Disclaimer: Demon Slayer is not mine. This fanfic is a translation.
Enjoy Reading!
---
"Besides informing you of the mandatory training in 'Transparent World,' there is another reason I suddenly summoned you all here."
Kagaya said softly.
"The news regarding the Upper Moons."
"I believe everyone has read the report by Kyojuro-kun.
In his mission in Tokyo, Kyojuro and co. encountered the Upper Moon One."
"After a brief fight, the Upper Moon One was successfully repelled by Kamado Tanjuro-san."
Hearing this, Sanemi raised his head and turned his head to look at Tanjuro in disbelief, breaking his immersed self-reflection.
'So that's how it is...'
Sanemi stared at Tanjuro's expression, which kept his focus on Oyakata-sama. Sanemi felt impatience in his heart.
He knew the appropriate strength that an Upper Moon held.
The memory of his friend that wore a naive smile flashed in his mind.
It is Sanemi's personal belief that a single Hashira cannot defeat an Upper Moon.
To this day, it is estimated that at least three Hashira were the minimum required to face an Upper Moon demon.
Sanemi turned his attention away from Tanjuro and kept his silence this time.
He lowered his head again and clenched the soil on the ground with his hand.
The other Hashira had either already read the report or heard it through the grapevine, so they were not as shocked as Sanemi was.
Though getting the rumor confirmed by Oyakata-sama himself was shocking.
"And in recent events,"
"The Swordsmith Village was attacked by the Upper Moon Three and Four."
Almost all the Hashira raised their heads at the news, except those involved.
"Under the combined efforts of Kamado-san, Gyomei-kun, and Shinjuro-dono, the two Upper Moon demons were successfully defeated."
"There were no casualties on the swordsmiths' side."
Kagaya raised his head and bowed his head to the three mentioned. His blurry vision was trying to find their location. "Well done, the three of you."
This time, even Obanai and Tengen and the others couldn't hide their surprise.
They didn't even know such an attack occurred until this announcement.
Gyomei was always the silent one and usually did his own work in silence too.
Shinjuro: no one knows where he disappeared to after his spar with Tanjuro, only that he was finally active again.
If it weren't for the kakushi's gossip groups, the Hashira would not have known that the Swordsmith village had been attacked.
Tengen now carefully examines Tanjuro's face.
He recalled that the man said he encountered the Demon King, Muzan, on the doorstep of his house when they first met.
A ridiculous idea starts to take root in his mind.
Tanjuro repelled the Upper Moon One and killed the Upper Moon Three and Four.
Although Gyomei was there too.
But...
'Could it be... this man survived the hands of the Demon King and did not do so by chance?' Tengen's mind was working at lightspeed.
There was a surging joy from his heart.
Sanemi frowned hard at Tanjuro. The scars on his face make him very intimidating with his facial expression.
He finally understood why Oyakata-sama said not to be discouraged, because the man beside him is the real deal!
Although,
'Why does this guy keep running into Upper Moons?' Sanemi thought gloomily.
"There are six Upper Moons, and two of them are slain."
Kagaya gripped his knees, suppressing the emotions in his heart. "It's been hundreds of years."
"This is the weakest moment of Muzan's life."
He raised his head and looked the Hashiras in the eyes.
"Everyone."
"The moment to seize the advantage is now!"
---
---
-Location: Mountain Fujikasane-
While the upper echelon of the Corps was having its meeting,
Kaigaku emerged from the wisteria bush dressed in a black kimono.
He took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to him and casually picked a few wisteria flowers and stuffed them in his arm sleeve.
He finally arrived at the foot of Mt. Fujikasane to take the final exam along with several others.
'Stupid,' Kaigaku thought as he saw the other participant just stroll into the mountain.
The wisteria flowers he had stuffed in his arm's sleeve were enough to keep him safe for the first two days before they withered.
Which means he still has to survive the remaining five days.
All the demons in this mountain were all weak and had only eaten one or two humans before they were captured and kept imprisoned here.
All of them look after themselves and refuse to cooperate with each other.
'I'm not afraid of facing demons head-on!'
The fox mask on his waist swayed with his steps.
---
Before long,
Night fell on the mountain.
"Tsk."
Kaigaku stopped his walk as he stared at the fox mask on his waist. He frowned heavily.
The mask made noise when he walked, and it blocked part of his vision when he wore it.
"...really annoying."
He muttered as he took the mask from his waist to his hand. "Why did Master want me to wear this thing?"
Then, without much thought, Kaigaku threw away the mask behind him and heard with satisfaction as the mask broke.
"If asked... I just tell Master that I lost it during battle."
With that, Kaigaku continued walking and searching for higher ground.
However, before he could walk further,
There was a rustling sound behind him.
More specifically, Kaigaku heard the sound from under his feet with suspicion. He glanced around the area, only to be greeted with darkness.
The ground seemed to shake stronger this time.
"Hmm~ Hm~ Hmmm~"
A strange voice came from behind and above Kaigaku. "You're here again, my cute little fox~"
-!!!-
Kiagaku's heart suddenly tightened the moment he heard the voice. His pupils shrank as his whole body stiffened in place. Cold sweats broke out all over his body instantly.
'A demon?'
The voice came from behind him and above him simultaneously.
His eyes narrowed as he strained his ears.
'Is it in the tree?'
'I couldn't locate him...'
After forcing himself to calm down, Kaigaku prepared his nichirin blade in front of him. He steeled his nerves and slowly turned around.
What he saw...
A huge shadow squeezed through the trees, shaking the ground, and revealed itself to Kaigaku.
It was a monstrously large, veiny, hulking monster with olive green skin.
It slowly wiggled forward. Each time it moved, the feeling of dread multiplied.
Kaigaku's face turned pale in an instant. He slowly raised his head and looked at the demon's face. His heart was beating faster and faster.
Its beady yellow eyes with cross-hatch-shaped pupils looked at him with a mocking smile.
The Hand Demon's gaze turned to the ground, where the discarded fox mask lay.
"Hey, little fox."
His voice was muffled by his arms wrapping his face, yet strangely still understandable to those who heard him.
"What year of Meiji is it...?"
Kaigaku couldn't speak. He was grotesque at the appearance of the demon in front of him. His mouth hung open as he stared in horror.
'What!'
'What is this!'