In the courtyard of the Ubuyashiki Estate, the Wisteria were in full bloom, and sunlight filtered through layer upon layer of leaves, casting dappled patterns of light on the tatami corridor.
A tranquil, faint floral fragrance filled the air.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki half-reclined on his wife Amane's lap, enjoying this rare moment of peace.
He half-closed his eyes, listening to the laughter of his two little daughters in the courtyard. Their voices were like silver bells, crisp and clear, as if they had blown away the dark clouds hanging over the house.
"That's great."
Amane's voice was as clear as a spring, and her slender fingers were gently combing the black hair on his forehead, her movements full of tenderness and affection.
I wish time could stand still at this moment.
Kagaya didn't open his eyes, but a gentle smile curved his lips. His voice had a very special, calming power, as if it could soothe all the troubles in the world.
"Yes, Amane."
"Once we defeat Muzan, we'll have countless days like this. Then, no more children will have to sacrifice themselves to kill demons, and no one will have to cry in the night."
"Our children can grow up carefree under the sun, and grow old without worry."
This was his deepest wish for the world as his Oyakata-sama, and the only pillar supporting his frail body in the fight against the thousand-year curse.
Amane didn't say anything more, but simply hugged him tighter.
Just as this happiness was about to solidify, a somewhat clumsy flapping of wings broke the silence.
A crow, looking as if it were about to fall apart, staggered and fell from the sky, finally plunging into the grass in the yard, rolling twice before finally managing to stand up.
It shook off its messy feathers, and a small letter tube was tied to one of its feet.
"Kanzaburo?"
Kagaya slowly sat up straight, his previously gentle gaze suddenly turning sharp.
Amane also recognized the old kasugata Kasugai Crow; it was the messenger crow of the Water Hashira Giyu Tomioka.
Kagaya knew everything about his "children".
He knew that Giyu a quiet and reserved boy who never liked to talk and would never bother others for the smallest things.
If it weren't for an extremely urgent matter, or a major event that could affect the entire battle, his Kanzaburo would never have flown here.
"What happened?"
Kagaya's voice remained steady, but its undeniable authority made the atmosphere in the entire courtyard serious.
Kanzaburo cawed twice, then walked unsteadily down to the corridor and lifted his foot, which was tied to the letter tube.
Kagaya bent down personally, carefully untied the letter tube, and took out a small roll of letter paper inside. His fingers trembled almost imperceptibly as he unfolded the letter paper.
The words on the letter, just like Giyu himself, were concise, clear, and without a single superfluous word.
[My Master, please write:]
They encountered two demons in Asakusa, who had already broken free from Muzan Kibutsuji's control.
I checked, and what they said is true; we have already reached a cooperation agreement.
I am currently leading these two ghosts to Mount Sagiri. I humbly request that Master, spare some time to meet me; the matter is very important.
Giyu Tomioka, the Water Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps]
Kagaya's breathing paused for a moment.
Suddenly, a terrifyingly bright light burst forth from those eyes that had been slowly losing their luster due to the curse!
"Amane!!"
His voice suddenly rose several octaves, filled with an almost trembling, suppressed ecstasy.
He suddenly grabbed his wife's hand, so hard that Amane felt a little pain.
"A turning point... a turning point has finally arrived!!"
He handed the letter to Amane, then staggered to his feet, his body swaying uncontrollably from excitement.
He leaned against a pillar, looked up at the sky, and a childlike smile appeared on his face, which was tormented by illness.
"I never expected... I never expected it to come so quickly! It's truly a blessing from heaven for our Demon Slayer Corps!!"
Nearly a thousand years of longing, countless generations of sacrifice, that seemingly endless night, finally... finally a ray of light shines through!
Amane took the letter and quickly scanned its contents.
When she saw the words "break free from Muzan Kibutsuji's control," her usually calm heart was stirred up into a raging storm.
She knew better than anyone what those words meant.
But the next second, when she saw her husband's face flushed with excitement and his eagerness to leave, her elation was instantly overshadowed by an even stronger worry.
"My husband!!"
She stood up, supporting her husband's swaying body, her tone calm and unyielding.
Are you going to Mount Sagiri?
"Certainly!!"
Kagaya's eyes shone with an unprecedented light. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! We must see them with our own eyes and learn everything about Muzan! I must go!!"
"But..."
Amane's brows furrowed tightly; her rationality as the matriarch prevailed over everything else.
"Your health... and besides, they are ghosts after all; we can't be 100% sure if they're sincere. It's too dangerous for you to go alone."
She paused for a moment, then proposed the safest solution:
"At the very least, please have either the Flame Hashira or the Stone Hashira Pillar accompany you. With them there, we can guarantee that everything will go smoothly."
"No."
Kagaya refused without even thinking, his expression returning to the dignity and decisiveness befitting a husband.
"Amane, the Pillars are our sharpest sword against Muzan, the last line of defense to protect everyone."
"Their strength must not be wasted on protecting me personally."
"Each pillar has a place they must guard, and a task they must complete."
He gently patted his wife's hand, his voice softening as he tried to soothe her anxiety.
"Besides, you're overthinking it. There's probably no safer place in the world than Mount Sagiri."
A hint of pride and trust shone in his eyes.
"Giyu is there. That kid's strength is now unfathomable. What's more, Urokodaki- Urokodaki, who trained Giyu and Sabito —the former Water Hashira— is also there."
With those two, master and disciple, around, no ghost can run wild there.
Kagaya's words were clear, logical, and persuasive. Amane knew that he was telling the truth. Giyu Tomioka's strength had long been proven by his repeated victories in slaying the Twelve Kizuki.
She was persuaded.
But her instinct as a wife prevented her from letting her husband embark on this unknown journey alone.
Amane raised her head and met her husband's gaze. Her eyes were no longer filled with worry, but with an unwavering stubbornness and determination.
"In that case, please allow me to go with you."
Kagaya was stunned.
"Amane, this..."
"My husband!!"
Amane interrupted him, stepping forward to straighten his slightly disheveled collar, speaking clearly and distinctly, word by word.
"You are the 'Oyakata-sama' of the Demon Slayer Corps, and I am your wife, the mistress of the Ubuyashiki Family."
"Whether what lies ahead is hope or despair, I will face it with you. This is the vow I made the day I married you."
Looking into his wife's clear yet resolute eyes, Kagaya couldn't bring himself to refuse.
He knew this was her realization.
After a long while, he finally let out a long sigh, which then turned into a soft laugh full of doting affection and helplessness.
"Good."
He took her hand. "Let's go together."
After two days of arduous travel, the familiar, slightly cool-aired Mount Sagiri finally appeared on the horizon.
Giyu Tomioka walked at the front, while Tamayo and Yushiro kept a distance behind him.
Tamayo was still dressed in a simple kimono, and although she looked travel-worn, her quiet and gentle temperament remained unchanged.
But in her eyes, there was a hint of barely concealed nervousness and anticipation.
Yushiro, like a guard dog ready to pounce at any moment, stayed close to Tamayo, vigilantly observing everything around him, and constantly muttering complaints about how difficult the mountain path was.
"Hey! Can't you slow down a bit? Can't you see Tamayo is tired?"
"Is this road really safe? What if a few brainless Demon Slayer Corps suddenly jump out?"
Giyu ignored him.
Yushiro's constant rambling hadn't stopped since he left Asakusa; he was used to it by now.
After passing through that familiar forest, Sakonji Urokodaki of traps, Urokodaki Sakonji's familiar wooden house finally came into view.
Giyu's heart calmed down the moment he saw the wooden house.
No matter how much fighting and struggle he experienced outside, as long as he returned here, he would no longer be the Water Hashira carrying a heavy secret and walking alone.
He was merely a disciple taken in by Sakonji Urokodaki, Giyu Tomioka.
He took a deep breath, walked to the door of the wooden house, raised his hand, and was about to knock.
"Squeak--"
The wooden door was slowly pulled open from the inside.
A familiar face, wearing Tengu Mask, appeared behind the door.