She Changed Nothing

Yuko had a nightmare, dreaming that Kokushibo had turned into a demon.

As she woke up, Yuko's forehead was cold with sweat as she suddenly opened her eyes and sat up.

Was it a dream?

Almost subconsciously, she looked for the table she had knocked over in her dream and the floor stained with blood.

The table stood neatly in its place, and there were no bloodstains on the floor.

It was...

Splash~

The door was opened, and the Doctor Miss, carrying a basin of water, came in. Seeing Yuko awake, she quickly walked over.

"Miss Yuko? Fortunately, you are safe."

Yuko's gaze was a little vacant: "?What?"

The Doctor Miss paused for a moment, her fingers gripping the basin of water tighter, her expression growing somber.

"Kokushibo... beheaded Master and defected to the Demon King."

Anger flashed in the Doctor Miss's eyes.

Yuko opened her mouth, but found herself unable to say anything.

As a modern person, Yuko actually felt uncomfortable with the ancient ideas of ruler and subject.

Being made to kneel was something she disliked from the bottom of her heart.

But undeniably, the head of the Demon Slayer Corps was a leader with great charisma, and he treated his members impeccably.

Kokushibo had also received his kindness...

Kokushibo, who had always respected the hierarchy, personally decapitated Master.

How ironic.

Yuko opened her mouth again, her voice a little hoarse, and asked, "What about the others?"

"Everyone is fine."

"Kokushibo fled immediately after killing Master."

"If the Hashira hadn't all been out on missions, Master would surely be alright."

"What about Yoriichi? Does he know?"

"Mr. Yoriichi returned this morning with the Flame Hashira. He came to see you once, and should be at Master's residence now."

Upon hearing this, Yuko threw off the covers and got up.

"Miss Yuko, your body really cannot afford to be treated this way."

"Snow Breathing causes severe damage to the lungs. If this continues, it could take three years..."

From the perspective of breathing techniques, forcefully practicing Sun Breathing when one's body is not suited for it will cause the lungs to suffer pain akin to burning.

Snow Breathing, conversely, will cause frostbite to the lungs if one is not suited for it.

This is also why many in the Demon Slayer Corps consider Snow Breathing to be no less than the Starting Breath.

The conditions for its practice are too harsh, and currently, only Yuko can use it.

However, after Yuko's lungs were injured, the effects of Snow Breathing on her became extremely pronounced.

Yuko gently pushed away the Doctor Miss's hand, "I know, I'm sorry for making you worry."

"But I still have something I need to do."

She dragged her heavy body out of the room and headed towards Master's residence.

Along the way, she encountered some members of the Demon Slayer Corps, newcomers she had guided.

Yuko forced a smile and nodded at them.

The group remained unmoved, looking at her with a very peculiar expression.

That gaze seemed to hold anger, resentment, and pity; it was hard to describe the feeling.

But it was very different from the usual admiration.

Yuko was momentarily lost in thought. When she came to her senses, her expression changed slightly, and she couldn't help but quicken her pace.

Master's residence.

The Hashira, who had rushed back overnight after receiving news of Master's death, were now surrounding Yoriichi, who was kneeling on the ground.

Yoriichi simply sat upright, his hands clasped tightly on his thighs.

"It's all your fault! Your older brother became a demon and killed Master!"

"Don't say that, Yoriichi must be feeling terrible too." The Flame Hashira pulled back a companion who was blaming Yoriichi.

"It's all because he didn't kill the Demon King and let the demons accompanying the Demon King escape!"

"You! Disembowel yourself..."

Whoosh~

The door was suddenly yanked open. Yuko's frail body erupted with astonishing strength, shoving aside everyone surrounding Yoriichi. She then embraced Yoriichi protectively, shielding him beneath her.

"Stop talking..." she clutched Yoriichi tightly, her voice a near plea.

The Hashira here were the masters who taught her breathing techniques. They were kind people, and they had a good relationship with Yoriichi.

Yuko knew very well that they were directing their sharp words at their comrade-in-arms out of anger, because Kokushibo had killed their beloved Master.

Kokushibo and she had both been recommended to the corps by Yoriichi. The Master's death was inextricably linked to Yoriichi.

Putting aside letting the Demon King escape, letting the demon who accompanied the Demon King get away was equally unforgivable.

In this era, being told to disembowel oneself was actually quite normal.

So she couldn't explain anything, and could only hope everyone would calm down.

Yuko was quite popular within the corps. Both the Hashira and the other members held a favorable impression of the gentle girl.

Seeing her slender figure at this moment, the crowd's accusations gradually ceased.

The Hashira had learned of Yuko's unconsciousness when they returned.

It was Doctor Miss, who had been treating Yuko, who discovered she was unconscious.

When she found Yuko, there were signs of a struggle in the room, proving that Yuko had fought Kokushibo after he had become a demon.

"Yuko..." Yoriichi, held by her, had his eyes shimmering with emotion akin to gratitude.

The Hashira's anger had subsided considerably with Yuko's arrival, but the atmosphere remained tense.

Fortunately, at this moment, the Master's Child appeared.

At only six years old, he had hastily taken over as the head of the Demon Slayer Corps after his father's death.

He calmed the enraged Hashira and, on the condition that Yoriichi be expelled from the Demon Slayer Corps, forgave him for his lapse in judgment in choosing his companions.

After resolving Yoriichi's matter, the six-year-old Master turned his gaze to Yuko, who sat to the side like a fragile white lotus on a pond.

"Miss Yuko, I'll have someone escort you back immediately."

"Doctor Miss has visited Father more than once. Please take care of yourself."

Yuko lowered her head slightly. "Please, my Lord, allow me to retire from the corps with my Older Brother."

"Miss Yuko..."

"Yuko, you did nothing wrong."

Everyone spoke up.

Even Yoriichi did.

"Yuko, you don't have to do this."

Yuko shook her head. "I can no longer slay demons. Staying in the Demon Slayer Corps will only cause trouble for everyone."

"I will organize the Snow Breathing into a manual later. I hope it can be used someday."

The Master opened his mouth, wanting to persuade her to stay, but no words came out. In the end, he simply nodded slightly. "I understand. Miss Yuko, Mr. Yoriichi, please take care of yourselves."

"You take care, my Lord."

"Everyone, take care."

After organizing the sword forms and breathing techniques of Snow Breathing, Yuko left the Demon Slayer Corps with Yoriichi.

She had already developed eight sword forms for Snow Breathing, which was more than the five major breathing styles at the time.

Outside the Demon Slayer Corps, Yuko looked up at the boundless clear sky and said, "Older Brother, you've been out for a long time. Do you want to go home and visit?"

It was only before leaving the corps that Yuko learned the truth about Yoriichi's battle with Muzan from him.

It wasn't that he couldn't kill Muzan, but rather that he hadn't expected Muzan to split into over eighteen hundred pieces of flesh and blood and escape in an instant.

This was why Yoriichi was considered the pinnacle.

If only she had said something to Yoriichi then, to make him pay more attention... would things have turned out differently?

Yuko had also considered staying by Yoriichi's side, to help him if they encountered Muzan, perhaps they could have succeeded in killing Muzan.

But what she hadn't expected was that Kokushibo becoming a demon and killing the Master, and Yoriichi encountering Muzan, happened almost one right after the other.

She was completely unprepared.

She... hadn't changed anything...

"I have a place I want to go," Yoriichi said, gazing at the same sky as her, a faint sadness coloring his expression.

Yuko nodded. She had no affection for that cold home anymore, especially after Kokushibo's betrayal. Whether or not to return didn't matter.

"Where does Older Brother want to go?"

"To see my wife."

"Eh?"