Later that evening, Asuka was meditating alone in the corridor when he sensed movement above through spiritual pressure.
"Um... Shinobu-senpai, why did you bring us here?"
"...You were badly injured. As a recuperation site, this place has the best medical techniques."
The voices of Shinobu Kocho and Tanjiro drifted down from the rooftop. They seemed to be chatting casually.
Her voice sounded deeper than usual, no longer as light and cheerful as before. "…And also, I want to entrust my dream to you."
"The dream of getting along well with demons. If it's you, I'm sure you can do it."
"...Shinobu-senpai, are you angry?"
"Hm?"
"I just feel like... even though you're always smiling, you're giving off the feeling of being angry..."
So Tanjiro noticed it too. Asuka opened his eyes, deciding it would be better to avoid such a topic.
If it were him, he would not be happy if someone overheard something he did not want others to know.
Just as he was about to stand and leave, Shinobu Kocho's voice reached him again.
"...Maybe that's true. Ever since the demon brutally killed my beloved sister..."
Sister... was it that woman?
Asuka walked toward the tatami room, his steps slower than usual despite his normally swift movements. The dream from that day lingered in his mind.
"Whenever I see someone lose someone precious because of a demon, when I see those tears, those cries, that pain, the anger in my heart keeps building and swelling..."
"My sister was someone as gentle as you. Even at the moment of her death... she was still mourning for the demon..."
"...I can't think that way."
After closing the sliding door, Asuka withdrew his spiritual perception. That was all he heard.
He sat quietly on the tatami and recalled Muichiro's words.
[Something is always tugging at your will, preventing you from fully devoting yourself to battle...]
"Everyone has a reason they must fight demons. But do I lack that resolve..."
Staring at the Asauchi Nichirin Blade before him, Asuka remained silent for a long time.
"...How annoying. As long as I can take revenge and grow stronger, shouldn't I just keep fighting..."
Yet when he recalled the night his emotions had been at their most intense, when his battle spirit had burned the fiercest—even earlier than that reckless slaughter without knowing the limits of heaven and earth...
The feeling of connecting completely with Nugata, of releasing the power of his Zanpakuto without reservation—that had not been because of those reasons.
It felt as though he had found the answer, yet he was not certain. That uncertainty irritated his simple, straightforward heart.
"After eavesdropping on me, why are you sulking here alone, Asuka?"
Asuka, lost in thought, caught a faint fragrance drifting to his nose.
He did not need to look to know that Shinobu Kocho had appeared inside the room as mysteriously as ever.
"Hello? Ignoring me now?" Seeing him silent, she smiled and sat down opposite him. "Why did you leave before finishing the conversation with the Kamado boy? Did you start disliking me?"
"...No. I just didn't want to eavesdrop."
"Haha, so Asuka can be that self-aware."
"Yes. I don't want to see you cry." Asuka spoke calmly, meeting Shinobu Kocho's surprised gaze. "If you continued that topic, I thought you might end up crying. So I left."
"..."
The smile she had been forcing froze.
Eh? Is Asuka that straightforward? So suddenly?
She often teased young swordsmen from the position of a Hashira and an older-sister figure, but this was the first time someone had said something like that to her in return.
But how did he know what she looked like when she cried?
For a moment, Shinobu Kocho did not know what to say. Asuka sensed the strange atmosphere, but since he had already spoken this far, he decided to continue.
"I think your sister... probably did not want you to be hurt either. She did not want you to keep drowning in this and washing your face with tears. That's why she wanted you to leave the Demon Slayer Corps, right?"
"You... how do you know that?"
"I dreamed it."
"You dreamed it? Asuka, that's a bit..."
Rationally, it was hard for her to believe such a thing.
But looking into his steady eyes, she knew he was not lying.
Could something like that truly exist in this world?
As if her memories had been stirred, Shinobu Kocho finally let her smile fall.
"...You really don't know how to talk, do you, Asuka?" she said softly. "If you say you don't want to see me cry, then you shouldn't bring this up in the first place, idiot..."
"I see... sorry."
"...It's not your fault. I'm just too angry."
She let out a long breath. It felt as though she had not spoken without a mask for a very long time.
Her brows drew together, and her eyes turned cold and sharp. "In the end, demons are just utterly disgusting!"
"For the sake of self-preservation, they abandon reason and spew lies... they live and kill relying only on base instincts..."
"After killing people, they pretend to be pitiful? They repent and expect me to forgive them? Don't joke with me... it's better if things like that are wiped out completely..."
At this point, moisture shimmered in her eyes. Her slender hand clenched tightly, nails digging into her palm.
"I'm really a little tired... If it weren't for keeping the smile my sister loved the most... I really..."
"Then let's kill them all."
"Huh?"
Asuka reached out and hooked his little finger around hers, which had turned pale from the force she was exerting.
Just like that day, when Shinobu Kocho had reached out to him.
"I will help you kill that evil demon with blood on its head, the one holding twin fans."
"Then you won't have to be angry like this every day, right?"
"I promise you. I will do it."
Asuka could not clearly explain why he suddenly made such a promise, but he felt he ought to.
Just as Tanjiro would help others, just as Ubuyashiki would spare no effort to oppose evil demons.
Making such a promise made him feel that the blade he swung would carry greater strength—or rather, greater meaning.
Shinobu Kocho's hand trembled—not only because she had once again confirmed from Asuka's mouth that he had truly dreamed of the details of her sister's death.
But also because his words brought her back many years—
That day, a demon had broken into their home and killed their father and mother.
If the Stone Hashira had not arrived in time to slay the demon, she and her sister might have died as well.
At that time, she had been crying uncontrollably, terrified beyond measure.
Her sister, Kanae Kocho, had reached out in the same way, gently hooking her little finger with hers:
[We will slay more demons, Shinobu.]
[We must never let this pain fall upon others again.]
[It's a promise.]
Drip.
A tear slid down her cheek before she could stop it.
Shinobu Kocho lowered her head. Her slender wrist trembled endlessly, yet her finger remained tightly hooked with Asuka's.
"...Asuka... you're really an awful person."
"Saying things like that and making a girl cry..."
Tears kept flowing. Emotions suppressed for who knew how long finally collapsed, making it impossible for her to lift her head and meet his gaze.
"Then it's settled! Neither of us is allowed to die before that day!"
Trembling, she pressed her thumb firmly against his, smiling through her tears.
"From now on, don't call me senpai anymore. We're not that far apart in age... just call me Shinobu."
"Shinobu? Wouldn't that be disrespectful?"
"It's fine. We're good friends, Asuka."