"Alright, this should suffice."
Inside the dark secret chamber, Cain tossed Gyutaro back onto the ground before turning to look behind him.
"With the Ubuyashiki Residence used as bait, Muzan will not launch a second wave of attacks immediately."
"That's great. I can finally rest for a bit."
Uzui Tengen let out a long breath.
Among everyone present, he was undoubtedly the most exhausted.
First, he had fought an entire night against three Lower Moon Demons. After Cain rescued him, he rushed nonstop to the Rengoku Residence to deliver a message. Soon after, he was dragged into another fierce battle against the two Upper Rank Demons that Cain had deliberately drawn in.
If he had not managed to get a few hours of rest at the Rengoku Residence earlier, he might have already collapsed from exhaustion.
"You all go upstairs and rest for a while."
Cain spoke again.
After signaling Uzui Tengen and the others to head up first, his gaze shifted toward the middle-aged man standing silently in the corner.
The man's appearance resembled Rengoku Kyojuro by nearly ninety percent, yet his temperament was completely different.
If Rengoku Kyojuro was like the rising sun, full of passion and vitality,
then the man before him was like the setting sun. The lingering glow remained, but the weariness of age could not be hidden.
"Mr. Rengoku Shinjuro, after witnessing the consecutive fall of the Upper Rank Demons, what are your thoughts?"
"You have awakened a slumbering monster."
"A monster? Who are you referring to?"
"The Progenitor of Demons, Kibutsuji Muzan."
Rengoku Shinjuro sighed. There was not a trace of joy on his face despite the victory.
As a descendant of the first user of the Flame Breathing Technique, he knew many secrets recorded in history.
"The Upper Rank Demons are terrifying, but they are still far inferior compared to Kibutsuji Muzan."
"If there is a chasm between the Upper Ranks and the Lower Ranks, then there is another chasm between Kibutsuji Muzan and the Upper Rank Demons."
"You have experienced the strength of Upper Rank Two. Do you truly believe that you and the others can defeat a monster of an even higher level?"
"Whether we can win or not is not my primary concern right now."
Cain looked calmly at the man who had clearly lost his fighting spirit.
"What concerns me more is your current mindset."
"As a Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, are you planning to retreat at a moment like this?"
"...What if I say yes?"
"Then help me one more time before you retire. Watch over Gyutaro tonight."
Seeing Rengoku Shinjuro adopt a completely indifferent attitude, Cain did not attempt to persuade him further.
In truth, Rengoku Shinjuro did not owe the Demon Slayer Corps anything. His decision to join originally came from his father's influence, and he had already contributed greatly before choosing to step down.
Cain had only raised the topic because the opportunity happened to present itself. He had hoped that defeating an Upper Rank Demon might reignite the man's fighting spirit.
Since that failed, there was no need to continue.
After saying farewell to Rengoku Shinjuro, Cain left the underground chamber and returned to the surface.
At the entrance, Uzui Tengen and the others had not gone far. They had stopped nearby, clearly waiting for him.
Alongside them stood another figure dressed in fiery red.
"Cain! You're here!"
Rengoku Kyojuro, who had been pacing around the entrance of the chamber, walked over with a curious expression.
"I heard the other Hashira say you were speaking with my father downstairs. What were you talking about?"
"The plan to surround and eliminate Muzan."
"What did my father say?"
"He lacked fighting spirit."
Cain answered tactfully.
"This..."
Rengoku Kyojuro fell silent.
He understood his father's condition better than anyone.
Cain's words essentially meant that Rengoku Shinjuro had withdrawn from the coming battle.
"I'm sorry."
"You do not need to apologize. The one who is afraid is your father, not you."
"No. I apologize because my strength is insufficient. There is nothing I can do right now."
Rengoku Kyojuro clenched his fists. A rare look of frustration appeared on his usually confident face.
Because he had practiced swordsmanship and Breathing Techniques since childhood, his starting point was already extremely high. He had even mastered Total Concentration Breathing Constant.
If he had been given a few more years, he would undoubtedly have qualified to become a Hashira and stand alongside Cain and the others in the battle against Kibutsuji Muzan.
But reality was merciless.
The decisive battle between the Demon Slayer Corps and Muzan would begin in ten days.
With his current strength, he would never be able to join the main battlefield in such a short time. At most, he could only assist with secondary tasks.
"If only there were a way to grow stronger quickly. I want to fight beside all of you as well."
"There is a method to grow stronger quickly."
"Hm?"
Rengoku Kyojuro froze.
The others standing nearby, including Uzui Tengen, also stopped moving.
Although they had defeated Doma through teamwork, that battle had made them clearly realize the enormous gap between themselves and the Upper Rank Demons.
If Upper Rank Two was already that powerful, then Upper Rank One and Kibutsuji Muzan would only be far more terrifying.
In order not to become a burden, everyone turned their eyes toward Cain.
"Cain, is there really such a method?"
"There is. Activate the Mark, and your physical ability will immediately rise to another level."
"The Mark?"
Himejima Gyomei searched his memory but could not recall hearing this term before.
"What is the Mark?"
Tomioka Giyu asked.
"Simply put, the Mark is a special physique originally possessed by Tsugikuni Yoriichi, the creator of Sun Breathing."
"Due to Yoriichi's influence, practitioners of Sun Breathing and its derivative Breathing Techniques can, under specific conditions, partially replicate the Mark physique and greatly enhance their physical capabilities."
"The Mark, the creator of Sun Breathing... Hmm. It certainly sounds powerful."
After hearing the explanation, Rengoku Kyojuro thought for a moment before speaking.
"So in simple terms, if I activate the Mark, I will gain strength comparable to a Hashira?"
"That depends on how you define a Hashira."
"Killing a Lower Rank Demon should not be a problem. But against the Upper Ranks, you might still struggle. At best, you would only be able to provide support."
"That is enough! More than enough!"
Rengoku Kyojuro was already satisfied.
"Cain, how do I activate the Mark?"
"I cannot tell you for now."
"Eh?"
Rengoku Kyojuro froze again.
"Why not?"
Uzui Tengen frowned slightly as a vague suspicion formed in his mind.
"Could it be that activating the Mark has side effects?"
"Yes."
Cain nodded calmly.
"As I mentioned earlier, the Mark is Tsugikuni Yoriichi's unique physique."
"If someone forcibly awakens the Mark through Breathing Techniques, the strain placed on the body is extremely severe."
Cain raised both hands, extending two fingers on his left hand and five on his right.
"To explain it simply, anyone who awakens the Mark will not live past the age of twenty-five."
"..."
The atmosphere instantly turned heavy.
Everyone exchanged glances, finally understanding why Cain had previously remained silent about the Mark.
After a moment, Kochō Kanae broke the silence.
"Cain, have you awakened the Mark?"
"I have not. If I awakened the Mark, it would influence all of you."
"What do you mean?"
"After someone awakens the Mark, their presence makes it easier for nearby Breathing Technique users to awaken their own Mark."
"I see. Then I misunderstood."
Kochō Kanae nodded thoughtfully.
She had originally believed Cain's rapid rise over the past few months was the result of awakening the Mark.
But now it seemed that Cain was simply an absurdly talented monster.
"Please tell me the method to awaken the Mark."
At that moment, Tomioka Giyu spoke again.
The normally quiet man was unusually direct.
"I am not afraid of death. Even if it shortens my life, it does not matter as long as I can kill Kibutsuji Muzan."
"If you are worried that my Demon Slayer Mark will affect you, I can keep my distance..."
"Stop. Be quiet for a moment."
Cain interrupted him without hesitation.
"I had not finished speaking. There is actually a method that can eliminate the side effects of the Demon Slayer Mark."
"You can awaken it and still live a normal lifespan."
"Then why didn't you say that earlier!"
Uzui Tengen could not help complaining.
"Unfortunately, I could not say that earlier either."
Cain shrugged.
"Just like the side effects of the Demon Slayer Mark, the method to remove those side effects involves a taboo. I must first negotiate with Ubuyashiki Kagaya before deciding whether it can be revealed."
"..."
Uzui Tengen's eyelid twitched.
So first it could not be mentioned because of the severe side effects.
Then there was a method to remove the side effects.
But that method also could not be mentioned.
After Cain's entire explanation, they had learned about the existence of the Demon Slayer Mark, yet gained almost no practical information.
"Next you're not going to say that you cannot return to the Demon Slayer Corps because of some unexpected circumstance, are you?"
"Not at all."
Cain shook his head.
"I will stay here tonight and return to headquarters tomorrow morning."
"Time is limited. We should depart immediately."
Tomioka Giyu stepped forward.
"If you are tired, I can carry you."
"Get lost. I said sleep, so sleep. Do not create unnecessary drama."
Cain rolled his eyes.
Naturally, he was not actually tired.
The strain he displayed during the battle had all been an act.
He had been deceiving not only Kibutsuji Muzan but also Ubuyashiki Kagaya.
In order to obtain the Demon King potion, he needed Kagaya to feel a certain level of pressure. Only then would the man begin to reconsider certain things.
In other words, Cain chose to remain at the Rengoku Residence for one night not to rest, but to give Ubuyashiki Kagaya enough time to think.
Once Kagaya carefully analyzed the situation and understood what was necessary to defeat Kibutsuji Muzan, Cain's plan to obtain the Demon King potion could move forward.
"Do not think I am wasting time. This is for your benefit."
Seeing that Tomioka Giyu and the others still wanted to speak, Cain cut them off.
"Activating the Demon Slayer Mark requires sufficient physical ability and a stable mental state."
"If you do not rest properly, then even if you know the method, you will not be able to awaken the Mark."
"Very well."
Tomioka Giyu finally nodded.
Since Cain had already explained it this way, they would rest for the night before returning to headquarters the next morning.
T/N- Chapter is late today, I was busy with bank issues, then some uni issues.
...
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