Freed from the burden in his heart, his daily expression is no longer one of deep-seated bitterness, and he even occasionally shows a smile.
Giyuu stood silently behind the door, watching Genya wash dishes with a faint smile, a hint of emotion surfacing on his poker face.
"So Genya can smile."
"..." Haruto, holding a bowl, slowly walked past him: "So, from beginning to end, there's only one person on Mt. Sagiri who can't smile."
Giyuu slowly turned his head: "You're not talking about me, are you?"
"Who knows~" Haruto shrugged: "I've seen Urokodaki-sensei smile, anyway."
So, Genya, having finished washing the dishes, walked out of the kitchen and saw the following scene.
Urokodaki was walking ahead, and Giyuu-san was hopping on one foot, chasing after him, explaining earnestly: "I can smile."
"..."
"I just don't see the need to smile."
Genya yawned and went inside to take a nap. Getting enough sleep helps you grow tall, Urokodaki had told him.
As for the farce in the courtyard—such situations happened from time to time.
Urokodaki loved to tease the poker-faced Giyuu-san, and it always worked... After winter set in, the demons active in various regions increased, as usual.
Sabito, Giyuu, and Makomo were constantly busy, almost never having time to stay on Mt. Sagiri.
Although Haruto, after his promotion, didn't go on many missions, he was responsible for patrolling Mt. Sagiri and a large surrounding area every day.
This area was originally Urokodaki-san's jurisdiction, but after Urokodaki-san retired, Kagaya assigned it to him.
"My apologies, my apologies. Although the area is a bit large, with Haruto's ability, he should be able to manage it, right?"
Haruto listened as Sora, perched on his fingertip, relayed Kagaya Ubuyashiki's words: "He's really insincere."
His nose felt a slight chill, and snowflakes began to flutter down from the sky.
"Ha, I'd better hurry up and patrol, so I can go back for a hot cup of tea sooner."
He wrapped his haori tighter around himself and started running quickly.
However, the heavens always seemed to enjoy thwarting spoken wishes. As he left the mountains and entered the plains, the twinkling stars in the sky indicated the presence of a demon nearby.
Southeast.
He gripped his nichirin blade, and even before he got close, he heard a commotion.
Are there victims?
His heart skipped a beat, and he quickened his pace.
At the end of the clamor were several wooden houses nestled side by side in the wilderness. Haruto had passed through here before; three or four families lived here, tending to their ancestors' gravestones and making a living through farming.
The demon aura grew heavier and heavier. Such a strong stench of a demon... Haruto's heart sank; perhaps it was another of the Twelve Kizuki!
"Suma, Makio, Hinatsuru! Take them and go quickly!"
"Tengen!"
"Why are you crying? Pull yourselves together! This is no time to cry!"
Uzui Tengen turned his head to look at his three wives: "I said this is no time to argue, quickly take them and retreat first, I'll hold her off!"
In his line of sight, a white-haired female demon with two horns on her head stood on a treetop, leisurely licking her demon claws.
Damn it, what in the world is this thing!
Although her features were somewhat flamboyant, those blood-red whites of her eyes were truly off-putting!
Why did I encounter something like this as soon as I left my hometown? Is this the retribution the gods are giving me? Condemning me for leaving my hometown?
Uzui Tengen gritted his teeth, somewhat urgently urging his three wives.
Suma was already in tears, Makio was scolding her impatiently, and Hinatsuru was gently comforting the crying infant in the farmer's house.
Even in such a chaotic situation, the three of them did not abandon their tasks, dragging and pulling the weak-kneed ordinary people from the farmhouses away.
Good, truly my wives, Uzui Tengen's wives!
"Boring, so bo ring~"
The white-haired female demon examined her sharp claws, then gave a mocking smile to the tense Uzui Tengen.
"Do you think you can save them like this?"
She leaped down from the high treetop, landing lightly on the ground, the faint, almost inaudible sound of her landing sending shivers down Uzui Tengen's spine, as a ninja.
Such a high tree! Such a light landing!
This is a formidable opponent!
He drew his twin nichirin blades from his back and held them before his chest, twitching his ears, attempting to catch the opponent's weakness from the sounds.
"An ordinary person who doesn't even know a Breathing Technique, dares to draw his blade against me..."
The white-haired female demon raised her head, a sickly twist to her lips.
Against the moonlight, Uzui Tengen saw the two characters carved into her right eye—
[Lower Four]!
Lower Rank Four!
Haruto's heart trembled, and boiling fighting spirit instantly ignited his body!
Another Lower Moon!
He descended swiftly like a swallow returning to its nest, his nichirin blade held horizontally, trailing a dazzling blade light like the aurora borealis.
"Breath of the Stars, First Form: Tear of Light!"
As fast as a flash of lightning, yet even more powerful.
His figure transformed into a streak of light, darting through the night sky.
Lower Four swept her sleeve, and countless blood-red buds burst forth from her sleeve, attacking Haruto like a chaotic dance of mad snakes.
Blood Demon Art: Bud Greed!
These blood buds, formed from people she had eaten, would inflict corrosive poison upon piercing a human body!
"Clang!"
A clear clang of a blade rang out in mid-air. Haruto's blade light danced around him, the flashing silver light forming an impenetrable barrier, tearing all the blood buds into shreds!
What a flamboyant move, what a—flamboyant person!
Uzui Tengen's eyes suddenly lit up. That dancing blue-purple blade light, that green robe and white hair, it was simply—flamboyant to the point of madness!
Compared to that flamboyance, which was inherent in his demeanor and movements, his own diamond-studded headpiece, golden armbands, and carefully painted red radial makeup—were simply not worth mentioning!
Lower Four suddenly frowned: "Your sword technique is exceptionally powerful... Are you a Hashira?"
"And you? What are you?"
Haruto curled his lips into a cold smile: "Lower Four? After Yamai died, you weren't promoted?"
"You're... the one who killed Yamai?" Lower Four's eyes suddenly narrowed. Her expression now was completely different from when she faced Uzui Tengen earlier.
"Yes." Haruto nodded simply: "State your name. This Hashira does not slay nameless demons."
What a flamboyant line, I must remember it!
"Heh... What Hashira, what not..."
Lower Four shouted sharply: "So what if you killed Yamai? Do you really think you're hot stuff?!"
She rolled up her sleeves, and the surroundings vibrated continuously, as if something was about to burst out from underground.
"Hey!" Haruto turned his head to look at Uzui Tengen, shifting his gaze from his colorful fingernails gripping the nichirin blade: "Can you take care of yourself?"
"My flamboyant friend, of course I can!"
Uzui Tengen held up his two short nichirin blades, an extremely excited smile appearing on his face: "Night, bright stars, demons, and a flamboyant performance!
In such a fitting setting today, the god who presides over flamboyance—the God of Festivals—will make a brilliant appearance!
Come on, let's fight together!
On this stage, let us play the symphony of blood and pain!"