Nothing strange had happened just now. Yushiro had merely pressed his hands against both sides of Zenitsu's head. A moment later, he let go, and the two of them came out.
Tetsu no Sosuke immediately abandoned his "fight" with Shinobu Kocho and asked Yushiro, "How is he?"
Tanjiro was clearly concerned too and came over at once.
Yushiro thought for a moment before saying, "There's a shadow in his mind. It's deeply rooted and can't be integrated with the rest of him. From what you've told me, your Meditation Method probably strengthened its sense of self. And his own personality is too timid for him to wrest control from that shadow through his own efforts. He won't exactly be 'eaten' by himself, but if this continues, he may develop a second personality. Once that personality awakens, his original one will be completely erased."
For a long moment after hearing that, even Tetsu no Sosuke couldn't speak.
It was far worse than he had imagined.
Zenitsu Agatsuma looked from one person to another and scratched his head. "So you're saying I won't actually be eaten by myself? Then there's nothing to be scared of."
"Actually..." Yushiro glanced at him. "It amounts to much the same thing."
Zenitsu Agatsuma immediately sank back into anxiety.
Tetsu no Sosuke rubbed his chin. "Suddenly, letting the other Zenitsu Agatsuma come out doesn't sound so bad. This one's useless, after all."
"Hammer Pillar... I can still hear you. Could you not say that right in front of me?"
Zenitsu Agatsuma was devastated.
Tetsu no Sosuke promptly corrected himself. "Come on. Let's talk inside."
"..." Zenitsu Agatsuma had nothing to say.
Going inside to talk was a joke, of course. Even if they really did discuss the matter, they couldn't let Zenitsu Agatsuma find out...
Tetsu no