Tears welled up in his eyes—ever since the day his mother left, he hadn't known what crying felt like for a long time. Even with severe injuries, he would always grit his teeth, never showing the slightest hint of weakness.
Sanemi took a deep breath, his hands trembling as he held Masachika.
"Sa… Sanemi…" Broken words spilled from Masachika's lips: "Don't be so sad… say something else… I don't want my journey on the Sanzu River to be… so quiet."
So Sanemi tried to lift his spirits, clumsily talking about whatever came to his mind.
"You asked me last time, what is the relationship between Mr. Takanashi, the Star Pillar, and me…"
"Ah… that's right…" Masachika tried hard to keep his eyes open and listen intently, but the unstoppable bleeding from his abdomen still caused his mind to wander.
"Mr. Takanashi… is the savior of Genya and me, and he is also the one who guided me onto the path of a Demon Slayer. The first time I met him, he wasn't a Pillar yet… Masachika, are you listening?"
"…Of course…" Masachika controlled his breathing. Although no one would come to save him, he still hoped to delay his death a little longer. Sanemi didn't often speak to him so gently, and he wanted to hear more: "The next time we meet… you'll be a Pillar too…"
Sanemi paused, then shut his eyes tightly.
Many Swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps had heard about Urokodaki Sabito and Tomioka Giyu, and Sanemi had learned a lot from Masachika.
The two fellow disciples had jointly slain a Lower Moon, and Sabito, who made the sacrifice, was severely injured and was still lying unconscious in the Butterfly Mansion.
Tomioka Giyu, who wielded his blade to slay the demon, was unwilling to accept the commendation from headquarters, and even more unwilling to accept the title of Water Pillar.
To avoid overtly disobeying orders, he ran all over the world with a face full of scars, hunting demons.
Sanemi still remembered how he had commented on this colleague at the time: "Idiot."
Because of Genya, Sanemi felt that not saying something like "f***ing idiot" was already a sign of his conscience.
But when the situation truly fell upon him, he felt that Tomioka Giyu's actions were the only choice.
How could one cheerfully accept commendations from headquarters when a teammate was severely injured—or even dead!
Accept the praise from that so-called "Master" who sat in a high position, never sympathized with his subordinates, and only fought with his mouth?
"Oh, right… didn't we once make a pact…" Masachika blinked tiredly, seemingly recalling past times: "The one who becomes a Pillar later… has to… treat the one who became a Pillar first to a meal, a soft-boiled tofu and beef hotpot…"
"Even in this state, you're still thinking about beef hotpot, you really are a foolish senior brother!" Sanemi gritted his teeth tightly, turning his face away to let his hot tears fall onto his clothes.
"Ha…" A triumphant smile appeared in the corner of Masachika's eyes: "Do you still remember… what you said at the time…?"
He seemed to have truly run out of strength and fell silent.
"I said I wasn't interested," Sanemi replied.
"Ah, right… you said you weren't interested…" Masachika chuckled: "Then you can't blame me…"
Sanemi lifted his face high, his scarred face contorted, all his features scrunched together.
Do kind people in this world not deserve a good ending?
His mother was like this, and now Masachika was like this too.
Oh, Gods, save him, and save me too.
After uttering the words "Gods," he suddenly opened his eyes.
That night many years ago seemed to reappear before him.
A young man in a green robe, a broken wooden window split by a blade, appeared before him, enveloped in blue-purple sword light.
Almost immediately upon arrival, Haruto, pale-faced, fell to the ground on his knees.
Behind him, a nimble, small figure jumped down, slid to Masachika's side, and after feeling his neck pulse, quickly pulled out various medicines from a medical kit.
"Too much blood loss, multiple internal organ injuries, the situation is extremely critical right now."
Kochou Shinobu calmly observed Masachika's condition: "I'll give him emergency treatment immediately. Haruto… do you still have strength? Inform the Kakushi outside to get ready."
Haruto forced himself to support his weak limbs and walked out of the house.
Sanemi shuddered: "Masachika can still be saved? I'll… I—"
"Please hold him properly, don't move! I'm giving him emergency treatment!" Shinobu frowned tightly: "I'm not sure if Mr. Kuwano will survive, I only know that waiting here means certain death! No matter what, you must first send him to the Butterfly Mansion; trusting the doctors is the only solution!"
Shinobu was angry.
It was the first time she, who was always smiling, had been so angry.
Sanemi was stunned, but he didn't say a word.
[Shinobu the power bank has recharged Masachika.]
[Fan Zhu Ge didn't eat all that food for nothing; he ran all the way here in one go, his skill endurance is really strong!]
[Leg fetish welfare, remember to screenshot.]
After Haruto informed the Kakushi, he walked back stiffly, and before he reached them, he tripped over his legs and fell to the ground.
Ah… how embarrassing, especially falling in such a posture.
Haruto lay there quietly, waiting for his body to recover on its own.
This was a side effect of overusing the Breathing Technique: complete paralysis and inability to move. If a Lower Moon were to appear now, they could all be packed up and taken away.
[Whoever said leg fetish welfare, come out here, my xx is x'd, and you show me this?]
[Fan Zhu Ge lying there contemplating life looks so silly hhhh]
[It's like a Tesla running out of power….]
Haruto found amusement in his suffering by reading the bullet comments.
However, compared to the screen full of "Ku—wa—no—Ma—sa—chi—ka—" and "widowhood scene" when he first left the Butterfly Mansion, the bullet comments had already refreshed on the way.
That meant… Masachika should survive.
Although the wound on his abdomen looked terrifying, even if his bodily functions were affected, as long as he could survive, that was better than anything.
He was lost in thought when the Kakushi, who had prepared a stretcher, came in to check the situation.
"Mr. Star Pillar… are you alright?" The Kakushi was very flustered to see a Pillar-level Swordsman lying down.
Haruto was too tired to speak, so he could only wink at him: I'm fine, go check on them.
Unfortunately, not everyone could be telepathic with him. The Kakushi hurriedly stood up and called to his colleagues: "Goto! Come help! Star Pillar seems to have epilepsy!"
Epilepsy?
Haha, you guys are so funny, I'm just… Wait, what are you doing?
Kochou Shinobu, focused on saving the injured, didn't notice that two Kakushi behind her were frantically helping Haruto up and carrying him towards the Butterfly Mansion.
"Star Pillar, hold on! We'll be there soon!"
Let me go… Let me go… No one could hear the helpless inner thoughts of Haruto, who was being "kidnapped."
Let me go quickly… I don't want to be embarrassed all the way to the Butterfly Mansion…