十五

Katsumi and [Y/N] were both just walking together around the Hashira meeting grounds while talking to each other. [Y/N] who had a smile on her face that seemed to never leave was thankful that Katsumi was here with her. Katsumi was also smiling as she was talking to [Y/N] about some things. 

"[Y/N], I'm glad to be here with you"

"So am I, I still don't know how you're here but..I'm glad you're here"

Katsumi had smiled at this even more before the two of of were noticed by someone. Someone who also knew Katsumi from the past. "Katsumi..?"

[Y/N] and Katsumi had turned their direction towards the sudden voice to see Sanemi Shinazugawa standing there surprised of what he was seeing. "Ah Shinazugawa-san, it's nice to see you ag-" before katsumi could even finish the last word, she was suddenly pulled into a hug by him.

[Y/N] had never seen him hug someone at all, the weirdest part for her was that he was even crying. Katsumi had hugged him back before giving him a head pat also, "I'm sorry" she said firmly.

"Is it really you?" Sanemi asked while she just smiled at him "Why wouldn't it be?"

[Y/N] had stared at the both of them before speaking in confusion "The both of you..know each other?" this made Sanemi look at her and when he was about to speak, Katsumi had beat him to it. "Of course we do! We knew each other back in the old days"

"Oh, I see"

Katsumi then looked at Sanemi again before speaking "I won't be able to stay for long though" this had made him confused while he seemed a bit upset also. "What do you mean you can't stay for long?!"

"I mean I'll be leaving soon,again.."

Katsumi could sense both [Y/N] and Sanemi sad emotion that was spreading. She just smiled before hugging the two of them, Sanemi had to leave due to training so [Y/N] and Katsumi decided to go visit the butterfly estate. When they did arrive, [Y/N] had walked in first but noticed that Katsumi wasn't coming inside making her confused.

"Are you not going to come in?"

"I will, it's just.."

Katsumi had sighed before finally stepping inside the place and walking beside [Y/N]. Eventually the two girls were just talking with one another like always, but then when Shinobu saw [Y/N], she was grateful to see her. She started to walk towards [Y/N], but stopped in her tracks for some reason.

Why?

Because Katsumi was here.

Because Katsumi Tsukino was fully alive, standing right there in front of her.

[Y/N] had sensed Shinobu's presence so she turned around to see he standing there fazed by what she was seeing. "Shinobu?" [Y/N] said.

Katsumi had a frown on her face, she walked towards Shinobu and just smiled before holding her hands. "Konnichiwa, Shinobu" Katsumi said.

Shinobu couldn't help and think.

How is this possible?! She's supposed to be dead right?! Even [Y/N] can see her so she's actually alive?! I thought she died! Katsumi!

Her eyes had started tearing up making [Y/N] a bit worried by this even though she knew why. Katsumi had pulled Shinobu into a hug while smiling, "Shinobu, don't cry"

"How can I not cry when you're here?!"

As Katsumi had cupped Shinobu's face, her sweet smile never left. Instead [Y/N] decided to leave the two of them to be with each other for awhile, so [Y/N] left to go and talk to Tomioka. When [Y/N] did arrive at his estate, she couldn't help but sense two familiar presence here as well.

She walked up and walked until she saw Tanjiro hiding by the bamboo's watching Giyuu and Sanemi spar with one another. Both Sanemi and Giyuu were standing in front of each other with wooden swords in their hands. [Y/N] stood still and quiet watching the scene also.

"Wind Breathing First Form:Dust WhirlWind Cutter!"

Sanemi had dashed forward and slashed at Tomioka with horizontal cyclone pattern, "Hey! Hey! What's the deal?! Aren't you different from us?!" Sanemi had blurted while smiling still. 

"Water Breathing Fourth Form:Striking Tide"

Tomioka had made multiple consecutive slashes while twisting his body and sword to send the attacks at Sanemi, who dodged it and appeared behind Tomioka. 

"Too late!!"

"Wind Breathing Fifth Form:Cold Mountain Wind!"

"Water Breathing Seventh Form:Drop Ripple Thrust!"

Sanemi had created several circular arched slashes that increased in sizes while Tomioka had blocked it. Both Sanemi and Tomioka wooden sword's had broke apart, then Sanemi had cracked his knuckles getting ready to fight once more.

"Alright, how about we finish this with our bare hands?"

This made Tanjiro widened his eyes and he quickly got out of his hiding spot and stepped in front of Tomioka. Wat,wait,wait!! Wait a second! Don't kill each other!"

"Shut up, you're supposed to stay away from me anyway, but you've have been sneaking you scum"

"Are you fighting over over Ohagi? I can make enough for you guys if you want"

"Is this some kind of joke?!"

"Huh? No, no! I'm serious!!"

This seemed to amuse [Y/N] a bit which made her chuckle getting the boy's attention. When they did turn their head to see her, she sweat dropped at this before walking closer to them and standing beside Sanemi.

"Ohagi?" she said while Tanjir nodded before facing Sanemi again.

"When I was training at your house, I caught a whiff of Mochi and Red Bean Paste, and everytime I came back, I smelled the pleasant aroma of Green Tea and Ohagi, so I just thought..."

Then Tomioka had spoken "Shinazugawa..you like Ohagi?" he asked before Tanjiro had started to speak again.

"Ohagi is tasty right? Do you prefer it coarse or fine? I loved my grandmother's Ohagi and─" before Tanjiro could even finish another word, Sanemi had already grew sick and tired of him so he just knocked him out.

Tanjiro, who was still knocked out was just laying on the ground even though Tomioka had has haori on the ground which meant Tanjiro was actually laying on top of Tomioka haori. [Y/N] was still with the two of them when Sanemi had left them.

"[Y/N], how come you're still here?"

"Well, I don't have anything better to do"

Then Tanjiro had opened his eyes and sat up "What the...?! Giyuu! [Y/N]!"

Tomioka, who was sitting down beside Tanjiro had looked down before speaking, "Shinazugawa got angry and went off somewhere"

"Oh, he did? Why were you two fighting?"

[Y/N] then sat down in front of them before also speaking, "The two of them weren't really fighting. It was part of a Hashira training, it's where two Hashira's spar with one another" while Tomioka had nodded at what she said.

"Oh, I see..we'll I'm sorry for interfering"

"No, that's quite alright"

"I couldn't express myself well and Shinazugawa was mad the whole time..but as least I learned what food he likes"

"Next time I'll keep an Ohagi in my pocket..and give it to Shinazugawa when we met"

"Oh! Good Idea!"

"Then I'm sure we'll get along"

"I'll do that too!"

Tomioka and Tanjiro were smiling which made [Y/N] remember the smiles of her younger siblings, she just smiled and gave the two of them head pats.

Soon enough it was finally midnight, [Y/N] was just walking by herself down the rocky stairs, 'Today was a bit sudden for some reason..' she thought until there was a rustle noise in the bushes. She quickly turned around and had snatched whatever was in the bush squeezing it, to reveal blood spilling.

She had opened her hand to see a eye with a mark on it.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━Lady Amane was sitting down beside Kayaga who was laying down with bandages wrapped all over him. Although there was a certain demon who had appeared before the two of them, who was Kibutsuji Muzan.

"Hello, you came..it is our first meeting..Muzan Kibutsuji"

"You are in an unsightly condition..Ubuyashiki"

"Finally...you have come to me, you are now before my very eyes..Muzan Kibutsuji. you are the demon that our clan...the demon slayer had pursued for thousand years. Amane...tell me..what does he look like?"

Then Lady Amane had started to analyzed Muzan before responding back to her husband, "He looks like a man in his mid to late twenties, but his eyes are light pink and his pupils are vertical slits like a cat's"

"Oh, I see...I expected you to come, I was certain. you must be terribly angry at me and the Ubuyashiki clan..so I figured that you would come to kill me yourself"

Muzan who was standing in front of them had just stared at them, "Indeed, I'm disgusted from the bottom of my heart, Ubuyashiki. For a thousand years, your clan has never known it's place...and has interfered with me constantly, but now I find it's leader in this state.  So loasth some incredibly ugly, you already smell like a corpse, Ubuyashiki"

Then Kagaya had tried getting up to face Muzan, "I suppose I do, I.. six months ago a physician told me I would die within a few days. yet I am still alive..Even the physician is now at loss for words..and it's all because..I burn to defeat you Muzan"

"And tonight that fragile dream shatters, I'm going to kill you now"

"You..might not know it, but...you and I are the same blood line. However, I suppose since you were born over a thousand years ago..we aren't closely related"

"I don't feel anything about that, what are you trying to say?"

"The clan gave birth to a monster like you...and for that it was cursed. All of the children born in that house were weak and had soon died. When the clan was about to die..a priest offered counsel. He said a demon had come from the same blood line, and that we should dedicate ourselves to defeat him. If we did, the bloodline would survive...I took a wife from a family that had been in the priest hood for generations...after that, the children did not die as easily..but even then, no one in our clan lived past 30"

"Such pure nonsense turns my stomach, has your sickness reached your brain? Those events bear no relation to this. Anyway...Heaven has never punished me, it has forgiven my killing of Thousands. In a thousand years, I have never seen the Gods or Buddhas"

Lady Amane had moved closer to Kagaya holding onto him as he spoke with blood coming from his eye and mouth "Is that how you view it? Well, I see it differently. Muzan..what is your dream?"

Muzan had stayed quiet just looking at him and Lady Amane, Kagaya had stayed silent before speaking again. "For the last thousand years...what dream had your eyes been fixed upon?"

Muzan couldn't help but notice that there was something wrong here, he had a strange feeling for some reason. He had the Leader of the demon slayer corps, which vexed him very much right before his eyes, yet he didn't feel any hatred. On the contrary...

"One...if for one night ending! Lively! Merry! Raise decorations! Pine decorations, pine decorations! two is for Two pine sprouts! Good color, good color! Three layers of pine! Mount Kazusa Mount Kazusa!" cried the twins who were playing with the ball while smiling.

Muzan was looking around his surroundings and the place '...I feel odd..as if something is familiar relieved...yet disgusted. There are only four humans in this mansion, Ubuyashiki, his wife along with the twins, and there are no guards'

"Shall I guess..Muzan?" Kagaya spoke getting Muzan's attention to face him again, "I can fathom your heart. your dream is eternity, your dream is to be undying"

"...That's right, and I will achieve it. I merely need to find Nezuko"

"Your dream will not come true...Muzan"

"You seem extremely confident that Nezuko's hiding place is secure. Unlike you, I have plenty of time"

"You have made a mistake"

"What?"

"I know..what eternity is, Eternity is human feeling..only human feelings last forever..and are undying"

"Rubbish, I recoil from your words"

"For a thousand years, the demon slayer corps had persevered. Many unfortunate children have died..but they are not gone. Just now...you called that rubbish..but it is proven that human feelings are undying. Feelings are undying in their refusal to forgive those who unjustly steal the lives of their loved ones. And no one has forgiven you, not once in a thousand years... Furthermore Muzan...you have stepped on the Tiger's tail over and over..and invited the Dragons wrath. 

They would have remained asleep...but you woke them up, their eyes are fixed upon you..and they will not let you escape. Killing me will not harm the demon slayer corps one bit. I myself am not that important..but you cannot understand...human feelings... and human bonds. Because you...you demons..If you die, all the demons will perish right?" Ah, that got your attention..so am I right?"

Muzan had widened his eyes glaring at Kagaya with a shadow over his face.

"Enough!"

"Very well, that is all..I have said what I always wanted to say to you. Although may I say one last thing? I said that I myself am not that important, but that does not mean my death will be insignificant. Fortunately, the demon slayer corps─ and particularly the Hashira's─ are fond of me. So if I die, their determination will rise higher than ever before."

"Are you done talking?"

"Yes, I never expected you to listen this long..thank you...Muzan"

Katsumi who was standing outside with [Y/N] were just talking about some things until the crow had came and alerted everyone.

"EMERGENCY SUMMONS!! EMERGENCY SUMMONS!! AN ATTACK ON UBUYASHIKI MANSION! AN ATTACK ON UBUYASHIKI MANSION!!"

This had immediately caught both Katsumi and [Y/N] attentions, Katsumi had looked down at [Y/N]. "Go!" she said and with that, [Y/N] had immediately started to run towards the mansion. The rest of the pillars were also heading towards the mansion while Tanjiro was tagging along with Tomioka.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━⌜ Flashback Of The Hashira Meeting ⌟

Sanemi who was sitting down along with the rest of the pillars had seemed to be calm for a moment. "At least two Hashira's should be bodyguards for the master. Can you do anything about that Himejima?" he asked.

"No, it is impossible..I became a Hashira at 19, and for eight years I have suggest it..but he will not listen. He insists that the Hashira's are too precious to expend on him alone, it is a problem"

Then Shinobu had spoken "Apparently, the leaders of house Ubuyashiki haven't had guards for generations"

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━⌜ Flashback Ended ⌟

The Hashira's had arrived at the mansion, but before they could even take another step. The mansion had blew up.

All the Hashira's eyes had widened at this, [Y/N] couldn't believe what was happening at this point. 

Muzan who was there had his skin burned even though he was regenerating still, when he finished regenerating large thorns that seemed to be thick and shark were piercing through his skin and body. It was a blood demon art that had did this, when he looked down, he saw Lady Tamayo right there in front of him.

"Tamayo!! What are you doing here?!"