A Cook, A Doctor, A Ghost and A Ronin.

Mist

Meanwhile

"Shit, where am I?" Zoro asked himself a question that he can't answer. He can't put a finger on where he's at. His surroundings looks nothing he had ever seen before. It was beautiful. The place is brimming with countless flowers and trees.

Zoro gets up from the ground. The demon had taken him somewhere quite far from where they were originally supposed to be. Zoro had never thought that they were thrown out just like that. He haven't received any damage from the attack as he coated his whole body in Haki at the last second.

He had been separated from Muichiro. Zoro hope that the boy is doing fine. Zoro is confident that the boy would survive. After all, the boy is a Hashira. He knew that kid would do well by himself.

He went by to go back to the inn where they were staying at before. But he can't put his head into it as the forest is too thick. He's lost yet again. He kept on going on circles around the forest until he finds himself in a completely different forest. 

Around him, the forest are currently burning. He could see a silver haired man who wears a shinobi outfit, accompanied by a girl who's wearing all-white outfit. She looks like a samurai of some sort. She's holding a sword. 

Both of them were going against a tall giant with a veil that covers his face. Both of them seems to have a hard time due to the giant's size, strength and endurance. Zoro could hear the silver-haired shinobi yelling "Ascetic Blaze"

He's confused. 

Muichiro

Muichiro immediately run towards the inn after being thrown away by Karaku earlier. He must not waste anytime to slay the demon and protect the swordsmiths in the village. They are a valuable asset to the Corps. I really went flying! Gotta get back fast!

As he dashed through the forest, he spotted a short figure from afar and sounds of someone groaning. Sounds like someone is struggling. He turned around, there was Kotetsu who's fighting against a demon with a sword.

*King!*

*Keng!*

His stance is poor and his swordplay is very bad. Something that's very normal amongst amateur. Makes sense since not all swordsmiths know how to make a sword. A demon and a child!

A child...that's a swordsmith. He must be an apprentice swordsmith. Helping him is a low priority. Muichiro felt like there's nothing important or something to gain by helping an apprentice swordsmith. It is meaningless in his eyes. Muichiro decided to ignore Kotetsu.

That one doesn't seem like the main body. Some demonic power must've created foot soldiers. Muichiro observed the bizarre looking creature who's fighting Kotetsu. The demon looks like an abomination. Its face looks like a fish's head with four arms. It had a scale-like skin and a vase sitting on its back. 

There's no reason to stop here. The whole village is under attack. To protect it, I must prioritize the chief and skilled artisans. Muichiro decided to ignore Kotetsu and focusing on saving the skilled swordsmiths instead.

*Thuk*

"Gah!" Kotetsu was grabbed by the creature. He screamed. Muichiro tried his best to just let it slide and ignore the kid. But he remembered but Tanjiro had just said to him.

"Helping others often ends up helping yourself"

*Slash!*

"If all you can do is get in the way, just run!" Muichiro didn't understand why he was helping the kid. The monster's arm was slashed, dropping Kotetsu to the ground. Kotetsu fell to the ground. He found himself standing behind the Mist Hashira's back.

*Fwoosh!*

*Slash!*

Muichiro slashed the monster by its head to see its reaction. Instead of it dying, it regrows a brand new head almost immediately. I cut what it seems like its weak spot, but it's not going down. It regenerates. Muichiro's attention turned to the vase on top of the monster. Is this it?

*Smash!*

*Prang!*

Muichiro smashed the vase on the monster's back with his hand. As the vase was destroyed, the monster began to lets out a powerful screech. Then, the monster tuned into dust.

*Skreee!*

It was getting the power from the vase. Like I thought, a Blood Demon Art created that abomination. The monster's reaction confirms Muichiro's theory. Suddenly, Muichiro was jumped by Kotetsu who hugged the Mist Hashira. 

"Waaaah! Thank you!" Kotetsu was really grateful for Muichiro saving his life. He was crying behind the Hyottoko mask he's wearing. 

"I thought I was dead! Dead! I was so scared! Waaaah! I was wrong to call you a seaweed head! I'm sorry!" Kotetsu thought that his life was over when he was grabbed by the monster. He apologized and thanked Muichiro for helping him.

"Seaweed head? You meant me?" Muichiro just realized that.

"Waaah! I'm sorry! I was mad at you!" Muichiro wasn't someone to bear grudge about something so light. He wasn't angry about that at all.

"I don't have a time for this. I'm going, so do as you please." Muichiro excused himself as he was about to leave. He didn't have time for this kinds of thing.

"Wait! Kanamori is under attack too! Haganezuka didn't sleep while repairing Tanjiro's sword, so you gotta help them! Any delay and they're done for!" Kotetsu begged the Mist Hashira to help them while teary eyed. He bowed down to Muichiro.

"No, I-

You will definitely reclaim yourself, Muichiro..

Then, something began to return within Muichiro. Something he had forgotten before. it was very cloudy. He stopped. He slapped himself couple time, hoping to remember some more. He could hear the voice of Oyakata-sama talking to him. He didn't quite remember what had happened to him until he had been in this situation. All he knows is that he was severely wounded.

He was in his bed, his body is wrapped around in bandages including his head. The only place that wasn't bandaged was the small compartment for his face. Then, there was Ubuyashiki and his wife beside him.

You must be confused, but right now think about only survival. As long as you're alive, it will work out somehow. Begin with trivial matters and clear the mist inside your head....

The mist inside his head somehow slowly starts to disappear.