One day later, at Mount Sagiri.
"Caw—caw!"
Two Kasugai crows circled overhead, relaying a message from Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
"Mr. Urokodaki! Please take care of Nezuko for now!"
Tanjiro knelt on the ground, bowing deeply to Urokodaki Sakonji in a dogeza posture.
Since the last incident at Yuntoriyama, Nezuko had forcibly grown her body to protect Tanjiro, expending too much energy and falling unconscious halfway through the journey.
"I'll take good care of Nezuko. She's safe with me. You can go attend the Pillar Meeting without worry."
Wearing a red tengu mask, Urokodaki Sakonji reassured Tanjiro, Hardy, and Giyu Tomioka.
"Let's go. The Kakushi are waiting outside."
Giyu Tomioka led everyone outside.
Ever since the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters was betrayed by a traitor over three hundred years ago, its secrecy had increased. Ordinary members traveling to headquarters had to be blindfolded and wear earplugs, escorted by Kakushi the entire way, with several handoffs between different groups.
However, Giyu Tomioka didn't need to be blindfolded, as he was a Pillar—second only to Kagaya Ubuyashiki within the Corps.
Another day passed.
In a remote, unnamed mountain, at the Ubuyashiki estate.
Giyu Tomioka led Hardy to the location.
"Glad to see you, Mr. Tomioka!"
A tall young man with red and yellow hair arrived at the gate at the same time.
"And you two—I haven't met you before. I'm a First-Class Swordsman, Kyojuro Rengoku!"
With his booming voice, spirited gaze, and owl-like hairstyle, Kyojuro Rengoku left a deep impression at first glance.
"Hello, I'm Kamado Tanjiro!"
Tanjiro, seemingly influenced by Rengoku, replied in a loud voice as well.
"Uesugi Hardy."
Hardy nodded slightly at Rengoku.
Giyu Tomioka said nothing, simply walking forward to push open the courtyard door.
On the open space before the steps, several Pillars with distinct auras sat kneeling in a row.
Glancing over, Hardy saw that, aside from Rengoku Kyojuro—who was still a First-Class Swordsman and not yet a Pillar—and Mitsuri Kanroji, who had not yet returned (likely still apprenticing under Rengoku), the other nine Pillars from the original timeline were all present.
A gentle-looking man with a faint purple scar on his forehead stood in front of the six Pillars, his expression warm.
"Giyu, Kyojuro, you're here. And Hardy-kun, this is our first meeting."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki greeted them with a gentle smile.
"Lord Ubuyashiki." ×2
"Senior Kagaya."
Giyu Tomioka and Kyojuro Rengoku knelt before Kagaya Ubuyashiki, while Hardy simply stood and nodded in greeting.
Ubuyashiki was a noble, and so was he. Neither would become the other's retainer.
Unless, like Kokushibo four hundred years ago, he abandoned his family for greater power.
"Hey, hey, hey! Isn't this supposed to be a Pillar meeting? Why are you here? And that red-haired guy—what's a First-Class Swordsman doing here? And even a kid?"
Sanemi Shinazugawa glanced at Hardy, then at Kyojuro Rengoku.
"Where's Senior Shinjuro? In the past, he would've made a grand entrance by now."
Tengen Uzui, the Sound Pillar, brushed his long white hair aside.
Hardy noticed that after Giyu Tomioka knelt, he seemed to zone out.
"Actually… my father…"
"Are you sure you're qualified to be a Pillar? And you, Uesugi Hardy—never mind the red-haired guy, at least he's a First-Class Swordsman, but didn't you just pass the Final Selection last week?"
Hardy was dumbfounded.
What does this have to do with me? Weren't you picking on Kyojuro Rengoku?
Although everyone knew Sanemi Shinazugawa had a violent temper, he hadn't been like this the last time they met. Could it be that he's on his period or something?
But Hardy wasn't someone who would let others insult him without fighting back.
"The Final Selection isn't that difficult, and a person's strength isn't determined by how long they've held a sword. Wind Hashira, if you're in a bad mood, why not go have some fun in the pleasure district? There's no need to take it out on us here."
With his arms crossed, Hardy addressed Sanemi Shinazugawa directly.
"You're pretty cocky, kid. Don't think you're hot stuff just because you have a gun! In the eyes of a true master, a gun doesn't count for much.
Sorry, Oyakata-sama, but since I was the one who brought him into the Demon Slayer Corps, I feel it's my responsibility to teach him a lesson."
Sanemi Shinazugawa stood up, and Hardy frowned.
Is this never going to end?
"If you want a fight, I'll give you one."
As Sanemi's fist swung toward him, Hardy didn't hold back either. He sidestepped, using a hand chop in place of his Nichirin blade, aiming straight for Sanemi's face.
"No fighting! Combat between Corps members is strictly forbidden!"
Kyojuro Rengoku hurried forward to stop them.
The commotion between the three immediately drew the attention of all the Hashira, even Giyu Tomioka, who had been spacing out.
"Oyakata-sama, this..."
Shinobu Kocho looked toward Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
"It's alright. Sanemi knows his limits, and I believe Kyojuro already has what it takes to become a Hashira. Hardy, like Muichiro Tokito, is a prodigy—he'll surprise you all."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki replied gently.
"Speaking of which, Sanemi seems really fired up today. Did something set him off?" Iguro Obanai, the Serpent Hashira, asked curiously.
"Namu Amida Butsu. I suspect it's because Sanemi's younger brother, Genya, chose to follow the same path as him and wants to join the Demon Slayer Corps," Gyomei Himejima said, palms pressed together.
"By the way, their fight is pretty flashy! Hey, Shinazugawa, are you up to it or not?" Tengen Uzui cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted into the courtyard, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
"Damn it! Shut up, Uzui!" Sanemi Shinazugawa was truly flustered now.
Because he realized... he actually couldn't get the better of these two.
Kyojuro Rengoku was only trying to break up the fight, but the strength and speed he displayed were already at the level of a Hashira.
Sanemi was a little surprised, but still found it within expectations.
He wasn't sure about Shinjuro Rengoku's current condition, but if he could no longer serve as the Flame Hashira, then given the Rengoku family's generations-long history in the role, his son Kyojuro, as a first-rate swordsman, was sure to take over.
Sanemi was also intentionally testing whether Kyojuro Rengoku had what it took to shoulder the responsibilities of a Hashira.