As dawn broke, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the thin mist, casting a faint golden hue over the mountain path of Mount Sagiri.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's steps were slow, but unusually firm.
Every step felt like measuring this land that carried countless hopes and legacies of the Demon Slayer Corps.
The mountain air was crisp and pure, carrying the scents of grass, trees, and damp earth, bringing a long-lost sense of comfort to his lungs, which were becoming increasingly weak due to the curse.
"Kagaya, please slow down."
Beside him, his wife Amane's voice was still so gentle; she reached out, wanting to hold his arm.
Kagaya gently shook his head, a gentle smile appearing on his lips, "It's alright, Amane. I want to walk this path myself."
This was the first time he had set foot in this sacred land that had nurtured countless powerful swordsmen since becoming the Oyakata-sama.
He could feel that every inch of the air here seemed to echo with the clear sound of clashing swords, and was soaked with the sweat shed by the boys.
It had been a long time since he had personally come to the "front lines" like this.
Ever since the curse on his face spread, he could only stay in that mansion surrounded by thousand-year-old Wisteria, remotely directing his "children" to wage this war against Muzan Kibutsuji, a war that had lasted for nearly a thousand years, through the messages of Kasugai Crow -rajas.
But this time, it's different.
When he read the words "has broken free from Muzan Kibutsuji's control" from Kanzaburo's crooked handwriting, Kagaya knew that the turning point in history had arrived.
That boy named Giyu Tomioka, his calm, water-like eyes always held a maturity and decisiveness beyond his years.
From the assessment at Mount Fujikasane to his promotion to Pillar, and now—time and again, he has brought the dawn of hope to this seemingly hopeless night.
Kagaya even felt that Giyu was not just a genius, but more like a mercy from heaven for the thousand-year curse of the Ubuyashiki Clan, a divine gift to the Demon Slayer Corps to end this tragedy... the sharpest sword.
After passing through that familiar forest, an ordinary wooden cabin finally appeared at the end of the morning mist.
Three figures were already waiting quietly in front of the house.
The leader was a tall, elderly man wearing Tengu Mask.
Just standing there, he was like an unshakeable mountain, both steady and imposing.
Kagaya knew that this was the former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki, who had nurtured the two geniuses, Giyu and Sabito.
Standing next to Urokodaki were two equally upright young men.
The one on the left has unusually long, flesh-colored hair, bright, sharp eyes, and a perfectly balanced expression of respect and curiosity.
The blue-eyed youth on the right, clad in a different colored haori, simply stood there quietly, which calmed Kagaya's heart.
Giyu Tomioka.
When the figures of the Master and Amane came into view, a complex emotion rose in Giyu Tomioka's heart.
There was respect, gratitude, and a touch of... guilt.
When he saw his Oyakata-sama's face, which was getting worse and worse because of the curse, and when he saw his unsteady steps, his heart clenched.
This man, who carries the fate of his entire family and the future of the Demon Slayer Corps on his shoulders, is losing his life at a speed visible to the naked eye.
But I myself failed to find a way to end all of this more quickly.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions within him.
As his Oyakata-sama and wife approached, he, along with Rabbit and his master Urokodaki, knelt down on one knee and lowered their heads.
"Greetings, My Master, Lady Amane."
The three voices could be heard clearly in the quiet mountains.
"Please rise, Urokodaki- senpai, Giyu, Sabito."
The Oyakata-sama's voice was still so gentle, as if it carried a reassuring power.
However, just as Giyu was about to get up, a pair of warm hands gently pressed down on his shoulders, stopping him from moving.
Giyu looked up, puzzled, and met his Oyakata-sama's clear, bright eyes.
Then, he saw a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the 97th Oyakata-sama the Demon Slayer Corps, slowly and solemnly bowed deeply to him, who was kneeling before everyone.
A perfect, ninety-degree bow.
"!!!"
Giyu's pupils contracted instantly, and his mind went blank.
He instinctively wanted to back away, to dodge, but the Oyakata-sama's hand on his shoulder, though not strong, was firm and irresistible.
"My Master! What is this...?"
Master Urokodaki and Sabito, standing to the side, were equally stunned by this sudden scene, their voices filled with shock and confusion.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki slowly straightened up. He didn't look at the people next to him, but focused intently on Giyu, his voice filled with a gratitude and solemnity he had never felt before, welling up from the bottom of his heart.
"Don't bow to me like that again, Giyu."
"I have never been some high and mighty Oyakata-sama. I am just an ordinary person like you, risking my life just to let the world rest in peace. It is only because of everyone's support that I have taken this position as leader."
"The Demon Slayer Corps has never had any strict hierarchical etiquette. We are all just fellow travelers who have come together from all corners of the world and share the same beliefs."
Kagaya paused, then tightened his grip slightly on Giyu's shoulder.
"Speaking of which, I should be the one bowing to you, Giyu."
"It was you who gave me hope! The hope of finally ending Muzan Kibutsuji in this era!"
"Therefore, you must never kneel again, Giyu! I... Kagaya Ubuyashiki, am unworthy of this honor!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Mount Sagiri seemed to fall into a deathly silence.
Giyu stood frozen in place, his Oyakata-sama's words like heavy hammer blows striking his heart.
He wanted to say something,
I just did what I was supposed to do!
I'm not as great as you think!
I don't actually deserve such praise!!
But when he opened his mouth, it felt like his throat was stuffed with cotton, and he couldn't utter a single word.
All he could see was the purest, unadulterated trust and expectation reflected in his Oyakata-sama's eyes. That expectation was heavier than any knife, pressing down on him so hard he could barely breathe.
The door to the wooden house was ajar.
From the moment Kagaya Ubuyashiki appeared, Tamayo stood behind the crack in the door, nervously observing everything outside.
Is this the "Oyakata-sama" of the Demon Slayer Corps?
A man who looks so weak that he even needs help walking?
For centuries, she had lived in hiding in Muzan 'Muzan shadow. In her mind, the Demon Slayer Corps had always been a powerful, ruthless, and irreconcilable group of hunters. And their leader should also be dignified, imposing, and inviolable.
However, the man in front of me exuded a kind of... gentle aura.
The moment he bowed to Giyu Tomioka, Tamayo felt as if her heart, which had been frozen for hundreds of years, had been violently struck.
She listened intently to every word Kagaya Ubuyashiki spoke.
"I have never been some high and mighty Oyakata-sama."
"We are all just... fellow travelers sharing the same beliefs."
"I... Kagaya Ubuyashiki, am unworthy of this title!"
Tamayo's body trembled slightly, unable to stop herself from doing so.
She quickly covered her mouth with her hand to prevent the suppressed sob from escaping.
Tears streamed uncontrollably from her beautiful eyes, one drop at a time, falling onto the cold floor.
What a... what a magnanimous Oyakata-sama!
Another face involuntarily surfaced in her mind—a face so handsome it was almost otherworldly, yet forever etched with gloom and arrogance.
Muzan Kibutsuji.
That monster who treated all his subordinates like ants, like tools, and who would beat and scold them at the drop of a hat, and slaughter them indiscriminately.
Before him, no ghost dared to disobey in the slightest; even their thoughts could be spied upon by him. It was an absolute, suffocating dictatorship and tyranny.
And the man in front of me...
He actually performed such a grand ceremony for the "hope" brought by one of his subordinates, placing himself on an equal footing with everyone else.
One is a god high above, trampling all living beings under his feet.
The other is the king who travels with everyone, carrying the expectations of all.
Who is the king and who is the bandit? At this moment, the difference in status is immediately apparent.
Tamayo finally understood.
She finally understood why the Demon Slayer Corps, a small organization composed of mortals, was able to contend with Muzan Kibutsuji, who possessed immortality and absolute power, for nearly a thousand years.
Because what they possess is something Muzan will never understand.
It's a bond called "belief" and "inheritance".
At that moment, the faint flame of hope that had been ignited in Tamayo's heart because of Giyu Tomioka suddenly burst into flames that could blaze across the sky!
She wiped away her tears, her eyes becoming more resolute than ever before.
Perhaps... no, it's certain!
Following these people, we're sure to kill that man!
Kagaya helped up Giyu, Giyu was still somewhat dazed. He could sense that this quiet boy was going through a lot of turmoil inside.
He didn't say anything more, but simply patted him lightly on the shoulder, then turned to Sakonji Urokodaki and bowed again.
"Senior Urokodaki, thank you for your hard work over the years."
Having dealt with all of this, Kagaya's gaze returned to Giyu, his tone softening:
"Giyu, what are your plans next?"
Giyu seemed to finally recover from his shock. He raised his head, and his icy blue eyes regained their usual calm and determination.
"My Master, the Pillars bear heavy responsibilities, and the Demon Slayer Corps' affairs cannot be delayed. Now that you have arrived, I presume you have already made your decision. I wish to depart immediately and return to my territory."
He paused, then added:
"I can't waste too much time here."
Kagaya smiled and nodded, his eyes full of approval.
He knew that this was the Giyu Tomioka he knew. He always put responsibility and mission first and never slacked off.
"Okay! Go ahead, my child! Be careful."
Having received permission, Giyu did not hesitate at all, and headed down the mountain alone without any fuss.
After watching Giyu leave, Kagaya slowly turned around and looked at the wooden house with its door slightly ajar.
He walked into the house and immediately saw the woman standing quietly with a gentle demeanor, and behind her, a boy with a wary expression, as if he were about to pounce and bite someone at any moment.
"I am the 97th Oyakata-sama the Demon Slayer Corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki."
Kagaya wore a gentle smile, a smile that seemed capable of melting away all the ice in the world.
"You must be Miss Tamayo."
He was completely unguarded, as if he were chatting with a long-lost friend.
He looked into Tamayo's eyes, those beautiful eyes still bearing traces of tears, but even more so, they held a resolute determination, as if reborn from the ashes.
Kagaya knew it all perfectly well.
"Please have a seat, Ms. Tamayo."
The two sat at separate tables, and Kagaya got straight to the point:
"Giyu already mentioned the cooperation in his letter."
"I have never doubted his judgment! His meaning is my meaning!"
He gave the other person complete and unreserved trust.
Ultimately, in a friendly atmosphere, the two sides finalized the contract.
Tamayo and Yushiro are forbidden from harming any life. In exchange, the Demon Slayer Corps will provide them with protection, research data, and full support in developing a drug that can turn demons back into humans, and... a poison that can kill Muzan Kibutsuji.
"Only..."
After discussing the collaboration, a hint of helplessness appeared on Kagaya's face.
"Even though Giyu and I have accepted your identities, things with the other Pillars... will still take some time."
"The Demon Slayer Corps is not my personal fiefdom. My children, while they all respect me, are also a group of people with their own ideas."
"The idea that ghosts eat people is deeply ingrained in their minds. Changing their mindset is not something that can be done in a day or two."
"So, I'm sorry, Tamayo. I'm afraid we'll have to trouble you and Mr. Yushiro to stay at Mount Sagiri for a while."
Tamayo listened, then smiled and shook her head, her tone utterly sincere:
"You flatter us. Having such a safe haven, far from the hardships of displacement, is already a great blessing for us."
Looking at her relieved smile, Kagaya was filled with mixed emotions.
He talked a lot with Tamayo, listening to her recount her centuries-long hatred for Muzan and her description of how cruel and selfish that man was.
"Muzan Kibutsuji..." Kagaya thought to himself.
"You're such a failure. Even the ghost you created hates you so much and wants to kill you."
"Being abandoned by everyone is the ultimate fate of a tyrant like you."
"And our hope is rising."