Everyone Is Special

Tsugikuni Kuuga gave his opponent no time to flee. With Sun-Breathing Third Form: Setting Sun Transformation, he shifted his blade horizontally and carved a massive gash into the sphere, causing Iron Prison's sphere to open as well.

With its neck already severed, its Blood Demon Art could no longer be maintained. Tsugikuni Kuuga shook the blood from his broken blade and sheathed it.

Real men never looked back at explosions, just as Tsugikuni Kuuga never looked back to see whether a demon was dead. Grinning, he walked toward Shinobu Kocho.

Iron Prison's unwilling roar came from behind him. "Why?! Why did I lose to some brat?! I refuse to accept this!"

"Because you touched Shinobu, so you had to die!" Tsugikuni Kuuga declared imperiously.

Iron Prison wanted to say something, but could no longer speak. After all, it had already turned to ash.

Tsugikuni Kuuga jogged over to Shinobu Kocho and checked her over once more. Only after confirming that she was fine did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

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

"Yeah! Let's go home!" Shinobu Kocho smiled back.

But just as Shinobu Kocho stood up, her body collapsed out of her control again. Tsugikuni Kuuga caught her with one arm around her waist and the other supporting her neck.

Before Shinobu Kocho could say anything, Tsugikuni Kuuga swept her up in a princess carry. Shinobu Kocho was momentarily at a loss, not even knowing where to put her hands.

Under the moonlight, a flush rose to Shinobu Kocho's fair little face, while her heart pounded nonstop.

It was Tsugikuni Kuuga's first time being this close to Shinobu Kocho, and he was a little embarrassed too. Still, he was hardly thin-skinned.

"Actually, I can walk by myself," Shinobu Kocho said softly.

"No, you can't. I saw it myself!" Tsugikuni Kuuga refused outright.

Tsugikuni Kuuga suddenly remembered the innkeeper saying that the lake scenery in this area was beautiful, which was why the inn had been built deep in these woods. So, carrying Shinobu Kocho, he headed to the lakeside.

Tsugikuni Kuuga gently set Shinobu Kocho down on the grass first, then sat beside her.

Perhaps it was the fifteenth night of the month, because the moon was especially round. Everything on the ground was clearly visible, and the lake before them could be seen all the way to its end.

Ripples spread endlessly across the lake, but under the moonlight, it resembled a blue gemstone embedded in the earth. A breeze skimmed over the water, and the moist air it carried only made it feel more pleasant.

"It's so beautiful!" Shinobu Kocho sighed.

Her battle-weary body seemed to be healed as well, and Shinobu Kocho stretched lazily.

"Yeah. The lake is beautiful, but the person is even more beautiful. I really hit the jackpot today!" Tsugikuni Kuuga said, sneaking a glance at Shinobu Kocho.

Naturally, Shinobu Kocho knew who Tsugikuni Kuuga meant. This guy really was slick-tongued every day, never serious about anything. Yet today, what she felt more than anything was doubt—doubt in herself. After all, she had nearly been killed by a demon!

"Kuuga, do you think I'm really useless? As a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, I can't even cut through a demon's neck. If you hadn't been here today, I might have..." Shinobu Kocho's voice caught slightly.

Tsugikuni Kuuga knew Shinobu was beginning to doubt herself. It was only her second mission, and she had nearly died. Besides, Shinobu 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 Tsugikuni Kuuga knew, although Shinobu Kocho had joined the Demon Slayer Corps a year ago, the Butterfly Mansion had kept her so busy that she had only carried out two missions.

"I cannot agree with that statement, Miss Butterfly. Everyone is born for a purpose! Who doesn't have flaws? Besides, you've clearly treated so many Corps members, and Shinobu, you're incredibly fast too. Most importantly, you're the most important person to both my sister and me!"

Tsugikuni Kuuga stared very seriously into Shinobu Kocho's eyes. Shinobu Kocho had not expected someone who usually grinned and joked all day to have such a serious, earnest side.

Seeing Tsugikuni Kuuga's unusually serious expression, Shinobu Kocho covered her mouth and burst into laughter.

"Huh? I'm being very serious here, okay?" Tsugikuni Kuuga said helplessly.

"It's really funny when someone like you gets serious!" Shinobu Kocho teased.

She knew Tsugikuni Kuuga was right. Though she lacked physical strength, she could improve her speed. She had never been someone who killed demons with brute force. Besides, her family was by her side. They would be devastated if she died, wouldn't they?

After Tsugikuni Kuuga's grand lecture on life, the weight in Shinobu Kocho's heart finally lifted. She decided to train her speed even harder from then on and develop more powerful poisons.

Since it was already summer, it was not cold. The two sat there for a long time, since a view like this was not something they could see every day.

Who would have thought that the two of them would fall asleep on the grass, until the cry of a Kasugai Crow rang out.

"Shinobu Kocho, why haven't you gone home when the mission is complete?!" the Kasugai Crow cried.

Tsugikuni Kuuga raised his head and found that there really was a Kasugai Crow above them. But in the next moment, he wanted to stew it.

"Why is Shinobu Kocho sleeping with a boy? Why?!" the Kasugai Crow shrieked loudly.

Seeing Tsugikuni Kuuga pressed tightly against her, Shinobu Kocho's face instantly turned red. Then a figure launched into the air and grabbed the Kasugai Crow.

Tsugikuni Kuuga drew his broken blade and held it to the Kasugai Crow's neck, threatening, "Little bird, you shouldn't talk nonsense, you know!"

"Caw, caw, caw!" The Kasugai Crow was so frightened that it could not speak.

"This is my sister's Kasugai Crow. Since my sister has always been very kind, it's gotten a little mischievous," Shinobu Kocho explained.

"You didn't see anything, right?" Tsugikuni Kuuga gave it a benevolent smile.

"I didn't see anything. That's right, I didn't see anything at all!" the Kasugai Crow repeated.

Tsugikuni Kuuga was also puzzled as to why the small animals in this world were all so intelligent. Not only could they speak human language, they could even make sarcastic remarks. Yet they would be indispensable in killing Muzan.

Seeing how pitiful it looked, Tsugikuni Kuuga released it. As the Kasugai Crow took flight, it deliberately flew much higher before complaining, "Tsugikuni Kuuga, you dead pervert, you violent maniac!"

"Huh? If you've got the guts, don't run! I'll stew you!" Tsugikuni Kuuga cursed, pointing at the sky.

But the Kasugai Crow had already vanished. It probably did not want to be caught again.

"Alright! My sister is urging us to go back!" Shinobu Kocho said with a smile.

"Why is Shinobu's Kasugai Crow so polite?" Tsugikuni Kuuga asked.

"Because I taught it a lesson, of course. I'm not as gentle as my sister, after all!" Shinobu Kocho said with a wicked grin.

Tsugikuni Kuuga felt that if he ever misbehaved, he could be taught a lesson too. Their training journey was over now, and it was time to prepare for the Final Selection.

The two then hurried back toward the Butterfly Mansion. Before leaving, Tsugikuni Kuuga made a point of checking on Suzuko. After confirming that it truly worked, Tsugikuni Kuuga knew who he needed to save next.