Nature Manor

Shortly after the battle, the Hashira began to disperse. Ryou also left the Ubuyashiki manor and headed to the Hashira manor handed to him, which will be his place of residence.

Once everyone left, Kagaya Ubuyashiki turned to Gyomei, the only Hashira who remained.

"What do you think of his strength?" Ubuyashiki Kagaya asked in a tranquil voice.

Gyomei took a moment before replying truthfully. "I can tell, he held back against Sanemi. His strength should be stronger than mine!"

Kagaya's eyes widened slightly, showing a rare expression of surprise. "Stronger than you?" he repeated, clearly impressed.

Gyomei nodded. "I'm not sure exactly how strong he is but from his breathing routine I can sense extraordinary strength!"

"He is indeed a child full of surprises. With him among us, I have greater confidence in dealing with the high-level demons!" Ubuyashiki Kagaya said.

The news of Ryou becoming the Hashira spread quickly among the various regions of the Demon Slayer Corps. Though not many people knew about him, it didn't stop them from gossiping.

--

Ryou traveled for a day before reaching the location under the guidance of his Kasugai crow. From a distance, he could see a pagoda-like structure nestled in the valley of Hana along a tranquil water stream.

The estate bore the name Nature Manor. Situated a few kilometers away from the nearest town, it's remote and to Ryou's liking.

The structure blended perfectly with the surrounding environment. As he approached the manor, Ryou noticed that the building was rather large, standing two stories high, with a clearing to the west wing connecting to a vast training ground.

Sakura and Wisteria trees stood firm along the borders of the estate, their blossoms swaying gently in the valley breeze.

This was the Nature Estate provided to Ryou by the Demon Slayer Corps. It will be his permanent home from now on as the estate is strategically situated at the center of the region under his watch, allowing him to travel to all necessary locations in the shortest possible time.

"What a nice place... I won't get bored even if I spend a lifetime here," Ryou sighed.

As he took in the serene beauty of his new home, two young girls approached him, bowing respectfully.

"Welcome to the Nature Manor, Ryou-sama. We are appointed by the Ubuyashiki manor to take care of your daily necessities like food, clothing, and even arranging your appointments," one of them said.

"I'm Yui," Yui introduced herself with a warm smile.

"And I'm Hina," the other added, mirroring her sister's gesture.

Ryou looked at them closely and couldn't help but notice their striking resemblance. "Are you girls twins?" he asked.

Both of them were short and cute, with round faces and deep brown eyes. They had black hair tied into two neat pigtails with red ribbons and adorned with cherry blossom hairpins. Both wore pastel-colored kimonos with floral patterns.

One thing differentiated them: their eyes and personality. Yui's eyes were bright and expressive, reflecting her lively personality, while Hina's eyes had a softer look, hinting at her shyness.

"Yes, we are," Yui replied to his question with a smile. "We were brought up by the Ubuyashiki household from a young age."

"You said something about appointments?" Ryou inquired, curious.

"Yes. The time of a Hashira is precious so we make sure you weren't disturbed unnecessarily during your free time by other members of the Demon Slayer Corps.

Only after getting your consent are they allowed to come here," Yui explained respectfully.

"Nice," Ryou thought it made sense.

Hina added, "Ryou-sama, we got a message from the Flower Hashira that she will come tomorrow," 

"Kanae's coming? Ok." Ryou nodded. 

Yui then stepped forward, "Let us show you around the Manor, Ryou-sama!"

They began the tour at the entrance, moving through the first floor. Yui pointed out the various areas as they walked. "This floor has the living area, dining room, kitchen, and several guest rooms," she explained.

"We will take care of all your meals," Yui said. "If you have any special requests, just let Hina know. She cooks all the dishes as she's better than me!"

They then ascended to the second floor. "This is your private area," Hina said softly. "It includes your Room, study, and a collection of books."

They continued the tour and headed to the expansive training ground in the west.

"This is the training ground," Hina said softly. "It's designed to help you practice your skills. You'll find various training equipment, dummies, and obstacles here for your training."

Ryou scanned the area, impressed by the effort put into preparing the training ground. He remarked, "Kagaya-sama is thoughtful..."

"Of course," Yui responded with a smile. "Hashira are the backbone of the Demon Slayer Corps. Everything here is meant to ensure you can train with peace of mind and become strong."

"Thank you, Yui, Hina, for showing me around. I am going to practice for a while. You guys go and do your work," Ryou said with a smile.

"Take your time, Ryou-sama. We will cook a delicious lunch for you," the twins bowed slightly before retreating to the manor.

--

As the twin girls left, Ryou decided to test his Nature Mode, which he hadn't had the chance to fully explore before.

He stood in the middle of the training ground, and with a thought, he entered the Nature Mode. His eyes turned golden, and he instantly felt a surge of power. His senses heightened dramatically, allowing him to perceive even the slightest motions around him.

Drawing his Nichirin sword, Ryou muttered, "First Form: Wind Slash." With a swift slash, a powerful wind pressure surged forth from his blade and shattered a training dummy in the distance.

As the slash was imbued with Natural energy, it was devastatingly powerful. He hadn't even exerted 10 percent of his strength, yet the attack was incredibly strong.

"Oh my... such power," Ryou marveled. 'If I use my entire strength, there's a chance it will destroy the entire courtyard.'

After a short pause, he continued testing his other forms without exerting much strength. With each form, his control over Natural energy became more refined as if it was flowing through him.

After a few minutes, the training ground, though designed to withstand harsh attacks, was now riddled with slash marks, cracks, and even fissures.

Seeing the state of the training ground, Ryou decided to halt his practice for now. He had another interesting thought: what would happen if he combined Natural energy with his Sharingan or Tekkai?

--

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