— — — — — — —
"Then let's give it a try! I trust you, Renzo!"
Ubuyashiki Kagaya said with a smile.
By now, he was used to Renzo surprising him.
First, Renzo used healing magic to greatly ease his illness.
Then, he eliminated several Upper Demon Moons (Kizuki) one after another.
A few months ago, he even found Kamado Tanjiro's family, who inherited the lost Sun Breathing technique. Not only did he save them, but he also ensured that both Tanjiro and Nezuko learned Sun Breathing!
Of course, they were still too young and far from their full potential.
Additionally, Mist Hashira Tokito Muichiro and others had also learned Sun Breathing, making the Demon Slayer Corps stronger than ever.
Aside from being a bit of a flirt, a playboy, and a showoff idiot, Renzo was practically flawless in some way.
"Thank you for your trust, Lord Ubuyashiki! Let's begin now."
Without hesitation, Renzo raised his hand toward Ubuyashiki Kagaya and softly chanted, "Holy Purification!"
A magic circle formed beneath Kagaya's feet and another appeared in front of Renzo's hand.
In the next moment, a radiant white light burst from the circles and surged into Kagaya's body.
"Ah..."
For the first time in years, Kagaya felt an indescribable sense of relief.
It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted off his body, and his condition continued to improve.
From the perspective of Renzo and the other Hashira, they could see dark smoke emerging from Kagaya's body, which was then quickly purified and dissipated by the holy light.
Five minutes later, Renzo lowered his hand, stopping the flow of magic as the circles disappeared.
He then cast two additional healing spells to repair Kagaya's body, which had been severely damaged by the curse.
"I... I can see?!"
Ubuyashiki Kagaya was overwhelmed with shock and joy.
His eyes, which had long since gone blind, had fully recovered!
And it wasn't just that—
"Lord Ubuyashiki! Your face... it's healed!"
"This is incredible!"
"Unbelievable!"
"Renzo, you're amazing!"
Seeing Kagaya fully healed, the Hashira were ecstatic, some even giving Renzo a hug.
This was beyond expectations!
"I really don't know how to thank you! To think I've actually been healed... Renzo, truly, thank you!"
Ubuyashiki Kagaya touched the once-disfigured side of his face, feeling completely restored, and looked at Renzo with deep gratitude.
"Not completely healed," Renzo corrected with a shake of his head.
"Eh?"
Everyone froze in surprise. "But he looks fine..."
"I've only temporarily cleansed the curse," Renzo explained. "This curse is unique—it's rooted in blood. As long as Kibutsuji Muzan exists, it will return. That means we must eliminate him!"
His voice was resolute.
As long as the source remained, the problem would never truly be gone.
"I see… well, that's fine! At least for now, I feel much better!" Ubuyashiki Kagaya said cheerfully. "Now then, let's discuss our strategy to take down Muzan!"
"Renzo, do you have a plan?"
Since Renzo had been the one to gather the intelligence and had the confidence to kill Muzan, it was only natural to follow his lead.
If this mission succeeded, with Renzo's purification and healing magic, Kagaya believed he might even live for decades longer, experiencing a natural lifespan for the first time in generations.
"When it comes to Muzan, no amount of planning matters," Renzo said, shaking his head.
He took a stack of documents from Kochou Kanae and distributed them. "Here's everything I've gathered on the remaining Upper Moons and their abilities. Study these carefully!"
"Tomorrow at dusk, we set out for Muzan's lair!"
"This time, we will end it once and for all!"
"You all handle the others—Muzan is mine! Are you ready?!"
Renzo knew he had dragged things out long enough. Muzan Kibutsuji wasn't worth all this planning. With his current strength, he could take him head-on without issue.
Of course, he still had to make sure Muzan didn't escape.
"Yes!"
"Leave it to us!"
"We've got this!"
Everyone was fired up, itching to get out there and slaughter those damn man-eating demons.
"Renzo, are you really okay taking on Muzan alone?"
Sabito, Makomo, Tomioka Giyu, and Kocho Shinobu all looked at him with concern.
"Haha!"
Renzo chuckled confidently. "You guys know how strong I am, right? I can say for sure that even the legendary Yoriichi Tsugikuni at his peak wouldn't stand a chance against me now."
"Muzan, who lost to him, definitely won't be a threat! Trust me on this."
"But you guys need to be careful too. I won't always be able to watch over you."
These people were his close friends, and some even closer than that—of course, he worried about them.
"Don't worry! I'll make sure everyone stays safe!" Sabito reassured him with a grin.
As an older brother figure, it was his duty to look out for his juniors. He was already thinking about how, once this was all over, he'd return home with Makomo and Renzo to visit their master.
Renzo nodded, placing a reassuring hand on each of their shoulders. After leaving a few precautions in place, he finally felt a little more at ease.
— — —
That night, atop the Butterfly Mansion, Shinobu sat quietly, gazing up at the starry sky.
Tonight's sky was exceptionally beautiful.
Tomorrow would surely be a good day.
The sound of footsteps approached, and soon Renzo sat beside her. With a gentle voice, he asked, "What's on your mind?"
"Nothing much," Shinobu replied with a slight shake of her head. "The night sky is just really beautiful tonight. Do you think everything will go smoothly tomorrow?"
"Definitely! I'll make sure of it!" Renzo wrapped an arm around her waist reassuringly.
"Mmm..."
Shinobu leaned against his shoulder, savoring the peaceful moment.
After a long silence, she finally spoke. "I have to be there tomorrow. Otherwise, I won't be able to forgive myself. And you're not allowed to stop me."
"Well..."
Renzo couldn't help but smile wryly. This girl was sharp—she had already figured out why he had come to see her.
Even though he knew it was pointless, he still tried to persuade her gently. "It's going to be really dangerous. I don't want anything to happen to you, and I don't want to be distracted because I'm worried about you. Do you understand?"
"I do."
Just as Renzo was about to sigh in relief, Shinobu continued, "But I'm still going. Don't worry, I'll stick with my sister, and I'll be careful."
She had a deep-seated hatred for demons.
If she didn't go, she would never find peace.
The horrors of her past, the nightmare of losing her family to demons, were still fresh in her mind.
How could she not see this through?
She had to witness Muzan's death with her own eyes.
"Alright, but be careful. I'll protect you."
Renzo leaned in and kissed her forehead gently.
Shinobu's face immediately flushed red.
At that moment, Renzo's gaze flickered toward two hidden spots below the roof.
There, he could sense both Makomo and Kocho Kanae.
A smirk played on his lips.
.
.
.