Giyu stood up and walked straight out.
Sabito was stunned.
What did he mean by that?
He said he would help persuade the Master, yet he left after hearing only one sentence—and even said that?
Did Giyu look down on him, think his idea was stupid, and couldn't stand staying any longer?
Sabito's mood shifted sharply, and his fists clenched.
At this moment, he truly wanted to beat that idiot Giyu up.
"Sabito, do not blame Giyu. As for Makomo, I still need to think carefully before making a decision."
If they followed Sabito's suggestion—capture Makomo and threaten Ryuya—then the Demon Slayer Corps would expose themselves the moment they acted.
Even if they eliminated the traitor and Ryuya, it wouldn't fix the core problem.
Because if Ryuya had already discovered Corps information and reported it to Kibutsuji Muzan, then killing him meant nothing.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki knew his own time was short, his illness worsening.
His only wish was to lead the Demon Slayer Corps to slay Muzan within his lifetime, break the curse on the Ubuyashiki family, and bring peace to the world.
Ryuya saving Makomo—a demon—made Kagaya feel a strange sense of hope, just like when Kochou Kanae had turned into a demon.
As if he had found a new breakthrough.
Perhaps… even if he himself couldn't trust Ryuya, couldn't he at least trust Kanae? She was the Flower Hashira.
If Kanae truly managed to "tame" Ryuya, then the Demon Slayer Corps wouldn't just gain a powerful ally—they would receive unprecedented demon intel, including information on Muzan himself.
For now, Kagaya chose to wait, observe Kanae's actions, then act accordingly.
"Sabito, don't alert the enemy. Proceed as usual."
"Yes, Master."
Though his suggestion was rejected, leaving him a bit deflated, Sabito never disobeyed Kagaya's commands.
"Master, I'll take my leave. Please take care."
Sabito walked out—and immediately ran into Giyu, who was standing outside for fresh air.
He didn't want to speak to Giyu at all; his irritation from earlier hadn't faded.
But then he remembered something important.
After witnessing Ryuya's Moon Breathing, Sabito suddenly recalled something.
"Giyu, do you remember what happened on Natagumo Mountain?"
"Ah, I remember."
Giyu looked confused. Why bring up that old incident?
"Do you remember the Hand Demon Master mentioned back then?"
"Oh—the Hand Demon."
Giyu thought back to when he and Sabito were training Water Breathing under Urokodaki Sakonji, preparing for the Corps entrance exam.
Master had returned home shaken.
A Hand Demon he had once captured—used specifically to test candidates—had been slain.
And the person who killed it used Moon Breathing.
At the time, Urokodaki thought some Corps member had stumbled onto Natagumo Mountain and killed the demon.
But years later, after inquiring throughout the Corps, he found no Water Swordsman who used Moon Breathing.
And now…
"So what?" Giyu asked, still lost.
"What—are you serious? You haven't figured it out?! That swordsman who used Moon Breathing is most likely the Moon Demon I talked about, you idiot!"
"Oh. I see." Giyu nodded.
Master must have been disappointed… he remembered how hopeful Urokodaki had been when he heard of that swordsman.
Sabito took a few steps away in disgust. If Giyu stayed any closer, his stupidity might be contagious.
"Sabito, should we tell Master?" Giyu called after him.
Sabito kept walking. No answer.
Giyu's expression grew even more confused.
Did… he not hear me?
He had no idea he was being disliked.
"Tomioka Giyu—what you and the Master discussed… was it about the Moon Demon?"
Shinazugawa Sanemi, who had been eavesdropping, walked up and asked bluntly.
The Moon Demon—Ryuya—had injured Flower Hashira Shinobu Kocho and harmed him personally.
He would get his revenge. He would kill that demon himself.
"Huh?" Giyu stared at him in confusion.
"I'm asking," Sanemi snapped, "was the Moon Demon's apprentice, or some Corps member related to him, named Makomo?"
"That's right."
Giyu didn't know why Sanemi was so irritated, but he answered honestly anyway.
Satisfied, Sanemi turned and stormed away without another word.
Giyu blinked.
Was… the problem solved?
He stared off blankly until a soft voice sounded beside him.
"Mr. Giyu, do you have time?"
Giyu turned. A delicate girl with a butterfly hairpin stood before him.
"Kocho?"
Then he noticed—this wasn't Kochou Kanae.
Shinobu Kocho coughed lightly to break the awkward silence. "Mr. Giyu, I am Shinobu Kocho. Kanae is my older sister."
"Sister. I know."
His serious nod made Shinobu force a polite smile.
Why… does Mr. Giyu seem kind of dense?
And was it really okay to ask him for guidance…?
Recently, Shinobu had been training wrist strength diligently to one day kill Ryuya.
But strength alone wasn't enough—she needed a proper Breathing Technique.
She couldn't use Flower Breathing like her sister. It didn't suit her.
So, she wanted to learn Water Breathing—or at least gain inspiration from it—to create her own technique.
That was why she came to Giyu.
But now… she wasn't sure if he was reliable.
"So, what do you need from me?" Giyu asked seriously.
Forget it, she thought. Better to try than waste more time alone.
Shinobu pressed her lips together and said softly, "Mr. Giyu… could you guide my swordsmanship? Do you have time?"
"Swordsmanship?"
Giyu fell silent. Was he qualified to teach anyone?
"Mr. Giyu is unwilling?" she asked, disappointed.
"I don't think it's suitable for me to teach you."
"Ah… alright," she said, crestfallen.
"But… if you don't mind, I will try my best."
Shinobu blinked up at him, stunned. Her expression brightened—yet her eyes were full of confusion.
If he was going to agree, why didn't he just do it in the first place?
Talking to him was exhausting.
"Then let's go quickly, Mr. Giyu!"
Shinobu eagerly grabbed his hand and pulled him along.
Giyu froze, overwhelmed by the sudden warmth.
Panic and excitement flickered across his usually lifeless expression.
But his personality forced him to ask an unnecessary question.
"Miss Kocho… is it appropriate to hold my hand like this?"
"Ah! I'm so sorry, Mr. Giyu! I was careless!" She released him immediately and bowed.
Giyu blinked—I didn't mean that.
Why was he misunderstood again?
"Well… if you don't mind, I don't care."
Giyu took her hand again.
Shinobu went stiff. A vein popped on her pretty forehead as she forced a smile through clenched teeth.
"Mr. Giyu… please don't joke with me."
Why is Mr. Giyu like this?!
He's so annoying!