Horitake gave Shinobu a brief overview of the nature of the Marks.
By the time he finished, Shinobu was pale with shock. A cold dread gripped her heart, and she seized Horitake's arm with a frantic strength, as if afraid he might vanish into thin air at any moment.
"What?! Activating the Mark requires burning through one's own lifespan? Those who manifest it... usually don't live past twenty-five?!"
In a fit of desperate, uncharacteristic ferocity, she reached out and practically tore open the front of Horitake's kimono. Her eyes searched his chest, locking onto the intricate pattern of the Mark etched into his skin. Her expression was a chaotic storm of resentment and fury, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
"Why is it like this? Why does gaining the strength to fight back have to come at such a cruel price? Why twenty-five?!"
She shook him, her voice trembling. "Horitake, you absolute idiot! Do you really expect me to become a widow at such a young age?!"
"It's not like that, Shinobu! Please, calm down just a little!"
They were on the main road, but Horitake quickly pulled her into a firm embrace to keep her from spiraling further. Fortunately, they had already left the small town behind; they were in the middle of the wilderness with no one around to witness their strange, dramatic scene.
Holding her close, Horitake spoke rapidly to explain.
"Other swordsmen might not live past twenty-five, but I'm different. My Mark is a 'Perfect Mark'—it has no side effects. It doesn't consume my life force!"
Shinobu tilted her head back, looking him straight in the eye, her gaze filled with suspicion. "Truly?"
"Truly! What would I gain from lying to you? Besides, how could I ever let you become a widow? It's impossible. You know me, Shinobu—do I look like someone who would let himself die so easily? Furthermore, don't forget about the formula and the reagents I mentioned. Even if someone's vitality is depleted, we can use this medicine to replenish it!"
"Right... that's right!" Shinobu's realization dawned on her like a flash of light. "Is that why you brought out this formula? To prepare the medicine in advance so you could restore your lifespan?"
Horitake shook his head with a complicated sigh.
"Not exactly. Like I said, my Mark doesn't drain me. I don't need it for myself."
"Then... who is this medicine for?"
Horitake looked deep into her eyes, his tone turning solemn and heavy with emotion. "It's for all of you."
"For us?"
"Yes. The Marks have another characteristic: they appear in resonance. Once a single swordsman manifests the Mark, those around him will begin to manifest their own one after another, influenced by his presence. It increases the overall strength of the Corps, effectively leading the charge into a new era."
Shinobu stared at him, a strange, shimmering light dancing in her eyes.
"Then... Horitake, are you that swordsman? The one who will lead this era? Is Oyakata-sama's intuition coming true? Will the tragedy of the demons finally end with our generation?!"
Faced with her hopeful question, Horitake found it difficult to give a simple answer. He chose his words carefully.
"I can't say for certain if I'm the one 'leading' the era. But I am willing to fight until my last breath to wipe out the demons. I don't want this tragedy to follow us into the next generation."
The hopeful light in Shinobu's eyes softened, turning inward, becoming a quiet, inextinguishable flame of resolve.
"I see... Then this vitality-replenishing medicine is meant for..."
"It's for the others," Horitake explained firmly. "I have a feeling that the Hashira will start manifesting their Marks soon. But their Marks will be the standard kind—the kind that devours their life. I can't just sit back and watch my friends and my woman fade away in their prime. That's why I produced this formula."
"I understand now..." Shinobu finally grasped the weight of his plan. "You want to use this medicine to compensate for the years the Mark steals from them. Is that it?"
"Exactly."
"I understand..."
Shinobu's voice drifted off as her expression hardened into one of ironclad determination.
"I understand. Once we return to the Butterfly Mansion, I will devote everything to studying this formula. I will produce this medicine, no matter what it takes. I don't want us to finally defeat Muzan only to realize we have no life left to enjoy the peace. I won't let everyone slip away before they turn twenty-five. I will succeed for their sake!"
Horitake pulled her gently back into his arms, his heart aching with a mix of pride and tenderness.
"Shinobu, don't forget about yourself in all of this. I didn't just bring this out for 'everyone.' I brought it out specifically for you and Mitsuri. If the two of you left me before the age of twenty-five... I would lose my mind. This research isn't just for the Corps; it's for us. For the life we're going to have together."
Leaning into his chest, Shinobu nodded, her heart overflowing.
"Mmh. I won't leave you. Neither will Mitsuri, nor that girl Nezuko whom I've yet to meet. You're a womanizing scoundrel, but you do take care of us. I suppose I'll have to accept you and put up with you for the rest of my life."
Horitake laughed. "Haha, well, I'm truly grateful for your generosity, Shinobu. By the way, how confident are you in actually brewing this?"
"The formula is complex, but the instructions are incredibly detailed. It won't be easy, but I have total confidence in my skills."
"Good. I'll help you once we're back at headquarters."
Suddenly, a mischievous thought struck Horitake. A devious grin spread across his face as he looked down at the woman in his arms.
"You know, once we successfully brew the first vial, we could use Oyakata-sama as a test subject."
Shinobu looked up and couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.
"Now you're treating the Master like a lab rat? How disrespectful can you be!"
"Well, we have a perfect candidate right there who needs his lifespan restored. It would be a waste not to try," Horitake countered playfully.
"I mean... logically you're right, but I still feel like we're being terrible to him."
"There's nothing to feel bad about. This medicine, whether it's a perfect success or not, can only be beneficial to the human body. It's not a poison, is it?"
"True... Then... I suppose we'll ask the Master to 'test' the medicine for us?"
"Indeed. For the Master's sake, of course!"
Meanwhile, at the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters, within the Ubuyashiki estate...
Kagaya, who had not long ago returned from Tokyo, suddenly let out a massive sneeze!
Rubbing his nose, Kagaya wondered if he had caught a cold during his trip. That shouldn't be right, he thought. My body has been recovering quite well lately.
He quickly dismissed the idle thought.
His mind turned toward Horitake's return. He hoped Horitake would successfully slay the demon, rescue the Flame Hashira's younger brother, and return safely.
If that happened, Kyojuro Rengoku could finally be at peace, and so could he.
Once Horitake returns, Kagaya thought warmly, I can finally ask him to help lift the curse from Kiriya as well.
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