What If, Sabito Never Died (Demon Slayer AU)

First Time In History....

Only one of them could be the water pillar. There is always only one pillar per breath.

“You should be the pillar.” said Giyuu, “You know that you're a lot stronger than me. You fought the demon moon, I only fought those weak demons... You should be the water pillar, Sabito.”

“Giyuu...” Sabito surely wasn't going to agree easily, “According to the Demon Slayer Corps, there are two ways to become a pillar. First way, is to defeat a demon moon. Second way, is to slay over fifty demons in a single night. Both ways, are treated equally. Pillars who became pillars by defeating a demon moon are equal to those who slayed over fifty demons. And you... slayed over a hundred without getting any help from the sun. You deserve just as much to be the water pillar as I do.”

“But.. Sabito... No matter how you look at it, a demon moon is still more powerful than weak demons.”

“It's not like he was an uppermoon Or something. You saw it, his eyes said, ‘lower three’. So all I did was to slay a lowermoon.”

“A lowermoon is still one of the twelve kizuki. It may be weaker than uppermoons but that doesn't make him weak. The uppermoons are just strong.”

“Let's just leave it to Oyakata-Sama. We'll find out who will be the water pillar tomorrow. ” said Sabito.

“Yes... That's what we should do.”

The next day, Sabito and Giyuu were called to the Demon Slayer HQ. Everyone knew one of them will be the eighteenth water pillar.

All the current pillars, were gathered at one place. They all looked so superior even though they were very little in number.
These pillars were the strongest combatants in the Demon Slayer Corps.
Suddenly, they all kneeled down together. And a weak looking man slowly walked out of the HQ building. He had a large scar on his forehead, as if his skin was forcefully pulled out from there. He was also looking fragile.

“There you all are... My children.” he said in a soothing voice, even though he was looking younger than the Stone Pillar, who was pretty tall in height and looked like a giant among all the other pillars.

“And if I'm not mistaken... ” he turned towards Sabito and Giyuu, “You must be the disciples of former water pillar, Sakonji Urokodaki. I can't see much clearly but I can differentiate between old and new faces. I don't know how much time before I get blinded completely. ”

“Oyakata-Sama... ” said Sabito, “Are you suffering from some kind of disease?”

The master, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, had a deadly disease since birth. His body was extremely weak and he could only be cured by a special medicine, prepared from a particular flower, the Blue Spider Lilly.
Interestingly, it was the very same flower that started the demon race and the very same flower that the demons were still looking for. Using the Blue Spider Lilly, the demons could conquer the sun. Meaning, they won't have to hide from the sunlight and will be active during the day as well.
However, neither the Demon Slayer Corps, nor the demons had ever found the Blue Spider Lilly.

“I assure you, there is no need to worry about my disease.” the master said, “It's a birth disease and no one can stop it... No matter how hard we try. So we better not worry about it.”

“Master... We had called this meeting for a certain purpose.” said Kanae Kocho, the flower pillar, “One of these swordsmen will be the water pillar. It is remarkable because water and flame pillars were the first pillars on the Demon Slayer Corps, yet, we have no current water pillar.”

“Yes... I am also aware of the incident. Seems like you both defeated a demon moon and over a hundred demons together. ” said the master.

“No...” Giyuu replied, “Sabito was the one who defeated the demon moon alone.”

“But Oyakata-Sama!” Sabito interrupted, “Isn't it that slaying over fifty demons in a single night makes you a pillar? I may have fought the lowermoon three but, Giyuu fought and slayed over a hundred demons all by himself. Wouldn't that make him just as deserving of the pillar's position?”

“I see... You both deserve to be the Water Pillar. But, there is always only one pillar for one breath. You both have the same breathing technique.” the master said, “However, you know that no rule is stiff. Rules can be modified according to the current situation and views.” he turned towards the pillars, “My children, I would like to hear your opinions about it. Choose wisely.”

“Oyakata-Sama, I don't know much about the water-breathing duo, nor do I know exactly how the fight went. But as much as I know, even a lowermoon, no matter however strong, can't beat the strength of a hundred demons. The least it could be is equal to the hundred demons. And, according to the Demon Slayer Corps, slaying only fifty demons would have been enough to be a pillar. Same goes for the demon moon. Slaying even the lowermoon six all alone, without any help, would be enough to be a pillar. As long as I understand it, they both are talented swordsmen equivalent to pillars.” said the flower pillar, “However, if there was some help involved in fighting a lowermoon and not an uppermoon, we have to think about it in detail. But that's not the case here.”

“I agree with what Kocho said.” said the stone pillar, Gyomei Himejima, “It's unfortunate that there can only be one pillar. In my opinion, they both are worthy of the pillar rank.”

“So, we must find a middle way then.” said Oyakata-Sama.

After the meeting, they finally found out the final decision. Just as Giyuu had hoped for, Sabito was the water pillar.
However, Giyuu felt something in his wrist. He took a look at his wrist, it showed his current rank.
He was surprised after watching this...

Giyuu Tomioka
Breathing: Water
Rank: Pillar

“What does that mean? I thought... Sabito was the water pillar.” asked Giyuu.

“Giyuu...” Sabito came towards him, “Oyakata-Sama told me his final decision.. I am the water pillar. Your rank has been skipped to Kinoe. But, it's a unique case. You have the access to the pillar meetings, the demon slayer HQ and all the plans we discuss in the Demon Slayer Corps.” he said, with a smile on his face.

“You mean...? ”

Sabito grinned broadly.

“You are the second Water Pillar. There are more than one pillars in a single breath the first time in the Demon Slayer Corps' history!”