The Water-Breathing Duo

The One-Horned Demon immediately charged Tsugikuni Kuuga with its claws outstretched. Kuuga sidestepped, then swung Sun-Breathing Third Form: Setting Sun Transformation. With a horizontal slash, the One-Horned Demon was sent straight to its next life.

Two-Horned Demon immediately sensed that something was wrong. The One-Horned Demon had been about as strong as him, so how had it been instantly killed? The Demon Slayer Corps couldn't have let a Hashira in, could they?

Before Two-Horned Demon could react, Tsugikuni Kuuga had already severed his neck. His eyes widened, yet he had no idea what had happened.

Watching the demons' bodies on the ground dissolve away, Tsugikuni Kuuga sheathed his Nichirin Blade and continued after the boy in the Fox Mask's direction.

At that moment, Sabito had just finished slaying a demon. Holding his Nichirin Blade in one hand, he looked at Giyu Tomioka and said, "Giyu, I'll protect you!"

Though Giyu Tomioka still looked as aloof as ever, there was now a trace of despairing resignation in his eyes.

Sabito was a young man with medium-length, flesh-colored hair. His silver eyes bore horizontal stripes, and a scar ran from the corner of his right mouth to his cheek. A Calamity-Dispelling Fox Mask with a scar at its mouth hung from his forehead, and he wore a haori patterned with interwoven yellow, orange, and green turtle-shell designs.

The usually gentle Sabito sheathed his blade, walked over to Giyu Tomioka, and punched him. Caught off guard, Giyu Tomioka fell straight to the ground.

Sabito was truly angry. He shouted, "If you ever say something like, 'It'd be better if I died here today,' again, we're done as friends!"

Sabito panted furiously. If he had not acted in time just now, Giyu Tomioka would already have been killed by that demon. Worse, Giyu had practically been willing to let it happen. How could Sabito, his close friend, tolerate him treating his own life so carelessly?

Giyu Tomioka silently rose to his feet, bowed to Sabito, and solemnly said, "I'm sorry!"

He knew Sabito rarely got angry, but this time, he truly was.

Only then did Sabito realize that his anger had gotten the better of him and that he had spoken too harshly. He apologized to Giyu Tomioka as well.

The two sat beside a large rock to rest. At the moment, the only ones who could afford to be this leisurely were probably them and Tsugikuni Kuuga.

"Giyu, don't always think about dying. You have Master, me, and Makomo... Sigh!" Sabito let out a breath.

He had tried persuading him many times, but Giyu always blamed himself for his sister's death. There was nothing Sabito could do.

Just then, rustling came from the nearby grass. Sabito gripped his Tsuka alertly, while Giyu Tomioka, perhaps having just been lectured, became wary as well.

Then they saw Tsugikuni Kuuga emerge from the bushes with an innocent expression. Seeing them both gripping their blades, Kuuga gave them a polite smile.

"Um, sorry to disturb you. I'm Tsugikuni Kuuga. I was passing by and wanted to be friends with you. Is that okay?"

Sabito: "..."

Giyu Tomioka: "..."

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent. Tsugikuni Kuuga felt that perhaps he had appeared a little too abruptly.

"Um, I'm from the Butterfly Mansion. I was curious about your masks, so I followed you here to take a look!" Tsugikuni Kuuga said with a smile.

"Oh, I see. Here, take a look!" Sabito enthusiastically handed his mask to Tsugikuni Kuuga.

Sabito held the Butterfly Mansion's medical staff in great respect. After all, they had saved the lives of many swordsmen. Besides, he quite appreciated what Tsugikuni Kuuga had said at the start.

"Hello! Mt. Sagiri, Sabito!" Sabito extended his hand to Tsugikuni Kuuga.

Tsugikuni Kuuga extended his hand as well in friendship. After praising the mask a few times, he used his shamelessness to quickly build a rapport with the two of them. In Kuuga's memory, they should have been easy to get along with.

Of course, that was only what Tsugikuni Kuuga thought. Giyu still looked aloof, but Kuuga and Sabito did get along remarkably well, especially when it came to Rich Giyu.

Tsugikuni Kuuga felt that a trip to Mt. Sagiri—no, a visit to Mt. Sagiri—should be put on the agenda.

Soon, the second day arrived. With Tsugikuni Kuuga joining them, the three could finally sleep for short periods.

During that time, Tsugikuni Kuuga discovered that Giyu Tomioka's cheeks were incredibly soft, so he successfully made Giyu Tomioka draw his blade.

Four days slowly passed. During that time, Tsugikuni Kuuga and the others never encountered the Hand Demon, and Kuuga had begun to suspect that it no longer existed.

But the truth proved that it had merely been Tsugikuni Kuuga's guess. How could a Hand Demon that had eaten dozens of people possibly be dead? Its strength had already surpassed that of a High-ranking Demon, though it was likely still far weaker than a Lower Rank.

On the fourth night, Tsugikuni Kuuga warmly shared the Bento Kanae Kocho and the others had made. Even the ever-aloof Giyu ate one.

Giyu Tomioka slowly finished his meal, then walked over to Tsugikuni Kuuga and said, "Thank you!"

But he said it as though Tsugikuni Kuuga owed him money. There was not a hint of gratitude in his tone. If Kuuga had not known the story, he might have disliked Giyu Tomioka too.

"That's just how Giyu is. Don't mind him!" Sabito hurriedly tried to smooth things over.

"It's fine. Everyone has different experiences, after all. I don't really mind things like that!"

"Brother Kuuga is really straightforward, hahaha!"

As midnight descended, people's spirits were at their most relaxed, and Evil Demons were at their most active.

Giyu Tomioka was keeping watch that night. He sat alone on a tree branch, gazing at the moon, and no one knew what filled those hollow eyes of his.

Suddenly, Tsugikuni Kuuga appeared beside Giyu Tomioka. Even the usually inarticulate Giyu Tomioka was startled into speaking.

"How do you appear and disappear like a ghost?"

"Damn, you can talk?" Tsugikuni Kuuga joked.

Giyu's face immediately darkened as he drew his blade, mostly to avenge the insult of having his face touched.

With a grin, Tsugikuni Kuuga pushed Giyu Tomioka's blade aside. "Come on! I only touched your face once! It's not like I'm a pervert. Why are you so worked up?"

"You are a pervert. Go die." Giyu Tomioka still wore the same expressionless face.

"Alright, I won't joke around with you anymore!"

Tsugikuni Kuuga looked at the bright moon, feeling very happy. Another great regret had been erased. Sabito had not died, which meant Makomo would not die either. Of course, with Tsugikuni Kuuga here, he would never let something like that happen. Changing regrets would begin here.

In his previous life, whenever Sakonji Urokodaki mentioned Sabito and Makomo, loneliness inevitably colored his voice, because they had both been children he had raised himself.

Tsugikuni Kuuga could even imagine the lonely look in Mr. Urokodaki's eyes. It was the loneliness of a man who had lost countless disciples, and it made Kuuga's heart tremble.

"What are you thinking about?" Giyu Tomioka suddenly asked.

Tsugikuni Kuuga turned back with a smile. "I was thinking that it's wonderful that you're all alive! It means one of my worries has been put to rest!"

Giyu Tomioka found it incomprehensible, but the boy's eyes were as clear as a mountain spring. Giyu's heart could not help but tremble.