5 Vol. II Demon Slayer: Floating Comment

Shiver. Shiver.

Forcing a dangerous smile onto his face, Sanemi chose not to dwell on the meaning behind Haruto's expression. He stubbornly raised his head, unwilling to back down.

Masachika's grievous injuries and the bitter smile he wore as he laid down his Nichirin blade were seared into Sanemi's mind.

And yet, here sat this man—calm and composed, seated at the head of the room, his gentle smile making the pain of his subordinates seem utterly insignificant.

While others bled and sacrificed themselves, this man… this man… could still sit there, smiling as though everything were fine.

Sanemi clenched his fists tightly, his words dripping with venom as he spat them out, each syllable squeezing its way through gritted teeth.

"Ubuyashiki-sama…" he growled, his fury barely contained behind his twisted grin. "You seem awfully at ease, don't you?"

The insult wasn't sharp enough—Sanemi cursed his own lack of eloquence. He'd never been much for words, much less barbed ones capable of striking a nerve.

Haruto, observing the scene from the sidelines, smirked faintly as his eyes flicked toward Ubuyashiki Kagaya's face.

Of course, Kagaya remained unshaken. The trials he'd endured, both physical and emotional, were far more harrowing than anything Sanemi could conjure with mere words.

But the other three Hashira in the room reacted with shock, their eyes snapping up as if Sanemi's words had struck a gong.

"Shinazugawa…" Kanae stared at him, disbelief written all over her face.

"Sanemi." Gyomei's brow furrowed deeply, veins bulging on his neck. "You've gone too far."

"You brat." Tengen shot him a scornful glance, flexing an arm as the muscles under his golden armbands coiled with tension. "Did your Wind Breathing mentor forget to teach you what manners are?"

"It's fine," Kagaya interjected gently, inclining his head slightly. "I can understand how Shinazugawa feels. Let him speak."

"Understand?!" Sanemi's voice rose, his fury finally breaking loose. "You sit there, high and mighty, and claim to understand what it's like for us to risk our lives on the front lines? To you, we're just pawns—sacrificial pieces in your grand chess game!"

"Chess game?" Kagaya shook his head, a faint smile still on his lips. "The Ubuyashiki family possesses wealth beyond measure. If we wanted to meddle in wars or seize power, we could do so effortlessly. But what would that accomplish? Our only goal has ever been to kill Muzan Kibutsuji, to save as many lives as possible from his tyranny."

"Save lives?!" Sanemi sneered, his voice dripping with disbelief. "And you expect me to believe that? You—the man with hands softer than a noblewoman's—talk about slaying Muzan Kibutsuji? Just look at you! You're too weak to even hold a blade!"

Kagaya paused briefly, then let out a soft sigh.

"You're right," he admitted quietly.

"What…?" Sanemi blinked, momentarily thrown off.

"You're right. Once, I dreamed of becoming a powerful swordsman—someone who could fight alongside others to protect what I hold dear. But as you said, my body is too frail. Even ten simple swings of a blade leave me gasping for air."

Kagaya's calm, steady voice swept over the room like a gentle breeze, loosening the tension in Sanemi's tightly knit brows. For a moment, the Wind Hashira found himself at a loss for words.

Haruto's thoughts wandered. He faintly recalled asking a similar question in his youth.

"As the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, why can't you even wield a sword?"

Back then, Haruto had already been strong enough to carry heavy loads of charcoal up steep mountain paths. But Kagaya—disguised as a girl at the time—could barely lift a Nichirin blade.

The young Kagaya had not yet mastered his current poise and calmness. Faced with Haruto's blunt question, his frustration was evident.

"I don't know," he'd said, looking away from the blade he could not lift. "I want to protect those I love with a sword too, but… what choice do I have against the body I was given?"

Unable to strengthen his body, Kagaya had instead forged an unbreakable will, leading countless swordsmen with his gentle yet resolute spirit.

"The Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen are not mere pawns. If there were a disposable piece among us, it would be me," Kagaya said, his voice unyielding yet serene. "Even if I were to fall, the Corps would endure. I've already chosen my successor. The mission will continue without me."

As Kagaya spoke of his mortality with calm acceptance, the Hashira around him lowered their heads in sorrow.

"I know you're upset about Masachika's injury," Kagaya continued, his tone softening. "I'm sorry. Splitting up close comrades for missions is a painful necessity. When Masachika recovered, I apologized to him right here in this room. He didn't blame me—instead, he was worried about you, Sanemi."

Sanemi opened his mouth but couldn't form any words. It took him a long moment before he finally muttered, "You knew? That's why I lashed out at you?"

"Shinazugawa, you were worried Kagaya-sama would forget the swordsmen who earned their keep, weren't you?" Kanae's eyes glistened with understanding. "But Kagaya-sama… he remembers the name and story of every single swordsman under his command."

Sanemi staggered as though the weight of his guilt had struck him physically. He stood rooted in place, his face burning with shame.

Haruto, watching him, smirked faintly and nudged his knee with an elbow.

"If you're embarrassed, just apologize properly and get it over with. No use digging yourself a deeper hole."

Sanemi's lips quivered. He couldn't admit it, but when he looked into Kagaya's eyes, he was reminded of his mother—her gentle, unwavering kindness.

With a deep breath, he dropped to his knees, bowing low as he clenched his fists.

"I'm… sorry."

Oddly enough, the words lightened the weight crushing his chest. The hardest part had been saying them aloud.

As Sanemi offered his clumsy apology, Gyomei closed his eyes, his hands pressed together in prayer. Tears streamed down his face.

"Kagaya-sama, please… don't speak of your death again. We will slay Muzan Kibutsuji, no matter what."

Haruto thought back to a phrase he'd once read:

"Even if my body perishes, the demons shall fall."

The Ubuyashiki family truly lives by these words, staking their lives to see them fulfilled…

And perhaps, Haruto mused with a grin, he'd found his new motto:

"If you're too embarrassed to face the truth, just apologize and move on. No point in clinging to pride—it'll only hurt more in the end."