Watching the handsome boy, who looked about his age, slowly step down from the carriage.
Tachibana and Kuwajima Jigoro bowed together and greeted him. "Master!"
Hearing how the two addressed him, Ubuyashiki Kagaya paused in surprise. Then he stepped forward and took their hands warmly.
"Mr. Jigoro, this must be Mr. Tachibana!"
"You're both so young. There's really no need to be so formal."
"I only hope my arrival hasn't caused you any trouble."
Looking at the boy before him, Tachibana couldn't help spacing out for a moment. Just as he remembered, the boy spoke so gently!
By comparison, his boss in his previous life had treated him like a workhorse.
Kujo Tachibana: "..."
You just couldn't compare people!!
Seeing Kujo Tachibana zoning out even in front of the Master, Kuwajima Jigoro reminded him with a dissatisfied cough, then spoke up.
"Master, there's no chance of that!"
Ubuyashiki Kagaya smiled gently, then introduced Himejima Gyomei, who stood behind him, to the two of them.
After they had all gathered, they didn't linger in the street and headed together for the Wisteria House.
Along the way, Gyomei and the others asked Ubuyashiki Kagaya to rest in the carriage.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya refused, insisting on walking back to the Wisteria House in Dongchang Town with everyone.
"Haah... haah..."
After arriving at the Wisteria House, Ubuyashiki Kagaya panted and looked at everyone apologetically.
"Sorry. I pushed myself too hard."
Tachibana shook his head. By now, he genuinely admired the Master a little. He stepped forward and said:
"No, Master. You weren't pushing yourself too hard."
"My father was also once seriously ill, but he never felt sorry for himself or complained."
"As long as he could still move, he made sure to go outside every day for a walk and sit in the sun."
"Staying indoors without moving for too long can wear down a person's spirit. It's bad for the body, too."
"I don't think working up a sweat now and then is a bad thing!"
Ubuyashiki Kagaya's eyes lit up. He nodded in agreement.
"I'd love to meet your father. A man as optimistic as that must surely be able to overcome his illness!"
"No, he died of it," Kujo Tachibana said flatly.
Himejima Gyomei: "..."
Kuwajima Jigoro: "..."
Ubuyashiki Kagaya: "..."
Seeing the three of them fall silent, Kujo Tachibana smiled and continued:
"Although my father didn't manage to overcome his illness,"
"his positive spirit is still something I'll always learn from!"
"Even if we can't be sure the future will be better, we should still do our best to live each day well!"
Wasn't what Tachibana said exactly what he himself had experienced in his previous life?
Having once suffered a terminal illness and then been given a new lease on life, he could completely empathize with Ubuyashiki Kagaya's situation.
And Tachibana wasn't just saying this to be polite. It was truly how he felt.
Tears welled in Himejima Gyomei's eyes. He held his prayer beads in one hand and raised the other palm upright before his chest, facing Kujo Tachibana with compassion.
"What a great father!"
"Though his soul has returned to the cycle of reincarnation, his spirit will always be by your side."
"Amitabha!"
Ubuyashiki Kagaya nodded, too, and began discussing the matter at hand with Tachibana.
"Mr. Tachibana, would you be willing to join the Demon Slayer Corps and take on the duties of the Rumble Hashira?"
Kujo Tachibana looked at Ubuyashiki Kagaya in surprise. He was just going to make a fifteen-year-old newcomer a Hashira right off the bat?
As expected of the Ubuyashiki family—you really had a keen eye!
After all, although he had killed Lower Moon Two, the Demon Slayer Corps' rules stated that a member could be promoted to Hashira after killing one of the Twelve Kizuki or accumulating fifty demon kills.
But at the time, he hadn't even been a member of the Demon Slayer Corps!
Promoting him straight to the top would inevitably invite criticism. Tachibana didn't want to get off on the wrong foot with his future colleagues.
Besides, Tachibana wasn't someone who cared about titles. After thinking it over, Kujo Tachibana spoke up:
"Master, I don't think we need to do that. Let's follow the Demon Slayer Corps' rules."
"I'm confident I can kill another member of the Twelve Kizuki and become a Hashira!"
At that, Ubuyashiki Kagaya looked toward Kuwajima Jigoro. The two exchanged smiles.
Only then did Kuwajima Jigoro speak:
"Enough, boy. Just follow the Master's orders!"
"And I was the one who personally suggested that you succeed me as the Rumble Hashira!"
"Because I know you're strong enough!"
As he spoke, a flash of lightning gleamed in Kuwajima Jigoro's eyes!
No one understood the strength and talent of the boy before him better than he did!
Though his own strength was no longer what it had been at his peak,
his eye for talent hadn't dulled!
He knew exactly how Kujo Tachibana performed in every sparring match, and whether he was holding back.
Thinking of this, Kuwajima Jigoro couldn't help wondering:
Even if he recovered the body he'd had at his peak, he might still not be able to defeat Kujo Tachibana as he was now!
And Tachibana was only fifteen!
What's more, Tachibana's body hadn't yet fully adapted to Thunder Breathing's Total Concentration Breathing.
After some more time, once Tachibana's body had completely adapted to the breathing technique,
his strength would make another huge leap!
Kuwajima Jigoro believed that with Kujo Tachibana's talent,
he could achieve Total Concentration Breathing at any time!
With strength and talent like that, why shouldn't they make an exception and let him take on the duties of the Rumble Hashira early?
Ubuyashiki Kagaya nodded, stood up, and bowed to Kujo Tachibana. His voice was earnest.
"I'm counting on you, Mr. Tachibana."
Seeing his new boss make such a sincere request, Kujo Tachibana put up a token resistance, going back and forth twice more before finally agreeing to his appointment as Rumble Hashira.
However, Tachibana refused Ubuyashiki Kagaya's suggestion to immediately hold a Hashira Meeting so the Demon Slayer Corps members could meet their new Rumble Hashira.
Tachibana planned to kill another member of the Twelve Kizuki soon. Then holding a Hashira Meeting would make far more sense.
In truth, Kujo Tachibana had completely misread the situation!
The Demon Slayer Corps was currently going through an awkward period, with too few capable members to replace those lost!
The former strongest swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps, Kuwajima Jigoro, had retired after being injured!
For nearly a decade, no one had succeeded him as Rumble Hashira!
And the former Water Hashira, Urokodaki Sakon, had also stepped down three years ago because of an injury, taking on the role of a cultivator instead!
The position of Water Hashira had likewise gone unfilled!
At present, aside from the aging Stone Hashira and the Wind Hashira, who were still carrying out their demon-slaying duties,
only the Flame Hashira, Rain Hashira, and Snow Hashira remained.
(Yes, I made up the Rain Hashira and Snow Hashira because I couldn't find any information about this period.)
It could be said that this was the weakest period the Demon Slayer Corps had experienced in nearly a century!
Promoting Tachibana to the position of Rumble Hashira
was partly because Kujo Tachibana had the strength for it,
and partly to boost the Demon Slayer Corps' morale!
Unfortunately, Kujo Tachibana had no idea what was really going on.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya didn't want to dampen Kujo Tachibana's resolve to slay demons, so he let the matter pass.
Looking at the spirited Kujo Tachibana and Gyomei,
Ubuyashiki Kagaya believed that
though these were difficult times, they were only the darkness before dawn!
Once the Demon Slayer Corps made it through this dark period,
they would surely shatter the balance that had remained unchanged for a thousand years!
One day, humans and demons would switch places, and the hunted would become the hunters!
Just then, clueless Kujo Tachibana poked Ubuyashiki Kagaya with a finger, interrupting his new boss's daydream.
Fortunately, his new boss was magnanimous and didn't take offense. He simply turned to Tachibana and asked:
"Tachibana, is something the matter?"
Kujo Tachibana scratched his head awkwardly. Looking at everyone present, he lowered his head and asked in a small voice:
"Master, could you advance me some of my wages?"
Before anyone could ask why, Kujo Tachibana quickly explained:
"I want to redeem our family's house..."
An hour later.
Having settled a major matter in his life, Kujo Tachibana walked out of the room with Himejima Gyomei.
"Gyomei, keep it up! I believe that before long, you'll be able to build a new future for the Demon Slayer Corps, too."
Their newly appointed Rumble Hashira grinned smugly at Himejima Gyomei.
Himejima Gyomei: "Amitabha!"
Before you continue