Purple Lotus [Kimetsu no Yaiba]

~Twenty~

"He's here."

Just then, the two twins from the final selection appeared and announced.

"The Master of the Demon Slayer Corps will address you now." in unison.

In a fraction of a second, Tanjiro was pinned down by Sanemi and was shocked to see that he was.... bowing?? All of them were bowing, including Tsubasa.

At that moment, a man with black hair and something that looked like burns on his face came from a door, accompanied by one of the twins.

"Hello, my dear children."

"Master, it is an honour to be in your presence once more," Tsubasa beamed, respectfully.

'Aww Tsu-chan beat me to it. I wanted to address the master!!!' All other nine Hashira thought and Tsubasa flinched at the sudden words in her head.

"I am glad you could all make it to our semi-annual meeting," the master, Kagaya Ubayashiki, spoke.

Before the meeting commenced, the Hashira expressed their concerns for the fact that Tanjiro had been travelling with a demon and Ubayashiki told them that he'd been excused. But the Slayers were still resistant to the idea.

"But how can we know for sure that she won't ever eat any humans?" Rengoku voiced.

"I received a letter from former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki," Ubayashiki announced and asked his daughter to read it out loud. 

The letter explained how Urokodaki allowed Tanjiro to travel with his demon sister, Nezuko and how if she were to ever eat a human, he, Tanjiro and current Water Hashira, Giyuu Tomioka would kill her and slit their bellies. 

"So what if they made that claim? It doesn't change anything," Tengen asked. 

"The former Water Pillar also got reassurance from our current Emotion Pillar, Tsukishiro Tsubasa, who 'read and felt' that Kamado Nezuko truly will never try to eat any humans because she has broken Kibutsuji Muzan's curse," the girl explained.

The other nine Hashira stared at Tsubasa, confused. 

"You knew about the demon?"

"And you allowed him to stay with her?"

"Wasn't the cloud just there a minute ago?"

"With all due respect, Master," Sanemi spoke up. "Are you certain you can trust a child enough to let a demon like this run loose?"

"Are you doubting me, Sanemi?" Tsubasa asked, her smile still in place but her tone went icy.

Everyone froze, including Sanemi. If there was one thing the entire Corps knew, it was not to upset the Emotion Hashira. 

"Because if you truly are," she continued. "I could easily show you what this child is capable of."

"Now now, Tsu-chan," Shinobu tried to calm her down. 

Tsubasa took a breath, then faced her master again. "Master, it seems Shinazugawa would like to test the theory." 

Sanemi wasn't even listening. He took Nezuko's box again just as Tanjiro was pinned down by Obanai. Sanemi cut open his arm and let his blood drip onto the holes in Nezuko's box. 

"Come on now demon!" he hissed. "Show us your true colors!" 

"Need I remind you, Sanemi," Tsubasa beamed, her words dripping poison honey. "Its daytime and you're out in broad daylight. Do you truly think you're special enough for her to come out?

Everyone froze, trying not to burst out in laughter from the burn she just gave Sanemi. The Wind Pillar on the other hand was furious. 

"My deepest apologies, Master," he said before going into the shade where Ubuyashiki was and throwing box away, opening it in the process. He let his blood continue to drip and a tiny Nezuko crawled out.