Bright Red Nichirin Blade

Looks like today's effort wasn't wasted.

Chiba Yo felt an immense sense of accomplishment. He rose and followed Giyu to the mansion where the Hashira were gathering.

A week gradually passed, and the Hashira Meeting drew to a close.

Inside the mansion, the ten Hashira knelt on one knee before Kagaya.

With a smile, Kagaya said in a gentle voice, "That concludes this Hashira Meeting. Sorry for the trouble of coming here. I will gradually put into practice the solutions you proposed for the issues you raised.

Lastly, I pray that you will always remain safe and well."

His unhurried voice carried the most heartfelt sincerity.

"We wish you lasting health, Master!" The ten Hashira bowed their heads slightly and offered their wishes together.

"Thank you for your kind wishes. You may all return now," Kagaya told the Hashira with a smile. Then he turned his gaze to Chiba Yo and said, "Yo, stay a moment. There is something I would like to discuss with you."

"Yes," the Hashira answered in unison upon hearing Oyakata-sama's words.

Afterward, the other Hashira left the mansion one by one, leaving only Chiba Yo behind.

Chiba Yo was bewildered himself, unsure why Oyakata-sama had asked him alone to stay.

Once the other Hashira had all left, Kagaya spoke.

"Now that it is just the two of us, you can tell me about anything that troubles or hurts you. Bottling it up will only make it harder to bear."

His voice was steady and gentle, and his eyes seemed to hold the power to see into people's hearts.

Kagaya continued, "Every member of the Demon Slayer Corps carries a great deal of pain in their heart. Those who join the Corps are good children, kind and gentle.

But precisely because of that, they feel the grief of others as their own, and blame themselves terribly for things that cannot be avoided.

Kind people are always more easily hurt.

Like Kyojuro, you always think of others. I have already heard what happened on your mission from your crow. You must be hurting inside."

Kagaya looked at Chiba Yo. Though half his face was horribly disfigured, he did not seem frightening in the slightest. Instead, there was a kindness about him that made people want to draw closer.

Kagaya's words struck home. The two people who had died right before Chiba Yo's eyes still haunted his mind. He had been strong enough to slay the demons with ease, yet he had been unable to save them.

After a moment of silence, Chiba Yo spoke.

"Master... can I really protect others? They were right in front of me, but all I could do was watch them die. Can someone like me really protect people the way Teacher Rengoku and the others do?

Did that demon's older brother die because of me? Was I the one who killed him?"

Chiba Yo stared at the floor as he spoke, anguish in his voice.

Chiba Yo asked several questions in succession. Though the past few days had been pleasant and happy, whenever he lay down, these questions would surface in his mind, forcing him to dwell on them.

He had originally joined the Demon Slayer Corps to take revenge on demons, but under Kyojuro's guidance, his goal had changed to protecting others.

Yet these two consecutive missions had left him feeling that he had protected no one. He possessed great strength, but could accomplish nothing.

"Slaying man-eating demons is itself a way of protecting others. You have already done that.

As for those siblings, it is very difficult for humans to retain their sense of self after becoming demons. The moment they turn, they are no longer the people they once were. Since that demon had already eaten someone, there was nothing wrong with slaying it.

Muzan Kibutsuji is responsible for all these tragedies. You need not blame yourself," Kagaya reassured him.

Kagaya's words eased Chiba Yo's heart considerably. He bowed to Kagaya and said gratefully, "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Master."

"Though there is nothing wrong with reflecting on your actions, try to be a little less harsh on yourself from now on," Kagaya said to Chiba Yo with a smile.

"I understand." Chiba Yo nodded.

Then he too left the mansion.

The Hashira Meeting had officially ended, but the Hashira who had not yet received missions remained at the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters for the time being, using the opportunity to train. Those with Tsuguko also took this chance to instruct them.

Meanwhile, someone Chiba Yo had not expected came to see him.

"Huh? What brings you here, Mr. Tetsumaru-yama?"

Chiba Yo looked at Tetsumaru-yama, who stood before him wearing a Hyottoko Mask, and asked in some confusion.

"You're actually asking me that? I have no idea how someone as stupid as you became a Hashira. Obviously, I came to engrave 'Destroyer of Demons' on your Nichirin Blade-the inscription reserved for the blades of Hashira-ranked swordsmen. And to see whether you've been taking proper care of the blade I forged," Tetsumaru-yama said, looking at Chiba Yo with her arms crossed.

Though her words were somewhat impatient, her tone made it clear that she was delighted. After all, forging a Nichirin Blade for a Hashira was an honor for a swordsmith.

"Oh, I see. Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Tetsumaru-yama. But may I ask whether you'll need to take the Nichirin Blade back to your village?" Chiba Yo asked once he understood.

He was a little worried that having his Nichirin Blade taken away might delay his missions.

"Of course not. I've already brought all the tools I need. I can finish the job in less than a day," Tetsumaru-yama said with a wave of her hand.

Relieved, Chiba Yo took out his Nichirin Blade. Just as he was about to hand it to Tetsumaru-yama, something occurred to him. Rather than pass it over immediately, he said to her with a touch of excitement, "Oh, right. A while ago, I discovered that this Nichirin Blade turns red when I fight. Would you like to see it, Mr. Tetsumaru-yama?"

Remembering how determined Tetsumaru-yama had been to see a Nichirin Blade turn red, Chiba Yo offered to show her.

Upon hearing this, Tetsumaru-yama could no longer sit still. She excitedly grabbed Chiba Yo's hand and dragged him outside.

"Of course I want to see it! What are you hesitating for? Hurry up and show me the Nichirin Blade turning red!" Tetsumaru-yama said as she pulled Chiba Yo along.

"All right, all right, I get it," Chiba Yo said helplessly behind her.

Before long, the two arrived at a training ground at the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry..."

Tetsumaru-yama stood to the side, urging Chiba Yo on without pause, her excitement plain to see.

Mr. Tetsumaru-yama is still as impatient as ever.

Chiba Yo turned to glance at Tetsumaru-yama, feeling rather helpless.

Then he turned back, drew a deep breath, and exhaled a white stream of air as he tightened his grip on his Nichirin Blade.

The next moment, something strange happened. A shade of crimson gradually crept over the pitch-black Nichirin Blade in Chiba Yo's hand. The red spread across its entire blade, transforming its color completely.

"A Bright Red Nichirin Blade... it really is a Bright Red Nichirin Blade... the records... were true..."

Standing nearby, Tetsumaru-yama murmured to herself as she watched the Nichirin Blade change.