"Michikatsu! That tattoo suits you marvelously! It makes you look exactly like your younger brother!"
"Wow... Master Tsugikuni, you look quite dashing, don't you?"
The Hashira gathered at the estate of the Master for the Hashira Meeting.
Sitting in the seat of the Mist Hashira for this meeting was not old man Banda, but Amano. Since Amano had been promoted to Hashira, there was no longer a need for the former Mist Hashira, Banda, to attend as a proxy.
"Forgive us for summoning you all during such busy times, my Pillars. In the Master's stead, I, Ubuyashiki Ayame, shall preside over this Hashira Meeting."
Occupying the seat where the Master should have been was his wife, Lady Ubuyashiki Ayame.
"Not at all... but, where is the Master..."
"The Master... his body has withered to the point where movement is impossible. He can no longer attend these gatherings."
"Namu Amida Butsu..."
In my opinion, the god who cursed a bloodline just because the Progenitor of Demons happened to be an ancestor needs to be the first to die. Is it reasonable to ruin innocent descendants, and branch families at that, for generations upon generations?
That is not a god; that is just an incompetent fool who only knows how to vent their spite. Throwing them a single scrap of 'foresight' and calling it a blessing doesn't sit right with me either.
At any rate, while the meeting touched upon Demon sightings and the Internal state of the Corps, the highlight was the discussion regarding my Demon Slayer Mark.
It is a method to obtain physical prowess equal to, or perhaps even greater than, the Breathing styles themselves. I had reported to the Master before the meeting that it would be best to teach this to the Hashira. Of course, since there are side effects related to one's lifespan, the choice to acquire it must be left to the judgment of the individual Pillars.
"Based on my experience, my physical strength and regenerative abilities are several times greater than they were before I obtained the Mark. The power and precision of my Breathing techniques have also reached a level that is beyond comparison."
In truth, on my way to the Hashira Meeting, I had lightly cut myself with my blade to test my physical durability.
*Slaaaash!*
*Drip.*
"Michikatsu-kun! Self-harm is forbidden!"
It wasn't as if I couldn't be cut... but I was able to experience just how superior my regeneration had become.
"Ye mean to tell me just havin' a tattoo on yer forehead makes ye that much stronger?"
"Aside from not burning in the sunlight, you're practically no different from a Demon."
The Hashira gave their stoic evaluations. However, within them, there was a faint spark of excitement and anticipation.
And for good reason. Just by manifesting the Mark, one could gain physical abilities nearly on par with a Demon's.
'The problem is the side effect.'
"Then, what are the conditions for manifesting it?"
Amano asked, her expression slightly excited like a child's. Having personally witnessed the power of the Mark during its awakening, she seemed more curious about the requirements than the results.
"The conditions are... a heart rate of roughly two hundred... and a body temperature of at least thirty-nine degrees."
"Thirty-nine degrees...? What does that mean?"
The Hashira looked confused by my words.
'Ah, right.'
I had forgotten this was the Sengoku period. This was a time before the concepts of Celsius or Fahrenheit had been introduced.
"I believe I understand from what the Master has mentioned. To put it simply, your temperature must reach the levels of a severe fever, and your heart must beat faster than two hundred times in a very short span of time."
Lady Ubuyashiki Ayame provided the clarification.
"Exactly!"
As expected of the Ubuyashiki! I knew I could count on them.
"But wouldn't ye just die from that?"
"If an ordinary Slayer tried that, they'd go straight to the afterlife~."
"It means that not everyone can manifest the Mark; it requires a certain aptitude to survive the awakening!"
"The conditions are roughly like that. Of course, this is still in the realm of speculation..."
And now...
I needed to set the mood, because what came next was heavy.
"Why're ye suddenly actin' all dramatic?"
It's not an act. This is actually serious.
"However, the Mark has a hidden side effect."
The Hashira reacted with gravity to the word 'side effect.' Yet, they didn't seem particularly shocked that such a drawback existed; they all had expressions of understanding.
The law of equivalent exchange. Even Demons have the weakness of sunlight. It would be illogical for such power to come without a price.
"This is a power used by placing one's lifespan as collateral. Therefore..."
I took a deep breath and opened my mouth again.
"Those who manifest the Mark inevitably die by the age of twenty-five."
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....
Silence fell after the price of the Mark was revealed.
"Master Tsugikuni... is that... the truth...?"
Lady Ubuyashiki asked, her expression one of disbelief.
It was hard to believe. Dying young just for a tattoo? Furthermore, there were no historical records regarding the Mark, so there was no tangible proof that every person with one died at twenty-five.
But since that guy said so, there's little chance of it being a lie.
"Yes."
"But..."
Lady Ubuyashiki looked toward the Echoing Hashira, Minase. It seemed she hoped this was all a mistake.
"He is not speaking a lie."
Echoing Hashira Minase cruelly delivered the confirmation of truth.
"But... could it not be a fact that Master Tsugikuni is simply mistaken about...?"
"It is fine. Whether it is true or false, if such power can be bought with a shortened life, it is a bargain."
The Wind Hashira, Shimotsuki, spoke as if it were nothing. Being a battle-maniac, he didn't seem to care much about the side effect of a short life.
"...You are all already carrying a heavy burden. And yet, another burden even heavier..."
Lady Ubuyashiki tried to dissuade them.
They were already sacrificing enough; now they were sacrificing their very old age. She clearly felt it was unreasonable for the Hashira to pursue the Mark.
However, these were the Demon Slayer Hashira of the Sengoku period—men and women who could only survive if they were monsters themselves.
"Anyhow, survival past the age o' twenty-five is rare once ye join the Corps. Whether I get killed by a Demon before I hit twenty-five or gain great power and die at twenty-five, 'tis all the same. I choose the latter."
"Namu Amida Butsu. I did not enter the Demon Slayer Corps without such resolve. If I can save even more people by burning this body of mine even brighter, then so be it."
"Hmph! It is truly a final radiance! It would be illogical to gain such strength without a corresponding price!"
"Dying early is a bit of a shame, though~."
Despite Lady Ubuyashiki's protests, the other Hashira seemed to share Shimotsuki's sentiment.
Indeed, very few people active in the Demon Slayer Corps ever survive to the age of twenty-five. Even including the retired old man Banda, I knew very few who had.
And here, there were no people like me who joined for money; most joined because of personal tragedy involving Demons. Dying young wouldn't be a concern for them, especially if they were Hashira.
Did I set the mood for nothing?
However, Amano was taking a different stance compared to the other Pillars.
She stared at me with eyes that said she couldn't accept it, her face hardened and her lips tightly pressed together.
I doubt she's worried about her own life being cut short...
"Lady Amano?"
"...Master Tsugikuni. Once the Mark appears, is there truly no way to go back? Then Master Tsugikuni, who already has the Mark..."
"Unfortunately, I am only here until twenty-five. Well, it's not certain. It is still just a theory... but... dying young in the near future is a reality."
"...That... is..."
Amano bit her lip slightly at my answer. It seemed she didn't want to believe that her comrade had been given a death sentence.
"At any rate, let's keep the side effects of the Mark hidden from the ordinary Slayers. If word gets out that the Hashira are destined to die at twenty-five, it could cause a major drop in morale."
"True. If the Moon Hashira, who matches me in strength and is the strongest among us, can only live for eight more years, even my morale would hit rock bottom."
"Master Shimotsuki, trying to elevate yourself by praising Master Tsugikuni is a bit pathetic, don't you think~?"
"Yes, that Wind Hashira fellow must be the weakest among us! That is simply how the world works."
"You lot, quit teasin' the Wind Hashira so much."
"..."
Leaving behind Amano, whose face was cast in deep shadows, the Hashira Meeting continued.
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"With this, we shall conclude the Hashira Meeting. And Master Tsugikuni, the Master wished to speak with you once the meeting concluded. Could you spare a moment?"
As soon as the meeting ended, the Master's summons arrived.
Wondering what he had to say, I nodded. As I was about to follow Lady Ubuyashiki to the Master's inner chamber, someone gently caught my sleeve.
"Ah..."
The person holding my sleeve was Amano.
"Lady Amano?"
"Master Tsugikuni, once your conversation with the Master is over, would you mind seeing me for a moment?"
Amano spoke with a bright smile.
"..."
It was her usual smile. But for some reason, it felt eerie... as if refusing would lead to something terrible...
Why am I feeling terror from a face that is simply smiling?
It's the look of a reaper coming to collect, isn't it?