After the members of the Demon Slayer Corps cheered, they soon collapsed from sheer exhaustion after an entire night of battle.
While their stamina hadn't depleted much thanks to Wide-Range effects, the mental fatigue was something that couldn't be wiped away.
Under the command of the young master via messenger crows, the Kakushi squad quickly arrived to carry out final operations.
But what no one really noticed was that on Kazuma's side, several Felynes came over carrying jars and quietly packed up the remaining fragments of Muzan still trapped in the pitfall trap.
As for Tanjiro's group and the Nine Hashira, their attention had turned to another pressing matter.
The Demon Slayer Marks…
After the battle against Muzan, many of them had awakened their Marks by surpassing their limits.
But the Marks came at a steep cost—sacrificing lifespan, dooming anyone who bore one to die before the age of twenty-five.
Among those who had awakened the Mark, one person had already surpassed that age.
That was Gyomei Himejima.
The Demon Slayers gathered around Gyomei. The joy of defeating Muzan gradually turned into quiet sorrow.
Once this night was over, the forcibly awakened Mark would drain the life from Gyomei, and he would become the final casualty of the battle.
"Mr. Himejima…"
Tanjiro held Gyomei's hand, too distraught to say anything at all.
The same held true for everyone else gathered around him. They had no words for the sorrow in their hearts.
"Namu…"
Gyomei pressed his palms together in prayer. Though blind, tears streamed down his face—yet there was no fear of death in his expression.
"I know my own body. There is no need to mourn for me."
Gyomei calmly addressed everyone in front of him. "From the beginning, we were aware that awakening the Mark meant dying before twenty-five."
"Now that Muzan is dead, our long-cherished wish has been fulfilled. This monk… has no regrets."
Hands still pressed together, Gyomei continued, "When I became a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, I had already accepted this fate."
"Himejima… I've come to see you."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki had finally arrived. The Corps members all bowed in greeting.
"Master."
Gyomei bowed slightly. "I can sense… your illness has recovered, hasn't it?"
"Yes, Himejima. It's been a long time since I've been able to look upon you this way," Kagaya replied with a quiet sadness.
"Guildmaster Retsu, and… Joseph, Naofumi, Kazuma." Gyomei turned slightly, aware of the others approaching.
"Damn it! We were so close to a perfect ending!" Kazuma growled, frustrated. "We made it this far, and yet—!"
"It's so weird seeing someone who sounds like me about to die." Joseph Joestar scratched his head irritably. "This whole lifespan-draining Mark thing is way too cruel. Us Ripple users were supposed to live to a hundred!"
"Guildmaster, is there really nothing we can do?" Naofumi turned to Kairo Retsu. "Are we seriously just going to let the Stone Hashira die?"
"How could we accept that?!" Kairo clenched his fists. "Don't underestimate Hunters who go for perfect clears! In a situation like this, you've got to believe… that Felynes can do anything, hmphhhaaa!!"
Kairo shouted loudly at the Felynes still tidying up the arena. "Go fetch Granny Felyne—er, I mean! Request the presence of Lady Granny Felyne!"
"Someone's life needs saving here!!"
Kairo shouted without caring how he looked. "No one's dying today! I said so!!"
———
About ten minutes later…
Tanjiro's group and the Demon Slayer Corps had all returned to the Ubuyashiki estate.
Himejima, now unconscious, was carried back on a stretcher by his concerned comrades.
The young master and his two sisters rushed emotionally into the arms of their mother and father, and soon after…
A plump, kindly-looking calico Felyne appeared before everyone.
"Lady Granny Felyne!"
Kairo Retsu immediately threw himself at her feet, clinging to her and wailing, "We don't know what to do! Please help us! Our perfect ending is about to fall apart!"
"There, there now, dear."
Granny Felyne gently patted Kairo's head with a soft, paw pad-laden paw, then looked kindly at the Demon Slayers.
"So then—who's in need of help?"
Trusting the Hunters implicitly, the swordsmen made way, and Gyomei was helped into a sitting position. Granny Felyne took his hand and began carefully examining it.
The check-up made Gyomei a little uncomfortable, but it didn't last long. The Demon Slayers stood in tense silence, watching the result.
"It's fine. Nothing we can't handle."
When those words left Granny Felyne's mouth, a thunderous cheer erupted from the swordsmen.
"Granny, when you say 'handle'… do you mean the lifespan loss from the Mark too?" Naofumi asked, raising the key question.
"That's right," she nodded. "Actually, it's something Hunters can handle themselves."
"Hah?" Joseph blinked, confused. "What do you mean? Are you saying I should go slap everyone with Ripple and have them learn it?"
"There's no time for that! They'd never learn Ripple that fast!" Kazuma retorted immediately.
"Then what do you want us to do!?" Joseph pulled at his hair. "None of the four of us are doctors!"
"Damn it! Don't underestimate the bonds between men gathered together!!" Kairo shouted. "In moments like these, you've gotta believe… one of us is going to awaken as the idea guy!"
"I understand! Fire up, my brain!"
"Ohhhhhhhh!!"
Kairo, Joseph, and Kazuma all began focusing power into their brains together.
Meanwhile, Naofumi calmly opened his menu interface and began scanning the descriptions of items in his inventory.
Then, Naofumi noticed a particular item description…
[Ancient Potion: Fully restores health and boosts maximum health.]
Naofumi pulled out an Ancient Potion and looked to Granny Felyne. When she smiled and nodded at him, Naofumi knew—he'd found the answer…
All while Kairo was still fervently praying to his brain.
"Hurry up and show yourself, Almighty Idea Guy!"