The Butterfly Mansion had been run ragged lately.
Before one critically injured patient was fully out of danger, another arrived at the Butterfly Mansion.
Masachika Kume's life had been saved, but his internal organs were badly damaged. They were lucky to have preserved their function at all. Whether he could regain his former fighting ability was up to fate.
Sanemi ignored Shuanglai, the Kasugai Crow that had been circling outside for ages. As Masachika's junior fellow disciple, he stayed by his side to care for him-if standing nearby with a grim expression while the Butterfly Mansion's Tsuguko changed his dressings counted as care.
Giyu Tomioka, who was attending to the patient in the next bed, had likewise kept Headquarters waiting for a long time.
A week later, Sabito woke up.
As Sabito recovered, Giyu stopped fearing Makomo as though she were a tiger.
With Sabito and Makomo's encouragement, he finally accepted Kagaya Ubuyashiki's invitation to visit Headquarters and discuss the position of Hashira.
"So what did they settle on?" Haruto peeled an apple with a small knife, put the flesh in a bowl, and pushed it toward Sabito. Then he picked up another apple Makomo had washed and began crunching away.
"You don't know? Aren't you a Hashira?" Sabito speared a piece of apple with the tip of his knife. Seeing how much Haruto enjoyed his, he sat up and popped it into his mouth.
"Giyu becoming a Hashira was a done deal, but you're not far behind him. There's only one Water Hashira. They couldn't just give you a different title, could they?"
Sabito gave him a thumbs-up. "Exactly. Headquarters finally decided that Giyu would be a Hashira, and I'd be a Half-Hashira. Apart from the title, there's no difference-I get the same treatment and can attend Hashira Meetings