"I'm not late, right?" asked a man with half his face obscured by a black cloth as he approached the group.
This man is none other than the Shadow Hashira, Hanabi Jinsei. He's the oldest Hashira by age, having attained his rank in his thirties.
Kanae greeted him warmly. "Hanabi-san! You aren't late. Oyakata-sama hasn't arrived yet, nor has the Water Hashira."
"Tomioka hasn't arrived yet?" The Shadow Hashira asked.
"I have arrived," Giyu Tomioka announced, his voice calm and collected as he stood a few paces away from the others, gazing at the sky with an expressionless face.
'When did he come? I didn't notice him at all!' Kanae thought in her heart.
"Tsk...Every time I see your face, I get the urge to punch it," Wind Hashira Sanemi snapped.
Giyu ignored him, his expression remaining stoic, which only further riled the Wind Hashira, driving him to reach for his katana.
Before Sanemi could slash his sword at Giyu, the Stone Hashira intervened, halting him with a firm tone. "Stop it. The master has arrived."
"Good morning, everyone," Kagaya Ubuyashiki greeted as he emerged from the door. "Thank you all for taking the time to attend the semi-annual meeting despite your busy schedules."
As usual, he was clad in a white haori over his plain black kimono. The purple curse mark had already begun to cover his right eye, while his left eye appeared to have lost its ability to see.
"Let's get inside before we begin our meeting. We have important things to discuss." Kagaya Ubuyashiki spoke in a soothing and considerate voice.
"Yes," Everyone chorused in agreement, following him into the mansion.
--
In a serene chamber, the Hashiras seated themselves in an orderly fashion, with Ubuyashiki occupying the central position as the head.
"First, let me apologize as I know that you have all been burdened with heavy tasks lately. This is primarily due to the vacancies in our Hashira ranks. As you are aware, the Flame Hashira has recently retired." Ubuyashiki apologized before continuing,
"I cannot ask him to continue, given his condition. However, there's no need to worry. We have outstanding Demon Slayers among us, and with time, they will rise to become Hashiras." Ubuyashiki's words convey how much he believes in the young slayers.
"Next, let's discuss Kanae's encounter with Upper Moon Two, Doma," Ubuyashiki stated.
Kanae then proceeded to recount the events of that day. As she described the power of the Upper Moon Demon Doma, the eyes of the other Hashiras widened in astonishment.
"That demon never showed a hint of emotion from the start... no joy, no anger, no hatred, nothing. From what I saw, its favorite pastime seems to be consuming young girls.
It was a fierce battle, one I couldn't have won. I don't think any of us could defeat that demon alone. He played with me from the start, as if he was enjoying the process of tiring out the prey before consuming it.
For the first time since becoming a Hashira, I felt powerless. If not for Ryou's intervention and the sunrise, there's a good chance I would not be here today alive."
"Are you sure that demon is that strong? Or are you just putting them on a high pedestal because you couldn't defeat it?" Sanemi hissed back, skeptical.
Before Kanae could respond, Ubuyashiki interjected "Kanae is correct," and continued in a serene voice.
"The Upper Moons pose a significant threat, one that cannot be understated. It would take at least three seasoned Hashiras to stand a chance against them. Even then, defeating them would be no easy feat.
Their power surpasses anything you've encountered before. This is why the ranks of Upper Moons have remained unchanged for centuries.
Just so you guys can know, over a century, we have lost more than ten Hashiras in battles against Upper Moon Six alone. There could be more losses as our information is limited and not all encounters can be recorded or reported."
*Hiss* 'Just against Upper Six, we lost so many Hashiras?'
The room fell silent, a heavy atmosphere weighing down on the Hashiras as they struggled to come to terms with the harsh reality presented to them.
"Don't dwell on it so much everyone," Ubuyashiki smiled gently, his calm voice dispersed the heaviness like a spring breeze.
"The intent of my words is not to pressure you all but to ensure that you will be cautious when facing the Upper Moon Demons and won't underestimate them."
"I don't care if they're part of the Twelve Kizuki or not, I plan to cut down every single one of them," Sanemi declared, "After that, it will be Muzan Kibutsuji's turn..."
"Haha, I like your flashy idea. Count me in as well," Tengen Uzui chimed in with a confident grin.
"If we manage to take down an Upper Moon, it would deal a significant blow to the demons. Unlike Lower Moons, Upper Moons are not as easily replaceable," Shadow Hashira Hanabi Jinsei stated in a serious tone.
"Namu Amida Butsu..." Gyomei Himajima uttered a prayer words before continuing, "We are in the Demon Slayer Corps and there is no guarantee we will live to tomorrow.
While it is our duty to eliminate demons, we must prioritize our survival to confront Demon Progenitor Muzan Kibutsuji. So instead of seeking actively, we should wait for the right opportunity."
Ubuyashiki affirmed. "Gyomei is right. In the coming years, the Demon Slayer Corps will birth strong Hashiras and promising juniors. I have a feeling we will have a decisive battle with Muzan in a few years.
Therefore, I suggest everyone to hone their skills and wait for the right opportunity."
"We understand," Everyone agreed.
"Hey, Kocho, where's the boy who saved you from that Upper Moon? I'd like to have an exchange with him to see whether he's as strong as you claim." Sanemi's voice carried a challenging edge.
"I'm also curious about him. Tell me more about him, Kocho," added Tengen Uzui.
Kanae paused for a moment, before replying. "His name is Ryou. When I encountered him, he wasn't a demon slayer. He recently cleared the final selection and became a Demon Slayer.
But, his strength is close to a Pillar. As his strength is growing with each passing day, I won't be surprised if he already has the power to match me!"
"He's got potential then," Giyu Tomioka gave a rare comment while his expression was unreadable as usual.
"I'm looking forward to meeting him," Sanemi remarked with a fighting intent.
"Nice! It seems we'll have another Hashira among our ranks within a year or two!" Uzui expressed.
"Indeed. It's a good thing for the corps to welcome another formidable Demon Slayer into its ranks. We will have the chance to meet him once he ascends to the rank of Hashira. I have a feeling it won't be long!" Ubuyashiki concluded with a smile.
--
P@tre0n/FanficMortal