Demon Slayer: After raising Shinobu, I died in front of her.

The entire village was like a giant forging workshop, with every household having a brightly lit furnace and the constant sound of hammers striking iron.

"Lord Lingchuan! You've arrived!"

A rough voice rang out, and a burly man with a full beard walked out of the workshop.

He was none other than Lingchuan Che's personal swordsmith, Tiepu Lianzang.

Ling Chuanche stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Lian Cang, it's been a long time."

"It has indeed been a long time since we last saw each other."

Tetsuura Renzo laughed and said, "Did you come here this time to forge a Nichirin sword?"

Ling Chuanche nodded.

Tiepu Lianzang patted his chest: "Leave it to me."

Ling Chuanche: "I can't trouble you this time."

Tiepu Lianzang's expression froze, then he looked at Lingchuan Che with a resentful look, like a wronged woman who had been abandoned.

Knowing that he had misunderstood him, Lingchuan Che explained, "It's not me who's going to forge the Nichirin Blade this time, it's Shinobu."

“It’s Shinobu’s sword.” Lingchuan Tetsu pointed to Shinobu beside him. “Shinobu wants to forge a sword that can be fully loaded with her poison.”

"I see."

Tiepu Lianzang breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

"Then I'll go with her first, and I'll come find you another day."

"Okay, then take care."

After saying goodbye to the villagers who had led the way, Lingchuan Tetsu and Kocho Shinobu walked along the winding stone path and arrived at the depths of the village.

Each Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps has their own dedicated swordsmith.

After all, everyone's breathing techniques and fighting styles are different, and their requirements for the Nichirin Blade are also completely different.

Take Lingchuan Tetsu for example. His Nichirin Blade is the most traditional samurai sword shape, with wide, sweeping strokes and a simple, unadorned style.

But the simpler something is, the more it tests the blacksmith's understanding and skill in steel.

Shinobu Kocho's Nichirin Blade, however, is completely different.

Her blade is slender and small, and she does not pursue extreme sharpness, because she relies on poison to kill evil spirits.

This requires the blade to be able to perfectly contain and control those deadly venoms, and to be able to control it freely in combat.

Meeting this requirement was not easy, so the one who forged the Nichirin Blade for Shinobu Kocho was the oldest and most respected elder in the sword-forging village.

Although the old man had a full head of white hair, his hands were exceptionally steady, and his eyes revealed the unique confidence of a craftsman.

After listening to Shinobu's request, he patted his chest and confidently told her to come back in three days to pick up the sword.

With three days of free time, Lingchuan Tetsu settled down in the sword-forging village with Kocho Shinobu.

Night quietly fell, and the mist in the mountains gradually rose.

Shinobu Kocho pestered Toru Ayakawa, insisting on going to the hot springs.

The hot springs of the sword-forging village are hidden in the valley behind the village. The steaming water vapor shrouds the surrounding trees in a hazy mist.

The two changed into light yukatas and walked along the stone path to the hot spring pool.

"Wow, so comfortable!"

She couldn't wait to step into the water, and the warm spring water instantly enveloped her whole body, making her let out a satisfied sigh.

Lingchuan Tetsuya then entered the pool and found a place to sit down.

The fatigue and exhaustion of the past few days gradually dissipated in the steamy heat.

The two leaned against the poolside, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.

Ling Chuanche turned his head slightly to look at the girl beside him. The steam from the hot spring gave the girl's fair cheeks a faint blush, and water droplets slid down her hair, adding a touch of hazy beauty.

He couldn't help but become somewhat mesmerized.

The girl noticed his gaze, but instead of looking away as usual, she followed his line of sight and met his gaze.

She winked playfully, her eyes sparkling with mischief: "Is it pretty?"

"It looks good." Ling Chuanche nodded honestly without any attempt to hide his feelings.

His frankness and straightforwardness caught Shinobu Kocho off guard.

Her cheeks flushed slightly. She submerged half her face in the water, leaving only her eyes visible, and muttered softly, "Why are you getting more and more indecent?"

Ling Chuanche chuckled softly, his gaze gentle: "We can't always act like an old man, otherwise people will think we're father and daughter."

Hearing this, Shinobu Kocho surfaced from the water and quietly took Ling Chuanche's hand underwater. Her voice was soft but carried a hint of stubbornness: "Don't keep talking about your age. From now on, if anyone dares to say you're old, I'll poison them."

“But I really am getting old…” Ling Chuanche looked at her and sighed softly.

Ren immediately glared at him, her gaze carrying a hint of warning.

Seeing this, Ling Chuanche quickly changed his mind: "Okay, okay, I won't say it anymore, and I won't say it again."

“That’s more like it.” Ren smiled with satisfaction. She moved closer to Ling Chuanche, looking at him up close, her eyes full of seriousness and tenderness: “We both need to be safe and sound, now and in the future. When you can’t walk anymore, I’ll take care of you in your old age.”

Ling Chuanche was stunned for a moment, then looked at her helplessly: "You just told me not to say it, but you said it yourself."

"Hehe." Ren chuckled secretly. She was deliberately teasing Ling Chuanche; she found his earnest yet helpless expression quite adorable.

Ling Chuanche sighed, turning his gaze to the water beside him, his tone tinged with self-deprecation: "When we walk together, people really won't think we're a couple. After all, what couple has such a big age gap?"

Upon hearing this, Shinobu Kocho's smile instantly froze.

Looking at Ling Chuanche's slightly forlorn profile, she thought to herself, "This is bad."

She forgot that her master actually had a sensitive and fragile heart.

I was just teasing him on purpose, and he probably took those words to heart and started to feel sad.

"I wasn't talking about you! I really wasn't talking about you!"

Ren quickly leaned closer, pouting, her tone a mix of coquettishness and grievance: "I just saw you looking so serious and couldn't resist teasing you. Why are you so easily teased? If you keep doing this, I'm not talking to you anymore!"

She was the one who first brought up the age issue, but now she's throwing a tantrum.

Ling Chuanche was both amused and exasperated by her coquettish expression.

He reached out and gently pinched her damp cheek, then sighed helplessly.

Whose fault is it anyway?

In order to prevent the girl from really ignoring him, Ling Chuanche could only sigh helplessly and begin to patiently coax her in a soft voice.

He gently explained the joke he had just made, and solemnly promised that he would never grow old. After much coaxing and pleading, Shinobu Kocho finally generously "forgave" him.

For the next three days, the two spent a peaceful and undisturbed time in the knife-forging village. During the day, they strolled leisurely along the mountain paths, enjoying the rare tranquility; at night, they soaked together in the steaming hot springs, washing away their fatigue.

Time flies, and the third day has arrived in the blink of an eye.

Shinobu Kocho's Nichirin Blade was finally forged. When the old man handed her the blade, she drew it from its sheath, feeling the venom flowing within the blade and its light weight, her eyes filled with surprise and satisfaction.

After bidding farewell to everyone in the Swordsmith Village, Toru Ayakawa and Shinobu Kocho finally embarked on their journey back to the Demon Slayer Corps.

……

"elder sister--!"

As soon as she stepped through the door of the Butterfly Mansion, Shinobu Kocho rushed inside. Seeing Kanae busy inside, she pounced on her like a little bird returning to its nest and hugged her sister tightly around the waist.

"I've missed you so much, sister." She buried her face in Kanae's arms, her voice soft and sweet as she whined.

Kanae stopped what she was doing and, expressionless, exposed her lie: "You've almost forgotten about me, haven't you? You've been having a lot of fun these past few days, haven't you?"

"hey-hey……"

Shinobu Kocho raised her head hesitantly, her eyes darting around as she tried to explain, "Actually, I wasn't that happy..."

Kanae glanced at her silently, for a second, then two seconds...

The next moment, her previously tense lips finally broke into a gentle smile. She reached out her slender finger and gently tapped Ren's little nose, her tone full of doting and helplessness: "You still know to come back."

Seeing her sister's expression, Shinobu knew that she wasn't angry at all, so she completely let loose and began to vividly fabricate her "tragic experiences" over the past few days, pulling Kanae along and playing around the house.

Chapter 114 Tanjiro

"Sister, let me tell you, this time when I went out with Master, I met a very talented child!"

"Really? How talented?" Kanae asked casually. After all, the Demon Slayer Corps is never short of exceptionally talented children.

Shinobu Kocho thought for a moment, then held up one finger: "From not knowing how to hold a sword at all, to being able to fight my master on equal terms a month later, wouldn't that count as talent?"

"Crack!"

Kanae crushed the herbs in her hand to dust. She turned around in shock, staring intently at Shinobu: "What did you say?!"

Seeing her sister's rare moment of loss of composure, she couldn't help but laugh. She wanted to see Kanae make that face.

"You're lying to me, Ren." Kanae frowned.

"I'm not lying to you, sister, it's true!" Shinobu leaned over and hugged Kanae's arm, her tone resolute. "If you don't believe me, just wait a little longer. That child's name is Tokito Muichiro; he's a descendant of the first swordsman. With his talent, it won't be long before you hear his name!"

Kanae was skeptical. If what Shinobu said was true, and he could rival Ayakawa Toru within a month, then such a genius would never be overlooked.

She waited quietly.

However, just a month later, Kanae heard the name "Muichiro Tokito" from other swordsmen.

What followed was news that shocked everyone—Muichiro Tokito had become a Pillar!

Following Obanai Iguro, this boy officially became the tenth Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps in just two months!

……

Ubuyashiki Residence.

When all the pillars gathered together and saw the small, thin figure in the courtyard, the entire place fell into a deathly silence.

Twelve years old.

While others were still carefree and playing around, this boy had already reached the pinnacle of the Demon Slayer Corps' fighting power.