"I... I did it." Shinobu's voice was so choked with sobs that it was almost inaudible. "Rokuya, I finally did it. With this poison, as long as I can stab a demon, even an Upper Rank, I can make them die without a grave! I finally... finally have the real strength to become a Hashira!"
She was so excited that her words became incoherent. She even threw herself recklessly into Rokuya's arms, clutching his haori with both hands as she burst into loud sobs.
Rokuya stiffened a little at the sudden embrace. He sighed and, rather than push her away, awkwardly reached out and gently patted her slender back.
"Go ahead and cry. You'll feel better once you let it out. You push yourself too hard, you know," Rokuya said softly.
Only after a long while did Shinobu realize she had lost her composure and pull away from Rokuya's arms, blushing. She hastily wiped away her tears and looked at the vial of lethal poison on the table. The wild joy in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by an unprecedented gravity.
"But..." Shinobu bit her lower lip, a flicker of conflict passing through her purple eyes. "Rokuya, can I really shoulder a Hashira's responsibilities?"
She turned to look at Rokuya, her eyes filled with deep uncertainty. "My sister said the Hashira are the foundation that supports the Demon Slayer Corps. I may have the power to kill now, but deep down... I always feel like I still don't have that noble resolve to sacrifice everything for everyone else. I'm afraid that if, on the battlefield, a moment of cowardice or a mistake on my part gets another Corps member killed... what would I do?"
The sudden increase in her strength had not erased the fear in her heart. Instead, it