The blade was rough, its notched edges pressing into his palm like a brand, radiating a faint heat.
"Master Rengoku, do you remember what you said last night?"
Kiyokazu's voice was steady, carrying a trace of a smile. "This morning, we eat rice balls and udon. Then, we continue our sparring. Afterward, we go to work to earn money for lunch. And tomorrow... I hope for the same."
Rengoku Mujuro listened, momentarily stunned. He then let out a helpless sigh. Kiyokazu hadn't made any grand, ambitious declarations, nor had he directly promised to follow Mujuro's order to flee.
But in those words, Kiyokazu had mapped out a future. The implication was clear.
Tomorrow... yes, tomorrow will be just like today.
Everyone would live. That was the promise Kiyokazu was making to him.
Mujuro looked up into Kiyokazu's eyes. There was no burning, heroic light within them—only a quiet, deep-seated treasureship of their current life.
He opened his mouth to speak, but found that words were unnecessary. Instead, he reached out and clapped Kiyokazu firmly on the shoulder.
"Umu! I understand!"
At that moment, the commotion on the porch drew Ume and Gyutaro out from the inner room, where they had been changing bandages.
Ume's eyes immediately landed on the uniquely shaped sword in Kiyokazu's hand and the bloodstains that hadn't been fully wiped clean. Perhaps because she had been around the scent of blood so much lately, she could smell it with terrifying clarity—a thick, indelible stench clinging to the steel.
Her face paled slightly. She said nothing, but her eyes shimmered with a flickering, unspoken worry as she looked at Kiyokazu.
Gyutaro, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes, his gaze darting between the Nichirin Sword and Rengoku Mujuro. Unlike his sister, Gyutaro sensed a tangible aura of danger radiating from the blade.
This sword... and the fact that Mujuro had stayed out all night only to return with it this morning... it all pointed to a looming threat.
"Ume, I'm thirsty. Go fetch some water for me."
"Brother, didn't you just have a drink?"
"I'm thirsty again. Go, now."
Gyutaro's voice was clipped. Ume pouted at the command, but she remained obedient, turning toward the water vat.
Shortly after Ume left, Gyutaro turned his gaze toward Mujuro, his voice laced with suspicion. "Hey, Rengoku. Is something about to happen? Don't hide it from me. At the very least, you're still staying in my house, aren't you?"
His voice carried a hint of helplessness. By saying this, he was technically threatening them—implying he would kick them out if they didn't tell the truth. Yet, the slight softness in his final "aren't you" took the edge off. He wasn't a heartless man; if he could help it, he didn't want to turn on his saviors.
Mujuro's expression grew complex. He hesitated for a moment before speaking softly.
"I was just about to tell you. While I was on patrol last night, I received word from the Corps. Another powerful demon may have arrived here. Including the one I've been tracking, there are now two in Yoshiwara.
"The Sound Hashira is on his way to provide backup, but given our current numbers and combat strength, the odds are still against us. If you don't truly wish to join the Demon Slayer Corps, it would be best if we part ways here..."
Mujuro's voice trailed off. These were his honest thoughts. Even if the Corps desperately needed recruits, it was no reason to drag this ill-fated pair of siblings into such a quagmire.
Before Mujuro could finish, however, Gyutaro spoke up, his voice carrying an unidentifiable emotion.
"Why is it that you gave this Kiyokazu brat a weapon directly, but for me, all you think about is convincing me to leave?"
Thinking Gyutaro felt slighted or treated unfairly, Mujuro hurried to explain.
"No, no, it's not what you think! Kiyokazu has practiced Breathing Styles since he was a child, so his inherent strength is quite good. Plus, his injuries are lighter than yours; he can actually serve as a combatant. But your wounds haven't healed yet—you can barely even stand.
"It's not that I'm looking down on you. It's simply the best judgment based on the facts. In your current state, you cannot be counted as a fighter. If you still want to join the Corps later, you must at least wait until your body has recovered. Besides, you're different from us. You have a sister to look after. Kiyokazu and I are essentially alone, but you..."
Gyutaro cut Mujuro off once more. He slowly stood up and began unwrapping the bandages from his body. To their surprise, the wounds that had previously been deep enough to see bone had already knit together, leaving only superficial scars.
He didn't say a word to Mujuro; the state of his body was his answer.
Instead, he tilted his head slightly toward Kiyokazu, who had been watching from the side. His lips curled into a distorted, unreadable grin.
"Hey! Do you agree with what this orange-haired owl says?"
Gyutaro's question was cryptic. He didn't specify which part he was asking about, but the ambiguity was intentional. He wanted to see if Kiyokazu was truly capable of carrying the weight of Ume's innocent, budding affection.
Kiyokazu chewed on the question for a moment, quickly grasping the underlying meaning. He looked Gyutaro directly in the eye, his expression more solemn than it had ever been.
"I am not 'alone' as Master Rengoku describes. Regardless of what she thinks, I personally don't believe I am. To lack the courage to admit that would be nothing short of cowardice.
"However, I also disagree with you joining the fight with us! Right now, you simply cannot be a combatant. You have no weapon and you don't have a healthy body. Dragging her along while you're like this is an act of irresponsibility.
"Finally, if you insist on following us into battle anyway, I will knock you unconscious and have Ume take you away to safety. If Ume refuses, I'll knock both of you out! That's how it's going to be!"
Kiyokazu's voice wasn't loud, but it was saturated with an unprecedented level of conviction.
Hearing this, a localized, ugly smile broke across Gyutaro's gaunt face. He licked his dry lips.
"That's more like it. I'm joining your training session in a bit. Owl, no problems with that, right?"
"Ah? Umu! None at all!"
"Good. Now, you bastard," Gyutaro said, nodding at Kiyokazu, "go help Ume fetch the water. I need to wash up!"
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Demon Slayer: Starting by Snatching Daki(89 Chapter- Ongoing)
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