To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

53 • The Infinity Train

"Alright, say 'ah'." Shinobu checked Tanjiro's jaw, finding nothing wrong with it. "Mhm. There's no problem with your jaw anymore. You're discharged as of today." She offered him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry I can't see you all off, but please do your best from now on."

"Yes! Thank you so much!" Tanjiro bowed deeply. "Ah! Before that, I have a question, Shinobu-san."

"What is it?"

"Have you ever heard about the 'Hinokami Kagura' before?"

"I haven't."

Tanjiro gaped, not expecting a negative answer. "Then, then, what about Fire Breathing?"

"I haven't."

Tanjiro flailed his arms around as he tried to explain what transpired during his fight with Rui back at Mount Natagumo, hoping Shinobu could give him some answers. He told her how on the verge of death, his life seemed to flash before his eyes, and he could hear his father's voice, telling him to control his breathing, to become like the God of Fire. Then, he ended up doing a breathing style called Dance of the Fire God.

"I see." Shinobu nodded, though considering Tanjiro used a lot of onomatopoeias, she only understood that Tanjiro, in the brink of death, used a breathing style that his father used to dance, which was Fire Breathing. "So, you used your father's Fire Breathing. If you ask a Fire Breathing user, you may discover something useful." But there was a little problem with that. "I've never heard about Fire Breathing, but I do know two people who can use Flame Breathing."

"Aren't they the same?"

"I don't know the details myself, but there is a strict rule about the wording." She crossed her fingers with a smile. "You just can't call it Fire Breathing when it's Flame Breathing." Or rather, Shinobu just never questioned it since breathing styles were quite diverse and had many derivations. "For more information, you should ask the Flame Pillar, Rengoku-san. It'll also be a good idea to ask the Star Pillar, Inori-chan."

"Huh? But doesn't Inori-san use Star Breathing?"

"You don't know? I thought you already knew since you asked the girls what the stars mean. But maybe this isn't common knowledge amongst the lower-ranked slayers." Shinobu hummed in thought. "Inori-chan can use multiple breathing styles, and that includes Flame Breathing. I think she can use nine in total right now."

"Wow! Amazing!" Tanjiro was beyond amazed. The girls in the Butterfly Estate only told him about her ability to see the dead, which she apparently lost after falling into a coma. None of them ever told him anything about her ability to use multiple breathing styles.

"Yes, she is." Shinobu nodded, perking up when she remembered something. "Now that I remember it, Inori-chan's Star Breathing is actually referenced from a dance she had been practicing since she was a child. Maybe you can get information about the Dance of the Fire God too."

Shinobu turned towards her crow. "I shall write them a letter via crow, but the reply may take some time, so it will be better if you go visit them directly," she told the boy. "They're both in the middle of their respective missions, so you should visit whoever responds first."

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚☆.｡.☆.｡.:*☆ ˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

Inori-chan, do you remember Kamado Tanjiro from the Pillar Meeting? I'm sure you do, so I'll get to the point. He told me he used his father's Fire Breathing, a breathing style called the Hinokami Kagura, during his fight against Lower Moon Five. I have never heard of it before, but maybe you have. I hope you won't mind giving him some answers. Kocho Shinobu.

Inori read the letter, not knowing what to do with it. This was the first time she had ever heard of the Hinokami Kagura and Fire Breathing, as surprising as it was. The closest thing to Fire Breathing I've heard is Sun Breathing*. But it was rather interesting how a kagura dance could be implemented into a breathing style, almost as if it was made for the purpose of becoming a breathing style, like the Crimson Dance.