After eating, Ishida got freshened up once again and got ready before walking out from his mansion, his destination being the Butterfly Mansion to visit both Sakura and Kazuki.
But as soon as he walked out—
"Ishida!"
Both Sakura and Kazuki were standing right outside his door, looking like they'd been waiting there for a while.
"You're finally awake!" Kazuki exclaimed, his voice cracking slightly with emotion. "Man, I thought... I seriously thought you weren't going to wake up. You looked half-dead when they carried you back!"
"Don't be so dramatic," Sakura said, though her voice wavered slightly. "But... yeah. We were worried. You've been out for a whole day."
"I heard you two were supposed to be at the Butterfly Mansion doing recovery training," Ishida said, raising an eyebrow.
"We were!" Kazuki said quickly. "But when we heard you woke up, we ran over here immediately. Shinobu-san wasn't too happy about us leaving without permission, but—"
"But we needed to see for ourselves that you were okay," Sakura finished, crossing her arms but unable to hide the relief in her eyes.
Kazuki scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "When they brought us back, you looked pretty bad. All those wounds, the exhaustion... I've never seen you like that before. It was scary."
"Yeah," Sakura added quietly. "We thought... we thought maybe fighting an Upper Moon was too much, even for you."
Ishida's expression softened slightly. "I'm fine. Takes more than that to keep me down."
"Clearly!" Kazuki laughed, the tension breaking. "You recovered faster than both of us combined! What are you made of?"
"Stubbornness, apparently," Sakura muttered, but there was a small smile on her face.
Ishida's expression turned more serious. "Speaking of recovery—the Insect Hashira mentioned you two were doing recovery training. How's that going?"
"Oh, Shinobu-san is amazing!" Sakura said enthusiastically. "She's really kind and helpful. We recovered really fast with her assistance. The medical knowledge she has is incredible."
"Though it's nothing compared to your recovery," Kazuki added with a grin. "Seriously, how do you bounce back so fast?"
Sakura's expression shifted to something more curious. "Actually, Ishida... Shinobu-san mentioned something. She said that after you became a Hashira and we became your Tsuguko, it was you all along giving us our missions. Is that true?"
Ishida nodded. "It is. Though I try to assign missions according to your skill level and follow Corps regulations according to your rank."
"Speaking of rank—" Kazuki burst out excitedly.
"We got promoted!" Sakura finished, unable to contain her excitement. "After defeating Lower Moon Six, we both got rank promotions!"
"My rank is Hinoto now!" Sakura announced proudly.
"And mine is Hinoe!" Kazuki added, puffing out his chest slightly.
"That's good," Ishida said with a small nod of approval. "You both earned it."
"I want to become a Hashira soon!" Kazuki exclaimed suddenly, his eyes blazing with determination. "Ishida, you have to train me to get there! I want to reach your level!"
"You idiot," Sakura said, smacking him lightly on the arm. "You can't become a Hashira. There's already a Flame Hashira present in the Corps. The position is filled."
"That's not—"
"Stop," Ishida interrupted, holding up a hand. Both of them immediately fell silent. "About your training... as I said before, and as I also understood during my last fight, there are many things I still need to learn myself. And there are many things I can't teach you both."
He paused, his expression thoughtful. "My whole fighting style is based on instinct. There's no structured training regimen I can give you other than making you fight stronger opponents. So I've decided something for both of you. But—"
Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but Ishida raised his hand again.
"But it doesn't mean you won't train. I will find someone who can properly train you both. You did really well the other day, but you'll still need proper training to reach the point where you can fight an Upper Moon."
With that, he started walking toward the entrance. Sakura and Kazuki exchanged glances before following after him.
"Wait, who?" Kazuki asked, jogging to catch up. "Who's going to train us?"
"Yeah, who did you have in mind?" Sakura added, her curiosity evident.
"You'll find out," Ishida replied simply.
'You'll find out when I've figured it out myself,' he thought, already running through possibilities in his mind.
---
At Ubuyashiki Mansion.
"You wanted to talk to me, Master?"
Ishida knelt on one knee in front of the house, as the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, Master Kagaya Ubuyashiki, stood at the porch. A warm and graceful smile rested on his face, though his disease had progressed noticeably since Ishida had last seen him—the curse's marks spreading further across his features. Yet his gentle smile remained unwavering, radiating the same serene warmth it always had.
"Ishida, my child," Kagaya's voice was soft, like wind through cherry blossoms. "Thank you for coming. Please, lift your head. There's no need for such formality between us."
Ishida raised his head but remained kneeling, his expression respectful.
"I heard about your encounter on the mountain," Kagaya continued, his tone carrying both concern and admiration. "Facing Upper Moon Two... and surviving. That is no small feat. I wanted to congratulate you personally for your courage and strength."
Ishida's jaw tightened slightly, his eyes lowering. "Master, I... I couldn't kill him. Despite everything, despite all my techniques and preparation, he escaped. I failed."
"Failed?" Kagaya's voice held no judgment, only gentle curiosity. "My dear child, you stood against one of Muzan's most powerful demons and protected your students. You fought through the night and lived to see the dawn. That is not failure—that is a victory earned through tremendous will."
"But if I were stronger—"
"Ishida," Kagaya interrupted softly, yet the single word carried enough weight to still Ishida's protest. "In all the years since Upper Moon Two emerged, countless Hashira have faced him. None have survived an extended encounter as you did. That you stand before me now, whole and living, is an achievement that hasn't been seen in decades. You shouldn't diminish what you've accomplished."
"I understand, but..." Ishida's hands clenched slightly against his thighs. "I know my limitations now. I saw how far I still have to go. If I can't defeat him, how can I—"
"Be kind to yourself, Ishida, as you are kind to others," Kagaya said, his voice carrying a warmth that seemed to permeate the very air. "You carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, but you must remember—you are still young. Still growing. Still learning. The path to strength isn't measured only in the demons you slay, but in the wisdom you gain, the bonds you forge, and the lives you protect."
He paused, letting his words settle like falling snow.
"A sword that tries to cut everything becomes brittle and breaks. But a sword that knows when to bend, when to wait, when to strike—that sword endures. You are still being forged, my child. Each battle tempers you, but you need not be complete all at once."
Suddenly, Ishida felt it—a warmth surrounding him, emanating from the man standing before him. It wasn't physical heat, but something deeper, more profound. It filled the space around them like gentle sunlight breaking through storm clouds. In that moment, Ishida understood with perfect clarity why the Hashira who had served before him spoke of their Master with such reverence and devotion.
It wasn't power. It wasn't authority.
It was this—this boundless kindness, this ability to see into the heart of another person and speak exactly what they needed to hear, precisely when they needed to hear it. Kagaya Ubuyashiki didn't command respect through strength; he earned it through understanding, through compassion that seemed to flow as naturally as breathing.
"And speaking of growth," Kagaya continued, his smile brightening slightly, "I've also learned of the achievements of young Kazuki and Sakura. Defeating Lower Moon Six and earning their rank promotions—such promising young souls. It fills my heart with joy to see the new generation rising, to see young people like you, like them, carrying forward the torch that others have held before you."
He paused, his expression becoming even more tender.
"The future of the Corps doesn't rest solely on the shoulders of one person, Ishida. It rests on all of us—each person doing what they can, supporting one another, growing together. You are not alone in this fight, nor should you be. Your strength is remarkable, but it's your ability to nurture and protect others that makes you truly exceptional."
Ishida's chest felt tight. He wanted to respond, but the words caught in his throat.
"The Corps and its slayers are like children to me," Kagaya said softly, his voice carrying a paternal warmth that made something deep inside Ishida ache. "I always want what's best for all of you. I know it's difficult for you to open up to others, Ishida. I know you carry pain that you've buried deep—losses that shaped you, fears that drive you, burdens you believe only you can shoulder."
The Master's unseeing eyes seemed to look directly into Ishida's soul.
"But remember this, my child: a wound that's never exposed to light cannot heal. The people around you—your fellow Hashira, your students, your comrades—they don't see your struggles as weakness. They see your humanity. And that humanity, that willingness to care despite the cost, is what makes you strong."
He smiled again, and somehow it felt like an embrace.
"Don't burden yourself with regrets over battles not yet won. Don't punish yourself for not being invincible. The fact that you try, that you stand and fight despite knowing the cost—that is what makes you a true demon slayer. That is what makes you worthy of the title you carry."
Ishida felt something warm building behind his eyes. His hands, still clenched against his thighs, slowly relaxed.
'When was the last time someone spoke to me like this?' he thought. 'Not as a weapon. Not as a tool. But as a person who matters beyond what I can do for others.'
The walls he'd built around himself—walls he hadn't even fully realized were there—felt like they were cracking, just slightly. Not breaking, but allowing the faintest bit of light to filter through.
"Thank you, Master," Ishida said, his voice quieter than before, but carrying genuine emotion. "I... I needed to hear that."
Kagaya's smile somehow grew even warmer. "We all need reminders, Ishida. Even the strongest among us. Especially the strongest among us, perhaps."
The morning breeze rustled through the wisteria trees surrounding the mansion, carrying with it the sweet scent of blossoms. In this moment, despite the looming threats, despite the battles yet to come, Ishida felt something he hadn't allowed himself to feel in a long time.
Peace. Not permanent, not complete—but present nonetheless.
"Now then," Kagaya said, his tone shifting slightly to something more practical while maintaining its gentle quality, "I imagine you have much to consider regarding your students' training. Trust your instincts, Ishida. You'll find the right path for them, just as you're finding your own path forward."
Ishida nodded, standing and bowing deeply. "I will, Master. Thank you."
As he turned to leave, Kagaya's voice called out once more.
"Ishida."
He paused, looking back.
"Remember—you don't have to carry everything alone. That's what family is for."
Ishida's eyes widened slightly at the word 'family,' and for a moment, something vulnerable flickered across his face before he composed himself.
"I'll remember," he said quietly.
And as he walked away from the Ubuyashiki mansion, the warmth of those words lingered with him, a gentle reminder that even in darkness, there was still light to be found.