𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙚... ᴷᴺʸ ˣ ᴳᴱᴺˢᴴᴵᴺ

부정⬩Sumiko's Death

[extra chapter- everyone's reaction to her death]

Giyuu was weak. That was common sense, an undeniable fact, even (in his eyes).

He was never the Water Hashira. He didn't deserve it. He shouldn't even be a demon slayer, he failed to eradicate even one of those monsters in mount Fujikasane.

And it wasn't even just because of pure luck, because people had to die for him to be here, and he knew he wasn't worthy of those sacrifices either.

Those two persons that he loved so dearly, gone because of him. Of his incompetence.

Lovely Tsutako-neesan, always a comforting presence, the one who took care of him since their parents weren't able to do so. She loved him as much as he loved her, but Giyuu wasn't her only family.

Tsutako had a bright future, such a beautiful young miss, with excellent house skills and already engaged, everything seemed to be turning out great for the orphaned Tomioka siblings.

Fate didn't like that too much, it seems.

Because just one day before their happiness was to be sealed and secured, the girl was murdered. And Giyuu saw everything.

Whoever took away his big sister couldn't be human, if going by the grotesque form that said creature held while feasting on Young Tsutako's intestines.

But of course, no one believed him, and any kind of support he could have gotten after the loss of his big sister seemed to disappear the moment the village came to the conclusion that he was crazy.

So he ran. He ran so deep into the forest without looking back, and he lost himself.

After days of starvation and the taunting cold weather, his small body wouldn't be able to handle those harsh conditions any longer, and Giyuu realized that he didn't care. As he felt himself fade away into numbness, other than the primal fear of death and the unknown, some part of him was happy at the prospect of joining Tsutako-neesan in the afterlife.

Of course, once again, fate decided to keep toying with him.

Apparently, a hunter had found him buried deep into the snow, and said man brought him to Mount Sagiri, Home of Urokodaki Sakonji, former Water Hashira.

Or at least, that's what an obnoxious boy obsessed with 'being a man' told him when he woke up. He would later find out that this boy's name was Sabito.

Urokodaki-san took his time to explain Giyuu about his role as a cultivator, demon slayers and what were demons.

Giyuu felt relieved at being reassured that what he saw that tragic night wasn't all in his head.

Urokodaki-san let him rest for a while on his humble home, and Giyuu couldn't thank him enough.

While Urokodaki-san wasn't much of a talker with him, Sabito on the other hand, took every opportunity he could get to talk to Giyuu.

Rants about his training, about the man he wanted to be in the future and his hatred for demons.

In some way this introduced Giyuu better to the Demon Slaying world, because he would soon find himself asking Urokodaki-san to train him alongside with Sabito, a new purpose on life being found.

And thus, a new chapter of his life full of hope for the future begun.

Unlike his sister, this time both Sabito and Giyuu himself were being trained to be able to face the demonic creatures. Even if Giyuu was useless, he knew Sabito would be able to protect himself. Even when the man wore his tengu mask, he noticed the proud look Urokodaki-sensei gave Sabito, full of fondness and love. (he failed to realize the fact that this same look was given to him too). And even if he didn't know any of Urokodaki-sensei's past pupils, he was sure that Sabito would be the strongest of them all.