After bidding farewell to Mitsuri Kanroji, Su Yan quickly followed Shinobu Kocho to the headquarters of the Demon Slayer Corps.
It was a massive, luxurious estate that resembled a castle.
"Lady Insect Hashira, and Lord Su Yan, please follow us."
Just as they arrived at the estate's entrance, two white-haired little girls in kimonos came out to greet them.
Judging from their appearance and makeup, these two young girls were likely the daughters of the Demon Slayer Corps' Master, Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
"Alright."
Without much hesitation, Su Yan and Shinobu Kocho followed them into the Ubuyashiki estate.
After being guided for a short while, they successfully arrived at a courtyard within the estate.
Looking around, aside from the Kamado family and Giyu Tomioka whom he had parted ways with that morning, Su Yan spotted quite a few familiar faces he had seen in the anime.
A tall, blind monk who wielded a flail—the Stone Hashira.
A scarred, hot-tempered man who was essentially an angry chili pepper—the Wind Hashira.
A flashy guy who was clearly a ninja using gunpowder and ninjutsu to fight, yet insisted he used Sound Breathing—the Sound Hashira.
Then there was the Flame Hashira, a man with long flame-colored hair and wide, fiery red eyes, resembling a fiery owl whose expression made it impossible to tell if he was smiling or just staring blankly.
And most importantly, sitting alone opposite everyone else, was a man with a disfigured appearance, his face looking as though it had been severely burned by boiling water.
The Master of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki!
'A Hashira Meeting? Interesting.'
Looking at the scene before him, Su Yan couldn't help but recall the moment in the anime where the nine Hashira gathered to pass judgment on Nezuko after she had turned into a demon.
The current situation was exactly like that moment.
However, there were a few less Hashira present than in the anime.
For instance, Mitsuri Kanroji, whom he had just parted with and who had yet to make contact with the Demon Slayer Corps.
As well as the Mist Hashira and Serpent Hashira, who would join the Demon Slayer Corps later on.
"Brother Su Yan, you're here."
Nezuko, who had been sitting next to Tanjiro, immediately acted as if she had found her pillar of support the moment she saw Su Yan arrive.
She happily went up to hug him and pulled him over to sit beside her.
Beside her, Tanjiro and his younger brother Shigeru Kamado also offered friendly smiles to the man who had helped their family.
Only the younger sister, Hanako, timidly hid behind Tanjiro, gripping the hem of her brother's clothes.
She peeked out curiously at Su Yan, who was acting so close to her older sister Nezuko.
"Welcome, guest from afar."
At this moment, the Master of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, spoke up.
Despite his disfigured appearance, his voice felt like a refreshing mountain breeze.
It seemed to have the power to soothe the human heart.
But Su Yan wasn't buying it.
Su Yan patted Nezuko's head, looked at the so-called Master of the Demon Slayer Corps, and asked in a flat tone, "So, how far along is your discussion?"
"Brother Su Yan!"
Hearing this, before Kagaya Ubuyashiki could answer, Nezuko couldn't help but speak up first. "They discussed it and said that since our family preserved Sun Breathing for the Demon Slayer Corps..."
"...they can agree to spare Mom and the others, but they want to lock them up under strict surveillance."
"Oh? Is that so?"
Su Yan thought about it. This outcome was actually much better than how the Demon Slayer Corps ultimately handled Nezuko in the anime.
After all, in the anime, it took both the former Water Hashira Sakonji Urokodaki and the current Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka putting their lives on the line to vouch for Nezuko.
Only then was Tanjiro allowed to continue fighting alongside the demonized Nezuko.
Su Yan glanced at Tanjiro and Nezuko's faces and asked, "And what are your own thoughts on this?"
"..."
Tanjiro was just about to speak when he was suddenly interrupted.
"If you ask me, there's no such thing as a demon that doesn't eat humans. Those who have been turned into man-eating demons should be slaughtered without mercy!"
The Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa—the hot-tempered man with hideous, centipede-like scars across his face—stepped forward and interjected, "There's absolutely no need for strict surveillance or any of that nonsense!"
"As long as they are demons, they deserve to die!"
"Did I ask you?"
Su Yan looked at Sanemi Shinazugawa and spoke coldly.
Su Yan had some understanding of this Wind Hashira's past.
Because his mother had turned into a demon and killed five of his siblings, and when she tried to attack him and his remaining younger brother, he used his own Marechi blood to kill her in retaliation. As a result, he harbored a stronger hostility toward demons than anyone else.
He was also the first Hashira in the anime to jump out and demand Nezuko's death.
Su Yan felt quite sympathetic toward his situation, but it was merely sympathy.
Regardless, Kie Kamado and the others had been turned into demons by his own hands using Muzan's demon blood.
Although it was mostly to gain Nezuko's affection and to obtain Sun Breathing from Tanjiro.
But he was the one who had agreed to let them follow Giyu Tomioka to meet the Master of the Demon Slayer Corps. If their family members were killed here...
Wouldn't that be a direct slap to his own face?
Therefore, one naturally couldn't expect Su Yan to show any warmth to the angry guy in front of him.
"What? You wanna fight me?"
Sanemi Shinazugawa, who was already like a powder keg when it came to demons, instantly exploded.
Su Yan waved his hand and said with a hint of boredom, "Forget it, you're too weak. Go play somewhere else."
He had already gained a solid understanding of Breathing Styles during his morning battle with Shinobu Kocho.
Moreover, he wasn't the battle-crazed type, so he had no desire to fight another Breathing Style swordsman.
Besides, this hot-tempered guy had lost his mother and was already pitiful enough; there was no need to bully him.
"Indeed."
Giyu Tomioka thought of Busujima Saeko, whom he had fought, and then recalled the strength Su Yan had displayed during his battle with Shinobu Kocho.
To prevent Sanemi Shinazugawa from continuing to provoke Su Yan and subsequently getting taught a harsh lesson...
...he immediately agreed with Su Yan's statement.
He then turned his head and said to Sanemi Shinazugawa with a completely serious expression, "He is different from you."
"You bastard."
Facts proved that Giyu Tomioka's actions were, in a way, quite successful.
At the very least, Sanemi Shinazugawa did indeed stop provoking Su Yan.
He simply redirected his fury toward Giyu Tomioka instead. "I've put up with you for a long time! Giyu Tomioka!!"
"Put up with me for a long time? What do you mean?"
The inarticulate Giyu Tomioka expressed his lack of understanding.
He was just telling the truth.
It didn't seem like he had said anything wrong, right?
"We are all comrades. Are you really going to fight amongst yourselves in front of the Master?"
The Stone Hashira placed his large hand on Sanemi Shinazugawa's shoulder, stopping his actions as he spoke.
Seeing this, Sanemi Shinazugawa immediately snapped back to reality and bowed his head. "My apologies, Master. I was out of line."
"However, our Demon Slayer Corps has existed up until now solely to hunt down demons."
"To let these demons go for such a reason... forgive me, but I cannot accept it."
Seeing this, Kagaya Ubuyashiki did not speak immediately, but instead turned his gaze toward Su Yan.
"I say, aren't you guys misunderstanding something?"
Seeing the unpleasant expression on Nezuko's face, Su Yan said with a hint of impatience, "I don't recall ever saying I was going to hand them over to your Demon Slayer Corps to deal with, did I?"
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