The scent of wisteria drifted through the cool evening breeze as Asuka and Giyu walked along the corridors. The wooden floor creaked softly beneath their steps.
After traveling through the night, they had finally arrived at the Ubuyashiki estate before nightfall.
Several figures had already been waiting for a long time in the center of the courtyard.
"Ah... Amitābha... This humble monk hears the footsteps of hope. It must be Giyu and Asuka returning."
Gyomei Himejima, his massive body like a mountain, sat cross-legged at the front. The prayer beads in his hands spun rapidly through his fingers, producing a deep, rhythmic clacking sound.
Two lines of tears continuously flowed from his pure white eyes, running through the creases of his cheeks.
It was hard to tell whether he was crying from joy... or if the wind had simply made his eyes water uncontrollably.
Under the shadow of a tree, Obanai Iguro crouched on a slanted branch. The white snake around his neck, Kaburamaru, flicked its tongue restlessly.
"...Finally here. Do these two not know how to take a carriage?"
His heterochromatic gold and green eyes glimmered in the darkness as his gaze stopped on Asuka.
"It seems you're stronger than expected, Storm Hashira. Congratulations."
"It truly is something to celebrate, even if it wasn't Upper Rank One."
"Now, now, Mr. Iguro, please don't be so harsh..."
Mitsuri Kanroji sat nearby, forcing a sweet smile.
"Everyone defeating an Upper Rank demon is already amazing! Didn't Mr. Iguro defeat Upper Rank Six as well?"
"..."
Obanai Iguro silently withdrew his gaze, looking helplessly at Mitsuri, who made it impossible for him to stay angry.
This left Mitsuri fidgeting nervously. Her large emerald eyes darted around anxiously. One moment she glanced at the empty spot where Shinobu Kocho should have been, and the next she twisted her fingers together under Iguro's intense gaze.
"Well done! Asuka!"
Kyojuro Rengoku had also attended today's meeting. He heavily patted Asuka on the shoulder.
"We are only a few moons away from facing Muzan Kibutsuji directly! This is truly exhilarating!"
Muichiro Tokito, who had once trained Asuka, also looked at him and gave a friendly nod.
"Congratulations."
The only one who had not spoken from beginning to end was Sanemi Shinazugawa, who sat quietly on the ground.
As fellow swordsmen from Hayama, seeing the younger Asuka repeatedly accomplish great feats left him both proud for their teacher Arasaki... and deeply frustrated with himself.
'How come I never run into any Upper Ranks? Damn it... I have to kill Upper Rank One before that brat does.'
At this moment, aside from the severely injured Shinobu Kocho and Tengen Uzui—who had been poisoned during the battle against Upper Rank Six and was currently recovering—all the Hashira had gathered.
Of course, the Fist Hashira didn't count.
Clack—
The sliding door of the tatami room opened.
Two young girls, Nichika and Hinaki, supported a figure dressed in a plain kimono as he slowly walked out.
Compared to several months ago, Ubuyashiki Kagaya's condition had worsened significantly.
The purple-black curse marks had already spread across nearly half his body. His thin frame looked as though a gust of wind could knock him over.
Even so, he forced himself to come out of the inner residence, just to personally share this encouraging joy with the swordsmen.
"My brave swordsmen... my brave children... welcome back... cough... cough..."
Leaning on his daughters for support, he slowly sat down, his unfocused eyes turning toward everyone.
"Master... please take care of your health..."
The towering Stone Hashira bowed deeply, his voice filled with sorrow.
"It is alright, Gyomei. Until that man's head falls to the ground... I will not fall."
Kagaya smiled gently, his voice as warm as a spring breeze.
"The reason I gathered everyone... I believe you all already know."
"For over a hundred years, the ranks of the Upper ranks have never changed. We have always been at a disadvantage..."
"But in just these past few days, the gears of fate... have begun turning more violently than ever before."
"Upper Rank demons have been slain! Well done, Asuka, Giyu, Obanai..."
He smiled toward the participants in the courtyard, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.
"It was only our duty."
Asuka responded politely, imitating the tone of the other Hashira.
Kagaya raised his hand, signaling his daughters to bring out an old book and present it to everyone.
"Aside from that, during these battles... a miracle that has slept for over a hundred years is beginning to awaken."
"We have found the key to defeating Muzan—the Mark."
The Hashira lifted their heads, looking at their master in confusion.
The Mark? What was that?
Kagaya was no longer able to speak for long periods. A black-haired boy stepped forward from beside him—Ubuyashiki Kiriya—who explained in his place.
"My lords, the Mark is a power that has been passed down in legend since the Demon Slayer Corps of the Warring States era."
"It is said to push a person's physical limits beyond exhaustion, allowing their physical abilities and swordsmanship to advance to an entirely new level."
"We do not know the exact cause of its appearance. For now, only Lord Asuka and Mr. Tanjiro have awakened similar powers."
After speaking, he glanced at Kagaya beside him and received a confirming nod.
"Lord Giyu, during the battle at Mount Myoko, the change in your body—please tell everyone about it."
All eyes instantly turned toward Giyu Tomioka.
Giyu, who had been silent with his head lowered, pointed at his cheek.
"During the battle, I was nearly killed by an Upper Rank demon. I saw my life flashing before my eyes and remembered many people and many things."
"My body felt like it was burning. My movements became faster. My reaction speed improved."
"That's all."
"...That's it?"
Sanemi Shinazugawa could not hold back any longer. His tone grew impatient.
"If simply facing death can awaken someone's potential, then that sounds far too easy."
"I'm jealous of the brain that thinks something like this is easy," Giyu replied calmly.
"...You brat, killing an Upper Rank has made you arrogant."
"Not really."
Seeing Sanemi about to erupt, Mitsuri hurriedly intervened.
"Um, then does that mean if all of us train this power, we can easily defeat Muzan? Hehe... that would be wonderful. Does that mean this chaotic era is finally ending?"
Kagaya placed his hand on Kiriya's slightly nervous shoulder before looking toward Asuka.
"Asuka, as the first Hashira to awaken the Mark, do you have any experience to share?"
Asuka frowned, thinking carefully.
He had already discussed the Mark with the Master's crow and with Kyojuro Rengoku before, but they had never reached a complete conclusion.
However, after witnessing Giyu seemingly awaken the Mark through a contagious effect, he felt he now had a slightly clearer direction.
"I suspect that Mr. Tomioka's near-death experience that night triggered an intense emotional response in his heart."
"The first time I experienced something similar was during my battle against Upper Rank Three. At that time, the only thing I felt was that I couldn't lose. I couldn't fall."
"He should be similar to me. Because of such intense determination, the blood begins to burn and the heart beats so fast it nearly explodes, creating that kind of burst of power."
"As for anything else... I don't know. That's all."
Compared to Giyu's explanation, Asuka's description was already much more detailed—but it was still abstract.
"If I had to say... during that time, my heartbeat probably exceeded two hundred beats per minute," Giyu added.
"Two hundred?" Obanai Iguro frowned. "Under that condition, a human's internal organs should have already failed."
Humans were not machines that could simply recalibrate after overload.
With that kind of heart rate... Tomioka, is your body really alright?
Everyone exchanged glances, unsure how to evaluate Giyu's explanation.
Muichiro Tokito, who had remained expressionless the entire time, was the first to accept the concept.
"Perhaps this is the body's method of selection."
"If you endure it, you awaken the Mark. If you can't endure it, you die."
His cold words made the timid Mitsuri cover her mouth. Even the composed Gyomei silently pressed his palms together in prayer.
Although the atmosphere had already grown heavy, Kagaya continued speaking, his tone becoming even more serious.
"There is one more thing you must understand."
"If you awaken the Mark, it means your life force is being pushed to its absolute limit. You will gain power surpassing that of demons—but there will be no turning back."
"Those swordsmen who awakened the Mark..."
"None of them lived past the age of twenty-five."