Hiru and Yoriichi returned not long after everyone had met Ubuyashiki and the Blood Demon Art had been lifted. With them was Sanemi, pale-faced and unconscious, with a bite mark on his arm.
Kanae and Shinobu gave Sanemi a full examination, but the conclusion was simply excessive blood loss. Aside from the bite mark on his right forearm, there was not a single other injury on his body.
After hearing Kanae's report, everyone's taut nerves finally relaxed. Ubuyashiki also wore a faint smile. "I understand. Once Sanemi wakes up, I'll explain the situation to him... As for Hiru and Yoriichi, what are your plans from here?"
"Plans? What plans could there be? We'll just find somewhere to live." Hiru yawned. "You're the one who'd cry if Aniue and I vanished without a trace, aren't you?"
"Haha... True. If it really came to that, it would be quite a headache." Ubuyashiki laughed. "If you need help with money or connections, just tell me. I'll do what I can."
"I'd do that even if you didn't say it. Otherwise, all the work I've done for you would've been for nothing."
"Hiru, that's going too far."
Ubuyashiki only smiled faintly. "Then everyone, please rest for tonight. Once Sanemi wakes tomorrow, we will hold our final Hashira Meeting. Kyojuro, I'll leave the arrangements to you."
"Yes! I will fulfill my duty as host!" Kyojuro's voice rang loud and clear. "But for everyone to gather like this after the final battle is truly fortunate!"
"It really is." Sabito smiled. "But Hiru..."
"Hmm?"
"Did you actually bite Sanemi?"
Hiru nodded calmly. "Rather, he was even tastier than I expected."
Muichiro leaned over too. "What did he taste like exactly?"
"Hmm, it's hard to describe, but if I had to say, there was a very rich aroma of tea and sake, and the texture was smooth enough to be addictive..." Hiru closed his eyes and unconsciously licked his teeth. "Once he recovers, no matter what, I'm going to find him and drink again. Hm?"
Hiru looked up at Uzui, who had thrust his arm in front of him. "...What is wrong with you?"
"Drink it. Right here, right now."
Hiru: ...Why?
As if seeing through Hiru's confusion, Uzui reached out and yanked him in front of him, looking especially furious. "You brat, how dare you call me junk food? What did you mean by that? I am the God of Festivals, a god, do you understand? Right now. Drink."
"...I refuse." Hiru slapped Uzui's hand away, his expression instantly turning deeply disgusted. "You want me to eat street food right after I had the finest delicacy? Are you insane, or am I? Move. Stop bothering me."
But Uzui simply locked an arm around Hiru's neck and shoved his forearm over with unusual force. "No! You have to drink it today! How can the God of Festivals lose over something this small?! Open your mouth!"
"Uzui! Have you spent so long as a jewelry stand that both your cerebrum and cerebellum have degenerated?! What is there to compete over?! Let go! Otherwise, I really will break your bones!"
"Then do it! If my arm breaks at this angle, you'll get to drink my blood! Listen, in all the years this God of Festivals has spent cutting down demons, not one of them ever dared call me junk food the way you did!" Uzui refused to back down. "And Yoriichi! If you still think of me as a friend, stay out of this today!"
So Yoriichi, who had just started to rise and pull them apart, sat back down again. "But Uzui, no matter how you look at it..."
"Yoriichi, stay out of it!"
"Aniue, pull him away!"
"Even if you scream yourself hoarse today, you're drinking this blood! This is a matter of dignity!"
"Uzui-nii really is a weirdo." Muichiro looked up at the commotion. "He actually wants Hiru-nii to drink his blood that badly. What exactly did Hinatsuru and the others see in this guy with something wrong in his head?"
"Maybe love blinded them?" Yuichiro sighed and looked at Yoriichi. "Did you drink Sanemi-nii's blood too, Yoriichi-nii?"
Yoriichi finally drew his gaze back from the farce. He shook his head slightly, then answered Yuichiro calmly, "How should I put this? I don't have that sort of desire. In my eyes, Rare Blood and ordinary humans are not very different."
"Eh? But I remember Tanjiro saying more than once that Sanemi-nii smelled super delicious. Yoriichi-nii, do you really not sense any difference?"
"Hmm... If I had to describe it..." Yoriichi lowered his head, seeming to search for a suitable comparison. "To me, someone with Rare Blood is only as if they have a little extra incense on them. Apart from the smell being somewhat sharp, there isn't much difference. It also doesn't stir my appetite or make me hungry... Ah, Oyakata-sama."
"Yoriichi, is there something else?"
"Hiru told me that Tamayo-san gave him a vial of medicine that can accelerate aging, and that she left you the formula as well." Yoriichi looked calmly at Ubuyashiki. "Although the Primordial Demon has perished, and the demons transformed by it should also die, just in case, could I ask you to prepare a vial of that medicine for me as well?"
"Yes, I understand." Ubuyashiki nodded slightly and looked toward the Kocho sisters, who were speaking quietly off to the side. "Then may I leave this matter to Kanae and Shinobu?"
"Yes, please leave it to us." Kanae smiled gently. "Shinobu and I will make the medicine as quickly as possible."
"Mm, thank you." Ubuyashiki returned a gentle smile to them, then looked back toward Uzui and Hiru, who were still tangled together. His smile gained a touch of helplessness. "...It really is a moving sight."
At those words, everyone present could not help laughing. At last, they each got up, said their farewells, and left.
In the end, Uzui still failed to make Hiru drink his blood. Instead, Hiru forcibly pulled his arm joint out of place, and Kanae, who treated him afterward, gave him a thorough scolding.
Sanemi woke that evening. After meeting Ubuyashiki and regaining his memories, the first thing he did was grab his Nichirin Blade and search everywhere for Kitaro, saying he was going to pluck that crow's feathers.
After Hiru stopped him, he turned on Hiru instead and cursed him out for drinking his blood out of nothing but selfish desire and twisted amusement.
Because Hiru knew he was in the wrong, he did not argue back. Instead, once Sanemi finished his tirade, he asked whether he could have another chance to drink his blood later.
As a result, that very night, Sanemi chased him all over the Rengoku estate with a blade in hand. Later on, they dragged everyone else into the mess too, forcing them to join the brawl.
It was only after four or five hours of chaos, when Shinjuro finally could not take it anymore and came out with a furious roar that silenced everyone, that the farce finally came to an end.
The story of the Demon Slayer Corps may be over, but the stories of its people will continue on.