Perhaps he would no longer be able to accompany his disciple to see her beloved rapeseed flowers on the day they bloomed. Sakonji Urokodaki's heart was heavy with a touch of sorrow.
But such was life.
All things must one day come to an end, and every meeting would eventually lead to parting.
He shook his head lightly, casting aside the faint melancholy, and stepped forward toward the nearby house.
At the entrance, a boy with deep red hair and red eyes was training hard. Seeing Urokodaki, he broke into a warm smile. "Urokodaki-sensei, you've come."
"Mm."
Urokodaki paused slightly. Every time he saw Tanjiro, he was reminded of Sabito—the disciple in whom he had once placed his greatest hopes. The same warmth, the same vibrant spirit… it was all so familiar.
And yet life was always full of unpredictable turns. The disciple he had placed the greatest hopes in had been lost at Mount Fujikasane, cut down during the very trial meant to test his future.
Reaching out, Urokodaki placed a hand on Tanjiro's shoulder. "Keep it up."
"I will, sir!"
Tanjiro clenched his fist tightly. Though exhaustion was written all over his face from relentless training, his eyes still burned with determination.
"Is Soma inside?"
"Yes, he's in the house."
Urokodaki gave Tanjiro another light pat before heading inside.
Passing through the courtyard, he entered the spacious interior. The first thing that caught his eye was a table set with a teacup, steam still curling gently upward from its surface.
His gaze shifted.
There, seated upright on the tatami platform, was Soma. Resting against his knees were the heads of Nezuko and Kanao, both seemingly fast asleep. Soft light streamed in through the window, falling perfectly across the tranquil scene.
Urokodaki paused for a moment.
Seeing how close they were, he couldn't help but think of his own disciple, Makomo—and for no clear reason, a faint irritation stirred within him.
"Urokodaki-san," Soma greeted him with a gentle smile. "Kanao and Nezuko just finished sparring. They must have been exhausted—they fell asleep right after resting for a bit."
Urokodaki's gaze lingered on the two girls resting their heads against Soma's legs. Beneath the tengu mask, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Such casual intimacy between a man and young women… their relationship was certainly far from ordinary.
Still, judging by their tired expressions, he could tell Soma was telling the truth.
At first, Urokodaki felt a faint urge to stand up for his disciple, but when it came to matters of affection, he had little ground to speak on. Having spent his entire life alone, he wasn't exactly in a position to lecture anyone. If Tengen Uzui were here, perhaps he might say something—
Though, on second thought, Uzui himself had three wives. He would likely offer no criticism at all.
Shaking his head with a hint of resignation, Urokodaki chose to let the matter go. After all, he could clearly see Soma's qualities. It was only natural that his disciple—or any girl, for that matter—might feel drawn to someone like him.
Suppressing his thoughts, Urokodaki reached into his robes and pulled out several sheets of paper.
Soma accepted them, his eyes scanning the contents.
They detailed methods for awakening the Bright Red Nichirin Sword, the Demon Slayer Mark, as well as insights into the Transparent World—along with tentative theories on how one might access it.
Among them, the section on the Demon Slayer Mark was the most thorough. It described in precise detail the various dangers the body might encounter upon activation, especially the signs of physical distress and the unmistakable sensation of one's life force gradually slipping away…
After reading through it, Soma looked up at the elderly man.
He gently patted Kanao and Nezuko, who were still resting on his knees.
Nezuko stirred first, waking groggily. As her eyes slowly opened, she noticed Urokodaki standing in the room—and then became aware of the knees she had been resting on.
Realizing what had just happened, Nezuko's face flushed bright red. She hurriedly scrambled to her feet and stepped aside, lowering her head in embarrassment. "G-Greetings, Urokodaki-sensei…"
Kanao, on the other hand, showed no such fluster. After waking, she simply adjusted herself and sat neatly beside Soma, as calm and composed as ever.
"Nezuko, could you bring some sake from inside?" Soma said gently, noticing her awkwardness.
"Y-Yes, of course!"
As if granted a reprieve, Nezuko quickly fled the room.
Urokodaki watched her retreating figure before stepping forward and kneeling beside Soma. His Nichirin Sword rested quietly at his side.
Once the sake arrived, Soma poured a cup for Urokodaki.
The old man accepted it naturally and drank. The liquid slid down his throat, and beneath the tengu mask, a faint flush rose to his aged face.
Soma lifted his own cup and took a sip, then looked at him and asked in a low voice, "Urokodaki-san… you've awakened the Demon Slayer Mark, haven't you?"
"Yes."
"Then how much longer can you live?"
Soma's question came without hesitation.
Urokodaki took another drink before letting out a quiet sigh. "Once the Mark is awakened, the body remains in a constant state of high temperature. It places tremendous strain on every organ…"
He paused briefly.
"Perhaps… half a month at most. If I were to engage in intense battle, I might not even last a single day."
Soma fell silent for a moment upon hearing this. Then, without a word, he refilled Urokodaki's cup.
"A toast to you, Urokodaki-san. I didn't expect you would make such a choice."
"I am already old," Urokodaki replied calmly. "Even if I continued living, I would merely be a decaying shell. Now, if this withered body can burn once more… then it is exactly what I wished for."
After a brief pause, his tone softened.
"But what I want to ask you is this… is there truly no way to awaken the Mark without losing one's life?"
It was not fear of death that weighed on him. Rather, it was the thought that every swordsman who awakened the Mark—a truly gifted warrior—would soon face their end. That truth left a shadow in his heart. He had already lived long enough; his death meant little. But the younger generation still had bright futures ahead of them.
"There should be a way," Soma said after a moment, shaking his head slightly. "After all, Yoriichi Tsugikuni awakened the Mark and still lived past eighty."
Perhaps, in the future, Tanjiro might uncover a way to wield the Mark without suffering the constant drain of life—but for now, no such method was known.
A trace of disappointment flickered across Urokodaki's heart, but he soon drank another cup and laughed lightly.
"Still, this is far better than before. At least now… we have the strength to face the Upper Ranks. The Hashira will no longer be helplessly defeated when confronting them."
Soma said nothing.
Urokodaki finished yet another cup of sake, then rose to his feet. He gave Soma a firm pat on the shoulder.
"I have met countless people in my lifetime… but you are the one I understand the least."
Soma smiled gently as he drank. "You give me too much credit, Urokodaki-san."
"The future will belong to your generation," Urokodaki said. "I only hope that Muzan Kibutsuji will finally be brought to an end in your era."
"He will be."
Soma nodded without hesitation.
Urokodaki downed one last cup, then casually let it fall aside. Grasping his Nichirin Sword, he turned and walked toward the door.
Watching his departing figure, Soma couldn't help but ask, "Urokodaki-san… where are you going?"
The old man laughed, his spirit surging with bold resolve.
"One last time… I'll take this worn-out body of mine and walk the path of demon slaying."
His voice rang with unyielding determination.
"If I can, I'd like to witness for myself the strength of the Upper Rank Three who killed Shinjuro… If I can do that, then my life will have no regrets."
...
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