Chapter 18: A New Target

The commotion in the early hours was too loud.

By the time it settled, a crowd had gathered in front of the clinic.

"Judging by the scene, that demon must've been driven off!"

A vendor, carrying his wares for the day, pointed to the ruins with pride as he commented.

"Luckily, Lady Kocho gave us a heads-up in advance."

"Exactly! My husband loves getting involved in lively scenes. If something like this happened, he would have rushed out long ago."

"We don't have much going on, so why not help clear this stuff out?"

Someone shouted, and the idea quickly gained support.

"Sure!"

"Count me in!"

"Last time, the doctor treated me for free, so I'm in too!"

A peddler amidst the crowd saw things turning unfavorable and decided to slip away quietly.

"I just brought in a new batch of goods from outside! Who has time to waste here?"

With this thought, he started retreating cautiously, only to find someone already behind him.

"Ouch! Who's so inconsiderate as to bump into me?"

The peddler felt like he had collided with a wall, leaving him dizzy and disoriented. Instinctively, he yelled out. The items he carried scattered all over the ground.

"Sorry, I think I bumped into you," Zhou Yi said awkwardly, scratching his head. His senior sister had been chasing him fiercely, and he hadn't dodged in time.

The peddler was about to lose his temper but froze upon seeing Zhou Yi's sword strapped to his back. His initially arrogant tone became unexpectedly polite.

"You!!! Uh, my apologies. It's my fault for getting in your way!"

Zhou Yi knelt to help pick up the scattered goods, noticing a familiar hair ornament among them."Isn't this the hairpiece worn by the Flower Hashira in the manga?"

Nearby was a small, printed hair ribbon. On impulse, Zhou Yi picked both items up.

"Boss, how much for these?"

The peddler, hesitant to name a high price, stammered,

"Uh, why don't you pay whatever you think is fair..."

Zhou Yi casually took out a small gold nugget and handed it to the peddler.

"I'm in a rush. Here, take this."

Without waiting for a response, Zhou Yi walked off in the opposite direction.

The peddler stared at the gold in disbelief, then bit into it to confirm.

"It's hard... This really is gold!"

He couldn't believe he'd encountered such a generous fool.

"Did I understock my goods?"

While he was still in a daze, someone from the crowd called out.

"Kojiro! Stop dawdling and come help!"

The peddler's escape plan was foiled. He could only reply helplessly,

"Coming..."

After doubling back, Zhou Yi caught up with his senior sister and hugged her tightly.

"Senior Sister, hold still. I've got something for you."

"Hmph! No matter what you give me, it won't change anything! Today, I'll teach you a lesson on behalf of our master!"

"I'll show you the true might of a senior sister's authority!"

-------

As everyone knows, nobody can resist the allure of something truly tempting. Makomo was no exception.

The ribbon she tied her hair with looked stunning in the mirror.

"I noticed your hair's grown out, so I picked out something nice for you. What do you think?"

"Hmph, at least you've got some taste. I'll let you off this time!"

"Let's go thank Lady Kocho for her help."

When they arrived, Makomo expressed her gratitude to Lady Kocho, seated alongside Zhou Yi. Across from them sat the Kocho family, including the two young Kocho sisters.

"Thank you for your help, especially for that ice breathing manual. The techniques inside are incredible!"

"I'm glad it was useful," Lady Kocho said warmly. "That manual is better off in your hands than gathering dust with me. She would have thought so too..." She sighed, reminiscing about someone dear.

Her husband interjected gently, "Smile, dear. Seeing it passed on means her legacy continues."

Their deep bond only emphasized how out of place their two daughters seemed.

Taking the chance, young Shinobu Kocho, brimming with curiosity about demon-slaying, eagerly asked questions.

"Was the demon strong?"

"How did you defeat it?"

"Is this guy your junior? He's pretty handsome!"

"How about taking me as your apprentice? I've got talent—scaling walls, climbing trees, you name it! You won't find a better opportunity than this!"

Shinobu finally revealed her true intentions—she wanted to join the Demon Slayer Corps.

"Shinobu! What nonsense are you spouting?" Kanae hurriedly pulled her mischievous sister back. "Demon slaying is no job for a fragile girl like you!"

"If Sister Makomo can do it, why can't I?" Shinobu argued, struggling against her sister's grasp. She cast a pleading look toward their parents.

"It's useless! Not even Mother will side with you!" Kanae declared confidently, dashing Shinobu's hopes.

"Well then, Shinobu, you can follow Miss Makomo and join the Demon Slayer Corps."

"Yes! I knew Mother would—wait, what?" Shinobu froze, utterly stunned.

"Mother! What are you saying? Demon slaying is so dangerous!" Even the usually composed Kanae was flustered, her emotions running high.

"Kanae, we're alive today thanks to the Demon Slayer Corps. We have no right to stop Shinobu."

Even the Kocho family doctor nodded in agreement.

"Yay! Mother's so open-minded! Unlike some old-fashioned fuddy-duddies, hmph!"

Taking advantage of the distraction, Shinobu wriggled free from her sister's hold, escaping Kanae's protective embrace—a place many would envy. She darted over to Makomo's side, sticking out her tongue at Kanae with a victorious grin.

Her face was full of smug satisfaction.

"Hehe, Sis, just stay home without worry!"

"When I learn real skills, I'll protect you in the future!"

Such deep affection between sisters!

Zhou Yi sat silently, showing no intention of joining the conversation. Instead, he organized his recent gains in his mind.

"System, how many exchange points have I accumulated recently?"

[Host has accumulated a total of 5,000 exchange points recently.]

"One lower moon demon plus saving a lot of people—seems about right."

[Actually, the total would be much less, but due to your intervention saving the Kocho Sisters' parents, the exchange points reached 5,000.]

"I see."

Zhou Yi glanced at the progress bar on his inheritance panel. Thanks to recent advancements in his swordsmanship, it had reached 30%.

"If I invested all of it, that's only another 5%!"

"Are there no bulk missions that give more points?"

"Unlocking a new inheritance would be great, too!"

"This system is so low-grade!"

[When your first heroic spirit inheritance reaches 50%, a new inheritance will be unlocked.]

"Holy crap, I misspoke! This system is amazing!"

"Let's set a small goal for now: get Sasaki Kojirō's inheritance to 50%!"