Chapter 59: The Final Selection Returns
"But... where should I go to find them?" Mitsuri tilted her head, her gemstone-green eyes clouded with confusion.
"How about trying another street?" Akira suggested gently. "You've probably only looked for friends near your home. Why not expand your search a little? If you go somewhere farther away, though, remember to ask your parents to come with you. It's important to be careful around people you don't know."
He offered a small, disarming smile. "For example, you're talking to a stranger like me without a hint of caution. That can be very dangerous."
"Then... are you a bad person, Big Brother?" Mitsuri blinked, the question utterly devoid of suspicion. It seemed his warning had only just registered, and she reflexively shrank her neck, though her body didn't move an inch.
In her mind, there was no way this handsome, kind-faced boy could possibly be a bad person. He didn't find her strange or dislike her flaws; he had even called her hair color cute. Before him, only her family had ever said such things.
Akira looked at her innocent reaction and was momentarily at a loss for words. He felt that, despite being roughly the same age as Shinobu, Mitsuri's awareness of the world was even less developed than Kanao's had been right after she relearned how to speak.
"Of course I'm not a bad person," he chuckled softly. "Alright, it looks like you're not so sad anymore. I should be going now."
"Oh..."
Seeing Akira prepare to stand, Mitsuri hesitated for a heartbeat before finding her voice. "Um, my name is Mitsuri! Kanroji Mitsuri. Can... can you tell me your name, Big Brother?"
Akira paused, settling back down slightly. "My name is Kanzaki Akira."
"Can I... call you Brother Kanzaki?"
"Of course you can, Little Mitsuri."
"You can just call me Mitsuri," she said, a little breathless. "Will we... meet again? I mean, are we... friends now?" Having been hurt by rejection so many times, it took all of her courage to send out another request for friendship. Her emerald eyes, still shimmering with unshed tears, were wide with a fragile mixture of anxiety and hope.
"Of course," Akira replied, his voice warm and genuine. "I'd be very happy to be friends with you, Mitsuri. However, I live quite far from here. I was only passing through town by chance today, so I probably won't be back for a long time. If we meet again, it might be a while from now."
As a Hashira, especially during a time when the Demon Slayer Corps' upper ranks were stretched thin, he truly had very little free time. He knew, however, that this would change. In another year or two, things would ease up.
Makomo was already a Kinoto-ranked slayer. With her skill, as long as she wasn't met with exceptionally bad luck, it wouldn't be long before she, too, ascended to the rank of Hashira. Kanae's talent was just as remarkable, and her growth would be swift. As for Sabito and Giyuu, it went without saying; those two would surely reach the Pillar level within the next two or three years as well.
When that day came, Akira would have more freedom.
For now, he had no intention of pulling Mitsuri into the Demon Slayer Corps. She was still young and had a happy, loving family. There was no reason for her to join the brutal world of demon slaying so early. In truth, if not for the desperate wish for her to have the strength to protect herself—so that her life wouldn't be left to the whims of fate should she ever encounter a demon—he wouldn't want her to join at all.
"Then..." Hearing that they might not meet again for a long time, Mitsuri's eyes filled with a fresh wave of disappointment.
"Ara," Akira said, adopting a light, teasing tone. "I've heard a saying: 'Fate can bring people together from a thousand miles away.' Perhaps we'll meet again sooner than you think. I really must go now, Little Mitsuri." As he spoke, he finally gave in to the impulse and reached out, gently ruffling her pink-and-green hair.
So far, he had patted the heads of three girls. Though their hair was all equally soft and smooth, their reactions were wonderfully distinct, which in turn made the simple gesture feel different each time. Kanao would actively press into his palm like a contented kitten. Shinobu would, more often than not, turn her head sharply to dislodge his hand. And Mitsuri... she simply stood there, dazed and motionless, as if her brain had completely stalled.
She was, in fact, completely stalled. Until this moment, she had never had any physical contact with a boy other than her father and brother. First, her offer of friendship had been accepted, and now her head was being patted. The successive impacts were too much, and her mind successfully overloaded.
'He agreed to be my friend! I have a friend, too! Is this what friends do? Is patting someone's head normal? How am I supposed to respond? Brother Kanzaki's hand is so warm... it feels kind of nice... Oh, my goodness! Mitsuri, what are you thinking?!'
Seeing her youthful face turn a brilliant shade of red after only two gentle pats, looking for all the world like she was about to turn into a steam engine, Akira wisely withdrew his hand.
"Alright, I'm leaving. Goodbye, Little Mitsuri."
"Oh... oh! Goodbye, Brother Kanzaki!" Akira's soft farewell rebooted her brain just enough to stammer out a response, though she still felt a bit dizzy.
Just as he stood up, he paused and added one last reminder. "Oh, right. Remember not to wander too far outside of town to play, especially at night. It's best not to go out at all after dark. It can be dangerous."
This town was adjacent to the Rengoku family's estate, so it was generally safe from demon attacks. The same couldn't be said for the more remote villages nearby.
"Yes, I understand, Brother Kanzaki."
Only then did Mitsuri quickly get up, following him out from the dark, cramped space under the bridge and into the light. She watched his back as he blended into the bustling crowd, his figure growing smaller and smaller until he disappeared from sight completely.
Mitsuri stood there for a long moment, holding her still-hot cheeks. She replayed their short interaction, a conversation that had completely swept away the gloom that had been clinging to her heart. The smile on her lips grew wider and wider.
Then, a sudden, distressing thought struck her: she hadn't even asked for his address. He had said he lived far away, but even if they couldn't meet, they could still write letters.
A pang of disappointment hit her, but she quickly shook it off, her spirit buoyed by a newfound optimism. She repeated the phrase he'd taught her—"Fate can bring people together from a thousand miles away"—over and over in her heart as she turned for home, eager to tell her family the wonderful news that she had finally, successfully, made a friend.
...
Back at the Butterfly Mansion, Akira's life fell into a familiar rhythm. His days were spent practicing his swordsmanship, playfully bickering with Shinobu, and spending quiet, peaceful moments with Kanao. His nights were dedicated to patrol. Every so often, he would take a trip to Mount Sagiri to check on Sabito and Giyuu.
It was worth mentioning that during this time, Kanae successfully created her own Breathing Style: Flower Breathing.
As a derivative of Water Breathing, it possessed a unique elegance and a deceptive quality its parent form lacked. It was more aggressive and faster, trading some defensive capability for overwhelming offense. The movements were a stunning combination of power and beauty. When she swung her blade, it was as if a shower of delicate flower petals filled the air, but hidden within that beautiful storm was a razor-sharp killing intent.
Because it was a new creation, even with Water Breathing as a foundation, Kanae had only managed to develop six forms. However, they provided a solid balance of offense and defense, only lacking a definitive finishing blow on the level of Water Breathing's Tenth Form: Constant Flux. For the time being, it was more than enough.
And so, time flowed onward. Before anyone realized it, spring was melting into summer once more, and with the changing of the seasons, the annual Final Selection had arrived again.
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