Demon Slayer: I am a Demon.

"Mr. Kyojuro, you seem to be recovering very well."

The girl looked at Rengoku Kyojuro and spoke.

"It's also thanks to Miss Ren's medical skills."

Rengoku Kyojuro flashed a hearty smile.

"Kyojuro is very strong, but what kind of monster did he encounter last time that managed to injure you, a 'Pillar'?"

"It's not that the ghost was particularly strong, it's just that they were ambushed by the ghost while protecting a few people."

No wonder.

Shinobu Kocho nodded: "If it were an ordinary demon, it wouldn't be able to harm Mr. Kyojuro, who is a 'Pillar'."

"what……"

Rengoku Kyojuro chuckled, then looked at Shinobu Kocho, who seemed as sharp as a sword, and thought of her gentle older sister, Kanae Kocho.

"Speaking of which, you and your sister are really not alike. If Miss Shinobu could be as gentle as your sister, I think I would really like to stay in the Butterfly Mansion for a few more days."

"Ah……"

Butterfly chuckled, but the laughter sounded so fake that it was almost immediately obvious.

At this moment, someone had already delivered Kyojuro Rengoku's breakfast.

"I'm going to start eating, Miss Shinobu."

Seeing the food that had been served, Rengoku Kyojuro smiled happily and picked up his chopsticks to quickly taste it.

"Move slowly, or you'll tear the wound and cause me more trouble."

Shinobu looked up and gave a reminder.

"It's just a minor injury, don't worry about it. Besides, feeding yourself is the most important thing."

Kyojuro Rengoku ate his food while smiling, appearing quite happy.

Shinobu's gaze fell on the food on the table.

"Speaking of which, why isn't there any salt-baked loach in your meal today? I remember when you came to the Butterfly House to recuperate after your injury, you specifically asked for this. Should I ask them to make some for you?"

"No."

Kyojuro Rengoku put down his chopsticks and patted his stomach: "I need to save room for a big meal that someone else is treating me to."

"Oh!"

Butterfly, understanding perfectly, asked, "Which junior is going to invite you to eat this time?"

"Ha... a swordsman named Hiroshi Furukawa. He should be finishing his mission soon. I'm ready to have a big meal."

"Looks like you're really ruthless, you're going to really fleece these younger generation's wallets."

"Ha, I think it's because Shinobu is jealous, right? Haha... If Shinobu were like your older sister Kanae, she would probably be very popular among the younger generation."

"Heh... Is being popular more important than slaying demons?"

Shinobu took a big bite of the chicken leg in her mouth, and you could even hear the leg bone cracking. She was actually quite envious of how her older sister and Kyojuro Rengoku were liked by their juniors. She couldn't learn even a bit of her sister's gentleness.

"Of course they are just as important. These juniors are the future of the Demon Slayer Corps, fresh and tender shoots about to bloom..."

Kyojuro Rengoku shook his head.

"So you're still planning to kill your descendants?"

Butterfly Shinobu raised her eyes, her purple pupils gleaming with disdain.

"We still have to fleece them. How can we teach future generations about the wickedness of human nature if we don't empty their wallets?"

Rengoku Kyojuro patted his stomach and let out a hearty laugh, as if he could already see how his large belly would frighten Furukawa Hiroshi and the others.

"Quack quack..."

The sound of birdsong rang out, and the swordsman who was recuperating in the Butterfly Mansion couldn't help but look up, only to see a hawk raven circling back and forth above the mansion.

The swordsmen who were recovering from their injuries fell silent.

Each Demon Slayer Corps swordsman receives a personal Kasugai crow upon passing the formal examination at Fujisakayama. These Kasugai crows have the function of delivering intelligence and information and will accompany the swordsman throughout his life.

Now, with so many ravens circling overhead, looking as if they've lost their master, everyone knows what must have happened.

Rengoku Kyojuro, like everyone else, looked at the Kasugai crows in the sky, but his gaze suddenly sharpened.

The feathers on the wing of a raven appear as if they are stained with flames.

Suddenly, Rengoku Kyojuro fell silent. He recognized the Kasugai crow; it was the one that followed the junior who had offered to treat him to salt-baked loach.

"I wonder which squad suffered so many casualties this time."

Shinobu Kocho looked up at the kasuri crows in the sky and sighed softly.

"Miss Ren, could you please ask the kitchen to make a large batch of salt-baked loach?"

Shinobu Kocho turned around and looked at Kyojuro Rengoku, whose smile had suddenly vanished, with some confusion: "Didn't you say you were going to have your juniors treat you to a meal later?"

"We can't invite them anymore."

Kyojuro Rengoku clenched his fists, then relaxed them, picked up his chopsticks and began to eat large mouthfuls of food, almost burying his head in the food, his voice slightly low:

"I'll pay for them."

Chapter 80 Uncle, I'm scared (2/4)

Kyojuro Rengoku ate large mouthfuls of rice, stuffing his mouth full, as if that would stop the emotions surging within him.

Are you sad?

Is it painful?

Feeling lost?

……

There are.

But what can be done?

No matter how sad or painful it is, what can you change?

What can Rengoku Kyojuro possibly change?

Ultimately, he was useless as a senior and a 'pillar'. If, if there were a hole where he could escape everything, he would really want to crawl into it right now.

But he couldn't escape.

No matter how painful, how sad, or how severely he was hit, he had to grit his teeth and bear it.

Kyojuro Rengoku understood that even if he cried and cursed loudly now, the flow of time would not stop for him.

As a senior, as a 'pillar', he must be strong.

But it's really hard to stay strong.

As he ate his meal, Kyojuro Rengoku seemed to recall the gentle figure watching him, the one who had stroked his head when he was a child, when he was lost, and when he was sad.

"Mom, can I really do it? Can I really shoulder my responsibilities? Can I really do everything well?"

He then swallowed a large mouthful of rice.

After swallowing the last grain of rice, Kyojuro Rengoku stood up, ready to embark on his next demon-slaying mission.

No matter how sad or painful, as a 'pillar' and a senior, he cannot fall down, and must shoulder the responsibility of being a senior.

"Is my injury healed by now?"

Rengoku Kyojuro looked at Kocho Shinobu opposite him with a sunny smile on his face, as if he had transformed back into that passionate man.

It seems that the death of the younger generation has no effect on the continued burning of the flames.

"As long as you avoid strenuous exercise in the short term, it should be fine in a few days."

Butterfly answered in a low voice.

"Ah."

Kyojuro Rengoku said nothing more, picked up the Nichirin Blade on the table, and walked out.

Shinobu Kocho remained seated, watching the man's figure gradually disappear. She poured herself a small glass of sake, murmuring to herself:

"I really want to... kill all the ghosts!"

………………

"Come and eat."

Su Mu finished roasting the bear paws and shouted at Kanao, who was still meticulously chopping at the withered tree with her Nichirin Blade.

"Uncle, wait a little longer."

The girl gripped her Nichirin Blade tightly with both hands, gritted her teeth, raised the blade, and once again slashed down with all her might at the withered tree in front of her.

Wood chips flew everywhere.

"Three swords are still needed."

After finishing her strike, Kanao sheathed her sword, turned to look at her uncle by the campfire, and said breathlessly, "It'll be done soon...it'll be done in a minute."

After saying that, Kanao took a deep breath, gripped the hilt of her Nichirin Blade tightly, and with all her might, chopped down at the withered tree again.

"Two more cuts needed."

"One cut."

"call……"

It's finally finished.

Kanao finished her hundred slashes with all her might, and then almost collapsed to the ground.

By the campfire, Su Mu watched all this silently, without stepping forward to help.

Kanao immediately stood up, and although it was difficult for her to walk, she slowly walked up to him and sat down by the campfire.

Su Mu handed the sliced ​​bear paw to Kanao and placed a cup of hot water next to it.