And so, peaceful and quiet days passed for nearly half a month.
During this time, Yohan maintained a strict daily regimen, continuously honing his Sage Body and exploring better ways to wield the power of DarkKnight Shadow, his newly acquired tower shield.
To train his Sage Body, he focused on sensing the natural energy around him. Previously, through a conversation with the system, he'd learned that this perception could gradually improve with effort—eventually allowing him to detect the movement and presence of people nearby by tracking fluctuations in nature's flow.
Come to think of it, wasn't that eerily similar to Observation Haki? Either way, it was definitely a powerful and desirable skill.
On the other side, Mitsuri Kanroji had been diligently training under the guidance of Kyojuro Rengoku. After days of intense practice, she had basically grasped the fundamentals of Flame Breathing. However, she often felt something was missing—a slight stiffness in the movements that didn't sit right.
When Yohan heard her concerns, he encouraged her to experiment and try creating her own unique style by fusing Flame Breathing with her own instincts.
After all, he remembered clearly that Mitsuri had eventually created her very own Love Breathing. He had no doubt that she could do it again.
Meanwhile, Kanae Kocho and the others were swamped with restoration work around the estate and managing affairs related to the Demon Slayer Corps. As high-ranking Hashira, they each bore great responsibilities and were constantly occupied.
Only Shinobu Kocho seemed to find time to regularly visit Yohan. The short-haired girl always came with the same excuse: to draw his blood for "research purposes," claiming she wanted to uncover the secret behind his unbelievable regenerative abilities.
Yohan had no objections. Having his blood drawn wasn't a big deal—his metabolism was so fast it barely made a difference. And it wasn't like his Sage Body could be unraveled by conventional medicine. Still, if Shinobu could glean anything useful from it, that would be a bonus.
After all, she was incredibly skilled in medical knowledge. Despite her young age, she was already a key member of the Demon Slayer Corps' medical wing, the Butterfly Estate.
Besides, every time she came by for blood, she never left right away. Instead, she'd stay and "evaluate" Yohan's training, making a few snarky remarks before strolling off with her usual smirk.
Having a bright and lovely girl like her hanging around during his training? Yohan had no complaints.
That is… until Mitsuri once came home early and saw them together.
She'd puffed her cheeks like a furious chipmunk, her whole face red with jealousy. Rumor had it that ever since, her training sessions with Rengoku had become far more intense—her fiery aura practically blasting the air around her.
…
"Ha ha ha!"
"Yohan, I came today to bid you farewell."
Kyojuro Rengoku approached him with a wide grin, his voice as bold as ever. His wounds had long healed, and having fulfilled his promise to help train Mitsuri, he was ready to move on.
"Oh? So where are you headed next?"
"Back to hunting demons, of course!"
"Yohan, the next time we meet—I will have become the Flame Hashira! So you'd better grow stronger too!"
With that, Rengoku burst into hearty laughter, his eyes burning with determination.
If there had been any gap between him and the title of Flame Hashira before, it was gone now. After surviving his near-death battle against Upper Moon Three, benefiting from Yohan's miracle pufferfish Fugu meal, and mastering Iron Body, his strength and experience had skyrocketed.
He was now more than ready to claim that title.
"Of course, Rengoku," Yohan replied with a smirk. "Just don't be too shocked when you see how much I've changed by then."
They clasped arms, warriors honoring each other's path.
Just then, Kanae Kocho, Shinobu, and Kanao quietly stepped out from the estate.
"Yohan, we're leaving too," Kanae said gently. "The Master has summoned us back, and... keeping Kanao out here for too long might be unsafe."
Yohan turned to face them, his smile fading slightly. "So everyone's heading out, huh?"
Mitsuri's expression darkened with sorrow. These past days had become so precious to her. This little slice of life, shared with such dear companions, had wormed its way deep into her heart.
Now that they were all going, she couldn't help but feel downcast.
"Don't forget to visit me at the Butterfly Estate!" Shinobu said brightly. Then, glancing at Yohan, her cheeks just a tad pink, she added, "You too... you'd better come as well."
Shinobu's face was more expressive now, no longer as guarded as when they first met. Kanae, standing beside her, also smiled and nodded.
"We hope you'll come by the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters sometime. We'd love to have you."
Little Kanao still said nothing but gave a small wave, her eyes sparkling with understanding.
Though she hadn't fully healed from her past, she could sense that the people around her now were kind and trustworthy. And in the quiet way girls sometimes bond without words, she had slowly accepted both Mitsuri and Yohan.
Funny how things turned out. At first, Mitsuri had seen Shinobu as a serious rival—especially with how often she hung around Yohan.
But the more they spent time together, the closer the two girls became. Now they were thick as thieves, constantly trading recipes and ideas for the latest culinary trends.
Yohan could only sigh inwardly. The world's too complicated... I'm still too young to understand it all.
…
"Everyone's gone..."
Mitsuri sat on the front steps of the now-quiet estate, her head turning slowly as she looked around at the emptiness.
"Don't worry," Yohan said, standing beside her. "We'll all meet again, won't we?"
She looked up at him, eyes full of light.
"Mm. We will!"
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