Chapter 338

After a while, he lifted his gaze toward Butterfly Shinobu:

"Shinobu, is what Mr. Luo En said earlier true?"

"What thing?"

"What thing?"

All the Pillars were stunned.

Under their stares,

Butterfly Shinobu, who had always worn a serene smile, nodded to Ubuyashiki Kagaya: "If Mr. Luo En said it, then it can certainly be done."

Ubuyashiki Kagaya's face broke into a smile.

"Then there's no problem."

He slowly stood up and addressed the members of Hinokami:

"Carry out my order: recall all team members still outside to headquarters."

"Yes… yes!"

All the Pillars except Butterfly Shinobu were stunned.

"My lord… what is this?"

Ubuyashiki Kagaya smiled at them: "My children (swordsmen), the ripples of change in this era have spread—we have waited for this moment for years."

"The final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji."

All the Pillars were shocked.

Then,

their expressions gradually grew solemn and grave as they listened to Ubuyashiki Kagaya's words.

45, death draws near

At dusk.

On the grassland behind the mountain.

"Haah!"

As Tanjiro faced the six arms of Enmu Zero's sword technique, his eyes fully absorbed, he gripped his blade with both hands and advanced forward, slashing against the attack.

After the blade fell,

he was already behind Enmu Zero.

Clang.

The blades held in Enmu Zero's two arms snapped.

"Broke… broke?"

Zenitsu, sitting nearby, widened his eyes.

Inosuke crossed his arms and grumbled: "I could do that too!"

Kanao sat quietly beneath a tree, knees hugged to her chest, watching Tanjiro.

Muichiro stared at Tanjiro, his expression grave.

This guy… is progressing too fast!

Tanjiro snapped back to awareness, staring dazedly at the blade in his hand.

"That feeling just now…?"

"A fine strike."

A familiar voice sounded beside his ear.

Tanjiro turned his head and smiled in delight: "Mr. Fujikawa!"

The man was none other than the Water Pillar, Fujikawa Giyu—silent, stern, and seemingly aloof.

"Mr. Fujikawa, you're back!"

Tanjiro rushed up to him in delight and spoke.

Fujikawa Giyu nodded at him, then handed him a wrapped box.

Tanjiro took it, curious: "What's this?"

"A gift. Steamed buns. Share them among you."

Fujikawa Giyu remained as taciturn as ever.

"Is there a gift for me?"

Along with a calm, smiling voice, a hand landed on Fujikawa Giyu's shoulder.

Luo En, clad in a blue haori and carrying an ancient sword, appeared suddenly beside them.

Fujikawa Giyu glanced at him.

"No."

"But I can buy you a drink."

"Then that's fine."

Luo En clapped Fujikawa Giyu's shoulder and smiled in satisfaction: "Then let's go."

He glanced at Tanjiro and said: "Training ends here. Go back and prepare yourselves."

With that, he and Fujikawa Giyu departed in one direction.

Leaving Tanjiro and the others bewildered.

…

On the road.

Fujikawa Giyu walked side by side with Luo En, who stood a head taller than him.

"You really can find Kyogai Muichiro, right?"

Tomioka Giyu asked abruptly.

"Of course."

Tomioka Giyu fell silent for a moment, then said: "Do we now have the power to kill Kyogai Muichiro and the Twelve Kizuki?"

After witnessing the strength of the Upper Moons himself, he doubted his own current power.

Luo En took a sip from the Infinite Flask and smiled: "Relax—you're going to win."

Tomioka Giyu glanced at him.

Luo En raised his thumb—the hand not holding the flask—pointed at himself, and winked at him: "Because I'm on your side."

…………

The seventh day.

The special training was completely over.

All Demon Slayer Corps members out on missions were recalled to headquarters.

The Nine Pillars gathered before the Ubuyashiki estate.

After Ubuyashiki Kagaya arrived, accompanied by Yuishiro, who had come upon receiving the news.

Luo En appeared before them; after greeting Yuishiro, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, he explained to the Pillars the plan to ambush Kyogai Muichiro.

"I know the human form Kyogai Muichiro currently inhabits, but using that to ambush him in the mortal realm is impractical—he can slip into the infinite space created by his subordinate demons' Blood Techniques: the Infinite Castle."

"The space within the Infinite Castle is controlled by a demon named 'Muzan's Bell'—fighting Kyogai Muichiro and the Upper Moons inside puts you at absolute disadvantage."

"Therefore…"

Luo En, standing with his hands behind his back, raised his right hand and extended two fingers toward them.

"Before ambushing Kyogai Muichiro, we must do two things."

…………

Butterfly House.

Tanjiro, Shinobu, and Nezuko were puzzled why Luo En had asked them to prepare—and what exactly they were preparing for.

Boom!

Accompanied by an explosion.

The wall shattered.

Under the stunned, wide-eyed gaze of the three.

The Sound Pillar, Uzui Tengen, stepped through the broken wall and looked at them:

"Tanjiro Kamado, Shinobu Kocho, and Nezuko—come with me to Yoshiwara's Flower District."