Chapter 98: The Nine Hashira's Reactions × Giyu Tomioka Sets Out
Giyu Tomioka was a calm, introverted child. Protecting his lord and slaying demons was his life's resolve.
At the same time, Giyu was deeply sentimental. He never failed to write his master during the holidays. The red haori on his shoulders was his sister Tsutako's keepsake. When his sister was killed by a demon while protecting him, the boy decided to live on, carrying her share as well.
He accepted the letter from Kagaya Ubuyashiki. One glance was enough to recognize Master Sakonji Urokodaki's handwriting.
Thinking of how he had missed the New Year at home while tracking Akaza's whereabouts, the boy felt a pang of guilt. He steadied himself and began to read earnestly.
"May my lord be in good health. From Sakonji Urokodaki."
"Half a year ago, I took on a disciple named Eiichiro Kamado. His talent is exceptional, and so I report to my lord."
"So Master accepted a disciple again." Giyu felt a quiet joy for his teacher. He knew his master's silent suffering, especially after Sabito died to the Hand Demon protecting others. To see the old man emerge from that grief was no small thing.
Giyu lifted his spirits and continued reading.
"Eiichiro is the most astonishing talent I have seen in my life. According to his younger brother Tanjiro, before taking me as his master, he had twice slain demons on his own."
Giyu's eyes moved. This new junior had some skill indeed. He read on.
"Upon first meeting, he passed my selection in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea."
"After that, in under half a month, he completed his first ten thousand practice cuts. His strikes could sever at a distance of three meters."
"Hm… half a month to reach ten thousand suburi, and cuts that travel—Eiichiro is stronger than I was," said the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku, the tips of his yellow hair lined with fiery red.
"Talent must be cashed in to become truly splendid. No need to be modest, Rengoku," said the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, with white hair wrapped in a jeweled headband, golden earrings dangling from each ear, twin short blades chained across his back. He recalled his own harsh youth on the shinobi path, not especially surprised. If anything, the dazed-looking child beside him was even calmer.
Muichiro Tokito, as ever, could not muster interest in anything. "Half a month for ten thousand suburi"?
Forgive him. He was the boy who became a Hashira in just two months.
"Hiss… hiss…" The white snake Kaburamaru flicked its tongue, impatient. If not for the lord requiring Giyu to read, Obanai Iguro would not have cared to listen. He found his own haiku more interesting. Beside him, the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, was even more irritable, fighting to restrain his temper so he would not disgrace himself before their lord. Talented youths, Eiichiro—none of it felt as compelling as killing demons.
"Giyu, keep reading." Feeling the room's focus waver, the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima, pressed his palms together. "Silence."
The air in the main house seemed to halt for an instant. Quiet fell at once.
Giyu looked to Kagaya Ubuyashiki. The lord gave him an encouraging nod, and the boy continued.
"Eiichiro completed ten thousand suburi twice in two months, thrice in three months, four times in four months, five times in five months. Now he approaches his sixth time. His severing strikes can reach up to twenty meters."
"This is all before I taught him any Breathing Styles. It is solely his own effort."
Hm?
Restless earlier, then forcibly stilled, the atmosphere shifted again in a subtle way.
The Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho, narrowed her eyes. "If it is as Senior Urokodaki writes, we must admit the child is gifted."
From a young age, Shinobu had studied medicine. To prescribe effectively, she had devoured anatomical texts. She understood well what the human body could and could not do. "At the very least, Eiichiro was born with a powerful constitution, not inferior to many demons."
As she spoke, she glanced at Gyomei Himejima—a man whose physique was not inferior to demons, and perhaps surpassed them.
"Namu Amida Butsu…" Gyomei's prayer beads clicked. Tears poured down his face again, moved—perhaps by kinship found, perhaps by something else.
Giyu took it all in and read toward the letter's end. The words reached his mouth, but would not come. He froze.
The room fell silent once more.
"Finished?" Sanemi finally could not wait, shooting him a sideways glare, bloodshot eyes wide. Giyu did not answer. The other Hashira turned, puzzled. At last, the boy stirred. He turned his stiff neck toward Kagaya Ubuyashiki, who smiled.
"I will read the rest," said the lord.
"Yes."
The letter returned to Kagaya's hands. The man who had struggled against Muzan Kibutsuji for nearly a thousand years swept the room with his gaze and spoke with layered meaning. "Thus, I grade the child Eiichiro as Kinoe."
"If anyone can slay Muzan Kibutsuji in the future, it will be my disciple—Eiichiro Kamado."
That name. Sakonji Urokodaki, was it? What bold words.
Boom!
The atmosphere in the room ignited at once.
Kyojuro Rengoku laughed out loud. "Hahaha! I truly want to meet this boy."
"To have the former Water Hashira vouch for him—no doubt he is remarkable," said one.
"Or perhaps it is all show? I want to see whether that child is as splendid as claimed, to the point of killing Muzan," Tengen Uzui said with interest. Beside him, Muichiro Tokito stared with blank eyes. "Is it over?"
The Love Hashira, Mitsuri Kanroji, nodded emphatically. Her stomach rumbled again—hungry already. "I wonder if this Eiichiro boy eats a lot, like me."
Reactions varied across the Hashira. At last, Gyomei Himejima said, "My lord, let us bring the child here. Such talent must be nurtured with care."
"Who will go?" Kagaya asked in agreement.
The Hashira—all but the daydreaming Muichiro—turned to Giyu Tomioka.
Kagaya's gaze followed.
Giyu said two cool words. "I will."
His hand found his sword's hilt. The decision was made. As the senior, he would test whether the boy truly lived up to the Master's praise.
The usually taciturn youth flared with rare passion.
That very day, a Kasugai crow beat its wings toward Mount Sagiri with news that Giyu Tomioka would be returning.
At the same time, at five-thirty in the morning.
Roy finished dinner under Gotoh's care, then entered "deep sleep," passed through the corridor of dreams, and arrived at the familiar sea of cognition. He swam for a while and pushed open the gate to Demon Slayer.
The familiar sensation of falling seized him. When he opened his eyes, Makomo's pretty gaze was gone.
It seemed that since learning Roy could see her, the girl had been hiding. Even when spoken to, she kept her head down, not daring to meet his eyes.
It was a little funny and a little helpless. Roy let her be. As usual, he ate breakfast with his master and went out to train with the sword.
Today, his Physique had spiked. He would see whether he could finally break the bottleneck that had held out for days.