"Get out."
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THIRD POV
Shinjuro said his voice was stern as ever as he threw alcohol at Kyojuro, but thankfully from all the training, he dodged it.
"Just quit. You can't be a big shot anyways!"
As he drank another alcoholic beverage, Kyojuro glanced at his father's back. Soon after, Kyojuro bowed before standing up and exiting the room, leaving his intoxicated father alone.
Ever since his wife's sudden demise a few months ago, Shinjuro had spiraled into a deep pit of despair. He had lost his fighting spirit, drowning his sorrows in alcohol even during missions. Kyojuro knew that his father's days as the Flame Pillar were numbered, and that a new successor should have already taken his place. Perhaps, it should have been him.
"Kyojuro?"
Azura's soothing voice echoed through the dimly lit hallways, prompting Kyojuro to turn and find Senjuro, his younger brother, clutching onto the back of Azura's traditional kimono. They shared the same concerns about Shinjuro's well-being and the uncertain future of their training without his guidance.
Approaching his siblings, Kyojuro's stoic expression softened, and he gently patted their heads.
"Don't worry, we can continue our training even without our father's support. We'll study from books and find a way forward!" Kyojuro attempted to uplift their spirits, but the weight of the situation left his siblings looking despondent.
Training with books seemed like a viable option for Kyojuro. He believed that as long as he had instructions, he could manage. However...
"Are all the pages ripped?"
Kyojuro leafed through the pages of the Generational Flame Hashira Record. They were all in tatters, with only a few fragments remaining legible. A wave of despondency washed over him, as he realized that he would be nothing without his father's guidance.
"Kyojuro..."
He sat motionless, his gaze fixed on the torn pages of the records. Azura entered the dimly lit room and took a seat beside Kyojuro, observing his expression of discontent, sadness, and perhaps even anger. These emotions were directed towards his father, who had relinquished everything.
"What do we do now...?" Azura inquired, nervously biting her lower lip.
Kyojuro eventually turned to face his adopted sister, a practitioner of flame-breathing techniques who had been trained by his father. He had failed and given up on her as well.
He thought to himself, 'How pathetic...' as he recalled the recent incident involving his intoxicated father.
"I can just work at the Butterfly Mansion..." Azura whispered softly.
During their training sessions together, Kyojuro recognized Azura's potential. He admired her relentless dedication and the remarkable progress she had made. Most of his father's students would have given up after a few months, but Azura had persevered for nine months alongside them.
"I'll train you, Azura!" Kyojuro exclaimed, his usual enthusiasm met with Azura's lowered head and clenched fist.
Azura couldn't shake the feeling that she was a burden to Kyojuro. Seeing the torn and unreadable records, she doubted their ability to learn flame breathing. Would they really succeed? Her skepticism grew, but Kyojuro noticed her distress and firmly took hold of her small, fragile hands.
