The Corps Barracks at Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters
Chiba Yo hurried to Kagaya's residence.
"Master," Chiba Yo greeted respectfully when he saw Kagaya inside.
"Yo, what brings you here?" Kagaya asked gently.
"Master, do you know about the Bright Red Nichirin Blade?" Rather than explaining outright, Chiba Yo began with a question.
After Tetsumaru-yama left, Chiba Yo spent nearly a full day figuring out roughly how to turn a Nichirin Blade bright red. He then hurried over to tell the Master, hoping to see whether every swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps could eventually gain this power.
Kagaya paused at Chiba Yo's question, then seemed to recall something. "You mean the Bright Red Nichirin Blade that can suppress a demon's regeneration?"
"That's right. Mr. Tetsumaru-yama, who forged my Nichirin Blade, concluded that the Bright Red Nichirin Blade is a transformed state of the Nichirin Blade. My previous battle confirmed that, and I've now found a way to bring about that transformation," Chiba Yo told Kagaya with some excitement.
Kagaya's composure shifted slightly at Chiba Yo's words. The Kasugai crow's earlier report had made no mention of a Bright Red Nichirin Blade, so he had not known that Chiba Yo could turn his blade bright red.
"Have you confirmed that it can suppress a demon's regeneration?" Kagaya asked.
"Yes." Chiba Yo nodded and continued, "I confirmed it during my battle with Lower Rank Two. He couldn't immediately regenerate the limbs I cut off."
"Good. Since the other Hashira haven't left on their missions yet, I'll gather everyone here now and have them try it first. If it works, we can gradually teach the other swordsmen." Kagaya chose to trust Chiba Yo and immediately made the arrangements.
Anything that could strengthen the Demon Slayer Corps received Kagaya's full attention.
Before long, the other nine Hashira had all been summoned.
Kagaya first explained the situation to them. Once they had heard him out, all nine turned their eyes to Chiba Yo.
"All right, Yo. Please begin," Kagaya said.
Chiba Yo went straight to the point. "The key to turning a Nichirin Blade into a Bright Red Nichirin Blade capable of suppressing a demon's regeneration is grip strength. A powerful grip can activate the sunlight contained within the blade, causing its temperature to rise rapidly and giving it the ability to suppress regeneration."
As he spoke, Chiba Yo drew his Nichirin Blade, then held it upright before him with both hands around the hilt, displaying its obsidian-black blade to everyone.
He then tightened his grip. A streak of crimson appeared on the black blade and gradually spread across it. Before long, the once-black Nichirin Blade had turned entirely red.
"How flashy," Tengen Uzui murmured in admiration at the sight.
"Can turning a Nichirin Blade red really give it the ability to suppress a demon's regeneration?" The Serpent Hashira questioned whether the Bright Red Nichirin Blade could truly do so.
Although he had grown rather fond of Chiba Yo, he still believed they should be rigorous when it came to official matters.
"I've already tested its ability in battle against Lower Rank Two," Chiba Yo explained.
"I also just received confirmation from the Kasugai crow. The Bright Red Nichirin Blade can indeed suppress a demon's regeneration," Kagaya added.
The other Hashira had no further questions.
"In that case, we will try to acquire this ability as soon as possible," Gyomei Himejima said, pressing his palms together.
"And about the mark we discussed last time-since Chiba was born with his, I'll awaken one myself, then tell you all how to do it," Sanemi added, brimming with enthusiasm.
Beside him, Giyu gave Sanemi a look that seemed to say, You really have some nerve saying that.
Just then, Kagaya spoke.
"There was one detail about the mark that I neglected to mention last time. I will tell you now."
His voice was solemn, drawing the Hashira's attention. They looked at him questioningly.
The atmosphere in the room grew grave.
"According to the records, every swordsman who bore a mark died before reaching the age of twenty-five, without exception..." Kagaya said slowly.
He had withheld this information last time because he worried whether Chiba Yo, who had only recently joined the Demon Slayer Corps, could bear it. He knew the other Hashira well, but his understanding of Chiba Yo had been limited.
After their previous conversation, however, Kagaya felt that Chiba Yo was resilient enough, so he chose to make the truth clear to all the Hashira.
None of them lived past twenty-five... So that was what my teacher's father meant when he said I'd "die young"...
Chiba Yo now fully understood what Shinjuro had meant back then. The news still came as a considerable shock.
Yet he felt neither fear nor resentment. Dying before twenty-five was not something he found impossible to accept now.
In the past, he would certainly have worried about who would care for his mother if he died so young, but he no longer had that concern.
What he did not know, however, was that Kagaya's statement was inaccurate. There had been an exception: a man who bore a mark yet lived into his eighties-the man who had driven Muzan into a corner during the Sengoku period, Yoriichi Tsugikuni.
The room fell silent after Kagaya's words, not because they feared the mark's side effects, but because their sympathy for Chiba Yo left them unsure what to say.
"In that case, I'll simply have to kill every demon before I turn twenty-five." His firm voice broke the silence as he looked at Kagaya and spoke with calm ease.
"Exactly! Now that's something I can get behind. So we won't live past twenty-five. What does a short life matter if we can wipe out every demon?" Sanemi wholeheartedly agreed with Chiba Yo, clenching his right fist and baring his teeth in a grin.
"That's what I wanted to say, too," the Serpent Hashira added.
"I can't wait to see my mark. It's bound to make me even flashier," Tengen Uzui said, rubbing his chin.
The other Hashira likewise paid little heed to this drawback. They even looked forward to the appearance of their marks.
"I see... Then what would happen if I awakened a mark...?" Gyomei Himejima murmured to himself.
As the atmosphere lightened, Kagaya smiled as well.
Just then, a Kasugai crow flew through the window and landed before Kagaya, a letter tied to its leg.
Kagaya untied the letter and read it, then raised his head.
"One of the Twelve Kizuki has appeared on Mount Natagumo. Many of our members have already lost their lives. Giyu, Shinobu, the two of you will go there. Yo, go with them. This will be a good opportunity to test the Bright Red Nichirin Blade again."
Before you continue