Himejima, the new Stone Hashira

Haruto received his new blade thirteen days later.

Perhaps stung by his remark about his "terrible taste," Hotaru Haganezuka had put considerable effort into the blade's appearance.

He had made the guard smaller and the tang longer, making it easier to wield with both hands.

The hilt was wrapped in alternating pale purple and white cord, while the sheath was pure white, a perfect match for Haruto's hair.

"A blade this beautiful ought to go to a swordsman who uses Mist Breathing or Water Breathing. Giving it to you..."

Hotaru Haganezuka haughtily handed him the blade, leaving him with a threat. "Treat it well, or I'll kill you myself!"

Haruto drew the long blade and performed a sword routine in the courtyard, its keen edge gleaming silver in the sunlight.

Now that he had passed the selection and received his new blade, the next thing to arrive should have been a Demon Slayer Corps mission delivered by Cang Kong.

But more than a week passed, and Cang Kong merely circled the blue sky every day, as though cut off from headquarters.

Unable to make sense of it, Haruto stopped Gyomei Himejima one day as he was heading to the Hot Spring. He had learned from Godogawa that this unfailingly gentle man had been promoted to Hashira, becoming the new Stone Hashira.

Gyomei Himejima was enormous. Even Haruto, who had grown quite well, felt that his 170 centimeters hardly measured up when he stood before him.

He dressed like a monk, with cropped hair, a string of enormous Buddhist Beads around his neck, and another strand of 108 beads wrapped around his hands.

Gyomei Himejima was completely blind and was always pressing his palms together, silently reciting Buddhist Sutras, yet he sensed changes around him more keenly than some people with perfectly good eyes.

"Is something the matter?" he asked politely, bringing his palms together.

"Congratulations on becoming the new Stone Hashira," Haruto said first.

"And congratulations to you on passing the swordsman selection and joining the Demon Slayer Corps."

Though Haruto and Himejima had met a few times, they could hardly be called close.

The man treated Haruto kindly, but there was always a faint undercurrent of distrust.

Maybe he suffered some emotional trauma when he was young...

Haruto comforted himself with that explanation. After all, most people who joined the Demon Slayer Corps carried some hatred within them.

If only Mr. Shinjuro had been around the Swordsmith Village lately...

Haruto decided to get straight to the point. "Mr. Himejima, it's been almost a month since I joined the Demon Slayer Corps, and ten days or so since I received my blade. Why haven't I been assigned any missions?"

Gyomei Himejima replied, "The Buddha teaches that all things are ordained, and one must not speak, ask, or seek... But I can answer this question.

"There are simply too many people."

"Too many people?" Haruto raised an eyebrow.

"There are more than twenty newly promoted Mizunoto swordsmen this year, and few demons suited to your rank."

"..."

Haruto was speechless.

So there were too many graduates, and there simply weren't enough appropriately ranked demons for him to be assigned one yet.

Wasn't the Demon Slayer Corps supposed to be desperately short of manpower? How could demand for demons outstrip supply?

"Then..."

"Mr. Haruto, waiting is also a form of training."

Himejima's voice was firm yet gentle, and his attitude had actually warmed considerably. "If you keep finding yourself unable to improve your Breathing Style, why not temper your body and make it stronger?"

Is that your advice to me, Mr. Himejima?

Even while harboring doubts, you still pay attention to a stranger's troubles?

A smile tugged at Haruto's lips, though he had no idea whether the other man could sense it.

"Thank you, Mr. Himejima."

"Hah! Hah! Hah!"

Bare-chested in front of the swordsmith's workshop, Haruto trained his muscles, running with a huge rock on his back, replenishing charcoal for every swordsmith household nearby, and swinging his blade again and again.

He went through his training methodically, just as he had for the past two and a half years.

"Gyomei Himejima, huh..."

Godogawa watched him train with his hands tucked into his sleeves, muttering to himself.

"That big monk who appeared in the village a year ago."

"I remember the Master brought him back personally. I heard he saved him from the execution block."

Godogawa had far more sources of information than Haruto. Rubbing the chin of his mask, he recalled, "I heard he was originally a monk at a temple and had taken in a lot of children.

"But one day, the children were killed by a demon. After he used every ounce of his strength to kill that demon, the surviving child accused him of being the murderer, and he was sent to be executed.

"If the Master hadn't appeared and saved him, he probably would have died long ago."

"No wonder..."

After completing five hundred one-handed handstand push-ups on the ground, Haruto switched hands and did another five hundred.

Sweat streamed over his muscles like little rivulets, striking the ground and pooling into a wet patch.

No wonder Himejima had been suspicious of him when he was young and had yet to join the Demon Slayer Corps. He had experienced betrayal.

And he had shown Haruto kindness again because Haruto had passed the Demon Slayer Corps' test. At fourteen, he could no longer really be called a child. He was a warrior who could stand beside Himejima.

Haruto continued training without a word. Once every muscle had been thoroughly worked, he endured the aching throughout his body, picked up his blade, and began practicing his swordsmanship.

Even without a Breathing Style, his sword techniques were fierce. The blade hissed through the air as he swung it, ringing with a sound that set teeth on edge.

Godogawa wore his green mountain-patterned haori, his expression quiet.

Thirty years ago, Ryoji had stood right here, swinging his Nichirin Blade too.

Thirty years had passed in the blink of an eye. That demon who had killed Ryoji...

It must have become one of the Twelve Kizuki by now.

Whenever he thought of his son's ashes in his bedroom, Godogawa's hands trembled uncontrollably.

...No. I can't tell Haruto.

Haruto is a kind boy, but his abilities only go so far. If I tell him, he'll definitely go looking for that demon to take revenge.

Godo, this is your grudge. Don't drag the boy into it.

Godogawa took a deep breath and opened his eyes. In the darkness, he suddenly saw a flash of white circling Haruto on beating wings.

"Chiba! Fishermen have been disappearing near Chiba Plain! A demon is suspected to be lurking there!"

Cang Kong had brought a message from the Demon Slayer Corps.

"Huh? Have I finally got work?"

Haruto bent his index finger, letting Cang Kong land on it.

"More than fifteen people have disappeared! Five Mizunoto swordsmen have already been summoned to head there!"

Godogawa looked at Haruto and said little, merely giving him a composed nod.

"Go ahead and get ready to leave. I'll prepare food for your journey."

Be careful. If you encounter a difficult demon, run. Run as far as you can...

His true thoughts remained unspoken, caught in his throat. Godogawa returned to the house to make Haruto his specialty rice balls.

"I get the feeling Master is really worried..."

Watching the old man walk away, Haruto sighed softly, then raised an eyebrow at the parrot perched on his fingertip.

"We'll come back safely. Right, Cang Kong?"

"Not necessarily~"

"Could you at least say something encouraging?!"