The Trio Was Still Injured

After the Hashira Meeting ended, some of the Nine Hashira returned to their estates, while others received missions to slay demons. Kagaya Ubuyashiki asked Lin Guang to stay behind.

"Every area in Japan where demons have appeared already has a Hashira assigned to it," Kagaya Ubuyashiki said. "So for now, there's no area to assign to you."

Lin Guang replied casually, "That's fine. I'll just carry on as an ordinary member, taking missions and slaying demons as usual."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki smiled softly.

"That's exactly what I had in mind. I want you to be a Hashira who stays in the shadows. When an Upper Rank appears, you can arrive in time and join forces with the other Hashira to defeat them."

Lin Guang smiled and agreed.

"No problem. That actually fits quite well with what I had in mind."

"Yes," Kagaya Ubuyashiki said. "Though this does leave you somewhat shortchanged."

"It's fine," Lin Guang said. "Nothing is too much if it means defeating Muzan Kibutsuji."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki smiled softly. "In that case, take a few days off as compensation. After all, Mitsuri has been looking for you all over the Demon Slayer Corps, and Shinobu has been waiting for you too. Sort things out with them first, and then I'll assign you a mission."

Lin Guang froze for a moment, then gave a couple of dry coughs and hurriedly excused himself, almost as though he were fleeing.

"Ahem, Master, I have something to take care of, so I'll be going."

With that, Lin Guang vanished from the room in an instant.

As he walked through the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters, Lin Guang sighed.

"I really don't know what the Master was getting at. To think he'd make a joke like that."

Suddenly, a girl's voice called out from behind him.

"Lin... Lin Guang!"

Lin Guang turned and saw Mitsuri Kanroji.

"Hmm? Mitsuri, did you need something?"

Blushing, Mitsuri Kanroji asked, "Has the Master assigned you an area to oversee?"

Lin Guang thought for a moment, then decided to tell her.

"No. Everyone already has their own area to oversee. No matter whose territory he gave me, it would be disrespectful to the other Hashira."

"So the Master asked me to keep operating as an ordinary member for now. That way, I can help wherever there's trouble and reduce casualties among the Corps members."

Hearing his explanation, Mitsuri's admiration for the Master grew even stronger.

The Master is really amazing. But I wouldn't mind sharing my area with Lin Guang. Should I tell him? Would that be inappropriate?

Seeing Mitsuri lost in thought, Lin Guang stepped closer and called, "Mitsuri! What's wrong? What are you thinking about?"

When Mitsuri came back to her senses, Lin Guang was right in front of her. They were far too close. Her face instantly turned red, sweat kept beading on her forehead, and she felt a little dizzy.

Too... too close!

Seeing how adorable she looked, Lin Guang smiled softly, then stepped back. "If there's nothing else, I'll be going. I still need to check on Tanjiro and the others."

"Okay..." Mitsuri replied blankly.

Only after Lin Guang's figure faded into the distance did Mitsuri snap out of it.

"Ah! I was going to ask if there was a girl he liked, but he got so close that I forgot!"

"Right! Didn't Lin Guang say he was going to see that boy from earlier today? I remember he went to Shinobu's Butterfly Mansion! That's it! I'll go find Lin Guang at Shinobu's place! But it's getting late, so I'd better wait until tomorrow!"

"I can definitely do it tomorrow!"

Mitsuri smiled happily, then returned to her estate.

Meanwhile, Lin Guang arrived at the Butterfly Mansion.

As he entered the ward, he saw two people lying in bed.

"No! I can't drink any more!" Zenitsu lay facedown on his bed, his expression full of resistance.

"No! Your condition is the most serious, Zenitsu! Please hurry up and drink your medicine!" A girl with twin ponytails and blue butterfly hair ornaments on either side sternly urged him to take his medicine.

The girl with twin ponytails was Aoi Kanzaki of the Butterfly Mansion.

Watching Zenitsu throw a fit eight times a day, Tanjiro also looked a little troubled.

Then Tanjiro spotted Lin Guang in the doorway and called out delightedly.

"Senior Lin Guang! You're here!"

Hearing Tanjiro's voice, Lin Guang smiled softly and walked into the ward.

"Yes."

The others in the ward noticed him too. When Aoi Kanzaki saw him, she greeted him respectfully. "Lord Lin Guang."

The moment Zenitsu saw Lin Guang, he seemed to have found someone to back him up.

"Senior Lin Guang! Could you tell them not to make me drink such bitter medicine? It's awful!"

Seeing that Zenitsu looked as though he had shrunk a size, Lin Guang didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Zenitsu, how did you end up like this?"

At that, Zenitsu began sobbing, tears and snot streaming down his face. "Senior Lin Guang! Listen to me! This really ugly spider stung me! The poison hurt so much!"

"And that girl has been yelling at me this whole time! It's been horrible!"

Lin Guang had assumed that, with wounded people there, Zenitsu would listen to him and wait at the foot of the mountain. He hadn't expected him to go up anyway and still end up in this state.

"So you went up the mountain after all? Didn't I tell you to wait at the bottom?" Lin Guang asked.

Tanjiro was puzzled too, so he asked, "That's right! Zenitsu, didn't Senior Lin Guang tell you to stay at the foot of the mountain?"

Hearing that, Zenitsu shouted straight at Tanjiro, "It was all because of you! You took Nezuko up the mountain! What were you thinking, taking a girl somewhere that terrifying?!"

Seeing how worked up Zenitsu was, Lin Guang and Tanjiro exchanged a glance and sighed helplessly in unison.

Noticing their identical reactions, Zenitsu asked, "What are those looks supposed to mean? Am I wrong?"

Lin Guang turned to Aoi Kanzaki. "Please make sure Zenitsu takes his medicine on time every day."

Aoi Kanzaki agreed immediately. "Of course. That's our responsibility!"

Suddenly, hurried footsteps sounded outside. The ward door flew open, and Inosuke appeared before Lin Guang.

"Hey! There you are! Come fight me and settle this!" Inosuke said excitedly.

Two children's voices came from behind him. "Inosuke! Your injuries haven't healed yet! You can't do any strenuous exercise!"

"Who cares about that! Lin Kuang, Forehead Taro and I killed that super-strong demon together! So let's fight and see who wins!"

Lin Guang glanced at the two children behind Inosuke, who looked so upset they were about to cry. "Once your injuries have healed, I'll fight you."

"You said it!" Inosuke shouted, pointing at him.

Lin Guang nodded, then pointed at the two little girls behind Inosuke. "Yes, I did. But you have to promise to listen to them until you've healed. Only then will I fight you."

"No problem!" Inosuke said.

Finally, Lin Guang turned to Tanjiro. "Tanjiro, work hard to get stronger. That's how you'll be able to protect Nezuko."

Tanjiro nodded at his words. "I will, Senior Lin Guang!"

"Good!"