Looking at the strikingly recognizable hair color and eyes of the man before him, Izumi Kiyowa identified his identity almost instantly.
The Rengoku family. They were one of the few lineages that had passed down the title of Flame Hashira for nearly every generation. While other Hashira positions might be filled by various bloodlines, the Flame Hashira seemed to have remained exclusively with the Rengoku family since the era of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
According to Rengoku Kyojuro's own words in the future, their family's distinct hair color was the result of their ancestors eating too many tempura prawns. In any other world, Kiyowa would have assumed the man lacked basic biological knowledge, but in the world of Demon Slayer, such a thing was actually possible.
Gazing at the boisterous man who looked remarkably like an owl, Kiyowa replied with deep gratitude, "I will never forget that you saved my life. If the opportunity arises in the future, I will certainly repay this debt a thousandfold."
Hearing this, Rengoku Mujuro—his owl-like face breaking into a hearty grin—crossed his arms and shook his head vigorously.
"No! I cannot be considered your savior! You slew the demon yourself. I merely arrived to deliver the final blow. If you had a Nichirin Sword of your own, I wouldn't have been needed at all!
"Furthermore," he continued, "the venom in your wounds was extracted by this young lady. I truly did very little. I am not worthy of being called your savior. On the contrary..."
At this point, Mujuro's expression shifted to one of guilt and regret.
"As a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, I not only lost track of the demon but allowed an ordinary person like yourself to be pushed to such a dire state! It was a total dereliction of duty!"
Kiyowa watched the self-reproaching Flame Hashira, feeling a surge of emotion. The Rengoku family's sense of integrity and responsibility seemed etched into their very DNA; no matter how many generations passed, it never faded.
In the original history, after Yoriichi Tsugikuni spared Tamayo, he was berated by the members of the Demon Slayer Corps. At that time, almost all the Hashira were condemning him, and only the Flame Hashira of that era spoke up to restrain them. Honestly, regarding a man like this, Kiyowa couldn't even imagine him ever turning into a demon.
He shook his head quickly at Mujuro, his tone sincere. "Mr. Rengoku, you are being too hard on yourself. I don't know what this 'Demon Slayer Corps' is, but Yoshiwara is vast, and that demon was cunningly hidden among the crowds.
"The fact that you arrived in time to save my life is a blessing. Without that final strike of yours, I likely would have succumbed to the poison by now and become that demon's meal. My wounds are still covered with scraps of your cloak that you used for bandages. If someone who went to such lengths still feels guilty, it puts a great deal of psychological pressure on me. So, please, do not blame yourself any longer."
Mujuro's eyes flickered with conflict. His nature made it difficult to shake off the feeling of failure, but Kiyowa had a point—continuing to brood would only distress the person he had tried to help.
Brushing aside his internal struggle, he turned his bright, piercing eyes toward Kiyowa, his booming voice tinged with curiosity.
"Umu! Then I shall do as you say. I do not wish for my emotions to burden others! Let us speak of other things, young man! You are strong, and you possess an incredibly precious spirit!
"Your composure when facing a demon, your decisiveness in battle... and most importantly..."
Mujuro paused, leaning in. The light in his eyes seemed almost ready to burst forth.
"I noticed the breathing style you used during the fight. It is very unique—unlike any breathing style I have ever encountered. Moreover, you are the first person I have met who could use a Breathing Style effectively before even joining the Demon Slayer Corps! Young man, where did you learn such a unique technique?"
Kiyowa felt his heart tighten slightly, but he maintained a calm facade. He had anticipated this question and had prepared his explanation long before he had even acquired Sun Breathing.
Tanjiro's family practiced the Hinokami Kagura, which their ancestor Sumiyoshi had developed after observing Yoriichi's Sun Breathing. Kiyowa decided to use a similar justification. Since Yoriichi had lived into his eighties and his movements after leaving the Corps were largely unrecorded, no one could prove him wrong.
Kiyowa explained with a neutral expression, "You mean that specific way of breathing? It's a wood-chopping technique passed down through my family for generations. My great-great-grandfather taught it; he said using it while chopping wood allows one to cut much more without tiring."
Upon hearing this, Mujuro stepped forward, his eyes devoid of even a shred of suspicion.
"Umu! If that is the case, your ancestor may have been a retired member of the Demon Slayer Corps. The breathing technique he passed down might be a specific derivative style. Regardless, now that I have encountered such an exceptional young man, I cannot let you go...!"
Mujuro stepped forward again, closing the distance until he was less than half a meter from Kiyowa. Though his aura was warm, it possessed a searing intensity that was almost hard to look at directly.
"Young man! Permit me to ask: have you ever heard of the Demon Slayer Corps?
"It matters not if you haven't. Demons like the one you saw today exist in great numbers throughout this world. They feed on humans and cannot be killed by ordinary weapons. Only members of the Demon Slayer Corps armed with Nichirin Swords can slay them. Your talent and character are exactly what the Corps needs!
"Are you willing to join us? Will you use your strength to slay demons and protect the innocent? If you are willing, I will do everything in my power to become the Flame Hashira and immediately take you on as my Tsuguko!"
The sudden proposal made the atmosphere in the small shack a bit awkward. Since Mujuro hadn't bothered to explain what a "Hashira" or a "Tsuguko" actually was, Mei was looking at him with a very strange, bewildered expression.
As for Kiyowa, while he understood the terms perfectly, he had to play the part of someone completely ignorant of this hidden world.
Mujuro, oblivious to the confusion, simply kept his wide, owl-like eyes fixed on them, waiting for an answer.
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Demon Slayer: Starting by Snatching Daki(83 Chapter- Ongoing)
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