Kagaya Ubuyashiki drew a deep breath, his chest heaving violently. Pushing away Amane's supporting hand, he disregarded his frail body, planted both hands on the floor, and bowed his head deeply toward Rokuya.
"Oyakata-sama!" Rokuya's expression shifted slightly. He rose instantly and stepped in front of Kagaya, catching his shoulder with one hand and forcibly stopping his bow. "What are you doing? Trying to take years off my life?"
"Rokuya, you deserve this." Kagaya Ubuyashiki raised his head, an immensely gratified smile appearing on his face, half of which had been ravaged by the curse. "From the moment you appeared, I knew you were the unforeseen factor fate had bestowed upon the Demon Slayer Corps. You possess tremendous power that none of us have, and, more importantly, the potential to end this thousand-year nightmare."
He turned his hand to clasp Rokuya's wrist. Though his grip was weak, the conviction behind it carried immense weight. "Rokuya, you are the heart of the Demon Slayer Corps. Not only your blade, but now your very existence has become a source of hope for saving our comrades. I firmly believe that Muzan Kibutsuji's thousand-year reign will come to a complete end in this generation, at your hands!"
Looking into Kagaya's fervent, unwavering eyes, Rokuya felt the heavy weight on his shoulders. But he did not shy away; his lips merely curved into an arrogant smile. "Of course. Even if you hadn't said anything, sooner or later I'd chop that Muzan bastard into mince and feed him to the dogs."
After bidding Oyakata-sama farewell, Rokuya did not head straight to Tokyo Prefecture. Instead, he followed the System Map's guidance directly back to the Butterfly Mansion.
"I'm back-"
The moment Rokuya pushed open the gate to the Butterfly Mansion's courtyard, a rich, mouthwatering aroma greeted