"Flame Pillar severely injured. Lucas's Nichirin blade was broken by Upper Moon Three—Akaza."Upon hearing this report from the Kasugai Crow, Sanemi Shinazugawa's expression remained cold, but inside, he thought grimly: Just like always… Pillars falling before the Upper Moons.Kyojuro Rengoku severely injured. Lucas's sword shattered. It was easy to imagine the desperate fight they had endured."And after that, Lucas took up the Flame Pillar's Nichirin blade and continued to fight Akaza—alone.""Alone? He was throwing his life away…"Sanemi's heart clenched tightly. He cursed under his breath, the weight of dread building in his chest.The crow continued, "Lucas managed to suppress Akaza until dawn. Thanks to this, all 200-plus passengers involved in the Infinity Train incident survived.""…Huh?"Sanemi's face twitched. The sternness that had been there just seconds before was swept away by shock—utter disbelief painted across his face.He had been prepared for a tragic report. Facing Upper Moon Three Akaza, who could even overwhelm a Pillar like Kyojuro, he had expected nothing short of devastation.But to hear that Lucas had not only survived, but had suppressed Akaza until sunrise?It sounded like fantasy. Impossible.His eyes darted to the crow, filled with a mixture of suspicion and amazement. If it had been Kyojuro who had held off Akaza, Sanemi wouldn't have been so shaken. But Lucas?He stood there motionless, his brows tightly furrowed, processing the report. His voice finally broke through the silence, barely more than a whisper."Alone… Lucas?"The words felt foreign in his mouth, like he was trying to swallow a stone. How could Lucas, someone who was just a promising junior, possibly suppress a demon that even most Pillars would lose to?"Suppressed… Akaza?" he repeated again, slower this time, testing the words as if trying to force himself to accept them.His breathing quickened slightly. The information was just too jarring.He turned to the east, where morning had fully broken. The sunlight danced through the leaves above, casting golden patterns on the ground. It was serene here, yet Sanemi's heart was anything but.He inhaled deeply, trying to steady himself."Everyone… survived?" he asked again, more calmly this time, though his voice trembled ever so slightly.The crow nodded solemnly.Their messages were always verified multiple times before being delivered. The accuracy of the report was without question.That simple nod struck Sanemi like a hammer to the chest.It was real. Lucas had truly held off Akaza long enough for the sun to rise. His strength had saved hundreds of lives.Sanemi clenched his fists.This was no ordinary feat. Not even many Pillars had ever accomplished something on this scale. The implications were enormous.How?The last time Sanemi had fought Lucas, the boy had shown potential—but nothing close to this. The leap in strength in such a short period of time was almost inhuman.Had Lucas reached some kind of breakthrough? Was this growth even natural?Sanemi exhaled slowly, pressing down the wave of questions in his mind.It doesn't matter. If Lucas can achieve that… then so can I.He walked over and picked up his Nichirin blade. The weapon shimmered under the morning light, and with newfound resolve, he stepped into the middle of the training ground once more.Adjusting his stance and breathing, Sanemi let out a roar of focus—and struck.The training dummy splintered beneath his swing. Again. And again. Each slash grew faster, sharper. His blade cut deeper, his movements filled with intensity and grit.Wood chips flew through the air like sparks.Sanemi's figure was a blur, moving with unrelenting force. Each strike carved not just into the dummy but into the lingering doubts in his heart.Under the sunlight, he looked like a man possessed—not by anger, but by a burning will to grow stronger.If Lucas had surpassed his limits, then Sanemi would not fall behind. He would never allow himself to be overtaken so easily.---Meanwhile, at the Ubuyashiki residence…Kagaya Ubuyashiki had also received the same report via Kasugai Crow.The typically calm and soft-spoken leader of the Demon Slayer Corps showed rare surprise."Lucas… suppressed Akaza?" he repeated, his gentle voice laced with awe.Compared to the other Pillars, Kagaya understood the Upper Moon demons far more intimately. He had read countless historical records, many of them filled with tragic ends for those who dared face the Upper Moons.For centuries, the story had been the same: Pillars fought valiantly—and died. One after another.That was the cruel pattern of this war. It was one of the reasons Kagaya, despite his composed appearance, had carried such deep-seated despair.He had never voiced it aloud, but in the depths of his heart, he had begun to doubt whether the Demon Slayer Corps could ever truly defeat Muzan.The gap in strength was too vast. If not for Muzan's obsession with the Blue Spider Lily distracting him, the corps might've already been wiped out.But now… someone had actually forced back an Upper Moon demon. One of the top ones.Kagaya's fingers curled slightly. His normally serene expression gave way to contemplation."Did he enter that strange state again?" he murmured.He had personally witnessed Lucas fighting Sanemi weeks ago. In that battle, Lucas had entered a peculiar state—an intense focus or perception that allowed him to momentarily suppress even the Wind Pillar.Now, it seemed that same state had returned during the battle with Akaza."What is this technique…?" Kagaya whispered.He rose from his seat and walked to the far corner of the room. Opening a drawer, he retrieved a worn and ancient book—one of the few surviving records of breathing techniques and secret arts from the Warring States Period.Dust fell from the pages as he opened it, his eyes scanning for any passage that might match Lucas's strange power.But after flipping through dozens of brittle pages, he found nothing definitive. Too little had been recorded. Too much had been lost.Still, Kagaya clutched the book tightly and stared out the window.If Lucas's mysterious state could be understood—replicated—it might become a game changer. If the Pillars could learn this technique, the balance of power could finally begin to shift in their favor.He didn't dare hope for miracles—but this was something tangible. Something new.Perhaps the key to changing their fate wasn't in overwhelming numbers or brute strength—but in transcending limits, the way Lucas had."If Lucas is willing to share the knowledge," Kagaya said softly, "then the Demon Slayer Corps may finally have a future."He would never force him, of course. That wasn't his way.Kagaya valued the will and choices of every swordsman under his command. Even now, his desire to see Muzan defeated did not surpass his belief in free will.As the sunlight filtered into the room, casting a soft glow across the floor, Kagaya stood in silence.A gentle breeze stirred the white curtains.And in that quiet moment, Kagaya found something he hadn't felt in a long time—hope.The events of the Infinity Train incident had shaken the Demon Slayer Corps to its core.But more importantly—they had also strengthened it.---
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