"Young man! Oyakata-sama wishes to meet you in person! Furthermore, we have a rough idea of the identity of the demon coming here—it is likely one of the Twelve Kizuki, those who stand at the very pinnacle of all demonkind!"
The booming voice from outside carried a power even more blistering than the summer sun.
"I'll get the door," Mei said, setting down her rice ball. She prepared to stand, but Gyutaro caught her arm and shouted toward the entrance:
"The door isn't locked. Just come in."
As boisterous as Rengoku Mujuro was, he had remained standing obediently outside the wooden door, showing no intention of intruding until granted permission.
At Gyutaro's word, the door swung open. Mujuro stood there with a goofy, honest grin, looking at the three occupants of the shack with vibrant energy.
"Oh! Young man, you're awake too? Truly remarkable physical resilience! I examined your wounds yesterday; even a member of the Demon Slayer Corps would have needed at least three days to regain consciousness after such injuries. Your constitution is excellent! Join the Corps! You could certainly become a Hashira!"
It was hard to tell if it was genetic, but every generation of the Rengoku family seemed to possess that same radiant, sun-drenched cheerfulness.
Gyutaro didn't offer a reply. He merely glanced at Mujuro before returning his attention to his food, eating with quiet indifference.
Undeterred by being ignored, Mujuro maintained a smile that seemed immune to fading. He walked over to Kiyowa and, without warning, reached out with his heavily calloused hands.
Under Mei's bewildered gaze, Mujuro began to pat and feel his way across Kiyowa's body, checking everything from his shoulders to his limbs, bypassing only the most private areas.
Kiyowa was momentarily stunned. Before he could even ask what was happening, Mei jumped to her feet. She stood before Mujuro, her face a mask of shock as she cried out:
"How—how shameless can you be?! What... what do you think you're doing?!"
As she spoke, Mei instinctively stepped between the two men, trying to use her body as a shield against Mujuro's intensely focused gaze.
Mujuro, however, paid her words no mind. He simply nodded with immense satisfaction and said, "I was just checking his bone structure and muscle density to gauge the strength of his physical vessel. From what I can feel, his physical strength is exceptionally high—it's already at the level of a Rank Kanoe slayer! Have you been training since you were a child? What has your diet been like?"
Looking at Mujuro's excited face, Mei realized the man was completely oblivious to why she had been upset. Seeing that he didn't seem to have any... peculiar proclivities, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Kiyowa chuckled and gave Mei's arm a gentle tug—though it was a brief gesture, as Gyutaro's murderous glare was already sweeping over him.
Clearing his throat, Kiyowa explained to the eager Mujuro, "I haven't really trained. I just did some farm work in the past. As for food, it was just enough to keep me from starving—mostly wild fruits and vegetables."
Hearing this, Mujuro's excitement surged. He looked at Kiyowa, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Your physical strength is this high even under those conditions? If you join the Corps and we supplement your diet and training, your potential would be limitless! The same goes for the young man over there who hasn't spoken yet! It's settled! I must train you both into exceptional Demon Slayers!"
Before Kiyowa could respond, Gyutaro finished his rice. He looked at Mujuro with fierce, predatory eyes, his voice raspy and cold.
"I don't trust you. There's no place in this world where you can eat and drink for free without a catch. Even if you saved us yesterday, I'm not joining some 'Corps' on a whim."
Despite the blunt, almost rude rejection, Mujuro's smile didn't waver. He turned his gaze toward Kiyowa and offered a formal invitation.
"I understand your suspicion. I know it is difficult to fully trust me in such a short time. But I will not give up, for that is the code by which I, Rengoku Mujuro, live!
"The Corps needs more talent. The number of demons is increasing. If no new blood joins us, more innocent people will be devoured. Therefore, inviting people like you is far more important than my own pride!
"Izumi Kiyowa! I wish to spar and train with you for a time. Even if you ultimately choose not to join the Corps, the experience of training with me will give you the ability to slay common demons should you encounter them. Even if you don't seek out battle, every demon that dies makes the world safer for countless ordinary people. That is my greatest aspiration!
"Furthermore, during our training, I will cover all medical expenses, food, and lodging. I've earned quite a bit of prize money from slaying demons over the years. To me, wealth is irrelevant; if I can foster an exceptional hunter, it is worth any price! I beg of you!"
With that, Mujuro dropped into a formal dogeza, his forehead striking the wooden floor with a heavy, resounding thud.
Kiyowa stared at the scene, his shock beyond words.
He had known about the noble character of the Rengoku family from the stories he'd seen before his reincarnation, but he hadn't expected someone to go this far for the sake of strangers. This man had almost entirely shed his personal ego, dedicating his entire life to a grand aspiration of eradicating demons.
Without hesitation, Kiyowa reached out to help Mujuro up.
"You don't need to go this far. Even if I don't join the Corps, I will do everything in my power to slay any demons I come across. Please... I would be honored to learn from you during this time."
At Kiyowa's words, Mujuro stood up, a brilliant smile lighting up his face. He knew the battle was half-won.
"Umu! That puts my mind at ease! Let us head outside and begin our training immediately!"
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Demon Slayer: Starting by Snatching Daki(89 Chapter- Ongoing)
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