As combat personnel, all three of them had substantial appetites.
Even the gentle Kanae displayed a considerable hunger after consuming her stamina in a long battle.
The conversation flowed well, bolstered by the presence of sake and tea.
The food on the table quickly dwindled until only a stack of empty plates remained.
"Boss, another round of fried noodles and sushi over here!" Tengen called out, waving his hand.
However, he saw the owner scurrying about frantically in front of the stove. This was the peak hour for the night market, and since this was a well-known shop in town, the service speed had naturally slowed down significantly.
Kuguruma Natsunishi glanced at his system panel.
He suddenly stood up and said to the two, "You guys keep eating, I'm going to the restroom."
Kanae watched Kuguruma Natsunishi's departing figure and asked softly in confusion, "Uzui-san, is the shop's restroom in that direction?"
Uzui stared blankly as Kuguruma Natsunishi slipped quietly into the back kitchen. What was this kid up to now?
Inside the kitchen, Kuguruma Natsunishi peeked at his panel. His Cooking skill was at LV.2 and nearly maxed out. Since that was the case, there was no time like the present.
"Hey, guest, you can't just come in here."
Kuguruma Natsunishi replied, "Do you mind if I lend a hand? My skills are actually quite good."
Without waiting for a refusal, Kuguruma Natsunishi nimbly tied on an apron, washed his hands, and picked up a kitchen knife.
In the next instant, cold light flashed.
Before anyone knew it, the ingredients on the cutting board had been transformed into perfectly uniform, thin shreds under the blade. It was knife work of the highest mastery.
Furthermore, his precise heat control and fluid stir-frying motions made the owner's eyes widen in shock. Even Tengen and Kanae, catching occasional glimpses from outside, wore expressions of pure astonishment.
Seeing that Kuguruma Natsunishi was truly helping in the kitchen, with his silhouette appearing periodically behind the curtain, the table fell into a brief silence.
Pouring himself half a cup of sake, Uzui suddenly spoke, "Kochou, what do you think of that kid?"
His voice was less flamboyant than usual.
The young woman, who was currently taking small sips of barley tea, paused slightly upon hearing this. Drawing her gaze back from the curtain, her face maintained its gentle and proper smile.
"Kuguruma-kun?"
"He is a very powerful swordsman, both in body and in spirit. If he hadn't arrived in time yesterday, I'm afraid I would have met with disaster..."
Halfway through her sentence, she was caught off guard as Uzui leaned forward slightly, interrupting her. The ornate ornaments on the ninja's head collided, making a series of crisp clicking sounds.
He said to the girl sitting opposite him, "I'm not asking about Kuguruma Natsunishi's combat abilities. I'm saying, how do you feel about him, as a person?"
"Uzui-san, please don't make such jokes."
"Kuguruma-kun is a colleague worthy of respect," Kanae said with a composed demeanor.
However, the tips of the girl's ears were slightly flushed, and her fingers gripped the cup a bit more tightly.
Taking in her subtle reactions, Tengen stopped teasing. He sat back boisterously in his seat, leaning against the chair, and let out a somewhat sentimental sigh.
"That guy... he really is an incredibly flamboyant fellow."
"And he's stronger than the current me. Not just by a little bit, either."
A flicker of surprise crossed Kanae's eyes. She had thought this proud ninja would never bow his head. Sensing the astonishment in her gaze, the ninja waved his hand and continued.
"I do owe him a favor, after all."
"You heard it too, right? That flamboyant theory of his just now. Even I, the great Uzui, have to admit it's quite useful."
Kanae nodded and said softly, "And Kuguruma-kun's goals far exceed those of ordinary people."
That was natural. After all, when that guy mentioned wanting to learn multiple Breathing Styles to create his own, his tone was as casual as saying "I think I'll try the dango at that shop tomorrow." It was simply too flamboyant! Uzui acknowledged he was still quite a distance from that level of enlightenment.
"It's just his eyes... did you see them?"
"Yes."
"While they are full of kindness, there is still a sense of detachment... it's as if he's looking at us through a window."
"Does Uzui-san mean that Kuguruma-kun is a cold person?"
The ninja shook his head in denial. "Not exactly."
"He carefully treats a wounded stranger, he personally cooks for a shop because the food is slow, and as a strong person, he possesses not a hint of arrogance... He rarely spouts empty slogans; his actions are always grounded in reality."
The ninja took a swig of sake and smiled mischievously. "Kochou, a man like that is a rare breed."
"So, what do you say? Do you need the great Uzui to create some 'flamboyant' opportunities for you?"
This time, Kanae's gaze did not waver. Instead, it became clearer and softer.
"Uzui-san, thank you for your kindness. However..."
The girl looked toward the bustling kitchen, where the reassuring sound of the spatula hitting the wok echoed. She smiled slightly.
"Rather than recklessly disturbing him, I would rather... quietly watch to see what heights he can reach. To be able to stand by his side as a comrade-in-arms is already enough."
Value the duty of a swordsman over romantic feelings? This girl is also quite flamboyant, Uzui thought.
Uzui blinked, then burst into a loud laugh, drawing curious glances from the surrounding diners.
"Hahaha! Well said!"
"Quietly watching, eh? Indeed, in the future, that fellow will likely trigger a flamboyant spectacle beyond our imagination!"
"What are you two chatting about?"
Kuguruma Natsunishi emerged from behind the curtain at that exact moment, carrying a tray with steaming fried noodles and sushi. He hadn't just finished their table; he had efficiently knocked out the orders for several other tables along the way.
Tengen took a mouthful of Kuguruma Natsunishi's noodles, and his eyes widened upon tasting them.
"Mmm! This is even more flamboyant than before! You've got powerful swordsmanship, great medical skills, and even your cooking is so... your future wife is going to be far too lucky!"
He thought that if he were a woman, he might have clung to Kuguruma Natsunishi just for a bite of this food. As he spoke, he intentionally let his teasing gaze drift between Kuguruma Natsunishi and Kanae.
Kanae's cheeks turned crimson as she whispered a soft rebuke, "Uzui-san!"
Kuguruma Natsunishi: "?"
What are you talking about?
Tengen laughed and drained half a cup of sake, and the conversation gradually drifted toward trivial matters outside the Demon Slayer Corps. Kanae spoke of her past, which had also been destroyed by demons, and of her younger sister, Shinobu, with whom she relied on for survival.
Kuguruma Natsunishi: "So it was the Stone Pillar who saved you? Someone taught by Oomatsu-san... Kanae, how is his strength?"
Uzui: "You actually have a younger sister? She must be a girl as radiant as a gemstone, just like you, right?"
Kanae became alert! She immediately entered "sister-protection" mode: "She is still a simple and gentle child!"
Tengen waved his hand. "Relax, I already have three wives. I won't go looking for more trouble."
Kuguruma Natsunishi: Can we please not mention that damn topic...
Kanae asked with some curiosity, "Uzui-san, how did you meet... and end up with them?"
"After all, while you are flippant in speech, informal, not well-read, and fond of strange shouting... you are not, in the end, a debauched lecher."
Uzui: ≖_≖
This brat is definitely retaliating against me, isn't she?
"Well, it was all arranged by the family. They are also my most reliable partners."
Tengen smiled, but a flicker of complex emotion crossed the depths of his eyes, and his voice dropped slightly. Clearly, he was unwilling to discuss the past of the ninja clan.
He turned the question to Kuguruma Natsunishi. "What about you? Kuguruma Natsunishi, what's your story?"
Kuguruma Natsunishi: Me?
Does wanting to speedrun the Demon King as a player, then hanging her up to ruthlessly turn her into a star slave count?
After a pause, Kuguruma Natsunishi chose to recite his well-practiced backstory.
"Nothing special. My family just died, that's all."
"My younger sister... was also killed by a demon later."
His tone was flat, yet it caused a sudden silence at the table. Even as he spoke, under this realistic night sky and warm light, he almost found himself believing in the gloom brought by this "setting."
Uzui and Kanae exchanged a glance, clearly reading more into Kuguruma Natsunishi's concise words.
He had a younger sister too...
The girl thought of her own sister, who was still alive, and her gaze toward Kuguruma Natsunishi gained a bit more tenderness and understanding.
Family, huh...
Uzui also set aside his joking demeanor and patted Kuguruma Natsunishi on the shoulder.
"I see. No wonder you fight so hard when killing demons."
Just as the atmosphere turned somber, three women with capable appearances, beautiful faces, and distinct temperaments quietly appeared beside the stall.
They spoke respectfully to Tengen, "Tengen-sama, so you are here."
"A new mission has come from the Master. We must depart tonight."
Kuguruma Natsunishi: "?"
His gaze swept over the capable figures of the three women, then looked at Tengen, who was triumphantly raising an eyebrow beside him. For a moment, he was speechless.
I'm envious, brother.
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Just a quick update: From now on, I'll be posting one chapter per day. Thanks for your support!