Ali got out of the tub and dried himself with a towel. He then glanced at his right forearm, where the rectangle was filling up with red, now about fifteen percent full. "It increased quite a bit after I killed the demon and started training this breathing technique," Ali thought, as he put on the clothes Veska had given him when he first entered this world.
Stepping outside, Ali saw the three sisters carrying breakfast to the dining room. They were surprised to see him, and he informed them that he would be joining them for breakfast. Ali made his way to the dining room and found the trio, Tsuyuri, and Shinobu already eating. The room fell silent as they noticed the man who had locked himself in the training room for over a day finally emerging.
Ali said nothing as he took a seat next to Shinobu at the table. She looked at him with her usual smile and calm demeanour and remarked, "I heard you had quite an eventful hunt with Mitsuri."
Ali glanced around the table before responding, "The demon was smart and hid itself well, so I had to get creative to draw it out. After that, it was easy work," he said with an expressionless face.
The conversation shifted away from Ali as the trio began discussing their new mission, preparing to leave soon. Shinobu offered the teenage boys some advice, reminding them to be cautious since demons were dangerous and cunning.
The boys left once they finished their meal, followed by Tsuyuri, who quietly exited. This left Ali alone with Shinobu, who sipped her tea and asked, "How's your new breathing style coming along?"
Ali paused and looked at her, noticing her usual composed expression. He swallowed his food and replied, "Did you hear that from Mitsuri or someone else?"
"Oyakata-sama told me what Mitsuri reported to him. He asked me to assist you if you need it," Shinobu said.
Ali smiled faintly. "I'm making good progress with it. I'm going to go into closed training for the entire week, then I need you to tell Ubuyashiki to send me on missions. Also, do let your lord know not to get his hopes up—my breathing style is impossible to replicate. It would result in the death of anyone foolish enough to try," Ali stated as he left the room.
Back in the dining room, Shinobu mused to herself, "He read me like an open book. It's a shame, though; a breathing style that kills demons without the need for a Nichirin blade would have been invaluable in our fight against the demons. Oyakata-sama will be disappointed." With a sigh, she left the room to report back to her lord.
As Ali was about to enter the training hall again, Aoi approached him. "Excuse me, Ali. A letter came for you this morning. Here," she said, handing him the letter. Ali thanked her, took the letter, and read it. It was from the smith, who complained about the difficulty of forging the spear. The letter contained numerous self-praises, but it concluded with a statement that the spear would be finished in a week's time.
"Good," Ali thought, skimming over most of the content of the letter. He entered the training hall and closed the door behind him.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke were headed to a train station to find the Flame Hashira.
Time passed, and the tragic news of the Flame Hashira's death at the hands of Upper Moon Rank Three spread. The atmosphere at headquarters grew somber and defeated. The Flame Hashira had been a beacon of strength and hope for the corps, a bright light extinguished by a demon.
Ali opened the door of the training hall and looked back inside. "I'll never step foot in this shithole again," he thought as he left the training hall for the last time.
Ali went to the medical room of the Butterfly Mansion and stood silently at the door, observing the trio bandaged up on three separate beds. Zenitsu and Inosuke were asleep, while Tanjiro stared at the ceiling with a depressed expression that Ali knew all too well. Seeing this, Ali didn't enter the room; he left quietly without alerting anyone.
"I've seen many go through that, myself included. They either dig themselves out of the hole and get stronger, or they fall deeper and deeper with no way back. With him being the child of destiny, I'm sure he'll be fine," Ali thought as he exited the Butterfly Mansion.
Outside, the sun was setting, and two muscular men waited patiently with a massive wooden box behind them. They were the apprentices of the sword-smith who had made Ali's weapon. As Ali approached, he asked, "Where's the old man?"
"Teacher has been working day and night to smith the spear. He overexerted himself at his age and is now resting at the village. He tasked us with delivering the weapon. He also says you should be thankful that a—" The masked man stopped speaking when he noticed Ali's glare, making it clear he was not interested in hearing the old man's message.
"Go on," Ali said, signalling for them to open the box and show him his brand-new Nichirin blade. The two men quickly complied, revealing a massive, shiny black spear with intricate engravings between the dark purple edge and the rest of the spear. The contrast between the two colours was striking.
Ali bent down and picked up the heavy spear with one hand, shocking the two men who had struggled to lift it together. He spun the spear effortlessly, letting it twirl around his back before catching it in his other hand. The masked men watched in awe at his skill. Ali then placed the spear on his hand to check its balance.
"The weight of the spear is good. The balance isn't exactly what I wanted, but it'll do. All in all, the feel of the spear is great. Tell your teacher he did a good job," Ali said. The two men nodded, lifting the box and hurrying off to deliver the news to their master.
Ali secured the spear on his back using a leather harness that the girls in the Butterfly Mansion had sewn for him in preparation for the weapon.
Ali looked up at the sky when he heard the flapping of two massive wings. A silver eagle swooped down towards him, its feathers reflecting the moonlight as it slowed its descent.
Ali extended his arm as the eagle landed, its sharp talons making small holes in his bodysuit but unable to scratch his skin.
"You finally left the mansion. You must leave now for your mission," the eagle said, before explaining the mission details to Ali, who listened quietly. After delivering the mission, the eagle flew off into the sky.
"It has a military tone, and I'm not even surprised at a talking eagle," Ali sighed, starting to run behind the eagle, who was leading him to his destination.
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