"Thank you," Oboro said as he sat comfortably on the floor of Tanjuro Kamado's home.
He accepted a bowl of hot soup from Tanjuro's wife, savoring the warmth that spread through his hands.
Oboro had bought a small farm at the foot of the mountain where he now lived. Whenever Tanjuro took Tanjiro down the mountain to sell charcoal, they would stop at his place to deliver some. It wasn't charity, Oboro always paid fairly. After that, they went back up the mountain together, arriving just in time for lunch.
As for the jade ornaments he had given Tanjiro, they were returned as expected. Out of gratitude to the Kamado clan, and knowing that Oboro enjoyed wild vegetable soup, Tanjuro's wife braved the wind and snow to gather special ingredients. Oboro had been surprised to learn that certain wild vegetables would grow even in winter, only appearing during the hottest part of the day when the sun was directly overhead.
Blue spider lily.
No wonder Muzan couldn't find it. At first, Oboro had thought he would have to drag his failing body through spring and summer, when the snow melted and everything revived, to taste the Blue Spider Lily. It was common sense in winter, all mountain flowers and plants withered except for the trees.
Oboro lowered his eyelids and looked at the mixture simmering in the pot before taking another sip from his bowl.
Though it was called wild vegetable soup, he could tell that some unknown herbs had been added. The broth had a subtle medicinal scent, but it didn't detract from the flavor. These herbs were probably purchased rather than foraged as a gesture of gratitude from the woman.
After all, Oboro was seriously ill, and Tanjuro's wife expressed her gratitude through actions rather than words or direct gestures. She silently repaid him through her actions. The Kamado family's income from selling charcoal was limited, but they still spent money on medicinal herbs for him, a testament to their genuine kindness.
Oboro wasn't just an idle visitor, though. Sometimes, he instructed Tanjuro in proper breathing techniques.
The fact that Oboro had taught him the improved sun breathing was enough for Tanjuro. He wasn't a greedy man and he didn't ask for anything more from Oboro. It was always Oboro who initiated the lessons.
Tanjuro firmly believed that Oboro's intention was to ensure the continuation of the "breathing" techniques at the end of his life. Oboro's physical condition, similar to his own, couldn't be reversed, just like the other benefactor of the Kamado Clan, Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
The Kamado Clan had existed for many generations. It would be a lie to say that Tanjuro knew nothing about demons. He understood that demons brought tremendous suffering to the world, but the will of his ancestors was only to pass on this breathing technique, not to fight demons. He had his duty to fulfill, along with his own life and family.
Tanjuro cherished this quiet, beautiful existence, which is why he never mentioned anything about demons in front of his family. His only wish was for Tanjuro to learn the dance of Kagura and carry on the tradition of breathing, keeping the promise their ancestors had made to preserve that power and never let it fade.
After finishing their meal, Oboro and Tanjuro sat outside and talked as the mountain air swirled around them.
As their relationship deepened, Oboro learned more about the history of the Kamado Clan.
"Only one bloodline survives in each generation," Tanjuro revealed.
After hearing this, Oboro sighed. "Maybe it's fate."
It seemed that throughout the history of the Kamado Clan, no matter how many children were born to a family, only one would survive. The others perished from various causes - disease, war, accidents.
This made Oboro think of Muzan's future appearance and how he would slaughter Tanjiro's entire family, with only the boy escaping. If Muzan had not appeared, the following chain of events would not have happened and Tanjiro's siblings would not have died. However, the Kamado bloodline dictated that only Tanjiro should remain.
Logically, Nezuko would also be considered "dead," transformed into something else, and it was this fateful interaction that would draw Muzan to her. In the end, Tanjiro and his sister would work together to break through the original trajectory of their fates, ending this cycle of cause and effect.
From this perspective, it was also fated that Muzan would die at Tanjiro's hands.
Based on what Oboro knew about Tanjuro Kamado, he probably wouldn't share this revelation with Tanjiro. Maybe it was just that in Tanjuro's generation, in combination with everything that had happened before, he had come to this realization himself. Tanjuro Kamado was a man who respected fate and did not want to burden his descendants with these ancestral patterns.
"It is getting late, I should go now," Oboro said, satisfied with today's knowledge. In previous conversations, Tanjuro had never shared these things with him.
Oboro drank the last of his tea and slowly stood up.
At that moment, Tanjiro suddenly ran over and handed him a walking stick.
"This is what my father made for you, Mr. Oboro," the boy said seriously.
"Thank you," Oboro replied, gently touching the boy's hair before nodding to Tanjuro.
He took the stick and slowly made his way along the mountain path. Tanjuro's wife emerged from their home and bowed to Oboro's retreating figure.
"Father" Tanjuro watched Oboro's diminished form drift across the snow, concern etched into his young face. "Is Mr. Oboro really going to be all right?"
Oboro always accompanied them up the mountain, but whenever they came down, he declined the offers of father and son to join him. He never allowed servants to follow either, preferring solitude.
"It's okay. He's already home," Tanjuro reassured him quietly.
Already home? Tanjuro was confused. Mr. Oboro had just left, how could he already be home?
"With my current physical condition, I don't have much time left," Oboro thought as he walked along the mountain path. "However, during this time, I should be able to consume a considerable amount of Blue Spider Lilies, which will have a certain effect. I originally thought I would have to wait longer, but this will save me some unnecessary trouble."
In order to revitalize the Demon Slayer world with a new power system, it wasn't just the swordsmen and breathing techniques of the Demon Slayer Corps that needed to evolve; the demons under Muzan's influence also needed to evolve. Only then could truly powerful encounters be created.
"The power of the legacy I carry depends on whether you have the ability to obtain it.
The seeds of the Kamado Clan had been planted. Other soil was now waiting to be tilled.
When they reached the foot of the mountain, they often encountered familiar hunters and exchanged greetings. The town was small, and news traveled fast. Everyone knew that an important visitor had arrived from elsewhere, and he seemed to know the Kamado family - young, outgoing, not arrogant, but in poor health.
After walking through the streets for a while, Oboro arrived at the gate of his courtyard. It was an old house of modest size, recently taken care of by servants he had hired.
Several people were waiting eagerly at the entrance. Oboro's personal maid stood aside, not inviting them in, apparently planning to wait for his return. The visitors showed no intention of leaving.
Oboro immediately recognized the representatives of the Ubuyashiki Clan. Though their hairstyles and features had changed slightly as the leaders of the Demon Slayer Corps, their distinctive temperaments and eyes remained unmistakable. Not to mention the iconic white-haired woman beside them.
The moment Oboro looked at Ubuyashiki Kuno, the latter sensed something and turned around.
The big black haori makes him look younger than me, Kuno observed. In his hand, a stick, not a Nichirin sword. And that sickly appearance
Was it really him who killed that demon with a single blow?
When Ubuyashiki Kuno saw Oboro, his otherwise subdued eyes flashed with light for a moment before fading again. That night, Liu Yuan had only witnessed a limited scene, just the technique of the mysterious man as he swung his sword, nothing more.
Kuno found it difficult to imagine that the person he had so eagerly anticipated meeting would appear like this. His physical condition seems no better than my own.
Despite these thoughts, Kuno's mood lifted. He had only feared that this opportunity might not be as promising as he had hoped.
"My lord," the maid hurried forward when she saw Oboro, explaining the purpose of Ubuyashiki and his companion's visit.
"Come in," Oboro said simply before stepping into the courtyard.
A short time later, the visitors were escorted into the main room. Oboro removed his haori and looked at Ubuyashiki Kuno who was kneeling on the mat.
With a smile, he said, "You must be disappointed to see me."
"Not at all," Kuno replied. "A person's strength is not only reflected in his appearance. The aura you radiate is something special."
Oboro chuckled softly.