Genre/tag: Fantasy, Supernatural, Action, Historical, Drama, Comedy,
Villain Protagonist, Strong Female Lead, Slow Burn,
Psychological, Tragedy, Time Skip, Found Family, Anti-Hero.
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Infinity Castle, The Final Battle
"Hah... hah..."
Blood flowed continuously down his cheek, dyeing his vision a deep crimson red.
His body had reached its limit, both hands gripping his sword trembling uncontrollably. Tanjiro struggled to open his eyes wide, staring sharply at the kimono-clad figure standing before him.
He knew her.
Tsugikuni Mitsuba, born in the distant Sengoku era, was the younger sister of the legendary "Child of God," Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
She was Upper Rank One of the Twelve Kizuki, the sole inheritor of the "Child of God's" sword technique, the strongest demon in this world besides Demon King Muzan, and also the nightmare that the Demon Slayer Corps had failed to defeat for hundreds of years.
Inside the small dojo created by Nakime's Blood Demon Art, the dismembered corpses of Demon Slayer Corps members were scattered all around.
Some Tanjiro recognized, others he did not.
Tsugikuni Mitsuba...
How many Demon Slayer Corps members have you blocked here? How many of my comrades have you killed?
They, they...
"Uraaaah!!"
In his mind, images of his past comrades kept flashing. Rage and grief filled his chest simultaneously, tears streaming from his eyes. Tanjiro glared at the kimono-clad figure, roaring as he charged forward with his sword again.
He had to win, he had to win!
He had to kill her, he had to kill her!
"..."
One morning hundreds of years ago in the Sengoku era, warm sunlight shone down.
In the town ruled by the Tsugikuni family, a girl named Tsugikuni Mitsuba ran quickly through the mansion's corridors.
She stopped in front of a room in the corner of the garden, looked back to make sure no one was around, then carefully pushed the small door beside her feet, bent down and crawled inside.
"Brother Yoriichi, look at this, this is the hairpin Mother made for me."
The room was empty and somewhat shabby. In the corner, on the futon, a young man who had been lying quietly staring at the ceiling slowly rose and turned his head.
The young man's eyes were clear yet hollow. He had long dark red hair, and on his left forehead was a strange flame-shaped scar.
The young man's name was Tsugikuni Yoriichi, the second older brother of Tsugikuni Mitsuba in this life.
Yes, Mitsuba was actually someone who had reincarnated.
In her previous life, she was born with a serious illness and died after struggling hard in a hospital bed.
When she opened her eyes again, she found herself reincarnated as a baby into a family called the Tsugikuni family.
This was a prestigious noble family; Mitsuba's father was a daimyo ruling a town, and her mother was the daughter of a neighboring country's daimyo.
Mitsuba was the eldest daughter and also the youngest child in this family. Before her were a pair of twin older brothers: the eldest brother Tsugikuni Michikatsu and the second brother Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
Five people in one family, good economic situation, parents still alive, having older brothers above her, and she herself healthy without illness...
To Mitsuba, this was truly an unbelievably wonderful dream family.
If there was anything not so good, it was probably her two twin older brothers.
In this world, twins who could potentially trigger inheritance disputes were always considered an ill omen.
Therefore, when older brother Yoriichi with the strange scar on his forehead was born, the worried father wanted to kill him on the spot.
Only through the frantic resistance of mother Juna did the father finally change his mind, on the condition that after turning ten he would immediately be sent to a temple to become a monk, only then was older brother Yoriichi allowed to continue staying in the Tsugikuni family.
Even so, older brother Yoriichi was only "staying" in the Tsugikuni family.
In terms of daily clothing and food, as a male of the Tsugikuni family, older brother Yoriichi not only fell far behind older brother Michikatsu who was raised as the heir, but even compared to Mitsuba as a younger sister, his situation was still much worse.
Not only did he never receive proper education since childhood, he could only live in this small shabby house in the corner of the mansion, wearing clothes made of coarse cloth, and wasn't even allowed to go out freely...
Because of this, since she was very young, Mitsuba would often secretly run to this small room to chat with older brother Yoriichi.
Of course, not just her; sometimes older brother Michikatsu would also come along.
The three siblings would often read books, practice writing, play sugoroku (a promotion board game), and even chat about the future in this small room.
Although often only Mitsuba and Michikatsu would talk, with Yoriichi just staring at them with clear, hollow eyes, only occasionally answering a sentence...
Mitsuba had long grown accustomed to this.
"Brother Yoriichi, look, here it is."
Mitsuba knelt beside Yoriichi, gently removing the hairpin from her hair and presenting it before Yoriichi.
The hairpin was made of jade, entirely green jade in color, its head decorated with three green leaves, simple yet beautiful.
"Mother said, these three leaves symbolize my name and also represent the three of us siblings.
Mother also said, the leaf in the middle is me, and the two leaves on the sides are older brother Michikatsu and older brother Yoriichi.
Although the two older brothers are temporarily separated, as long as I, the younger sister, am in the middle mediating, holding both brothers' hands, the three of us siblings will always be of one heart.
Only with mutual support like this will the three of us siblings always be happy, and the Tsugikuni family will continue to prosper...
Brother Yoriichi, what do you think?"
Listening to Mitsuba's happy story, although Yoriichi didn't answer, he still smiled and nodded slowly.
"Ah! Right, right! There's also this!"
Like performing magic, Mitsuba suddenly pulled out a pair of sun-shaped earrings from her sleeve.
"This pair of sun earrings was made by Mother for Brother Yoriichi.
Mother also said, contained within them are prayers she has offered to the sun goddess Amaterasu for you over the years, they will surely protect Brother Yoriichi to be safe and prosperous throughout your life."
Handing the earrings to the still-startled Yoriichi, Mitsuba stood up, smiling as she extended her hand:
"Alright, Brother Yoriichi, let's go. Father left to inspect the town early this morning, Mother asked me to bring you for breakfast together."
Because of the father's hatred toward Yoriichi, when the father was home, he not only prohibited anyone in the house from interacting with Yoriichi, but even during meals, Yoriichi was only allowed to stay alone in this small room.
Only on occasions like today, when the father occasionally went out, did the three siblings have the opportunity to eat together.
"Ha! Ha! Again!"
"Excellent! Lord Michikatsu, please continue!"
Just as Yoriichi took Mitsuba's hand and stood up, Michikatsu's shouts suddenly came from the garden outside.
Seemingly curious about this sound, Yoriichi was confused and finally spoke his first sentence of the day.
"Older brother, what are you doing?"