Prologue

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Giyuu's feet felt heavy as he walked towards the cemetery's entrance. It was already dusk, today being his 25th birthday, the final day of his life. This being the price he would have to pay for awakening the mark of a slayer. He walked under the stone arch while holding onto a bouquet of flowers with his 1 remaining arm. Giyuu walked amongst the graves reading the names as he stopped by each of the tombstones of his former friends.

"Kyojuro, Kanroji, Iguro, Himejima, Tokito." Giyuu solemnly read the names in his head as he left a flower on each of the headstones.

He passed by the graves of the shinazugawa brothers stopping to place a flower on their headstones.

"Thanks again for keeping me company throughout the years, Sanemi."

Giyuu walked a little further down the rows of graves, only stopping when he spotted two identical headstones. These headstones marked the graves of the two kocho siblings. Kanao had made the decision for her big sisters to be buried beside each other after the final battle.

Giyuu kneeled down as he placed his two remaining flowers on each headstone.

He lifted his head to look at the beautiful orange sky above, it would be last sunset he would ever see. Giyuu laid down next to Shinobu's grave, his eyes open as he stared into the sky.

"I hope you found Kanae, my friend."

Giyuu had a bittersweet smile on his face as he remembered the faces of his dead friends and comrades.

He remembered the last night he saw Sanemi before his death. Himself, Tengen, Tanjiro and Sanemi had been at Tengen's estate sharing drinks and eating.


(Third person perspective)


"Hey, Stop acting like I'm dying!" Sanemi shouted angrily.

"Alright alright, but you have to promise not to yell." Tengen said as he shook his empty glass.

"You're loud even to the end huh?" Tengen teased trying to lighten the mood.

"What?" Sanemi mumbled.

"Oh nothing.... Anyways, you want any kid?" Tengen said as he poured himself some more sake.

"Oh no, I'm fine, Kanao said not to drink anything while I'm out." Tanjiro said as he scratched the back of his neck.

"That's too bad, Tomioka-San, want any?"

"I'd rather not, the stuff you drink is really strong." Giyuu said with a small chuckle.

"Only the best!" Tengen proclaimed with a boastful smile.

These 4 men had grown to be quite friendly in the years after the Corps was disbanded.

"Hey, Shinazugawa, are you happy?" Giyuu asked.

"Happy about what, I'll be dead by tomorrow."

"Oh, so it's ok to admit you're dying but when I say it-" Tengen said in a sorta "ahah" voice.

"Oh shut up." Sanemi angrily roared.

"You'll get to see her tomorrow, Kanae I mean."

"Yeah" Sanemi said with a bittersweet half smile on his face.

The atmosphere quickly died down after Giyuu's comment.

"Hey, in all fairness, we're brothers! Look, I got one arm, he has one arm, and he has one arm, and you're missing a few fingers." Tengen said jokingly.

"You make it sound like I'm the fortunate one here." Sanemi said with a frown.

"No, I'm just pointing it out, I'd kill to have my arm back, even if I was missing a few fingers." Tengen shrugged.

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