It was three days later when Shinobu Kocho confirmed that Asuka had recovered enough to leave the Butterfly Mansion.
But Asuka was not leaving alone.
The moment he was declared fit, he announced that he would be going to visit Kyojuro Rengoku.
Though he claimed it was to check on Rengoku's condition, Shinobu knew full well he was planning to learn Flame Breathing.
Worried about his reckless nature, and since she intended to examine Rengoku's injuries herself, she decided to accompany him to Utsunomiya.
An ancient city, Utsunomiya had flourished as a castle town during the Edo period and was once known as "Little Edo."
The Rengoku family, a warrior lineage that had served the Ubuyashiki family since the Sengoku era, resided on ancestral land in the outskirts of the city.
Times had changed. Aside from distant relatives who did not practice swordsmanship, only three male members of the main Rengoku line remained: Kyojuro Rengoku, his younger brother Senjuro, and their father, Shinjuro.
On the road, Shinobu briefed Asuka on the Rengoku household, especially the former Flame Hashira, Shinjuro Rengoku.
"After losing his wife, Mr. Shinjuro abandoned demon slaying, leaving the position of Flame Hashira vacant for a time," she explained. "Now he spends his days drinking heavily, neglecting even his own family."
"He stopped being a Hashira just because his spirit broke?" Asuka frowned.
Shinobu shook her head. "Only those within a family truly understand their own affairs. It's not our place to pry."
Her expression turned serious. "It's said that even Mr. Kyojuro became Flame Hashira by relying solely on the Flame Breathing training manuals. So Asuka, unless absolutely necessary, it would be best not to speak to Mr. Shinjuro. It may provoke him."
Asuka had originally intended to seek guidance from the former Hashira, but this was not what he had expected.
A former Hashira was a rare and respected status.
Normally, a Hashira would fight until death, or retire only due to grievous injury or old age.
Arasaki-sensei had lost his arm and with it his title as Wind Hashira, becoming a trainer instead.
Veterans like them were the backbone of the Demon Slayer Corps' training system. Without them, there would be no new blood.
As far as Asuka knew, aside from Arasaki-sensei, the former Water Hashira and Thunder Hashira had also become trainers, though they lived in near seclusion and accepted few disciples.
And this Shinjuro, still in his prime, had abandoned demon slaying and even training?
Just as Shinobu said, it was the Rengoku family's private matter. He would not delve further.
Asuka crossed his arms and leaned against the corner of the carriage, quietly admiring the maple leaves dyed red along the roadside.
Two days later, they arrived in Utsunomiya, only to encounter unexpected trouble.
The city looked much as Asuka had imagined. Traditional wooden townhouses with black tiles and white walls preserved the Edo-era atmosphere. Here and there, brick Western-style buildings and telegraph poles stood as symbols of a new age blending with the old.
"Do you know why Zenitsu's teacher, Mr. Jigoro Kuwajima, was called the Thunder Hashira instead of the Lightning Hashira?" Shinobu asked lightly as she stepped off the carriage and stretched her slender waist. "It's said that when practitioners of Thunder Breathing draw their blades, the sound resembles thunder, hence the title."
"And," she added mischievously, pointing at a telegraph pole, "some say it's because 'Lightning Hashira' refers to those things, so they avoided the term."
Asuka asked seriously, "What about during the Sengoku period? Were Thunder Hashira named for the same reason?"
"…It's just a cold joke, Asuka."
"I see. Ha. Ha."
He laughed twice with earnest sincerity before noticing something amiss.
The sun had not yet set, yet the streets were already sparse. Many shops had closed early.
At the end of the street, in the central plaza where several intersections converged, temporary tents were being erected.
Soldiers in khaki uniforms stood before them, raising freshly inked white banners.
"14th Division! Brave Hearts Enlist!"
"One Hundred Million as One! The Empire Shall Rise!"
Several grim-faced officers with sabers at their waists stood beneath the banners, barking orders. Before the wooden tables set up under the tents, a small line of young men waited.
Most wore worn clothing, faces flushed with fervor as they filled out forms.
"Let's go. Don't stop."
Seeing the bold characters, Shinobu's brows knitted slightly as she tried to pull Asuka away, but it was a moment too late.
"Hey! You there!"
After shouting several times without response, a burly officer with a toothbrush mustache and the insignia of a major approached aggressively with two soldiers.
His eyes swept over Asuka like searchlights—young, strong, sharp-eyed. A perfect candidate.
"You've got a fine build! The Empire needs young men like you! Come register! Enlist immediately!"
"No interest. I refuse."
Asuka's answer was immediate, making the officer's face twitch.
He had not expected such blunt defiance in public. His face flushed red.
"Bastard! Don't be ungrateful! As a subject of the Empire, how dare you shrink back!"
At his shout, the soldiers beside him racked their rifles, muzzles rising slightly.
The tension on the street snapped tight.
Asuka's hand pressed against the oilcloth-wrapped bundle at his side. If things escalated, he would draw his blade and subdue these thugs at once.
"Please wait, sir."
Shinobu's voice rang out as she stepped between them with a smile, interrupting the killing intent rising within Asuka.
"Woman, who are you? Dare you obstruct military affairs?" The major attempted to shove her aside, only to find her slender wrist immovable.
Instead of answering directly, Shinobu took out a small wooden box.
Inside were neatly arranged documents and a delicate seal.
She withdrew one bearing the cabinet's official stamp and gracefully handed the officer a business card reading: "Ubuyashiki Corporation · Director · Shinobu Kocho."
"My apologies," she said with a slight bow, voice calm and composed. "This young man serves as our corporate security advisor and is an employee under the Ubuyashiki family."
Ubuyashiki? The name rang faintly familiar.
The officer examined the document carefully. His expression shifted again and again before recognition dawned.
The Ubuyashiki family was an ancient noble house. Rumor held they possessed uncanny foresight, their investments uncannily precise. Their enterprises spanned finance, trade, and real estate, amassing staggering wealth.
Within the nobility, factions divided loyalties.
The current prime minister, Hara Takashi, was a pacifist supported by the elder statesman Duke Saionji Kinmochi, at odds with the army.
The Ubuyashiki family stood with Saionji. To many in the military, they were a cowardly and irritating faction.
The major folded the document, displeasure evident. Before he could speak, Shinobu continued:
"We are here on orders from our family head to conduct important business in Utsunomiya. Regarding this young man's military service, the Ubuyashiki family will provide a reasonable explanation to the appropriate authorities."
Her professional smile carried rare steel beneath it.
"Your actions may cause unnecessary misunderstandings, perhaps even affect your relationship with the Ubuyashiki family. Don't you agree?"