"Makoto, thank you!" Shinobu Kocho was stunned for quite a while before she slowly spoke. At the same time, the sorrow in her heart vanished without a trace.
Sob sob! X﹏X
I got to hug her!
She smelled so nice, and she was so soft!
At that moment, the one who truly ought to have been giving thanks was Hiruma.
A little angel Hiruma appeared beside him. The angel shook his head and said with a look of contempt:
"Perverted freak—ptui!"
Hiruma reluctantly released Shinobu, then pulled a sheet of paper from his clothes. It was a blueprint he had hastily drawn.
The blueprint showed the Nichirin Blade of the future Insect Pillar. In order to give the current Shinobu more confidence, he had drawn that peculiar Nichirin Blade.
As Shinobu Kocho looked on in confusion, Little Tendo's classroom began.
"Shinobu, I'm not a swordsmith, but I have an idea. You can use it as a foundation to develop a Breathing Style. Of course, if you use poison, you'll need to strengthen the fundamental technique of thrusting..."
Hiruma went on and on, while Shinobu was every bit the model student, nodding like a pecking chick and offering her own thoughts from time to time.
A moment later, Little Tendo's class ended.
Shinobu threw herself into Hiruma's arms in a bear hug and shouted, "Makoto, you're such a genius! I love your idea!"
Hiruma turned his head aside, his expression holding seventy percent happiness and thirty percent disappointment.
Why did Shinobu like the idea instead of me?
Damn idea.
Now that Shinobu no longer had anything weighing on her mind, Hiruma could attend the Final Selection without worry.
Shinobu bounced away after saying goodbye to Hiruma, rushing back to the medical division and shoving open her sister's door.
"Big Sister, I can kill Demons too! I don't necessarily have to cut off their heads!"
"Big Sister, I'm so happy!"
"Makoto is so smart!"
Kanae patted her little sister's head. She had known that Makoto would have a solution.
Half a month later, at the headquarters entrance.
The three boys were fully prepared. Aunt Ruka had come to see them off. Because of the journey, Hiruma and the other two had to leave half a month early.
Rengoku Ruka's eyes brimmed with tears. Over all this time, she had long regarded Hiruma and Iguro Obanai as her own children, not to mention that her eldest son, Kyojuro, was going too.
When a son traveled far from home, his mother worried. She was sending off three children at once; the pain in her heart was easy to imagine.
After all, the three were not going on a trip. They were taking part in the Final Selection, a selection they would truly be risking their lives in.
In order to wipe out Demons, the Demon Slayer Corps' selection had always been brutal, even though it was not mandatory.
"Mother, we're very strong, so don't worry!" Kyojuro hugged his mother and comforted her.
"That's right, I'm a genius, Aunt Ruka!"
"The three of us are together. We fear nothing!" Obanai nodded. This was one of the rare times he did not speak venomously.
The three of them did not merely intend to pass the Final Selection. They wanted to kill every Demon on Mount Fujikasane.
"You three must be careful. Stay safe, that's very important!" Rengoku Ruka earnestly reminded them. She had already said those words dozens of times.
The farewells ended, and the three set off. Hiruma looked back every few steps.
"Maybe she had something to do!" Obanai jabbed Hiruma with his elbow and said gloatingly.
Hiruma rolled his eyes at Obanai. This guy was begging for a beating.
Suddenly, Shinobu's breathless voice came from the distance.
"Makoto, wait, wai—"
Hearing the voice he had wanted to hear, Hiruma turned around in delight just as Shinobu threw herself into his arms.
She stuffed a bottle of purple liquid into Hiruma's hand. A strong scent of Wisteria Flower clung to her.
"This... this is the first generation of Wisteria Poison I developed. Take it and use it. Good luck!"
Shinobu straightened up, heavy dark circles beneath her eyes, yet she smiled like a flower. In order to catch up, she had not slept all night.
"Shinobu, I'll definitely do my best!" Hiruma clenched the little glass bottle. It showed a grinning Q-style Hiruma, and Shinobu had reused the Save Your Life Three Thousand packaging.
"Hey, that's not very brotherly!"
"Why don't I get one?" Kyojuro stared curiously at the little purple bottle and complained unhappily.
"Seriously, that's unfair. Why does only the glutton get one?" Obanai nodded, feeling sour inside.
"Everyone has one!"
Kanae suddenly appeared, the corners of her lips raised in a gentle smile.
Honestly, she was not worried about her companions at all. She knew exactly how strong they were.
"Alright, alright!" Kanae pulled the two ten-thousand-watt light bulbs aside. "Let's go over there!"
Kyojuro's face was full of question marks as he asked, "Why?"
"No reason!"
Kanae smiled, glancing from the corner of her eye toward Hiruma and Shinobu.
The two of them simply stood there foolishly. With the Wisteria Poison delivered, Shinobu did not know what to do next.
The air fell quiet for a while. She looked up, her clear violet eyes like two full moons, carrying a trace of worry.
She did not want to voice her concern, afraid it would distract Hiruma.
She had not felt much before, but when the moment of parting came, unease flooded her heart.
"Makoto, remember to record the effects for me. This was your idea, and it is also my strength!"
The moment the words left her mouth, Shinobu regretted them. What had she even said?
"Alright!"
"Since I proposed this idea, I'll definitely see it through to the end!"
Hiruma looked into Shinobu's eyes and smiled. He was completely serious.
"Stay safe!"
"Don't push yourself. You may be strong, but you still need to rely more on Obanai and Big Brother Kyojuro!"
"And make sure to eat properly. You need to eat your fill!"
"I know your recovery ability is strong, but don't ignore your injuries. They hurt a lot!"
Shinobu nervously pinched the corner of her clothes, unconsciously saying a whole lot.
Some words did not need preparation, and some feelings did not need to be hidden. Everything simply fell into place.
Hiruma's eyes curved with his smile. He raised a hand and gently rubbed Shinobu's little head.
"Don't worry, I'm very strong!"
"And go back and get some sleep!"
"Goodbye!"
"Goodbye!"
The farewells ended, and Hiruma and the other two left headquarters.
On the road, Obanai cleared his throat and imitated Shinobu's tone.
"Don't push yourself. Rely more on me and Kyojuro, Makoto!"
Hiruma glared at Obanai, utterly speechless.
"What should I do? I'm so excited! At last, I can temper myself through battle, hahaha!" Kyojuro laughed loudly. His great blade had long been thirsting for battle.
"Big Brother, you don't need to get so excited. We're only cutting down a Demon!"
As the only one in their trio who had killed a Demon before, Hiruma was completely unimpressed.
"What, Makoto? You've beheaded a Demon before?"
Hearing that, Hiruma lifted his nose high, putting on a little show.
"Heh heh heh! (.-`ω′-)"
"I've taken down three Demons!"
The moment he finished speaking, Kyojuro's eyes sparkled as he asked eagerly:
"Makoto, what does it feel like to behead a Demon?"
"Of course, it's just..."
Obanai rolled his eyes at Hiruma and mocked him:
"You sure love showing off. Keep bragging."
Before long, the three ran out of the deep mountains, their destination Mount Fujikasane.
Of course, the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters was not the only place where partings took place. The same was true on Mount Sagiri.
Before you continue