Outside the Butterfly Estate, Tomioka Giyuu glanced around and thought to himself,
"There are quite a lot of spectators."
"The three little ones and Kiyo in the Butterfly House, the three Kocho sisters, a few attendants, and even members of the Kakushi…"
"Well, if I lose this time, it'll be a huge embarrassment."
Yes, that was the main reason why Tomioka Giyuu was silently brooding. Why was this sparring match attracting so many onlookers? And why, of all people, did he have to fight Sanemi Shinazugawa?
Tomioka Giyuu really wanted to shout, Sanemi, you're such a damn show-off!
"I won't lose this time!" Sanemi roared.
"Wind Breathing, Seventh Form: Gale - Sudden Gust!"
Despite the surprise attack, Tomioka Giyuu remained calm.
The moment Sanemi moved, an invisible force seemed to ripple around Giyuu.
"Water Breathing, Eleventh Form: Dead Calm."
"When Sanemi get too cocky, you just have to teach him a lesson," Giyuu muttered, although he stayed razor-sharp with each exchange of blows.
Today's Sanemi was nothing like the wild storm from a year ago. He was faster, stronger, and even more aggressive.
But—I'll win.
Ten minutes later, Sanemi was breathing heavily, his chest heaving. Forced back several meters, he suddenly launched himself high into the air and came down with a fierce assault.
"Wind Breathing, Ninth Form: Typhoon Rampage!"
Two massive blades of wind howled toward Tomioka from above!
In response, Tomioka simply looked up and sighed softly.
"The Wind Breathing really does embody relentless offense."
"But if you think that's enough to defeat me…" He gave a half-smile. "You still have a lot to learn."
"Water Breathing, Thirteenth Form: Mirror of the Flower - Moonlit Water."
BOOM!
The twin blades of wind carved up the training field, turning the ground into a chaotic mess of rubble and dirt.
But Sanemi didn't feel the thrill of victory. He froze.
Tomioka Giyuu was completely unharmed.
"…Th-Thirteenth Form?!" Sanemi choked out.
Suddenly, he felt a cold sensation at his neck. A wooden blade rested lightly against his skin.
Then he heard Tomioka's calm voice behind him.
"Yes, that's right. The Thirteenth Form. Pretty amazing, right?"
"Also… you lose."
Sanemi's eyes widened in disbelief.
How the hell did he get behind me?! I just blinked!
"Hmph." Sanemi shoved the wooden sword away from his neck and stormed off without another word.
"Goodbye, Sanemi-kun~" Kocho Kanae waved politely behind him.
But when she called out so sweetly, Sanemi Shinazugawa ran even faster, disappearing down the path with a few angry strides.
"…Huh." Giyuu stared after him. "Does he have a fever or something?"
As Sanemi vanished, Kocho Shinobu walked over to Giyuu with a sweet, dangerous smile.
"Well done, Tomioka! That guy always acts lawless. He needed to be knocked down a peg!"
"But… what about the ground in front of our yard?"
Tomioka Giyuu blinked, then rubbed his head, suddenly looking weak.
"Ow… I'm feeling a little dizzy. I might not be fully recovered yet. I should rest…"
Kocho Shinobu's expression immediately soured.
She had never approved of this sparring match in the first place. Giyuu hadn't fully healed, and she feared reinjury.
But then she noticed something odd—Tomioka Giyuu wasn't heading toward his room.
He was walking right down the path out of the Butterfly Estate.
"Tomioka! Get back here!" she yelled.
"Okay, okay, Shinobu~" Kanae Kocho gently stopped her sister from chasing after him.
"Tomioka is probably just heading home to rest. Let's not disturb him."
"Sister!" Shinobu snapped. "He's obviously trying to ditch us and avoid cleaning up the mess!"
"They had their fun, and now we're stuck fixing the field!"
"Forget it, forget it~ don't be angry, Shinobu~" Kanae put her hands together in prayer, tilted her head, and smiled sweetly.
"I love Shinobu's smiling face the most~"
"Ughhh…" Kocho Shinobu sighed deeply and pressed a hand to her forehead. She had lost her temper again.
A few days later at noon, the Hashira meeting was held as scheduled.
Tomioka Giyuu stood in front of his mirror, fixing his hair, and muttered under his breath.
"With this hairstyle, what if I shout something dramatic while slaying demons, like… 'Wanna dance with death?'… No, wait. That's way too cringe."
A few minutes later, Tomioka Giyuu arrived at the Ubuyashiki Estate.
And as soon as he entered the elegant courtyard, he realized—
He was late.
The other eight Hashira were already present, including the newly appointed Love Hashira, Kanroji Mitsuri.
Giyuu scanned the scene with mild amusement.
Mist Hashira Tokito Muichiro was squatting alone in a corner, seemingly counting ants.
Up in the tree, Serpent Hashira Iguro Obanai lay across a branch, lazily peeking toward Kanroji Mitsuri.
His gaze drifted toward the group of chatting women—Shinobu, Kanae, and Mitsuri.
Giyuu glanced briefly at Kanroji Mitsuri, then quickly turned away.
Can someone please get her a uniform that fits? That cleavage is criminal…
"Tomioka, you've recovered—"
Before Kocho Kanae could finish, Kocho Shinobu cut in with a smirk.
"Hey, Tomioka, you sure ran fast the other day~"
Seeing things going south fast, Giyuu quickly deflected.
He pointed at Sanemi Shinazugawa, who was quietly eating a melon slice nearby.
"It wasn't me. The loser should be responsible for fixing the yard, don't you think?"
Sanemi's face immediately darkened.
"Tch."
At that moment, Uzui Tengen, the Sound Hashira, chimed in at the worst possible time.
"Oh? You two fought again?"
"Looks like Tomioka came out on top again, huh?"
"Tch." Sanemi clearly didn't appreciate Uzui's commentary.
"Eh? Hashira can fight each other?" Kanroji Mitsuri muttered innocently.
"Oh! Sorry!" She turned toward Tomioka with wide, apologetic eyes. "I forgot to introduce myself! I'm the new Hashira—Kanroji Mitsuri, the Love Hashira! Please take care of me, Tomioka!"
"…Hello." Tomioka Giyuu gave a curt nod. "Sanemi and I were only sparring. It wasn't an actual fight."
"Don't listen to whatever nonsense the Sound Hashira says."
As Kanroji Mitsuri blushed, Tomioka inwardly sighed.
Yup… she's dramatic. Definitely overthinking this.