So that's what he was worried about.
He really is still just a kid.
Shinobu smiled and asked, "Tanjiro, you do know that most of the Hashira—except for me—are almost always out on missions, right?"
"Yes." Tanjiro nodded, somewhat puzzled.
In fact, it wasn't just the Hashira—most members of the Demon Slayer Corps were the same.
As long as they weren't injured, or at least not injured to the point where they couldn't move, they would keep going out on missions.
After all, compared to demons, there were simply far too few swordsmen.
The Hashira in particular hardly had any time to rest. Otherwise, the position of tsuguko wouldn't even exist.
"Then doesn't that strike you as strange, Tanjiro?" Shinobu asked.
"Strange?"
Shinobu raised her index finger and gently waved it.
"Why your assignments are still relatively easy."
Easy?
You call repeatedly running into multiple members of the Twelve Kizuki—including Upper Rank Three—easy?
Tanjiro suppressed the urge to complain and nodded silently.
Although his luck had been terrible, constantly running into powerful enemies, there was rarely any real danger. Even Upper Rank Three had been handled entirely by Miss Yuko.
"That's because you're the successor of the original Breathing style," Shinobu explained, "and Miss Yuko—the only person in the Demon Slayer Corps capable of teaching you—is someone the Master deeply trusts. That's why your missions are issued only within the scope of what Miss Yuko permits."
"As for why you haven't been told how to awaken the mark—it's simply because Miss Yuko never brought it up herself, and the Master didn't want to overstep."
"In truth, the Master cares about you far more than you realize."
Tanjiro suddenly understood.
"So that's how it is…"
"Yes. If you want to know how to awaken the mark, then go ask Yuko."
"I understand."
…
"What's a mark?"
"Miss Yuko! Please tell me how to awaken the mark!"
"Forget it, Tanjiro, Inosuke—just hearing about it sounds bad!"
On the corridor of the Butterfly Estate, the three kids surrounded Yuko completely.
"The mark?" Yuko blinked and pointed to her cheek. "This is it."
"…Isn't that just a tattoo?"
"No. It's proof that the body has reached its limit—a special technique that strengthens the body."
Their eyes widened.
"Strengthens the body?!"
"Yes. Awakening the mark makes your body stronger."
Inosuke tilted his head back, white steam shooting from the nostrils of his boar mask.
"I want this!"
Yuko looked at them seriously.
"But there's a drawback. Swordsmen who awaken the mark usually don't live past twenty-five."
"..."
Zenitsu immediately tried to push the other two away.
"Forget it! Let's get out of here!"
Tanjiro straightened.
"Please tell me how to awaken the mark!"
Inosuke flexed his biceps.
"I won't fall behind! I'm awakening it right now!"
Zenitsu was utterly despairing.
Yuko wiped sweat from her brow. Did this guy even understand what she just said?
For most members of the Demon Slayer Corps, shortening one's lifespan in exchange for strength was undoubtedly worth it.
But not everyone had that resolve, which was why Yuko always explained the pros and cons when the mark came up.
Tanjiro seemed lost in thought. The mark… He'd always thought the pattern on Yuko's face was just a tattoo.
If that was the case, then the one on his father's forehead…
He couldn't help but ask, "Miss Yuko, are there people who are born with a mark?"
"There are," Yuko replied, surprised by the question. "And those born with a mark aren't affected by the reduced lifespan."
If Muzan had been just a bit bolder back then, perhaps Yoriichi could have ended demonkind in that era.
"My father had a natural scar on his forehead," Tanjiro said, then corrected himself. "Ah—though it might've been a birthmark."
"Was yours like that too, Miss Yuko?"
"No. Mine awakened later."
Tanjiro's father…
Yuko recalled that sickly young man. Yes—his breathing technique had been beautifully refined.
But…
His constitution was too weak.
Even with a natural mark, he wouldn't have lived long.
If he were still alive, he could have been a powerful force.
Speaking of constitution—
Among the three, Tanjiro was the strongest, yet even his body still wasn't enough.
Although awakening the mark wasn't absolutely dependent on physical constitution, the stronger the body, the easier it was to awaken—and the stronger one became afterward.
That was undeniable.
They still had a gap to close before reaching Hashira level.
After thinking for a moment, Yuko said,
"Let's put awakening the mark aside for now. At this stage… you should focus on building a foundation."
"Your bodies aren't ready yet. Even if you awakened the mark now, it wouldn't make you much stronger."
Their physiques were undoubtedly stronger than Shinobu's, but judging physical aptitude wasn't that simple.
Although Shinobu lagged behind in strength and raw durability, her burst speed was among the best in the Demon Slayer Corps.
Her body was already pushed nearly to its limit.
Tanjiro and the other two weren't there yet. They still had plenty of room to grow.
Upon hearing this, the three reacted differently.
Tanjiro looked disappointed.
Zenitsu looked so moved he was about to cry.
"Alright!" Inosuke suddenly went berserk, raising his arms and hooking one person under each.
Zenitsu shouted, "Idiot! What are you doing?!"
"Training! Training!"
Inosuke took off running wildly with the two of them, leaving behind a completely dumbfounded Yuko.
She really couldn't understand the way that pig's brain worked.
…
Watching the three leave, Yuko sat on the veranda, spacing out.
Not long after, light footsteps approached from behind.
She turned around—it was the Butterfly girl.
Tsuyuri Kanao stopped instinctively, standing a short distance away, looking somewhat stiff.
Yuko waved her over.
"Come sit."
Kanao walked over with rigid steps and sat down just as stiffly.
This kid… she's like a robot.
Yuko sighed inwardly. She ran into Kanao often at the Butterfly Estate, but the girl was shy, rarely daring to speak to her, often avoiding her instead.
After sitting down, Kanao fell completely silent.
Yuko asked, "Did you need something from me?"
For her to come here like this, she clearly had something to ask.
Kanao took a deep breath.
"Um…"
"Please tell me how to awaken the mark."
Yuko: "..."
Did everyone agree beforehand to come consult Teacher Yuko today?
"As for the mark, Kanao should first follow—"
"Alright! First up, five thousand push-ups!"
In the courtyard, Tanjiro and the others had found the three Butterfly Estate girls and seated them on their backs. Shirtless, they were in the middle of intense training.
Yuko swallowed the rest of her sentence.
Follow Tanjiro and the others for training?
She couldn't say it.
The moment she imagined Kanao doing grueling push-ups like that, she just couldn't bring herself to say it.