Oyakata sama is visiting!
A soft, reverent silence falls over the courtyard as Kagaya Ubuyashiki (Oyakata-sama) emerges.
The Hashira, excluding Manjiro, immediately drop to their knees and bow deeply.
Of the Hashira kneeling in strict formation, one figure alone defied the rigid formality.
Manjiro Asakura, the Rumble Hashira, was not kneeling. He stood there, his posture all loose shoulders and lazy angles. His crisp white dress shirt a deliberate, non-regulation choice was open at the throat, revealing the faint rise of a dragon tattoo against his pale neck. The dark, draped jacket he wore rested solely on his shoulders, not covering his arms.
In the momentary stillness, Mitsuri Kanroji glances sideways.
Her breath stops for half a second.
His wheat-blonde hair fell messily around a face that was unnaturally pale. His eyes, heavy-lidded and dark, looked completely empty.
Mitsuri's cheeks heat instantly.
Her thoughts spiral:
He looks so handsome…
That tattoo —ohh my god…
Why does he look like he should be scolded and hugged at the same time?
Ah—no! Focus, Mitsuri, focus!
She bites her lip, trying to force her eyes back to the Master.
She fails.
Her stare drifts back to Manjiro, who lazily tucks a bit of his pale hair behind his ear. His movements are quiet, soft… strangely elegant
Then—
He looks at her.
Just a flick of his eyes.
Barely a movement.
But Mitsuri jolts.
Manjiro's gaze is heavy-lidded, unreadable, yet the faint quirk at the corner of his lips looks like he's silently teasing her:
Like what you see?
Mitsuri's heart practically leaps out of her chest.
She snaps her attention forward like she's been caught doing something illegal.
She slams her face into the ground a little too fast.
Manjiro hears the thud.
He tilts his head slightly, watching her with mild amusement.
---
Kagaya reveals that he has sanctioned Tanjiro and Nezuko's situation personally. The Hashira are shocked; while they respect the Master, many especially Sanemi cannot accept this decision.
To assuage their doubts, Kagaya asks his daughter to read a letter sent by former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki.
The letter concludes with a binding oath: "If Nezuko attacks a human, Tanjiro Kamado, as well as Giyu Tomioka and Sakonji Urokodaki, will atone by committing seppuku (suicide)."
Tanjiro is moved to tears.
Despite this, Sanemi remains unconvinced. He insists that demons are instinctively driven to devour humans.
Kagaya admits there is no absolute proof, but emphasizes Tanjiro has met Muzan Kibutsuji. This news ripples through the Hashira. Manjiro already knowing this.
Sanemi decides to prove the Master wrong. He grabs Nezuko's box and leaps into the shaded area of the engawa. He slashes his own arm, letting his Marechi blood drip onto the box.
Sanemi unlatches the door, exposing the demon to the scent of his spilled blood.
Nezuko rises from the box, salivating and trembling, her demonic instincts screaming at her to feed, but violently turns her head away from the bloody arm.
"She turned away!" the Master's daughter announces.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki (The Master) smiles serenely. "And that's, proof that Nezuko will not attack humans right there."
Tanjiro bows in relief.
---
Before the Kakushi can drag Tanjiro away, Kagaya raises his hand.
"Wait. Before Tanjiro leaves, and while all my beloved children are here... I have an announcement that will shake the foundation of our history."
The air in the courtyard shifts. Even the distracted Muichiro looks up.
"Last night," Kagaya speaks, his voice trembling with rare excitement. "A report was confirmed. The Upper Rank 5, Gyokko... has been eliminated."
No Upper Rank demon has been killed in 113 years. It is a feat that belongs to legends of the Golden Age.
"The one who claimed his head," Kagaya continues, turning his blind eyes toward the lazy figure leaning against the pillar, "is the Rumble Hashira. Manjiro Asakura."
---
Sanemi spins around, forgetting his bleeding nose.
"Hah?! You?!" He stares at Manjiro, his eyes wide with a mix of fury, disbelief, and grudging awe.
"You killed an Upper Moon? While we were all running around killing trash, you took down an Upper Rank?!"
Kyojuro Rengoku crosses his arms, his smile beaming brighter than the sun. "UMAI! I mean—AMAZING! A feat not seen in one hundred and thirteen years! You have ignited a fire in all of us, Manjiro! Truly worthy of a Hashira!"
Tengen Uzui looks truly stunned, his flamboyant persona cracking. "Upper 5... That's not just flashy."
Shinobu Kocho covers her mouth, her eyes narrowing in. "My, my. And to think you didn't even suffer any permanent injuries? I'll need to hear every detail of it's Blood Demon Art later."
Obanai Iguro grips his snake, unwilling to believe it. "Upper 5... I don't believe it. But the Master wouldn't lie. How did you find him?"
Mitsuri Kanroji brings her hands to her burning cheeks, practically vibrating. 'Manjiro-kun killed an Upper Moon! He's so strong! He's invincible! And he was sleeping on my lap right after!'
Tanjiro, still lying on the gravel, stares up at the lazy-looking man who helped him earlier. 'This person... he killed an Upper Rank? The demons closest to Muzan? But he looks so... sad.'
Manjiro scratches the back of his head, looking annoyed by the attention. "It was a pot demon. Kept rambling about his art and some ridiculous vase collection."
He sighs. "Honestly, I tried to listen. I really did."
Then a shrug. "So I crushed him. Hard to call it a fight. Just… cleaning up."
Manjiro waves his hand at the Kakushi. "Alright, take the kid away. He's bleeding too much."