"Everyone survived! Two hundred passengers, not a single death!"
Kyojuro Rengoku's booming voice echoed beside the silent wreckage of the train, like a morning bell dispelling the night.
The passengers who had just been pulled back from the brink of hell froze for a few seconds, then erupted into deafening cheers and tears of joy.
Tanjiro leaned against a twisted section of carriage, gasping for breath.
He looked at the scorched earth left by the flames, then at the traces carved through the distant mountain forest by invisible threads, his heart filled with a whole new understanding of the word "Hashira."
So this was a Hashira.
They possessed not only the tremendous strength to slay demons, but also the godlike power to protect hundreds upon thousands of lives in desperate circumstances.
"Hahaha! Did you see that, Kentaro? It was all thanks to yours truly!"
Though Inosuke was thoroughly exhausted too, he still energetically butted his head against Tanjiro's back, bragging about his achievements.
"Mm! Boy with the boar's head! You did very well too!"
Kyojuro strode over and gave Inosuke a heavy clap on the shoulder with his fan-sized hand, laughing with unrestrained delight.
"And young Kamado! Your final slash was outstanding! Such spirit!"
His gaze finally settled on Uesugi Sasuke, who stood a short distance away, watching the distant forest alone.
"Young Uesugi! Your power was truly eye-opening! Those flames and lightning that appeared out of thin air, and the threads that held the entire train in place at the end-simply unheard of! Once this mission is over, we must have a proper spar!"
Pure curiosity and fighting spirit, those of a powerful warrior, burned in Kyojuro's eyes.
Yet Sasuke did not respond.
He did not even turn around.
He simply stood quietly, his black haori stirring slightly in