When Gyutaro stood up, he saw Giyu Tomioka kneeling on the ground.
"Cough cough cough cough…"
Giyu's face was pale as paper. One hand clutched his chest as he gasped for breath, cold sweat trickling down his face.
It felt as though his heart were being roasted from the inside out. The pain was unbearable.
"This… this must be the precursor to the Demon Slayer Mark awakening… but I can't even move…"
He tried several times to stand, but his limbs refused to obey.
After a brief moment of shock, both Gyutaro and Daki realized what had happened. Daki shrieked first:
"Damn it, damn it, damn it! I was this close to dying! He nearly took my head off!"
"I'm going to chop you into pieces!"
"Calm down, Sister~," Gyutaro said as he slowly approached Giyu with a sinister grin.
"Let me take care of him. After all, I collect debts. And no debt is heavier than the cost of almost killing us."
He came right up to Tomioka, and in the next instant, kicked him into the air with a savage blow—then followed it with another.
BANG—
Giyu, powerless to resist, was sent crashing into a nearby building. The house collapsed instantly, burying him under rubble.
Daki, still clearly shaken, showed no interest in playing anymore. She unleashed the full power of her obi belts, launching them like spears into the ruins.
"I won't feel safe until that bastard's in pieces!!"
"Flower Breathing: Fourth Form – Crimson Hanagoromo!"
"Insect Breathing: Dance of the Bee Sting – True Flutter!"
That's right—the Kocho sisters had arrived!
Kanae Kocho's graceful technique distracted Gyutaro, while Shinobu Kocho darted in like a blur, her blade piercing through Daki's neck with surgical precision.
She didn't linger after the strike—Shinobu leapt back to her sister's side just as fast.
Daki clutched at her head, trying to speak—but patches of purple necrosis had already begun spreading across her face and body.
"D-damn it… that little girl's blade was poisoned…!"
Gyutaro clicked his tongue, eyes darting between the sisters.
"Wait for me, Sis. I'll snap their arms and legs."
But just as he took a step forward—a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds. Dawn had arrived!
"Tch…!" Gyutaro didn't hesitate. He scooped up Daki's body and vanished into the forest with a flicker of speed.
On the battlefield, Kanae stopped her sister from giving chase.
"Shinobu, wait. The priority now is Tomioka!"
At that moment, a squad of Kakushi arrived, rapidly beginning search and rescue. Together, they dug through the debris until they uncovered Giyu.
His appearance frightened everyone.
His eyes were tightly shut, breathing weak and shallow. But worst of all—his face, arms, chest, and legs were covered in vivid purple blotches, the unmistakable mark of poison.
"Tomioka!"
Kanae rushed forward, pulling out an antidote injection. Shinobu immediately assisted her, quickly administering treatment.
The Kakushi got to work as well—this was the Red-Light District, and there were numerous wounded.
Ten Days Later
Giyu Tomioka finally awoke.
He stared blankly at the ceiling, eyes unfocused, as though his mind had yet to catch up after such a long coma.
Only when Ubuyashiki Kagaya, Kanae, and Shinobu arrived did he fully regain awareness.
As he tried to sit up, Kagaya raised a hand.
"No need, Giyu. You've only just awakened. Your body is still weak. Please, rest."
Kanae smiled warmly.
"That's right. You've been asleep for more than ten days!"
Giyu was stunned. But then he remembered—he had reached his limit, pushed past it, and awakened the Demon Slayer Mark… only to be severely poisoned by Gyutaro.
He was lucky to be alive.
"Cough…"
He tried to speak, but his throat was parched.
"Here's water~" Kanae said cheerfully, handing him a cup.
He drank it all in one go and nodded in thanks.
"Thank you. I feel much better."
"Oh—was it you who saved me, Kanae?"
Before she could respond, Shinobu huffed.
"And me! My sister and I saved you together, okay?"
"You looked absolutely terrible, Tomioka. If we hadn't treated you right away, you'd probably be—"
"Alright, alright," Giyu interrupted with a weak chuckle. "Thank you. Both of you."
Then he glanced at Shinobu.
"And Shinobu… please, don't ever change."
"Eh? What do you mean by that?" she asked, thoroughly confused.
Kanae giggled, tilting her head with her finger to her lips.
"Hmm~?"
Kagaya rose quietly.
"Giyu, I'll take my leave now. You should stay here a few more days to recover."
"When you're better, I'd like to call a meeting of the Hashira to discuss the two Upper Moons you encountered."
"Understood, my Lord."
***
Two Days Later
Giyu had yet to return to peak condition, but he could move and train again.
He now stood in the open courtyard of the Butterfly Estate, wordless.
Just earlier, Sanemi Shinazugawa had arrived. Without needing to say a word, Giyu knew Sanemi came to demand details about Upper Rank Six.
Instead, while they were talking, Sanemi challenged him to a sparring match.
"Call it rehab training," Sanemi said with a smirk, dragging Giyu outside.
From a distance, Kanae waved cheerfully.
"Try not to hit too hard, okay?~"
She then turned to the girl beside her.
"Kanao, watch carefully! These two are incredibly strong. One day, you'll be just as powerful~"
Kanao smiled faintly, silent as always.
Shinobu, however, stared at Sanemi with visible irritation.
She muttered to Kanae:
"Sister, don't you think the Wind Hashira's being too much?"
"Tomioka just recovered, and that brute shows up to spar? Even if he wins, it's not a fair fight!"
Kanae chuckled at her sister's indignation.
"Now, now, Shinobu. Just watch quietly."
"If Tomioka agreed, then he must be confident. Besides, Sanemi knows better than to seriously hurt him."