Chapter 382

"... Well, now that's all decided." Abe Haruaki clapped his hands, and asked the people who had decided where to go, "Would you like me to send you there with magic, or would you like to go there on your own? Or would you like the Demon Slayer Corps' 'Inu' to transport you?"

"I'd better be more normal and leave it to Inu." Okita-kun answered Abe Haruaki, but his eyes were in the direction of Okita-san and Kashuu Kiyomitsu who were going to act alone next. "As for Sakura and Kiyomitsu..."

"Ah, I will leave directly with Miss Kanroji, you don't have to worry about me." Kashuu Kiyomitsu, who had already run to the Demon Slayer Corps, turned back to look at Miss Okita, "The question is how will Miss Okita leave? Yakuken, Anting and Okita-kun will follow Miss Butterfly to the Butterfly House, and the rest will follow Lord Haruaki... Only Miss Okita, who has learned the Water Breathing, will act alone."

"I plan to go there by myself." Ms. Okita blinked and answered her companions, "After all, I'm going to find the trainer - not like you can just follow the pillar. Don't worry, although it's said that ghosts can't be killed by cutting them into pieces, but they don't have any means to resist "Saturation of Events"?"

"…Rather than stabbing your way through with your Noble Phantasm, wouldn't it be better to ask the Demon Slayer Corps if they could lend you a Nichirin Sword?" Abe Haruaki turned back to look at Ms. Okita, "Also, for those of you who are learning the Breathing Technique, I think I should impose some restrictions on you guys."

"Huh?"

"There is a difference between the flesh and body qualities of Servants and humans. In order to learn the breathing method, I plan to limit your flesh and body qualities to the range of normal humans." Abe Haruaki blinked and answered the few people who were going to learn the breathing method. "After the restriction is completed, Okita, your Noble Phantasms will not be able to maintain the state of 'complete synchronization'."

"Then the 'saturation of the situation' is no longer true." Okita-kun smiled helplessly and asked Miss Okita, "What are you going to do?"

"Then go borrow a Nichirin sword." Ms. Okita replied to Mr. Okita with a smile, "Kiyomitsu probably won't care about this anyway."

"Isn't this natural?" Kashuu Kiyomitsu said like a proud peacock, "Because Ms. Okita said - 'Whether in life or after death, I only have one sword with a name. That is Kashuu Kiyomitsu.'"

"I have never held a katana named Yamato-no-kami Yasunari, nor a katana named Kikuichimonji Norimune - my only sword was broken at Ikeda-ya, that's all." Ms. Okita smiled, and continued Kashuu Kiyomitsu's recollection and repeated her past words, "The katana in my spirit base is a 'story' that exists in the world attached to me, so -"

"No matter how many people think it is Kikuichimonji Norimune, as long as Ms. Okita says it is Kashuu Kiyomitsu, it will always be Kashuu Kiyomitsu's sword upgraded with Ms. Okita's spiritual base." Ichimonji Norimune, who also has this memory, added the end of the conversation for the two, "Ms. Okita said this to this kid very directly--"

“The California Kiyomitsu has always been her favorite knife.”

"Kiyomi has fallen in love," Yamato-mori Yasunari, who was standing behind Okita-kun, said quietly, "The compatibility with Love Breathing is really perfect."

"I heard you saying bad things about me, Anding." California Qingguang glared back in annoyance.

"Hey - I didn't say anything bad about Kiyomitsu. Kiyomitsu must be too petty." Yamato-no-kami Yasunari hid behind Okita-kun and made a face at Kashuu Kiyomitsu in a long voice.

"The Demon Slayer Corps does have an unused Nichirin Sword that can be borrowed." Uzumaki Yoya smiled at the cheerful people and made a request to Ms. Okita who needed to borrow the Nichirin Sword. "But, I have an additional request - can you please use the Nichirin Sword carefully and not let it get irreparably damaged?"

"Can I ask why?" Ms. Okita blinked and looked at Kouyashiki. "After all, I did break my beloved sword - and it was a damage that could never be repaired. If I don't know your reason, I can't guarantee that the same thing won't happen to other swords of mine."

"Each member of the Demon Slayer Corps has a corresponding swordsmith who forges a Nichirin sword for them." Sanyashiki Yoya nodded slightly and explained to Ms. Okita, "So, it is said that there are Nichirin swords that no one is using that can be borrowed, but in fact, those swords... are all relics left behind by dead members."

"...I understand." Ms. Okita nodded and promised Ubuyashiki Kakuya earnestly, "I will cherish it - then, can you let me choose the Nichirin Sword to borrow?"

“…I’ve made my choice.”

Ms. Okita walked out of the warehouse where the Nichirin swords were stored, holding a katana with an orange four-leaf clover-shaped guard and an emerald green handle.

"Ah... it's this knife." Shinobu Kocho sighed softly, "It's been... a long time since I last saw it."

"Ms. Butterfly, do you know the original owner of this sword?" Yagen Toushirou asked Shinobu Kocho.

"…I guess we know each other." Shinobu Kocho smiled and brushed off Yagen Toushirou's question. "However, in a sense, this sword may indeed be very compatible with Ms. Okita. From your swordsmanship perspective, I think it is a great joy to be able to fight the enemy again."

"Then you should come to me to be sealed." Abe Haruaki smiled and waved the Yin-Yang Talisman in his hand at the few people. "The two of you will probably have your weaknesses suppressed a little bit - it's not that you won't have an attack, but even if you do, it won't be particularly serious... Of course, the bonus that this skill can bring will also be weakened a lot accordingly."

"It doesn't matter. Reducing the number of illnesses will also make it easier for us to learn breathing techniques." Okita-kun and Okita-san shook their heads at Abe Haruaki and answered her helplessly, "Besides, since you are also one of that group, it would be better for us to be more strict with your requirements."

"Well, since you already know, I won't hide it anymore." Abe Haruaki smiled and added the final request to the four people who had already decided to learn the breathing method. "Before you came, I made a bet with Mr. Ubuyashiki that you would be able to come to Fujiwarayama to accept the 'final selection' in at most half a year."

"...We shouldn't have any lucky thoughts about you 'Grand Servants'." Okita-kun sighed helplessly, "Half a year, right? When does it start?"

"It starts from the day you arrive at the trainer's location, not including the travel time from the training ground to Fujitake Mountain." Abe Haruaki replied to Okita-kun, "By the way, if anyone is interested in breathing techniques and wants to learn them in the future, this is also a requirement."

"Then I should be later than Okita-kun and the others, after all, I went to Samagiri Mountain by myself to find a trainer for Water Breathing." Ms. Okita smiled and rubbed her cheeks, tying the Sun Blade and Kashuu Kiyomitsu at her side together. "However, half a year... For us who have a foundation in swordsmanship, it is indeed not too strict."

"I'm not raising my standards just because you two are genius swordsmen." Abe Haruaki looked at the two with a smile, and began to chase the guests away on behalf of Ubuyashiki Yoya. "Since all the issues that need to be discussed have been discussed, you should hurry up and leave. Mr. Ubuyashiki and I still have some other 'small issues' to study, so I won't bother you to stay here and work with us."

After everyone was driven out by Abe Haruaki, Ubuyashiki Yoya said to Abe Haruaki with a helpless smile: "'Small problem'... Only you dare to treat the curse on me with such an attitude."

"I've told you, haven't I? I'm the great Onmyoji Abe Haruaki. This curse..." Abe Haruaki sat down in front of Ubuyashiki Yoya, staring at the curse that covered half of his face. "Give me some time, and I'll definitely find a way to completely eradicate it. Even if I can't, someone among the Grand Casters will definitely be able to find a solution."

"Perhaps Okita has already killed the demon king before we can resolve this curse."

After a long journey, Ms. Okita finally arrived at the foot of Mt. Samagiri on her own. However, what she saw was a scene that was somewhat unexpected.

It was early morning, and a pair of siblings rushed out of the forest under the shining sun and stopped in front of an old man wearing a red Tengu mask. If Miss Okita remembered correctly, the siblings were the eldest son and daughter of the family that she and Okita-kun had rescued when she used the pseudonym "Kikuhara Sakura" in the past.

"Mr. Rin Taki..."

——It was obvious that the brother and sister had not been training for long. They fell asleep at the trainer's feet just after they started talking.

Ms. Okita thought about the gap between herself and healthy people, and began to wonder if she would not be able to withstand the intensity of the training of the Water Breathing Trainer.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Rinta Sakonji." Ms. Okita walked up to him in the morning light. "I think the lord of the Demon Slayer Corps should have already told you about me, but I think it would be better for me to introduce myself. The captain of the Shinsengumi's First Division, Souji Okita, is here to visit you."

"I came to Samagiri Mountain to learn the water breathing technique. Please teach me the breathing technique that can help me fight against demons."

"You should practice with Tanjiro and the others first." Having received a letter from Ogyashiki Yoya in advance, Rindotaki Sakonji turned his back to Ms. Okita and carried Tanjiro Kamado and Nezuko Kamado into the house one by one. "If you pass the previous project, I will give you priority to practice the next project. I am a trainer of the Demon Slayer Corps and must be responsible for the quality of the soldiers."

"Of course I understand that." Ms. Okita nodded and watched Sakonji Urokodaki walk into the house. "So, I will start training with them from tonight?"

"Ah, just like them—going up the mountain late at night and coming back here before dawn," Sakonji Rinta replied to Ms. Okita. "This is the first stage of training."