There was no doubt—this man possessed an extraordinary charisma.
With the successor of Sun Breathing appearing in this era, with Nezuko undergoing an unprecedented transformation, with demons and the Demon Slayer Corps working together…
Whether it was Ubuyashiki or Tamayo, both believed wholeheartedly at this moment:
Kibutsuji Muzan—your end has come.
After his solemn speech, Ubuyashiki Kagaya turned toward the matter he cared about most.
"Miss Yuko."
"In the information you provided us earlier, there was one crucial point."
"You stated that a single Upper Rank requires at least three Hashira working together to oppose it. I very much agree with your judgment."
"The last time the Demon Slayer Corps succeeded in killing an Upper Rank… was more than one hundred years ago."
"In this generation, four years ago, when Flower Hashira Kocho Kanae fought Upper Rank Two, she said very clearly—"
'That demon wasn't even fighting seriously. He was only playing.'
Hearing her sister mentioned, Shinobu involuntarily held her breath.
Every time she remembered that day, her entire body went cold.
She had nearly lost her sister.
"Yes. Upper Rank Two, Doma. I've crossed paths with him," Yuko said after a moment of recollection. "Because he lacks any human emotions, his behavior is… strange."
To be honest, from an objective standpoint, she found it hard to hate Doma.
He was simply insane.
Other demons were arrogant and cruel, and killing them brought a sense of rightful retribution.
But Doma… he had no emotions. He likely didn't even understand why people hated him. In his mind, he simply wanted everyone to join him in eternal life.
Every emotion he displayed was nothing but clumsy imitation.
"However, there is one thing I want to correct."
"If it's the current Demon Slayer Corps, they still cannot achieve what I described in my intelligence."
"Upper Rank One and Upper Rank Two—these two demons absolutely cannot be defeated by numbers alone."
Even though she resented her former brother, Yuko had no choice but to admit his strength.
Aside from Muzan and Yoriichi, the title of strongest belonged to him without question. Even she couldn't say with certainty she would win one hundred percent of the time.
As for Doma—his Blood Demon Art was far too effective against Breathing Style swordsmen.
She had never personally seen Upper Rank Three 'Akusa', but he was obviously formidable. Otherwise, Rengoku wouldn't have died to him.
"The current Demon Slayer Corps…" Ubuyashiki murmured, then smiled gently. "Miss Yuko, do you have any suggestions?"
Yuko untied the white cloth covering her face. "I have brought three ultimate techniques that will allow the Demon Slayer Corps to defeat Muzan."
Three ultimate techniques?
Shinobu blinked, puzzled, able only to see the bewitching marks on Yuko's face.
Ubuyashiki Amane hesitated. "Do you mean… the Marks?"
Surprised that the Marks were even recorded, Yuko nodded slightly.
"Yes. The Marks, the Red Blade, and the Transparent World."
"These three abilities are humanity's hope of defeating the demons."
Everyone was confused; if it were only the Marks, they had some records. But Red Blade? Transparent World? What were those?
Yuko didn't keep them in suspense. Fingers brushing the marks on her cheek, she explained:
"The Mark is a method that enhances physical ability. When activated, strange patterns appear across the body."
Shinobu stared more closely; she had assumed it was a tattoo or some kind of Blood Demon Art.
From Yuko's cheek, the eerie red lines curled down her neck and into her collarbone.
"The Red Blade is a technique that heats a Nichirin Blade by applying immense grip strength, turning it red and suppressing a demon's regeneration."
"And the Transparent World grants a near X-ray–like perception—allowing one to see a demon's bodily structure and blood flow."
"These three techniques greatly enhance combat ability."
"..."
To the others, it was like listening to divine scripture.
Records of the Marks were scarce enough, but now she brought up Red Blades and X-ray vision? If anyone else said this, they would doubt its authenticity.
Were these really abilities humans could master?
Ubuyashiki Amane thought a moment. "I recall the records saying that those who awakened the Mark… all died before reaching twenty-five."
"Yes. Because awakening the Mark is essentially the act of burning life itself in exchange for greater combat strength."
Shinobu's eyes lit up; she didn't catch the first half, but she heard the second half clearly.
Ubuyashiki asked, "How difficult are these three techniques to learn?"
"Not very difficult."
"Oh?" Ubuyashiki appeared surprised.
He had mentally prepared for them to be near impossible—after all, if they were simple, they wouldn't have been lost.
"As for the Marks—I have one."
"It's an ability that resonates with those nearby. As long as one person awakens it, the others can follow."
"The Red Blade requires great grip strength. Anyone who awakens the Marks should have the power needed."
"As for the Transparent World… that is a bit more troublesome."
Mastering the Transparent World required extremely high martial understanding—far more than the other two.
Even if they didn't master all three abilities, at minimum… the Mark and the Red Blade were absolutely necessary to defeat Muzan.
Ubuyashiki smiled. "I see. Miss Yuko, your presence truly lights a beacon of hope for the future of the Demon Slayer Corps."
"However, the Hashira are currently away on missions. It may take time to gather them."
Yuko shook her head. "It's fine. The awakening of the Marks can be slow. I'm confident I can help them learn in a short period."
Awakening the Mark meant dying before age twenty-five. If possible, she wanted to wait until Tanjiro fully mastered Sun Breathing first.
As for how to awaken…
Simply brushing against the edge of death would do.
Resonance didn't mean one could awaken it without personal effort—the body still needed to reach a certain limit.
And she had ten thousand ways to push them to the limit.
Ubuyashiki judged that the time was right. "Understood. You must be tired from traveling. Shinobu, please arrange their lodging."
Tired from traveling?
They had walked here.
After bidding farewell, Shinobu turned to speak—only for Tamayo to step forward first.
"Miss Shinobu, Yuko told me that you are sheltering a demon with clear consciousness. Could you take me to see him?"
Shinobu blinked, then nodded. "Of course."
She was also curious about how Tamayo would treat him.
She turned to Yuko. "Then will you return to Butterfly Estate to rest? I've already prepared your previous room."
Yuko shook her head and pulled the cloth back over her face. "I'll go with you."
Strictly speaking, this matter was caused by her—so it wouldn't make sense not to accompany them.
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Currently at chapter 393 for advance chapters
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