18 Kyojuro Rengoku

Giyu's eyes trembled with anger as he watched the inhuman figure advancing. The demon king, Muzan Kibutsuji, loomed before him, his face shrouded in darkness, white hair flowing, and numerous tentacles armed with blades cutting through the air. Suddenly, Muzan stopped near a kneeling figure. It was Tanjiro Kamado, forcibly subdued by Muzan. The demon king's finger pressed into Tanjiro's forehead taking his humanity away as his face turned intro a demonic grim.

"Stop!" Giyu yelled, his body jolting awake. He was drenched in sweat, heart racing. The mark on his cheek was burning. Realizing it had all been just a nightmare, Giyu fell back onto the floor of his room, exhausted and disheartened. The hopelessness he had not felt in a long time returned.

Stepping outside, Giyu gazed at the sky his thought unknown.

***

"I'm sorry, Master Giyu. Mister Tengen left for a mission two days ago," one of the Corps members informed Giyu about the whereabouts of the other Hashiras.

Giyu's mood plummeted upon learning that neither Gyomei nor Tengen were currently at the Corps headquarters. He had hoped to find a training partner. "Is Mister Shinjuro Rengoku home?" he inquired, recalling another Hashira.

"I believe he is, but… there have been rumors of him neglecting his duties and even drinking on missions," the Corps member whispered, glancing around to ensure no one else heard. "Are you sure you want to meet him?"

Giyu nodded, unbothered by rumors. "Can you please guide me to his home?"

***

Knocking on the gate, Giyu waited patiently but was met with a long silence. 

Just as he was about to leave, a lively voice called out, "Coming right away!" To his surprise, a figure about his age opened the gate. With eyes like a rooster and blonde hair streaked with red like flames, it was Kyojuro Rengoku himself.

"Hello, sir! My name is Kyojuro Rengoku. What can I do for you?" Rengoku asked with a bright smile, his voice full of respect seeing Giyu's slayer uniform, admiration was evident in his eyes. Giyu stared silently for a moment, happy to see Kyojuro again before finally speaking. "I have a request to ask from your father."

Leading Giyu inside to the garden, Rengoku said, "Wait a moment here. I'll go and fetch Father." Watching Kyojuro rush inside the estate, Giyu was lost in his thoughts. 'Kyojuro, I will make sure you won't fight alone in this life.'

Giyu's impression of Rengoku was unchanged from his past life. Kyojuro was a nice and hardworking person whom Giyu liked, when he died Giyu was very sad, unfortunately he had never managed to befriend him.

Seconds turned into minutes, and Giyu heard the sound of something shattering. Rushing inside, he found Shinjuro yelling at his son. "You idiot! I told you I don't want to be disturbed right now!" Shinjuro roared, clutching a drink in his hand.

Seeing Giyu enter, Rengoku's initial shock turned to urgency. He tried to urge Giyu to leave, wanting to protect him from his father's wrath, but was interrupted "Leave him!" Shinjuro said, his tone calmer as he noticed Giyu. "Why are you here?" he asked, taking another sip of alcohol.

Giyu stared at Shinjuro before frowning, his eyes shifted toward the empty bottles of alcohol scattered around the room. "I came to find a sparring partner but found a drunkard instead," Giyu said as Kyojuro's face paled in shock, and Shinjuro's eyes flashed with anger. "What did you say?" Shinjuro bellowed.

Giyu remained unfazed as he grabbed Kyojuro by the arm. "There's nothing to say to you" he resounded, turning to leave and dragging Kyojuro with him. An enraged Shinjuro shouted after them, "Leave that useless fool behind, he's not worth your time!"

Stopping in his tracks and without turning back, Giyu spoke calmly, "Your mind is too narrow to recognize your own son's worth." Kyojuro's eyes widened in surprise at Giyu's defense. "He's worthless! A talentless piece of trash!" Shinjuro shouted back, taking a step forward in anger.

Turning to face the flame hahsira, Giyu stayed calm, "You must be blind. Kyojuro's talent is far from mediocre, so stop speaking ill of him." Giyu replied firmly as the two Hashiras locked eyes, tension crackling between them.

As a fight seemed imminent, Kyojuro quickly grabbed Giyu and hurriedly pulled him outside, only stopping when they reached the garden where Kyojuro bowed deeply to Giyu.

"Thank you for defending me, even if it was just to make me feel better!" Kyojuro said. Giyu quickly responded awkwardly "I wasn't lying. I truly believe you'll become a strong person."

Kyojuro's smile grew wider, his eyes almost piercing into Giyu's soul. "Please tell me your name," he requested, to which Giyu answered, "Giyu Tomioka."

"Very strong name. I like it!" Rengoku complimented. "I am sorry for causing you troubles. Father usually beats up anyone who annoys him! But please, don't let that change your opinion of him. My father is strong and a great man!" Giyu listened silently as Kyojuro continued, "Father believes I don't have the talent to become a Hashira. But maybe, if I can prove him wrong, he'll return to his normal self and stop drinking."

Giyu could sense the pain Kyojuro hid behind his confident appearance. Feeling better, Kyojuro took Giyus arm and shook it gratefully, "Thanks to you, my unwavering confidence is back!"

Giyu smiled but before he could respond, heavy footsteps echoed behind them. Shinjuro appeared, his face twisted with irritation, though oddly softer than before. "Hey! What did you mean by that trash's talent back there?" he asked.

Kyojuro watched his father in silence as Giyu replied, "I believe Kyojuro will become an extraordinary slayer. Whether you support him or not won't change that fact."

Shinjuro, momentarily stunned, snapped back. "Bullshit! I've tested him myself. His talent is mediocre at best. He'll be dead before slaying a single demon!"

Giyu held Shinjuro's gaze, unshaken. "Your way of thinking is pathetic," he said calmly though his words were sharp. Shinjuro looked as though he might explode with anger, but Giyu continued "Talent is nothing but an excuse to stay weak, only hard work will make Kyojuro shine."

Shinjuro froze, his throat dry. The tension was thick as his gaze shifted to Kyojuro, who stood there, watching his father with care and respect despite the harsh treatment made him feel worst. Anger flashed through his eyes."Go ahead then, train and become a worthless Slayer!" Shinjuro roared. "Go and die! You won't be missed!" He hurled the bottle to the ground, shattering it as Kyojuro watching his father's erratic behavior.

'Useless. No matter how much you train, it won't matter in the end', Shinjuro thought bitterly as he turned his back to his son, he staggered toward the door of the estate. His steps were unsteady from the alcohol,

Kyojuro sudden voice called out behind him. "Father, even if I lack the talent you speak of, I'll work a hundred times harder if that's what it takes! I'll do everything I can to become the next Flame Hashira!" Kyojuro's voice was loud and strong, almost shouting.

His eyes welled with emotion as he added, "Because it's something mother entrusted me with. So please, believe in me too, Father!" Shinjuro stopped in his tracks, His eyes widened as memories of his wife flooded his mind, thick silence followed. 

Giyu and Kyojuro waited, unsure of what to expect. Finally, Shinjuro spoke out without turning back, his voice softer but still rough. "If you really meant that… come here tomorrow dawn. If you don't show up, forget it." Then he disappeared from view, leaving Giyu and a stunned but hopeful Kyojuro behind.

Suddenly Giyu realizing he had come to find a sparring partner but ended up intervening in someone else's family matter.