"Speaking of which, Kyojuro, you're still wearing that haori?"
Looking at that fiery red haori on Kyojuro, Shinjuro suddenly smiled:
"Indeed, after all, this haori was personally woven by Mitsuba as a gift when you were born.
It carries Mitsuba's expectations for you. That you're willing to always wear it, your old man is quite comforted by this..."
Quite... comforted?
Hearing Shinjuro's words, that sense of incongruity which had already dissipated in Kyojuro's heart surged forth once more, deeply.
[Kyojuro, wear this haori.]
In his mind, it was as if something was suddenly tearing through layers of mist, struggling bit by bit to emerge.
[This is a gift from Miss Mitsuba when you were born.]
Strange, this was... Mother's voice?
[In the past, your father always hid it away. He didn't wish for you to see it, didn't wish for you to harbor any unrealistic fantasies about being a Demon Slayer because of it.]
[But, Mother still wishes to give it to you... Kyojuro, you possess a burning heart. Your father once had such a heart too, but his heart had already shattered with Miss Mitsuba's passing.]
[Kyojuro, Mother hopes that you can pick up your father's heart once more, tread once more upon the path he left behind, shoulder once more the duties he should have fulfilled...]
Ah, so that's how it was...
He remembered. So this was a dream...
As these words from his mother before her death emerged in his mind, Kyojuro completely understood.
The smile on his face dissipated bit by bit. He simply looked calmly at his father and younger brother before him.
Yes, this was a dream.
Because his father in reality had never felt the slightest happiness about his promotion to Flame Hashira, nor had he received any encouragement to pull himself together again.
Whether when he decided to become a Demon Slayer back then, or when he later became a Hashira, his father had always maintained that indifferent attitude.
From beginning to end, all his efforts had never brought the slightest change to his decadent father.
Even this red haori he wore on his body—his father would feel extreme annoyance at it.
From childhood to adulthood, at any moment, Kyojuro's father had never felt even the slightest comfort at his wearing of this haori.
Even this haori itself had been given to him by his mother.
"Father, I will continue to work hard."
The smile returned to his face once more. Kyojuro looked at Shinjuro before him and suddenly spoke, his tone firm.
"I will continue to work hard until I complete my duties, or else... until I reach the end of my life."
"Well said! Kyojuro!"
Facing these firm words from Kyojuro, a hearty laugh appeared on Shinjuro's face.
"Your old man is the same! Let us father and son strive together on the road ahead!"
Calmly looking at this father he subconsciously longed for, Kyojuro smiled once more.
This time, he said nothing. He simply decisively drew the Nichirin Blade from his waist and without hesitation slit his own throat!
Although he didn't know when he had fallen under that demon's Blood Demon Art and into this dream.
There was one thing Kyojuro remembered very clearly—Kanae had said that the only way to escape a dream was to directly commit suicide within the dream!
As long as one died in the dream, they would immediately wake up in reality.
"Kyojuro?!"
Crack—
With Kyojuro's suicide action without the slightest hesitation, his dream also began to rapidly collapse, his consciousness instantly sinking into boundless darkness.
In the very next instant, he abruptly opened his eyes while sitting in the cinema hall.
"Huff... huff..."
His breathing somewhat rapid, his heart pounding nonstop.
All around was so quiet. Kyojuro subconsciously turned his head. At this moment in the cinema hall, including Kanae, all visitors were leaning back in their seats, sunk in deep sleep.
He seemed... to be the first person to wake up?
"Oh? You woke up quite quickly..."
"Who?!"
A voice suddenly rang out in the silence. Kyojuro shouted loudly and abruptly turned to look.
There, beneath the screen ahead, Enmu—dressed in a black tuxedo—was standing with a full smile on his face, gazing at him.
"It was clearly such a beautiful dream. Demon Slayer, why must you wake up in such haste? Wouldn't it be better to sleep a while longer?"
"You're that demon who escaped in Tokyo previously."
Seeing the "Lower Rank Two" characters engraved in Enmu's eyes, Kyojuro narrowed his eyes slightly and slowly stood up from his seat.
"Excellent. Tonight I will definitely sever your neck and completely end your sin-filled life!"
Looking at Kyojuro who completely ignored him, the smile on Enmu's face grew even stronger.
A mere Hashira dared to say he would end his life in the presence of two Lords?
What naive and laughable words...
Then, facing Kyojuro's ignorant boast, what should Enmu do?
He smiled at Kyojuro, then without the slightest hesitation... turned and ran!
That's right! He was fleeing now!
Although at this moment both Upper Rank One and Upper Rank Three Lords were in the cinema hall, what was frustrating was that both Lords were still trapped in dreams, not yet awakened.
In this situation, although Enmu could choose to forcibly wake these two Lords to resolve his current predicament.
But doing so would also greatly decrease his standing in the eyes of these two Lords... especially Upper Rank One!
One must know that for these two Lords to be willing to come here tonight and borrow his Blood Demon Art to help—this was tremendous honor for him!
At present, both Lords' dreams had reached critical moments. As a subordinate, how could he interrupt their dreams at such a critical time and forcibly wake them for his own trivial personal matters?
Absolutely not!
Enmu, who deeply understood "Twelve Kizuki Workplace Survival Studies," would never make such a mistake!
Therefore! He must flee!
Because fighting was definitely impossible to win—Enmu was clear on this.
The only thing he could do now was lead the trouble away, then delay as much time as possible, waiting for those two Lords to awaken on their own before coming to clean up the mess.
Thinking this, Enmu turned at light speed and ran with utmost determination into the staff passage nearby, not forgetting to close the door behind him.
Keep it up! Enmu! Life and death hang on this moment!
As long as you survive tonight, you can live on without any worries!