Chapter 15: Ni-to Ryu!

Zenitsu walked back to the Butterfly Manor and saw that the slayers were about to set off for a mission, with gallant faces that promised a ruthless fate to the ones who shall meet their blade, each prepared to meet their end in unmarked graves.

They did not have the regeneration, nor the strength that could rival the demons, but they were the first to lead the charge, they were the hope of humanity, they were the Demon Slayers. Kanao being the highest-ranking officer, was leading the charge and as they opened the gate they saw a familiar figure walking towards them.

Moonlight illuminated the scene that brought shivers down their spine. A young man walked towards them, the wind bristling through his raven hair and tattered robes. His bright yellow eyes shone like two gem stones in the soft illumination of the moon, gone was the gentle smile on his face, his calm and soothing aura was nowhere around him anymore.

With each step he took towards them, they could feel their throats dry as cold sweat covered their back and temples. The Zenitsu right now was releasing his aura unconstrained, and along with it was unleashed a savage bloodlust that rattled the spines of the battle-hardened unit of Demon Slayers.

With each step he took, the closer he got the amount of pressure increased. The unit of slayers understood first hand why was the gentle and calm RAIBASHIRA was feared so much by the demons.

Even though he stood far apart, with his swords sheathed, they could not shake off the feeling of their impending doom, each of their senses were begging them to move, to run away, far; as far as their feet could take them, the one that stood before them was not a human, it was DEATH itself.

When Zenitsu reached about five meters away from the Manor Doors, he swiped his gaze across the unit of slayers and nodded. The suffocating pressure was gone, the slayers felt that the blade placed on their necks was lifted, that they received a second chance at life.

Zenitsu reigned in his aura and smiled, "good, that was not to the level where you should have been; but, it's alright. Train harder little slayers, you are the ones who shoulder the hopes of humanity in this crusade against Muzan and his demons. Buckle up and train like there is no tomorrow, the finale is almost upon us."

Seeing the relieved and determined faces of the slayers, Zenitsu chuckled. "Train harder, so that you can live long enough to tell the story of your bravery to your children and their children. I want to see each one of you alive, share the same cups when we sit in the banquet of victory."

Kanao was the first to speak, "Are you alright? What happened to the demon who attacked?"

Zenitsu walked past them while stretching his hands over his head, "the demon was called Kokushibo, the Upper Moon One."

"Did the demon escape, or was it slayed?" a slayer asked with a visible gulp.

"Well, I did say, 'was' didn't I? kokushibo is dead and I am tired. Return back to your rooms and rest for the night, and get Aoi and the triplets, I need some patching up." Zenitsu smiled.

"OTSKARIMASHITA RAIBASHIRA-sama!!"

Zenitsu walked back to his room and laid back on the floor, a sigh left his lips as he raised the new sword he just received. He stored it into the spatial pocket God gave him.

He closed his eyes, slowly thinking about the fight he just had, about that feeling he felt, that oneness with the sword, the feeling of being in synergy with the blade in his hand, it was addicting, it was exciting as it was subtle; and yet in its subtlety, was hidden the fierce lethality.

He lay there while his tiredness took him to the land of dreams, thinking about Inosuke's sword art, Zenitsu thought about incorporating it in his own swordplay. With the right to attack and the left to defend, with one to obstruct and another to slash, changing the grips from front to reverse, how to smoothen his skillset, how to let it flow like the way Tanjiro connects his moves, chaining them together.

He was slowly paving the way for his own style of swordplay, a style that would incorporate his agility, Inosuke's ferocity and Tanjiro's adaptability. He could already envision himself performing a dance with the blades, a beautiful dance that could captivate a million eyes, and at the next move, could behead any that the blade befell.

The next morning:

Zenitsu opened his eyes to see him lying in a futon and all his wounds properly dressed and his tattered robes changed into new ones. He turned his head to see the triplets sleeping in another futon, hugging each other. Their faces had smiles of innocence and their soft breaths sounded much like little kittens sleeping.

Chuckling at the thought, he walked out of the room in silence, without disturbing the little ones. Seeing that there was a while before the sun rose, Zenitsu walked to the courtyard and unsheathed his blades.

Closing his eyes and concentrating, he quickly regained that feeling of synergy as he waved his blades. Tracing the slashes with perfection, one at a time he slowly perfected the stances. Slowly but surely, he was getting accustomed to the wield two blades simultaneously.

Minutes passed as hours went by, Zenitsu was slowly re-working his breathing pattern, his stances, his moves and his swordplay. Taking what was necessary while leaving behind what was not, slowly his moves were changing, there was no superficial move, no wasted movement. Each move was precise, calculated and lethal; the wind hummed as the blades slashed, his body was dancing to the rhythm of the blades, a radiant smile graced on his lips.

Giyu and Shinobu who had just returned to the Manor passed by Zenitsu's courtyard and had seen him practicing his swordplay, but interestingly with two swords. The moment they stood, they could no longer avert their eyes from his figure.

Shinobu smiled with a flushed face, with her slender fingers she covered her lips as she whispered, "ara-ara~ when did the boya get so charming?"

While Giyu on the other hand was chanting in silence, 'I am straight. I like women. I like Shinobu. I am straight. I like women. I like Shinobu?'

Giyu stopped right there, 'wait a second… did I somehow think that I like Shinobu? Wait, do I really like this woman? I mean, her out of everybody out there.'

He did not know how to feel, he could only sigh in reluctance…

Suddenly, he felt a chilling touch on the back of his neck. Turning his head, his eyes met a beautiful face smiling at him with an ominous vibe. "Did Giyu-san perhaps think something very rude about me?"

Giyu shook his head, as his back was covered in cold sweat; 'what is up with this unfair ability? God was really unfair to give such a fearsome ability to the dangerous creature known as women.'

"Hey, even if you guys are a young couple, please do think about us single folks. Flirting so intimately in the morning, *sigh* just get a room you two…" Zenitsu vanished after speaking his part, for he knew that being chased by the two won't be a pretty sight.