"If I had used a real sword,"
Tanjirou said as he calmly lowered his fists,
"you would already be dead."
His voice was steady, almost indifferent,
as if he had merely pointed out a fact, not flattened one of the most powerful Hashira in an instant.
The courtyard remained deathly silent.
None of the Pillars could find their voice.
Was this really the same boy they had once seen as little more than a stubborn fledgling?
The Tanjirou who had once seemed so soft-hearted, so weak?
No—this was something else entirely.
Tomioka Giyuu stepped forward stiffly, disbelief clouding his usually stoic eyes.
"Tanjirou... does your power truly come from a god?" he asked.
Tanjirou nodded without hesitation.
"Yes, Giyuu-san. It's all thanks to the grace of the Eternal God.
And... because of Him, my sister Nezuko... she's become human again."
At those words, the Hashira visibly jolted.
Nezuko... became human again?
Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Hashira, stepped forward anxiously, pink hair fluttering.
"Impossible! A demon turning back into a human? Even with divine intervention, that's... that's too much to believe!"
Several other Pillars wore similarly skeptical expressions.
After all, demons were no longer human — their humanity devoured by Muzan's curse.
How could a miracle like that be possible?
Tanjirou smiled softly, as if expecting their doubt.
Without further explanation, he turned toward the nearby sliding door.
"Nezuko," he called, voice warm, "come out and meet everyone."
A sweet, gentle voice responded,
"Coming, Onii-chan."
Moments later, Nezuko stepped out into the courtyard, dressed in a simple black kimono.
She was no longer the horned demon girl they remembered — but a petite, delicate young girl with clear, lively eyes and a radiant aura of innocence.
For a moment, no one could even breathe.
Tomioka Giyuu's hand fell slack at his side.
"I... I fought her before," he whispered hoarsely.
"She was... she was a demon. She attacked me."
The Love Hashira gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth.
The Stone Hashira bowed his head in silent reverence.
Even the Wind Hashira, Sanemi — who had always treated Tanjirou and Nezuko with contempt — had no words.
She was human again.
And the one responsible for it... was the Eternal God.
—
Seeing the shock on everyone's faces,
Tanjirou took a step forward, voice strong and unwavering.
"Now you understand," he said.
"This is the greatness of the Eternal God."
"As long as we believe—" he continued, "—the threat of demons will no longer exist."
Then he paused, and added with a sly smile,
"And that's not even the most important thing."
Everyone stared at him, hanging on his every word.
Tanjirou drew a deep breath and spoke solemnly:
"The God of Eternity once said... if we spread His faith and offer sacrifices with sincerity—
He can grant any wish, even bringing the dead back to life."
The courtyard exploded into chaos.
"You mean—!"
"Resurrecting the dead?"
"That's absurd!"
"No... if turning a demon back into a human is possible, then maybe—!"
The Hashira exchanged wild, desperate glances.
Everyone here had lost someone — siblings, friends, parents — all devoured by Muzan's wretched demons.
The thought of seeing those faces again, smiling and alive...
It was a temptation too great to ignore.
Shinobu Kocho, the graceful Insect Hashira, suddenly stepped forward, her voice tight with suppressed emotion.
"Please," she said, her violet eyes glistening,
"what sacrifice must I offer?"
"I... I want to bring my sister Kanae back."
Her voice cracked slightly at the end.
Everyone turned toward her, their hearts aching.
Tanjirou's expression softened.
"I don't know the exact cost yet," he said gently.
"I only received the God's blessing passively, without making a formal sacrifice.
But what I do know is this—"
"—the greater the sincerity of the offering, the greater the miracle."
Shinobu bit her lip, fists clenched at her sides.
Whatever the price... she was willing to pay it.
Even if it meant her own life.
Even if it meant her happiness.
As long as her sister could smile again.
—
At that moment, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the frail master of the Demon Slayer Corps, raised his voice.
"Listen well, my children."
His voice was calm but resolute.
"Resurrection may be possible... but that is for the future.
For now, we must focus on strengthening ourselves."
His cloudy, blind eyes gleamed faintly under the sunlight.
"I gathered you all here to learn the meditation Tanjirou spoke of.
The priority is clear —
become strong enough to wipe Muzan Kibutsuji from the face of the earth."
At his words, the Hashira all knelt without hesitation.
Their hearts burned with a new determination.
If it was possible to destroy all demons —
to end the centuries of sorrow —
then they would gladly offer their faith.
—
That very day, the nine Hashira received the divine meditation technique from Tanjirou and Urokodaki.
One by one, they entered the world of Eternal Meditation.
And one by one, they returned — transformed.
Their breathing techniques, sword arts, and strength skyrocketed.
It was as if the human body's natural limits had been shattered.
Even the sickly Ubuyashiki, after his first session of meditation, regained partial use of his legs and even his eyesight —
his decaying body slowly beginning to heal.
It was the dawn of a new era.
From this day onward, the Demon Slayer Corps were no longer ordinary mortals struggling against the night.
They were champions blessed by the gods.
—
That evening.
Under the serene, starlit sky.
Tanjirou sat atop the tiled rooftop, gazing at the moon, when a soft voice called out.
"...Tanjirou-kun."
He turned —
and saw Shinobu Kocho climbing up to sit beside him.
Her petite figure, draped in butterfly-themed haori, looked fragile under the night wind.
But her eyes shone with unyielding strength.
"I... I want to know," she said quietly, hugging her knees.
"How much sacrifice... would it take to bring Kanae back?"
Tanjirou hesitated.
"...Sacrifices don't have to be treasures," he said honestly.
"The God values sincerity above all else."
He looked at her thoughtfully.
"In many worlds, sacrifices can be anything.
Treasures, relics, pure souls, even... the offering of one's own happiness."
Shinobu listened silently, her heart pounding.
"So," she said softly, resting her chin on her knees,
"if it's sincerity He wants... then no matter the price... I will offer everything."
She turned toward Tanjirou, a bittersweet smile on her lips.
"Even if it means giving up my future."
Tanjirou's heart twisted painfully.
"...You're not alone," he said firmly.
"My family... I will bring them back too."
The two of them gazed up at the endless stars —
two souls bound by grief, hope, and an unwavering faith in the Eternal God.
Under the vast, eternal sky —
they made a silent promise.
No matter the cost.
They would not fail.