"Um…"
"The Master has arrived."
Shinobu was about to say more, but the arrival of the Ubuyashiki family interrupted her. With no choice, she sat back down beside Yuko.
Supported by his two daughters, Kagaya Ubuyashiki took his seat, a faint smile on his lips.
"I am relieved that everyone has returned safely."
"Among the Twelve Kizuki, the Lower Ranks have been slain by the Demon Slayer Corps countless times. However, the Upper Ranks… even when encountered by Hashira, survival is far from guaranteed."
"This is the first recorded case in over a hundred years of an Upper Rank being slain by the Demon Slayer Corps."
"And it was Upper Rank Three."
"The powerful demon known as the Fighting Demon."
Fortunately, Ubuyashiki did not add Akaza's name afterward—otherwise, Yuko would have wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.
Shinobu's violet, usually half-lidded eyes widened slightly, her lips parting in shock.
"Upper Rank Three?!"
"That… 'Akusa' (Evil Seat)?"
She instinctively turned her head toward Yuko.
Was this Yuko's doing?
After all, Yuko had once told her privately that the top three Upper Ranks could only be slain alone if one had mastered the Demon Slayer Mark—and even the Transparent World and a crimson blade.
Rengoku and Tanjiro clearly weren't there yet.
Yuko's face darkened completely. She had no desire to struggle anymore.
"Pfft—" Tanjiro failed to hold it in and burst out laughing, then belatedly covered his mouth and lowered his head.
He looked exactly like an employee secretly watching short videos in the corner during a meeting, desperately trying not to laugh.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya nodded seriously.
"That's correct. That 'Akusa' (Evil Seat)."
Rengoku Kyōjurō crossed his arms and nodded.
"Yes, yes. That fellow."
It wasn't that fellow at all!
Hearing Tanjiro's stifled laughter, Yuko rubbed her temples.
"About that… I actually wrote it wrong."
"Upper Rank Three's name is actually Akaza…"
"..."
The room fell into brief silence.
That mistake was a little too far off.
After a moment, Kagaya smoothly changed the subject.
"Then, Kyōjurō—how did it feel?"
Rengoku straightened his posture, back ramrod straight, expression solemn.
"Very strong!"
"It was the strongest demon I've ever encountered."
"If I had faced him alone, I likely would have lost."
"To be honest, during the fight with Upper Rank Three, I wasn't able to contribute at all."
In his view, even his assistance hardly counted as support.
Hearing this, the smile on Tanjiro's face froze.
It was like learning your final exam results right in the middle of celebrating.
…
He was the same.
He hadn't helped at all.
Shinobu's breathing grew heavier. Even Rengoku hadn't been able to contribute…
Upper Rank Three—was he truly on a completely different level from the Hashira, just as Yuko had said?
The image of Yuko awakening her mark for her was still etched into Shinobu's body. Just thinking about that power made her body tremble uncontrollably.
That was not a realm humans could reach.
Although battle photos had already confirmed the exaggerated scale of the fight, hearing it directly from Rengoku weighed heavily on Kagaya's heart.
Among the Hashira, Kyōjurō was of middle-tier strength. If even he couldn't prevail, then perhaps only Gyomei could.
And this was only Upper Rank Three…
Truly not to be underestimated.
Kagaya let out a slow breath and smiled gently.
"Miss Yuko, thank you for your efforts this time."
Yuko shook her head.
"No. It was nothing more than a small effort."
Everyone else: "..."
If that was a small effort, then what were they?
Spectators?
Actually… yes.
Kagaya smiled.
"Miss Yuko, there is no need to be modest. Everyone has seen the help you've brought to the Demon Slayer Corps."
"We're just moving toward the same goal. It doesn't count as help."
Knowing Yuko's personality, Kagaya didn't press further.
"Yes. With Upper Rank Three slain, even Muzan must have suffered a significant blow."
Yuko asked,
"Speaking of which, has there been any movement from Muzan's side?"
Kagaya shook his head.
"Not yet…"
Yuko's brows knitted slightly. Did he still not know?
No—unlikely.
Muzan paid close attention to the Twelve Kizuki, especially the Upper Ranks.
Their locations would be monitored from time to time, and with the greater amount of Muzan's blood within them, their disappearance couldn't go unnoticed.
"If the demons make any move, I'll immediately send word through Kasugai Crows."
"Much appreciated."
If soldiers came, she'd block them; if water came, she'd dam it. Worrying now wouldn't help.
More importantly—
At this point, everything she knew from the story had ended.
Her memories only extended to Tanjiro defeating Lower Rank Five on Mount Natagumo. The Infinite Train incident was something she'd noticed only because the Flame Hashira was so famous.
But from here on out… she knew nothing about how events would unfold.
She only knew Tanjiro would later fight a white-haired female demon.
If nothing unexpected happened, she was likely an Upper Rank—but which one, she didn't know.
After the full report on the Infinite Train incident, Kagaya issued the order to disperse.
Just before leaving, he suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, Kyōjurō."
"Yes, Master?"
Kagaya said calmly,
"I will adjust your missions accordingly. For the time being, Miss Yuko will assist you in awakening your mark."
The strength of Upper Rank Three had given Kagaya a sense of urgency. The swordsmen needed to awaken their marks as soon as possible.
Rengoku froze briefly, then bowed deeply to Yuko at a perfect ninety-degree angle.
"Then I humbly ask for your guidance, Miss Yuko!"
"…Mm."
Tanjiro looked on in confusion.
What was a mark?
As they left the Master's residence, Yuko—feeling unsettled while standing beside Shinobu—unconsciously quickened her pace toward the Butterfly Estate.
Shinobu was about to follow when she noticed Tanjiro walking silently nearby.
Wasn't this child usually quite cheerful?
What was wrong?
Had he argued with Yuko?
No wonder Yuko seemed strange…
After hesitating for a moment, Shinobu smiled gently and asked,
"What's wrong, Tanjiro?"
"You look a bit down."
Tanjiro snapped out of it.
"Ah, Shinobu-san."
"Well… it's just…" He hesitated. "…Am I really qualified to be a Hashira?"
Shinobu smiled.
"Why do you say that?"
So that was what he was troubled by.
She'd thought he'd had a fight with Yuko.
Come to think of it, she'd once felt the same way—someone as weak as herself, truly worthy of being called a pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps?
Tanjiro said uncertainly,
"Because… Master didn't assign me anything."
"And… what is that 'mark awakening'?"
Shinobu paused slightly.
"Didn't Yuko tell you about it?"
Tanjiro scratched his head.
"No… maybe Miss Yuko thinks I'm not ready yet."
He couldn't shake the feeling that everyone else already knew—while he was the only one left in the dark.
---
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