When Yuki found Tomioka, he was immediately stunned by the sight before him.
Tomioka had one arm wrapped around Shinobu's neck, pinning her against his waist. His posture made it look as if he were holding a "waist drum."
Tomioka asked, his face full of confusion, "Why did you suddenly attack me?"
Pinned by Tomioka, Shinobu could only bend awkwardly. Though her smile remained fixed, the veins on her forehead bulged visibly.
"While the Demon Slayer Corps prohibits members from fighting each other," she said, "I believe even Lord will forgive me once he hears the full story!"
Before she finished speaking, a blade suddenly sprang from the heel of her foot. She lashed out with a swift kick, sending the blade hurtling toward Tomioka.
Tomioka instinctively reached out and grabbed Shinobu's ankle.
Yuki watched the entire exchange from close range.
A thought immediately struck him:
Good grief, every time I come to Headquarters, I witness some legendary scene!
Last time, he had seen Sanemi and Obanai cornering Tomioka in a spectacle he dubbed "Surround Giyu."
But why was Tomioka always at the center of these scenes?
Yuki cleared his throat and casually tapped the nearby wall.
Hearing the noise, the two immediately separated.
Shinobu's smile became unnaturally stiff, and her voice took on an odd tone:
"Mr. Yuki, you've arrived."
"I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now..."
With that, Shinobu slipped past Yuki in an instant.
Her speed left faint afterimages in the air.
Tomioka, however, remained rooted to the spot, his expression still puzzled:
"Mr. Yuki, do you have any insight into this?"
"Didn't you say that communicating directly from the heart would lead to normal conversation?"
"Then why is Shinobu still so angry? She even attacked me!"
Hearing this, Yuki wanted to bury his face in his hands.
This was entirely his fault.
He had only told Tomioka to express his thoughts plainly, forgetting to teach him how to discern which words were appropriate and which were not.
Yuki was deeply curious.
Shinobu was one of the few Pillars who actively engaged Tomioka in conversation.
Normally, even when Tomioka's words provoked her, Shinobu would simply fall silent.
So what exactly had Tomioka said to make her so furious that she resorted to physical violence?
Yuki voiced his question.
Tomioka replied, "The story begins when Murata and I received the Kasugai Crow's message. We..."
Even though Yuki was well aware of Tomioka's personality, hearing this made a vein bulge on his forehead.
Seriously, man?!
I asked what happened just now, and you're starting from when you got the Kasugai Crow's message?!
He had to interrupt, "Just tell me what you and Shinobu said to each other today!"
Tomioka nodded and repeated their conversation verbatim.
After hearing it, Yuki was completely stunned.
Now he understood why Shinobu had said that even the Lord would forgive her.
Tomioka suddenly asked, "Why are you here? Did you come looking for me?"
Yuki nodded, unconsciously touching the Disaster-Repelling Mask in his pocket.
He had decided to seek out Tomioka after finding the mask in Kagaya's room.
Yuki said in a deep voice, "Let's go. Come with me to Mount Fujikasane."
In Kyougai's demon mansion, Tomioka had explained why he said, "I'm different from you all."
But as a transmigrator who had thoroughly read the original work, Yuki knew even more.
Sabito and Tomioka had both trained under Urokodaki, mastering Water Breathing together and traveling to Mount Fujikasane for the Final Selection.
However, as soon as Tomioka entered the mountain, he was attacked by a demon. Wounded and unconscious, he collapsed.
Sabito, on the other hand, rescued all the other swordsmen, ultimately sacrificing himself when his blade shattered against the Hand Demon.
After that, Tomioka was haunted by the thought:
If only I had died instead of Sabito.
Sabito had saved all the swordsmen, yet he alone perished.
Meanwhile, Tomioka had merely slept for seven days on the mountain and inexplicably passed the Final Selection.
If Sabito had survived, he would have become an even greater swordsman than me.
Compared to Sabito, Tomioka felt he was not even worthy of being a Demon Slayer Corps swordsman.
If I'm not even fit to be a Demon Slayer Corps swordsman, what right do I have to become the Water Pillar?
In Tomioka's heart, this conviction grew stronger and stronger:
I am unworthy.
In truth, when Yuki first met Tomioka on Mount Kumotori, he had already considered how to help him resolve this inner conflict.
When Yuki saw the Disaster-Repelling Mask, he finally understood.
He needed to send Tomioka to Mount Fujikasane to face the Hand Demon that had killed Sabito.
Even after slaying the demon, Tomioka hadn't completely resolved his inner turmoil. But at least he wouldn't feel so out of place when standing with the other Pillars, as he had before.
As Yuki pondered this, Tomioka asked, his voice tinged with confusion:
"Going to Mount Fujikasane with you? Do you even know how to get there?"
Yuki's expression turned awkward once more.
No!
He had to tell Kagaya to get him a map.
He was tired of wandering around blind, relying on others to guide him or his Kasugai Crow to navigate.
In the end, Yuki followed Tomioka to the base of Mount Fujikasane.
Tomioka asked, puzzled:
"Aren't we supposed to replenish the demons on Mount Fujikasane? Shouldn't we have captured enough demons first before coming here?"
"Why did we come straight here?"
Yuki smiled and pulled the Disaster-Repelling Mask from his robes.
Seeing the familiar mask, Tomioka's gaze sharpened, but even greater confusion followed.
"How did you get this mask?"
Yuki didn't answer directly. He handed the Disaster-Repelling Mask to Tomioka and pointed toward Mount Fujikasane.
"Hidden on this mountain is a demon stronger than the others."
"After Mr. Urokodaki captured it and brought it here, the demon began specifically hunting swordsmen wearing Disaster-Repelling Masks."
"Sabito died by its hand."
Shock flashed across Tomioka's face.
"So that's why!"
"A demon like that is hiding on Mount Fujikasane?!"
"Mr. Yuki, how do you know all this...?"
Yuki waved his hand dismissively.
"How I know these things isn't important."
"All you need to understand is that your Final Selection has now begun."