The Reason for Swinging a Sword a Thousand Times

Tsugikuni Kuuga immediately went into agreement mode, covering his eyes as he said, "I get the feeling Shinobu was definitely just passing by too!"

Having heard the answer she wanted, Shinobu Kocho lowered her fist, and Tsugikuni Kuuga breathed a sigh of relief. At last, he would not be beaten up.

Tsugikuni Kuuga lay directly down on the grass. The soft grass and faint scent of greenery carried the fragrance of nature.

Seeing Tsugikuni Kuuga lie down, Shinobu Kocho followed his example. Sure enough, this kid really knew how to enjoy himself. It was so comfortable!

Stars glittered endlessly in the clear night sky, gentle moonlight spilled down, and the evening breeze carried the fragrance of Wisteria Flowers as it softly brushed across their faces.

Shinobu Kocho turned her head and found Tsugikuni Kuuga looking at her as well. Their eyes met, and for a moment, they both felt a little embarrassed. The young man and woman's cheeks flushed red.

Tsugikuni Kuuga turned back toward the moon. He had thought Shinobu Kocho would not turn around, since the night scenery was so beautiful. Who knew things would backfire? After all, to Tsugikuni Kuuga, no night view could compare to a beautiful woman.

"Hey! Have you been staring at me this whole time like some pervert?" Shinobu Kocho demanded.

"Well, Miss Shinobu is so pretty. What's wrong with taking a look? As they say, looking at beautiful women helps you live longer, especially exceptionally beautiful women!" Tsugikuni Kuuga spouted nonsense with a perfectly serious expression.

"Tch! You never act proper!" Shinobu Kocho said with a look of disdain.

Tsugikuni Kuuga did not reply, and the atmosphere gradually fell quiet.

Suddenly, Shinobu Kocho spoke.

"Hey! Why do you swing your sword so many times every day? Aren't you tired?"

"If I said it was so I could kick Muzan's butt, treat him to Wisteria Tea, and let him enjoy some sunlight, would you believe me?" Tsugikuni Kuuga said with a smile.

"Hahaha! How funny. We all think about how to kill the Progenitor of Demons, but you..." Shinobu Kocho burst into laughter.

"Those are all ultimate goals, but in the end, they are things you can neither see nor touch. I was an orphan from childhood. The villagers raised me, then sacrificed me to a demon. But I don't resent them. After all, in these times, who can truly control their own fate?" Tsugikuni Kuuga suddenly became serious.

Hearing the sorrow in Tsugikuni Kuuga's voice, Shinobu Kocho wanted to comfort him, but he continued.

"But things are different now. Ever since I met Sister and came to the Butterfly Mansion, I found a home. Everyone truly treats me like family, and for the first time in my life, I experienced the warmth of a home. So I don't have any grand ambitions. I swing my sword a thousand times to protect Shinobu, protect Sister, and protect the companions around me!"

Tsugikuni Kuuga's gaze was unwavering. Everything he said today came from his heart. After all, he had been an orphan in his previous life too. After coming here, he had finally found a family.

Shinobu Kocho's heart trembled as she listened. How should she put it? She felt sad, because Tsugikuni Kuuga truly had suffered terribly. At least she had known her parents' love, and now she had an older sister—and Kuuga too.

Suddenly, Shinobu Kocho sat up and pulled Tsugikuni Kuuga up with her, then embraced him directly. In a soft voice, she said, "You've had it hard, Kuuga!"

Tsugikuni Kuuga froze where he stood, unable to say a word, but his heart was unusually warm.

"Ah, I was just complaining a little. It's nothing!" Tsugikuni Kuuga said with a smile.

"I really don't know how you manage to be so optimistic!" Shinobu Kocho asked.

"Well, life has to be happy! Eat well, drink well, admire beautiful women, and kill a demon while you're at it!" Tsugikuni Kuuga declared proudly.

Breathing in the fragrance unique to a young girl, Tsugikuni Kuuga was so happy he could die. Today had been another happy day.

After holding Tsugikuni Kuuga for a while, Shinobu Kocho released him, and the two headed back toward the Butterfly Mansion together.

This is great. It would be even better if Shinobu could hug me every day. And I feel like Shinobu has grown again too, hehehe!

The moment he finished speaking, Tsugikuni Kuuga went flying. Shinobu Kocho had just withdrawn her foot, though no one knew how someone as physically weak as her could kick Tsugikuni Kuuga flying with one blow.

Tsugikuni Kuuga rubbed his butt as he got to his feet, looking at Shinobu innocently.

"Tch! Let me add one more thing—your skin is pretty thick too, you damn pervert!" Shinobu Kocho cursed.

"Ah, I'm just concerned about your physical health!" Tsugikuni Kuuga said with a grin.

Shinobu Kocho now desperately wanted to pull out the poison she had concocted and kill this hopelessly improper Tsugikuni Kuuga. Unfortunately, most poisons only worked on demons, and her sword was not with her.

And so, the two returned to the Butterfly Mansion. Kanae Kocho was waiting for them at the door, just like an old mother waiting for her children to come home.

"It's so late. What have you two young people been doing? Could it be..."

Kanae Kocho covered her mouth in disbelief, while Shinobu Kocho gave her a look that said, Sister, please stop letting your imagination run wild.

Shinobu Kocho then seriously explained everything she and Tsugikuni Kuuga had done. Only then did Kanae Kocho stop imagining things—otherwise, their child would practically have been born already.

When they pushed open the door, hot food was still waiting on the table. Tsugikuni Kuuga immediately began wolfing it down, though Shinobu Kocho was not much more elegant.

Kanae Kocho smiled as she watched the two eat. It would be wonderful if days like this could continue forever.

That night, Tsugikuni Kuuga lay in bed, recalling everything: the warm little house, the adorable Shinobu, the gentle Sister, Sister Aoi, who was strict but actually very kind, and the hot food waiting whenever he came home.

As he thought about it, tears began to flow. Warm teardrops slid down his cheeks and fell onto the pillow, but Tsugikuni Kuuga's heart was filled with happiness.

Things that seemed utterly ordinary to others might be unimaginable treasures to some people. At least, Tsugikuni Kuuga felt that he had become an ordinary person too!

Early the next morning, just after Tsugikuni Kuuga finished practicing tai chi, he saw a Kasugai Crow fly to the Butterfly Mansion. He knew Kasugai Crows were responsible for communications. Every Demon Slayer who passed the Final Selection received a Kasugai Crow specially assigned to deliver messages.

Kasugai Crows conveyed missions issued by the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters to Demon Slayers. They repeated orders in human speech and could also converse with others according to their own will. Although they could not be distinguished by appearance, every Kasugai Crow had a different personality.

It seemed Kanae Kocho or Shinobu Kocho had another mission.

"Miss Shinobu, a man-eating demon has appeared in a southern town. Please depart immediately and slay it!"

In Tsugikuni Kuuga's view, this Kasugai Crow was quite polite. It seemed easy enough to get along with.

Then Tsugikuni Kuuga saw Shinobu run out of the Butterfly Mansion, dressed in the Demon Slayer Corps uniform and wearing a Haori patterned with butterflies.

But what Tsugikuni Kuuga could not understand was why she had a Nichirin Blade at her waist and another sword in her hand.