Chapter 52 : Reunion

Well due to heavy rain in our area, there was constant electric cut and network was fuzzy so there were no upload. Today the sky had cleared out. My sincere apology for the delay.

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The days flew by swiftly. Despite their decision to leave the village, they chose to hold their marriage ceremony there the following day, as it held all their cherished memories. During the wedding festivities, they shared their plans to depart with the villagers. The elders, who had always been kind to them, bestowed their blessings upon the couple.

Without delay, they set out on their journey towards Mt. Sagiri the next day's evening after the wedding. Fortunately, the mountain wasn't far from their village, so they won't have to travel for days. With no family other than each other, and with Kai's skills as a hunter, they didn't have much problem with changing their home anyway.

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"What do you think about leaving this place and going somewhere safer?" Haruto asked the Tomioka family earnestly.

"Well, this has been our home since birth, so we never really considered leaving. Besides, is there anywhere truly safe from demons?" Kai replied, stating his reservations.

"It's not like demons are invincible, though. You saw how I killed one with that blade, right? It's specially made by humans to combat demons. During our travels, we even met a pair of sister, who called themselves demon slayers who nearly killed me, but seeing I meant no harm to humans, they let us be. According to them Demon slayer corps is an organization that has existed since ancient times, dedicating its existance to protecting humanity from demons."

"You'd be safer there. And Giyu, you have really god talent so if you want, you can even train under the master at Mt. Sagiri who's much stronger than me now."

"I want to learn," Giyu quickly responded.

"But it's dangerous, Giyu," Tsutako said, her concern evident.

"No. I want to learn how to wield the blade, sister. I don't want to be helpless like yesterday." Giyu replied with determined eyes fixed on Tsutako.

"Well, it's good for your safety, but there's also a favor I'd like to ask if you decide to go," Haruto spoke again, scratching his neck sheepishly.

Tsutako was amused by Haruto's change in demeanor. Just yesterday, he was serious; now, opening up like this showed that although he acts mature,he's still a teenager with many insecurities. Oddly, it made her trust him even more.

"What's the favor, Haruto?" Tsutako asked softly.

"Well, I'm always fighting demons, so it's risky for Kanao. If a demon is stronger than me, fighting while protecting her will be impossible for me. If you go to Mt. Sagiri, could you look after Kanao? She also needs other bonds to open up while I'm away."

"Okay, Haruto, we'll decide after the wedding. Is that alright?" Kai interjected, bringing a blush to Tsutako's face as she remembered it was their wedding today.

"No problem at all. It's not compulsory for you to leave, and I took care of the demon yesterday, so the village should be safe for a while," Haruto reassured them.

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It was close to midnight when they finally reached the base of Mt. Sagiri. Since they took breaks regularly, they weren't feeling too exhausted. Just as they were about to move forward, Giyu spoke up with a question.

"Bro, do you think it's safe for you to go straight there? if these demon slayers are stronger than you as you say? Won't they try to attack you?"

Giyu's question made everyone pause with concern. Haruto chuckled softly before replying.

"Don't worry, it should be fine. Remember those sisters I mentioned? They're supposed to be around here. There shouldn't be any fight."

However, Haruto knew better than to rely solely on his assumptions. The figure standing there was just a clone, and he understood that things didn't always go according to plan. So, being cautious was definitely a necessity.

"Hello, long time no see," a clear voice suddenly broke the silence, startling Haruto. He glanced up to see two figures perched on the trees ahead. One was tall, the other short, their slim forms highlighted by the moonlight.

Current Flower hashira, Kanae kocho and future Insect hashira Shinobu Kocho.

Kanae smiled warmly as she gracefully descended, followed by her sister Shinobu. Shinobu's purple eyes flicked between Haruto and the group behind him, thinking.

"It's been a while, Kanae," Haruto greeted, glad his gamble paid off.

Shinobu, feeling left out, added with a hint of annoyance, "Hey, I'm here too!"

But Haruto just ignored her, It was quite fum to tease the current Shinobu, who gets easily provoked because of her quick temper.

"You..." Shinobu started to say, but Haruto kept his sight forward, expecting more arrivals. Soon, three masked figures hurried into view.

The first wore a tengu mask with a long nose. Behind him came a boy in a fox mask and a girl with black hair in a floral-patterned fox mask.

'That's Sakonji Urokodaki, the Water Hashira, and the other two should be Sabito and Makomo,' Haruto thought, recognizing them.

"Kanae," Sakonji expressed slight surprise. When they sensed a nearby demon, the Kochou sisters were the first to act, yet they hadn't engaged with the demon yet. He stood there, assessing the situation.

"Master Urokodaki," Kanae greeted respectfully, acknowledging Sakonji's seniority. After exchanging pleasantries, Sakonji's gaze shifted to Haruto.

"Should I fight, or will you?" he inquired, causing Haruto to instinctively step back, hand hovering near his blade's hilt.

"No, we don't need to confront him," Kanae interjected suddenly.

Sakonji appeared momentarily puzzled, pointing towards Haruto, "He's..."

"I know," Kanae swiftly interrupted, cutting off Sakonji. "We have received specific instructions from Master Ubuyashiki concerning him."

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Sakonji was taken aback, wondering why they hadn't taken action against the clearly identified demon before them. Demons were always dangerous, feeding on humans and posing a threat if not dealt with. Even if this one wasn't immediately deadly, it was standard to imprison them in enclosures surrounded by wisteria flower to protect everyone.

"This is what the master wants," Kanae said calmly, explaining the situation.

Sakonji remained stunned for a while, trying to understand why their head would protect a demon. Had he heard correctly?

"I forgot to mention, this news hasn't been shared yet, but everyone will be notified soon," Kanae added with a smile.

Sakonji's gaze drifted back to Haruto, curious about what made the master order them not to treat him as an enemy.

Meanwhile, Haruto observed Sakonji, recognizing the formidable presence of the gray-haired old man in the tengu mask. He was known for his strength and ability to train young demon slayers like Makomo, Sabito, Tomioka Giyuu, and Kamado Tanjirou—a highly respected teacher.

The idea of receiving training from Sakonji crossed Haruto's mind, knowing it could greatly improve his skills. Yet, he quickly dismissed it as wishful thinking. It seemed impossible for a demon to be mentored by a member of the demon-slaying team—a scenario too fantastical for their world.

"Bro, are they the ones you were talking about?" Giyu eyed the newcomers carefully. Despite their friendly demeanor, each had an air of deterrence about them.

"Yeah, those are the sisters I mentioned earlier. The tall one is kind and mature, and the other one can be a bit immature. And that's the person i said you could learn from and the other's should be his disciple." Haruto explained, gesturing towards the Kocho sisters and the trio behind them.

"I see. She does seem wild," Giyu agreed, nodding without hesitation. Kanae smiled faintly, finding Shinobu's rising anger calming. Shinobu always keep a frown on her face constantly after their parents death, so seeing her casually conversing makes Kanae feel content. And she knew well the urge to tease her younger sister. As for Shinobu, her hand hovered near her sword's hilt; Haruto had already been annoying, and now there was another one. She was tempted to draw her blade.

'Talking with a demon?' Sakonji was bewildered, his eyes shifting between the Kocho sisters and Haruto.

"Okay, Haruto, enough teasing," Kanae intervened before Shinobu could act. Haruto shrugged nonchalantly, backing down. Turning to Kanae, he asked, "Did they give an answer to my proposal?"

"Yes, but we can discuss it later. Right now, they must be tired," Kanae replied, nodding towards the others behind Haruto. Hearing this, Haruto gently took Kanao's hand and followed Kanae with the group.

Sakonji frowned, observing the demon as he guided the girl. She seemed emotionless, almost like a puppet, yet surprisingly reliant on the demon.

"A person relying on a demon?" Sakonji muttered to himself, uncertain how to make sense of the day's events. Everything felt surreal and out of place.

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