Led by a member of the Ubuyashiki family, Ryosuke and Shota walked in silence.
Unable to hold it in any longer, Shota nudged Ryosuke with his elbow.
"Hey. What's with you?"
"Why is the Master summoning you again?"
Ryosuke waved a hand dismissively and joked,
"How would I know? Maybe he thinks I'm handsome and wants to invite me for tea."
Shota spat lightly in annoyance, but the curiosity and envy in his eyes didn't fade in the slightest.
He genuinely couldn't understand how this guy—who would lie down whenever possible, and slack off whenever he could—had somehow caught the Master's eye and been summoned again and again.
Ryosuke didn't respond.
Truthfully, he was puzzled too.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya was never a simple man.
This summons was definitely not just about drinking tea and chatting.
And choosing this timing—right when Rika and the others were undergoing the Final Selection at Mount Fujikasane—felt… deliberate.
After passing through several long corridors, the guide stopped before an elegant courtyard and bowed, signaling for Ryosuke to enter alone.
Shota was politely escorted to a side hall to wait.
Ryosuke took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Beneath a trellis of blooming wisteria, Kagaya Ubuyashiki sat calmly on the veranda as always.
But this time, he was not alone.
Kneeling beside him was a towering, broad-shouldered man.
His expression was filled with sorrow and compassion.
Silent tears streamed down his face as his hands were clasped together in prayer—
like an unmoving slab of living stone.
That familiar monk's robe.
Those prayer beads.
Himejima Gyomei.
Ryosuke's pupils shrank slightly. Suppressing his surprise, he stepped forward.
"Master."
Kagaya turned his head slightly, a gentle smile appearing on his face.
"Mr. Yasui. No need for formality."
Ryosuke straightened, then turned to the towering man beside him and offered a polite greeting.
"Himejima-san. It's been some time."
Though blind, Himejima turned unerringly toward Ryosuke's position.
His clasped hands remained unmoving as he spoke in a deep, steady voice.
"Mr. Yasui… it has indeed been a while."
"Your presence is far stronger than when we met at Mount Hinode."
"Like steel tempered through repeated hammering—calm, yet unyielding."
"It seems you have already mastered Total Concentration Breathing: Constant."
Ryosuke's lips twitched almost imperceptibly.
Good grief.
This man's perception was absurd.
They'd only just met, and even his breathing state had been completely read through.
And yet—being praised by a human-shaped siege weapon like this brought Ryosuke no comfort whatsoever.
After all, geniuses were never in short supply in the Demon Slayer Corps.
Sabito.
Giyu.
Uzui Tengen.
And the man standing beside him right now—
A walking natural disaster who swung a flail like a helicopter blade and cleaved demons apart with an axe as if cutting vegetables.
Compared to monsters like that, Ryosuke's progress barely registered.
He was fairly sure that if Himejima casually tossed his flail in his direction right now, he'd ascend on the spot.
No way around it—
Pure strength. A walking stat monster.
Keeping those thoughts to himself, Ryosuke gave a dry chuckle and waved his hand.
"You're too kind, Himejima-san. I just had a bit of luck with my training."
"I'm still far from comparing to true geniuses."
Kagaya seemed to see straight through his inner grumbling and chuckled softly.
"Himejima-san has just been promoted to Stone Hashira. His training has been relentless, his will unshakable, and his growth astonishing. His perception now far exceeds that of ordinary swordsmen."
Ryosuke immediately understood.
The timing of the Final Selection each year wasn't fixed.
In the original timeline, it had taken Himejima barely a year to go from being falsely imprisoned to becoming a Hashira.
And before that—
He'd never even held a sword, let alone practiced Breathing Techniques.
That rate of growth was nothing short of terrifying.
Kagaya continued,
"This meeting was also arranged so that you could see one another again. After all, it was Mr. Yasui who first testified to Himejima-san's innocence at Mount Hinode."
He paused, his gentle gaze resting on Ryosuke.
"And judging by your current presence and strength… you don't seem far from the threshold of becoming a Hashira yourself."
Ryosuke quickly shook his head.
"You overestimate me, Master. I'm still a long way off."
By his own rough count, he'd slain just over thirty demons in the past year, fighting tooth and nail.
That was still some distance from the requirements of fifty demons—or a Twelve Kizuki.
Of course, the demons he killed were far from fodder, which inevitably took more time.
Kagaya smiled and shook his head gently, his tone firm.
"It is only a matter of time. I trust my judgment—and I trust Mr. Yasui's potential."
Himejima spoke again, his voice like a great bell.
"I feel the same. Mr. Yasui carries within him a steadfast desire to protect."
"Strength born of such conviction will inevitably break through its limits. Becoming a Hashira is simply a question of when."
Faced with their united confidence and expectations, Ryosuke found himself at a complete loss for words.
How on earth had his favorability with these two skyrocketed this high?
Was it really all because of that shout on Mount Hinode—and a few letters afterward?
The return on investment was absurd.
He awkwardly rubbed his nose, unsure how to respond.
Agreeing felt arrogant.
Denying it felt disrespectful.
Sensing his discomfort, Kagaya smoothly changed the topic—
Unfortunately, to something even more uncomfortable.
"Actually, aside from letting you meet again, there was another reason I invited you today."
There was a hint of amusement in Kagaya's voice.
"Another reason?"
Ryosuke raised an eyebrow, a bad feeling creeping up.
Kagaya nodded, his smile deepening.
"The Flame Hashira, Rengoku Shinjuro, sent word again a few days ago."
"He seems to hold Mr. Yasui in very high regard—quite unable to let the matter rest."
"He happens to be resting at home these days, and wishes to invite you to his residence for a visit."
Ryosuke: ∑(っ °Д °;)っ
Wait—no.
No way. Seriously?!
Why hasn't he given up yet?!
A chill shot straight from the soles of Ryosuke's feet to the top of his head.
He understood now.
Completely.
All the praise about becoming a Hashira.
Letting him meet Himejima.
This was classic workplace maneuvering—
Letting a future "Hashira" build rapport with upper management early, so things would run smoothly later.
You've really got office politics figured out, huh?!
You devious Ubuyashiki mastermind!
Ryosuke ranted internally.
Kagaya seemed to notice his expression and chuckled softly.
"Mr. Yasui… are you perhaps afraid of Rengoku-san?"
"No! Not at all!"
Ryosuke instinctively clenched and waved his hands furiously.
Afraid?!
That's trauma! Psychological trauma, do you understand?!
Kagaya's expression softened, and he let out a quiet sigh.
"Rengoku-san's wife has been in poor health for some time now."
"Recently, her condition has worsened."
"As a result… his fighting spirit has also suffered."
The courtyard fell momentarily quiet.
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