Chapter 24 : 24th Stance

"Hmm? Zamuza? I haven't that name in a long time....", Kagaya stated.

"So you do know him?", Takeo retorted.

"I don't know him per se....but the previous Hashira and Demon Corps leader used to mention in their Hashira meetings....this was when I was very young, so I do not have a-lot of information....", he replied.

"Anything is fine with me"

"....In their meetings they used to mention him and a man named Kenzō"....

'Master', Takeo thought, before he continued listening.

"Kenzō had apparently let a demon go to get revenge on Zamuza for something he had done. When the Hashira's heard this, they immediately wanted to punish him severely by beheading him....however, since Kenzō apparently saved the Corps Leader during an attack on the Headquarters....he felt he owed Kenzō something, and so he let him go but he was still labelled as a traitor, and any disciple he ever has would be labelled as one too".

'I already know most of this....Isn't there something else', Takeo thought with an annoyed face.

Noticing this, Kagaya still continued, "After he was kicked out, The Corps Leader was still interested into who made Kenzō so angry....and so he ordered the Kakushi to gather information about him....They then discovered that Zamuza was a very strong demon, maybe even stronger than Muzan at the time....he devoured humans in secret, destroying his trail and avoiding the Demon Slayer's eyes. After consuming so many humans, he began to become stronger and stronger, gaining new abilities....however he hasn't been seen for a few decades now and the previous Hashira Kenzō hasn't been sighted either....so it's safe to assume that both are dead by now", Kagaya summarised.

"Do you know anything else....like what he looks like?", Takeo asked.

"I'm afraid nobody other than Kenzō knows what he looks like", after a few seconds of silence, Kagaya then continued, "May I ask why you're so interested in Zamuza?".

To which Takeo looked at him, before he got up from the floor...approaching the door, just as he was about to exit, he turned around and said, "Because he killed my master....Kenzō"

CREAK!

As soon as he said that a shocked expression appeared on his 'always smiling' face before Takeo left the room.

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Exiting out of the room, Takeo closed the door before he turned around.....standing in-front of him were all the Hashira.

They were all stood by because they didn't know Takeo's purpose...the second they felt killing intent, they would've rushed inside and killed Takeo.....however, they also wanted to know what Takeo was going to ask, and so the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui listened in.

Whilst listening in, they were shocked to hear Takeo state that Kenzō, the traitor, was his master.

You see, some of them were Tsuguko before they were Hashira's....this meant they were a designated successor for the Hashira before them. They would go along with them to learn everything it took to be a successful Hashira, even appearing at some Hashira Meeting's for experience.....so like Kagaya they knew about the traitor Kenzō.

Sanemi, who pretended to leave before Takeo entered the mansion looked at Takeo with disgust, "Disgusting trash like your Master!". After losing a-lot of loved ones, Sanemi became cold-hearted.....he truly hated demons, and for him to be in the presence of someone who was taught by a traitor....just made him feel "disgusted".

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The other Hashira's were also angry, except for Giyu, who didn't really care and was standing away in the distance.

"Now it makes sense why you showed no respect to Oyakata-sama....the disciple of a scum will grow up like a scum", Sanemi stated, before Rengoku agreed.

"I agree....you have no manners someone really needs to teach you some", he stated with his constant smile as he kept his arms folded.

"Oh! You disgustingly pitiful soul! If only Kenzō never existed", the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima, stated in a prayer-like fashion.

Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Hashira, was repulsed by Takeo....even though he wasn't the flesh and blood of the 'scum' Kenzō, to be even related to him was a sin in Shinobu's book. She holds an intense hatred for Demons due to the loss of her sister, Kanae Kocho, at a young age, along with the deaths of her parents, so for Kenzō to let Muzan Kibutsuji, the supposed 'strongest' demon, who killed a large amount of innocent people, made her blood boil with anger....

However, before she could say anything, Sanemi beat her too it. "I'm glad Zamuza killed that worthless trash-".

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A couple seconds prior,

'Relax....their comments are worthless', Takeo thought as took everything in with a blank face as he stood right in-front of the mansion.

DRIP! DRIP!

Blood even began dripping down from his fist as he clenched it, extremely hard, trying to relive his anger....,

"I'm glad Zamuza killed that worthless trash", Sanemi stated with a hideous smile.

A disgusting expression appeared on Takeo's face, not bottling it in anymore, he charged at Sanemi with anger...unable to hold it in anymore...

ZOOOOOOMMMMM!!!!!

Appearing one step away from Sanemi, Takeo's leg covered in flames....before he took a single step, caving the ground.....before he raised his blade right above his head... unleashing a destructive slash supplied with lightning downwards onto Sanemi.

<Honō-Kaminari no kokyū Roku no Kata : Mountain Split>

CRACKK!!!!! SWOOOSHHH!!!!

The attack, held solely on by Takeo's fury, cut Sanemi straight down the middle.....the same smile was on Sanemi's face before it cut apart... his body now split into two....his scorched body fell to the ground.....

PLOP!

"....."

Silence. There was nothing but silence until :

HOWL!

The wind howled the moment Sanemi died..... as if it was to say goodbye, the whole attack taking place in a few seconds....the Hashira only seeing a blur before it was over.....

"Y.....YOU BASTARD!", Obanai Iguro shouted in shock....

The Hashira couldn't believe it....they all gript their swords in anger, but before they could attack Takeo....

CREAK!

Opening the mansion door rapidly, Kagaya stared at the scene, silence took place for a few seconds.....before he shouted, "Takeo leave your Demon Slayer Uniform! Don't you ever step foot into the Demon Slayer's Headquarters!", unlike his calm disposition.

"Gladly...", Takeo replied, not wanting to be associated with such trash, as he ruffled his white hair, holding a blood-stained sword.

RUSTLE!

Whilst he was taking it off, he woke Yuko up, "Takeo what's going on?", he asked, before he tried to read the atmosphere.

However, Takeo didn't answer and quickly put him in his robes pocket. After he done that, he was about to leave his blade but Kagaya didn't want a muderer's blade to be in their possession.

And so....Takeo left the Demon Slayer's, soiling their reputation of the with the death of a Hashira.

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"Oyakata-sama! WE CAN'T JUST LET HIM GO!", They all shouted.

With some difficulty, Kagaya looked at them before stating, "There's been enough deaths on this soil....", before he glanced at Sanemi's split body.

".....Deal with him outside...", he replied, before he walked away as he gript his face with pain.