Demon Slayer : The Silent Journey

[Seiji's POV]

It was the end of the most eventful Summer in my life. I killed two Upper Moons this season, reinvented and mastered Sun Breathing, found the Kamado family, affirmed my relationship with Kanae and Mitsuri, formed an alliance with Lady Tamayo etc.

That was only some of the things that happened this summer. It was funny how so many events could build up and happen in the span of one short season.

But as the heat of Summer resided and a calm autumn breeze blew, I was hopeful that my life would slow down for a short while.

I just wanted a few months of peace until my eventual return to the Kamado family where I would be waiting for Muzan Kibutsujoi to show his face.

I was certain that I wouldn't be able to end everything at that time but I was hopeful. Not only that, saving the Kamado family was of great importance to me.

Fortunately, the great Buddha or whatever God was up there seemed to listen to my prayers. The next two months rolled out in peace and serenity.

My days consisted of training my two new pupils, Muichiro and Kanao, while I also trained myself. Although I could no longer improve much, a blade needs constant polishing to remain sharp.

Mitsuri would join us when she was off mission. On other days she was usually busy taking missions like a madman, determined to climb the rank as quickly as she could and finally stand on my level. I did my best to support her.

On the other hand, Kanae had fully healed from her injury. She would spend most days wandering around the Mansion, helping the patients in any way she could. Her favourite pastime though was to sit on the veranda overlooking the training ground and listen to our training, the small gasp of exhaustion and the frequent clashing of steel seemed to bring her peace.

Mitsuri and Kanae were also getting along exceptionally well. So well in fact that I was left speechless whenever I saw them behaving like sisters.

The expected drama of me loving both of them also never occurred. The two girls seemed to have come to a secret agreement somehow.

Then again, maybe it's not so surprising. Mitsuri was the type of girl to be extremely vulnerable to the one she loved. You know, she is the type to keep staying with her abusive husband even if she knew full well she should leave. She'd remain just because she loved him and hoped he would change someday.

If I were to cheat on her constantly she would voice her complaints and even rebel but she would never leave me. Which is why I felt scummier for doing this to her. She is so precious, she should be protected forever.

Then there was Kanae who was exposed to things like harem from her comrade Tenegn and was a very traditional girl who thought it was not forbidden for strong men to have more than one wife.

And finally, both of them were kind-hearted girls with barely anything but goodness in their hearts. Them finding a peaceful way to settle the drama was a forgone conclusion.

Although, I liked to pretend that my sheer aura made them get along and okay with the idea of me having two lovers haha.

One noteworthy event that happened during the span of these two months was the Hashira meeting.

"Everyone, we have a new Hashira," Ubuyashiki himself had announced with a bright smile that was too happy to get another monster on his side.

"Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Pillar," we all looked at the young boy not a day older than 10 reaching the same rank as us.

"He became eligible to be a Hashira by slaying two Lower Moons. He is also a pupil of the Sun Pillar Seiji Shigan and he broke the record set by his master by becoming a Hashira only after one and half months of becoming a Demon Slayer," Ubuyashiki said.

"Great, the genius made a genius. They are multiplying," Sanemi grumbled under his breath.

"This is a good outcome for us, I don't understand why you are upset," Giyu said beside him.

"I'm not upset, you are the one brooding all this time!!" Sanemi replied.

Giyu immediately became depressed again, his head hanging down low, "It's because another one has strayed from the path of Water Breathing and derived a new Breathing from it. Even my Tsuguko kept leaving to create new styles,"

"Hah! Good thing I don't take any students! I wouldn't wanna deal with those kinds of things," Sanemi said and laughed. In truth, he couldn't take students even if he wanted to. His personality chased away all candidates after one meeting.

"Speaking of.." Sanemi said and turned his head to me, "Oi scarface!! Are you sure he is good enough to be a Hashira!!"

I felt a tickmark on my forehead, how shameless must you be to tease someone for their scar when you yourself were filled with scars?

 "I am certain he can whoop your ass even now sweet tooth," I said back.

Sanemi too grew a tickmark, "Are you trying to make me fight a child? No way I will lower myself to that standard no matter how you taunt me,"

Thirteen was when you normally consider someone an adult and even eligible for marriage. So even by traditional Japanese standards, Muichiro was but a child.

The Hashira meeting was quite chaotic but otherwise, the mood was good. We not only got a new Hashira but the demon activities were also dwindling rapidly.

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(Evening dinner : Flower Mansion}

"The demon goes, 'If you don't put down your sword, I will kill this woman who was nice enough to cook you rice and fish!!'. So I had no choice but to put down my weapon. Then the demon took my sword by the hilt and threw it far away where I couldn't take it anymore," Mitsuri said rather passionately.

All of us, Mitsuri, Kanae, Kanao, Shinobu and me were in the kitchen as we had our dinner. Mitsuri had returned from one of her missions and was eagerly retelling what happened.

There were already plenty of empty bowls beside her. She always ate a lot but she ate even more after missions.

"But luckily, the demon let go of the woman and she ran away immediately. But then I was alone without a weapon to defend myself, surrounded by the demon and his demonic centipede underlings," she said dramatically.

I didn't like it when she was in danger. I could barely endure when she was retelling what happened. Sometimes, I wanted to lock all the people I loved in my basement while I fought the world alone.

"But luckily, the woman was Umaoi (Animal harder) so she left her whip behind on the ground. I quickly picked up the whip and started fighting the demons with it since it was the only weapon I had and the centipede had poison skin so I couldn't touch them."

At this point, everyone was listening to her with rapt attention. She was quite the storyteller, her sheer enthusiasm carried her story. She was adorable.

"But then magic happened. The whip felt natural in my hand! It was like I was not using a weapon at all but was fighting with my own body!! I fought the demons for a long time since I was not able to slay them. But it was enough to keep them away from me while slowly dragging the fight to the place where my sword had fallen," she said and we all gave a low cheer.

"During the long confrontation, I was able to invent three whole new breathing forms relating to the whip!! It was incredible. And after I got my sword back, I was able to finish them off," she finished and we all clapped.

'I see, so that's how she came to learn that she is adept at using a whip,' I thought to myself. I was glad that she followed the canon, if she did not, I was going to introduce the whip to her after she became a Hashira.

"That's remarkable Mitsuri. I encountered something like that once and had to use a sickle to fight against one demon since my sword got broken in the fight," Kanae added and also gave some advice. She had vast experience, even vaster than mine so she was helping Mitsuri as much as she could.

We continued having varying conversations while we had dinner. I couldn't help but look at them fondly while all of this was happening.

It felt nice to be surrounded by people I love. This was the family I found.

It was everything I hoped for when I was in the pits of despair.

I realized at that moment, I did not feel foreign to this world. I knew belonged here, among them. They want me and they need me. And being needed was all the reason a man could need to keep fighting.

That same night, I got busy scribbling on a paper. I was writing a letter and designing a new sword to send to Hatori in the swordsmith village.

It was of course for Mitsuri. I was designing her whip sword and giving vivid details so that it could be made.

Then I sent Raven to deliver my letter.

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{1 week later)

"Here you go," I said, handing a gift to Mitsuri.

The setting sun was barely peeking on the horizon. I had already sent Muichiro and Kanae inside to clean up but I told Mitsuri to remain.

"What is this?" she asked while taking the giant gift. Her face was flushed, showing sensual sensitivity due to the intense training and her hair was sticking on the edge of her face.

"Open it," I said.

She opened the gift to see a sheathed sword inside. It was pink in colour, similar to how her sword was in the canon but the shape was a little different as I added some things of my own.

"A new sword!!" she exclaimed, ecstatic even though she had not realized it was unlike any ordinary sword.

It was telling that she would be this happy and grateful even if I had given her a normal sword.

"Thank you!" she smiled. Her gratitude was overwhelming.

"Try it," I said and she did after a nod.

She pulled the sword out from the sheath slowly and she was shocked when she realized the whip-like shape. It came out curving from the sheath.

"This is...." she looked at me quizzically but I just gave a smile, letting her discover what it was on her own.

I watched with a soft smile as she tried her new sword, getting accustomed to it. I saw that it felt natural in her hand like she was always meant to use that type of sword.

In the end, after she was done trying, she dropped the sword on the ground. Her hand gave up holding her precious gift because she wanted to hold something even more valuable.

She threw herself at me, fully confident in my ability to catch her. She wrapped her arms around my waist as she chanted.

"Thank you thank you thank you!!"

"I'm glad you liked it," I said, holding her tight and kissing her head.

She continued embracing me even when the moment had passed. After a few minutes or so, I couldn't help but notice the heat of her body, the softness and the lovely scent of her sweat.

The passionate moment was gone, leaving my mind to search for other stimulation. And as any man, when my first head was not occupied, the job immediately went to my second head.

Mitsuri on the other hand seemed to have no intention of letting me go so easy. Her arms remained tight and she hugged me in a way that we made the most contact.

Her boobs were also smashing against my body. I could feel their shape if I thought about it, even the little bean that slowly grew harder.

"Mitsuri?" I called as it was getting out of hand.

I looked down and I saw a sly smirk on her lips. She hid her face on my body and pushed her chest even stronger on mine.

'This girl.' I thought helplessly.

It was not only me, she was also leading me on to think what I thought, She was getting quite naughty these days.

If she kept this on, I won't hold back.

I embraced her too. Two could play that game. I for one didn't mind staying like this forever.

"Thank you," it was my turn.

"What for?" she asked after a beat of silence.

"For loving me," I said, "Despite all shortcomings, despite all my flaws,"

The fact that I had another lover and my job put her at risk was only one of the few flaws I had.

She released a sound that was a weird mix of sobbing and a chuckle.

"Silly boy,"

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[IMAGE]

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How about a stone?