Akira and Erika finally arrived at the mansion where the Hashira Meeting was to be held.
Though the original Ubuyashiki estate had been destroyed in the explosion, the Ubuyashiki family was wealthy, absurdly wealthy, and owned several other estates, each prepared for moments like this. This was merely one of them.
By the time Akira and Erika stepped into the courtyard, all the Hashira were already present. However, the Ubuyashiki family themselves had yet to arrive, meaning the meeting had not officially begun.
As soon as they appeared, the Hashira greeted them.
Rengoku Kyojuro was the first to notice.
"AH! AKIRA!" he boomed, turning with his usual radiant smile. "YOU'VE ARRIVED! SPLENDID TIMING!"
"Good morning," Akira and Erika replied together.
Uzui Tengen glanced over, arms folded. "You two sure made things flashy till the very end. Beating Muzan by yourselves and all."
Akira waved it off lightly. "It was a team effort. So… are we early?"
Tomioka Giyu gave a short nod. "You're early."
Himejima Gyomei pressed his palms together, his expression solemn. "I am grateful… that you both still stand here."
Before Akira could respond, someone suddenly slipped in beside Erika.
Kanroji Mitsuri had already closed the distance, looping an arm around Erika's with effortless familiarity. "Erika-chan! You made it!"
"Mitsuri-san!" Erika greeted warmly. "How have you been?"
"I'm fine, but more importantly, you're here!" Mitsuri said brightly. "I was worried you'd leave without saying goodbye!"
Erika laughed softly. "There's no way we would do that."
Mitsuri beamed. "I know, I know! But you did randomly fall from the sky, so we weren't really sure how you'd go back."
Erika paused.
Then she turned to Akira. "Wait… how are we going back?"
Only then did she realize she had completely forgotten to ask.
Akira blinked, then quietly reached out telepathically.
"Sister, how are we going back?"
Selena's voice answered instantly.
"I'll just beam you up. Like the Bifrost from Thor."
Akira hesitated. "Isn't that a bit too flashy?"
"We have to go out with a bang, bro." She answered seriously.
Akira considered it. "…That's true."
Akira cleared his throat and said aloud, "The light from the heavens will take us back."
Silence followed.
No one quite knew how to respond.
Akira sighed. "My sister will use her magic to take us back. With a beam of light."
Everyone nodded slowly. This one is much easier to accept.
"Oh. I see," Mitsuri said easily. "Then you have to have a victory feast with us before you go home, alright?" she said, still holding Erika's hand.
"Of course," Erika replied. "Akira already said he's going to throw a huge feast before we leave."
"Really?" Mitsuri's eyes sparkled. "That's wonderful! Akira-kun's food is really good!"
Akira nodded confidently. "That's right, Mitsuri-san. I'll make sure the food is the greatest you've ever tasted."
Nearby, Iguro Obanai watched the two of them with narrowed eyes. The moment Mitsuri glanced back in his direction, he immediately looked away, pretending he had been focused on something else entirely.
He cleared his throat.
"Enough about that," Obanai said sharply. "Tell us how you beat Muzan."
At once, attention snapped back to Akira and Erika.
Everyone present knew they had defeated Kibutsuji Muzan, but how they had done it was still a mystery. Curiosity spread through the group.
Sanemi crossed his arms. "Yeah. How exactly did you guys beat him?"
Akira answered without hesitation. "I beat him with the power of love."
Silence returned.
A heavy, absolute silence.
No one knew what to say.
Erika's face immediately turned red.
Then, breaking the stillness, Mitsuri clasped her hands together, eyes shining. "I told you, right? Love is power!"
Akira nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. Love is powerful. I wonder if I can make any weapons that use it."
Several Hashira stared at him.
"…Anyway," Akira continued calmly, "speaking of my creations, did you all take the medicines I sent you?"
Shinobu adjusted her posture. "I already distributed them. Everyone took them."
The Hashira nodded in agreement.
Every Hashira present, except Gyomei, had activated the Demon Slayer Mark during the battle. They all knew its terrible drawback: power gained at the cost of lifespan. But now, with Akira's medicine, they could return to normal, the war finally over.
Tengen shrugged. "It's a good thing. I've had enough near-death experiences for one lifetime. I'm going to retire and live a long life with my wives."
Mitsuri clasped her hands happily. "Living longer sounds wonderful!"
Muichiro spoke quietly, his voice steady. "My brother would be mad if I went to him too soon… so it's good we can have a normal life."
Akira smiled faintly. "That's great. Having a peaceful, full life is for the best."
Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the courtyard.
Everyone straightened instinctively.
Akira and Erika turned just as the Ubuyashiki family entered together, Kagaya at the center, Amane beside him, their children following quietly behind.
The moment they appeared, it was clear.
The final Hashira Meeting had begun.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki walked slowly, supported lightly at the elbow by his wife and children. The instant the Hashira realized who it was, the air itself seemed to change.
"Oyakata-sama!"
"There is no need for you to force yourself."
"Yes. You shouldn't be here!"
"Please, you need rest!"
Several voices overlapped at once. Even those who rarely spoke stepped forward instinctively, concern plain on their faces.
Kagaya raised his hand gently, a soft smile on his lips.
"I know," he said calmly. "But I wished to see this… to the very end."
He smiled faintly. "Please forgive my selfishness."
Silence followed as he was carefully helped to his place.
Akira watched him closely.
"His illness is in its final stage", Akira realized. "It's a miracle he's even standing."
The curse that had haunted the Ubuyashiki family for generations was gone now, destroyed along with Muzan. But for Kagaya, it was already too late. The damage to his body was irreversible.
Akira understood this with absolute clarity.
Any medicine he could create in this world might extend Kagaya's life by a few months, perhaps even a year if pushed to its limit, but doing so would only prolong his suffering.
He could try to create a powerful medicine using the Blue Spider Lily. But it was unstable. Even using a small amount as a catalyst should be possible, but it was not enough. And creating something that potent without modern tools was far from ideal, and worse, there was always the risk of creating another Muzan.
That was out of the question.
Akira came to a quiet conclusion.
"Ubuyashiki Kagaya will die soon."
And yet.
"Is there a way for me to save him?"
The thought lingered in Akira's mind, heavy and unresolved.
As Akira was still lost in thought, Kagaya's voice carried gently across the gathering.
"Thank you, everyone, for coming."
The courtyard fell silent at once.
"This concludes the long battle we have fought," Kagaya continued calmly. "I will now begin the final Hashira Meeting."
He drew a slow breath, then began to name them one by one.
"Tomioka Giyū. Kanroji Mitsuri. Iguro Obanai. Shinazugawa Sanemi. Uzui Tengen. Tokitō Muichirō. Rengoku Kyōjurō. Kochō Shinobu. Himejima Gyōmei."
His voice, though gentle, carried unmistakable weight.
"My children," Kagaya said softly, "all of you have worked hard. You have managed to exterminate the demons. You have ended the cycle of fear that plagued this land."
The Hashira listened in silence.
"Therefore," Kagaya continued, "as of today, the Demon Slayer Corps is hereby disbanded."
No gasps followed.
No protests rose.
Only quiet acceptance.
"As you wish". That's all they said.
Kagaya's wife and children stepped forward together, bowing deeply.
"You risked your lives for the longest time," Amane said, her voice steady. "You fought and devoted yourselves to the people of this world. We, the Ubuyashiki family, thank you, from the bottom of our hearts."
"No," several voices said at once as the Hashira tried to stop them from bowing, saying.
"This was only possible because of the Ubuyashiki family."
"You are the ones who guided us."
"We just followed your will."
"It would not have been possible without the Ubuyashiki family."
Kagaya listened quietly, a faint smile resting on his face.
Then he addressed Akira and Erika.
"Hoshino Akira. Sendo Erika," he said gently. "Our guests from afar."
Akira and Erika straightened.
"Without your presence," Kagaya continued, "without the choices you made and the support you provided, this victory would not have been possible. In the end, you even killed Muzan. We sincerely thank you for your help."
Akira shook his head lightly.
"We gained a great deal as well," he said honestly. "So, I'd say it was mutual."
Erika nodded beside him. "Yes. We learned a lot here… and made many friends too."
Together, they bowed slightly.
"Thank you for taking care of us."
Akira had learned many things in this world.
Swordsmanship.
Martial arts.
Even swordsmithing.
None of it would have been possible without the support of the Ubuyashiki family.
Erika, too, had gained much here: Blood Demon Arts, Blood Breathing, and strength she never would have reached alone. More than that, the two of them had grown closer in this world than ever before.
This world had been good to them.
And the Ubuyashiki family had helped them greatly.
Because of that, Akira made a decision.
He lifted his gaze and looked directly at Kagaya.
"Actually," Akira said calmly, "I have a proposal for you."
Inside his head, Selena's voice immediately rang out.
"Brother… are you sure you want to do this?"
Akira replied without hesitation.
"Sister, don't you know our family code? All debts must be repaid, both good and bad."
There was a pause.
"…I have never heard of such a code before," Selena said flatly.
"Then I'll add it now," Akira replied without missing a beat. "Starting today, that's a family code."
Kagaya inclined his head slightly.
"Please," he said gently. "Speak your mind."
Akira took a breath.
"It's about the ten Yoriichi Type Null Units," he said. "Even though I made them, it wouldn't have been possible without the resources of the Ubuyashiki family. All the materials used to create them belonged to your family."
He continued evenly.
"So, we could say ownership is split fifty–fifty. However, I need them for my battles in the future. I wanted to buy your share, but since I don't have much money… I propose a trade."
Kagaya's expression did not change.
"There is no need for a trade," he said kindly. "I am willing to give them to you freely for all your help. Besides, you are the one who made them. I don't believe anyone else could use them properly without you."
Akira shook his head.
"I appreciate the offer," he said sincerely. "But my family code requires that all debts be repaid. I have to do it this way. Please don't refuse me; otherwise, my sister, the family head, will punish me."
Erika froze.
She turned her thoughts inward and sent a telepathic message.
"Selena… was there really such a family code? Why have I never heard about it?"
Selena replied immediately.
"Believe me… I'm hearing about it for the first time, too."
Akira continued calmly, as if he were proposing an ordinary exchange.
"So," he said, "I want to trade all of the Yoriichi Type Null Units… for this."
He reached into his coat and withdrew a small, exquisite glass vial containing a tiny amount of crimson liquid.
"I want to trade the Yoriichi-Type Null Units… for this."
The moment Erika saw it, she immediately realised what it was, making her scream inside her mind.
"Akira, what the hell are you thinking?!"