Lin Yoriichi and Giyu Tomioka hurried back to Headquarters.
He had thought Kagaya Ubuyashiki had sent word through a Kasugai Crow ordering Giyu Tomioka to return to Headquarters immediately because there was another mission.
But upon entering the courtyard, Lin Yoriichi was surprised to see Hinaki Ubuyashiki and Kiriya Ubuyashiki standing on the veranda in front of it, clearly having waited for quite some time.
Upon seeing Giyu Tomioka, they immediately spoke in their ethereal voices:
"Giyu Tomioka, congratulations on passing the Final Selection at Mount Fujikasane."
Hearing this, Giyu Tomioka froze on the spot.
The selection at Mount Fujikasane all those years ago had always been a thorn in his heart.
Giyu Tomioka had always felt that he had merely spent seven days unconscious and passed the selection through sheer luck, and that he did not deserve to join the Demon Slayer Corps at all.
Even now that he held the title of Hashira, Giyu Tomioka still felt he did not deserve it.
But under Lin Yoriichi's guidance, he had returned to Mount Fujikasane, killed the Hand Demon, and avenged Mr. Urokodaki's disciples.
And now he had heard those words, "Congratulations on passing," with his own ears.
The thorn buried deep in Giyu Tomioka's heart for so many years finally disappeared.
After congratulating him on passing, they presented Giyu Tomioka with another Demon Slayer Corps uniform.
He also selected a piece of "tamahagane"-"Crimson Red Iron Sand ore" mined from the mountaintop closest to the sun-to forge a Nichirin Blade for slaying demons.
Even Giyu Tomioka's Kasugai Crow cooperated, circling once overhead before landing on his shoulder, completing the process of "recognizing its master" once again.
Watching from the side, Lin Yoriichi felt somewhat moved as well.
This entire procedure was prepared specifically for swordsmen who had just joined the Demon Slayer Corps after passing the selection at Mount Fujikasane.
Yet Kagaya Ubuyashiki had arranged it all over again for Giyu Tomioka, so he could pull that thorn from his heart.
Now he understood why everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps loved Kagaya Ubuyashiki, their Oyakata-sama, so much.
Just then, Kiriya Ubuyashiki turned toward Lin Yoriichi and bowed.
"Mr. Yoriichi, please follow me around the back."
"The Master is waiting for you."
Lin Yoriichi was surprised to hear this. Did Kagaya Ubuyashiki need him for something?
He followed the little boy, Kiriya Ubuyashiki, around to the back of Headquarters, where he saw a vast cemetery.
Clearly, the Demon Slayer Corps' deceased swordsmen were buried here.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki was holding a cloth, wiping down a gravestone that looked quite old.
Lin Yoriichi heard Kiriya Ubuyashiki speak beside him in a subdued voice:
"Father's health has already deteriorated badly, but he still insists on personally cleaning the gravestones of swordsmen on the anniversaries of their deaths every day."
"I've tried to persuade him so many times, but..."
Only then did Lin Yoriichi realize that Kiriya Ubuyashiki, who had guided him here, was still just a child worried about his father's health.
Yet the words "every day" and "anniversaries of their deaths" still struck Lin Yoriichi as somewhat strange.
Seemingly noticing Lin Yoriichi's confusion, Kiriya Ubuyashiki explained quietly:
"Because over the past years, Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen have died almost every day."
"And more than half of these graves are cenotaphs."
"Because many of the swordsmen who died were devoured by demons, the Kakushi couldn't find their remains at all..."
Lin Yoriichi fell silent.
There were some shocks he could never truly experience, no matter how thoroughly he read the original work.
Only upon seeing this cemetery with his own eyes could Lin Yoriichi truly understand the danger and cruelty of demon hunting.
And only upon seeing Kagaya Ubuyashiki wiping the fallen swordsmen's gravestones himself did he truly understand the weight behind "Oyakata-sama remembers every member of the Demon Slayer Corps."
He crouched down, reached out to ruffle Kiriya Ubuyashiki's hair, and said gently:
"I promise you, I will put an end to Muzan Kibutsuji."
With that, Lin Yoriichi turned away from Kiriya Ubuyashiki and walked toward Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
"Cough, cough..."
Although the weather was noticeably warmer today, Kagaya Ubuyashiki was still bundled in very thick clothing.
Upon seeing Lin Yoriichi, he said somewhat apologetically:
"That child Kiriya didn't say anything that troubled you, did he?"
Lin Yoriichi shook his head and heard Kagaya Ubuyashiki say guiltily:
"The Kakushi stationed at Mount Fujikasane told me that you and Giyu Tomioka went to slay a demon that had been hiding there for years."
"This was my responsibility. I have failed Mr. Urokodaki and his disciples. I will ask his forgiveness..."
Lin Yoriichi interrupted him, speaking quietly:
"Please don't tell Mr. Urokodaki about this. This is Giyu Tomioka's wish as well."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki remained silent for a long time before sighing.
"That child Giyu really has grown so much."
Then Kagaya Ubuyashiki came to the point:
"Mr. Yoriichi, I asked you here today because I have a favor to ask of you!"
"I would like you to investigate the matter on the train."
Lin Yoriichi quickly waved his hand, indicating that Kagaya Ubuyashiki need not be so polite.
"Is it the train you previously sent Giyu Tomioka and Murata to investigate?"
"But I heard him say they couldn't find any clues connected to demons on that train."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's expression grew grave.
"That is precisely what makes it even more suspicious."
"What's more, I received an even stranger piece of news."
"The passengers and crew who disappeared from that train have actually been found."
Hearing this, Lin Yoriichi frowned as well.
"They've been found?"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki nodded.
"Yes, they have all been found."
"And during subsequent questioning, they all gave reasons for suddenly leaving the train."
"Because only a few passengers and crew members had disappeared from the train, and they later reappeared, the matter wasn't given much attention."
"But I still used my connections to find the person who questioned those missing people."
"He said their expressions were all somewhat strange when they gave their reasons for suddenly leaving the train."
"They looked like people who had just woken up, recalling what had happened in their dreams."
Lin Yoriichi's expression grew serious as well.
At the mention of the key word "dreams," Lin Yoriichi immediately remembered a demon-
[Lower Rank One · Enmu]
This demon's ability was to put people to sleep, which fit the situation Kagaya Ubuyashiki had described very well.
Lin Yoriichi began to think.
So this Enmu hadn't fused himself with the train and directly devoured an entire train's passengers as he had in the original work.
Instead, after choosing his targets, he put them to sleep, fabricated a reason in their dreams that compelled them to leave the train, and then waited for a chance to eat them?
As for why he had suddenly let these people go, it was probably just as I predicted: he had abruptly received orders from Muzan Kibutsuji to conceal his whereabouts.
While Lin Yoriichi was thinking, however, a remark from Kagaya Ubuyashiki instantly brought a look of shock to his face:
"I've already sent Kyojuro Rengoku ahead to investigate."
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