Hiru remained in the valley for seven days. Emotionally, he was grateful that Sanemi still remembered he couldn't use Breathing Styles. But practically, Sanemi's attitude—treating everything like entertainment—infuriated him.
And in its own way, Iguro Obanai's sharp tongue only worsened his irritation.
This continued until the third day, when Hiru finally snapped and punched a tree so thick two men would've struggled to wrap their arms around it—shattering it into pieces.
Faced with the splintered remains, both Iguro—who had been instructing him—and Sanemi—who had been recovering while enjoying the show—fell silent.
After that, Sanemi settled down and focused on healing. Iguro, apart from a few moments of visible exasperation, stopped taking verbal jabs at Hiru.
What disappointed Hiru—though he could admit it made sense—was that he still couldn't learn any Breathing Style.
"It's really strange," Iguro said, folding his arms.
"Snake Breathing was inspired by Water Breathing and Wind Breathing. Both are relatively easy styles to learn. And in theory, as long as your physique is strong enough, learning a Breathing Style shouldn't be difficult. Even if using it later becomes agonizing because of your unique traits, that would be a separate matter. Your situation is simply incomprehensible."
"My brother taught me step by step, and I still couldn't learn it…" Hiru clicked his tongue, steadying the tearing sensation in his lungs.
"Honestly, it feels like I just died and came back."
"You really have zero talent," Sanemi muttered, unable to even look at him. "When I run into the Gray Blade swordsman again, I'll ask him about it. I heard this might be related…"
Iguro added mercilessly from the side, "And your fighting has no technique whatsoever. It's a complete waste of talent."
"Even without technique, you still can't beat me." Hiru mimicked the contemptuous gesture Sanemi had used earlier. "And since you've already created your own Breathing Style, why didn't you take this year's exam? You're surely strong enough."
"Because someone wouldn't let me." Iguro rolled his eyes at Hiru's provocation, crossed his arms again, and walked off.
"It was the teacher who refused him," Sanemi said, stretching as he walked over.
"Apparently Iguro was incredibly frail when he first arrived and wouldn't eat anything. He only started recovering this year. If nothing happens, he should be able to attend next year's exam… Anyway, you'd better put in the work on demon-hunting. I expect next year's exam will be another bloodbath."
"…You could just say you want to work me to death."
Despite his grumbling, once Hiru confirmed he truly couldn't learn any Breathing Style, he returned to hunting demons without complaint.
The only thing that caught him by surprise was sensing Muzan's aura once during this period—only to find, after tracking it down, that Muzan had chosen to withdraw instead of confronting him.
Because of that, Yoriichi missed him again.
Hiru shared his doubts with Yoriichi, but Yoriichi was just as perplexed.
"What is Muzan thinking?" Hiru muttered, chewing on the bamboo skewer from his three-colored dango.
"He's gotten stronger, he wants to devour me, I provoked him, and he's still stronger than I am… There's no reason for him to avoid me."
"Perhaps something happened that we're unaware of," Yoriichi said as he walked quietly beside him. "How Muzan gained his strength is still a mystery to us."
"How else could a demon get stronger? Eating humans, reclaiming blood, accumulating power over time—something that explosive shouldn't happen unless he found several hundred people with Rare Blood and drank them all in one go." Hiru flicked the skewer into a roadside bin.
"…What a headache. Don't tell me he's planning to wear me down slowly."
"Hmm… maybe we could ask Miss Tamayo?"
"Miss Tamayo may be extreme when it comes to killing Muzan, but she's normal enough otherwise. There's no way she'd understand how Muzan's mind works."
A faint shadow crossed the expression beneath Yoriichi's mask. "If only there were someone else we could consult…"
"There is," Hiru said, glancing back at him. "Kagaya Ubuyashiki knows we're demons."
Yoriichi: …?
He froze mid-step. "…The Master knows? Why?"
"He figured it out himself, so I simply confirmed it." Hiru came to a stop as well. "His body is frail, and he carries Muzan Kibutsuji's Blood Demon Art. If I were to leave a sustained Blood Demon Art in him, he'd die within two years."
Yoriichi stood silent for a long moment. "…Did the Master say anything?"
"He said he wanted to apologize on someone's behalf." Hiru turned and continued on. "Though I don't know whose."
Yoriichi immediately recalled the words Kagaya had spoken to him at the first Hashira Meeting.
"So he noticed even back then…" He tightened his grip on his sword sheath and exhaled. "The one who should apologize is me…"
"Brother, don't just stand there spacing out! Hurry up!"
Only then did Yoriichi resume walking, catching up to Hiru.
"When the next Hashira Meeting comes, I'll go see the Master with you."
"Good. That way you can see exactly where his illness is most severe, and I can adjust the treatment accordingly."
"Is the treatment progressing?"
"Well enough. Keeping him outwardly healthy for another seven or eight years won't be a problem. After that, the symptoms will start surfacing externally, and he'll have at most another eleven or twelve years." Hiru looked ahead. "As long as Muzan lives, the Blood Demon Art cast on the Ubuyashiki clan won't weaken."
"Is there really no other way?"
"There is one." Hiru looked over at the dejected Yoriichi. "I am, after all, the Primordial Demon who overcame sunlight and toxins. If I were to—"
"No." Yoriichi rejected the idea instantly. "We promised never to turn humans into demons."
"That's why it's only a suggestion. I intend to give him that choice when his symptoms start showing outwardly. Whether he accepts it will be entirely up to him." Hiru lifted his hands and smiled.
"He's a man of extraordinary resolve. I have a feeling he and Miss Tamayo would have plenty to talk about on that subject."
Yoriichi frowned deeply, lips pressed into a tight line.
"Well, worrying about it now won't help. Seven or eight years is more than enough time for this world to change." Hiru stretched lazily. "Until then, Brother, let's focus on our duties as Hashira."
"…Yes. That's all we can do." Yoriichi sighed and lifted his gaze to the round moon overhead. "Let's hope everything goes smoothly."