When Shinobu asked Ali to join the Demon Slayer Corps, his forearm burned again, the pain more intense this time. Clearly, the tattoo was reacting strongly to the offer, swaying Ali even further toward accepting it.
"Shinobu, I don't know much about your organisation, so I'm hesitant to join. But maybe you could persuade me if I knew more," Ali replied, his curiosity piqued.
Shinobu gazed at Ali thoughtfully, considering her words carefully. 'He's strong, incredibly strong. I can feel it, and when I look at him, I sense that I'm only seeing the tip of the iceberg. It's unsettling, but if he were to join our side and learn a Breathing Form, he could be a tremendous asset in our fight against those loathsome demons,' she mused, her resolve hardening as thoughts of the ongoing battle against the demons filled her mind. She clenched her fist tightly, a gesture that did not escape Ali's keen observation.
"When I offered you the chance to join, it was primarily so you could meet our lord and the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, Lord Kagaya Ubuyashiki," Shinobu explained. "He would speak with you in front of all twelve Hashira and decide whether you could join us in the fight against the demons."
'Twelve? Well, that changes things,' Ali thought, his mind racing. 'One or two I could escape from, but evading twelve Hashira might be difficult if things go south.'
Ali smiled at Shinobu and said, "I accept, then. Let's go meet your lord and see what he has to offer."
'And if my back is against the wall, then I will massacre everyone who stands in my way, Hashira or not,' he thought .
"I'm glad to hear that," Shinobu replied, her voice tinged with genuine relief. "I'll send a message to headquarters to inform everyone of your arrival, and then we can begin our journey back." Just as she finished speaking, a raven landed on her shoulder, delivering a few brief words before taking flight again, carrying the message.
"Was that...a talking bird?" Ali asked, unable to hide his surprise. He couldn't recall how many times he had been astonished since arriving in this world.
Shinobu laughed softly behind her delicate hand and responded, "Of course, my messenger bird can talk. You'll be assigned one too if you decide to join us." She then turned to speak with the villagers, calming them down and confirming that the demon had been eliminated.
Ali, wanting to avoid the stares of the villagers—especially the women, who regarded him as the most handsome man they had ever seen—slipped away to a secluded area. He knew he stood out like a sore thumb, particularly to the village's womenfolk. After ensuring he was alone, he rolled up his right sleeve to examine the tattoo once more. The red filling in the rectangle had increased since he last saw it, a fact that intrigued him. Curious, he ripped off the skin again, only to watch it regenerate in seconds with the marking still intact. 'Hmm, I have some idea now as to what its purpose might be, but I won't be sure until I gather more evidence to support my theory,' he mused. He sighed, covered his arm back up, and returned to where Shinobu was speaking with one of the Kakushi.
"Ali, where did you go? I was about to send someone to look for you," Shinobu said, noticing his return.
Ali, with his hands in his pockets, walked slowly toward them. "I was just hiding from the women in the village. They're looking at me like I'm some sort of exotic animal," he replied, feigning nonchalance.
"Oh my, is someone shy?" Shinobu teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
Ali merely shrugged in response and asked, "So, when are we leaving?"
Shinobu stepped closer to him, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "You see, Ali, the place we're going is top secret, so we can't have you knowing the location now, can we?" she said, pulling out a small vial filled with a bluish liquid.
"This will put you to sleep for a short while, just long enough for us to get there. All you have to do is drink it," Shinobu instructed, extending her small hand with the vial toward Ali.
Ali looked at the vial, then at Shinobu, before taking it from her hand and downing the contents in one gulp. He stood there for a moment, feeling nothing at first, but then a slight headache hit him—a signal that the chemical was taking effect. That was his cue to feign unconsciousness.
Ali collapsed naturally, face-first, forcing the Kakushi to struggle to catch him before he hit the ground.
"He's so heavy—it feels like he's made of iron! What is this?" the Kakushi grumbled as he signalled for help from his colleagues.
Shinobu approached Ali's unconscious body, her curiosity getting the better of her. She poked his cheek a couple of times, then examined his face closely for a few seconds before moving to his bicep. It felt like she was touching solid metal.
"Wow," she murmured, clearly impressed.
"HASHIRA-SAMA?" one of the Kakushi called out, snapping Shinobu out of her trance. Realising what she was doing, she blushed slightly and turned away.
"Take him away, and don't tell anyone what you saw," she ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Hours later, two Kakushi could be seen struggling to carry Ali's unconscious body up a mountain.
'This is the worst,' Ali thought, his frustration mounting. 'Having to pretend to be asleep is so annoying. It's times like these when I wish my body wasn't immune to nearly everything. If it's a new chemical like the stuff Shinobu gave me, my healing cells will destroy it with ease and give me a short signal at the moment the chemical should have taken effect. That way, Shinobu would never know I was faking it. Normal timing, perfect acting, and flawless sleep breathing—she never had a chance to figure me out. Though, what she did afterward is interesting. Did she fall for me that fast? Heh.'
And so, Ali continued to fake sleep for many more hours until the sun had set and the moon hung high in the night sky. The Kakushi finally laid him gently on the wooden floor of one of the rooms in the Ubuyashiki mansion, specifically in the medical ward, Shinobu's domain. One of them pulled out a needle and tried to inject Ali with the waking agent, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't penetrate Ali's skin. The needle began to bend under the pressure. Panicking, he looked to his companion for help, but the other Kakushi only shook his head in disbelief.
'Now's a good time, I suppose. I'm tired of acting anyway,' Ali thought, deciding to end the charade.
To the Kakushi's utter shock, Ali suddenly opened his eyes and met their startled gazes. The poor men jumped back, fear evident in their wide eyes as they watched Ali rise to his feet.
"You shouldn't be awake this fast—how?" one of them stammered, his voice trembling.
Ali ignored the question and instead demanded in a commanding tone, "Where am I?"
"Welcome to the Ubuyashiki residence, the centre of operations for the Demon Slayer Corps and the home of Kagaya-sama," a voice answered from the sliding door entrance. Shinobu stood there, her expression calm as she observed Ali's imposing figure.
Ali stretched, feeling the stiffness in his muscles ease. "I'm going to die if I don't get something to eat right now," he stated, his voice laced with impatience.
Shinobu smiled warmly and gestured for him to follow her. "When's the meeting?" Ali asked as they began walking.
"Tomorrow morning," Shinobu replied. "Kagaya-sama is very excited to meet you."
Five extra chapters on patreon.com/Rondo312