Nine Pillars Assemble

Creak, creak—!

The sound of wooden wheels rolling over the earth came to an abrupt stop.

Kashu had been waiting with his blindfold on when a respectful greeting reached his ears.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Kashu. We have arrived at headquarters. You may remove your blindfold now."

"Fou!"

A fluffy sensation rubbed against Kashu's hand. Fou was protesting.

"Ah! My deepest apologies! I'll remove your little pet's blindfold right away!"

The logistics personnel from the Hidden Corps hurriedly went to untie the black cloth over Fou's eyes as well.

It seemed that, to conceal headquarters and protect the Ubuyashiki clan from demon threats, the Demon Slayer Corps had taken secrecy to the absolute extreme—even pets were not exempt.

Kashu pulled off his blindfold and, after briefly adjusting to the light, looked over the secluded courtyard.

A gravel path wound ahead, wisteria cascading like waterfalls on either side as a faint fragrance drifted through the air.

Deeper in the courtyard, an artificial stream murmured along beneath an arched bridge.

He jumped down from the cart, understanding at once.

After all the detours along the way, combined with this isolated scenery, it was no wonder the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters had remained hidden for so long.

Kashu crossed the bridge, and Tanjiro and his sister came into view. They had clearly arrived before him.

The unconscious boy had been casually placed on the ground, while his sister Nezuko hid inside a wooden box.

Aside from them, nine imposing figures stood in the courtyard. Their clothing varied, but every one of them radiated a sharp, formidable presence.

They were the Demon Slayer Corps' strongest fighting force—the Nine Pillars.

If not for a direct summons from the master, only the semiannual Pillar Meeting could gather them all in one place.

"Oh? The guest who took down Lower Rank Five according to the report is that silver-haired fellow, isn't he?"

A somewhat flamboyant voice rang out. The speaker was tall, with a jeweled headband gleaming on his forehead and conspicuous twin blades strapped to his back. He was Tengen Uzui, the Sound Pillar.

He was studying Kashu's unusual hair color with great interest.

Quietly approving of the other man's flashy sense of style.

"To fight one of the Twelve Kizuki—impressive!"

"I never expected there to be such a powerful person outside the Demon Slayer Corps. You have my admiration!"

Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar, wore a flame-patterned haori. His voice boomed, and his eyes were filled with praise.

Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Pillar, wore a somewhat daring Corps uniform. Her fingers idly curled around her cherry-pink braid, but her gaze kept drifting toward Fou on Kashu's shoulder.

He's such a handsome guest, and he even has such an adorable little animal with him. He must be a gentle person!

The Stone Pillar, Gyomei Himejima, dressed like a monk and possessed the most imposing physique of them all.

Standing at the center, he pressed his palms together as two streams of tears slowly rolled down his face.

"For such a young guest to have slain Lower Rank Five, he must have endured countless hardships. Namu Amida Butsu."

"Tch, who cares about that!"

Sanemi Shinazugawa, the Wind Pillar, cut off his sentiment with a voice full of hostility.

With his white, spiky hair and his uniform hanging half-open over a body crisscrossed with scars, he glared fiercely at Tanjiro on the ground.

"Deal with this Corps member traveling with a demon first! That is a grave crime!"

"Shinazugawa is right."

From the corner, Obanai Iguro, the Serpent Pillar, spoke coldly.

He wore a black-and-white striped haori, while the white snake around his neck hissed and flicked its tongue at Tanjiro.

"As a Demon Slayer Corps member, he actually dared to associate with a demon. It is absolutely unforgivable."

Among the Nine Pillars, only Muichiro Tokito, the Mist Pillar, seemed detached from it all as he stared up at the sky with an indifferent expression.

As though everything happening around him had nothing to do with him.

Kashu watched with folded arms and had no intention of intervening. He merely listened as the Nine Pillars judged Tanjiro and his sister.

Though he had only arrived here yesterday, the information he knew was enough for him to make a simple assessment.

The enemy's strength was ranked by the phases of the moon, forming the Twelve Kizuki.

The nine people before him were known as Pillar-class swordsmen, far stronger than the Lower Rank Five he had killed before.

Yet the Demon Slayer Corps, despite possessing such strength, had battled demons for a thousand years and had usually been at a disadvantage.

Was the gap between the Upper Ranks and Lower Ranks truly that enormous?

Or were there simply too few Demon Slayer Corps members to deal with the sheer number of demons?

"Mr. Shinazugawa, please put the box down. This is making things difficult for me."

The commotion interrupted Kashu's thoughts, causing him to look up.

Sanemi Shinazugawa had snatched away the wooden box containing Nezuko, while a Hidden Corps member tried to stop him.

He glared viciously at the struggling Tanjiro and sneered.

"You dare say a demon would fight to protect humans? That is absolutely impossible! Bastard!"

Before his words had even faded, Sanemi Shinazugawa yanked out his Nichirin Blade and stabbed at the wooden box with a backhanded thrust.

The wind suddenly tore through the air!

Sanemi Shinazugawa felt his hand go empty. Focusing his eyes, he saw that the wooden box had already landed securely in the guest's hands some distance away.

So fast!?

The Pillars were shaken to the core, their pupils contracting. Not one person present had seen Kashu move.

Even the Thunder Pillar, famed for explosive speed, would have been ashamed by such swiftness.

Kashu slowly set the wooden box down. The smile remained on his face, but his tone carried a trace of teasing.

"Are all you demon hunters this hot-tempered?"

"Going on and on about violations and punishment... aren't those matters only leaders have the authority to decide?"

Veins bulged on Sanemi Shinazugawa's forehead as he gave a feral grin.

"Enough nonsense! There's no need to trouble the master over something this minor!"

"Mr. Shinazugawa, please stop—"

Before Shinobu Kocho could finish speaking, Sanemi Shinazugawa attacked!

Wind Breathing, First Form: Dust Whirlwind—Cutting Slash!

Sanemi Shinazugawa pushed off the ground, shattering gravel beneath his feet as a fierce gale surged around him. A jade-green blade flashed down in a direct strike!

The smile vanished from Kashu's face. With a lift of his hand, the White-Platinum Sword appeared from nowhere, and he casually swung it forward.

The wind howled back in an even more violent fury!

A solid tornado formed out of thin air, instantly swallowing Sanemi's slash and violently sweeping his charging body high into the air!

"A weapon appeared out of nowhere?"

"Mr. Shinazugawa!?"

"I knew it..."

"What kind of power is that?"

"He created a storm just by swinging his sword?"

Amid the Pillars' cries of shock, Sanemi Shinazugawa tumbled awkwardly through the air before crashing heavily to the ground.

"Damn it!"

He swiftly rolled to his feet. Though he had not suffered serious injuries, he felt utterly humiliated and roared as he charged forward again!

Wind Breathing, Eighth Form: Primary Gale Slash!

The slash that spiraled around his entire body unleashed even greater sword pressure, determined to tear the person before him apart!

But Kashu had no interest in continuing the fight. He swung his sword again, and another storm sent Sanemi flying away in even greater embarrassment.

Only then did he turn his head toward the buildings deeper within the courtyard and call out loudly.

"If you wanted to confirm this so-called White-Platinum Sword, I've already taken it out. Aren't you going to show yourself?"

"My deepest apologies. I had no intention of testing you."

A gentle, warm voice sounded out, carrying a strange calming power that instantly silenced the courtyard's uproar.

"It is simply that this broken body of mine makes movement difficult, and I was unable to stop Sanemi's impulsiveness in time."

"Master!"

The Nine Pillars turned solemn and dropped to one knee in unison, lowering their heads in salute.

Even Sanemi Shinazugawa, who had been burning with rage moments ago, immediately restrained his hostility and became respectful.

Soon, a man in elegant robes slowly emerged, supported by his wife and daughter.

He possessed a dignified bearing and graceful manners, but the upper half of his face was covered in diseased scars, making for a shocking sight.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the current master of the Demon Slayer Corps.

With eyes that were nearly blind, he looked toward the White-Platinum Sword in Kashu's hand. Beneath his frail tone lay indescribable excitement and hope.

"At last..."

"The key to severing this thousand-year fate has finally appeared..."

He shifted his gaze to Kashu, his eyes filled with undisguised pleading.

"Mr. Kashu, would you... be willing to become our hope for breaking this curse?"