Chapter 50: Farewell Ceremony |
The Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.
Fallen leaves swirled in the wind, blanketing the courtyard and deepening the pervasive atmosphere of sorrow and loss.
Demon Slayers were accustomed to walking the razor's edge; the death of comrades was a daily occurrence. Many rank-and-file slayers passed away in total silence, their sacrifices known to few.
Only Kagaya Ubuyashiki remembered every single one of them. He quietly paid his respects to those who fell to the demons while the surviving slayers remained occupied—so busy they were forced to fight nearly every night.
Even for the Hashira, the funerals were modest, solemn affairs.
Kanae Kocho had gotten along famously with all her peers, yet not every Hashira could attend. The Water and Stone Hashira were away on urgent missions, and the Sword Hashira was still making her way back.
The casket had been placed in the mourning hall of the Butterfly Mansion.
'Sister...' Shinobu bit her chapped lip, her small fists clenched tight as she stood before the coffin, fighting with every fiber of her being not to cry. She was no stranger to death, but today she was saying goodbye to her only remaining kin.
Standing just behind her, the Sound Hashira patted her shoulder in a silent gesture of support.
'Doma?'
'If we are ever fated to cross paths, I will take your head without fail!'
'No...'
'Doma isn't the one who matters...'
'The real culprit is Muzan!'
'Muzan, the one who created all these demons...'
Tengen lived for the chance to slay the Progenitor of Demons, and he would pay any price without a second thought if it meant achieving that goal.
Beside him, the Flame Hashira silently gripped the hilt of his Nichirin Sword.
The Wind Hashira let out a long breath, replaying every scrap of known information about Upper Rank Three over and over in his mind.
An oppressive silence settled over the courtyard until...
The sound of footsteps approached from the hallway.
"Oyakata-sama..." the Hashira greeted, bowing politely.
Emerging from the corridor into the hall was none other than Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps.
"Ahem!" Kagaya was suddenly seized by a coughing fit and nearly stumbled. He looked sickly and frail, but fortunately, the Wind Hashira rushed to his side just in time.
"Oyakata-sama, you should..."
"I'm fine," Kagaya whispered, shaking his head. He slowly made his way toward the casket with Sanemi's support. His health grew worse with each passing year; he had lost count of how many slayers he had personally seen off to the next world.
"We will begin once Makomo returns. She is already on her way," the leader of the Demon Slayers said, staring at the coffin for a long moment.
Not all the Hashira could attend the funeral due to their duties, the Sword Hashira included. However, she had managed to complete her mission in a single night and was now racing toward the headquarters at full speed after learning of the Flower Hashira's tragic passing.
"Your sister was a wonderful girl..." Kagaya said softly.
"Yes... she worked hard, so very hard. But I swear to work even harder to kill Upper Rank Three... I'll destroy him no matter the cost!" Shinobu declared, her clenched fists finally beginning to relax as her resolve hardened.
Kagaya responded with a slight nod. He had feared most that Shinobu would be unable to bear the grief and lose her will to live. Yet, her sorrow had already transformed into a cold, sharp thirst for vengeance.
It was hard to say if that brought any true comfort.
If it were possible, he truly wished his children could lead peaceful, happy lives. But unfortunately, slayers were rarely destined to live to old age or spend their final days surrounded by grandchildren.
Nearly everyone in the Corps was driven by the grief of losing loved ones and an unquenchable hatred for demons. Such was the will of the Hashira, the will of the Demon Slayers. There was nothing he could do to change it—he could only offer his silent support and watch over them from afar.
With these thoughts in mind, Kagaya slowly scanned the faces of the gathered Hashira. His condition was deteriorating, and his vision was gradually losing its clarity, growing more clouded by the day.
It wouldn't be long before he went completely blind.
Thus, Kagaya wanted to look upon his children one last time while he still could.
However...
All of a sudden, his gaze froze, widening in surprise. His eyes fixed on a spot where several strangers had unexpectedly appeared.
The Demon Slayer Corps was vast, and for obvious reasons, new faces replaced old ones almost daily. It wasn't uncommon for the Hashira to be unfamiliar with many of their fellow slayers.
But Kagaya remembered every single one of them!
Despite his failing sight, he was certain that these newcomers—who had appeared as if from thin air and had been standing there for some time—were definitely not Demon Slayers.
"Hello. Have you come to pay your respects?" Kagaya inquired.
He sensed no malice from them.
Whoosh!
At his words, the gathered Hashira exchanged confused looks before snapping their heads toward the mansion's entrance. There, three figures stood, though no one knew exactly when they had arrived.
One was a girl in a fox mask with light hair and a familiar silhouette, while the man and woman beside her were complete strangers.
The man possessed similar light hair and a face of such perfect, indescribable beauty that it seemed almost ethereal and unreal.
The woman had long pink hair that gradually faded into green. Her large, pistachio-colored eyes, framed by lush lashes, watched the assembled slayers with curiosity.
"Wait... who?"
"Who are you?!"
The Hashira cried out in alarm, their faces paling as they stood.
Everyone realized that these people were not fellow slayers; the three had appeared as if they had simply materialized out of the ground.
The Wind Hashira, the Sound Hashira, and the others instinctively reached for the hilts of their Nichirin Swords, prepared to strike at a moment's notice.
The Flame Hashira stepped forward without hesitation, positioning himself to shield Kagaya from any potential threat.
Since it was broad daylight, the three uninvited guests certainly weren't demons. But this was the Demon Slayer Headquarters and the Butterfly Mansion!
Chills ran down the Hashira's spines and cold sweat beaded on their brows as a terrifying realization hit them: none of them had detected how or when these intruders had managed to slip past their senses!
At the same time...
Shinobu's eyebrows shot up in shock as she recognized Yeruashi's face.
"YOU?!"