Shinjuro Rengoku sat down at the table in the courtyard. He had come to deliver a sword to Jigoro Kuwajima, something his father had asked him to do before he died.
He had just completed a mission and happened to be passing by Peach Mountain, so he had come to visit.
The master and disciple's breakfast was simple: plain congee, pickled vegetables, and rice balls. The only startling thing was how much they ate.
"Sir, you really do have quite an appetite!"
Looking at the two basins of congee and one basin of rice balls on the table, Shinjuro Rengoku praised him with a smile.
"The disciple eats a lot. Help yourself to whatever you want. Make yourself at home."
"By the way, how has your father been lately?"
Jigoro Kuwajima smiled and made casual conversation.
At that, Shinjuro lowered his brows, and a trace of sorrow entered his eyes.
Seeing this, Jigoro Kuwajima sighed imperceptibly. Grief welled up within him, but he pretended nothing was wrong and continued eating calmly.
His old friend had gone on ahead!
"My fault. I should have gone to see him," Kuwajima Jigoro said bitterly, blaming himself.
"Sir, Father left with a smile. Please don't dwell on it!"
Shinjuro Rengoku hurriedly comforted him, his tone as blazing as the sun. He remembered his father's words: he had to live on with a smile.
"This sword is for you. It was Father's personal blade!"
"Before he died, he told me I had to place it in your hands."
He drew another sword from his waist and handed it to Jigoro Kuwajima.
Just then, a lazy teenage voice broke the somewhat somber atmosphere.
"Yo!"
"We've got a guest!"
"How rare!"
Hiruma rubbed his eyes, sat down at the dining table without ceremony, grabbed a basin of congee, and started wolfing it down.
Jigoro Kuwajima gave his disciple a hard knock on the head and scolded him irritably.
"You brat, show some manners! Call him Uncle!"
The moment Hiruma raised his eyes, he spat out the congee in his mouth.
So alike!
They were fucking identical. This was definitely Big Brother's father.
He had just woken up and hadn't paid much attention at first. But on second thought, he didn't remember the Rengoku Family having any ties with the old man.
Forget it. This was a new world, so a few minor differences were perfectly reasonable. It didn't affect anything.
Hiruma didn't care about such a small change, especially since it was a good thing.
"Young man, you can really eat! A good appetite is a blessing!"
Seeing the other man staring at him, Shinjuro Rengoku was not offended in the slightest. Instead, he smiled and praised him.
"My boy is about your age. You two should get acquainted when you have the chance."
"Uncle, we definitely should!"
Hiruma excitedly grabbed Shinjuro Rengoku's large hand. That was Big Brother—of course he wanted to meet him.
"You brat, stop acting so shameless! Get the hell off the table!"
Jigoro Kuwajima kicked Hiruma, who was sitting on the table, flying. He was furious enough to explode; if there had not been a guest present, he would have already started beating him.
"Old man, at least give me some face in front of guests!"
Hiruma shot the old man a resentful glance and rubbed his backside.
"I knew your uncle's father. He isn't an outsider."
The moment he saw his disciple, the old man no longer felt quite so sad.
The dead were gone. Those still here had to be cherished.
Shinjuro Rengoku watched the master and disciple with a cheerful smile. Their relationship was so good that he could finally rest easy.
Still, Senior Kuwajima really was just as his father had said: hot-tempered and unconstrained by trifles.
Shinjuro Rengoku stayed on Peach Mountain until noon. After lunch, he prepared to take his leave.
Suddenly, a black Kasugai Crow landed on his shoulder. It was one of the Demon Slayer Corps' messenger animals, highly intelligent and capable of human speech.
"Rengoku, Rengoku! Hachijojima Island, west-northwest! A Demon is eating people!"
"Understood!"
Shinjuro Rengoku patted the Kasugai Crow's little head and immediately set off for Hachijojima Island.
Hiruma had also heard the intelligence delivered by the Kasugai Crow. He looked at his master beside him, his face solemn as he asked seriously,
"Master, can I go with Uncle?"
Hachijojima Island—he had a reason he absolutely had to go there, because the future Serpent Pillar was there.
According to how the story was supposed to unfold, the previous Flame Pillar, Shinjuro Rengoku, would save him. But the slight change in the world's course made Hiruma uneasy.
He had come to erase regrets. He did not want to leave any behind, and he wanted even less for anything unexpected to happen.
Jigoro Kuwajima froze. In twelve years, this was the first time he had seen such an expression on his disciple's face.
Though he did not know what had happened, he knew it must be important to his disciple. No matter how reluctant he was, fledgling eagles had to soar through the skies someday.
"Be careful. Stay close to the Flame Pillar, and don't try to be a hero!"
"I know you're talented, but your strength probably hasn't reached Pillar level yet. You must not overestimate yourself!"
"Huh?!"
"Old man, you agreed?" Hiruma was slow to react.
Jigoro Kuwajima rolled his eyes at his disciple and said irritably, "Wait for me!"
Soon, the old man tossed him a bundle and a Nichirin Blade. The bundle contained rice balls made that morning and some money.
"Master, you had this planned all along!"
"As expected of my master—so shrewd and farsighted. Your disciple is impressed!"
Hiruma accepted the bundle with a grin and threw out several strange compliments. By the time the old man realized what was happening, he had already slipped away.
"You unfilial brat! I refuse to believe you won't come home eventually. Just you wait!"
The old man stood at the entrance, cursing as he watched his wayward disciple's retreating back. Once Hiruma vanished from sight, he seemed to shrink at once.
"You brat, watch your safety!"
Jigoro Kuwajima knew that kind of talent had been born to slay Demons, but how could a grandfather not worry when the child he treated as his own was leaving on a journey?
That was the complicated feeling unique to elders.
On the narrow path leading down Peach Mountain, crimson-gold lightning sent ripples spreading through the air. A Pillar-level swordsman was simply too fast; Hiruma could only keep up by using his sword techniques.
He understood clearly that practice alone was useless. Only real combat was the best teacher.
"Uncle, wait for me!"
Shinjuro Rengoku rubbed his ears and muttered to himself, "Huh? Why did I hear that child's voice?"
"Rengoku, Rengoku! Look behind you!" the Kasugai Crow loudly warned.
"Oh?"
He turned his head, and a shocking sight entered his vision: a figure wreathed in crimson-gold lightning was racing toward him at astonishing speed.
Fighting spirit?
To have tempered fighting spirit at such a young age, Shinjuro Rengoku burst into an excited laugh and shouted,
"Genius!"
"Senior Kuwajima's disciple is truly a genius!"
He slowed down, and Hiruma finally caught up.
"Uncle, can I go with you on this mission?"
Shinjuro examined Hiruma and asked, "But you haven't even taken Final Selection yet, have you?"
"Slaying Demons means staking your life!"
He was not trying to frighten him, because the Demon Slayer Corps' casualty rate was extremely high.
"As long as I can eradicate every Demon in this world, this life is worth sacrificing!"
Hiruma spoke with a calm expression, but the resolve shining from his eyes startled Shinjuro Rengoku.
This kid was truly extraordinary.
"Uncle, only real combat can make me grow. I won't hold you back," Hiruma promised.
"Hahahaha! Good lad, you've got ambition. Let's go!"
"Uncle won't go easy on you!"
Shinjuro Rengoku laughed heartily, deeply moved. The Demon Slayer Corps would have worthy successors.
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