Everyone is Special

Tsugikuni Kuuga gave his opponent no time to escape. Sun-Breathing, Third Form: Setting Sun Transformation—he shifted his blade horizontally, carving a massive gash across the sphere in a single stroke. At the same time, Iron Prison's orb split open.

Its neck was already severed; the Blood Demon Art could no longer be maintained. Kuuga flicked the blood off his broken blade and sheathed it.

A true man never looks back at an explosion. Just as Tsugikuni Kuuga never looked back to check if a demon was dead, he walked toward Shinobu with a grin plastered on his face.

From behind came Iron Prison's unwilling roar: "Why! Why did I lose to a brat like you? I won't accept this!"

"Because you touched Shinobu, so you die!" Kuuga declared with overwhelming authority.

Iron Prison tried to speak but couldn't—after all, it had already turned to ash.

Kuuga jogged over to Shinobu's side and checked her over again. Finding nothing seriously wrong, he let out a sigh of relief.

"Come on, let's go home!" Kuuga said with a smile.

"Mm! Home!" Shinobu smiled back.

But the moment she stood up, her body gave out and she started to fall. Kuuga caught her, one arm around her waist, the other supporting her neck.

Shinobu was about to say something when Kuuga scooped her up in a princess carry. She froze, unsure where to put her hands.

Under the moonlight, a flush crept across Shinobu's fair cheeks, and her heart pounded wildly.

Being this close to Shinobu for the first time, Kuuga felt a little embarrassed too—but he wasn't the type to get thin-skinned.

"I can actually walk on my own," Shinobu said quietly.

"No, you can't. I saw it," Kuuga refused flatly.

Suddenly, Kuuga remembered the shopkeeper saying the lake view here was beautiful, which was why the inn was built in these woods. So he carried Shinobu to the lakeside.

He gently set her down on the grass, then sat beside her.

Maybe it was the fifteenth of the month, because the moon was especially round. Everything on the ground was clearly visible, and the lake stretched out to its far end without obstruction.

Ripples danced across the water's surface, but under the moonlight, it looked like a blue gem embedded in the earth. A breeze skimmed the lake, carrying moisture that made the air even more refreshing.

"So beautiful," Shinobu murmured.

The exhaustion from battle melted away. She stretched her arms.

"Yeah, the lake's beautiful, but the person's even more beautiful. Today was a huge win!" Kuuga said, sneaking a glance at Shinobu.

Shinobu knew exactly who he meant. This guy was always slick-tongued and never serious, but today her mood was more about doubt—doubt in herself. After all, she'd almost been killed by a demon.

"Kuuga... do you think I'm useless? As a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, I can't even cut a demon's neck. If it weren't for you today, I might have..." Shinobu's voice choked up.

Kuuga knew she was spiraling into self-doubt. This was only her second mission, and she'd nearly died. Besides, she was the same age as him—just a fourteen-year-old girl—while his mind was that of a twenty-year-old adult.

From what Kuuga understood, Shinobu had joined the Demon Slayer Corps a year ago, but due to the heavy workload at the Butterfly Mansion, she'd only been on two missions.

"Miss Butterfly, this humble one cannot agree with that statement. Heaven creates each person with a purpose! Who doesn't have flaws? Besides, you've healed so many corps members. And Shinobu, your speed is excellent. Most importantly, to me and my older sister, you are the most important person!"

Kuuga looked Shinobu straight in the eyes with utter seriousness. She never expected someone who grinned all day could be this earnest.

Seeing Kuuga's rare serious expression, Shinobu covered her mouth and laughed.

"Huh? I'm being very serious here!" Kuuga said helplessly.

"When someone like you gets serious, it's hilarious!" Shinobu teased.

She knew Kuuga wasn't wrong. She might lack strength, but she could improve her speed. She was never meant to kill demons with brute force. Besides, she still had family by her side—if she died, they'd be devastated.

After Kuuga's life lesson lecture, the weight in Shinobu's heart lifted. She decided to train her speed even harder and develop stronger poisons.

Since it was already summer, the night wasn't cold. The two sat there for a long time—scenery like this wasn't something you saw every day.

Before they knew it, they'd fallen asleep on the grass, until a Kasugai Crow's voice rang out.

"Shinobu Kocho! Why aren't you home when the mission is done?" the crow cawed.

Kuuga looked up and spotted the crow overhead. The next moment, he wanted to stew it.

"Why is Shinobu Kocho sleeping with a boy? Why?" the crow shouted loudly.

Seeing Kuuga pressed close against her, Shinobu's face flushed bright red in an instant. Then a figure leaped into the air and grabbed the crow.

Kuuga drew his broken blade and held it to the crow's neck. "Little bird, you can't go around saying things like that," he threatened.

"Caw, caw, caw!" The crow was too scared to speak.

"That's my older sister's Kasugai Crow. Since she's always gentle, it's a bit mischievous," Shinobu explained.

"You didn't see anything, right?" Kuuga flashed a nuclear-friendly smile.

"Saw nothing. Right, nothing at all!" the crow repeated.

Kuuga was puzzled—why were all the little animals in this world so clever? Not only could they speak human language, they could even roast people. But slaying Muzan would be impossible without their help.

Seeing the pitiful look on the crow's face, Kuuga let it go. The crow shot into the air, flying much higher than before, then cawed, "Tsugikuni Kuuga, you pervert, you brute!"

"Huh? Don't you run—I'll stew you!" Kuuga shouted at the sky.

But the crow was already gone. Probably didn't want to get caught again.

"Alright! My sister is calling us back," Shinobu said with a smile.

"Why is Shinobu's crow so polite?" Kuuga asked.

"Because I taught it a lesson. I'm not as gentle as my sister," Shinobu said with a sly grin.

Kuuga figured if his own crow didn't behave, he could discipline it too. Now that the training was over, it was time to prepare for the Final Selection.

The two headed back toward the Butterfly Mansion. Before leaving, Kuuga made a point to check on Suzuko. Confirming that it had indeed worked, he knew who he needed to save next.