"Oh, okay… okay."
Mitsuri Kanroji, suddenly called upon, spoke with visible nervousness.
"At that time, I felt really light, and then… then… after that…"
She fidgeted, trying to find the right words.
"I just got really excited. My heart was racing, my ears were ringing, and suddenly I became much stronger."
Raiden's expression twitched slightly as he watched her animated gestures.
It was a good thing her mark had awakened on its own.
With an explanation like that, no one else would figure it out even if they tried.
As soon as Mitsuri finished, she realized how unclear she sounded. Seeing the confused looks around her, she lowered her head quickly.
"I'm very sorry."
"I'll explain."
Muichiro Tokito spoke calmly after her.
"I didn't notice the mark at first, but thinking back on that battle, I believe I understand the conditions needed for it to appear."
"It requires something beyond the ordinary. If those conditions are met, anyone should be able to awaken it."
"I'll explain."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"During the battle, I was poisoned and unable to move. I tried to control my breathing to slow the spread of the toxin, but when I saw Kotetsu and Inosuke about to be killed…"
"I remembered what Raiden and Tanjiro told me. That brought back old memories, and I became overwhelmed with anger."
"At that moment, I lost control of my emotions."
"My heart rate must have exceeded two hundred, and my body felt like it was burning. My temperature was likely above thirty-nine degrees."
A few Hashira frowned.
"You could still move in that state? That should be impossible."
"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have been able to move," Muichiro replied. "That is why I believe it was the key."
"That moment, standing between life and death, was the turning point."
After hearing this, Amane Ubuyashiki considered his words.
"A heart rate above two hundred, and a body temperature exceeding thirty-nine degrees… how did you determine that?"
"When I was treated by Shinobu, I once had a fever measured at thirty-nine degrees. The sensation during the mark's appearance felt the same."
Amane nodded, then turned to Raiden.
Although Muichiro's explanation was clear, she still wanted his perspective.
Raiden met her gaze and spoke without hesitation.
"My thoughts are similar to Muichiro's. But those physical conditions are secondary."
"What matters most is the situation."
"The closer you are to death, the higher the chance of awakening the mark."
Before facing Kokushibo, he had tried multiple times to force it.
No matter how much he pushed his body, nothing happened.
Yet in that desperate fight, when survival came down to a single moment, the mark appeared on its own.
At that time, he had not been thinking about his heartbeat or temperature.
Only one thought remained.
If he stopped, he would die.
"That's all there is to it," Raiden finished.
Sanemi Shinazugawa scoffed.
"That simple? You really do think simply."
Raiden glanced at him, unimpressed.
He had nearly been killed before awakening the mark, yet Sanemi spoke as if it were something anyone could achieve casually.
Did he think this was something you could pick up whenever you felt like it?
"What did you say?" Sanemi turned, disbelief in his eyes.
"I said your thinking is simple," Raiden replied calmly.
"You…"
Sanemi's temper flared, but before he could act, Gyomei Himejima spoke.
"So, awakening the mark is essential for a Hashira."
"Yes."
"We will do everything we can to awaken it. Please inform the Master that he can rest easy."
"Thank you," Amane said softly. "However, there is something you must all know."
Her tone lowered, and the room grew still.
"Those who manifest the mark will, without exception, die before the age of twenty-five."
Silence fell instantly.
Twenty-five.
The prime of their lives, cut short.
Was that price truly worth paying?
Raiden remained unaffected.
His body had already undergone multiple transformations. The strain that came with the mark barely affected him.
That was why he had chosen to awaken it without hesitation.
After delivering the news, Amane slowly stood and left, leaving the decision in their hands.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Giyu Tomioka rose to his feet.
"Since Lady Amane has left, I will take my leave."
"Wait," Sanemi said sharply. "We still need to discuss what comes next."
"You can handle it without me."
Sanemi frowned.
"What do you mean it has nothing to do with you? You're a Hashira too."
Giyu said nothing. He simply turned and walked toward the exit.
From the side, Raiden rested his chin in his hand, watching with mild interest.
Among all the Hashira, Giyu was the only one he had not yet gotten close to.
Giyu's situation was different.
It traced back to Sabito.
During Final Selection on Mount Fujikasane, Giyu had been injured early on. Sabito saved him and fought alone, defeating every demon he encountered.
But in the end, Sabito fell to the Hand Demon.
Giyu survived, but that survival became a burden.
He believed Sabito should have lived and become the Water Hashira, not him.
That guilt never left him.
His silence was not arrogance, it was doubt.
Because he could not express it well, others misunderstood him.
Raiden understood that much.
If he wanted to get closer to Giyu, it would be better to wait. Tanjiro would be the key to that.
"What kind of attitude is that? Don't just walk away."
"Giyu, please give us a proper reason. We can't understand you otherwise."
"Leaving like that isn't very flashy," Tengen added.
Giyu's actions drew clear dissatisfaction from the others, but he did not stop.
===
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