What, you say our Twelve Kizuki is also like this, with only six members each in Upper and Lower Ranks?
Please, the reason Twelve Kizuki dares to do this is because we have the "Blood Battle rank exchange" patch!
Humans aren't like demons who can strengthen themselves by devouring their own kind.
After each Blood Battle rank exchange of the Twelve Kizuki ends, the victor can devour the loser.
This may seem like one less demon, but the surviving demon becomes even more powerful than before!
What, can you demon slayers also accomplish this?
In short, the Nine Hashira system must be reformed.
Not only should there no longer be numerical limits, but normally every year or every quarter, these powerful Hashira-level swordsmen should also gather to conduct training sessions for the other demon slayers.
Reasonable training mechanisms, reasonable assessment and selection mechanisms, and a complete "old guiding new" tradition...
These are all the most basic systems that a sound armed organization must establish.
Don't always act like some ignorant nouveau riche, making people laugh...
Being destined rivals with such opponents—Mitsuba would be embarrassed to even mention it...
Additionally, that feudal rule system within your Demon Slayer Corps should also be abolished by now.
Still the same words—we're about to enter the twentieth century. Even Emperor Meiji in the palace has already legally mandated "equality of the four social classes."
Abolished all public kneeling ceremonies, uniformly replacing them with handshakes, hat removals, or bows.
Yet only your Demon Slayer Corps still has to uniformly kneel and bow every time you see the leader.
What?
In this small island nation, does your Ubuyashiki clan consider yourselves more noble than the Emperor in the palace?
Please, it's already a new era now. Legally everyone is equal, and every person has their dignity as human beings.
Feudal hierarchical relationships of superior and inferior should be abolished where appropriate—know that equal relationships can unite people's hearts far better than these superior-inferior hierarchies... That's how it is.
---
"Father, the above are the various reform measures for our Demon Slayer Corps proposed by that Miss Tsugikuni."
After the Mount Fujikasane Final Selection concluded, the young Ubuyashiki Kagaya immediately returned to the residence, faithfully relaying to his leader father everything Mitsuba had told him before.
The current Demon Slayer Corps leader was already nearly twenty years old. Due to the curse, his face had long shown numerous ugly scars, his entire body emanating dense deathly aura.
According to the Ubuyashiki clan's past experience, at most two or three more years, and he would die from illness due to the curse.
"Kagaya, what do you think of her words?"
Quietly listening to Ubuyashiki Kagaya's relay, this Demon Slayer Corps leader did not rush to express his position, but instead asked his child's opinion.
"Father, I think... I think everything she said is correct!"
Recalling on Mount Fujikasane, the fear of death and the relief of survival after disaster shown on the faces of those prospective swordsmen saved by Mitsuba.
After brief hesitation, Ubuyashiki Kagaya spoke his true inner thoughts.
"To this day, whether training systems or selection systems, our Demon Slayer Corps indeed has too many aspects that need to be changed.
Many past things are no longer applicable today. Continuing to maintain them will only hinder the Demon Slayer Corps' development!"
Clenching his tender fists, the young Ubuyashiki Kagaya lowered his head, speaking word by word:
"Moreover, moreover, in the past nearly two hundred years, we demon slayers have had absolutely no successful victories in slaying Upper Rank demons.
This sufficiently demonstrates that at least in these past two hundred years, our Demon Slayer Corps has already been far left behind by the Twelve Kizuki!
If we don't make some changes, we'll only be left further and further behind!
Now it's only Upper Rank demons. In a few more hundred years, our swordsmen likely won't even be able to defeat Lower Rank demons anymore!"
"If that's the case, Kagaya, then do as you think."
"Father?"
Completely unexpected that his father would be so easily convinced by him, Ubuyashiki Kagaya suddenly raised his head, his eyes full of astonishment.
Meeting his son's gaze, the Ubuyashiki leader merely smiled peacefully:
"You're right. Nowadays, the Demon Slayer Corps is increasingly unable to threaten the Twelve Kizuki.
I think we have indeed reached the time when we must make changes.
The appearance of this Original Breathing Style swordsman's descendant may be an omen, a warning from the gods to us.
Kagaya, Father doesn't have much time left, but you are still young. That Original Breathing Style swordsman's descendant is likewise still young.
The future of the Demon Slayer Corps is entrusted to you."
"Yes, Father, I understand. I will definitely not disappoint your expectations..."
---
Thus, driven by the Ubuyashiki clan, according to Mitsuba's previous proposals, the Demon Slayer Corps officially began vigorous internal major reforms.
Old unreasonable systems were abolished one by one, new systems began to be continuously established.
But all of this had little to do with the current Mitsuba.
After concluding the Mount Fujikasane Final Selection, she quickly received her first extermination mission of her demon slayer career together with her new companion Rengoku Shinjuro.
Yes, together with Shinjuro.
That Ubuyashiki would assign Shinjuro as her teammate surprised Mitsuba somewhat.
She had thought that given the strength she displayed before, Ubuyashiki should choose to let her work alone rather than arrange teammates.
Even if arranging teammates, they should arrange someone as strong as possible, rather than dead weight like Shinjuro.
Yes, in Mitsuba's eyes, the current Shinjuro was no different from dead weight.
Although this young man appeared to have considerable talent, if properly trained, he could probably develop some strength in the future.
But this still couldn't change the fact that Shinjuro was currently dead weight.
Having him team up with Mitsuba now not only couldn't provide any help in battle, Mitsuba would even likely need to divert some attention to protect him...
When things are abnormal, there must be something amiss. Ubuyashiki arranged this way, obviously with only one purpose—
He hoped that she, this peerlessly talented Original Breathing Style swordsman's descendant, could give Shinjuro some pointers during battle.
A perfectly natural result.
After all, the Rengoku family had followed the Ubuyashiki clan for generations. These two clans' people had undergone numerous shared trials over a millennium—Mitsuba remembered at least two instances of entrusting orphans to each other.
If the Ubuyashiki clan were to make a most-trusted demon slayer ranking, Rengoku clan people would absolutely top the list.
For such loyal confidants, as long as there was opportunity, the Ubuyashiki clan would certainly hope their strength could become stronger...
Sigh...
To this, Mitsuba could only sigh helplessly.
It seemed whether as human or demon, she couldn't escape this fate of looking after children...
---
(Meow~)