Demon slayer: Breath Of The Eclipse

Chapter Sixty Five: Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima

It was early in the morning and Chuntaro, Zenitsu's sparrow was racing through the forest carrying a paper scroll. Meanwhile Tanjiro was moving a boulder, Zenitsu was astonished while Inosuke chagrined. But Inosuke not wanting to be outdone by Tanjiro, began excitedly chanting "Tempura" as motivation and was successfully able to push his boulder as well. As Zenitsu bemoaned being the last of his friends to push his boulder, Ukogi or Chuntaro as Zenitsu calls him had appeared, chirping for his attention. Zenitsu initially dismissed Ukogi believing that the little bird was trying to motivate him into pushing the boulder and completing his training. Annoyed Ukogi resorted to harshly pecking Zenitsu's foot to get his attention, and Zenitsu finally looked down to see that Ukogi had arrived with a letter for him.

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Once Tanjiro had finished pushing his boulder one Chō, Gyomei appeared and gave Tanjiro some water to quench his thirst, Gyomei commended him for completing the training and for his actions at the village. When Tanjiro questioned what he meant, Gyomei referred to the Swordsmith village and how Tanjiro and Nezuko had prioritized the villagers over themselves,Tanjiro and Nezuko were exemplary swordsmen.

"It's our duty as Demon Slayers to protect people" said Tanjiro cheerfully. This caused Gyomei to think back to his past life, as he remarked that children were not only pure and innocent, but were also weak, dishonest and had no qualms about being cruel. However he did not see that in Tanjiro and Nezuko, even though they were half-demons, Tanjiro and Nezuko still chose to join the Demon Slayers and risk their lives to protect others from their own kind. Tanjiro questioned why he was being commended by the Stone Hashira, Gyomei replied that it was because he used to raise orphans in a temple.

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A young Gyomei was gathered with his foster children preparing to eat, one child noted the meal they have, Gyomei explained that he met a fish vendor who gave him his unsold fish. He asked the children to thank the kind fish vendor and two other children for their food, but before they can eat, the youngest child among them, a little girl named Sayo, got up and offered her fish to Gyomei. The girl was worried about Gyomei, back then Gyomei used to be skinny and under wight. Gyomei laughed at the gesture and appreciated her concern, reassuring her that he had undergone special training so that hunger didn't bother him. He jokingly noted that despite his appearance, he was still stronger than all of them. A boy asked Sayo if he can have her fish, Sayo denied that and insisted that it was Gyomei's causing everyone to burst in laughter.

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The Stone Hashira remarked that even though they were not related by blood, everyone got along well, helping one another out and living like a family. He was content with living the rest of his life in such a way. However a boy named Kaigaku, had disobeyed the rule of coming back to the temple before dark, which led to Kaigaku encountering a demon. To save himself, he convinced the Oni to spare him by offering Gyomei and the others instead. Where he lived, the threat of Oni still lingered, and Gyomei would light Wisteria incense to protect the temple. Kaigaku returned and destroyed the burners and invited the demon to the temple. As the children and Gyomei slept, the demon entered and immediately killed four children, the gruesome sounds waking Gyomei. The remaining four hid behind Gyomei as the monk tried to shield them, but three children panicked and ran away, and the demon slit their throats as they fled. Gyomei lamented that his skinny appearance and blindness led the children to believe that he could not protect them.

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Only Sayo listed and stayed in the corner. The painful memory had caused Gyomei to crack his rosary in anger. Gyomei remembered how he decided to fight and protect Sayo no matter what, he roared in anger at the demon and grabbed its wrists, sustaining a slash to his forehead while doing so. Gyomei ripped off the monster's forearms and threw a powerful punch at its head, he then threw himself on the Oni and punched its head repeatedly to restrain it, his blows caused the floor to shack with each hit. Sayo remained in the corner crying in fear, watching as Gyomei continued to relentlessly strike the demon, Gyomei will always remember his disgust at hitting a living creature. It was the first time he punched with all he had, and he became frightened by his own might, had the demon not attacked, he would not have had known his own strength. Gyomei continued to punch the demon's head until dawn. At the end of the ordeal, Gyomei had sustained a great loss, he was injured and he had risked his life to save Sayo. When villagers came to the temple Sayo said, "He's a monster. He's the one who killed. The one who killed everyone!.".