When Kagaya finished speaking, the Hashira instinctively turned their gazes toward Yoriichi again.
Yoriichi remained kneeling in a respectful half-kneel. But the tight line of his jaw made it clear he had no intention of offering any explanation.
"Even so, that still doesn't prove anything, does it?" Uzui said, shifting his gaze away from Yoriichi and back toward Kagaya. "Didn't that brat Kamado also learn Sun Breathing? Isn't this a little too hasty, Master?"
"Indeed, Tengen raises a fair point," Kagaya replied with a gentle nod.
His gaze moved to Hiru and Yoriichi.
"May I continue?"
Hiru had already sat down on the ground. Hearing this, he finally pulled his eyes away from Yoriichi.
"Go ahead. If it becomes difficult to say, I can explain it for you."
"I believe it will be more convincing if I explain it myself. Yoriichi…"
Only after hearing his name again did Yoriichi give a small nod.
"Please don't worry about me."
Kagaya returned the nod. The faint smile on his face gradually faded as his gaze swept across the gathered Hashira.
"This also happened during the Sengoku period."
Kagaya paused briefly, letting his words settle over the room before continuing.
"After that nameless swordsman had a brief encounter with the Demon Slayer Corps, he chose to leave. He did not travel with us."
His gaze moved slowly across the Hashira.
"Not long afterward, someone witnessed that same swordsman slaying demons alongside his twin brother."
He folded his hands calmly in his lap.
"So we extended another invitation to both of them."
"The swordsman refused again…" Kagaya continued softly. "But his brother accepted and joined the Corps."
He paused once more.
"His name was Tsugikuni Michikatsu."
Kagaya paused for a moment.
"That was the first time in the history of the Demon Slayer Corps that one of our members became a demon and betrayed the Corps…"
"It was also the first time recorded in the history of the Ubuyashiki family that the head of the household died due to human malice rather than illness or natural disaster. For that reason, the records from that era are particularly detailed."
"The surname shared by Hiru and Yoriichi was no secret among the Hashira. Hearing this, Uzui couldn't help glancing toward Hiru."
"So back then, you and the Corps…"
"Mm. It should've been about half a month after I became a demon," Hiru said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "That was when the news reached us that the Master of the Demon Slayer Corps had been killed.
"And, unfortunately for everyone involved, there happened to be Hashira visiting us at the time. Things turned… unpleasant."
He shrugged slightly.
"One of the Hashira back then possessed Rare Blood. A demon's hunger intensifies depending on the concentration of human blood. I believe all of you experienced that just now.
"Suppressing that appetite isn't easy."
Rengoku spoke up loudly.
"Indeed! Setting aside the overwhelming malice that surges from within, I never imagined that even committing suicide would become difficult after turning into a demon!"
"I experienced the same," Shinobu said calmly. "In the illusion, after taking the medicine, I managed to kill the demon. But in the end, I couldn't suppress my hunger and attacked a human… I lost control of myself.
"So for the remainder of this discussion, I will refrain from expressing personal opinions.
"I will follow Oyakata-sama's judgment."
After the two of them spoke, the other Hashira briefly described their experiences within the illusion as well.
Aside from Giyu—who, for some reason, wandered behind the house into a wisteria grove and never encountered a demon at all—only Iguro and Uzui managed to endure their hunger.
Kanae glanced toward the Ui twins, who had remained silent throughout the entire discussion. The concern in her eyes deepened.
"I finally understand why Hiru always said my idea of peacefully coexisting with demons was naive," she said quietly. "I always knew demons were difficult to communicate with. But after seeing Tanjiro… I felt like the belief I'd held onto all this time had finally borne fruit."
She lowered her head slightly.
"…I'm sorry."
Hiru gave a faint smile, about to respond.
But at that moment, Muichiro suddenly stood up.
"…Why does it always have to be like this?"
The room fell silent.
Since Hiru and Yoriichi's identities had been revealed, everyone's mood had been heavy. But if there was anyone suffering the most in the Demon Slayer Corps right now, it was undoubtedly the Ui twins.
Muichiro's eyes were red, his voice trembling.
"It's always like this. Brother Hiru never tells us anything. And the result is always… always…"
Hiru looked up at him and gave a faint smile.
"I'm sorry. This must have been very confusing for you."
"That's not the problem!" Muichiro shouted.
He stared stubbornly at the ground in front of him, refusing to close his eyes. He didn't want to cry in front of everyone.
But the tears already filling his eyes still fell, one after another, splashing onto the cobblestones beneath his feet.
"Was everything a lie then? When you saved us from those demons… when you brought us back and raised us… when you taught us how dangerous demons are…
"Were all of those things just something you had to do to hide your identity?
"Have you been lying to us this whole time?!"
While Hiru remained calm, silently considering how to answer, Yoriichi clearly grew flustered.
"Muichiro, Hiru and I have never lied to you."
"Then what is this?!" Muichiro's voice suddenly rose. "Isn't this deception too?!"
The room fell silent.
Yoriichi clenched his fists. His mouth opened several times, yet no words came out.
"It's true… you never lied to us. And you've always taken such good care of us…"
Yuichiro raised his head.
Although his eyes were also red, he was far calmer than Muichiro.
"But didn't Hiru say there was a medicine that could turn demons back into humans? If that's the case… why didn't you become human again?"
Muichiro wiped his tears with the back of his hand, anger creeping into his voice.
"Hiru clearly told Kamado Tanjiro he could turn him back into a human soon. So why wait until now—until things reached this point—before admitting he's a demon instead of using that medicine?!"
"Hm… that's a difficult question to answer," Hiru said, looking slightly away. "As you can see, I became a demon through the use of a drug. That made me wonder whether there might also be a medicine capable of turning me back into a human."
"So from that point on, I devoted myself to researching different medicines."
He exhaled softly.
"Unfortunately, I was heading in the wrong direction. The medicines I developed could damage demon cells, but they couldn't restore me to a human the way the original drug had turned me into a demon."
"Instead, after decades of experimenting with various drugs, my body gradually adapted to wisteria and developed an extremely high resistance to medicine."
"And because of that…"
He paused briefly.
"…the medicine that can turn demons back into humans no longer works on me."
He spoke calmly.
"I… am destined to die as a demon."