𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 | 𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐨𝐤𝐚 𝐠𝐢𝐲𝐮𝐮 ‌

❄️ 08

On your way back to the Butterfly Estate, Tadeo told you all he knows about the first Ice user.

Nakamura Mizuki bears an amazing skill in fighting, her flexibility is another reason why demons can't touch her easily. Tadeo said that she's close to the Water Hashira and the Wind Hashira before she could even be a slayer, and tried combining both breathing techniques which lead her to creating a new breathing technique, the Breath of Ice.

Like the Master and his wife told you, many people have suffered to death when mastering the Breath of Ice. Every forms of the said breathing technique releases a huge amount of cold air to the user's body when used, causing them to fall sick, and some of them are worse, frozen.

But to you, you're not even sure if the forms you are using release this cold air, because you really don't feel anything when you're using them.

You smiled when you finally stopped in front of a familiar mansion, telling yourself that you're finally back.

You entered the place only to hear a familiar voice, crying and shouting, "Onee-san! Please wake up! Onee-san!"

Dropping your bag on the floor, you barged in inside the hospital ward where you saw Shinobu sitting on the floor, and her cry echoing inside the room.

Kanao, Aoi, and the three little girls were leaning on the wall, with an unexplainable emotions on their face, but your eyes wandered and stopped on the bed where a certain girl was lying lifelessly.

You walked slowly towards the bed and you saw the girl who took care of you ever since you came here, the one who accepted you to stay in this mansion, the one who gave you the butterfly hairpiece that you're wearing right now, the girl who you saw as your big sister, lifeless.

"Kanae-san..." You whispered.

Shinobu noticed your presence and stood up, almost jumping to embrace you, while still crying. "F/N, she's d-dead..."

"No...way..."

"A demon killed her..." Shinobu said lowly before letting you go.

You sat on the bed and held her hand, tears forming on your eyes making your sight blurry but your reaction's still shocked by what you're seeing.

"Kanae-san...I came back like I promised, but why coming back here with you like this?"

You finally broke into a cry, still holding Kanae's cold hand. The other girls also cried except for Kanao who's eyes widened, still can't believe what just happened.

"I...don't have a goal on being a demon slayer, Kanae-san," you muttered. "But now I have...I will kill the demon who did this to you! I'll make sure of that!"

You felt Shinobu's hand tapped your shoulder. "I'll be with you, F/N-chan."

Every Hashiras, even the Ubuyashiki family gathered at the memorial place where the Flower Hashira is buried.

They've offered their condolences to her sister, Shinobu, who carries the most pain out of all.

Kanae is the only family Shinobu had left, and now she was taken away from her too.

You tried your best to comfort her, but at the same time, you'll be ending up crying too because you can't help but to think all the moments and memories you have with Kanae.

The master understands how the two of you feel, so he dismissed your missions for a while, until you two can finally go back on your normal state.

You watched everyone slowly disappearing, until it was just you, Shinobu, the three girls, Aoi, and Kanao.

Until now, Shinobu's still crying along with the others, but you and Kanao stayed back without expressing any emotions.

Kanao on the other hand looks so pressured that she couldn't cry which she doesn't understand. As much as she's sad after loosing a girl who adopted her and treated her like her own sister, she couldn't drop a single tear.

You noticed how stiffed she is, and you understand her so well after hearing her story. You placed a hand on her back, catching her attention as you smiled sadly at her. "It is alright, Kanao," you whispered, enough for her to hear.

Shinobu stood up and embraced Kanao, while you look at the tombstone, with Kanae's name engraved on it.

Your eyes was dull and lifeless. Until now, you can't believe that she's already gone. You know that she's strong, that's why she became a Hashira.

It made you think that an uppermoon must be the demon she faced alone.

Whoever that uppermoon is, you swore to kill him along with Shinobu.

The six of you stayed there for long, until you felt cold droplets touching your skin. "Shinobu, I think we should head home. It's going to rain."

Everyone stood up and wiped the tears on their eyes before turning to you. "Yeah, I think we should," Shinobu said.

Walking back to the estate, no one talked neither mutter a word just as to your liking. You think that this is really not a good time to talk at all.

Once you reached the estate, everyone separated their ways towards where they pleased, but you stayed with Shinobu.

"I came there," Shinobu said. "When the Kakushi was called, I insisted to come with them."

She sat on a bench while looking down. "But when I arrived there, I only saw her, bathing on her own blood, her breathing's unstable...I tried to keep her alive and aid her here, but she didn't make it."

"Shinobu-san," you called. "You're not...blaming yourself, are you?"

She raised her head and looked at you teary-eyed. "I can't help it..."

"It's the demon's fault," you said coldly. "Not me, not you, neither everyone else."

"The demon has a blood mark on his head, that's what Onee-san told me," she said before standing up again. "You'll be with me, right? We'll avenge Onee-san, right?"

You faintly smiled and tapped her shoulder. "Of course," you answered. "Let's prove that demon that he messed up with the wrong people."

"As long as I live, I'll make sure to kill him even if I die too," she said.

to be continued.