It was another busy day.
After wrapping up her training, Kazama Aoi spotted Kyojuro Rengoku standing a short distance away. Instinctively, she called out to him.
"Rengoku-san! Are you heading out on a mission?"
Kyojuro turned at the sound of her voice, his flame-patterned haori dazzling in the sunlight. He gave her a boisterous, radiant smile. "Indeed! Recently, forty passengers have vanished without a trace from a train called the Mugen Train. Master has sent me to investigate!"
As he spoke, he patted the Nichirin Sword at his waist, his eyes burning with the singular heat and resolve of the Flame Hashira. "Forty innocent lives... I cannot let them die in vain! I will hunt down the demon lurking in the shadows and make it pay in blood!"
Aoi's heart sank. The disappearance of forty passengers meant this demon's cruelty far exceeded the norm. "Rengoku-san... please... be careful."
Kyojuro blinked, momentarily taken aback, then let out a wide grin. He gave her shoulder a heavy pat—one that sent her stumbling. "Hahahaha! Rest easy, Aoi! I am the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku! I shall return safely, without fail!"
He waved a hand and turned, striding toward the gates with a powerful, rhythmic gait.
Aoi watched his silhouette vanish, but the unease in her heart rose like a tide. She clenched her fists, a sinking feeling telling her that something terrible was on the horizon.
During dinner, Aoi was visibly wilted, her mind clearly elsewhere.
"Aoi-chan, what's wrong? Why do you look so down?" Tanjiro's voice came from behind her, filled with a warm, concerned tone.
Aoi turned to see Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke standing there. She forced a small smile and shook her head. "It's nothing. I'm just... a little worried about Rengoku-san."
"Rengoku-san?" Tanjiro paused, then realized. "Is it because of the Mugen Train investigation?"
Aoi nodded, her voice tight with worry. "Forty passengers have gone missing. It sounds incredibly dangerous. Rengoku-san, he..."
Before she could finish, Inosuke interrupted her with a huff. "What is there to worry about! That guy is a Hashira! No mere demon could ever beat him!"
"Exactly, exactly!" Zenitsu chimed in, chewing on a rice ball and speaking through a mouthful. "Rengoku-san is so strong, he'll definitely slice that demon into ribbons! Aoi-chan, you're just overthinking it!"
Tanjiro looked at Aoi's furrowed brow. After a moment of silence, he spoke seriously. "Aoi-chan, if you're really that uneasy, we could go and help. Our strength might not match a Hashira's yet, but every extra person is another bit of strength. We might be able to protect more people that way."
Inosuke's interest was instantly piqued. He yanked off his boar head, his eyes shining with a wild light. "Oh? Hell yeah! I've been itching for a real fight with a demon!"
Zenitsu's face went pale instantly. His rice ball hit the floor with a soft thud. "Eh?! Go fight a demon? I—I—I'm not going! We're gonna die for sure!"
Aoi's eyes lit up. "Yes! Let's go together!"
At that exact moment, the mechanical chime of the System rang in her head:
[Ding—Team Side Mission Triggered: Rendezvous with Kyojuro Rengoku and protect the Mugen Train. Reward: Plant Manipulation (Allows brief control over vegetation), 2000 System Points.]
Aoi: "..."
This System certainly has impeccable timing.
The four of them stood by the Mugen Train at the station, their expressions forming a comedy of contrasts. Tanjiro and Inosuke looked absolutely thunderstruck, looking every bit like hicks who had never seen civilization.
"What is this? This thing must be the Master of this land! Look at the length! That intimidating aura! It looks like it's sleeping, but don't let your guard down!" Inosuke stood on his tiptoes, peering into the carriages, while poking Tanjiro in the ribs.
Zenitsu looked at them with pure disdain. "It's just a train. It's a vehicle for carrying people, you mountain bumpkins."
Tanjiro's cheeks flushed at the comment. He scratched his head and offered a small, quiet rebuttal. "I—I've just never seen such a... magnificent train before."
Aoi couldn't help but smile. She patted Tanjiro's shoulder and gave a sharp look to Inosuke, who was still bickering with Zenitsu. "Alright, stop arguing. Let's go find Rengoku-san."
The trio nodded, and together they boarded the Mugen Train.
"Aoi-chan, are you sure Rengoku-san is on this train?" Tanjiro asked, glancing around. He didn't see any sign of the Flame Hashira yet.
"He shouldn't be hard to find. Rengoku-san said he was investigating this specific line; he has to be here. Let's check the next carriage."
They moved forward into the next car.
"TASTY!"
A boisterous voice suddenly exploded through the carriage, making all four of them jump. They whipped their heads toward the source—there sat Kyojuro Rengoku, inhaling bento boxes at an incredible speed.
With every single bite, he let out a loud exclamation: "TASTY! TASTY! TASTY!"
"Rengoku-san!" Aoi cried out in joy and relief. The weight that had been pressing on her heart finally vanished.
Then, she remembered her unfinished mission. I should settle this now while I have the chance.
Steeling herself, Aoi cleared her throat. "Rengoku-san!"
Kyojuro looked up, half a piece of tamagoyaki still in his mouth. "Umu? What is it?" he asked, his voice muffled.
"Did you know? Besides slaying demons, I have an incredibly important mission right now."
Kyojuro paused his chewing, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. "Oh? What mission would that be? Has Master issued a new set of instructions?"
Tanjiro and the others turned to look at her as well. Inosuke scratched his head, looking confused. "A mission? Is it more important than killing demons?"
Under the collective gaze of all four men, Aoi forced the words out. "This mission... is to put you into every single moment of my future."
Kyojuro froze. No matter how dense he might be, the meaning of those words was unmistakable. Thinking back on Aoi's strange behavior over the past few days, followed by this sudden, burning confession, Kyojuro's heart gave a violent skip.
His smile faded, replaced by a grave expression. "I thank you for your feelings," he began slowly. "However, as a Hashira, my primary duty is the slaying of demons. I am sorry, but I cannot return your sentiments."
"Eh?!" Aoi was stunned. She hadn't expected Kyojuro to actually respond to her, let alone with such a serious rejection.
Ah—No! No, it's not what you think! This is a misunderstanding! It was a System mission!
Aoi roared internally, but her face settled into an expression of forced understanding. "Ah... I see! I get it! Rengoku-san, you carry a great burden and your duty comes first. I was out of line!"
She wanted nothing more than to find a hole and crawl into it. A perfectly good "corny pick-up line" mission had somehow devolved into a genuine confession and a public rejection. It was a total, unmitigated social death!
As for the final remaining line... there was no way in hell Aoi was saying it now.