The black-haired boy silently sheathed his sword, then turned and walked away—without saying a single word.
Takeo watched his retreating figure but didn't bother to ask whether he acknowledged the outcome of their duel. Instead, he took two steps back and dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.
"Fuuu~"
The moment that burst of strength faded, Takeo's stamina was completely drained.
If that final strike hadn't landed cleanly on the boy's vital point, Takeo wouldn't have had any chance left to continue the fight.
Without any strength left, he would've stood no chance against him.
Thankfully, that last attack had struck perfectly.
"Takeo!"
With the battle over, Iori immediately rushed to his side. She looked at the wounds covering his body, unsure what to do.
Takeo caught the worry in her eyes and reassured her with a tired smile:
"Heh.. Don't worry. I just need to rest. Two days and I'll be fine."
The injuries looked severe, but for Takeo—even relying only on his natural healing ability—two days was more than enough to return to normal.
And if he used his Breathing Technique during that time to enhance his recovery, he could probably fully heal in under a day.
Compared to the wounds on his body, it was the complete loss of stamina that kept Takeo from getting up at the moment.
"Whew… you damn brat, you scared me half to death!"
Hearing his calm tone, Iori finally relaxed. Then she snapped at him with irritation in her voice.
Takeo's battle with the black-haired boy had been so intense that, in Iori's eyes, it was no different from a fight to the death. Only she knew how nervous and on edge she'd been the whole time.
With the fight over, Takeo lay on the ground catching his breath, glancing toward where the boy had gone.
The boy had turned and left without a word, walking away with the twin girls. He never once gave his name, and Takeo still had no idea what to call him.
Takeo had wanted to ask—but after remembering the boy's blunt remarks, he decided against it.
Even if he asked, there was no guarantee the boy would answer—and chances were, he'd just throw in another insult for good measure. Better to drop it.
Just as he thought that, Takeo suddenly heard the boy's voice.
"Tokito."
The boy stopped walking, still facing away from Takeo, and said quietly: "Tokito Muichiro. That's my name."
And with that, he walked away with the twins, his figure gradually disappearing into the distance.
Tokito… Muichiro, huh?
Alright. I'll remember that name.
Takeo etched the name into his mind, but just then, he heard Iori speak up:
"That kid… he's a genius, even more talented than you."
"…Hey, I'll admit he's stronger than me, fine. But we're teammates, aren't we? Shouldn't you at least pretend to be on my side right now?"
Takeo gave Iori a look of exasperation.
Seriously? Whose side are you on?
Takeo stared her down, and Iori turned to face him, replying with a serious tone:
"I overheard something from those twin girls who serve the head of the Demon Slayer Corps. That boy, Tokito—before the Final Selection, he had only been training with a real sword for three days."
"…What?"
Takeo froze. "What do you mean only three days?"
"I mean he officially started training with a Nichirin sword just three days before the Final Selection!"
"…What???"
Only now did Takeo fully register that he hadn't misheard—or misunderstood—what Iori had just said.
If she wasn't joking, and what she said was true… then that boy named Tokito Muichiro had trained with a real sword for only three days before entering the Final Selection—and still possessed that level of strength!?
The FUCK!? Are you kidding me!? Even Anakin Skywalker and Tom Riddle weren't that talented! Is this what it means to be inside the world of an Anime!!?
Three days of training, and he was already that powerful? Is he even human!?
Not even a protagonist in an anime would be that overpowered—wait, no, even with my cheat-like abilities, I wasn't anywhere near that level in three days!!
For the first time, Takeo was truly shocked by another person.
Sure, he hadn't read the Demon Slayer manga or watched the anime—but he was pretty sure the protagonist was supposed to be named Kamado Tanjiro.
Which would make Tangiro his mysteriously absent older brother in this world.
But this Tokito Muichiro guy… what the hell is he?
Could it be that Muichiro was actually the real protagonist—and Tanjiro was the side character!?
In that moment, Takeo began to seriously question his understanding of reality.
…
High above, a Kasugai Crow from the Demon Slayer Corps soared through the sky.
Soaring across several towns and streets, the Kasugai Crow finally arrived at the outskirts of a remote village.
It was now the third day after the Final Selection, and the information regarding the newly inducted Demon Slayers had already reached the hands of the head of the Demon Slayer Corps.
At the same time, details about the Hand Demon on Mount Fujikasane had also been sent to those connected to Urokodaki.
This particular Kasugai Crow flying through the sky was on a mission to deliver that very information to someone closely related to Urokodaki.
Circling once overhead, the crow descended and landed in front of a young man walking near the village entrance.
He had long black hair tied in a low ponytail and deep sea-blue eyes. Though his features were delicate and refined, his cold and calm demeanor gave off a distinct aura of "do not approach."
He wore the standard Demon Slayer uniform, draped with a uniquely mismatched haori—one side patterned in green and yellow checkers, the other a solid crimson red.
This was the current Water Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps—and a direct disciple of Urokodaki Sakonji—Giyu Tomioka.
Upon receiving the report from the Kasugai Crow, Giyu let out a subtle breath of relief.
The crow's name was Kansaburo, and due to his age, he often forgot things.
Whenever Kansaburo flew long distances delivering messages, Giyu couldn't help but worry that he'd get lost. So each time the elderly crow returned safely, Giyu would relax a little.
"Ah… a new mission, is it? You're really working hard, Tomioka-san!"
Just as Giyu Tomioka received the letter from his Kasugai Crow, a girl suddenly stepped out from nearby, smiling gently as she teased him.
She too wore the standard Demon Slayer Corps uniform, but over it was a haori that resembled the wings of a butterfly.
Her long hair was tied back, with the ends dyed a soft purple. A butterfly ornament adorned the back of her head, and her eyes matched the purple tips of her hair.
Her expression and appearance gave off a calm and soothing aura—just one glance at her would leave anyone with a favorable impression.
From her tone and the way she addressed Giyu, it was clear that she was his equal—another Hashira.
She was Shinobu Kocho, the current Insect Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Shinobu and Giyu usually covered different regions, but a recent mission had brought them together in this area.
Now that the mission had been completed, they were preparing to return to their respective zones—only for the Kasugai Crow to arrive with new information.
Is it a new mission? Shinobu wondered.
Tasks assigned to Hashira were never easy. More often than not, they involved powerful demons—perhaps even members of the Twelve Kizuki, the elite ranks just beneath the Demon King himself.
While the Lower Moons weren't worth much concern to the Hashira, they still posed a lethal threat to ordinary Demon Slayers.
So, if this mission really did involve one of the Twelve Kizuki—They would need to act fast!
But Shinobu Kocho's speculation was quickly dismissed by Giyu Tomioka.
"No," Giyu said as he opened the letter. His expression remained flat as he read the contents. "…It's something related to Master Urokodaki."
"Urokodaki-san? Is there a problem with the former Water Hashira?" Shinobu asked in surprise.
Giyu didn't respond. He silently folded the letter, tucked it away.. and turned to leave!!
Shinobu: "…"
She knew Giyu was always like this, but every time he walked off without answering—as if entirely in his own world—it still annoyed her.
And this is exactly why people find you hard to get along with, Tomioka-san. (╬▔皿▔)╯
She complained silently in her heart but said nothing aloud, simply following behind him.
Giyu walked ahead, his face unreadable—but the still waters of his mind had been stirred by the letter.
The Hand Demon, the one who had preyed upon Urokodaki's disciples, had finally been slain. The souls of his senior and junior comrades could now rest in peace.
But even so, the guilt that weighed on Giyu—for being the only one who survived—remained.
The Hand Demon's death had not brought him redemption. The heavy stone that sat at the bottom of his heart… had not been lifted.
But right now, Giyu Tomioka wasn't going to dwell on those thoughts. He still needed to write a letter to his master, Urokodaki Sakonji, to inform him about the situation regarding the Hand Demon.
However…
Among those involved in the Hand Demon incident, one name stood out—Sakoma Iori. Giyu didn't recognize that name.
But the other one—Kamado Takeo—caught his attention.
Kamado… Kamado…
Wasn't the boy and the demon-turned girl he had rescued a while ago also named Kamado?
Hmm…
Giyu fell into thought.
Then it struck him.
They have the same surname. What a coincidence!
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o(*￣▽￣*)ブRead 12 Advance chaps—P@treon: HornyFBI