Disclaimer: Demon Slayer is not mine. This fanfic is a translation.
Enjoy Reading!
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"Meow?"
The white cat was confused; why wasn't his servant keeping on stroking his fur?
It raised its head to look at Gyomei, who was in a daze.
Gyomei kept searching with his eyes, trying to see everything and anything at once.
Under the fur of his cat, the sensation of skin and muscle moving and contracting with each other was felt on his fingers.
So distinctly too!
Gyomei was still processing what he was seeing.
Then, a memory flashed in his mind.
How deliberate Tanjuro's movements were.
From the moment they met at the gate of the Swordsmith village to the moment when they discovered that Upper Moon on the roof of their residence.
The action of Tanjuro simply pulling the door open and the subtle adjustment for action when he took a seat.
Then in battle, when they attack Gyokko, Tanjuro's accurate prediction of where their strike will land and his own improvisation allow them to deliver the most devastating strike.
As if the action of Gyomei, Shinjuro, and Gyokko was already scripted in his mind, Tanjuro was already one step ahead of everyone.
Being blind, Gyomei paid more attention to such details.
Ba-dum! Ba-dum!
The sound of his own heartbeat echoed in his chest.
Layer upon layer of images superimposed in Gyomei's mind, instantly seeing behind the curtain of the 3D world.
His perception that has been honed for all his life seems to break through a barrier.
Whoosh.
A gentle breeze caresses his face.
Gyomei's hand slowly lifted up the cat's back.
His mouth opened without uttering a word.
Tears streamed down his cheeks and dripped onto the confused cat's head.
"Meow!?"
Its beating heart, its flow of blood, its slight friction between muscles and bones as it annoyed about the teardrop on its head, and the breathing it took to its lungs.
Gyomei slowly looks around him and his environment like a newborn baby. He "looked" at everything for the first time.
In that instant, the world seems to be born anew in his vision.
And ever so clear.
Tears continued to stream down his cheeks.
For what felt like a long time, Gyomei sat there soaking it up.
He finally understood all the subtle movements and actions Tanjuro made during the Hashiras meeting and the battle in Swordsmith Village.
"Namu Amidha Butsu..."
He gently put down his cat in his arms and put his hands together to pray to Buddha.
"Is this the world you see, Kamado-san..." He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath.
A moment later, Gyomei stood up.
He carried his cat back in his arms and stepped into his work office room, where there was a desk for writing, although he had never used it before.
He thought that his mission report needed to be revised with this new information.
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Back to our group of three, now four.
On their way from Peach Mountain to the Butterfly Mansion,
Sakonji decided to run ahead of everyone. "I tell the staff at the Mansion to prepare a bed for the kid."
With that said, Sakonji immediately vanished from the group.
Tanjuro nodded his consent and kept carrying Zenitsu on his back while Zenitsu was still passed out with his mouth emitting smoke and his eyes rolled back into his head. There seems to be white foam coming out of his mouth.
"It's a blessing he was still alive." Jigoro was running beside Tanjuro with his cane in his hand. His speed was not hindered by his disabilities at all.
His breathing was even as he followed closely on Tanjuro's running.
Behind the group, however,
There was a black-haired and blue-eyed boy struggling to keep up with the old veteran. He has a jade pendant around his neck and a gloomy face with a look of disgust directed at Zenitsu.
"Tch!" He clicked his tongue. 'What a nuisance.'
His thick, furrowed brows twitched in anger.
This day was supposed to be his time practicing his sword forms with his master, so why was Zenitsu struck by lightning today?
'Every day this stupid kid only knows how to cry and cry about his miserable life and waste Master's time! Today, he's done the same!'
The black-haired boy thought maliciously at Zenitsu. His hatred became more and more indignant.
His own training time was taken up now!
Jigoro noticed his other student's mood and turned his head. "Kaigaku!" He shouted the boy's name.
"Keep up!"
Kaigaku slightly twitched at being called out. "Yes, Master!" He lowered his head and concentrated his attention on the road.
Jigoro withdrew his gaze, but he couldn't help the nagging worry in his mind.
Inadama Kaigaku, his first disciple.
The kid worked hard in his sword practice and improved very quickly.
When he first met him, Kaigaku was lying on the ground with wounds covering his face and body, trying to drink muddy water to survive.
The kid's personality was too withdrawn from his surroundings when Jigoro decided to take him in.
Jigoro sighed deeply in his heart.
'How can I save this child from closing his heart off?' The old man's face was full of sorrow.
Tanjuro heard and glanced at the interaction between student and master. He also noticed that Kaigaku was struggling to match their pace at the back.
The kid's anger and disgust were visible to the naked eye toward Zenitsu.
Tanjuro turned his attention back with his mind lost in thought.
Not long after, they arrived at the Butterfly Mansion.
The staff quickly recovered Zenitsu from Tanjuro's back and settled him on the second-floor patient's wing.
The one leading the staff was Tanjiro.
"Ara? What's going on here?"
When Shinobu finally checked on Zenitsu, who was still emitting smoke, she couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand and sigh softly with concern.
"...is this caused by a Blood Demon Art?"
She reached out her hand and touched Zenitsu's forehead.
'So hot.' Shinobu frowned.
"No." Jigoro answered her and explained.
"This child was just struck by lightning."
∘ ∘ ∘ ( °ヮ° ) ?
Even Shinobu, who handled many injuries, was stunned for a moment.
"I see... I understand."
Shinobu quickly got to work and opened the medicine box she brought with her and began to do a detailed examination on the patient.
But after her inspection...
Shinobu sat up in confusion at Zenitsu's unconscious body.
"What's wrong?" Jigoro noticed Shinobi's expression and asked worriedly. "Will this child wake up?"
Shinobu was a little hesitant to explain but decided to open her mouth. "Generally speaking, except for his high body temperatures, there is nothing abnormal in his body."
"No abnormalities!"
A hand stretched out from behind the group and grabbed Zenitsu's collar. His voice was filled with suppressed anger. "This Idiot!"
Everyone turned their head and looked at the owner of the voice.
"This guy is just pretending to be asleep!" Kaigaku raised his hand on the collar. His face was full of disgust.
"Hey! Idiot!" Kaigaku shook his arm; veins bulged from it along to his neck, trying to wake Zenitsu.
"Wake up! Don't waste other people's time here!"
He was about to put more force on his arm when another hand grabbed onto Kaigaku's arm... and squeezed hard.
Kaigaku glanced at it.
It was not Master's hand.
"Huh?" He turned his head to look at the owner of the arm fiercely.
"Let him go!" Tanjiro shouted at him.