"Because the root of karma is not in him, but in his bloodline, the sins committed by his ancestors. As long as he remains a member of the Ubuyashiki Family, karma will continue to accumulate."
"What should we do then?"
"He can offset the karma through diligent effort. If he can accumulate enough merit, he can offset the karma. The Curse will be lessened or even disappear."
"Then let him accumulate merit! He does good deeds every day, and he protects the Demon Slayer Corps every day—"
"It's not enough. His karma is too great; the merit he accumulates on his own is simply insufficient."
Higashino Makoto interrupted him.
"Therefore, I need your merits."
The courtyard fell silent.
"Each of you has accumulated merit. Killing ghosts, saving people, and protecting others all contribute to this merit. If you are willing to transfer your merit to him, his karma can be temporarily offset. I can then remove his Curse, and at least it won't recur for a while."
What will happen to us after the relocation?
Kyojuro Rengoku's voice was deep.
"You will lose your merits, which may not be apparent on the surface, or you may not suffer any negative consequences before you die. However, losing your merits after death means that you may not be able to go to heaven. Let me make it clear that heaven and reincarnation are real."
Sanemi Shinazugawa remained silent for a moment.
That's it?
"That's it."
"What's there to hesitate about?"
He drew his sword, walked up to Higashino Makoto, and planted the sword in the ground.
"Come, take all my credit."
"Sanemi--"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's voice rang out, trembling slightly.
"My lord."
Sanemi Shinazugawa did not turn back.
"You saved my life, you gave me a home, you transformed me from a madman into someone who knows why I live."
His voice was hoarse.
"Your life is more important than my achievements, more important than my soul, more important than heaven."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's lips trembled.
"Sanemi, you can't—"
"I can."
Sanemi Shinazugawa turned around and looked at him.
"My lord, you said that the Demon Slayer Corps is one family. There's no need for formalities among family members."
He turned his head and looked at Higashino Makoto.
"Come."
Higashino Makoto looked at him for two seconds.
Then he nodded.
"Good."
He raised his hand, and a pale golden light appeared in his palm.
The light fell on Sanemi Shinazugawa's head, enveloping his body.
The energy above his head began to flow, like a river being drawn, gushing out from Sanemi Shinazugawa's body and flowing into Higashino Makoto's palm.
Sanemi Shinazugawa swayed, feeling as if he had indeed lost something important.
"Sanemi!"
Obanai Iguro helped him up.
"Fine..."
Sanemi Shinazugawa's voice was calm, with a smile playing on his lips.
"I'm just... a little tired."
Higashino Makoto withdrew his hand, looking at the flowing white light in his palm.
I'll keep your work for now, and return it to you once I've thoroughly studied it.
No need to pay it back.
Sanemi Shinazugawa shook his head.
"To my lord."
Higashino Makoto didn't answer. He simply turned around and looked at the others.
Who else?
Kyojuro Rengoku stepped forward and planted his sword in the ground.
"I."
Obanai Iguro stepped forward.
"I."
Mitsuri Kanroji stepped forward.
"Me~"
Muichiro Tokito stepped forward.
"... I."
Tengen Uzui stepped forward.
"I."
Giyu Tomioka stepped forward.
"I."
Shinobu Kocho stepped forward.
"I."
Kanae Kocho stepped forward.
"I."
Kanao Tsuyuri stepped forward.
"... I."
Higashino Makoto glanced at the three butterfly sisters and scolded them softly and irritably.
"You're all mine now, and you still dare to make decisions on your own? You'll regret it later."
However, it was ultimately his own idea that was proposed.
The Nine-Ball Technique surged from their bodies and flowed into Higashino Makoto's palm.
Everyone swayed, and everyone's face turned pale.
But no one regretted it.
Not a single person hesitated.
"I've taken most of your credit. But I've left you a small portion. If you die now, you shouldn't go to hell. Kill a few more ghosts later, and you should be able to go back to heaven."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki sat under the cherry blossom tree, watching all of this.
Tears streamed down his face.
He didn't wipe it.
He let the tears slide down his cheeks, dripping onto his pale, withered hands.
"You... you..."
His voice was hoarse, tinged with tears.
"My lord."
Kyojuro Rengoku turned around and looked at him.
"You said that the Demon Slayer Corps is one family. Family members don't need to say thank you."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki stared at him for a long time.
Then he closed his eyes.
Tears are still flowing.
But he didn't say anything more.
Higashino Makoto stood in the center of the courtyard, holding the nine orbs of flowing white light in his hands.
They spun, intertwined, and merged in his palm, like a miniature sun.
He gazed at the "sun," his golden eyes reflecting its pure, warm light.
"Ubuyashiki."
His voice was calm.
Are you ready?
Kagaya Ubuyashiki opened his eyes and looked at him with those purple eyes filled with tears.
"Ready."
Higashino Makoto walked up to him and raised his hand.
The sun in his palm slowly rose and flew to the top of Kagaya Ubuyashiki's head.
Then it fell.
Light poured in from the top of his head, flowing through his blood vessels to his limbs and bones, to every cell, and to every corner of his soul.
His body began to glow.
It is not a dim, passive reflection, but an active, warm light emanating from within.
The karmic burden that had enveloped him began to dissolve.
The moment merit and achievement come into contact is like positive and negative charges meeting, emitting a silent, invisible annihilation.
The black ink faded little by little, and the white ink was gradually consumed.
Higashino Makoto raised his other hand, and a golden light appeared in his palm.
"Radiant Purification"
The light enveloped Kagaya Ubuyashiki's body.
Those Curse rooted in bloodlines, passed down through generations—
In Higashino Makoto's perception, they were clearly visible, like black threads, wrapped around his soul.
The black threads began to break in the golden light.
At the moment of the breakage, Kagaya Ubuyashiki's body trembled violently.
His complexion changed from pale to rosy, his lips from chapped to moist, and his eyes from cloudy to clear.
"I..."
His voice was no longer hoarse.
"I..."
He looked up at Higashino Makoto, his purple eyes filled with shock.
"I—I can feel it—"
"What did you sense?"
"I feel my body is recovering."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's voice trembled.
No patient can resist the allure of health.
He stood up.
He stood up from his wheelchair.
This was the first time in many years that he could stand up without a wheelchair.
His legs were trembling slightly, but he did not fall.
"My lord!"
Kyojuro Rengoku's voice was filled with suppressed excitement.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki turned around and looked at the pillars standing in the courtyard.
Those who credited him.
Those who exchanged the purity of their souls for his life.
Those family members.
"Thanks."
He spoke, his voice still calm, but his purple eyes were filled with tears.
Thank you.
No one spoke.
Perhaps to them, this is something to be taken for granted.
Momo stood behind Higashino Makoto, her tail swaying gently behind her, the heart-shaped tip curling slightly.
"Cheng-san."
She said softly.
"You've done another good deed."
Higashino Makoto did not answer.
He looked at Kagaya Ubuyashiki, at the pillars, at the achievements and accomplishments that slowly and silently faded away in his eyes.
"Good news?"
He said in a low voice.
"My purpose was to conduct experiments, but I also wanted to do something I enjoy on the side."
"Moreover, as long as the ghost exists, the Curse will continue to descend. To be honest, it's not worth sacrificing all this energy for his health and lifespan."
Momo smiled.
"Whatever Cheng-san says goes."
Higashino Makoto glanced at her, then chuckled softly and reached out to grasp the tail that kept swaying in front of him.
"Let's go, it's time to rest."
"Yes, sir."
Momo bowed slightly and followed behind him.
The two walked out of the courtyard, out of the Ubuyashiki Estate, and into the moonlit night.
The three butterfly sisters watched their retreating figures, exchanged a glance, and then followed them.
In the courtyard, Kagaya Ubuyashiki stood there, gazing at the closed door.
"My lord."
Kyojuro Rengoku walked up to him.
"Are you... alright?"
"Good."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki turned around and looked at him.
"Very good."
He paused.
"Moreover, some things need to change."
Kyojuro Rengoku's eyes widened slightly.
"My lord--"
"Before you arrived, I was thoroughly scolded by Mr. Higashino."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's voice was calm, with a hint of a wry smile.
"Especially Mount Fujikasane."
He looked up at the cherry blossom tree in full bloom above him.
"Those children shouldn't have died in vain."
The moonlight spilled into the courtyard, turning everything silvery-white.
Cherry blossoms drifted down in the wind, like pink snowflakes.
It landed on his shoulders, in his hair, and on his purple eyes that had regained their vitality.