To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

56 • The Pillars' Support

"Rengoku faced Upper Moon Three?" Tengen slammed the door open without any regard toward the other patients or residents of the Butterfly Estate. "And he managed to get out of it alive? Is he okay? Will he make a recovery?"

"Ara, ara, Uzui-san." Shinobu's smile was venomous as usual, but an underlying concern seeped between the venom. "Please be mindful of your tone, there are patients here. And Rengoku-san is alright, we managed to stabilize him." She gestured towards the unconscious Flame Pillar lying on one of the beds, looking more peaceful than ever.

Tengen pulled up a chair to sit beside Kyojuro's bed. "I heard that the kid managed to save him from a lethal blow in the nick of time. Where is she?"

"Inori-chan is making a report to Oyakata-sama about what happened during the mission against Lower Moon One and Upper Moon Three. After that, she said that she has another patrol to do." Shinobu raked her hand through her hair with a sigh. "Honestly, I told her to rest, but I'm sure we all know just how stubborn Inori-chan can be."

Shinobu didn't even think Inori knew just how severe her own injuries were. Sure, it was nothing compared to Kyojuro's injuries, but she was still injured. The wound on her neck, in particular, was so deep that the blood had soaked her collar and almost reached her haori.

"Don't tell me she's planning on taking Rengoku's assigned region?"

"I have no doubt she would do something like that."

"I'll have a flamboyant talk with her later." Tengen pinched the bridge of his nose, casting Kyojuro a glance. "Still, to think that even Rengoku lost to an upper moon demon. I guess they're just that strong."

"It's really quite frustrating, isn't it?" Shinobu stood up, tidying the messy recovery room as best as she could. "Inori-chan didn't show it to me or the girls, but after we finished Rengoku-san's surgery, she was crying. Inori-chan must've been quite shaken."

Shinobu saw how Inori fled from the surgery room with her usual smile on her face as soon as they managed to stabilize Kyojuro. She told them she just wanted to use the bathroom, but Shinobu could hear the muffled sniffles and hiccups from behind the locked door. She figured it wasn't that surprising for Inori to be so shaken. Seeing Kyojuro hanging on death's door must've scared her more than she had ever been.

Then again, it was also the first time Inori—demon moon magnet and deliberate bait Hoshizora Inori—encountered an upper moon demon. Perhaps it was a mixture of almost seeing Kyojuro killed and the experience of meeting an upper moon that had shaken her up so much.

"Yeah, it is." Tengen sighed because even Rengoku Kyojuro, someone who had never failed to kill a demon, had failed to kill an upper moon demon. "Looks like we'll have to make our training more flamboyant than ever from now on."

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

Inori knelt in front of the porch, bowing until her forehead touched her knee. "Forgive me for delaying my visit until this late hour, Oyakata-sama, Kiriya-sama," she said. "I pray for eternal health and happiness to be blessed upon you. I have come to deliver Rengoku-san's mission reports regarding the Infinity Train incident."

"Thank you, Inori." Kagaya placed a hand on Kiriya's shoulder to support himself as he sat down. "I also want to thank you for treating Kyojuro, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke. You did well to save them against Upper Moon Three."

"I was just doing what must be done and what anyone else would've done." Inori bowed her head lower. "Rather, I should be apologizing for letting Upper Moon Three escape. My shortcomings and weakness as a pillar caused a demon of that caliber to continue hurting people."