Hashira Meeting

Once the two of them stepped outside, Butterfly Zemu had intended to introduce his family and Kanzaki Kumo to each other, but he paused briefly when he saw Shinobu Kocho huddled in Kanae's arms.

Seeing this, Kanzaki Kumo simply said quietly, "I still have something to take care of, so I'll leave first. I'll come back tomorrow during the day."

"All right. Thank you."

Since the timing was unsuitable, Kanzaki Kumo could go back and give Kanzaki Keizan a proper farewell. That Lower Rank Three had interrupted him earlier.

It would also give Butterfly Zemu some time to talk with his family. In any case, he already knew everything he needed to know, so there was no getting away.

"What happened?"

After watching Kanzaki Kumo leave, Delia Butterfly looked at her husband with some concern.

"I can't quite say whether it's good or bad..." Butterfly Zemu's feelings were somewhat complicated. Joining the Demon Slayer Corps would give them protection, so they would not have to worry about some passing demon coming to their door on an unlucky day. And from what Kanzaki Kumo had told him, doctors received excellent treatment in the Demon Slayer Corps. Their family could live very well.

The only drawback was that their freedom would be restricted. Someone would accompany them whenever they went out, both to protect them and to keep watch, preventing them from leaking information about the Demon Slayer Corps or demons.

It was precisely these restrictions on freedom that had left the Demon Slayer Corps short of doctors. At present, the Medical Department had only two white-haired elders nearing the ends of their lives holding things together.

After all, although the Ubuyashiki Clan was wealthy, in this era, what family with a truly skilled doctor lacked money?

The Demon Slayer Corps' doctors were either trained by the Ubuyashiki Clan itself or, like the Butterfly family, had become involved in demon-related incidents by chance.

But medical skills in this era were often passed down within families. The medical knowledge the Ubuyashiki Clan could obtain was relatively basic. Moreover, injuries caused by demons differed from ordinary injuries, and many involved troublesome poisons that ordinary doctors struggled to handle.

This also left the Demon Slayer Corps severely lacking in truly good doctors.

Now that Kanzaki Kumo had encountered the Butterfly family and experienced their medical skills firsthand, he had no reason to let this family slip away, whether to make up for the lingering regrets in his memories from his previous life or to improve the Demon Slayer Corps' current situation.

Besides, with a good doctor in the Demon Slayer Corps, he could receive better treatment if he happened to get injured in the future. This concerned his own life.

Having already left the Butterfly home, Kanzaki Kumo did not dwell on how Butterfly Zemu would explain things to his family. He simply told the Kakushi who had arrived to handle the aftermath what they needed to know, then returned to Kanzaki Keizan's grave.

"I'm back. Your grandson here killed a Lower Rank this time. Once I get back to the Demon Slayer Corps, I'll be a Hashira-level member too. Well? Pretty impressive, aren't I?"

"Still, a Lower Rank is a Lower Rank. I got hurt saving a girl. That's a first since I started killing demons."

"But at least I saved someone, and a very pretty girl at that. Not a bad deal."

"..."

As Kanzaki Kumo leaned against the gravestone and talked to himself, the sky gradually brightened. At last, he said goodbye to Kanzaki Keizan beneath the morning sun, returned to town for a short rest, changed out of his torn clothes, and headed toward the Butterfly home again.

Only then did Ink Shadow fly back, landing breathlessly on Kanzaki Kumo's right shoulder and informing him that after settling the Butterfly family into the Medical Department, he was to head to Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters for the Hashira Meeting.

"Thanks for your hard work." Kanzaki Kumo reached up and stroked Ink Shadow's head.

Ever since becoming his companion, Ink Shadow had been quite exhausted, as Kanzaki Kumo took missions frequently, covered a wide area, and traveled quickly.

Fortunately, the Demon Slayer Corps had people specifically assigned to feed the Kasugai Crows, and the food they prepared was highly nutritious. Instead of falling ill from exhaustion, Ink Shadow had grown somewhat sturdier from all the intense flying.

By the time Kanzaki Kumo strolled leisurely up to the Butterfly home, two carriages were already waiting outside. Upon seeing him, the Kakushi waiting in a carriage immediately climbed down and bowed.

"Lord Rumble Hashira!"

Although Kanzaki Kumo's promotion to Hashira had not yet been announced at a Hashira Meeting, the Kakushi were the best-informed people in the Demon Slayer Corps. Naturally, they knew he had become a Hashira by killing a Lower Rank, so there would be no issue at all. As for his title, following the Thunder Breathing lineage, it was naturally Rumble Hashira.

Kanzaki Kumo did not mind inheriting the title either. After all, asking someone as hopeless at naming things as him to come up with a title himself would be far too much.

It was just that he felt rather unaccustomed to seeing the Kakushi kneeling on one knee before him.

"Get up. I don't really care about formalities. A greeting is enough. There's really no need to kneel."

"Thank you, Lord Rumble Hashira!"

Only after the Kakushi rose did Kanzaki Kumo walk toward the Butterfly family, who had just finished packing and come to the door.

Butterfly Zemu had clearly talked his family around the night before. Though there was some reluctance in Delia Butterfly's and Kanae Kocho's eyes, neither said anything. Only the youngest, Shinobu Kocho, still had tears glistening in her eyes.

Leaving the place where they had lived all their lives just like that was still somewhat saddening for children.

After finishing the introductions they had missed the night before, Kanzaki Kumo was now formally acquainted with the entire Butterfly family. He looked at the bundles they carried and asked, "Have you packed everything? Is there anything else you need to take but can't easily carry? I can find someone to help."

"There isn't much, really. Aside from some clothes, it's just medicinal herbs and medical books. Everything's packed." Butterfly Zemu shook his head.

Seeing this, Kanzaki Kumo said no more and began ushering them into the carriages.

The three women rode in one carriage, while Kanzaki Kumo and Butterfly Zemu took the luggage in the other. The two carriages then set off one after the other toward the Demon Slayer Corps Medical Department.

The journey passed without incident. As the sun sank in the west, the carriages stopped at the Medical Department. Kanzaki Kumo climbed out first with a large bundle in each hand, followed by Butterfly Zemu carrying the last bundle.

Whether because Zemu's medicine was excellent or because Kanzaki Kumo's body had been strengthened by his Breathing Style, the wound on his left shoulder no longer hurt after just one day.

Even now, carrying a bundle that would have been heavy for an ordinary person but weighed less than his training weights, he felt no discomfort at all around the wound.

Even the Butterfly family walking behind him stared in astonishment. They had all seen his wound with their own eyes. Although a sharp weapon had only grazed him, the wound was not shallow.

Since information about the Butterfly family had been sent back to the Demon Slayer Corps the night before, accommodations had already been prepared for them in the Medical Department. As soon as they entered the building, someone came to take their luggage and show them to their quarters.

By the time the Butterfly family was settled, it was completely dark. Kanzaki Kumo stayed overnight in the Medical Department as well, planning to attend the Hashira Meeting the following day.

The next day, while the Butterfly family began familiarizing themselves with their new surroundings, Kanzaki Kumo set off along the path to the Ubuyashiki Estate.

When he arrived, Kagaya Ubuyashiki was already standing in front of the house, and Gyomei Himejima and Shinjuro Rengoku had arrived opposite him.

At an actual Hashira Meeting, there was no need to kneel respectfully on one knee before the Master as in Kanzaki Kumo's memories. Both men sat comfortably on the ground.

"Kagaya, Mr. Gyomei, and you must be Mr. Rengoku? It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kanzaki Kumo."

Seeing Kanzaki Kumo arrive, Gyomei and Shinjuro rose together.

"A pleasure to meet you, young man. No wonder that fellow Kuwajima can't help bragging about his student. Killing a Lower Rank at such a young age-you're far more impressive than I was back then, or than my boy."

Shinjuro Rengoku spoke with cheerful boldness. His bright yellow hair resembled flames, with fiery red tips, and his hairstyle looked like an owl from a distance. His eyes, yellow on the outside and red within, seemed to have flames burning inside them. He looked exactly like a grown-up version of Kyojuro Rengoku from the original work.

They really were father and son. Even his personality at this point was the same as that future Flame Hashira in Kanzaki Kumo's memories.

"You flatter me, Mr. Rengoku. I just have a little talent."

"No need to be modest. Killing a Lower Rank alone, and apparently without taking very long, is already enough to prove your strength." Shinjuro Rengoku patted Kanzaki Kumo on the shoulder.

"Amitabha. To have come this far in just over a year, Kumo, your talent is truly exceptional," Gyomei added from the side.

Kanzaki Kumo looked at Gyomei's increasingly muscular build, momentarily at a loss as to how to respond to someone whose physical gifts were maxed out.