Haruto's new nichirin blade arrived in his hands thirteen days later.
Perhaps spurred by his "poor taste" comment, Haganezuka Hotaru put a lot of thought into the blade's appearance.
He shortened the tsuba and lengthened the tang, making it easier to wield with two hands.
The hilt was wrapped with intertwining light purple and white cord, and the scabbard was entirely snow-white, looking very much like it matched Haruto's hair color.
"Such a beautiful nichirin blade should be used by a Mist Breathing or Water Breathing swordsman. To give it to you..."
Haganezuka Hotaru proudly handed him the nichirin blade, leaving him with a threat: "Treat it well, or I'll kill you with my own hands!"
Haruto drew the long nichirin blade and performed a set of sword techniques in the courtyard. Under the sunlight, the sharp blade gleamed with a brilliant silver light.
Since he had passed the selection and received his new nichirin blade, the next thing to arrive should be a mission from the Demon Slayer Corps, brought by Sora.
However, after waiting for over a week, Sora only circled in the blue sky every day, as if it had lost connection with headquarters.
One day, a puzzled Haruto stopped Gyomei Himejima, who was on his way to the hot springs. He had learned from Godou River that this man, who was always so gentle with people, had been promoted to Pillar and was the new Stone Pillar.
Gyomei Himejima was truly massive. Even the well-developed Haruto felt his 170cm height was insufficient when standing before him.
He was dressed like a monk, with short hair, a string of large prayer beads around his neck, and a string of 108 prayer beads wrapped around his hand.
Gyomei Himejima's eyes were completely blind, and he always held his hands together, silently chanting Buddhist scriptures. Yet, his perception of changes in his surroundings was more acute than some people with full eyesight.
"Is there something you need?" he asked politely, hands clasped together.
"Congratulations on becoming the new Stone Pillar," Haruto first offered his felicitations.
"And congratulations to you for passing the swordsman selection and becoming a member of the Demon Slayer Corps."
Although Haruto and Himejima had met a few times, they were by no means close.
While this man's attitude towards Haruto was kind, it always subtly conveyed a sense of distrust.
Perhaps he suffered some psychological trauma when he was young... Haruto comforted himself with this reason, as most people who joined the Demon Slayer Corps carried hatred.
If it weren't for Shinjuro not appearing in Swordsmith Village recently... Haruto decided to get straight to the point: "Mr. Himejima, it's been almost a month since I joined the Demon Slayer Corps, and over ten days since I received my nichirin blade. Why haven't I received any missions yet?"
Gyomei Himejima replied: "The Buddha says everything is predetermined, not to be spoken of, not to be asked about, not to be sought... But I can answer this question.
The reason is, there are too many people."
"Too many people?" Haruto raised an eyebrow.
"There are over twenty newly promoted Mizunoto swordsmen this term, and the number of demons that match your rank is not many."
"..."
Haruto was speechless.
So it was because there were too many graduates, and there weren't enough demons of the appropriate rank to be assigned to him for a while.
Didn't they say the Demon Slayer Corps was short-staffed? Why was there a situation where demons were in short supply?
"Then..."
"Mr. Haruto, waiting is also a form of cultivation."
Himejima's voice was firm and gentle, and his attitude had improved considerably: "If you're not making progress with your Breathing Technique, perhaps you should temper your body to be even stronger."
Is that your advice to me, Mr. Himejima?
Do you also pay attention to the troubles of strangers when you harbor doubts?
Haruto's lips curved into a smile, though he didn't know if the other party could perceive it.
"Thank you, Mr. Himejima."
... "Hey! Hey! Hey!"
Haruto was shirtless in front of the smithy, doing muscle training: running with a giant rock on his back, replenishing charcoal for every smith in the vicinity, and continuously swinging his nichirin blade.
He trained meticulously, just as he had for the past two and a half years.
"Gyomei Himejima, huh..."
Godou River watched him train, his hands tucked into his sleeves, muttering.
"He's that big monk who appeared in the village a year ago."
"I remember, Master personally brought him back. I heard he was rescued from the execution block."
Godou River's sources of information were much more extensive than Haruto's. He stroked his masked chin, recalling: "I heard he was originally a monk in a temple, who adopted many children.
But one day, all the children were killed by a demon. After he used all his strength to kill the evil demon, the surviving children identified him as the murderer and sent him to the execution ground.
If Master hadn't appeared and saved him, he would have died long ago."
"No wonder..."
Haruto finished five hundred one-handed handstand push-ups on the ground, then switched to the other hand and did another five hundred.
Sweat flowed like small streams from his muscles, hitting the ground and forming a wet patch.
No wonder he harbored doubts about his younger self when he hadn't joined the Demon Slayer Corps; it was because he had experienced betrayal.
And the renewed expression of goodwill towards him was because Haruto had passed the Demon Slayer Corps' assessment, and the fourteen-year-old boy could no longer be considered a child; he was a warrior who could stand alongside Himejima.
Haruto continued his training in silence. After every muscle had been thoroughly exercised, he endured the soreness throughout his body, picked up his nichirin blade, and began to practice his sword techniques.
The sword techniques without Breathing Technique were sharp and fierce. As the blade danced, it produced bursts of air-splitting sounds and a grating clang of the nichirin blade that made one's teeth ache.
Godou River wore his green haori, his face serene.
Thirty years ago, Ryouji also stood here, wielding his nichirin blade.
Thirty years had passed in a blink of an eye. That demon who killed Ryouji... must have become one of the Twelve Kizuki by now.
Every time he thought of his son's ashes in the bedroom, Godou River's hands would tremble uncontrollably... No, he couldn't tell Haruto.
Haruto was a kind child, but his abilities were limited. If he told him, the child would surely go seek revenge against that demon.
Godou, this is your grudge, don't drag the child into it.
Godou River took a deep breath and opened his eyes. In the night, he suddenly saw a white figure fluttering its wings and circling around Haruto.
"Chiba! Fishermen are frequently disappearing near Chiba Hirano! A demon is suspected to be hiding there!"
It was Sora, bringing a message from the Demon Slayer Corps.
"Eh? Is it work time?"
Haruto bent his index finger, allowing Sora to land.
"The number of disappearances has exceeded fifteen! Five Mizunoto swordsmen have already been dispatched!"
Godou River looked at Haruto without saying much, just nodding solemnly.
"Go ahead and prepare to leave. I'll get your travel food ready."
Be careful, if you encounter a troublesome demon, run, run as far as you can... His true thoughts remained unspoken in his throat. Godou River returned to the house to make his specialty rice balls for Haruto.
"I really feel like Master is worried..."
Haruto watched the old man's retreating figure, let out a soft sigh, and raised an eyebrow at the parrot on his fingertip.
"We'll come back safely, won't we, Sora?"
"Not necessarily, you know~"
"Why don't you say something auspicious!"