Chapter 162: Sabito, I Want a Cool Uniform Too
Over the next few days, Sabito and Giyu officially integrated into the Sendai
Slayers roster, taking on routine patrol missions.
Initially, it was just the two of them teaming up to clear minor strays,
occasionally picking up slightly harder gigs that required cooperation with
other squads.
And it was during these missions that they realized something: the Slayers in
the northern territories were fundamentally more capable than those in the
central or southern regions.
Everyone understood teamwork, and they executed missions in disciplined cells.
As a result, the stress and danger of demon hunting plummeted. Even when they
ran into exceptionally resilient demons with troublesome Blood Demon Arts, a
coordinated multi-cell sweep usually took care of the problem without
casualties.
And that wasn't even counting the elite outliers in the dojo.
Whether it was the "Gatekeeper of Skill" Kugisaki Yamahana, the high-ranking
veterans, or the derivative Breathing Style user Deputy Captain Yukibashiri
Seiko, their combat abilities were leagues above Sabito and Giyu.
Especially Seiko.
Several Slayers had discussed her strength in private. Not only was she
disciplined and hardworking, but under Natsuya's direct tutoring, her combat
power was now approaching that of a veteran Kinoto (Rank 2) Slayer.
Most Cultivators—aside from the rare few who had been Hashira in their
youth—were essentially retired Kinoto or Kanoe Slayers anyway. This meant Seiko,
who had only recently promoted to Hinoto (Rank 4), possessed a combat profile
functionally identical to a master-level trainer.
Sabito and Giyu had run a few missions with her now, and they realized the
rumors had actually understated her capability.
Seiko's greatest asset wasn't just her swordsmanship; it was her tactical
leadership. Her operational style was remarkably steady. Before every mission,
she mapped out objectives, routes, and individual responsibilities with absolute
clarity. Often, she even prepared contingency plans for various worst-case
scenarios.
It was a completely different style from Natsuya's "improvisational chaos"
approach.
With her leading the squad, missions ran like clockwork.
More importantly, Sabito and Giyu were experiencing the true, tangible benefits
of "Teamwork."
Against demons with superior stats, coordinated pincer attacks exposed openings
that a solo swordsman could never exploit. Unexpected emergencies were covered
by overlapping fields of fire, preventing the panic that usually led to a wipe.
Under Natsuya's structural doctrine, even a low-rank Mizunoto or Shinotsume
could reliably contribute to taking down a high-tier threat.
One evening, after finishing their drills, the two boys sat side-by-side on the
veranda outside their room.
The night sky was brilliant with stars.
Conversations naturally drifted toward recent cultivation gains and neighborhood
gossip. Then, out of nowhere, Giyu brought up a rather specific topic:
"That... Deputy Captain Yukibashiri."
"Hm?"
"She's very strong," Giyu paused, his brow furrowing slightly. "And she's very
close to the Senior."
Sabito turned to look at him, a faint, amused smile tugging at his lips. "What
are you trying to say, Giyu?"
Giyu stayed silent for a moment, tracing his thumb along the wood of the
veranda. "Do you think the letters she used to send to Natsuya-aniki... were
love letters?"
Wham!
Sabito nearly swallowed his tongue.
"L—Love letters?!"
He coughed violently, his face turning bright red. He frantically scanned the
courtyard to make sure no one was listening. Fortunately, Natsuya's and Seiko's
rooms were safely on the opposite side of the compound.
"Keep your voice down, Giyu! Those were probably just reports of respect and
gratitude between colleagues!"
Giyu remained completely unfazed. "If that's all they were... have you ever
written one?"
"A letter of respect and gratitude to the Senior?"
Sabito choked on a response. He searched his memory.
Aside from thanking Urokodaki for his meals, he had never written a single
letter to Natsuya. Even though he often thought about the eccentric, overpowered
Senior, writing a letter felt... far too intimate. Too deliberate.
Up until now, the three of them—plus Urokodaki—had barely exchanged a dozen
letters total. That number was probably a fraction of what Seiko had sent
Natsuya during her time in Yokohama.
He had to quietly admit defeat: "...No. I haven't."
Giyu nodded, his expression completely deadpan as he stared out toward Seiko's
room. A faint, warm strip of candlelight leaked through her shoji screen,
casting a soft glow against the paper. She was likely up late writing mission
reports and operational summaries.
Giyu spoke again: "Her uniform is different from ours, too."
Sabito recalled what he had seen. Seiko's uniform wasn't standard issue. The
fabric was Natsuya's custom high-density, anti-demon weave—stronger, more
durable, and resistant to Blood Demon Arts.
The tailoring was clean and form-fitting. The inner layer was a dark tactical
tunic, and the outer layer was a pristine white haori.
On her right shoulder was embroidered a small, distinct character: [LUMINARY]
(曜).
Though it wasn't as flashy as a Hashira's personal haori, it carried a unique,
sharp prestige among the young Slayers.
"I heard Senior Natsuya tailored it himself," Sabito murmured. "Using a special
composite fabric that has several times the defense of standard gear. And..."
"Word is, only Hashira—or a Hashira's Deputy—have the qualification to wear it."
"A Deputy?" Giyu tilted his head.
"Yeah. Someone strong enough to share the load, and trusted enough to command in
the Hashira's absence."
Giyu sat in silence for a long time. Then, he turned his head and locked his
deep blue eyes onto Sabito.
"Sabito."
"Yeah?"
"Hurry up and become a Hashira."
Sabito blinked. "Huh?"
"If you do, I'll be your Deputy."
Giyu's face was dead serious. "That way, I get to wear one of those cool white
haoris, too."
Sabito: "..." Giyu... is your ambition really just driven by fashion trends?!
"Giyu, you idiot..." Sabito sighed, unable to keep a straight face. He let out a
soft laugh, shaking his head.
A few days later.
Deep inside a dense cedar forest in Aomori Prefecture, the ruins of an ancient
Shinto Torii gate stood half-swallowed by crawling ivy. The stone lanterns were
cracked and overgrown with moss.
It was a desolate, forgotten place, avoided even by the local mountain folk.
Yet today, four figures carrying Nichirin Swords stepped past the broken
threshold.
Three wore standard black Demon Slayer uniforms, while the fourth—a young
girl—wore a clean white short-robe.
Squad 007.
The elite cell personally organized by the Luminary Hashira.
Yukibashiri Seiko squatted behind a fractured stone lantern, narrowing her eyes
as she surveyed the perimeter of the decaying shrine.
The sun was dipping below the horizon. The last rays of twilight were bleeding
out of the sky, signaling the transition into the domain of the night.
If there were a demon nesting out here, it would start hunting soon.
"The intelligence report from the Kakushi said the 019 squad went dark right
around here," Seiko whispered, keeping her voice low.
Togashi Hai, the fierce female swordsman belonging to the squad, rested a hand
on the hilt of her sword. She chewed on a blade of grass, her tone dry. "Kozura,
are you sure this is the right coordinate?"
Kozura Yuhito—the bean-browed boy who had trained under Natsuya—pulled a map
from his pocket and double-checked the markings.
"Positive. This is the exact radius."
"Then let's fan out," Togashi said, her hand tightening around her weapon. "Keep
your Breathing active. If the demon has a Blood Demon Art, don't try to solo it.
Signal immediately."
"Right."
As the three of them prepared to sweep the shrine grounds, Seiko suddenly felt a
strange, chilling prickle at the back of her neck.
Not a demon's aura...
It was a sense of profound, unsettling wrongness.
☆☆☆
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