Chapter 133: Urging Marriage
Chapter 133: Urging Marriage
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The cold wind howled, snow fell steadily, and the world was wrapped in a layer of silver.
A young girl trudged through the snow and came to a stop.
Ahead, in an open space, two figures—one large, one small—were "fighting fiercely." Their movements were both graceful and dangerous, sending snowflakes flying with every swing, making it hard to look away.
Nezuko smiled brightly and waved enthusiastically.
"Brother! Mr. Aomura!"
Aoki forced Tanjiro back with a swing of his sword. "Let's stop here for today"
Tanjiro braced himself with his wooden sword, panting heavily, disbelief showing in his bright red eyes.
"I didn't expect the Hinokami Kagura could be used in battle like this."
Aoki nodded. "I've told you before, the Hinokami Kagura holds limitless potential."
Tanjiro's face clouded with guilt.
"Mr. Aomura..."
Aoki waved his hand, cutting him off. "I've said it before: this matter has nothing to do with you."
It had been a year since the defeat of Muzan Kibutsuji. Since then, Aoki, with his unique abilities beyond those of an ordinary demon, had been diligently studying the breathing techniques. Over the past year, he had completely mastered the movements and techniques of the Hinokami Kagura, but he still could not initiate the technique properly.
And it wasn't just the Hinokami Kagura. He had studied other breathing techniques as well, including the five basic forms: Wind, Water, Stone, Flame, and Thunder, as well as derivative techniques like Flower Breathing, Insect Breathing, and Love Breathing.
After Muzan Kibutsuji was defeated, all the secrets of the Demon Slayer Corps had been revealed to him. Unfortunately, he had not been able to master a single one of these techniques, showing no signs of progress.
By now, it was almost certain he could not learn any of the breathing techniques.
"Let's go back," Aoki said, patting Tanjiro on the shoulder and waving to Nezuko.
It was already dark when the three of them returned to the Kamado house.
Muzan Kibutsuji had died, yet the Kamado family—who were supposed to have been killed that January—were still alive and well.
Aoki greeted Kamado Kie and said to Tanjiro, "I won't be coming by for the next few weeks."
Tanjiro gave a sincere smile. "Then I wish you a happy New Year in advance, Mr. Aomura."
"In one week, it'll be New Year."
"Happy New Year to you too!" Aoki waved goodbye and disappeared into the night.
Rie heard the commotion and looked up.
"You're back, Aoki."
"Lady Rie," Aoki replied casually, "Where's Takina?"
"Shinobu and Kanae are here; the three of them went out shopping together," Rie answered.
Aoki's expression remained unchanged. He found a comfortable spot on the sofa and sat down.
This year, Shinobu and Kanae had visited often, so he was already used to their presence.
Suddenly, Rie put down what she was working on, looked at Aoki seriously, and said, "Aoki, I have something very important to tell you"
"Go ahead, Lady Rie." Aoki sat up straighter.
"When are you going to marry Takina?" Rie asked directly.
"Ah?" Aoki was taken aback.
Rie frowned. "What's wrong? After the New Year, Takina will be eighteen. She's old enough to get married."
Aoki remained silent for a moment. "Lady Rie, I am no longer human."
"So?" Rie raised an eyebrow. "Do you want Takina to marry someone else?"
"Of course not" Aoki replied without hesitation.
"Then there's nothing to discuss," Rie said firmly.
Aoki fell silent again, then nodded. "I understand. I will give this matter serious thought, lady Rie."
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That night, Aoki lay on his bed, pondering Rie's words.
Marry?
Takina was human, and he was a demon—not just any demon, but the Demon King. This wasn't simply a matter of biological incompatibility.
His blood was extremely toxic to Takina; even the slightest contact with a wound could poison her at best or transform her into a demon at worst.
Even if he married Takina, he could only give her a title; there would be no change in any other aspect.
After a long while, Aoki sat up. In an instant, his figure vanished from the room.
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**Asakusa**
Tamayo was focused on her experiments when a figure materialized in midair.
Glancing up briefly, she returned to her work. After half an hour, she finally exhaled and set her equipment aside. Turning to Aoki, she smiled.
"Mr. Aoki, you're here!"
"Thank you for your hard work," Aoki said.
Tamayo chuckled. "It's busier during the day"
After her clinic officially opened, its reputation spread quickly. Soon, everyone in the neighborhood knew about the young, beautiful, and highly skilled doctor in Asakusa.
Because so many people came to see her, she had to expand the clinic, turning it into a small hospital and even recruiting several students. She worked during the day and conducted her research at night. As a demon, she had enough energy to handle it all, and the busy life made her feel fulfilled.
Aoki looked at the lab table. "How's the progress?"
Tamayo shook her head slightly. "Almost none. The power of demons and their unique characteristics seem to be intrinsically linked, like a fundamental rule. Separation seems impossible. Even analyzing the nature of demon power has shown little progress."
She had been conducting similar experiments for a long time; Yushiro was one such result.
Aoki had anticipated this and was prepared for a long struggle, but at this moment, he couldn't help but feel a bit of a headache.
Demons were immortal, possessed great power, and wielded magical blood arts, making them far more formidable than humans in battle.
However, demons also had shortcomings.
They could not enjoy delicious food or experience human love. They had neither physical needs nor emotional desires. For demons, it seemed that only spiritual fulfillment was left.
Yet the body and mind were closely connected. When the body could not feel desire, how much joy could the spirit truly experience?
The full range of human emotions and desires had been lost to demons.
Many demons lived so long that they gradually forgot their human memories, becoming creatures driven by simple obsessions like "survival" or "gaining strength."
Is the purpose of life merely to exist?
This might seem a hypocritical question; eternal life was a dream that many sought but could never achieve. Yet for demons, it was a necessary consideration.
Was it truly meaningful to be immortal but to possess only a body and a few simple desires?
Given the choice between the power of a demon and the body and emotions of a human, which would he choose?
Aoki's answer was clear: he wanted both.
The research Tamayo was conducting was a step toward that goal.
It would not be easy, but he wasn't in a hurry; he felt he had plenty of time to wait for hope to emerge.
However, his Rie's sudden talk of marriage had stirred an unexpected urgency in him.
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