Kaigaku... The more Mizuki pondered this name in her heart, the more certain she was that she had heard it somewhere before.
If it was truly a name she had heard in her previous life, then this person would likely become a key figure soon.
Mizuki didn't know this person's character, but she didn't think anyone favored by Kokushibou could be very good.
She had to consider the worst-case scenario.
That is, the Demon Slayer Corps' base being discovered by Muzan.
Not all the Hashira have awakened their Demon Slayer Marks yet; it seems they need to find a way to speed up their current progress.
Watching Tanjirou lead Nezuko away, Kochou Shinobu turned her head and said, "Let's go too."
Mizuki nodded.
"Aoi," Kochou Shinobu said, picking up a box and addressing Kanzaki Aoi, "Mizuki and I will take the rest."
Now, only the Stone Hashira Himejima Gyomei's location remained for delivery. The number of Demon Slayer Corps members here at Shinazugawa's place was already low, and the number at Himejima's should only be smaller.
There weren't many boxes left, and the two of them could easily carry them all.
Kanzaki Aoi paused, then nodded slightly: "In that case, Miss Shinobu, I'll head back now."
Kochou Shinobu smiled and said, "Mhm, the Butterfly Mansion still needs you to look after it. Thank you for your trouble."
Although the Special Training wouldn't result in fatalities, general injuries were inevitable. Just at Shinazugawa's location, several people were laid up every day.
Didn't you see people being tormented so badly they wanted to run away?
Injured swordsmen are naturally temporarily housed at the Butterfly Mansion for recuperation. Since both she and her older sister Kanae came here to participate in the Special Training, the Butterfly Mansion naturally lacked someone to oversee things.
Kanzaki Aoi was only helping them move things today; the Butterfly Mansion still required her attention.
"No, it's no trouble at all," Kanzaki Aoi quickly waved her hand. "Miss Shinobu, you're too polite."
Kochou Shinobu smiled faintly, saying nothing further.
The three walked out of the Dojo together, heading towards the Shinazugawa Residence gate.
"Sister Shinobu?"
A sudden voice rang out from a distance. Hearing the familiar sound, Kochou Shinobu greeted her with a joyful expression before even turning around:
"Kanao."
Kanao approached from afar, carrying a large bucket of what looked like food. After receiving Kochou Shinobu's response, her steps quickened slightly.
"Be careful," Kochou Shinobu reached out, as if afraid she might fall.
"I'm fine." Seeing Kochou Shinobu, Kanao's face showed some joy, and she also greeted Mizuki, "Miss Mizuki."
Mizuki nodded, a hint of relief appearing in her eyes.
Her emotional fluctuations were visibly higher than before.
Behind Kanao, the tall figure of Shinazugawa Genya walked up, carrying a rice bucket identical to the one in Kanao's hands.
However, his expression was completely different from Kanao's, looking somewhat heavy.
"What's wrong, young man?" Mizuki tilted her head. "Let me guess: brotherly conflict?"
Shinazugawa Genya: "..."
Are you even guessing?
Isn't the conflict between him and his older brother known worldwide by now?
Their sibling issues were already common knowledge back in the Swordsmith Village, and now she was gloating about it.
Shinazugawa Genya felt a bit depressed.
Mizuki added, "You came a step too late. Tanjirou just left."
"Huh? It's not like I wanted to see that guy." Shinazugawa Genya raised one eyebrow higher than the other, but Tanjirou's smiling face involuntarily popped up in his mind.
Well, he was a hard guy to dislike, that's for sure.
"Hmm~" Mizuki shook her head, looking up in thought, pondering deeply.
Kochou Shinobu asked curiously, "What are you thinking about, Mizuki?"
Mizuki placed her thumb and index finger against her chin, thinking briefly: "I'm thinking about what Tanjirou would say right now."
"Huh?" Shinazugawa Genya indicated that he completely failed to understand this woman's thought process.
What did this have to do with Tanjirou?
Mizuki hesitantly raised her index finger, saying uncertainly, "For example..."
"Your brother actually loves you?"
"Something like that..."
Towards the end, Mizuki grew less confident, feeling that the phrase sounded a bit too cheesy when spoken aloud.
"Hah~" Shinazugawa Genya drew out the sound, his eyes widening slightly. "Are you an idiot?"
His face inexplicably flushed red.
Would his older brother really say something like that?
"What did you just call me?" Mizuki's expression turned cold. Anyone who dared call her an idiot already had grass three meters high growing on their grave.
Shinazugawa Genya swallowed hard, finally realizing that this woman was trouble.
She was a brutal sadist.
*Shing...* Mizuki silently drew the Nichirin Blade from her waist.
"Eh?" x3
The three people were stunned.
Shinazugawa Genya, the person involved, started sweating profusely: "Hey, hey, is that necessary?"
He just swore casually; did she really need to resort to violence?
Mizuki said nothing, merely continuing to draw the Nichirin Blade.
"What do you think you're doing to my brother?" A cold voice sounded from behind Shinazugawa Genya.
Mizuki tilted her head, looking past Shinazugawa Genya's tall figure to see the scene behind him.
Sanemi Shinazugawa was holding a wooden sword, watching her with a grim expression.
Mizuki lowered her gaze to look at the Nichirin Blade in her hand. Hmm... something seemed wrong.
Before she could explain, a strong gust of wind flashed toward her.
Mizuki looked up; a wooden sword was heading straight for her head.
Hmm... she seemed to have been misunderstood... She could also hear Kanae's startled cry coming from behind Genya, "Stop! Shinazugawa..."
Although Mizuki was invincible, she wasn't immune to pain, and naturally didn't want to be hit in the head.
Just as she intended to dodge sideways, a faint drawing sound rang out beside her. *Clang!* A medicinal fragrance drifted into Mizuki's nose, and a colorful haori fluttered into her view.
Kochou Shinobu struggled to parry the strike, looking displeased as she faced Sanemi Shinazugawa: "What are you doing, Mr. Shinazugawa?"
Sanemi Shinazugawa frowned, took two steps back, and motioned toward Mizuki with his chin, his expression sour: "You should first ask what that woman intended to do."
Kanae finally arrived and sighed in relief, seeing that the two hadn't started fighting.
Shinazugawa Genya was slightly distracted, looking at the back of his older brother who was standing in front of him. He completely failed to understand... Wasn't his brother supposed to hate him?
Or... was it really just as Tanjirou and Miss Mizuki had said?
That his brother actually loved him.
Kochou Shinobu stood in front of Mizuki, extremely protective: "Mizuki didn't do anything."
Mhm, exactly.
Shinobu is so nice... Mizuki suppressed the urge to smile, her heart and mind nodding so fast they were practically leaving afterimages.
Kochou Shinobu made no attempt to hide the anger on her face: "On the contrary, what was the meaning of your actions just now?"
Oh no, the situation seems to be escalating.
Shinazugawa Genya quickly stepped in to explain: "No, Brother, Miss Mizuki wouldn't..."
Oh~
Mizuki watched the scene with interest. When facing his older brother, his tone of voice became significantly weaker.
He was nothing like her, who had the backbone to fight Kokushibou when she said she would, without any hesitation.
It was older brothers she liked to beat up; if he wasn't an older brother, she wouldn't even bother.
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