At the mountain gate of the Eternal Paradise Cult,
morning sunlight spilled over the snow.
Three figures stood there with their packs on their backs,
just like every time they used to head out on a mission.
"Are you really not coming with us, Senior Brother?"
Zenitsu asked through a mouthful of rations, speaking indistinctly.
"Third Uncle might have a nasty temper, but he's insanely good at teaching people how to fight!
Didn't you always say you wanted to get stronger?"
Inside the gate, Kaigaku stood holding a broom.
He turned his head away awkwardly, stubbornly refusing to meet their eyes.
"Shut up!
Who—who cares about learning how to fight anyway?!
The Cult Leader and Lady Kotoha are gone, and now you three troublemakers are leaving too…
If no one watches the place and a thief comes, what then?!
I—I'm thinking about the big picture!
It's not like I'm scared to see Third Uncle or anything!"
Inosuke looked at this idiot of a senior brother gripping his broom for dear life,
and the corners of his mouth curved into a satisfied smile.
The old Kaigaku had been selfish and greedy,
willing to do anything to grow stronger or stay alive.
But the Kaigaku of now—
still sharp-tongued, still awkward—
had at least learned the meaning of responsibility.
"Not bad, Idiot Senior Brother."
Inosuke walked over and patted him on the shoulder.
"Looks like the feng shui of the Eternal Paradise Cult really does nurture people.
Since you're showing such awareness… this Young Lord has decided!"
He raised a thumbs-up.
"You're promoted to—Candidate Lackey No. 7 of this Young Lord!"
"Huh?!"
Kaigaku froze, then exploded.
"What the hell is that?!
Who wants to be your lackey?!
And why No. 7?!
What about No. 4, 5, and 6?!
Did you eat them or something?!"
The smile on Inosuke's face stiffened.
His hand was still resting on Kaigaku's shoulder,
but his gaze dimmed in an instant.
No. 4… was Muichiro, who always looked absent-minded yet had been willing to commit seppuku for him.
No. 5… was Mitsuri, who cried easily but possessed the strongest heart.
No. 6… was Kotetsu, sharp-tongued but willing to give him an ancient blade.
They were all in the Demon Slayer Corps.
In that place he could never go back to.
"..."
Inosuke fell silent.
Kaigaku froze too.
Even with his terrible emotional intelligence, he sensed something was wrong.
"Hey… what's wrong with you?
Did I say something stupid…?"
Smack!
Inosuke suddenly raised his hand and slapped Kaigaku hard on the forehead.
"Too much nonsense!
Where'd all these 'whys' come from?!
Because there are no slots left, that's why!
And since you just talked back to the Young Lord…
Candidate No. 7 is canceled! Back to probation!
Say one more word and I'll have you cleaning the Paradise Cult toilets!"
With that, Inosuke turned around and walked off without looking back.
"Let's go! Minions!
Don't waste time on this idiot!"
"Huh—wait for me, Boss!"
Zenitsu hurried after him.
Tanjiro smiled apologetically at Kaigaku.
"Sorry, Senior Brother.
Inosuke… he just thought of some people."
"Some people? What, I'm not a person?"
Kaigaku rubbed his sore forehead, staring at their retreating backs in confusion.
On the mountain path,
the three of them walked side by side, just like every mission before.
Only this time, there was no Kasugai Crow urging them on,
and no uniforms binding them.
"Boss, Boss! Just let me see it!"
Zenitsu buzzed around Inosuke like a fly.
"What did Third Uncle write?!
A secret martial manual? A treasure map?!"
"No manual! No treasure!"
Inosuke clutched the letter to his chest, looking disgusted.
"It's a letter to the old man!
Privacy, okay? Privacy!"
"But I also want to know how Mr. Akaza is doing…"
Tanjiro leaned in earnestly.
"Please, Inosuke. Just read a little."
"Tch!"
Inosuke finally gave up under their combined assault.
"Fine, fine! I give!
Listen carefully—only once!
If either of you laughs, I'll throw you down the mountain!"
He cleared his throat and unfolded the cedar-scented letter.
The handwriting was bold and forceful,
yet somehow… awkward.
"To that idiot Doma:
Cough.
I don't really have anything special to say.
Just letting you know I'm not dead.
I went back to the place from my memories.
It's already turned into ruins, but I used the travel money you gave me to buy it.
I… opened a martial arts hall.
Haven't decided on a name yet.
Doesn't matter—no one comes anyway.
After all, I can only open at night.
The people who come during the day are all stupid humans.
But I believe… true warriors won't care about business hours!
One day, disciples will come!
And… how's that brat Inosuke doing?
Is he eating properly? Getting stronger?
Not being bullied by bad people?
If he dares to come back crying…
tell him not to say he was taught by me!
But… if someone really does bully him…
write and tell me.
My fists have been itching lately.
As for those two idiots, Tanjiro and Zenitsu…
forget it. Too lazy to ask.
Lastly… when my dojo officially opens, that day—
not that I care if you come or anything.
But if you insist on bringing Lady Kotoha and Inosuke to make things lively…
I won't kick you out.
That's all.
—Akaza."
By the time Inosuke finished reading,
the three of them stood silently on the mountain path.
"Waaah…!"
Zenitsu suddenly burst into tears.
"Third Uncle…
So he actually cares about us…!
Even though he said he was too lazy to ask, he still mentioned us!
Waaah, I miss Third Uncle!
I'm going to be his disciple!
I'll help him recruit students!"
Tanjiro's eyes reddened too. He smiled and wiped at the corners.
"That's wonderful…
Mr. Akaza has finally found his own place.
A dojo that opens at night…
That actually sounds really cool."
Inosuke looked at the stiff, awkward handwriting on the page,
and a gentle smile spread across his face.
"Yeah.
That battle-crazed man who only cared about strength…
finally learned how to live."
He folded the letter carefully and tucked it back into his clothes.
"Let's go!
We'll go give that no-business, broken-down dojo some support!"
Back at the Eternal Paradise Cult, inside the main hall—
After Inosuke and the others left, the vast palace felt empty.
Only Kaigaku remained, spinning around with a broom like a top.
"Tch… who wants to be a lackey anyway.
I'm going to be… going to be…"
He thought for a long time, but couldn't come up with a suitable title.
"Anyway, I'm definitely stronger than that useless junior who only knows how to cry!"
As he swept, he recalled scenes from the past few days.
Zenitsu… really did seem stronger now.
He barely cried anymore.
"It must be the environment!"
Kaigaku stopped, looking around at the luxurious decorations
and the Cult Leader's throne that radiated cold air.
"Inosuke said it himself…
this place is a cradle for the strong.
If even that idiot junior can get stronger here,
then I definitely can!"
He took a deep breath and gripped the broom handle tightly.
Even without a Nichirin Blade,
he still assumed the starting stance he had practiced countless times.
"Total Concentration—Thunder Breathing.
First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
Crackle!
A faint but very real streak of golden electricity ran along his arm and into the broom.
It lasted only an instant.
"S-Success?!"
Kaigaku stared at his tingling palm, eyes bulging.
"I… I can use the First Form?!"
"Hahahahaha!"
He burst into ecstatic laughter.
"So it's true! Inosuke didn't lie to me!
The Eternal Paradise Cult really makes people stronger!
There really are gods protecting this place!
Of course! Everyone around here is a freakishly strong monster—
I'm breathing the same air as them, how could I not get stronger?!"
In that moment, Kaigaku completed his self-brainwashing.
This is my home.
And Lord Doma too!
He looked at the empty throne, then glanced around to make sure no one was watching,
before dropping to his knees and kowtowing furiously.
"Long live the Cult Leader! Long live the Young Lord!
I, Kaigaku, swear—
in life I am a member of the Eternal Paradise Cult,
in death I will be its demon!"
At noon,
before the vermilion gates of the Eternal Paradise Cult—
A petite figure stood there, hesitating.
Shinobu Kocho.
She had finally found it.
Following the directions of that woman, she crossed the snow mountain,
walked along uninhabited paths,
and at last stood before the legendary Paradise Cult.
This is… where Inosuke grew up?
This is the lair of the man who killed my sister…?
Shinobu's hand rested on the hilt of her Nichirin Blade, her palm slick with sweat.
She had rehearsed this countless times.
If she met Doma—draw her blade immediately, or question him first?
If she met Inosuke—should she apologize, or beg him to return?
But…
Standing here now,
the overwhelming guilt made it hard for her to breathe.
More than half the reason Inosuke left the Demon Slayer Corps…
was her.
Her suspicion had been the final straw.
"Ha…"
She took a deep breath, forcibly steadying herself.
"No matter what…
I need to see him first."
Summoning all the courage she had in her life,
she raised her hand and gently knocked on the tightly shut gate.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
The sound was soft,
yet painfully clear in the silent valley.
After a moment—
The gate did not open.
Instead, a small side window slid open,
and a head poked out.
A young man with long black hair, hostility between his brows,
a magatama necklace hanging at his neck.
Kaigaku.
He had just sworn to protect the Eternal Paradise Cult
and was riding an intense, irritable high.
And before leaving, Inosuke had given explicit orders:
No visitors.
Kaigaku frowned at the woman outside—pretty, vaguely familiar—and snapped impatiently:
"What're you knocking for?!
Can't you read the notice?!
The Cult Leader and Divine Child have gone to the Pure Land to report for work!
No visitors these few days!
Go back to wherever you came from!
Knock again and I'll let the dogs loose on you!"
Bang!
The little window slammed shut.
Shinobu was left alone in the cold wind,
staring at the unyielding gate—
and at the crooked notice pasted on it:
"Reporting for work. No idle persons allowed."
…A complete mess in the wind.
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