Chapter 76: Do you want to compete? (First order required) (Ch 76)

Takeo remained calm as he answered.
This answer also made everyone look at him.
Ubuyashiki Yoya also looked at Takeo. His dim eyes could still see some things clearly at this moment. He looked at Takeo and said slowly:
“Fanghe Chendou, I know he is a very brave man. When he was possessed by the Twelve Demon Moons, he dared to sacrifice himself to create an opportunity for you… I also recognize his achievements, but, Takeo, I can still tell who really killed the Twelve Demon Moons. Are you sure… you want to give this part of the credit to Chendou?”
Fang He Chen Dou is already dead, no matter how much merit is added to a dead person, it will be useless to him.
And if Takeo took all the credit for himself, he would become the youngest Pillar in the history of the Demon Slayer Corps.
In addition, Yoshitsugu Chendou’s wish is to make Takeo a pillar, so Takeo should not refuse.
But even so, Takeo still insisted:
“Yes, the Twelve Demon Moons were killed by Senior Fang He and I together. It was not just my achievement.”
In fact… even if Takeo said so, his achievement of killing the Twelve Kizuki would not be erased. Moreover, among the past Pillars, there were also scenes where several people worked together to kill the Twelve Kizuki, and finally one person became a Pillar.
Take this generation’s Wind Pillar, Fushigi Fushigi, for example. With the help of his good friends, he killed a former Lower Moon demon and thus became a Pillar.
At that time, it can be said that if it weren’t for his companion, Busai would probably have been dead.
The same goes for Takeo.
No, Takeo’s situation is much better than Fuzukawa’s, because he is chasing and killing the Twelve Kizuki.
The hidden team depicted the scene at that time by comparing the traces at the scene with the testimonies of the survivors who had been controlled by ghosts.
It was Takeo who was chasing the Twelve Demon Moons, so the Twelve Demon Moons had to transfer to other people.
Fang He Chen Dou played a key role in this, but not a decisive role.
Even without Yoshitsugu Chendou, Takeo would definitely be able to kill Shadow Ghost in the end.
That’s why Ubuyashiki Yoya mentioned here that he wanted to promote Takeo to the rank of Hashira.
However, becoming a pillar is not that easy. If one is determined not to take up this position, even Ubuyashiki Kazuya can’t say anything.
Moreover, Ubuyashiki Yoya could see that since the death of Yoshitsuru Chendou, there had been an unhealable scar in Takeo’s heart.
This scar appeared due to the death of Sakoma Iori, expanded due to the sacrifice of Yoshitsuru Chendou, and lay across Takeo’s heart, unable to be healed.
This can be seen from Takeo’s current state.
During the three days here, Ubuyashiki Yoya had never seen him smile.
Kyojuro clearly said that this was a very lively child.
Looking deeply at Takeo, Ubuyashiki Yoya finally stopped forcing himself. He turned to look at Tokito Muichiro and said:
“In that case, please continue to serve as an ordinary team member for the time being, Takeo-kun.”
Ubuyashiki Yoya made a decision.
Takeo said nothing. He picked up the knife and stood up to leave.
Next is the time for the Zhuhe meeting. Since he is not a Zhu, he is not qualified to participate in the meeting.
He planned to wait outside.
No one tried to stop him, even though many people’s eyes stayed on him, especially the one who hadn’t said a word the whole time, who seemed to be all alone… Water Column? His eyes always fell on Takeo, but they did not stop Takeo.
Takeo was waiting outside, standing in the sun, looking at the river in the distance in silence.
After waiting for an unknown amount of time, the Hashira meeting ended, Rengoku Kyojuro was the first to walk out and found Takeo.
He looked deeply at Zhu Xiong, with a cheerful and energetic smile on his face. After sizing up Zhu Xiong with his fiery eyes, he suddenly said:
“There’s news! There’s a person who looks like the Twelve Demon Moons near Nagano! I’ll take on this mission for you!”
Even though Takeo didn’t tell him anything, Kyojuro seemed to know what Takeo wanted to do.
It’s not that Takeo doesn’t want to become a Pillar, he just doesn’t want to take all the credit for Chen Dou. Therefore, if the Twelve Kizuki really appear again, he will definitely go.
Kyojuro understood this, so he took the initiative to take on the mission related to the Twelve Kizuki.
This time, Takeo will lead the team himself.
“Thanks.”
Takeo thanks Kyojuro.
He was really grateful to Kyojuro. Since he met Kyojuro, the Flame Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps had helped him a lot.
He taught him the correct way to breathe, helped him become familiar with his own power, gave him a haori, and now he is giving him the opportunity to kill the Twelve Demon Moons again and become a pillar.
Takeo didn’t know how to thank him. All he could do now was to live up to his expectations, quickly kill the Twelve Kizuki, and become a Pillar.
And this was also the hope of the deceased Fang He Chen Dou.
After Takeo thanked him, Kyojuro did not leave. He continued to look at Takeo. Finally, he lowered his voice and said to Takeo:
“Don’t mind the sacrifice of your companions. In the Demon Slayer Corps, the sacrifice of companions is a common thing. If you really care about this matter, then in the future, don’t let any companion die in front of you!”
“…”
After hearing what Kyojuro said, Takeo tightened his grip on the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist.
He didn’t answer, but nodded slowly to Kyojuro.
After joining the Demon Slayer Corps, everyone must be prepared to die at any time, even the Pillars.
Even if you survive this battle with the ghost, you may die in the next battle, the next one, and the next one.
Death and blood are things that the Demon Slayer Corps have to face and experience every day. It is normal to feel sad about it, but you can’t be unable to get over it.
If you really don’t want any of your companions to sacrifice, you have to become stronger yourself.
Just like what Kyojuro said to Takeo at the Rengoku family last time.
Become stronger, become stronger, strong enough to protect everyone!
Kyojuro was talking to Takeo, and at this moment, another unexpected person came over.
Takeo and Kyojuro looked at the same time. It was Tomioka Giyu, the Water Pillar among the Nine Pillars. He put on a calm face and walked quietly to the two of them.
When the two men paid attention to him, Tomioka Giyuu looked at Takeo.
“…”
“…”
Tomioka Giyuu looked at Takeo in silence. Takeo didn’t know the other party’s intention, so he could only look at him like that.
The two looked at each other for a long time without saying anything.
After staring at each other for an unknown amount of time, Takeo could no longer tolerate the other party’s silent ‘cold violence’, so he asked directly:
“Master Tomioka, what can I do for you?”
Kyojuro also said, “That’s right! Tomioka! If you don’t say anything! We won’t know what you’re going to do!”
“…” Tomioka Giyuu glanced at the loud-voiced Kyojuro, and finally asked Takeo:
“you……”
He paused after he finished speaking.
Zhu Xiong looked at him speechlessly: “What’s wrong with me?”
“Do you know… Tanjiro Kamado?”
Tomioka Giyuu then asked.
When hearing Tomioka Giyuu’s question, Takeo was stunned. The figure of Tanjiro Kamado that he saw in his memory flashed through his mind.
Tanjiro Kamado…Nezuko Kamado.
They are currently the only two relatives he has in this world who are still alive.
For Takeo, who was an orphan in his previous life, no one longed for the existence of relatives more than he did.
So when he learned that his relatives were still around in this world, and under the influence of his current young body, Takeo didn’t have much effort to accept his current interpersonal relationships, and also accepted Tanjiro and Nezuko.
But that was before.
Now, Takeo no longer has the same desire to see Tanjiro Kamado and Nezuko Kamado as he did at the beginning.
He didn’t even want to see these two people.
Because when you see them in the Demon Slayer Corps, it may very well represent the beginning of the story of this world.
But Takeo did not forget that this world was called “Pillar Slayer” by his roommate.
Therefore, once the story begins, the pillars that Takeo knows are likely to lose their lives.
He doesn’t want that.
He didn’t want to see Kyojuro sacrifice, nor did he want to see Mitsuri sacrifice.
Although Muichiro was not very familiar with him, they were still “friends” with whom he had sparred, and he did not want to see Muichiro sacrifice himself.
Therefore, in Takeo’s eyes now, the name Tanjiro Kamado is no longer a synonym for “brother” and “relative”, but more like a synonym for impending death.
Death of the column.
Should I say I don’t know him now? Zhu Xiong thought.
No, the other party had seen Tanjiro Kamado, and he looked very similar to Tanjiro Kamado, both with red hair and red eyes.
If I say I don’t know him, I’m afraid no one will believe me.
After thinking it over, Takeo asked Tomioka Giyuu, “…Where is he?”
He did not answer whether he knew Tanjiro or not, but only asked about the other party’s current location.
Tomioka Giyuu answered decisively: “Learning from Mr. Urokodaki.”
“Mr. Urokodaki…” Takeo didn’t expect to hear Urokodaki’s name again at this time.
“So, you guys…” Tomioka Giyuu wanted to ask something.
But Takeo interrupted him directly and said to him: “When he makes the final selection, please let me know, Master Tomioka. Thank you.”
“……Um.”
This time, Giyu Tomioka did not continue asking. Even he could understand the relationship between Takeo and Tanjiro after Takeo said so much.
There is no point in asking further, so it is better to write a letter immediately and tell Tanjiro this thing that should make him happy.
Takeo took the initiative to leave and no longer looked at Giyu Tomioka. He didn’t care what the relationship between Giyu Tomioka and Tanjiro was.
At this moment, there was only one figure in front of Takeo.
Coincidentally, that person also walked towards Takeo.
That was Tokito Muichiro.
Having just become the Pillar of Clouds, he quickly adapted to this identity and there was no special expression on his face.
Among the four people present, except Kyojuro, the other three seemed to have expressionless expressions, which made Kyojuro seem out of place.
However, Kyojuro didn’t care about these. He looked at Muichiro who was walking towards Takeo, then looked at the wooden sword in Muichiro’s hand and asked:
“Hmm? You guys wanna spar?”
Muichiro did not answer Kyojuro’s words. He looked at Takeo and asked:
“Want to compete?”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.”
Looking directly into Muichiro’s calm eyes, Takeo responded softly.