"You claim to be devoted to growing stronger through your own training, disdaining to devour humans. Why are you so weak now? You can't even defeat a single Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps? You've even been reduced to fleeing in disarray!"
Muzan continued to vent his fury on Akaza. He was already displeased with Akaza's near-abstinence from eating humans, but he had tolerated it because Akaza was powerful enough.
Now, Akaza couldn't even eliminate a single Hashira, which caused Muzan's irritation with Akaza's behavior to erupt.
"Because the sun came out…"
Muzan's words made Akaza somewhat indignant, and he spoke up.
Although he hadn't killed the Hashira, it wasn't because he lacked the ability. If the sun hadn't risen, he was confident that his final move would definitely have killed Kyoujurou.
However, Muzan didn't want to hear any of that. Akaza's words only enraged him further.
"So what? Why were you dragged until dawn by a mere Hashira? It's still because you're too weak.
Don't forget what you've always pursued, Akaza. As long as you can become stronger, is the means to achieve that goal really important?"
Muzan said angrily to Akaza.
"Yes…" Akaza replied.
"If you can kill this demon slayer, I will consider your mistake this time as if it never happened. I hope you won't disappoint me this time."
Now that all the Lower Moons had been annihilated, only the Upper Moons remained among Muzan's powerful subordinates. Muzan still needed them to help him kill the young man who resembled Yoriichi and the demon slayers, so he didn't punish Akaza too severely.
After transmitting the scene of encountering Chiba Yo into Akaza's mind, Muzan turned around, and a door closed behind him, sending him away from the location.
At the same time, Akaza's mind also received the vision Muzan had transmitted to him.
Silently, he got up and left, and Nakime cooperatively sent Akaza out of Infinity Castle.
Walking through the quiet forest, Akaza recalled his battle with Kyoujurou.
"Just you wait, Kyoujurou, the next time we meet, we will definitely determine a victor!"
Clenching his right fist, Akaza felt his blood seemingly boil again.
He didn't take Muzan's words too much to heart. Although he had lost his memories from his human life, he still held onto his own principles: not eating women, and only resorting to eating humans when extremely hungry. He only wanted to become strong through his own training.
...
In Kyoujurou's hospital room
After a week of recuperation, Kyoujurou's body had recovered somewhat, and performing small movements was already relatively easy.
At this time, all nine other Hashira were gathered in this hospital room, and Kagaya was also present.
"How come I don't have such good luck to encounter an Upper Moon? I really want to try cutting one."
Sanemi, upon learning the situation, expressed some envy regarding Kyoujurou's experience.
"According to Rengoku, an Upper Moon is definitely not something a single Hashira can defeat. If you had encountered one, your situation might not have been as good as Rengoku's," Giyuu said expressionlessly, without even turning his head.
"What did you say?" Sanemi's face showed a "#" mark, and he turned to look at Giyuu, asking.
Obanai also turned to look at Giyuu, a bit surprised that he would speak such a long sentence.
"Nothing," Giyuu still said expressionlessly.
Because the Master was there, Sanemi didn't pursue the matter further.
"Kyoujurou, could you tell everyone about the situation when your Breath Styles / Marks appeared?" Kagaya said with a smile to Kyoujurou.
The reason for summoning all the other Hashira back this time was precisely for this matter. According to the Kasugai Crow's report on the situation at the time, the increase in a swordsman's strength due to Breath Styles / Marks was undeniable. If they could figure out how to make Breath Styles / Marks appear, the Demon Slayer Corps' strength would be greatly enhanced.
"During my battle with Upper Moon Three, my stamina had reached its limit! But the will to protect others made me pour out all my remaining stamina without reservation, and I unleashed my Breathing Technique with full power!
At that moment, I felt my body temperature and heart rate both rapidly increase, and then a new power surged from within me. Following that, my strength and speed were comprehensively enhanced! The Breath Styles / Marks must have appeared at that time!" Kyoujurou said enthusiastically and loudly.
Previously, due to his physical weakness, his voice had become similar to an ordinary person's during that period, but now that his body had improved, he had regained his usual vigor.
"So, to make Breath Styles / Marks appear, one must break through their limits in a desperate situation?" After listening to Kyoujurou, Obanai lowered his head in thought.
"But such conditions are a bit too vague, aren't they?" Obanai continued.
"More accurately, it should be body temperature and heart rate. When I fight, both of these also rise," Chiba Yo said, offering his opinion.
"Then, specifically, what should the limits be?"
Muichiro was also quite invested in this matter.
"I feel that these two vital signs when the Breath Styles / Marks appeared were similar to my condition when I first regained consciousness!" Kyoujurou replied upon hearing this.
"At that time, Rengoku-san's body temperature was thirty-nine degrees Celsius, and his heart rate had reached 210 beats per minute," Kochou Shinobu interjected.
She then expressed her shock, saying, "Is it even possible to fight under such conditions? This is already life-threatening."
Muichiro said upon hearing this, "Perhaps surviving under such conditions is the turning point for the Breath Styles / Marks to appear?"
"Hmm, very likely! I also thought I was going to die at that time!" Kyoujurou agreed upon hearing this.
"This is simply a piece of cake!"
After listening to Muichiro and their analysis, Sanemi immediately declared.
"I truly envy your brain that can call such stringent conditions a piece of cake," Giyuu, who was beside him, said upon hearing Sanemi's words.
"#"
Sanemi showed an extremely angry expression, looking at Giyuu and saying, "Are you trying to pick a fight?"
Chiba Yo also felt a bit confused seeing Giyuu speak more, but the words that came out of his mouth didn't surprise Chiba Yo at all.
"No," Giyuu stated curtly, not even turning his head to look at Sanemi.
Sanemi was even more angered by Giyuu's actions, but out of respect for the Master, he endured it, thinking he would settle the score with him later when he had the chance.
"Since we already know the conditions, then the top priority for us Hashira is to make the Breath Styles / Marks appear as soon as possible, right?" Kochou Shinobu asked.
"Exactly. We will dedicate all our efforts to the matter of the Breath Styles / Marks. Please rest assured, Master."
Gyomei Himejima said, tears streaming from his eyes.
"That's right, I will definitely make the Breath Styles / Marks appear flamboyantly," Tengen said.
The other Hashira also expressed the same sentiment; not a single person hesitated or held back due to the negative effects of the Breath Styles / Marks.
Seeing the Hashira's reactions, Kagaya was also moved, and he bowed slightly, saying, "Thank you all."
"Master, I have some other discoveries regarding the Breath Styles / Marks."
At this moment, Kochou Shinobu suddenly spoke.
Everyone in the hospital room was drawn to her.
Kochou Shinobu continued, "During the time I was treating Rengoku-san, I noticed that in the first two days when his Breath Styles / Marks were still present, his various organs were operating at a high level, but at the same time, they were also enduring permanent damage."