Kagaya Ubuyashiki, who couldn't sleep due to his illness, received this report immediately. After reading the first page, his hands, holding the letter, trembled uncontrollably.
Suppressing his excitement, Kagaya Ubuyashiki finished reading the entire content and let out a long sigh of relief, as if expelling all the pent-up frustration accumulated over so many years.
Hearing the commotion, Amane Ubuyashiki entered the room and saw her husband sitting by the window. She had expected him to be suffering from his illness, but to her surprise, his face was full of smiles.
"What happened to make you so happy?" Amane Ubuyashiki slowly walked to her husband's side and draped a coat over him. The wind was strong at night, and for a sick person like him, a slight carelessness could lead to a serious illness the next day.
"Amane, do you believe that there are truly people in this world who can kill demons with their own strength?"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki had not yet emerged from the afterglow of his excitement, his whole body trembling slightly, which led his wife to think he was cold, and she covered him with another layer of coat.
Amane Ubuyashiki said with a chiding tone, "Don't all Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen slay demons with their own skills? What's so surprising about that, that it's worth you sitting by the window in the middle of the night, catching a cold?"
"Even the strongest swordsmen still need a nichirin blade to cut off a demon's neck. I'm talking about someone who doesn't need a nichirin blade, someone who can kill demons just by the strength of their own body!" Kagaya Ubuyashiki looked at his wife with burning eyes, his gaze as sincere as a child's.
"You should be past the age of idolizing heroes." Amane Ubuyashiki shook her head and chuckled, but she quickly stopped laughing, because her husband's eyes were incredibly serious, as if he were talking about something that truly existed.
But for everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps, such a thing seemed like a fantasy, because no one knew better than them how powerful demons were. An existence that could crush such monsters with just their physical body could only be an even more powerful monster!
It could never be a human!
Amane Ubuyashiki noticed the activity report in her husband's hand. She took a deep breath and asked, "Is it what's written in this report that made you think this way?"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki handed the report to his wife and smiled gently, "Take a look, the content inside might overturn your imagination."
Amane Ubuyashiki took the report and read it for a long time, her expression changing repeatedly. Finally, she put down the intelligence and asked, "Is the content in here credible?"
Every piece of intelligence from the Demon Slayer Corps was delivered at the cost of a member's life, and the Ubuyashiki family had never questioned it. This might be the first time.
So, when Amane Ubuyashiki asked that question, she herself was stunned.
"This is intelligence sent back by Kanae. As for the person she mentioned in her report, I told you about him not long ago."
Amane Ubuyashiki began to recall every word her husband had said to her.
"Is it the successor that Gyomei-san took in?"
Amane Ubuyashiki suddenly realized, and then her expression gradually became one of shock, "I remember it's only been a few months since he participated in the Final Selection..."
"There are always some people in this world who are exceptionally gifted."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki chuckled softly, then closed his eyes and fell into contemplation. The room became quiet, and Amane Ubuyashiki watched her husband silently from the side.
After a long while, Kagaya Ubuyashiki said in a deep voice, "I need to call a Hashira Meeting."
...
Tokyo.
Muzan Kibutsuji, the progenitor of demons, was currently residing in the form of a child in a pharmaceutical merchant's home.
He wasn't there to enjoy the wealthy life of a medical family, but for the extensive medical library of this family.
From the day he became a demon, Muzan Kibutsuji had always single-mindedly pursued one thing.
The blue spider lily.
No matter how many ancient texts Muzan Kibutsuji consulted, he found no record of the blue spider lily, leading him to doubt whether such a flower truly existed.
Whenever he thought that the so-called blue spider lily might not exist, Muzan Kibutsuji would immediately fall into an extreme fit of rage.
When Muzan Kibutsuji was in a bad mood, it was also when the number of missing people in Tokyo surged.
As Muzan was flipping through a book, a never-before-seen image suddenly flashed through his mind. In the image, "he" was being held in someone's hand, being looked at with an extremely contemptuous gaze.
The gaze instantly reminded him of the swordsman who had pushed him to the brink centuries ago.
As more and more images flooded into his mind, Muzan's expression became increasingly distorted, and his anger even made it difficult for him to maintain his child form, almost revealing his true self.
Within the intense anger, there was also a hint of an indescribable fear.
How could such a person exist in the world?
Did he also consume some special medicine?
Or... was he another demon created by the doctor, besides himself?
Countless questions came flooding in, like a tide sweeping over Muzan's mind. The absolute power displayed by Chu Yang had nothing to do with the words "human being."
Since Chu Yang had killed Doma and Akaza with his bare hands, Muzan did not associate the terrifying young man in his mind with the new Demon Slayer Corps swordsman mentioned in the recent intelligence.
When Muzan finished watching the entire process of Akaza's demise, the fear hidden deep within his soul, accompanied by profound self-doubt, began to expand wildly.
That familiar burst of flame, like a scorching sun, was a terrifying nightmare that Muzan could never erase for the rest of his life!
He knew very well that it was Sun Breathing!
"Impossible! I was clearly in that era, and I killed all the swordsmen who knew Sun Breathing!"
"This Breathing Style cannot possibly still exist in the world!"
"Absolutely impossible!"
Muzan wanted to deny the existence of Sun Breathing, but the clear images in his mind were slapping him hard. The domineering flames Entanglement Chu Yang's entire body could even suppress two Upper Moons at the same time.
Upon seeing the flames on Chu Yang, Muzan was convinced that the other party must be human, because there was no demon in the world that could withstand the scorching of Sun Breathing.
The intense fear caused Muzan's body to tremble uncontrollably. As the progenitor of demons, he was unable to calm himself down.
The superhuman abilities displayed by Chu Yang far exceeded those of Yoriichi Tsugikuni back then. Although Yoriichi Tsugikuni was powerful, he still needed the sword in his hand to slay demons.
But Chu Yang didn't need it!
He could literally smash the heads of Upper Moons with a pair of fists!
"I must gather the remaining demons among the Twelve Kizuki!"
Muzan Kibutsuji suppressed his fear and issued a summons to his subordinates. The demons who received the order began to gather in the Infinity Castle.
Muzan Kibutsuji brought not only a curse to the Ubuyashiki family, but also a miraculous ability of foresight. When the Ubuyashiki family decided to eliminate Muzan Kibutsuji, the ability of foresight gradually manifested in the descendants of this family.
By virtue of their ability to foresee the future, the Ubuyashiki family escaped Muzan Kibutsuji's pursuit several times.
And they continuously strengthened the Demon Slayer Corps, contending with him for a thousand years.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki urgently wanted to see Chu Yang, hoping to see revelations about the future in him.
This might be the greatest turning point for the Ubuyashiki family in a thousand years.
Kasugai Crows flew in and out constantly, countless messages coming and going, finally converging into two big words.
Gather!
Immediately, the Hashira scattered across various locations temporarily put down their tasks and returned to headquarters at the fastest possible speed.
Kanae, who was recuperating at the Butterfly Mansion, also received the order.
But unlike the other Hashira, she received an additional message of Condolences from Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
The gathering time was five days later, by which point her body would have mostly recovered, so she would not miss this Hashira Meeting.
Chu Yang naturally also received the order to gather; he was the main character of this meeting.
Inside the Butterfly Mansion.
Shinobu Kocho, who had just changed her sister's bandages, came out of the room and saw Chu Yang standing in the courtyard, basking in the sun.
He was lying under a cherry blossom tree, enjoying the rare sunshine.
It had been raining continuously for the past few days.
Shinobu Kocho stood rooted to the spot, watching Chu Yang for a long time. Her face gradually flushed as she recalled her unreasonable outburst towards Chu Yang last time.
Although she could convince herself that concern makes one act irrationally, which is human nature, Shinobu Kocho still felt a little guilty. If it weren't for Chu Yang, she might have truly lost her only family member forever.
"What are you doing here by yourself?" Shinobu Kocho, wanting to apologize, disregarded her embarrassment. She bravely walked up to Chu Yang, but the words caught in her throat, hesitant.
"There's no need for awkward small talk by asking the obvious. If you want to apologize, just do it straightforwardly. Don't waste time doing meaningless things." Chu Yang, half-asleep, glanced at her, mercilessly exposing the girl's awkwardness.
Shinobu Kocho glared at him, annoyed and embarrassed, but she didn't continue to be stubborn. She honestly apologized to Chu Yang.
Chu Yang's lips curved into a smile, and he nodded, "Very good, I accept your apology."
Upon hearing this, Shinobu Kocho felt relieved and suddenly found Chu Yang much more pleasing to the eye.
She asked with a smile, "I heard that you're going to the Hashira Meeting with my sister this time?"
"After all, you've slain two high-ranking Upper Moons. The headquarters will definitely need a detailed understanding of the entire process. Senior Kanae's report alone isn't enough."
Chu Yang's gaze drifted, looking at the sky. Shinobu Kocho watched him from the side, always feeling that he didn't seem to care much about the current tense situation.
Thinking of this, Shinobu Kocho suddenly became curious again. She asked cautiously, "How strong are the Upper Moons exactly? Is it really as Sister Kanae said, that it's difficult for a single Hashira to contend with them?"
Chu Yang picked up a few fallen cherry blossom petals, put them in his mouth, and chewed them dry. Only when the floral scent filled his mouth did he speak indistinctly, "It depends on the situation. Even among the Hashira, there's still a difference in strength. If it were Gyomei-san, he could still suppress either Doma or Akaza in a one-on-one fight."
Shinobu Kocho blurted out, "What if it's like you, fighting two against one?"
Chu Yang did not answer Shinobu Kocho's question.
He began to wholeheartedly appreciate the ever-changing Liu Yun.
Shinobu Kocho also did not press further.
Although she didn't get a direct answer from Chu Yang, she already had her own answer in her heart.
"You two are quite leisurely." Kanae, wearing a pure white haori, slowly walked over. Her complexion was a bit rosier than before.
"Sister, you should rest more in your room!" Shinobu Kocho quickly walked towards Kanae, wanting to reach out and help her, but Kanae refused.
"I've rested enough. It's time to prepare for the Hashira Meeting. Chu Yang, you should also go get ready." Kanae smiled.
Her voice was gentle, speaking slowly and deliberately, not giving one a feeling of being forced.
"I don't have anything to pack. If you're okay, we can leave now." Chu Yang stood up and patted the dirt off his clothes.
Shinobu Kocho turned her head and glared at Chu Yang, saying, "Sister's injury hasn't healed yet, can't you wait a little longer? Why are you in such a hurry?"
"It's not him who's in a hurry, it's me!" Kanae tapped Shinobu Kocho's forehead with her finger, saying exasperatedly, "The other Hashira have already arrived at headquarters one after another. If we don't leave now, are we going to make the Master and them wait eagerly like that?"
Tears welled up in the eyes of the wronged Shinobu Kocho, and she looked at Kanae pitifully.
"Anyway, while I'm gone, you and Makomo look after the Butterfly Mansion, and also take good care of Kanao. She's still young and has gone through some bad things..."
As Kanae spoke, her voice became softer and softer. Shinobu Kocho looked up and found that her sister, like herself, had misty eyes.
Kanae suddenly hugged Shinobu Kocho tightly, "Shinobu, just wait a little longer. We'll be able to end all of this soon. Then you can be a normal girl and enjoy your life, without having to run around the Butterfly Mansion all day, and worrying about my safety."
"Don't worry about me, Sister. With you here, I've always been very happy." Shinobu Kocho quietly embraced Kanae, the feeling of having her back becoming even stronger in her heart.