Demon Slayer: The Wolverine Template

The midday sun shone down on the courtyard.

In a small, traditional Japanese-style courtyard, Takeo sat quietly in an inconspicuous corner, his twin Nichirin swords laid neatly on either side of him.

From the adjacent room, a young man with a scar on his forehead and clouded, sightless eyes, supported by a beautiful woman, walked forward to the central position, facing the courtyard.

In the direction the young man was facing, a group of individuals dressed in distinctive uniforms stood lined up side by side.

There were nine of them in total, standing neatly in formation, bowing respectfully toward the young man.

Among them, the ones Takeo recognized were Rengoku Kyojuro, Kanroji Mitsuri, and Tokito Muichiro—all familiar faces.

The others? Their identities were obvious.

They were the Hashira—the nine pillars that supported the Demon Slayer Corps.

The reason they had gathered here today was for the Demon Slayer Corps' semi-annual meeting.

This was a conference held every six months, presided over by Ubuyashiki Kagaya, the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps. The current Hashira assembled to discuss recent developments concerning demons, updates on Muzan Kibutsuji's whereabouts, and the situation within each of their assigned regions.

At the last Hashira meeting, only eight had attended.

But now, all nine were present.

And beyond that, there was one more person—someone who, at a glance, seemed unrelated to the meeting.

The young man inside the house, not very old and marked by a strange purple scar on his forehead, spoke softly once everyone had gathered: "Good morning, everyone. The weather is lovely today."

His voice was gentle—so gentle that just hearing it seemed to purify one's heart.

Hearing this, Takeo finally lifted his head and looked directly at the young man sitting before them.

This was the head of the Demon Slayer Corps—the 21-year-old leader of the Ubuyashiki family, Ubuyashiki Kagaya.

Takeo had seen him once before—at the funerals of fallen Demon Slayer Corps members.

What had left the deepest impression on Takeo was that Kagaya could recite the name of every single fallen member.

Including Sakoma Iori.

Even though Takeo could no longer remember exactly what Ubuyashiki had said to him back then, the memory of that gentle yet commanding presence remained vivid in his mind.

Now, this was their second meeting.

As the master spoke, no one present interrupted. All waited quietly for him to continue.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya went on, his tone warm yet steady:

"First of all, I am truly happy that we are holding this semi-annual Hashira Meeting without having lost a single member. What makes me even happier is that after these past six months, the nine pillars are finally assembled."

As he spoke, his gaze turned toward Tokito Muichiro.

"Muichiro, please step forward."

Even Tokito—who usually seemed detached from everything—showed a rare flicker of nervousness at this moment.

Takeo watched as Muichiro walked to the front and bowed respectfully to Ubuyashiki Kagaya. His posture and gaze carried genuine reverence toward his master.

It was clear that Ubuyashiki Kagaya held a very special place in his heart.

"Seven days ago, Muichiro-kun personally slew one of the Twelve Kizuki and became qualified to ascend to the rank of Hashira," Kagaya said gently. "I had the Kasugai Crows deliver this news to you all. Therefore, Muichiro-kun will become the ninth Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps—the Mist Hashira."

"…Or rather… that was supposed to be the case."

As he spoke, Ubuyashiki Kagaya turned his gaze toward someone else.

"Takeo-kun, please step forward."

Hearing his name, Takeo picked up his swords, stepped forward, and stood side by side with Tokito Muichiro, mirroring his posture.

No matter what, the person standing before him was the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps. Basic courtesy was non-negotiable.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya continued, his voice as warm as always:

"But just three days ago… Takeo-kun also personally slew one of the Twelve Kizuki, achieving the qualifications to become a Hashira.

"However… this presents a problem. During the same period, two new candidates have appeared, yet there is only one vacant Hashira position. This… has never happened before in the history of the Demon Slayer Corps.

"Of course, having more Hashira would only strengthen the Corps, so my personal inclination is to grant both of them the title.

"However… I would still like to hear your opinions."

Though Kagaya possessed the authority to make the final decision, he always sought the counsel of the Hashira.

To him, every member of the Corps was equal. There was no distinction of superior or subordinate—only comrades fighting for the same cause.

The Hashira deeply respected their lord. Now that Ubuyashiki Kagaya had confirmed that both had slain members of the Twelve Kizuki, none of them seemed to have any objections to allowing both to become Hashira simultaneously.

After bowing to the lord and expressing their reverence, the Hashira began to voice their thoughts one after another.

The first to speak was the person Takeo was most familiar with—Rengoku Kyojuro. As always, his tone was cheerful and his voice thunderously loud.

Standing proudly at the center as though he were the natural leader of the group, Kyojuro responded with unwavering enthusiasm:

"As long as it strengthens the Demon Slayer Corps, I have no objection to adding one or even more Hashira! Therefore, I wholeheartedly support the lord's decision!"

The next to speak was one of the only two female Hashira. It wasn't Kanroji Mitsuri, but rather a woman who radiated a calm, elegant presence tinged with a subtle sense of danger—like a butterfly fluttering near poison.

Her name was Kocho Shinobu, the Insect Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps.

"It is a standing rule within the Corps: anyone who slays a member of the Twelve Kizuki is qualified to become a Hashira," Shinobu said, her tone gentle yet firm. "Since both have accomplished this, there should be no objections to both ascending to Hashira."

Her voice was soft—different from the gentle warmth of Kagaya-sama. It was a delicate, ethereal sort of softness, like the voice of a kind older sister next door.

The next person to speak was the tallest among the Hashira.

He bore a distinct, harsh scar stretching horizontally across his forehead like a headband. His eyes were devoid of pupils—only white sclera remained, giving him an appearance that suggested blindness.

Clad in the standard Demon Slayer Corps uniform, a grass-green haori draped over his shoulders. On either side of the haori were the kanji for "南無阿弥陀仏" (Namu Amida Butsu)—a Buddhist chant meaning "I sincerely take refuge in Amida Buddha."

A rosary was wrapped around his massive right hand, further confirming his identity as a devout monk.

This was the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima—the eldest and most senior among the current Hashira.

His towering frame radiated not intimidation, but a profound sense of compassion and spiritual calm—an immovable presence, as solid as stone.

"Ah… how pitiful… to bear the responsibility of a Hashira at such a young age…"

Though Gyomei Himejima only said this softly—tears already welling in his eyes—his tone made it clear that he had no objection to the lord's decision.

However, not everyone among the Hashira agreed so readily with Tokito Muichiro and Takeo's promotions.

Among the group, a man with heterochromatic eyes—one green, one yellow—and bandages covering the lower half of his face suddenly spoke:

"I have no objection to the lord's decision… but—"

His sharp gaze turned toward the two standing in front, and he pointed directly at them.

"Did they truly kill a member of the Twelve Kizuki with their own hands?"

Ubuyashiki Kagaya answered gently: "Muichiro-kun faced a member of the Twelve Kizuki alone and killed it. As for Takeo-kun..."

Kagaya turned his eyes toward Kamado Takeo and continued:

"According to the Hidden Corps' report, while there were several Demon Slayers present at the scene, their analysis determined that Takeo was the only one capable of moving and fighting at the time. Furthermore, after slaying the Lower Rank Three, Takeo exhibited no serious injuries. This alone proves that his strength surpassed that of the Twelve Kizuki."

He then paused briefly before smiling softly and said to Takeo:

"Of course… my words alone may not be enough to convince everyone. Takeo-kun, are you willing to describe the circumstances yourself?"

Kagaya was giving Takeo an opportunity—a chance to affirm his own qualifications.

As long as Takeo declared that he had indeed slain the Twelve Kizuki on his own, his position as the next Hashira would be secured beyond doubt.

However—

Takeo bowed slightly and spoke clearly:

"Reporting to the lord." His tone was calm, unwavering. "I was not the only one responsible for the death of Lower Rank Three. Yoshizuru Asato also played a decisive role during that battle."

"So, strictly speaking, it was Yoshizuru Asato and I who defeated the Twelve Kizuki together. It was not a victory earned by my hands alone."

Takeo answered without hesitation.

_________

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