Chapter 65: The New Flame Hashira |
Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, has fallen in battle.
Yet, in his wake, Tanjiro Kamado slew one of the Twelve Kizuki and ascended to the rank of the Flame Hashira within the Demon Slayer Corps. This was despite Mitsuri Kanroji’s persistent attempts to grant him the special title of the "Idol Hashira" until the very end...
There are two known methods to become a Hashira. The first is to slay fifty ordinary demons, and the second is to kill one of the Twelve Kizuki. Both Upper and Lower Ranks count toward this feat, though killing an Upper Rank is undeniably more prestigious.
It goes without saying that the first method is significantly easier.
Because of this, a vast disparity in strength sometimes exists between the various Hashira.
One could say with certainty that Tanjiro’s generation is the strongest in the history of the Demon Slayer Corps since the era of Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Even the Sound Hashira, who is far from the most powerful among them, is capable of decapitating Upper Rank Six in the blink of an eye.
It is known that Daki has killed at least seven Hashira in her lifetime. From this, one can conclude that those previous pillars were considerably weaker than Tengen or Daki herself, let alone her brother, Gyutaro.
"Tanjiro became a Hashira!" Mitsuri exclaimed with a joyful beam.
Her grief over Kyojuro's death gave way to relief as Tanjiro’s efforts were finally rewarded, though she never truly doubted that Yeruashi would find a way to save Nezuko regardless.
"I have no doubt Tanjiro will catch up to them before we know it," Mitsuri replied with a smile.
"He’s strong enough to defeat any of the Lower Ranks now, but as for the Upper Ranks... perhaps only the sixth, Daki," Kanao mused.
"Daki?" Kanae asked for clarification.
To this day, the Demon Slayer Corps is aware of many members of the Twelve Kizuki to some extent, yet the identity of Upper Rank Six remains a mystery.
"The position of Upper Rank Six is held by two demons simultaneously—a younger sister and an older brother. Daki isn’t far removed from the Lower Ranks, but Gyutaro is much stronger... roughly on par with the Sound Hashira," Yeruashi explained calmly.
While Tengen might have been outmatched before, he could now at least hold his own against Upper Rank Six, though his progress in mastering Makomo's swordsmanship was modest compared to Kyojuro and the other Hashira.
"The sixth position is held by a brother and sister? And with such a gap in strength..." Kanae couldn't hide her surprise.
It wasn’t exactly the first case of its kind. Years ago, the Demon Slayers had encountered Upper Rank Four, who possessed several incarnations. However, their individual strengths weren't drastically different; the real surge in power only occurred when they merged into a single entity.
"The brother watches over Daki," Yeruashi elaborated thoughtfully.
Gyutaro is exceptionally powerful on his own, but his younger sister drags him down, just as the Progenitor of Demons once remarked.
He certainly wouldn't be able to match the strongest Upper Ranks, but if he were to cast aside his emotions and consume his sister—along with the abilities of all the Hashira she has slain—he would almost certainly secure the fourth position with confidence.
Not to mention, Daki likely wouldn't have even reached the level of a Lower Rank without her brother's constant protection.
"I never imagined family bonds could endure after both siblings turned into demons," Mitsuri remarked, blinking in surprise.
"Well then, let’s take a look at their past," Yeruashi said with a nod.
With a mere thought, an additional water screen shimmered into existence before them. On the display, a very young Gyutaro was being mercilessly beaten in a squalid, poverty-stricken district.
Then Daki was born, giving the boy a reason to live. He protected her fiercely and did everything for his younger sister. It would be no exaggeration to say she was his entire world.
Since they lived in such an impoverished area, Daki, who grew up to be quite the beauty, had to work in the Red Light District. Because of her young age, she didn't have to serve clients yet. In fact, they tried to look after her so they could sell such a beauty for a high price later.
Because of this, life for the siblings began to steadily improve.
Until the girl turned thirteen...
At that time, a certain samurai paid a fortune for Daki's first time and began to mock Gyutaro, trying to convince the girl to abandon her ugly brother and stay with him.
Daki couldn't bear the insults, and in a fit of rage, she gouged out one of the samurai's eyes with a hairpin.
"She actually did it!" Mitsuri gasped, her mouth hanging open in shock.
Naturally, she couldn't help but admire a girl who so boldly defied her fate. At that moment, Daki wasn't the cruel demon she would become, but a simple girl with a tragic life.
But what followed that brave act shocked Mitsuri to her core. She had to watch as the enraged samurai burned Daki alive. After such a horrific ordeal, there was nothing left of the girl—she was beyond recognition.
"Ah, so that’s how it was," Kanae murmured, her expression growing as dark as a storm cloud at the horrific sight. She added, "Now I understand..."
A wave of conflicting emotions washed over her, and her heart grew heavy at the thought that this girl would go on to kill so many people.
Back on the water screen.
Upon his return, Gyutaro fell into despair and brutally murdered the samurai along with everyone else involved. When all hope for salvation seemed lost, Doma—who was only Upper Rank Six at the time—happened upon them.
At the sight of him, Kanae immediately regained her composure.
And it was then...
"I wonder, what would you have chosen in Gyutaro's place? To become a demon alongside Shinobu, or..." Yeruashi asked curiously.
"I probably would have agreed as well, provided I didn't know the price of becoming a demon. But if I had known, then of course... I would have said no," Kanae replied firmly after a brief pause.
"A good answer," Yeruashi noted with a nod. "And that’s one of the reasons I favor you over those two, for example."
"One of them? What are the others?" Kanae asked, her curiosity piqued.
She had learned well that Yeruashi didn't interfere in people's lives without a very good reason. This naturally raised the question: what had caused him to change their fate? Yeruashi had never broached the subject before, and she had never pressed him with questions.
"Well, probably... because you’re both much easier on the eyes. Though Daki was quite a beauty in her human form too, but there are two of you, after all," Yeruashi teased with a playful smirk. Simultaneously, a completely different thought drifted through his mind: 'Perhaps it's just my lingering guilt from the distant past...'