Laid on the bed alone, Tanjiro kept his crimson eyes open, staring at the ceiling.
'Did I really not get a single mission yesterday?'
A bit amused, he found it ridiculously funny.
'Forget it… I have a meeting to attend today… The system can screw itself…'
Kie had already returned to her basket earlier by herself. She seemed genuinely afraid of sunlight.
After spending some time like that, mind relaxed and empty, he exhaled slowly.
With mastery over Total Concentration Breathing, he had strong control over his body—to the point he could drastically manipulate his heartbeat and blood flow in ways a normal person couldn't imagine.
It had been useful for internal bleeding and recovery, but now that he had self-healing, it felt somewhat pointless.
He still had no idea whether he could regenerate lost limbs or fingers, though he suspected not. Losing body parts entirely was another matter altogether.
"Should just get ready…" he mumbled.
A soft voice suddenly came from beside him through the wooden wall. "Mmm, are you awake, Tanjiro?"
Not surprised, he yawned slightly before glancing at the head poking through the wall. "Yeah… Something wrong?" he asked in a low voice.
Kanae shook her head with a smile. "No. I'm just excited for the meeting… By the way, Shinobu is almost ready. You should hurry too."
Instead of answering, he stood up and threw off his worn clothes.
Seeing his nakedness, Kanae blushed wildly. "Shameless…" she muttered, vanishing immediately while covering her eyes.
Tanjiro raised an eyebrow at her comment. 'She barged in herself… And why is she embarrassed? She's the one who flaunts her butt-naked body without any shame in the first place…'
Running a hand through his long hair, he stopped thinking about it and headed to the bathroom after wrapping a towel around himself, grabbing the fresh set of clothes the Ubuyashiki family had given him.
....
Some time later~
Nezuko and his siblings were still sleeping, so he didn't disturb them. Mitsuri was the same. The previous night's party had gotten a bit wild, tiring everyone out thoroughly, so he let them rest.
Aoi, on the other hand, was as active as ever, handling the work alone.
After washing up and getting dressed, he went downstairs and found her making breakfast for everyone.
"Need a hand, Aoi?" he asked gently.
She showed a warm smile and shook her head politely. "No, I'll be fine. Thank you for asking."
She gazed at his striking face, felt her heartbeat quicken, and added quickly. "Tanjiro-san has the Hashira Meeting to attend. I'd be in trouble if your time was wasted because of me. And… you don't know how to cook either."
Hearing her say that while releasing bashful emotions, he couldn't help but chuckle lightly. "Ha, who said I can't cook?"
Surprised, she sent him a skeptical look. "Really? It's not that I don't believe you, Tanjiro-san, but… can you really make edible food?"
'…'
His eyebrows twitched at her mistrust.
Releasing a small sigh, he answered with a haughty smile. "How about I make dinner for everyone tonight? Of course, if I'm free, that is."
Aoi thought it over and nodded with a challenging smile of her own. "Okay, but only if you're free."
Waving with a smile, he picked up two crackers from the table and left the kitchen.
Just a few steps out, Tanjiro stopped as the system panel popped up beside his face.
However, after seeing the mission, he clicked his tongue in annoyance and ignored it for now. He refused to let it ruin his good mood.
[𖤐 Mission: Have Sex with Aoi]
[𖤐 Reward: Precognition]
'There goes another girl to the waiting list… Hah.'
Three missions were already pending before this new one.
'Mitsuri, Shinobu, Kie… and now Aoi… The future looks promising, heh.'
Raising the corner of his lips, his eyes shone with anticipation.
Next, he located Shinobu's presence outside with Kanao and headed in that direction.
....
"Good morning, you two." He came through the door normally this time, rather than appearing like a ghost beside them—which he had done too many times already.
Shinobu and Kanao saw him and nodded with pleasant smiles of their own.
"Good morning, Tanjiro-kun." The older girl with the butterfly hairpin responded, her eyes forming crescents.
Beside her, little Kanao said shyly, "G-Good morning… Tanjiro," her voice quiet and sweet as always.
Flashing a smile, he gave them a small nod.
As for Kanae, she was sitting atop the mansion, watching them warmly.
"Kanao's coming too?" He asked the raven-haired girl softly.
When asked so suddenly, Kanao could only nod her little head swiftly. "Mm…"
Shinobu headpatted her and said with a genuine smile. "You see, Hashira are allowed to bring along their apprentice… And since Kanao wanted to come too, how could I refuse as her Master and sister?"
The little girl seemed embarrassed by the treatment but quietly enjoyed the pampering.
Seeing the sisterly bond, Tanjiro thought of someone and let out a small laugh without realizing it. "I would have brought Mitsuri too, but it doesn't look like she'll wake up anytime soon."
Shinobu recalled Mitsuri singing and dancing past midnight, and covered her mouth as she giggled. "…We should just let her sleep, heh…"
Kanao nodded with a small smile.
After some time, the three of them left for the Ubuyashiki Manor together, jogging at a normal pace, while Kanae flew behind them leisurely.
....
Ubuyashiki Manor, back garden.
"Oya, Himejima-san. Early as usual, huh…" a rough voice came from the entrance.
A towering blind man with a muscular build and short black hair stood silently in the garden.
What stood out most about him was not only his massive height but also the horizontal scar running across his forehead, along with the Buddhist beads he wore around his neck and held devoutly in his hands.
This man, Gyomei Himejima, joined his large hands together unconsciously and replied in a deep voice that carried an unexpected softness. "Namu Amida Butsu… It is a relief to see you lively, Shinazugawa."
The white-haired man with heinous scars covering his face grinned wildly. "As if something would happen to me, hah."
His build was much smaller than Gyomei's, making him look almost like a dwarf beside him.
At that moment, another quiet yet conceited voice rang through the garden. "Tsk, tsk. Still as delusional as last time, huh, Sanemi…"
"Haah!? What did you say, you snake bitch?! Wanna have a go right now?"
On a nearby boulder sat a short man with shoulder-length black hair. He had heterochromatic eyes—one yellow, one teal. Most noticeable, however, was the white snake coiled around his neck, giving him a creepy presence.
He was the Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro.
"See? You lack mental training. Although I wouldn't mind educating you myself, I'm already tired from the long journey. Lucky you, I suppose…"
Hearing those words, Sanemi, the Wind Hashira, clenched his fist and glared threateningly. "Talking big is all you can do, huh?!"
From the top of a nearby tree, a fairly tall man with an athletic build and flashy appearance looked down and clicked his tongue sharply.
'Hmph. Two grown men bickering like street performers—so unsightly and unflashy!'
....
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