CH. 33: Dual Challenge

Kenshi's eyes snapped open as he jerked awake from his meditative position under the willow tree. He blinked a few times, adjusting to the sunlight filtering through the branches, when he noticed a pair of pink ponytails dangling right before his face.

"Huh?" He furrowed his brows, tilting his head back to find Mitsuri looking down at him with a worried expression.

"Oh! You're finally awake." She said with a smile, straightening up.

Kenshi rubbed the back of his neck, rising to his feet with a stretch. "When did you get here exactly?"

"I arrived a little while ago but didn't want to disturb you." Mitsuri's eyes wandered over his face, taking in the purple hair that fell past his shoulders. "Your hair... Did you dye it?"

"Ah, yeah..." Kenshi ran his fingers through his hair. "It's been a while since you last saw me, so I can understand the, uh, surprise."

She nodded slowly, a skeptical look appearing in her eyes as she studied the slight differences in his facial features as well. "I see. And how are you feeling after that crazy battle? Any side effects from the venom?"

As Mitsuri fired off more questions, they began strolling back toward the main Butterfly mansion manor. Kenshi waved off her concerns about the spider poison, assuring her he felt perfectly fine aside from the fatigue.

"That's a relief," Mitsuri said, looking relieved. "I came to visit Lady Shinobu and check in on you as well. Since you seems to be doing okay, why don't we go find her?"

Kenshi agreed, as he had been meaning to meet with his mentor to get back his sword anyway. The two Demon Slayers made their way into the manor, Mitsuri guiding them through the corridors toward Shinobu's research room, where she normally stayed.

When they arrived, Kenshi raised his hand and knocked on the door.

Inside, Shinobu sat on her chair while she held a glass container in her hand. The glass container contained a purple-colored liquid that emitted an ominous aura.

She leaned down as she looked at the purple liquid. Just then, she heard the knocking, which made her jerk back a little in panic. Quickly, she put the glass container in the desk of her table and stood up, walking towards the door.

When she opened it, she saw Kenshi and Mitsuri waiting outside.

"Oh! Mitsuri, and Kenshi, please come in." Shinobu said, quickly regaining her composure as she stepped aside.

Once they were seated, Shinobu turned to the other Hashira with a smile. "It's been a while since your last visit, Mitsuri."

"I was assigned to deliver this information to you by Master Kagaya. He has called for a meeting at headquarters after three days." Mitsuri informed her.

Kenshi couldn't help but interject at this point. "A meeting? Does that mean I'll be allowed to attend this one?"

He received a stern look from Shinobu. "You were permitted to sit in on the last gathering because of your...unique circumstances and the information you possessed at the time."

She shook her head. "However, you are still not an officially recognized Demon Slayer, as you have yet to pass the Final Selection."

Kenshi threw up his hands in exaggeration. "What?! But I've killed demons even stronger than those in the final selection exam!"

"Be that as it may." Shinobu held up a placating hand. "Rules are rules. No exceptions until you've completed the proper process."

Kenshi walked toward Shinobu as he opened his mouth to argue further, but the words died in his throat when he felt the razor-sharp edge of a blade resting against the side of his neck. His teacher had unsheathed her sword quicker than his eyes could follow.

"Do I need to remind you that not a hair on your head would remain attached if I wished to slice?" Her tone stayed mild but carried an undercurrent of steel. "You will not participate in any meeting or mission until you've passed the final exam, and the final exam, with current circumstances in the Corps, will be held in 6 months. So, until then, train and become stronger. You're not strong enough, Kenshi. You need training, but we don't have enough time for that now."

Kenshi stared unblinkingly into Shinobu's uncompromising eyes. A muscle twitched in his cheek, but then his lips curved into a slow, confident smile that struck an odd contrast to the blade against his throat.

"Very well, then." He said calmly. "How about this - I'll prove my strength by defeating you in three days' time. If I win, you'll take me along to that Hashira meeting and even recommend making me an official Demon Slayer without a final selection exam."

Shinobu narrowed her eyes skeptically, her sword not wavering an inch. "Don't be ridiculous. You couldn't land a single blow if we crossed blades now. What changes in three days?"

"Then what's the harm in indulging me if you're so certain that you will win?" Kenshi's smile didn't falter, his gaze full of provocation. "Unless the great Insect Hashira is feeling...fearful?"

The tension in the room seemed to triple as Kenshi finished his words. Mitsuri shifted in her seat, looking distinctly uncomfortable being caught in the middle of this fight between mentor and student.

Finally, Shinobu made a derisive sound and sheathed her sword once more. "Very well, I'll go along with your antics this once, only to teach you some long-overdue humility and stop you from becoming more arrogant."

She folded her arms across her chest. "Three days from now, we'll have our match. But I warn you - don't come crying to me when the extent of the gap in our abilities makes you lose hope."

"Oh, I have no intention to lose hope in anything." Kenshi assured her. His eyes glinted with fiery resolve as he smiled.

Without waiting for a response, he abruptly spun and strode over to where Mitsuri sat. Looking rather overwhelmed by the dramatic turn of events. She slightly leaned back in her chair.

He grasped her hand and pulled her up from the chair.

"Mitsuri, you'll be my training partner for the next three days to get me ready." He declared, already leading her toward the exit.

"Mr. Kenshi, I think you need a sword for training." Shinobu said from behind him, pointing to the table where the sword is situated.

Coughing a little, Kenshi ran back and took his sword, and then took Mitsuri's hand and dragged her with him.

The pink-haired woman stumbled after him, unable to understand what was happening.

"Uh, I suppose...I'll train him." She threw one last wide-eyed glance at Shinobu over her shoulder before the door closed behind them.

Inside the room, Shinobu sighed and sat back on her chair while slowly massaging her temples with a headache.

"This guy! He is not strong enough. Why is he even fighting? He never told me what his motivation is, other than about his family.... Why won't he listen? I can't.... Lose him."

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A few hours later.

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Whoosh! Whoosh!

Mitsuri hissed sharply, her teeth gritting as the shockwaves from Kenshi's blade impacted her balance. She nimbly disengaged, backflipping away to put some space between them as their impromptu sparring session continued.

They had been at it for hours now, the sounds of ringing steel and thunderous strikes echoing through this secluded training courtyard in the mansion's rear gardens. Their exchange of blows kicked up swirling clouds of dust and grit with every earth-shaking impact.

Kenshi was sweating as he faced Mitsuri's blade. He had to win the duel with Shinobu to influence the upcoming events.

Well, he didn't suggest the duel stupidly. When he was inside, he asked the system if he could beat Shinobu in the upcoming three days, and he was prepared to listen to the answer "no." To his surprise, the system said it was possible.

It analyzed Shinobu's strength, saying that she was weaker in the strength department, and since this was a duel, she wouldn't use poison.

However, her main strength was her movements and speed, and the system promised him that it would design a training schedule that would make him strong enough to stand against Shinobu. But would he be able to beat her? That completely depended on him.

He wanted to ask Tanjiro about the Sun Breathing, but the guy seemed to be in grief, so Kenshi hesitated. Not only that, with so many plot changes, he didn't know if Rui even gave enough time for Tanjiro to awaken the Sun Breathing. Even if he did, it would not be possible to learn it in 3 days, so he postponed asking about that after the Hashira meeting.

Well, the dilemma he had now was whether he should talk about the Demon Slayer Mark to any other Hashira. After all, these Hashira were not children. If they came to know about this mark, they wouldn't care for their lives and would awaken the marks. And if they did, they would only live until they were 24 years old.

'Huh, I guess I need a plan on how to handle this situation. I need to give them as much information as possible about the Demons and how Hashira can become strong enough to beat them. Sigh, for now, the system suggests me to train in reflexes until evening, so I'll concentrate on that.' While training, Kenshi could feel that Mitsuri was not putting her full strength behind the attacks, but given his current strength, it was good enough.