Demon Slayer: I am a Demon.

Training disciples is one aspect, but after writing down these insights, he will also pass them on to other 'trainers'. Urokodaki Sakonji believes that in the future, the Demon Slayer Corps will be able to do a better job in training new disciples, and in this respect, he no longer has much significance.

Now, for a senior like him, the most important thing to do is to pave new paths for these newcomers.

"I never imagined that my decaying body would have a chance to be of use again."

Back inside the house, Urokodaki Sakonji picked up his own Nichirin Blade.

Since retiring, his old companion has not been drawn for a long time. His hand grips the hilt tightly, and his aged body is no longer as strong as it was in his youth.

"I'm not...that old yet."

When you increase your grip again and close your eyes, you transfer your own heat to the blade.

"laugh!"

Almost instantly, the temperature of the blade began to rise sharply.

Opening his eyes, Urokodaki Sakonji quietly looked at the Nichirin Blade in his hand that had turned red: "This is the 'Crimson Blade'. I can feel the sun-like heat emanating from the blade, which is extremely effective against demons. However, this state isn't ideal for activating the 'Crimson Blade'. I currently focus most of my energy on maintaining the 'Crimson Blade'. If I were to fight a demon, it might actually lower my combat power. The best time to activate the 'Crimson Blade' is at a specific moment, such as the instant when severing a demon's neck."

"It seems that I need to activate the 'Striped Mark' first. Only by activating the 'Striped Mark' and greatly improving my combat ability can I maintain the 'Crimson Blade' in its normal state without affecting my combat power."

As for 'spots', after understanding the principle, it was not as difficult as imagined for a senior like him.

The real difficulty lies in the fact that once the 'spots' are activated, one's lifespan may be shortened, unless one finds a way to do so without harming oneself.

However, Su Mu also seemed unaware of how to prevent the activation of 'stripes' from causing harm to life.

The old man poured himself a glass of wine, smiled freely, and murmured to himself, "When a person activates their 'mark,' they will act like a magnet, and those around them will resonate with it and develop marks."

This almost means that if one person unlocks their 'stripes', will the conditions for others to unlock their 'stripes' be lowered?

He smiled, silently closed his eyes, his breathing became rapid, his heartbeat quickened, and his body temperature rose rapidly, almost reaching a level that the human body could hardly bear, above 39 degrees Celsius.

As the body temperature rises, various organs also experience pain, especially for an elderly person, whose aging organs are issuing dangerous warnings.

But the old man's face remained calm and composed, as if he didn't care about any of this.

I don't know when...

The old man stopped, gently gripping the Nichirin Blade once more, without using his full strength, yet the blade remained almost entirely in its normal 'Crimson Blade' state.

Not only that, but all of my abilities have been significantly improved, making me several times stronger than my usual self.

He stood up and went to the bronze mirror in the room.

Before the bronze mirror, Urokodaki Sakonji removed the tengu mask from his face, revealing a gentle-looking face reflected in the mirror.

I also noticed the 'marks' appearing on her forehead.

I also felt the loss of my own vitality.

At that moment, Urokodaki Sakon gently touched the mark that had appeared on his forehead and murmured, "So this is the 'spot'? It's really powerful."

Chapter 183 New Buds Are Blooming

Leaning over his desk, Sakonji Urokodaki wrote down the sensations of activating the 'Mark' so that future generations would not lose this ability again.

Not only are the 'spots' written down, but the 'Crimson Blade' is also written down, so that this tradition that has been lost for hundreds of years can be brought back.

As for the 'transparent world', he has not yet grasped it, but he vaguely senses that the world is within reach, but it is just a little bit short, which makes Urokodaki Sakonji feel a little regretful.

After writing down how he activated his 'spots', how he activated his 'Crimson Blade', and his views on the 'Transparent World', Urokodaki Sakonji put on the Tengu mask again, covering the mark on his forehead.

Looking up at the Kasugai crow that had just returned after delivering the letter, Urokodaki Sakonji once again placed the letter he had written into the metal barrel on the Kasugai crow's leg. But this time, the already very old Kasugai crow did not immediately flap its wings and fly away. Instead, it tilted its head and looked at him.

"Haha... Old friend, all good things must come to an end, and we will all have to leave eventually."

Urokodaki Sakonji patted Kasugai-rai on the head before whispering, "Go, deliver the message. This intelligence is very important."

The ravens cried mournfully, then flapped their wings and flew away with reluctance and hesitation.

After doing all this, Urokodaki Sakonji returned to the house, put on the 'Water Pillar' uniform that he hadn't worn in a long time, and draped the haori that represented the 'Water Pillar'.

As he gently stroked the haori, he couldn't help but think of Rengoku Makijuro.

Both are 'Pillars' and are almost senior members of the Demon Slayer Corps. They have fought side by side and, although they have not been in contact for many years, their friendship has never faded.

When did we stop contacting each other...?

It was probably after Rengoku Makijuro abandoned his duties as the 'Flame Pillar' and began to live a life of complete decadence.

Urokodaki Sakonji felt disappointed by his old friend's choice, but also relieved, thinking that returning to a normal life might not be so bad.

But... even if they all gave up their duties as the 'Flame Pillar'.

The ghost still didn't let him go, and killed him a few nights ago.

Upon hearing this news, I first felt disbelief, then anger, and then a deep sense of powerlessness.

Urokodaki Sakonji was very clear about Makijuro's strength. Even though he had given up his training in recent years and his skills had become rusty, he was still capable of killing the Twelve Demon Moons.

But still... he died.

According to the news, a hermit overheard that Upper Moon Three had invited Makijuro to become a demon, but Makijuro refused without hesitation.

Sakonji Urokodaki knew that Makijuro had given up hope of eradicating demons and did not believe that the Demon Slayer Corps could really defeat them. Moreover, Makijuro had already given up his duties as the 'Flame Pillar' long ago, and when faced with the desperate situation of death, he might really choose to become... a demon.

But even in the end, Makijuro remained true to his duty as the 'Flame Pillar,' continuing to illuminate the path for his juniors even in death, never taking a step back.

but……

To die at the hands of an Upper Moon demon, even as a Pillar, is a devastating blow to the Demon Slayer Corps. Even he himself was bewildered that day, wondering if there would ever be a day when all demons would be eradicated.

After all, Upper Moon Three alone is already beyond the capabilities of the Pillars, so what about Upper Moon Two, Upper Moon One, and finally, Muzan Kibutsuji?

At that moment, he was truly lost, seemingly trapped in the same predicament as Rengoku Makijuro, filled with despair for the future.

But now...

Sensing the power he gained after the 'spot' was activated, Urokodaki Sakonji was once again filled with hope for eradicating the evil spirits.

open the door

You can see boys and girls training enthusiastically in the open space.

A young boy, seeing Urokodaki Sakonji, stopped training and jogged over, his face full of respect: "Master Urokodaki."

"Your name is Saito Hiroyuki, right?"

Beneath the mask, Urokodaki Sakonji spoke gently.

"Yes, Master Urokodaki, I've been feeling a bit off with my breathing lately during training..."

The boy explained the problem he was facing.

Almost immediately understanding the boy's predicament, Urokodaki Sakonji patiently explained the situation to the boy and helped him find a way forward.

The boy quickly found the answer and thanked Urokodaki Sakonji with gratitude.

"Go train."

Urokodaki Sakonji gently patted the boy's shoulder. Looking at the boy's vitality and youthful energy upon returning, he seemed to see his younger self in him.

But people

As time goes by

Eventually, we will grow old, age, and come to an end.

Especially after activating the 'spots', one can feel their already limited life force rapidly fading away. If in battle, the loss of life force will accelerate even more.

His death was being hastened.

Urokodaki Sakonji wasn't afraid of death; perhaps his only regret was that there were still many things he couldn't bear to part with.

Walking with his hands behind his back, looking at the once quiet Sakuriyama now bustling with activity, he seemed to see the days when he had just retired to Sakuriyama, and the children whose warding-off-disaster masks he had made by hand. Back then, there was a scene just as lively as it is now.

"New buds are blooming..."

Urokodaki Sakonji murmured softly, a smile playing on his lips.

Before long, they arrived at a field where a petite girl wearing a fox mask with her eyes closed was digging the ground with a small hoe. Upon seeing Urokodaki Sakonji, she almost immediately put down the hoe and walked over gracefully.

"master……"

Makomo walked up to Urokodaki Sakonji, tilted her head slightly, and looked at her master with a strange expression.

It's been a long time since I've seen Master wear the haori that represents his 'water pillar': "Is Master going on a long trip? Will he be summoned by the 'lord' again? But I've never seen Master dressed so formally when I met the 'lord' before."

The master seemed to suddenly become much more dignified when he put on the haori, and even the feeling he gave off was somewhat different.

"It's a long trip, and this time it'll probably be a long one."

"Ha, as long as Master comes back when the rapeseed flowers are in full bloom, that's fine."

Makomo smiled nonchalantly: "I promised Master that I would accompany him to see the rapeseed flowers when they bloom. I'm planting rapeseed seeds right now, just as I promised Master."

As she spoke, the girl clenched her fist with some excitement: "Makomo never breaks her promises."

This was a promise Makomo made to him when she went to Fujikasayama. At that time, Urokodaki Sakonji was worried that Makomo would break her promise when the rapeseed flowers bloomed again.

But now...

It seems that I... broke my promise.

"Will do."

Urokodaki Sakonji chuckled gently and then joined Makomo in tending the small vegetable garden, planting rapeseed seeds with his own hands alongside his disciple.

You can feel the vitality of the tiny rapeseed seeds.

I can sense that from the moment the seeds sprout, this barren land will soon be blooming with the most beautiful rapeseed flowers.

The rapeseed flowers, which are the favorite of his students, are in full bloom.

After hoeing away the last layer of soil, Urokodaki Sakonji put down the hoe and looked at Makomo: "Makomo, take good care of yourself from now on."

"What's wrong with Master today? He's suddenly become so sentimental. He never used to say these things... He seems really strange today."

Makomo put down his hoe, tilted his head, and looked at his most respected master, Urokodaki.

"As people get older, they tend to talk more."

"Master is still in good health."

Makomo snorted.