DSWS: Chapter 40

"A New Plan"

Kagaya Ubuyashiki nodded. "Aoki's suggestion is excellent. We can implement it on a small scale first, to see how effective it is."

The other nine Hashira also nodded in agreement.

The Hashira meeting concluded as darkness fell. Aoki stretched, preparing to return to his residence. But before he could take two steps, a faint, sweet fragrance, distinctly feminine, reached his nose, momentarily captivating him.

"Aoki-kun, are you leaving?" a soft voice called from behind. Turning, he saw Shinobu Kocho, clad in her colorful butterfly haori, smiling warmly at him.

Aoki stood there, momentarily stunned. "Yes, it's quite late. I'm heading back to sleep."

A gentle breeze stirred Shinobu Kocho's hair in the moonlight, creating a scene of ethereal beauty that momentarily stole Aoki's breath.

Shinobu Kocho stepped closer, taking Aoki's hand. "Let's chat for a while."

"Okay."

Aoki, somewhat dazed, found himself led to the rooftop. Moonlight illuminated them as they lay down, gazing at the enormous silver moon.

"Aoki-kun's proposal at the meeting was wonderful. Was it your own idea?" Shinobu Kocho asked curiously.

Aoki replied, "Not entirely. I read a book that described a similar squad system, and it was very efficient." (In reality, he was referencing the ninja teams from Naruto.)

"I see." Shinobu Kocho chuckled softly, turning her head to look at Aoki. A subtle, almost imperceptible emotion flickered in her eyes. "Aoki-kun, do you have a girl you like?"

Aoki's face flushed crimson. He stammered, "Ye-yes…"

"Who is she? Perhaps I could help bring you together," Shinobu Kocho pressed, a brief flicker of sadness in her eyes, unnoticed by Aoki.

"No, no need. I feel… inadequate. She's beautiful, accomplished, and kind. I'm not worthy of her yet," Aoki said, averting his gaze.

"Is that so," Shinobu Kocho murmured, then smiled encouragingly. "Don't be discouraged, Aoki-kun. You'll win her over eventually."

"Mm-hmm." Aoki softly nodded, still avoiding eye contact.

Back on Earth, Aoki was a skilled socializer, but utterly inept with girls. He blushed easily at the slightest interaction, and had never held hands with a girl unrelated to him, except for Shinobu Kocho just now.

In a sudden burst of courage, he appeared before Shinobu Kocho, his blush even more intense, making him look almost cute.

"Kocho-san… I…"

Their faces were so close, they could feel each other's breath.

"I…" Shinobu Kocho blushed, anticipating his words.

"I think your haori is very beautiful."

Shinobu Kocho: "???"

Before Shinobu Kocho could process this, Aoki used a Flying Thunder God kunai hidden in his residence to teleport away.

"So embarrassing! So embarrassing!"

He repeatedly banged his head against the wall, muttering his embarrassment.

Shinobu Kocho, left speechless for a moment, immediately felt the urge to punch Aoki.

What was that? A sudden change of subject, then he ran away? What did that mean?

She had taken his hand, led him to the rooftop, and he'd done that? Was she not obvious enough? Did she need to tell him to understand?

Sighing, Shinobu Kocho mentally berated Aoki's dense nature. Looking at the hand Aoki had held, a complex mix of emotions flooded her. His behavior clearly showed his feelings for her.

But she was also annoyed by his incredibly blunt, almost robotic approach. If she didn't take the initiative, he'd likely remain clueless forever.

Then, she smiled, placing the hand Aoki had held against her chest, covering it with her other hand.

"But Aoki-kun is truly gentle."

For a while, Aoki had little to do. Without Upper Moons appearing, he didn't need to go on missions. He occasionally visited Tanjiro at the Butterfly Mansion and befriended Zenitsu and Inosuke.

After the Hashira meeting, Kagaya Ubuyashiki implemented Aoki's squad system on a smaller scale, assigning teams based on missing person reports in different areas.

Within a couple of weeks, the results were remarkably positive. Weaker squads gained experience fighting weaker demons, while stronger squads dealt with more powerful threats.

Seeing the system's success, Kagaya Ubuyashiki ordered its implementation throughout the Demon Slayer Corps. He also allowed for self-selected teams and captain assignments based on overall squad strength.

The Demon Slayer Corps buzzed with the excitement of this new system.

In the Butterfly Mansion's ward, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke lay in separate beds.

"Tanjiro, did you hear? The Corps is using a new system; three people form a squad with a captain," Zenitsu said.

"That's perfect! We three can form a squad," Tanjiro said. "What about you, Inosuke?"

"Mm-hmm," Inosuke grunted.

"But who will be our captain? They're assigned based on the squad's overall strength," Zenitsu fretted. "A strict captain would be tough. Lots of training besides demon slaying."

"That's good," Tanjiro said. "I hope for a strict captain. Faster improvement."

As they spoke, the ward door opened, and a figure entered.

"I'll be your captain."

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