Inei's POV. Ubuyashiki Estate.
A few months passed ever since I came here after my long term mission, and now.........
Kagaya-sama summoned me here once more. Not to mention, in the dead of a night.
It can only mean one thing, this is an urgent summon and it means a large scale mission is currently underway.
I arrived immediately to Kagaya-sama's chamber and I revealed my presence.
Inei: Kagaya-sama, you summoned me.
Kagaya: Ah, yes. Inei, fast and quiet as usual.
Afterwards, two people arrived at the estate.
The Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, and, the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho.
Kagaya: Giyu, Shinobu, Inei.
Kagaya: You three came back here as soon as possible.
Kagaya: As for you Inei, I heard from Kage that you successfully prevented a demon rampage at Osaka.
Inei: Yes, Kagaya-sama.
Kagaya: I summoned you three, because I received news that my children, at Mt. Natagumo were almost eliminated.
Kagaya: Inei, you once eliminated the The Lower Moon Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki years ago, even before becoming a pillar.......
Inei: It seems like another six had been chosen once more.
Kagaya: Exactly.
Kagaya: The incident on Mt. Natagumo is of serious matter.
Kagaya: It seems like there is a need to send the Hashira there.
Kagaya: Giyu, Shinobu, Inei.
The three of us bowed to Kagaya-sama as we received our orders.
Giyu: As you wish.
Shinobu: As you wish.
Inei: It shall be done.
Shinobu: If we could get along together, everything would be great. No matter if it's humans or demons.
Shinobu: Don't you think so, Tomioka-san, Inei-kun?
Giyu: As long as demons still eat humans.......that is only just wishful thinking.
Inei: .............
Inei: Well, if we can only find a cure.
Inei: If we can turn back a demon to being human that is.
Shinobu: Turning a demon back to being human?
Inei: I watched the movements of the Upper Moon Ranks during my travels.
Inei: Even encounter the three strongest of the Upper Ranks.
Shinobu: Ah, Himejima-san said you were able to corner the three of them, right?
Kagaya: Inei intentionally prolonged the battle in order to learn their abilities.
Inei: But I applied pressure to them and cornered them.
Inei: As much as I want to assassinate them and all, they are also quick to flee because whenever the battle ended, it was during dawn.
Kagaya: Inei, I also believe that the people you've been searching for, are in the said mountain.
Inei: !?
Inei: Tanjiro and Nezuko!
Inei: I will do everything in my power to protect them.
I immediately went to our destination and my only goal is........
Inei: Tanjuro-san, Kie-san. Please. Help me protect Tanjiro and Nezuko!
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Shinobu's POV.
The moment that Inei-kun disappeared, Tomioka-san and I also quickly departed from the estate and went to Mt. Natagumo.
Shinobu: Inei-kun's speed is unbelievable.
Shinobu: He would probably arrive there in a few hours......no, minutes.
Shinobu: This is also the first time that Inei-kun would be involved in missions like this..........
Shinobu: Not to mention, our first mission together but...........
Shinobu: He got his priorities first.........the two people that he was searching for years...........
Shinobu: I just want to be with Inei-kun.........not, with Tomioka-san.
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A few minutes later. Inei's POV. Mt. Natagumo.
I finally arrived at the foot of the said mountain.
Inei: All right.........
Inei: Let's see first............
Inei: *inhale*
Inei: *exhale*
Inei: Spirit Breathing - Fourth Form: Nature's Breeze.
Spirit Breathing, one of the breathing techniques that I learned along with the creation of my Shadow Breathing.
The Spirit Breathing is mostly for my sensory perception only, not for combat.
This breathing technique allows me to detect any life forms. The First form, Spirit Call, enhances my hearing to detect any unusual sounds......even the sound of demons, either ordinary or a member of the Twelve Kizuki.
The Second Form, Soul Perception. Combined with my ability to see the Transparent World, this allows me predict one's movements. Using this will allow me to create the perfect opportunity to assassinate the demon.
Third Form, Heavenly Premonition. Allows me to somehow gain foresight on what the demon will do when I'm tailing them. This allows me to prevent them from their potential rampage. With the aid of my Transparent World, this allows me to see a demon's abnormal structure and even their hidden trump card.
Last but not the least, Fourth Form, Nature's Breeze. Used only when it is in the mountains or forests. This allows me to smell the wind that passed by on a demon and other living beings, either dead or alive. With this, it allows me to determine their initial location and current situation.
And as of now, it is what Kagaya-sama predicted, the demon—no, the demons slaughtered most of our forces, some of them are gravely injured, and some of them are being used as puppets due to their blood demon art that involves strings.
Not to mention..........
Inei: !?
An image of Tanjiro, fighting a demon, the Lower Moon Rank 5..........
Not to mention, Tanjiro, is severely injured as of the moment.
Inei: I have no time to lose here!
And so, with the information that I got..........
I quietly trekked the mountain, and along the way, I even found corpses of Demon Slayers, mostly rookies.
Inei: Just what the hell is going on?
Inei: Did Kagaya-sama sent the Hashira now because the situation turned out to this?
Inei: If that's the case, then...........
I used the Spirit Breathing - Fourth Form to assess the current situation..........
Inei: !?
Inei: Tanjiro's sword is now broken and........what the.......!?
Inei: Nezuko became a demon but.......she's being held hostage as I can smell her blood along.......
Inei: Threads........?
I also noticed that threads are scattered around the area..........
Inei: Must be a blood demon art of the demon, a Lower Moon Rank Demon............
I wanted to bury the bodies of our comrades who were slaughtered in the worse possible way, but........I got to save Tanjiro and Nezuko first!
I increased my speed to the point that I just began to jump from tree to tree just to get there...........
Inei: !?
Inei: A clearing in the forest and......!
There.......on the ground, I finally found the person that I've been searching for years..........
Wearing a checkered haori and a demon slayer uniform, with his broken black nichirin sword............
Lying helplessly on the floor.......as ominous red threads are surrounding him............
There is no mistaking it.......
The Hanafuda Earrings..........
It's Tanjiro!
With a silent click, I held the sheath of my blade, with a silent iajutsu strike, I managed to cut all the ominous red threads, from a blood demon art.
Inei: Shadow Breathing - Second Form............
Inei: Phantom Draw!
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Tanjiro's POV. Mt. Natagumo.
As the red threads began to surround and close in.........I was wounded until.............
Someone slashed the threads............
Tanjiro: S-Someone's here........is it Zenitsu?
I didn't hear any sound, the sound of a sword swinging..........
???: You did a good job for holding out until I got here.
???: Leave the rest to me.
???: Tanjiro.
Tanjiro: !?
I turned and when I did, I knew this presence............
Tanjiro: That pale blondish hair......that scarf.........!
Tanjiro: W-Wait.........is that you........
And he turned towards me, as I confirmed his identity.........
Those kind purple eyes...........
Tanjiro: Saito-san..........!
Inei: We can catch up later, Tanjiro. Go to Nezuko's side.
------------------
Back to Inei.
Tanjiro slowly crawled to towards Nezuko who is knocked out......as I face the kid with white kimono, white hair and on his left eye, the words "Lower Five" were written.
Inei: I see, so you're part of the Twelve Kizuki, Lower Moon Rank Five.
Inei: What's your name?
I sheathed my tachi as the demon answered me.
Rui: Rui....
And I can totally feel his bloodlust.
Rui: You're like an endless stream of lowlifes always getting in my way!
Rui: Blood Demon Art........
The ominous red threads began to appear........
Inei: ............
I closed my eyes, entered the Transparent World, and I determined his vital points.
Inei: I don't want to waste any energy, I'll just finish him off, right away. And to do that............
Inei: I'll just have to use that technique.
Rui: Cutting Thread Rotation!
Inei: So that's how it is.........
Inei: Then............
I'll defend for a while.
I know all of the Shadow Breathing Forms are for offense and used for assassination, but........
I'll let this bastard pay, for hurting Tanjiro and Nezuko.
He then launched the his Blood Demon Art.......
Inei: Shadow Breathing - Fifth Form........
With five silent and fast slashes, I severed the threads of his Blood Demon Art........
Inei: Midnight.
Tanjiro: Shadow Breathing!?
Rui: Who cares about your Shadow Breathing!
Rui's attack failed..........as he desperately reaches out his hand to perform his blood demon art.
Rui: One more time—
Inei: Too slow.......
Inei: Shadow Breathing - First Form.
Inei: Shadow Blade.
In a blink of an eye, I am already standing behind Rui, and with one subtle slash, his head was chopped off........and his body quickly turned into dust.
Due to the fast and silent attacks of the Shadow Breathing, the demon and even Tanjiro himself never predicted my move.
With my sword already sheathed, I turned to Tanjiro and smiled.
Inei: Sorry, I'm late, Tanjiro, Nezuko.
Tanjiro who was still shocked, now bursted to tears when I kneeled beside him and Nezuko.
Tanjiro: Saito-san..........I..........
Inei: Calm down, Tanjiro.
Inei: Also, sit beside that tree.
Tanjiro slowly did as instructed, as I examined Nezuko via the Transparent World.
Inei: Nezuko's wounds aren't that dangerous, it was only cut off due to threads of the Blood Demon Art.
Inei: Also, she became a demon.
Inei: Just what the hell happened?
I gently carried Nezuko beside Tanjiro.
Tanjiro: Nezuko........I'm glad that she's doing fine.
I then checked upon Tanjiro and he's even beat up. Not to mention, from the looks of it, he got previous injuries before.
Tanjiro: Ah, that's right, Saito-san, here.
Tanjiro gave me something akin to a needle.
Tanjiro: I needed to collect the blood of the Twelve Kizuki, in order to find a cure for Nezuko.
Inei: Hmmmm.
I saw the pool of blood left behind when I decapitated Rui. I took the sample of his blood, and I completed the extraction.
Suddenly, a cat appeared with a small bag which fits the tool that I'm holding.
Inei: Wait, isn't this......? Yushiro's cat?
Tanjiro: Wait, you know Yushiro? That must mean, you know Tamayo-san?
Inei: !?
Inei: I see........so that's what's going on, more or less.
I put the sample in the small bag and the cat quickly disappears.
I quickly went back to Tanjiro and applied first aids on his wounds.
Tanjiro: I never thought that you were a demon hunter, Saito-san.
Inei: That's my line. I never knew that you will join the Demon Slayer Corps.
Tanjiro: Wait, how long have you been a Demon Slayer?
Inei: Around 8 years.
Tanjiro: Eight years!? Then, when we met you—
Inei: Yes, I am already a demon hunter during that time and, I was on a mission during that time.
Tanjiro: A mission.
Inei: A mission to find a certain family that lives in the mountains.
Inei: That family, was your family, Tanjiro.
Inei: Sorry, if I failed to protect you and your family.
Inei: If I didn't left, you guys wouldn't be—
Tanjiro: It's all right, Saito-san. You're not at fault. You never knew.
Inei: You're as kind as ever, Tanjiro.
Inei: What happened, after the massacre?
Then Tanjiro told me what happened. From the moment Tanjiro found his family murdered, his sister turned into a demon, his encounter with Giyu, his training to become a demon within 2 years, his encounter with Muzan at Asakusa, Tokyo.
Everything that happened up to this point.
Inei: I see.
I finished patching him up.
Inei: How are you feeling now, Tanjiro?
Tanjiro: I'm feeling a bit better now, thanks for saving me, Saito-san.
Inei: Mm.
Inei: Also, you can call me by my name.
Tanjiro: Hmmmm, then, Inei-oniisan is good?
Inei: Yeah.
Tanjiro: Ah, that's right. Nezuko always called you as, "Inei-oniichan."
Inei: And back then, when I was in the orphanage, my younger foster siblings would also call me that way.
Tanjiro: It seems like, you've also been through a lot, Inei-oniisan.
Inei: Yeah.
I then smiled at Nezuko who somehow began to cling at my haori.
Nezuko: Mmmm.....mmmmm.........
Tanjiro: It seems like she sensed your familiar presence.
Inei: I still can't believe that Muzan turned her into a demon.
Tanjiro: Yeah. That's why I swore that I will kill him and bring Nezuko back to being human.
Inei: ..........
Inei: By the way, have you mastered the Hinokami Kagura?
This made Tanjiro flinch as he honestly answered my question.
Tanjiro: I almost defeated the demon, when I remembered the Hinokami Kagura, when I remembered Dad.
Inei: I see. Tanjuro-san must've guided you.
Tanjiro: Not just him, I remembered how you would always teach me the Hinokami Kagura back then.
Inei: I see.
Tanjiro: I somehow mastered it, but not as refined as you would do it.
Inei: Then, I guess I shall be able to fulfill my promise to your father.
Tanjiro: Promise?
Inei: I promised Tanjuro-san, that if he passed on to this world, if you still ever had trouble in the Hinokami Kagura.........
Inei: I shall be the one to teach you.
Tanjiro: Really?
Inei: Yes. The fact that you used the Hinokami Kagura in getting on equal footing with an Lower Moon Rank 5.
Tanjiro: It's also thanks to Nezuko, she helped me.
Inei: So, he can still regain her mind......despite being a demon?
Tanjiro: Urokodaki-san somehow put Nezuko on a spell, to protect humans, and to think that humans is her family.
Inei: I see.
I heard some rustling in the bushes as Tanjiro kept his guard up.
Tanjiro: !?
Inei: Hm?
Inei: Giyu-san, is that you?
He emerged from the bushes and revealed himself.
Giyu: Saito, it seems like you arrived here first.
Inei: Yeah. It seems like you and Shinobu managed to take down all the remaining demons?
Giyu: Yes.
Giyu: Also, Tanjiro?
Tanjiro: T-Tomioka-san......
Giyu: It seems like you were successful.
Tanjiro: Y-Yes!
Inei: Giyu, report immediately to Kagaya-sama.
Inei: We eliminated Lower Moon Rank 5.
Giyu: Hm.
Giyu: I don't really plan on staying here, after all.
Giyu immediately leaves the scene as Tanjiro was shocked.
Tanjiro: W-What's going on, Inei-oniisan?
Inei: Ah, that's right. I forgot to tell you this, Tanjiro.
Inei: I am not only just an ordinary demon slayer.
Inei: I am the Demon Slayer Corps' Shadow Hashira.
Tanjiro: Hashira? What is that?
Inei: After that training, you forgot what Urokodaki-san taught you?
Inei: If the demons have the Twelve Kizuki, the Demon Slayers have the Hashiras.
Inei: An elite group of the strongest Demon Slayers.
Tanjiro: I see. So you're one of the Hashiras, huh?
Inei: Yes.
Inei: But, I'll tell you all about this, later.
Tanjiro: Hm? What do you—
I quickly deflected the attack towards Nezuko as Tanjiro was alarmed by this.
Tanjiro: !?
???: Ara, Inei-kun, what is this? What is the meaning of this?
Inei: Shinobu, back off.
The one who appeared before us, is none other than the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho.
And her target, is none other than Nezuko.
Shinobu: Inei-kun, what do you mean back off? That's my line.
Inei: *sigh*
Inei: I just know, this won't end well.