The next day, just as dawn broke.
The air was fresh and clean on Mount Sagiri in the early morning.
The Sabito got up very early and paced back and forth in the yard, unable to stop, muttering various plans for catching ghosts, its body brimming with inexhaustible energy.
"Giyu! Should we go north or south first? The north has many mountains, and I've heard some evil spirits there are very cunning! The south has many towns, and the ghosts are mixed in with the people, making them more challenging to catch!"
He went to the corridor and started talking non-stop to Giyu, who was sitting cross-legged.
Giyu closed his eyes and remained motionless. His breathing was steady, as if he were waiting for something.
He was waiting for his knife.
Feeling bored, the Sabito pouted and went to practice its swordsmanship on the back mountain.
Time passed slowly, until the sun was high in the sky, when footsteps finally came from the mountain path.
Giyu suddenly opened his eyes.
The newcomer was wearing Hyottoko Mask; he was Tecchin Tecchikawahara, the village chief of the Swordsmith Village.
Although the old man was not tall, he had a strong presence. He carried a long wooden box wrapped in thick cloth on his back and walked step by step up the steps of Mount Sagiri. He walked very steadily, and the wooden box on his back seemed extremely heavy.
"Lord Giyu."
Tecchin Tecchikawahara walked to the corridor and carefully put down the wooden box on his back, his movements very gentle.
He unwrapped the cloth covering, revealing a paulownia wood knife box inside.
"I and thirty of the village's best craftsmen spent a month working tirelessly, and finally completed the Oyakata-sama's task."
The old man's voice was tired, but also full of pride.
"This knife is the best piece of work we've created, risking the century-old reputation of our Swordsmith Village!"
He slowly opened the knife case.
A brand-new Nichirin Blade lay quietly on a dark red cushion.
The scabbard was pure black with no patterns, but it had a deep luster under the light. The tsuba (handguard) was a simple circle, but its edges were sharp and gleamed coldly.
The most distinctive feature is the handle.
The cord wrapped around the hilt was an unfamiliar blue and white weaving pattern.
White and sky-blue silk threads are intertwined, forming a water-ripple pattern that extends from the head to the tail of the handle, creating a unique look.
Sabito had returned from the back mountain at some point. He stood not far away, looking at the sword, and subconsciously held his breath.
What a beautiful knife.
But what's even more chilling is the aura emanating from the blade itself. That aura is contradictory, both calm and sharp.
The combination of these two feelings in this knife makes it impossible to look away.
Giyu reached out and grasped the hilt of the knife.
The moment his hand touched the hilt of the knife, the blue and white cord glowed with a soft light.
This knife felt like a part of his body.
Clang--!
A crisp clang of a knife echoed across the open space.
An incredible sight appeared the moment the blade was drawn from its sheath.
Centered on the blade, two distinct vortexes of energy appeared out of thin air!
One was a deep blue vortex, like flowing water, swirling around the blade. The other was a silvery-white vortex, sharp as moonlight, spinning rapidly outside the blue vortex.
Blue cyclones are serene, while white cyclones are dynamic.
The two forces thus intertwined and merged together.
After the cyclone is injected, the blade begins to change.
The back of the blade quickly turned dark blue, while the blade itself was stained a pale white.
The back of the blade is blue, and the blade is white.
The two colors form a dividing line in the middle of the blade, as if the night sky and the sea have been melted into the blade.
"This... how is this possible?!"
Tecchin Tecchikawahara trembled violently, staring intently at the sword, his mask nearly falling off.
"Two... two different Breathing Style, their power appearing simultaneously in a single sword?!"
He had spent his entire life forging Nichirin Blades and knew very well that each Breathing Style had its own power attribute, making it virtually impossible to fuse them together.
But now, the impossible has happened right before his eyes.
"A monster... this kid is a complete monster..."
The old village chief muttered to himself, tears welling in his eyes beneath his mask. He was a craftsman, and witnessing the birth of the perfect work he had pursued his entire life overwhelmed him with emotion.
Sabito nearby, was completely stunned. His mouth was agape, his mind blank, as he stared at his companion holding the new sword.
Just over ten days ago, he thought he was only at a disadvantage compared to Giyu. Today, he realized that it wasn't a difference at all, but rather an insurmountable chasm between an ordinary person and a genius.
Giyu ignored them; his attention was entirely on the new sword.
He could feel the two forces of breath reaching a balance within his body and in the knife.
He felt he could cut through everything in front of him.
Giyu's eyes narrowed, and he moved.
He didn't run; he simply stomped his right foot lightly on the ground.
Boom--!
With a deafening roar, the ground beneath his feet instantly collapsed, cracks spreading outwards.
His figure had already transformed into a streak of light and shot into the sky.
He suddenly jumped dozens of meters into the air.
In mid-air, Giyu stopped, gripped his sword with both hands, and the blue and white vortex around him surged.
He didn't recite the name of the move; he just swung his sword instinctively.
He unleashed a circular slash, a brand-new circular slash that combined the characteristics of two different breathing techniques.
Buzz--!
There was no loud noise, only a high-pitched whistling sound of a blade.
A massive, blue-white, arc-shaped blade of light spread out from Giyu's center.
Although the blade's light was thin, its power was terrifying, sweeping across the entire sky at lightning speed.
Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki was sitting on the veranda, smiling as he listened to two maids report on the affairs of the troop.
Suddenly, his smile froze, and he abruptly looked up at the sky.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's expression slowly changed from surprise to relief and ecstasy.
"Did you feel it?" he asked softly.
"... Is it the wind, my Master?" The maid asked, somewhat bewildered.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki shook his head, his voice trembling slightly. "No, it's not the wind."
"It's a sword aura... a powerful sword aura, strong enough to cleave through the night."
A new era... is coming.
The smoke and dust on the Mount Sagiri dissipated.
Giyu fell silently from the sky, landing in the crater he had created.
The light on the knife in his hand dimmed, returning it to its half-blue, half-white appearance.
He looked down at the knife, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.
"This... is my current power..."
Behind him, Tecchin Tecchikawahara knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face, repeatedly murmuring, "A miracle... this is a miracle..."
The Sabito exhaled.
The blank expression on his face slowly disappeared, replaced by a relieved smile.
We can't catch up.
I'll never catch up to him in this lifetime.
If that's the case, why bother trying to catch up?
To witness the birth of a genius firsthand, and to stand beside him as his companion, is perhaps the greatest honor one can have.
Giyu sheathed his sword with meticulous precision.
He turned around and looked at Sabito, who was still in a daze, his tone indifferent, as if the earth-shattering slash he had just delivered was merely a casual wave of his hand.
"Let's go, let's go catch ghosts."
Dear readers:
The book pages closed, and fireworks rose into the air.
Thank you for being there for me in the stories of last year.
In 2026, may your new chapters be filled with surprises and smooth turns. May you not only be a reader, but also the protagonist of your own life.
Happy New Year!