Logically, minor wounds should heal faster than severe injuries.
But this sword seemed to defy logic. Of course, the very existence of demons already transcends the realm of the ordinary.
In any case, the result was that the Upper Moon Two's minor injuries stubbornly refused to heal, while his severed arm regenerated in a remarkably short time.
This anomaly puzzled not only Kanae but even Doma himself.
"Otherwise, he could have simply stalled for time, waiting for his severed limb to regenerate, and this battle wouldn't have ended so quickly," Kanae remarked to Shinobu. "The answer to this puzzle likely lies within him."
The "him" she referred to was, of course, Sosuke.
Shinobu nodded, then asked, "And what's the second key point?"
Kanae looked at Sosuke again.
Shinobu was speechless. 'So both key factors revolved around the same person' she thought.
" Sosuke shattered Upper Moon Two's weapon," Kanae said. "This is the second key factor. It surprised not only me, but Upper Moon Two... must have been astonished as well."
"I was astonished too," Shinobu agreed.
When Doma had charged at her, his speed had been utterly beyond her ability to resist.
Yet Sosuke had not only rescued her from the attack in that instant, but had also survived Doma's assault.
Though severely injured, he had still managed to fight back.
'Where did this guy get the courage to swing a hammer at a Twelve Kizuki?' she wondered. 'For a swordsmith, he's far too extraordinary, isn't he?'
What was even more terrifying was that he had actually shattered Upper Moon Two's weapon with that hammer and then used it to smash the demon's head.
This, however, raised another question.
Is Upper Moon Two's head actually tougher than his weapon?
Otherwise, why would a hammer that could shatter a weapon fail to crush his skull?
But if his head were tougher than his weapon, why could a Nichirin Blade sever his head while failing to break his weapon?
Shinobu felt like her mind was tangled in a coil of mosquito incense, her thoughts swirling in confusion. She couldn't make sense of it at all.
When she voiced her confusion, Kanae struggled to find an answer. Finally, she offered the most logical explanation: "Perhaps it's because Sosuke is a swordsmith?"
"...Huh?"
Was that really an answer?
Because he was a swordsmith, he was more familiar with weapons?
Then why hadn't they seen other swordsmiths do something like this before?
Still, until a more plausible explanation emerged, this one would have to suffice.
Kanae summarized: "This battle was largely a matter of coincidence. If Sosuke hadn't saved you when Upper Moon Two charged at you, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to attack, and the weapon wouldn't have been destroyed. And if he hadn't survived the demon's assault, he wouldn't have had that chance either. Or... if his injuries had been slightly more severe, would he still have had the strength to swing the hammer? If they had been lighter, the demon wouldn't have let its guard down... In short, Sosuke's unexpected performance, the blind spots in our information, the demon's carelessness, the Nichirin Blade's suppression, the enhancement of my own abilities, and other factors all contributed to the outcome of this battle."
Faced with such a thorough analysis, even Shinobu had to accept it. Yet the thought that Sosuke had become the most crucial factor in this battle, while she herself had contributed nothing, filled her with regret and self-reproach.
And when she recalled Sosuke's utterly undisguised ambition toward her elder sister, her heart twisted with unease.
This feeling persisted even after he had saved her life. At best, she now found him slightly less objectionable than before.
Clenching her jaw, she resolved to discuss this matter with her sister.
She couldn't bear the thought of her sister marrying a man whose face she hadn't even properly seen, let alone understood.
"Elder Sister, you..."
Shinobu opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat, her face flushing crimson.
'This is so hard to say,' she thought.
Especially since Sosuke was still asleep nearby. Was he faking it? Could he be eavesdropping? Should they just knock him unconscious?
"What's wrong?" Kanae asked, looking at her sister with concern. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
"Elder Sister... you and him... Aiyo! I bit my tongue... It hurts, it hurts, it hurts..."
Shinobu was so nervous that her chin trembled as she spoke. She accidentally bit her tongue, tears welling up in her eyes.
Though her sister had made a clumsy attempt, Kanae immediately understood what she meant. She froze for a moment, speechless, her face flushing crimson.
But the next instant, a shadow flickered across her eyes. She sighed softly and was about to speak when hurried footsteps sounded outside the door.
"This should be the place, right?"
"Correct. This is the location indicated by the Flower Pillar's Kasugai Crow."
The two women in the room quickly composed themselves. Shinobu stood up, her voice still a little unsteady. "Come in."
Black robes and masked faces were the standard attire of the Kakushi, the Demon Slayer Corps' logistics division.
After greeting the Flower Pillar, the group immediately set to work.
Another member of the group stepped forward to carry Sosuke on his back. Kanae and Shinobu returned to the Butterfly Mansion together.
With no need to rush, their journey back was much slower.
By the time they arrived at the Butterfly Mansion, dawn was just breaking in the east.
Sosuke slept soundly until mid-morning before finally opening his eyes.
He sat up abruptly, the events of the previous night flooding his mind. He immediately looked around, a sense of relief washing over him. "The Butterfly Mansion."
He tried to stand, but a sudden, searing pain erupted throughout his body. His face paled, and he collapsed back onto the bed.
Fresh blood seeped through the bandages wrapped around his chest.
"This..." He glanced down, his limbs feeling weak and heavy.
The door slid open, and Shinobu entered carrying a basin. Her eyes met Sosuke's.
"You're awake," Shinobu said, her tone still carrying a hint of awkwardness, though it was much warmer than her initial icy demeanor. Her brow furrowed. "Lie back down. You must have some understanding of your injuries. After enduring that level of assault and shattering a Twelve Kizuki's weapon, any excessive movement will only worsen your wounds. Given your natural healing abilities, you'll need to stay bedridden for at least a week to two weeks."
So that's it. Activating Sun Breathing and using the Gale Sun Hammer must have aggravated his existing injuries.
'No wonder it's so unbearable.'
Still, it's manageable. With proper rest and care, he'll recover.
More concerned about what lay behind Shinobu, he noticed the empty space behind her and asked, "Where's the Flower Pillar?"
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