"I'm here to give a letter from Master to Joker-san." Doflamingo, hearing his nickname put down his newspaper. He raised his eyebrows. He never thought that a letter will be sent to him by Ubuyashiki himself. He and the cripple had never talk face to face before ever since the meeting they had back when they first met.
He walk towards the entrance. His tall figure intimidates Tanjiro slightly. The boy never knows what he's thinking behind the everlasting evil grin plastered on his face. Doflamingo is extremely unpredictable. "Let me have a look." Doflamingo demand the letter from the redhead. Tanjiro searched for the letter in his pocket.
It's quite unusual for him to suddenly send him a letter put of nowhere like this. Doflamingo knows something is going on. This is quite unusual in his notebook. Tanjiro pulled out the letter from his pocket and the envelope flew right to Doflamingo's palm.
*Fwoosh!*
"What?" Tanjiro knew the trick behind Doflamingo's abilities, which is strings. The Heavenly Demon rarely participate in a mission so his abilities aren't too well known. He could still remember how Doflamingo diced the Lower Moon Five within seconds. Before Tanjiro realizes, it was already over before it started. Or how Doflamingo is said to wipe the floor with Upper Moon Three's face.
Doflamingo opened the letter and read its contents. "Midnight, Ubuyashiki's Mansion" was written inside the envelope. That's all. He smirked. This is interesting. Oh well. I'm getting bored anyway. Might as well go along. Doflamingo straighten his tie.
"Thanks, brat." Doflamingo turned around and left Brook and Tanjiro alone without a single explanation.
"Are you sure you didn't want to stick around for some tea?" Brook offered again. Tanjiro shakes his head and declined kindly. He didn't want to intrude in this morning.
"Actually, can you help me a little bit?" Tanjiro asked for a favor from the tall skeleton with afro in front of him. He needs someone that really knows how to talk and give advice to others. Who's better than the fan-favorite singer and musician, The Soul King?
Training Grounds
"You're late! What're you doing? I don't get you guys! For one thing, you're completely out of shape! Even when it comes to simply running!" The former Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen could be seen scolding the demon slayers that is participating his training.
"If you're this slow, beating an Upper Moon is just a pipe dream! Enough! Stop licking the ground! It isn't break time yet! Get back to running!" Uzui raised his wooden sword and proceed to beat down the ones who stopped running.
*Swak!*
*Pak!*
The rising sun marked the birth of a new day, where the Hashira Training officially begin. Every single member of the Demon Slayer Corps must participate the training. The training begins with grueling basic physical workouts with Uzui followed by lessons from Mitsuri Kanroji in hellish flexibility and Muichiro Tokito in high speed movement alongside Rengoku's team building exercise.
Next comes swordsmanship with the Serpent Hashira then lessons in making infinite strikes with Wind Hashira and finally strength training with Stone Hashira. Sparring with corps members one after another for hours on end should improve Hashira's physical strength and skill as well. After all, practice makes perfect.
Tomioka Residence
Everyone is seriously training their wits except for one man who eats depression for breakfast, lunch and dinner including supper. The man who is 'liked' by people, Giyuu Tomioka. He seems to be in a daze, staring at the wall while doing nothing in his house.
*Knock!*
*Knock!*
"Excuse me! Tomioka?" Tanjiro knock on the door, asking if Tomioka is inside. Tomioka didn't answer. He's pretty much a little bit surprise that someone came to visit him at this time. The boy broke the silence that Tomioka seems to be cherishing.
*Knock!*
*Knock!*
"Hello there! Pardon me!" Tanjiro keep on knocking. Tomioka didn't move at all from where he is sitting. He's not in the mood to accept visitors right now. He wishes to be alone right now. He just wishes that Tanjiro would leave.
"Are you sure he's here right now?" Brook asked the boy, wanting some clarification. They heard no response from the owner of the house. He feels that this is a little rude.
"I'm sure! Giyuu-san! It's me! Kamado Tanjiro!" Tanjiro persistently keeps on knocking.
*Knock!*
*Knock!*
"Hello? Well, I'm coming in!" Tanjiro exclaim that he's going inside. Brook could just be amused at the boy's antics. The boy would get along well with his captain. Persistent, reckless, kind-hearted, honest and caring. They're honestly quite the same personality wise. Giyuu's eyes widened. Coming in? No! I must have misheard. He must be leaving. Giyuu thought to himself.
*Creak!*
"Hello!" Tanjiro appeared like a wild Pokémon alongside Brook. Giyuu could just lets out a sigh. Still, looking at the tall skeleton still giving him a slight creeps. He still can't get used to seeing Brook.
"I bought some snacks for you. I hope you enjoy it! Yohohohoho!" Brook handed Giyuu a box of sweets. Still, Giyuu wondered if there's anymore people with particular laugh like Brook of Doflamingo.
"How are you? I'm finally fully recovered! Right now, all of us are training! Soon, I will train with Ronin-san in swordsmanship and Breathing Technique!" Tanjiro immediately opens his mouth and talk about what's happening. Giyuu just stood there, listening.
*Sniff*
"You smell a little angry. What are you mad about?" Tanjiro asked Giyuu. He could tell that Giyuu is mad from the smell. Brook raised his non-existent eyebrows. Tanjiro had told him before, but he's still amazed by the fact that the boy could tell someone's emotion by the smell.
"I'm angry that you didn't fully master Water Breathing. You're supposed to become Water Hashira." Giyuu lets out the reason why he is displeased with Tanjiro.
"Ahh, that's why you're mad? You wanted Tanjiro to follow your footsteps" Brook deduced.
"Not exactly." Giyuu replied.
"I'm terribly sorry for that. I talked to Urokodaki-san. He said that it was unusual to change the breathing you use or to give birth to a brand new style. And that Water Breathing are specially close to the basics, so they give rise to many new styles." Tanjiro explained that he'd talk with Urokodaki before about this.
"Don't say that. Currently, there's no Water Hashira! Someone must fill that role as soon as possible." Giyuu said with an indifferent expression.
"Eh? Pardon me? There's no Water Hashira? How about you, Giyuu-san?" Tanjiro didn't understand what Giyuu is saying.
"I'm not the Water Hashira" Giyuu took off, and left without saying another word to them.
"So that's why you want my help." Seeing the Hashira took off, Brook understand why Tanjiro needs his help.
"I could tell, he's really drowned in sadness and sorrow. As well as feelings of guilt and loss. Possibly because the loss of his dearest around him." Brook concluded with his Observation Haki.
"Eh? How did you do that?!" Tanjiro is surprised.
"Haki of course." Brook simply answered the question. Tanjiro had never knew before that Haki could be used like that.
"Looks like you have so much more to learn." Brook smirked.
YOU ARE READING
A Cook, A Doctor, A Ghost and A Ronin.
FanfictionA sequel to my first book.(A Cook, A Doctor, and A Ghost + A Swordsman) Read that one first if you want to read this one. When Zoro, Sanji, Brook and Law is tasked with a mission to find Poneglyph buried somewhere in a mysterious cave. It took an u...
