It was another moonlit night.
Two figures, as light as butterflies flitting through flowers, were running through the mountains and forests.
They were wearing colorful haori with a Nichirin sword strapped to their waists, their faces etched with concern.
Above the two girls, a black crow was cawing loudly, guiding their direction.
“North, north, north! The Twelve Kizuki of the Muzan Kibutsuji have been spotted!”
“Lord Muzan has ordered the Flower Hashira, Kocho Kanae, to investigate!”
The smaller Kocho Shinobu couldn't help but mutter, "Shut up!" The crow, startled, flew away, no longer daring to make a sound.
But even without the annoying bird, her brows remained furrowed, a sense of unease settling in her heart. Everything felt too coincidental.
Why did demons appear right when she and her sister arrived?
Why weren't they there before?
Shinobu knew her doubts weren't entirely convincing. Demons were notorious for their unpredictable movements, appearing anywhere at any time.
A Hashira could leave, and a demon could arrive right after.
It was impossible to predict.
‘But… ’
‘Why do I feel so uneasy? It’s like something bad is going to happen… ’
Thinking this, Shinobu couldn't help but call out to her sister ahead.
“Sister!”
“What is it, Shinobu?”
The running girl turned around, her expression still as calm as ever. Her violet eyes were as gentle as a pool of autumn water.
Shinobu slowed her pace slightly, tentatively suggesting, “Sister, maybe we should wait for the other Hashira to arrive before going?”
“The crow also said there's a strong possibility of a Kizuki within the Muzan Kibutsuji. If it's a Lower Moon, it would be fine, but I'm afraid it might be a legendary Upper Moon!”
The members of the Twelve Kizuki weren't fixed throughout the centuries. Powerful swordsmen would slay Kizuki, becoming the new Hashira!
The problem was, the Hashira only killed Lower Moons.
The six Upper Moons had never been defeated in the past centuries!
Furthermore, these Upper Moons had claimed the lives of countless Hashira!
Shinobu knew what this meant.
And Kocho Kanae knew it even better!
If the demon in the Muzan Kibutsuji was an Upper Moon, then their investigation would be essentially suicide!
But Kanae had a reason she couldn't refuse.
“Shinobu, this is my duty and responsibility as a Hashira.”
The girl in front suddenly stopped running.
She extended her hand, gently stroking Shinobu's head, while firmly saying, “The crow said there are already over a dozen people dead in the Muzan Kibutsuji. If we delay even an hour, more people might die.”
“Besides, we are demon slayers! If we don't go, who can stop the demons from wreaking havoc?”
Under the moonlight, the beautiful girl seemed to emanate a gentle glow. Her light may not have been dazzling, but it was gentle enough to touch one's heart.
Sister…
Shinobu stared blankly at her most admired sister, Kocho Kanae, before letting out a helpless sigh. “I know I can’t change your mind, but sister! You must promise me, if you encounter danger, you must not care for me!”
“My strength is too weak, I can’t even sever a demon’s neck. I’ve always known I’m incompetent… but you're different, sister! You have innate talent and are constantly improving!”
“If we have to choose one to sacrifice, I want you to leave me behind, sister! Wait until you've become strong enough to kill all the demons, then avenge me!”
“As long as you promise me, I won’t stop you anymore!”
From a purely pragmatic perspective, sacrificing Shinobu for Kanae would be a very profitable deal. But this world is not just about profit.
It's about emotions too.
Kanae looked at her headstrong little sister, her lips curling up in a mischievous arc.
She raised her hand, gently tapping Shinobu on the head, and said, “Don’t underestimate your sister! I'm a Hashira, after all. How can you be sure I'll lose?”
“Even if I do lose, with my strength, I can definitely escape. Don't worry, Shinobu.”
The more you say that, the less I trust you, sister!
Sister!
Shinobu muttered to herself, secretly annoyed.
However, Kanae's assurance did ease her worries somewhat. She knew her sister wasn’t lying; as a Hashira, even an Upper Moon would struggle to stop her if she really wanted to escape.
But there was a truth Kanae didn’t reveal.
She only spoke half of it.
The Twelve Kizuki would flee when facing a stronger swordsman, that's why they were interchangeable strings, breaking and changing as needed.
But the Hashira would fight to their last breath, never running away.
That’s why Hashira are the pillars of the world!
Hashira who had never run away, for centuries.
And Kocho Kanae would be no different!
‘I'm sorry, Shinobu… ’
Feeling a pang of guilt, Kanae rubbed the spot on Shinobu’s head where she had just tapped.
She apologized for her lie in her heart, but on the surface, she maintained her gentle, sisterly persona.
Who said good people can’t act?
Women are natural actors, after all!
Naturally, the slightly mischievous Kocho Kanae was no exception.
It's just that she usually didn't lie to anyone.
So she may be a little rusty.
But lying to the headstrong, straightforward Shinobu shouldn’t be a big problem.
Shinobu, believing her sister would really run away if things went south, no longer protested and continued to follow Kanae.
Guided by the crow, the two sisters traversed the mountains and forests, entering a bustling town.
To the north of the town, a large plot of private land had been built into a temple.
That…
Was the Muzan Kibutsuji!
It was also the location where the intelligence personnel, risking their lives, had confirmed the presence of a Kizuki!
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