To The Stars | Tokito Muichiro x OC

58 • Dance of the Crimson Sun

Inori watched with wide eyes as Tanjiro performed the Hinokami Kagura. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. It's the Sun Breathing. At least, he moved like how she remembered Yoriichi had when she was younger. It's obviously an imitation if I look into it deeply, but it resembles Yoriichi-sama's Sun Breathing so much that people would assume it was the original Sun Breathing at first glance.

Tanjiro suddenly gasped and doubled over, heaving as he tried to regain control over his breathing. Zenitsu and Inosuke, who were doing their own training, immediately crowded over him with flailing arms.

"Your techniques are amazing, but it requires a lot of power." Inori crouched in front of him, handing over a bottle of water. "Your body is not keeping up with the strain. Instead of focusing on your techniques, you should first make your body stronger."

"How...how do I do that?"

"Well, there's really no other option than to train like hell." Inori clapped her hands together with a smile. "That being said, thirty laps around my estate. Go."

Zenitsu wailed and tried to cling onto her, but was ultimately dragged by Inosuke to start running. Inori chuckled as the three boys ran around her estate, moving to sit beside Kyojuro who was watching them from the porch.

"So, how are they?" Kyojuro crossed his arms as he beamed at her. "Did you find something interesting in Young Kamado's Hinokami Kagura?"

"It's Sun Breathing, all right," Inori answered with a gleeful smile. "I'm glad to know somebody managed to preserve Yoriichi-sama's swordsmanship skills." She was almost vibrating in her seat due to how giddy she was. "The Hinokami Kagura is an imitation, but it's the closest thing to the original that I've seen so far, completely different from my past attempts."

"Do you think you can master it too?"

"If I try hard enough, I think I can," Inori answered, drumming her fingers on the wooden floor. "I should try combining the Crimson Dance with the Hinokami Kagura. Both dances are referenced from Sun Breathing, so maybe I can create an even more accurate imitation by combining the two of them."

Yoriichi moved with so much grace that Inori considered his swordsmanship to be more beautiful than the dances many imperial dancers had shown her. Of course, when she told him that, he looked embarrassed. Then, he smiled so gently and told her, "My swordsmanship is of no worth. But if it can save you, then perhaps it is worth something."

"That's amazing! Set your heart ablaze, Young Hoshizora!" Kyojuro snapped her out of her thoughts by patting her back as powerfully as ever despite his injuries, which was good. "By the way, am I still not allowed to go back just for a short while?"

Inori sighed, but ultimately nodded. "Fine, just don't move around too much, or else you'll injure yourself again." Kyojuro may have escaped death and permanent incapacitation, but if his recovery wasn't monitored intensively, there was a chance he would never be able to hold a sword or walk normally again. "And come back as soon as you're done, your injuries still need a lot of tending to."

"Don't worry! I want to go on missions again too!"

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

"Brother! Welcome back!" Senjuro engulfed his brother in a hug, beaming up at him. "Are you finally discharged, Brother?"

"Unfortunately, Young Hoshizora still put me under house arrest. I'm only here to show Young Kamado something." Kyojuro ruffled his little brother's hair. "But no worries! I will be better in no time, and you can visit me whenever you want."