The pink flames quietly dissipated, as though they had never appeared.
The air no longer held the foul stench of deadly poison or the bloody aura of demons. All that remained was a pure, warm scent after the flames had burned out.
A deathly silence fell over the ruins of Yoshiwara, more complete than even at the fiercest moment of the battle.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the figure lying motionless, on the small figure who had just performed a miracle.
"L-Lord Tengen..."
Hinatsuru's lips trembled. Almost crawling, she pressed her ear to Tengen Uzui's chest once more.
At that instant, her pupils contracted sharply, and an expression of wild joy mingled with bewilderment crossed her face as everything she knew about medicine was overturned.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
The heartbeat that had faded to little more than an echo now pounded like a battle drum struck hard-steady, powerful, and brimming with life!
"This can't be real..."
She reached out a trembling hand to check Tengen Uzui's pulse. Its steady, powerful beat told her clearly that this was no illusion.
"The poison... the poison really is all gone!" she shouted incoherently, tears pouring down her face. "His heartbeat is back! Lord Tengen... he's still alive!"
"Waaaaah!!"
Upon hearing this, Suma and Makio froze for a second, then burst into louder sobs than ever before. Only this time, their wails were cries of joy.
They threw themselves onto Tengen Uzui, feeling the strong rise and fall of his chest and the warmth returning to his body, crying like two children who had received the best gift of all.
Tanjiro gently held Nezuko, who had fallen headfirst into his arms and sunk into a deep sleep. He carefully placed her back inside the wooden box on his back and closed its door.
He