Storm Pillar

Three months is enough time for a lot to happen.

Kyojuro Rengoku was seriously injured, especially by Akaza's final kick, which broke his sternum and nearly pierced his heart.

Fortunately, Tanjiro and the others only suffered minor injuries. They quickly took Asuka and Kyojuro to a nearby sanatorium for emergency treatment.

In addition, even while unconscious, Kyojuro Rengoku was using concentrated breathing to stop the bleeding from the damaged blood vessels in his body, which is how he managed to hold on until the rescue arrived.

He is now out of danger and is slowly recuperating in his Purgatory House.

As for birds, the situation is much more serious.

He had multiple broken bones throughout his body, and his chest cavity was even caved in, which terrified those who treated him.

If it weren't for his continued weak breathing and the fact that his fatal wounds were slowly healing under unbelievable eyes, everyone would have thought he really wouldn't make it this time.

The word "miracle" has been used far too many times to describe the boy.

Tanjiro and his friends were given new missions to continue their training.

The next morning, Feiniao was able to sit up on her own.

Looking at Shinobu Kocho, who had brought him a fruit basket, he said in a hoarse voice, "Won't you sleep a little longer? You've been busy all night."

"...You really scared everyone this time, Asuka." Shinobu Kocho gave him a slightly reproachful look and placed the fruit basket on his bedside table. "I almost thought you..."

"Also, Mr. Purgatory asked me to say to you after you wake up: Thank you very much for your help."

Asuka rubbed her still aching chest and picked up an orange: "Is everyone alright?"

Shinobu checked Asuka's heartbeat and smiled helplessly: "Don't worry, everyone is safe. You protected everyone."

"Hmm..." Asuka nodded and fell silent.

Seeing his expression, Shinobu Kocho asked with some concern, "I heard that this time the demon is an Upper Moon?"

"Yes, Upper Moon Three."

"...That's terrifying. Just the third one was enough to severely injure you and Mr. Rengoku." She murmured, a more determined look rising in her eyes: "I will study even harder, and I will definitely find the potent poison that killed the Demon King Muzan!"

"Poison?" Asuka turned her head, asking curiously, "Have you always used poison in your battles?"

Thinking about it carefully, apart from seeing Shinobu Kocho confront Giyu Tomioka, Asuka has never seen Shinobu Kocho take action.

Shinobu Kocho drew her Nichirin Blade, the blade completely missing, leaving only the tip.

"My sword was custom-made by the village chief of the sword-forging village; it's very special..."

She pointed to the cold glint on the tip of the blade, where there was a small groove: "I will infuse the blade with wisteria poison, a toxin that has a restraining effect on evil spirits; just fifty milligrams is enough to kill one."

When the topic of wisteria poison came up, her eyes flickered, as if there was something else she hadn't said.

"Is this toxin harmful to humans?" Asuka asked. "What if I accidentally poison myself?"

"Haha, Asuka, you still can't say anything right."

Shinobu Kocho sheathed her Nichirin Blade and smiled easily, "Don't worry, the poison from wisteria flowers is very mild. Unless you drink it like water, there won't be any problems."

Is that so...?

Asuka could sense that Shinobu's emotions always fluctuated when the topic of wisteria poison was brought up.

I hope she really won't get hurt because of this.

Later, the Lord's messenger, Kasugai, also arrived at the Butterfly House.

It looked at the bird curiously, its eyes filled with undisguised doubt: "Good day, Asuka, how are you feeling?"

"Everything is as usual."

"...You and Kyojuro are miracles of the Demon Slayer Corps. No swordsman has ever survived such a fierce attack from an Upper Moon demon..."

The messenger flapped its wings and hopped onto the bird's bedside: "And... you actually managed to sever the neck of the Upper Moon Demon Moon... This is truly unprecedented good news."

"It's a pity we couldn't kill that demon..." Asuka murmured.

"Don't blame yourself, Asuka. The waxing crescent moon is no ordinary evil spirit. It has been wreaking havoc for hundreds of years and cannot be killed so easily." The messenger comforted Asuka, making him feel a little better. "Besides, the lord has other plans for you."

The bird calmly looked at the messenger, who then said:

"According to Kyojuro, you displayed tremendous power during the battle with Upper Moon Three, which saved everyone's lives."

"Lord's decree: Although the Demon Slayer Corps has never had such a precedent, the times have changed, and perhaps this is also a signal that our generation is about to end the era of demons."

"Asuka, from this day forward, you are the tenth Pillar-level swordsman of the Demon Slayer Corps!"

"The title is—[Storm]!"

Lan....

Asuka recalled how, at the end of that battle, she had changed her breathing rhythm based on her fighting instincts.

"So I am, the Storm Pillar?"

"That's right, bird."

The messenger bowed respectfully to him: "Thank you for your contributions to the Demon Slayer Corps. The Ubuyashiki clan extends its sincerest gratitude to you."

"As for the arrangements to come, my lord hopes you can recover well and not push yourself too hard." It smoothed its fine feathers and said with a hint of a smile, "Why don't you go back to Hayama for a visit? I'm sure Mr. Arashizaki would be happy to see you."

In the past, Breath of the Wind was not the best among the five major schools. It was only in the hands of the current Wind Pillar, Sanemi Shinazugawa, that it was elevated to a higher level, thus improving the overall level of the training institute.

Asuka's still-developing Storm Breathing is derived from the wind and can be considered the pride of the entire Hayama Breeding Center.

Asuka has never cared about empty fame.

But thinking that he had become a pillar, he figured he hadn't let his teacher down, so he nodded sullenly.

"Also..." The messenger looked at Asuka's Nichirin Blade beside the bed and spoke uncertainly, "According to Tanjiro and the others' reports, you set the blade on fire during the battle? And strange markings appeared on your body? Is that true?"

"...I don't know. The battle was too intense at the time, and I was trying to make sense of the situation."

Asuka wasn't lying; he genuinely didn't know whether it was Hato who had used some kind of power or whether he had unintentionally triggered something.

He only vaguely remembered that he was much stronger than usual, and the blade was burning hot.

Similarly, my body is under a heavy burden, and my heart feels like it's on fire.

The envoy nodded: "No need to force yourself, Flying Bird. There are many days ahead, you can reflect on them slowly."

"Perfect timing, I have a story to tell you."

Its words were slow and drawn out, as if recalling a distant history:

"It is said that during the Warring States period..."

Meanwhile, at the Ubuyashiki mansion.

"Amane! Amane, do you understand! What does this mean?!" Kagaya Ubuyashiki, unlike his usual calm self, propped himself up from the bed, his emotions running high: "The Marked Swordsman who defeated the Upper Moon has awakened! He's not dead, the Upper Moon isn't invincible... cough cough..."

His emotions were so intense that he excitedly pulled his wife along while vomiting blood.

Ubuyashiki's condition has worsened again; the scars on her face have now spread to her neck, and her complexion has become even paler.

"Yaoya...calm down."

"Haha...yes, I need to calm down...but it's been a hundred years, a hundred years! We haven't defeated the Upper Moon for a hundred years!"

Although he verbally agreed, Kagaya Ubuyashiki's emotions did not calm down; even his coughs carried a hint of amusement.

"During the Warring States period, the first generation of Pillar-level swordsmen once cornered Muzan Kibutsuji!"

"It is said that they all have markings resembling ghostly patterns on their bodies!"

"Asuka is no ordinary child! He can sever the head of Upper Moon Three, and he can awaken his Demon Slayer Mark..."

"Although hundreds of years have passed and we no longer know the conditions for the awakening of the markings, the saying passed down through generations is not wrong—once one person awakens, more swordsmen will be influenced by him and awaken one after another in a resonance!"

"Do you understand? Times are changing!"

"Kibutsuji Muzan! He will definitely die at the hands of our generation!"