The head of the Ubuyashiki family, leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, collapsed from illness during a Hashira meeting.
Despite being a young age not yet twenty, he commanded the Demon Slayer Corps as its leader and was the great elder respected by the Hashira and members alike. When such a man bled from his mouth, no one present could react immediately. That was understandable.
His back straight, sitting in undisturbed formal seiza. A warm smile like a benevolent father. The way he vomited blood while looking no different from usual was so tranquil that it seemed he felt no pain at all.
Everyone watched the red blood scattered on the tatami like flower petals with the feeling of having a daydream.
The frozen time melted one second after the great elder slowly fell forward onto the tatami as if bowing his head. The Hashira, having grasped the situation, first screamed with all their might. It was an enormous scream.
A thick voice, a sound like tearing silk, a sound like "Kyaaaaaaah!!!" in modern terms, etc. - diverse screams mixed in a grand chorus as if boasting each one's respiratory limits. Startled crows simultaneously flew from the mountain into the evening sky.
Because it was such an extraordinary shriek, members below Hashira rank and even Kinoe who were waiting outside the mansion wondered what was happening and rushed into the Ubuyashiki mansion, which normally couldn't be entered without permission. And they discovered the great elder lying quietly on the blood-stained tatami.
Everyone screamed. But though their numbers were greater than the Hashira, since they didn't use breathing, it was relatively restrained screaming. Startled mountain rabbits went hopping down the mountain.
A great commotion where everyone fell into chaos over the major incident of the great elder, the center of the Demon Slayer Corps, being in critical condition. An inferno scene as if an earthquake, lightning strike, fire, tsunami, and the Twelve Kizuki and Kibutsuji Muzan had attacked all at once.
The burly men who fell into confusion and made a disturbance finally calmed down only after being scolded by Yae-san (78), a helper maid of the Ubuyashiki mansion. Even Demon Slayer Corps members tempered through countless battles against demons were no different from little kids swinging sticks before a grandmother with strong nerves.
Yae-san, who had served the Ubuyashiki family since generations before the previous previous generation, gave continuous instructions to the restless men: spread out futons, boil water, move the great elder, change the tatami, pull weeds in the garden, clean the roof, etc.
Though there seemed to be some unnecessary commands mixed in, the members felt their hearts would burst with anxiety if they didn't do something, so Yae-san's instructions were truly appreciated.
They laid him on a futon and gave him medicine, but the great elder's life gauge still blinked thin and red. In Pokémon terms, it would be 'ding-dong.' It wouldn't be strange if he breathed his last at any moment.
The leader had only one daughter, and that daughter was also of a young age knowing only the world's purity. Though she was a well-educated talented girl, she was too young to be made the next leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, and moreover, too pitiful. They couldn't lose the great elder now.
First, they needed to call a doctor. But here a problem arose. The great elder's personal physician had mistakenly succumbed to pufferfish poison a week ago and died. There was no disciple. Damn it. The Demon Slayer Corps' relief squad only knew external injury treatment methods, so they were no help at all regarding the elder's illness.
If there was no personal physician, they needed to find a new doctor. But they couldn't call just any doctor. Because it was the grave duty of examining the great elder. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the Demon Slayer Corps' future depended on the doctor's skill.
The Hashira faced each other and nodded with serious eyes.
Thus began.
The First "The Strongest Doctor I Know" Championship.
Naturally, fierce arguments erupted. Since the great elder's safety was at stake, it wasn't the time to hide things or be modest.
The Mist Hashira, who had lived without illness until now and never met a doctor, lost by default. The Wind Hashira, who tried to solve everything with violence, received a red card and immediate ejection.
The remaining Hashira's "World's Greatest Doctor" tournament led to a one-on-one battle between the Flame Hashira with his loud voice and the Sound Hashira pushing like rapid fire with his fast speech, but then came the shout of Yae-san, the absolute authority here.
"Stop playing around and bring Shabana immediately!! Medicine works best there!"
The Ubuyashiki mansion where the leader collapsed was a localized grandmother's world. No one could oppose her. Women are weak but mothers are strong, and therefore grandmothers are the strongest.
Following Yae-san's words, one Kinoe rushed out of the Ubuyashiki mansion.
That man, possessing among the Kinoe the most notable sturdy legs, ran fiercely toward Shabana's residence guided by crows!
All for the great elder, for the Demon Slayer Corps' future!!
──Who could have imagined that the young man burning with a sense of mission would end up like that....
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The Kinoe who rushed into the bamboo grove searching for Shabana clinic encountered an absurd doctor.
"I sincerely apologize for this incident...!"
That absurd doctor was now bowing his head to the tatami, deeply apologizing to the Kinoe. Though he briefly thought perhaps he was a sensible person despite his suspicious appearance, the Kinoe recalled the taste of the medicine that had been stuffed into his mouth and turned pale.
It was incredibly terrible. He saw the Sanzu River. This doctor who presented such medicine upon first meeting was absurd.
And not only was the doctor dangerous, but his disciple was dangerous too. The Kinoe shrugged his shoulders while desperately avoiding the gaze of the delinquent boy glaring at him.
When the Kinoe returned from the Sanzu River, this boy was digging a hole while arguing with the doctor about whether to bury him or not. The hole was, of course, a grave for the Kinoe.
Apparently, while the Kinoe was unconscious, under the boy's leadership, his burial—in other words, corpse concealment plan—had been progressing.
The doctor, an anti-burial-alive faction, kept filling in the holes the disciple boy prepared, so the suspiciously dressed doctor wearing a hood looked like Buddha at least at that moment.
Beside the Kinoe fallen on the ground, a girl as pitiful as a plum spirit was rustling something, and 'Could she be nursing me...?!' he was moved for a moment.
The beautiful girl with such a strong impression that anyone would be at a loss for words offered a smooth, shiny mud dumpling and put her muddy hands together saying "Rest in peace." Stop it, don't kill me, I'm still alive.
The Kinoe got up. Because he felt he would be buried alive if he stayed lying down.
The doctor sighed with relief at the Kinoe regaining consciousness, and the boy swung the hoe he was holding while saying "Don't mooove."
What are you trying to dig up with that? What did this guy eat to grow up capable of such cruel acts? If he hadn't hidden behind the hooded doctor's back, what would have happened by now.
"No, it's also my fault for visiting so suddenly late at night. Please raise your head. Actually, there's someone who needs examination by Dr. Shabana..."
He spoke like that to the doctor prostrated on the ground. Let's get to the point quickly. Though the time unconscious was very brief, it was now an urgent situation.
Fortunately, the doctor nodded immediately. Perhaps also feeling guilty for being rude to the Kinoe, he readily accepted the blindfold to hide the Ubuyashiki mansion's location.
Though currently simplified due to the great elder's critical situation, originally the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters was a place that could only be reached through complex procedures. It couldn't be revealed to a mere doctor.
The boy and girl watching from behind grumbled, but when the doctor scolded them, they closed their mouths with sulky faces.
The doctor's young voice made it hard to believe he was their biological parent. But the two children followed the doctor like blood-related family, and from their appearance seeing him off outside the entrance, one could guess they had a special relationship.
The Kinoe carrying the doctor on his back looked up at the crow and ran through the night path. Even considering detours to keep the secret, if he ran at full speed, they would arrive at the mansion before dawn.
──But, with one mountain left to the headquarters, an unexpected situation occurred.
While running through a forest lush with green bamboo, a shadow suddenly appeared from within the bamboo grove.
"Hehehehe, you people on such a late night… Where are you going in such a hurry?"
What blocked their way was a demon. The demon with vertically slit pupils rolling its eyes around, dragging something with its right hand—was it a corpse? Ah, no.
Its limbs were broken in multiple places. Its face was crushed beyond recognition. Its whole body was swollen blackish-red. Yet that corpse was alive. Its chest was breathing shallowly.
Larva-like swollen lips moved twitchingly. A weak voice with broken teeth said.
Kill
Me
Like that.
The demon's evilness was glimpsed in that appearance wishing for death, not help. He wanted to save the man immediately, but the Kinoe hadn't learned breathing techniques and wasn't even carrying a Nichirin Blade.
Naturally, there was no way to kill the demon, so he thought he should escape, but thoughtlessly showing his back was dangerous. If the demon harmed the doctor on his back, a strand of hope would disappear.
Fortunately, this place was close to headquarters. If a member on patrol sensed the anomaly and came running, it might work out somehow. He would probably die, but if only the doctor was safe, the great elder could be saved.
To continue the Demon Slayer Corps' future, the Kinoe was prepared to throw away his own body. He had already decided this life's use long ago.
"Dr. Shabana, please run away."
He set the doctor down from his back, but perhaps because his feet froze facing the demon, there was no sign of footsteps moving away.
Looking at the two prey not running away, the demon sneered. Reading those twisted pupils, the Kinoe finally trembled.
──Lower Rank.
A Twelve Kizuki. To think they would show themselves near headquarters.
"Hey, heyheyheyheyhey you know."
A sticky voice condensed with evil energy clung to his eardrums. Step by step, the demon approached the two who didn't run. The dragged man sobbed while taking thread-like breaths.
"Meat, you see, hey, the more you beat it, the more tender it gets. I like making tough men's meat tender before eating! Controlling the beating so they don't die is the most fun!"
Evil laughter reaching its peak echoing through the bamboo grove. Being a Twelve Kizuki, it must have eaten a considerable number of humans. Thinking of that many people being toyed with, suffering, and eaten after atrocious acts made him nauseous.
"Hey, you know, guys who scream good taste good too. Now, how about you two… Scream a tasty scream, hey… Heheheh, UHAHAHAHA…!"
This demon bursting with grating mad laughter clearly took pleasure not just in eating humans as prey, but in playing with them like toys. The Kinoe glared at the demon. The fear of facing a Twelve Kizuki blurred in burning indignation.
But the angry Kinoe didn't notice.
The even more violent anger erupting from behind him.
"Shut up."
That moment, the Kinoe couldn't understand what happened. He heard the doctor's voice from behind. What followed brushing his ear was quiet breathing sound. Cutting wind. An instant, bamboo nimbly embedded in the demon's crown.
Only then did the Kinoe blink once in surprise.
In the meantime once more, this time a presence cutting through the air from underfoot. What reflected in the Kinoe's reopened eyes was the demon fallen on the ground scattered with bamboo leaves.
"Sorry, but I've run out of medicine."
And sitting on it, the doctor inserting a bamboo water bottle into the demon's mouth.
"But for you, this should be more effective than medicine."
The doctor slowly stood up.
The demon didn't move, lying spread-eagled.
The Kinoe also couldn't move. Because he couldn't believe what just happened before his eyes.
He thought the demon was dead, but no. Only the pupils engraved with numbers busily rolled around, unable to move a single finger.
"It's a paralyzing poison slightly modified from what my disciple made. It has the side effect of causing extreme pain throughout the body. I didn't really want to use it, but I have no medicine on hand right now, and above all, I don't like you."
The Kinoe couldn't know how much of the doctor's words were true, but seeing tears flowing from the demon's eyes that had so cruelly laughed moments ago, he guessed it was all true.
The pupils engraved with numbers were dyed with despair, and even more soaked with terror. The gaze pleaded something to the doctor.
"A weak demon might die, but how about you."
From inside the hood where his expression couldn't be seen, the doctor whispered in a gentle voice.
"Count the number of people you've eaten until sunrise."
Right after spitting that at the demon suffering without being able to move a muscle──, the doctor suddenly began trembling violently.
What, what's happening? Has fear finally overcome his body? As the regained Kinoe watched anxiously, the doctor.
"Kuhuuuuuuck!"
Vomited blood inside the hood. And collapsed right there.
Before worrying about the doctor's condition, the Kinoe first thought this. Honestly, I want to collapse too. Just, something, everything has reached its limit.
A crow circles above the sky. You're my only ally. That doctor is really absurd in many ways.
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Now, around the time one night had passed since the great elder's critical condition.
The Kinoe who went to fetch the doctor returned carrying a critically ill patient and a seriously injured person on his back.
You might think you don't understand what's being said, but the Hashira also couldn't understand what exactly happened.
On the Kinoe's right shoulder was a seriously injured person repeating delirious words "Kill me… kill me…", on his left shoulder a hooded critically ill patient coughing and vomiting blood. Which one is the doctor? No, I dislike both. Change.
While not only the Hashira but all members present thought that, the critically ill patient trembled and raised his head.
"Wh, who needs the doctooooor?!!"
No, it's you. You who just vomited blood.
The great elder is critical, but this guy is also quite critical. I see, so this critical guy was the doctor. The Hashira swallowed sighs and looked up at the sky. The morning sunlight is dazzling. To the point of tears.
Who would have thought we'd hold the Second "The Strongest Doctor I Know" Championship so quickly.
Hey there, don't clench your fist Wind Hashira. There's no losers' revival tournament you can participate in.
"Ex, excuse me… hup, may I take some medicine for a moment…?!"
To the doctor asking while breathing heavily, everyone nodded as if saying let whatever happens happen.
The doctor set down from the Kinoe's back searched through the medicine chest he carried and put pills in his mouth. Around the time he swallowed one, two, three pills, the doctor sprang up as if his near-death state moments ago was a lie and solemnly knelt on both knees.
"I deeply apologize for showing such disgrace. I sincerely apologize for my rudeness. Fifth generation Shabana, Shabana Tsukuru. I have come as summoned. Then where is the patient?"
At the clear voice that made one think he hadn't just vomited blood, everyone opened their eyes wide. Somehow, though wearing a hood, this doctor might be more sound than expected? A strand of hope sprouted in the members' hearts.
But when the Mist Hashira tried to guide the doctor to where the great elder was, he was blocked by an obstruction.
The Wind Hashira said this doctor was too suspicious.
"Wearing multiple layers of clothes hiding his skin in this hot season, even hiding his face—he definitely has something to hide. Could you possibly be a demon?"
Though the Water Hashira scolded him for picking unnecessary faults in the situation of the great elder's critical condition, the Wind Hashira's eyes remained sharp. The Kinoe who brought the doctor tried to say something, but when glared at by the Wind Hashira like a watchdog, he could only remain silent.
"What if we inadvertently let a demon in and it harms the great elder? It's something that couldn't be repaid even by cutting open our bellies in apology. Even if not a demon, hiding your face before the great elder is extremely rude. Shabana, was it? Remove your hood."
"...Understood. But I have a skin disease, so if we could move to shade…"
"Hmph, more demon-like excuses. No. Remove it here. If you can't, I'll cut off your head."
The Wind Hashira rattled his sword. The moment he saw the blade peeking from its sheath, the doctor's shoulders twitched. Must be scared. Of course. Even if not a demon, this situation would be frightening.
But contrary to expectations, the doctor's next voice showed no fear at all.
"Is that perhaps─ a color-changing sword...?"
Having knowledge of Nichirin Blades, could he be a demon after all. No. The doctor's voice held not fear but rather no hostility, only surprise.
The hooded head looked around at the Hashira including the Wind Hashira, then stopped his gaze on one person.
"That face, I see── This is the demon hunters──"
Among the Hashira, the youngest Flame Hashira, the eldest son of the Rengoku family.
The doctor turned to him and murmured in a low trembling voice.
"Finally... Ah, finally met. I've been searching. For all of you."
It was a voice soaked in relief as if discovering the North Star in a night wilderness.
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Me of my previous life, eaten by the Leader without being allowed independence,
Me of my life before that, eaten by Mom before meeting demon hunters,
This life's me has done it.
Encountered demon hunterrrrrs!! Got a clue to Muzan-kun! Alright dance to the samba rhythm samba!! My heart is Rio de Janeiro!!!
Seeing the scary guy had a color-changing sword, I thought maybe, but seeing the boy swordsman standing behind confirmed it.
But that kid looks exactly like Rengoku-san who cared for me during the Sengoku era! Come to think of it, Rengoku-san said his family had been demon hunters for generations.
The Sengoku era Rengoku-san said his older brother, the successor, was killed by a demon and he was swinging his sword in retaliation. But the one unchanging hereditary trait, RENGOKU. How easy to recognize. Easier to recognize than the Hachiko statue in Shibuya.
To clear the demon suspicion, I threw off my hood at a speed that would surprise Lupin and looked up at the scary guy with the crimson blade. Since I hadn't applied medicine, the morning sunlight stung my eyes and skin, but now wasn't the time for that.
Seeing my strange appearance, the place buzzed, and the scary guy standing before me opened his already large eyes even wider.
"White hair with red eyes...?!"
"As you can see I have strange hair and eyes and my skin burns when exposed to sunlight but I'm not a demon now where is the patient please guide me quickly!!!"
These people are demon hunters. And the existence these demon hunters call great elder and follow is my patient.
The great elder. Someone I heard of while serving as a demon hunter in the Sengoku era. A high person who is the top and commander of demon hunters. A noble person only those at Hashira level could have an audience with, so I didn't know his face or name though.
Anyway, the great elder is the highest among demon hunters. If I help that person and bestow favor, even I who can't wield a sword might be accepted as a comrade.
The doctor position in sentai shows has become not just a dream!
Perhaps overwhelmed by my intimidating shout, or perhaps shrinking back from the strange white hair red eyes appearance, the scary guy just stared with wide eyes without saying anything. Then a guy who looked obviously sturdy volunteered to guide us this way.
"May I briefly ask about the patient's condition?"
"...No, seeing for yourself would be faster than my explanation."
The striding guy's footsteps stopped before a certain room.
"...Great elder, excuse me. I've brought the doctor."
The cool smell of disease flowing through the quietly opened sliding door gap. I've smelled it before in places like hospitals. Ah, this is the smell of helpless death that makes you despair saying this won't work.
Half giving up thinking it was too late, I looked at the patient inside. His breathing was so shallow his chest hardly rose. Not breathing to live, but breathing heading toward death.
The patient's profile lying down was discolored purple, eroded by a painful illness.
"...Ah, you called, a doctor...I'm sorry..."
The patient who faintly opened his eyes turned his face this way. And I caught my breath at the half of his face not eroded by disease.
Unable to take my eyes off the young man's face not much older than me, I stared at that beautiful half face with disbelief.
"You went through trouble, thank you... But, now... It's fine..."
The face suppressing agony, the expression gathering pain, was familiar.
A very, very distant past matter. He always made that face too. While saying it was nothing.
"Call... my daughter. To say goodbye... one last time..."
"No."
Seeing that face, I thought I don't want to let him die.
I firmly resolved not to let him die.
"I'll definitely save you, absolutely. So don't say such things."
Muzan-kun.
Like that, only in my heart, I called my dear friend.
The young man lying on the sickbed opened his eyes wide and looked at me.
Even that face was exactly like Muzan-kun.
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