"Hey! Hey! Hey! Do you hear me? Even if you are a cat, you must show respect when meeting the Lord!" Sanemi pinched one of Tom's ears and shouted directly into it.
The sudden high-decibel noise jolted Tom out of his sweet dream. Startled, he jumped three feet into the air, his heart nearly leaping out of his chest! After landing, Tom clutched his little heart in panic, clearly shocked. When he saw Sanemi standing in front of him with his hands on his hips, wearing a ferocious expression, Tom quickly realized that this man was the culprit who woke him up.
Annoyed, Tom stood up, clenched his tiny paws into fists, leaned forward, and marched toward Sanemi with a serious look on his face.
"What? You little kitten! You look pretty unconvinced." Sanemi sneered, looking down at Tom with a tone full of disdain. He really couldn't comprehend how this little, ill-mannered cat could possibly have fought the legendary Demon King.
Tom stretched out his hand and pointed behind Sanemi.
"What? What's behind me?" Sanemi frowned and turned his head to look back. Seeing nothing there, he spun around just in time to witness Tom stomping hard on his left foot!
"Ouch!" Sanemi cried out in pain, clutching his toes as they throbbed from the unexpected blow.
"You damn cat!" he bellowed, his eyes turning bloodshot with rage, looking like he was ready to devour Tom alive.
Tom, realizing Sanemi's fury, panicked. His legs skidded comically on the spot for a moment before he bolted in the opposite direction. Tom ran as fast as he could, while Sanemi chased after him with everything he had!
For a few moments, the entire courtyard was filled with the sight of a man and a cat darting around, Sanemi chasing furiously while Tom darted and dodged with agility.
The other Hashira were stunned at the spectacle unfolding before them. No one had expected the situation to devolve into such a farce. Seeing Sanemi's frustrated expression, Mitsuri couldn't contain her laughter any longer. She burst out laughing, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably as she tried to hold it in.
Despite chasing Tom for what felt like forever, Sanemi couldn't catch up with the nimble little cat. Growing increasingly desperate, he gripped his Nichirin sword with one hand, seriously contemplating using a sword form.
Just as he prepared to unleash a sword technique, Sanemi noticed that Tom had suddenly come to a halt. The cat was standing perfectly still as if waiting for him to approach.
This made Sanemi Shinazugawa happy, thinking he finally had Tom cornered. He couldn't help but speed up his pace, ready to catch the troublesome cat. However, in the next second, Tom's face twisted into a mischievous grin, and he casually stepped aside, exposing Ubuyashiki Kagaya directly behind him!
"My lord!" Sanemi's eyes widened in horror. At his current speed, there was no way he could stop in time, and he was about to crash into the frail leader of the Demon Slayer Corps! The thought of hurting Ubuyashiki Kagaya, whom Sanemi was fiercely loyal to, was more painful to him than death itself. At that moment, Sanemi wished he could vanish into thin air.
Fortunately, the surrounding Hashira reacted swiftly. The stone Hashira, Flame Hashira, and Snake Hashira appeared beside Sanemi in an instant, grabbing hold of him and pinning him down just a meter away from Ubuyashiki Kagaya.
Panting heavily, Sanemi gazed at the lord so close in front of him, his face filled with guilt. He wrestled free from their grip and immediately knelt before Ubuyashiki Kagaya, pressing his forehead firmly against the ground.
"I'm so sorry! I almost hurt you, my lord! Please allow me to apologize!" Sanemi's voice was thick with self-reproach as he grasped the hilt of his Nichirin sword, preparing to punish himself.
"It's not your fault, Sanemi. There's no need for such an apology." Ubuyashiki Kagaya smiled kindly, placing a gentle hand on Sanemi's shoulder, stopping him from acting on his rash impulse.
Meanwhile, Tom, witnessing the entire scene unfold, burst out laughing with pure delight. He was doubled over, clutching his stomach with one hand and slapping his thigh with the other, unable to contain his amusement.
"Oh hahahaha! Oh hahahaha!"
"Damn it! That damn cat!" Sanemi growled through gritted teeth, his face red with frustration.
Seeing that Tom, who had almost caused him to hurt his lord, was still laughing at him from the sidelines, Sanemi Shinazugawa's eyes turned red with anger. He looked ready to cause more trouble for Tom, but Ubuyashiki Kagaya spoke up.
"Sanemi, return to your place."
Sanemi was clearly reluctant, but since the Lord had already spoken, he had no choice but to sulkily return to the courtyard with Kyojuro Rengoku and the others.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya smiled and addressed the group once more.
"Mr. Tom is the member I mentioned earlier. I believe most of you are now acquainted with him. So, what are your thoughts on Tom becoming the new Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"I don't agree!" Sanemi immediately jumped up and objected.
"You had agreed before," Obanai Igurospoke quietly but with a sharp edge to his voice. "Or is it because you couldn't even catch a cat, and now you're angry?"
Sanemi glared fiercely at Obanai but quickly bowed his head toward Ubuyashiki Kagaya and spoke respectfully.
"With all due respect, my lord, I didn't know before that the member you were referring to was a cat. In the thousands of years of the Demon Slayer Corps, there has never been a precedent for a cat becoming a Hashira. Furthermore, I don't believe a cat could possess the same strength as a Hashira."
"The details surrounding Tom's encounter with Muzan Kibutsuji are unclear. No one knows why Kibutsuji retreated, so this alone cannot be used to judge the cat's strength."
Gyomei Himejima nodded in agreement, clasping his hands together.
"Sanemi has a point. This poor monk agrees as well."
Sanemi, now emboldened, flashed a terrifying grin and turned toward Tom, his gaze full of menace.
"Let me fight it. I'll be able to assess its strength after a proper battle. Whether it's a cat or not, the Hashira title cannot be given to someone weak!"
Sanemi's bloodlust was palpable as he stared at Tom, clearly eager for a fight.
Seeing this, Tom's eyes widened in alarm. He quickly darted behind Kanae Kocho, hiding behind her and only peeking his head out to cautiously eye Sanemi, shaking his head frantically in refusal.
Tom hid behind Kanae in a flash, just sticking his head out to look at Sanemi Shinazugawa. It wasn't that he was afraid of fighting, but he really was too lazy to engage in meaningless battles. If he had the time, Tom would much rather lie down in the sun and take a nap. The only reason he had been so active in fighting Muzan Kibutsuji was because it was a system task with a reward for completion. But fighting this scar-faced, hedgehog-like man brought no such benefit.
"Kitten! Are you scared? If so, don't even think about becoming a Hashira! The title of Hashira in the Demon Slayer Corps isn't something you can play with for fun!" Sanemi sneered, pulling out his Nichirin Sword, the blade decorated with a light green, sawtooth pattern. He pointed the tip directly at Tom, his face full of arrogance and ferocity.
"Forget it, fighting with a cat is beneath me. I don't enjoy bullying weak animals." Tengen Uzui (Sound Hashira) tilted his head back, finding the idea of Sanemi fighting a kitten incredibly dull.
"Yes, let's focus on Muzan Kibutsuji instead. That cat is just too cute; it wouldn't be right to hurt him." Mitsuri Kanroji (Love Hashira) chimed in, trying to persuade the stubborn Sanemi.
It was clear that most of the Hashira present weren't optimistic about Tom. The idea of a cat fighting, let alone becoming a Hashira, was something they struggled to take seriously. To them, the whole situation felt more like a farce.
At this moment, Kocho Kanae finally spoke up.
"Sanemi-kun, our little Tom really wants to learn the breathing techniques and sword forms of other styles. If you acknowledge his strength, would you be willing to teach him?"
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