuals to our ranks. Obanai Iguro, the new Serpent Hashira, and Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Hashira."
Everyone gave their welcome, I maintained my casual attitude and gave them a wave. Kagaya went on to have everyone discuss everything they had done or experienced thus far.
When it came to me I let everyone wait for a beat before speaking.
"Well, since everyone is sharing… I guess I can say that I fought Kibutsuji Muzan several days ago."
"Nani!!!"
"Huh?"
"Satoru! Are you okay?!"
I chuckled, "It wasn't a big deal… I scared him off when he went after the Kamado family that's now living in the Butterfly Mansion."
Chaos descended as questions were flung my way. Gyomei silenced everyone with a loud clap and prayer.
"Satoru-san, you didn't mention this a few days ago." Kagaya glanced at me.
I shrugged, "I didn't think it was a big deal… the bastard got away."
"Big deal? You bastard, that was the progenitor of all demons!" Sanemi shouted.
I picked my ear and chuckled, "Yeah? And I beat his ass like a little brat."
"Satoru-san… please recount the fight. It may contain information beneficial to the Corps." Kagaya prodded.
I sighed, "Fine, it went something like this…
I gave a quick recap of my fight against Muzan. How I easily defeated the demons he sent at me first, how I used my abilities to slash him and how he recovered faster than most demons I had hit with the same ability.
Then I went on to explain how Muzan had targeted Tanjiro and his family. I cleaverly wove details about why Muzan was targeting the Kamado's while making sure that it didn't just seem like I pulled the information out of my ass.
"Though he escaped, this is good news. This means that we have a very good chance of defeating Muzan in this generation." Kagaya stated with a smile on his face.
"Of course we're gonna beat him," I scoffed, "I am the stro—
"Satoru-senpai… I'd like to spar with you." Muichiro suddenly interrupted.
'God damn it… interrupted again.'
I looked to Kagaya to say something but the man just kept smiling. I sighed and stood up, Mitsuri looking at me in confusion.
"Fine."
"I would like to test my blade against you as well." Obanai said as he eyed me.
I groaned, "Fine fine… whatever. Anyone else want to spar while we're at it. May as well get this out of the way now."
Everyone except Mitsuri looked at me hopefully. I looked at Kagaya who kept smiling.
'Better not regret this then…' I mentally said as I took off my haori and gave my sword to Mitsuri. She took it from me and back away.
Muichiro looked at me in confusion, I responded to his unasked question.
"If I used my sword it would be over too quick."
"You cocky bastard!" Sanemi shouted while drawing his sword.
"Come on then… all of you come at me at once."
They looked at each other in confusion. I gave them a confident grin while tucking my hands in my pockets.
"Oh, and come at me with the intent to kill… you'll regret it if you don't."
[Scene Break] (POV Shift)
The clash began in an instant.
Sanemi surges forward first, blade raised high, Wind Breathing technique cutting the air apart as he aimed to bisect Satoru from head down.
Mitsuri held her breath, she knew it wouldn't land but a part of her couldn't help but worry about Satoru… the man she had grown to care for much more than she had expected.
She watched as Satoru easily swayed away from the slash with a smile on his face. The others weren't idle, Obanai circled cautiously, Tengen shot forward with confidence, Muichiro flickered in from the side Giyu closed the distance.
All the Hashira search for an opening, Kanae and Kyojuro searched for an opening while Shinobu seemed to be prepping something on her blade.
Yet despite the constant attacks, Satoru's carefree smile remained on his face as he dodged and weaved through each of the Hashria's attacks. Some missed by inches while others he deftly redirected with his strange ability.
Mitsuri let out a gasp of awe more than worry, "So many at once…" she quietly muttered.
Her knuckles whitened as her grip on her new nichirn blade tightened. Though she had no intention of drawing it, she couldn't take her eyes off of Satoru.
Kagaya, seated calmly, watched the storm of motion unfold. "We have already seen his strength when he first arrived…" Mitsuri listened as he described the first time Satoru had sparred with the Hashira then. She and Kyojuro hadn't been a part of the Hashira then.
"This will reveal a lot about Tokito and Iguro-san."
Satoru's hands remained in his pockets. He slipped by another of Sanemi's strikes. Obanai attacked next, only for Satoru to knock the slash away with a casual low kick as if the sword was nothing more than a stick.
Muichiro came in with low strikes aimed at Satoru's legs. Still, Satoru jumped and danced around with his hands in his pockets, his grin never fading.
Then Tengen came crashing down with an overhead slash with both his blades. The ground trembled with the impact but when the small cloud of dust cleared, Satoru was nowhere to be seen.
"Too slow…"
Tengen spun around and lashed out with a kick, Satoru had appeared behind him hands still in his pockets.
Mitsuri clapped, "Satoru's so fast…" her voice filled with awe.
The others pressed harder, their frustration beginning to show. Sanemi roared as he swung again, each strike faster than the last. Giyu seemingly found an opening and lunged.
Satoru just grinned even wider and vanished in a crack of displaced air. Sanemi and Giyu crashed into each other. Sanemi shouting at Giyu as he shoved him off.
"Don't get in my way!"
Gyomei swung his large meteor hammer and tried to surprise Satoru with his weapons unpredictable attack pattern. Unfortunately it was like Satoru had eyes on the back of his head.
Frustrations mounted, attacks got desperate. Muichiro's and Obanai, the two new Hashira, looked as if they were questioning their own strength.
Kagaya's faint smile deepened, "Even outnumbered his confidence doesn't falter. That's what unsettles them."
Mitsuri glanced back to Satoru who was seemingly checking under his nails for dirt. Then the Flower Hashira jumped in, backed up by her sister, the Insect Hashira.
Kanae's blade stopped short of landing on Satoru's neck. Satoru turned around slowly as sparks emerged from where Kanae's blade was caught in his invisible barrier.
"Going for my head… that was mean Kanae-chan."
Mitsuri felt a pang of something in her chest when she heard Satoru teases Kanae much like how he teased her at first.
Obanai rushed in again at the same time as Shinobu's blade approached Satoru's eye. Mitsuri nearly jumped, her worry returning.
Satoru finally took out single hand from his pocket. The air around him shifted as Kanae was pushed away by something. In a flicker of movement he slid next to Obanai flicking his blade with a finger.
Obanai's eyes widened as his blade was knocked out of his hands. His eyes suddenly rolled up as Satoru chopped him in the neck, knocking the Serpent Hashira unconscious.
Mitsuri clutched her chest. Torn between admiration and worry. 'He's incredible… but if this keeps going— someone really might get hurt.'
Kagaya's gaze lingered on Satoru's movements for a moment longer before turning to her.
"With him here, I truly believe that we will bring an end to Muzan in this generation."
Mitsuri believed Kagaya, she knew Satoru's power was unshakable. She had been there when he had toyed with that demon. She had seen him crush a demon with a simple glance.
Their attention was drawn back to the spar as the air suddenly tensed.
Satoru had both hands out of his pockets now. His grin replaced with a look that bordered on malicious.
Dark markings formed on his face and arms. An extra set of eyes appeared on his face. The Hashira froze in shock. They had heard of this of course. Kanae had mentioned it when she had first mentioned how Satoru had saved her.
No one expected how evil it actually made Satoru look.
"Everyone be careful! He can use invisible attacks." Kanae shouted.
All four of Satoru's eyes flicked over to her, his teeth seemingly sharpened as he smiled wide.
"Hoh? So you remember this form Kanae-chan." His voice came out deeper, sadistic almost.
Mitsuri felt a chill crawl down her spine. Kagaya tensed up next to her, his breath hitching.
Still frozen in shock, no one moved as Satoru raised his hands in a strange gesture. Then he spoke.
"Ryoiki Tenkai… Fukuma Mizushi."
The world shifted, darkness immediately fell in the courtyard as if the sun just vanished. The ground turned into an ocean of blood. A shrine, broken and defiled rose around Satoru surrounded by the bones of numerous animals.
Satoru, no sat on a throne sneered evilly at everyone. As he raised his hand to attack, Mitsuri finally had enough.
"Satoru!!! Don't!"
Then, like it had never existed, the ocean of blood, the dark shrine, the throne. It all vanished, Satoru was standing in the middle of the courtyard surrounded by the Hashira who were breathing hard and a little pale.
He sheepishly scratched the back of his head with a helpless laugh.
"Ha… maybe I went a little too far." He chuckled.
"YOU THINK!!!!" Everyone shouted at once.
Mitsuri stomped over to him and poked him in the chest a few times.
"That. Was. Really. Scary. And. Mean. Apologise. Now." Each word was punctuated with a poke to his chest.
Satoru adjusted his sunglasses and turned to face everyone. With a bow her sincerely apologised. His sincerity clear in his tone.
"Sorry guys… I went too far."
Mitsuri crossed her arms, "Moh… you really scared me… you were all like BANG! Then you went WOOSH! Then everyone was like GAHHH!"
Satoru chuckled again. Kagaya smiled softly. Despite how serious it looked he knew Satoru would never harm anyone here. He could see it in the young man's eyes.
'He truly cares for everyone.'
Kagaya stood up just as Satoru started giving out pointers to where everyone could improve. Surprisingly everyone paid attention, Kyojuro had even taken out a small notebook to write things down.
Kagaya felt his heart relax, with Satoru's strength, he was now more than ever, assured that Muzan would be defeated soon.