From Darkness to Light

By The Lakeside

Jeez, these youngsters today! They've got no substance. They can't even handle basic stamina training, let alone mastering Total Concentration Constant. If this is the best they could do, fighting off Kibutsuji Muzan's forces really is gonna be a dream within a dream, and the Demon Slayer Corps will really be in trouble. Guess I've gotta shape 'em up quick if they wanna hope to stand a chance.

Putting his haori over his yukata, Tengen took a midnight stroll across the headquarters while the Corps was asleep. His wives - Makio, Suma, and Hinatsuru - were all resting soundlessly asleep in their private room after a long day of cooking for the hungry demon slayers that collapsed after only a few minutes of running. Because so many of them lacked even basic endurance, Tengen's first phase of Hashira Training had an unproportionally large number of slayers still stuck in it after failing to give a satisfactory stamina performance - which was alarming and spoke novels about how shoddy their breathing techniques were. Even when they stood amidst his glorious presence, the former Hashira of Sound and the flashy God of Festivities, they still weren't inspired enough to push beyond their limits and impress him in any way or form. Still, despite their lackluster results, he was still glad to be back in action as training these drab slayers meant he was helping contribute to the final showdown that could be happening any minute.

After the Yūkaku Incident where he and his flamboyant squad took down the local Upper Moon Six siblings Daki and Gyutaro, he had found it difficult to adjust to his newly retired life now that he had lost his left eye and hand. Initially, he was filled with a sadness now that he was no longer able to dual wield his wonderfully gaudy twin blades or have the same depth perception as before. Besides the combat aspect, his everyday life had also changed considerably now that he was permanently injured, and he would often think of the days where he used to be whole and well. Sometimes, he would still feel a twinge of pain in his eye every now and then, a reminder of the battle he fought that day. However, despite his drastic injuries, he had come to accept them as badges of honor. They were evidence of the hard-fought battle he and his tsuguko underwent that night, and if he earned those wounds saving the lives of innocents, it was well worth it. After all, a Hashira always shields their juniors.

Well, now that he was a former Hashira, his soul was finally able to rest as he and his wives had significantly contributed to felling two monstrous demons that had been claiming lives for centuries. Even if the district was destroyed, all the people who evacuated could always rebuild and live peacefully knowing no more women would be committing ashinuke. A place dripping in lust and desire could be just that and not a den of fear and death. While he had been slaying demons for quite some time, this felt like 'the' major victory he so desperately wanted to cleanse his soul of his sins. But the work was far from over, and he would keep contributing to the Corps until all demons were eradicated.  

But right now, none of that mattered. It was almost midnight and everyone, except for a few of the slayers taking night watches, was sound asleep. Taking this as a perfect time to enjoy some pleasant alone time, Tengen strolled the exposed grounds of the training site he oversaw and took in the imprints that the rookies' boots left in the dirt. Continuing to walk, he found himself in a reminiscent mood and entered the nearby forest that bordered the slayer HQ. Because it was so close to the Ubuyashiki Estate, it was well tamed and trimmed to become a traversable and aesthetically pleasing shrine of tall trees with an immaculately carved stone pathway built throughout the forest. This way, anyone could stroll along the path and just enjoy the serenity of the nature. However, just beyond the forest lied Tengen's true destination: a small lake that sparkled dazzlingly in the moonlight, its surface waters shimmering so brightly all around. The lake was of moderate size but still managed to be quite deep, allowing algae and aquatic flora to grow in its depths. Small and healthy fish also swam throughout where their dark silhouettes could be seen by any onlookers on the banks. All of this made Tengen love to frequent this very spot so much, where he could be alone and simply enjoy the sounds of nature, just like he did back then.