Chapter 52: Open Your Heart.
...
Butterfly Mansion.
Because more and more people were gathering, the noise gradually became noisy.
Kakushi members dressed in black uniforms, as well as lower-ranked members, and even those who were still recovering from injuries.
Everyone appeared in the courtyard.
They surrounded Shinjuro and Tanjuro in the middle of the courtyard and chatted with each other.
A familiar figure was jumping up and down in the crowd, waving his arms and shouting:
"Everyone, the ward is next door, please be quiet! Be quiet!"
Tanjiro was attracted by the noisy sound, at this moment, he was squeezed in the crowd, waving his hands, trying to make the noisy crowd quiet down:
"Be quiet...!!"
He shouted loudly.
"Ah... what should I do..." A drop of sweat dripped down Tanjiro's forehead, he looked at the crowded crowd in front of him with some difficulty, his mouth open:
"...It's completely ineffective!"
His voice alone couldn't attract everyone's attention.
Instead, it was drowned out in the noisy crowd.
This can't go on like this.
Tanjiro looked back at the direction of the Butterfly Mansion, if the rest of the swordsmen who were recuperating were disturbed...
Plop.
"Ah, that's nice."
Murata, with a middle parting, a scar on his forehead, strolled over to Tanjiro's side, looking at the crowd in front of him:
"It's lively."
He looked around.
Murata spoke slowly, he sighed deeply: "...That Hashira, he must be very angry."
Tanjiro glanced sideways, he was taken aback:
"Murata-san?"
Tanjiro has been at the Butterfly Mansion for a while now, and it just so happens that Murata comes to the Butterfly Mansion for "rehabilitation" every day.
The two of them have gotten to know each other from their back and forth interactions.
Hearing Tanjiro's voice, Murata looks to the side, he nods his head, his face drooping, and greets weakly:
"Oh, it's Tanjiro."
Murata's voice is weak, his eyes are lifeless, as if he has been tormented:
"Don't worry, it will quiet down here soon."
"...I'm going to find a place to sit down and rest."
Saying this, Murata droops his arms, limps around, and is about to leave.
"Ah...okay, okay!"
Tanjiro opens his mouth, the words he wants to say are stuck in his throat, he looks worriedly at Murata's staggering departure.
——Is the "rehabilitation" exercise that scary...
He thinks so in his heart, and doesn't pay attention to the latter half of Murata's words.
Just as Tanjiro turns his head to look at Tanjuro, wanting to seek help.
Whoosh——
Suddenly.
The originally noisy crowd suddenly quieted down.
"Eh?" Just as Tanjiro was about to ask his father a question, he was taken aback, he turned around and looked at the suddenly solemn expressions of the crowd around him.
What, what happened?
It suddenly quieted down...
Tanjiro looks puzzled, he feels very confused.
At this time.
A gentle female voice slowly comes from not far behind Tanjiro:
"Hello everyone."
Her words are clear, as if she is saying them one by one:
"It's just past noon, and there are so many people gathered here."
Kocho Shinobu strolls from the corridor towards here, she smiles, her purple eyes slightly curved with a smile, her tone is kind:
"Is there something interesting going on?"
She opens her eyes, scans the crowd that is circled around:
"Would you also tell me?"
"..."
The crowd is silent.
——Oh no.
Although Kocho-sama is usually very gentle, even can be said to be kind and friendly.
But when she gets angry...
They look at each other, they all see the fear in each other's eyes, and the cold sweat flowing down their foreheads.
"I, I'm going first, I haven't finished today's work yet!"
"Me too!"
"Wait for me!"
Suddenly, the Kakushi members left in groups, leaving only a few brave team members who stayed with their heads held high.
Just as the atmosphere in the courtyard stiffens as if it's frozen.
"Kocho-san!"
Standing in the middle of the courtyard, Rengoku Shinjuro raises the sword in his hand and explains to Kocho Shinobu:
"I came to spar with Kamado-san, if it's inconvenient, we'll change places."
Hearing Rengoku Shinjuro's voice, Kocho Shinobu is slightly taken aback.
She quietly tiptoes, only then clearly sees the two people who are surrounded in the middle, looking at her.
Kocho Shinobu's expression gradually becomes somewhat surprised.
——Rengoku Shinjuro-san?
——Spar?
After blinking her eyes, Kocho Shinobu smiles again, she shakes her head:
"...No, it's okay."
"The injured in the Butterfly Mansion are all here now."
She raises her fair hand, lightly pats:
"Since Rengoku Shinjuro-san wants to spar, then I'll come and watch."
Saying this, Kocho Shinobu slowly walks through the few people left, finds a chair from somewhere, and puts it on the ground.
Creak...
She sits in a position close to the corridor.
And nods at the two of them, indicating them to start.
After getting permission.
Tanjuro slowly withdraws his gaze from Kocho Shinobu.
"Let's begin." Saying this, Tanjuro glanced at Tanjiro and Takeo in the crowd.
Tanjiro noticed his father's gaze, he was immediately taken aback, and almost instantly understood his father's meaning.
—Just like a year ago.
—He's telling me to watch carefully!
He quickly grabbed Takeo's hand, and under his brother's puzzled expression, he focused his attention on the center of the courtyard.
...
In the middle of the courtyard.
"Hmm."
Rengoku Shinjuro nodded, his expression became serious, and his hand tightened on the hilt of the wooden sword.
In his orange-red pupils, Tanjuro's calm expression was reflected.
"...Hiss——!!" After taking a deep breath.
"...I'm coming." Rengoku Shinjuro took a step forward, his calf muscles slowly tensed, and he forcefully swung the wooden sword behind him!
His calm gaze locked onto Tanjuro's position.
—Let me see what you've got.
—Sun Breathing...
Rengoku Shinjuro's eyes gradually became serious.
Swish!
The wooden sword slightly turned as the strength of his grip changed!
[Flame Breathing]
[First Form]
The power that had been silent in his body for a long time, like an explosion, suddenly climbed up along the sword!
Finally, it gathered at the tip of the sword!
Creak...
He tensed all the muscles in his body, the sound of his feet gripping the ground was clearly audible.
Then, when the muscles in his legs were tensed to the extreme! His upper body leaned forward!
His front foot stomped hard on the ground!
Whoosh——!
Rengoku Shinjuro turned into an afterimage, his feet forcefully pushed off the ground, raising a cloud of dust, and he charged straight at Tanjuro!
In almost an instant, Rengoku Shinjuro, who was holding the wooden sword, had already rushed to Tanjuro's front!
Rengoku Shinjuro's eyes were firm, he looked at Tanjuro, who was wide open, his thick black eyebrows raised!
The muscles in his arm tensed!
[Unknowing Fire]!
Whoosh——!!
A dazzling flame suddenly erupted on the sword!
The wooden sword that slashed horizontally from his side seemed to cut through the air with a sharp red flame in an instant!
—It went straight for Tanjuro's neck!
Tanjuro's pupils followed Rengoku Shinjuro's sword.
With highly concentrated attention and the effect of the Transparent World, Kyojuro Rengoku's movements seemed to be slowed down, and the wooden sword that traced the golden sword mark slowly approached him.
—It's not on the same level as the current Kyojuro.
—The swordsmanship is quite exquisite.
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