The news of Tanjiro becoming Commander-in-Chief of the Demon Slayer Corps was rapidly spreading to every branch and member.
Thanks to the Kasugai Crows' speed, it would take only half a day for the information to reach everyone.
Those who had already received the message felt goosebumps rise from head to toe and experienced awe unlike anything in their lives.
Their veneration for Tanjiro surged beyond measure.
As for the marriage agreement between Tanjiro and Kagaya's daughters, the Ubuyashiki family chose to keep it private for now.
There was no rush to finalize the marriage, even though Kagaya had little time left. That was the kind of man he was. Having secured his daughters' happiness, he no longer needed to worry. He trusted both his daughters and Tanjiro completely. Besides, his wife would still be there to handle everything.
On the other hand, the heir issue posed no trouble. Almost every unmarried female Kakushi member had recently become obsessed with the Sun Hashira.
Intelligence reports showed the numbers already reaching three digits.
Even so, Amane, tasked with finding suitable partners, took her time and did not choose randomly.
She wanted only the best: women close to or above twenty, with well-endowed bodies capable of nurturing a child, and with loyal, devoted hearts toward both the Corps and their partner.
In fact, Amane had already contacted two fitting candidates that very morning, and both had happily agreed.
All that remained was to arrange a meeting between the parties involved.
She had even ordered the nearest mansion to theirs prepared for those two and the Sun Hashira.
All for the purpose of producing an heir!
...
Butterfly Mansion.
Morning.
Tanjiro stood in the center of the training ground, posture straight, eyes closed.
The Nichirin Sword in his tightly gripped hand glowed bright red, emitting a faint, beautiful hum. Its radiance was unmatched.
Mitsuri, Kanao, and Nayuta sat on the engawa, watching him in quiet admiration.
They knew Nichirin Swords could change colors, but the bright red shine on Tanjiro's blade was different. His sword's true color was black; that vivid red glow was his own doing, a power capable of nullifying an Upper Moon's regeneration.
The fact that only he could achieve this was simply astonishing.
No matter the weapon, as long as it was forged in the Swordsmith Village using Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Scarlet Ore from Sunlight Mountain, Tanjiro could make it glow red with ease.
His grip strength and body temperature were simply that terrifying.
Right now, he was developing a new Breathing Style exclusively for Mitsuri.
At first the curvaceous girl had felt sad upon learning her body was incompatible with Sun Breathing. But when she realized Tanjiro was creating a new style just for her, excitement overwhelmed her. She wanted to hug him immediately and barely held herself back.
Watching Tanjiro stand motionless ahead, she gazed at him with lovesick eyes.
'He's doing so much for me, mmm… My heart's still pounding too fast from earlier. This feeling is really unbearable… Ah, Mitsuri, keep it together! He's the age of my little brother…! Just three years… no, two! And I'll… We'll…'
"Kya~! You can't~!" She suddenly clutched her cheeks and let out an embarrassed squeak.
"...."
Nayuta and Kanao turned toward her, startled by the sudden sound.
They caught her flushed face in full view.
'This girl… What is she thinking!?' Nayuta raised a brow, sensing her thoughts.
Kanao pressed her lips together gently. 'Mitsuri-san's too excited, hm… Because of the new Breathing Style?'
The innocent girl couldn't grasp Mitsuri's impure thoughts despite her observant eyes.
She didn't dwell on it long, feeling happy for Mitsuri. Still, a small, unexplained ache tugged at her heart.
Next, all three jerked their heads toward Tanjiro as he finally began to move.
...
Eyes focused, Tanjiro's entire body flowed through refined patterns of flawless sword forms, almost like a dance.
The elegance was so profound that he himself lost track of time.
The moves blended elements of Flower and Sun Breathing Styles: graceful yet powerful strikes.
He had kept Mitsuri's incredible flexibility in mind and added his own touches to perfect the techniques for her body.
For the footwork, he incorporated applications from Lightning Step, weaving them into every form.
A total of ten techniques.
All connected in a continuous sequence, maintaining perfect rhythm and breath.
Like his own Sun Breathing, this new style was designed to flow without interruption. Once mastered to its peak, it could even rival his own forms in dominance.
A complete set of sword techniques offering both offense and defense at once!
Only after half an hour passed did Tanjiro realize he had become lost in his own creation.
'Aah… How long was I doing this…' He stopped, breathing still calm, though a few drops of sweat trailed down his forehead from the continuous movements under the sunlight.
'Hmm...?' He suddenly noticed something.
As he slowly turned toward the engawa, his brows rose naturally in surprise.
With a faint smirk, he spoke up. "Enjoyed the show, everyone?"
Yup, the entire mansion had come out to watch his performance, completely mesmerized.
A total of seventeen people...
Mitsuri, Kanao, Nayuta, Aoi, Shinobu, Yoru-san, Sumi, Kiyo, Naho, Nezuko, Takeo, Hanako, Shigeru, Rokuta, and three injured Demon Slayers who had been admitted a few days ago.
Some wore silly expressions while others stared at him with wide eyes, as if hypnotized.
Only after they realized Tanjiro had stopped moving and was looking at them did they snap back to reality.
"Onii-chan! That was so beautiful~!" "You looked so cool, Nii-chan!!" "Onii-chan~~!" His siblings responded quickly, surrounding him in seconds.
"Yes, yes." Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho also nodded their little heads. "Tanjiro-san is super talented!" "Hm~!"
Shinobu looked at Tanjiro with an unnoticeable smile and murmured, "He's a certified freak at this point."
Aoi gave a small nod, while Nayuta laughed inwardly.
As for Mitsuri and Kanao, they were left speechless and completely captivated. Remaining seated, they were still engrossed in those mind-captivating sword forms.
The three injured Demon Slayers stood petrified, eyeballs twitching and mouths agape.
Was this the realm of a Hashira?
What the hell. Even after doing those moves for so long, he didn't look exhausted...
Wasn't this too ridiculous!?
However, unlike the others, Yoru-san was the only one who didn't seem surprised.
She simply smiled while watching the children's enjoyment.
On the other side, Tanjiro dealt with his overly excited siblings and calmed them down. Their dear big brother had shown something truly amazing, so he didn't mind their enthusiasm.
'Good grief…' Releasing a small sigh, he moved to the engawa, deciding to teach Mitsuri those newly created moves in theory first, followed by instructing Nayuta and Kanao in Total Concentration Breathing more effectively, and then finally sparring.
Shinobu's soft voice came. "Why don't you name the Breathing Style? As its originator, you must give it a befitting name."
'Ohh…'
Nodding, he thought for a few seconds and answered with a smile. "Let's call it Lunar Breathing Style." Looking at the silent crowd, he asked, "Hm, don't like the name?"
Suddenly, Mitsuri stood up with a hyped-up face. "I love it~!"
'....'
"Me too." Nezuko said with a smile, as did Hanako.
Nayuta, Kanao, and the others also agreed with nods, saving Mitsuri from passing out from embarrassment.
They had been silent because the beautiful name had caught them off guard, not because they disliked it.
"It's decided then." Shinobu said softly, though her mind was thinking something else. 'So he's good at naming too, hm... That's reassuring.'
~~<>~~
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