Crossover: The Problematic Deity of Arcadia

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Not long after, Kanae Kocho and Kyojuro Rengoku stepped into the courtyard.

The moment he spotted Kagaya Ubuyashiki, Kyojuro boomed in his usual energetic voice, "Good afternoon! How's your health today?"

"I'm doing quite well," Kagaya replied with a gentle smile, though he did cough lightly.

Compared to Kyojuro's blazing enthusiasm, Kanae's greeting was far more refined.

"Good day, everyone."

But right then, the attention of the other five Hashira wasn't on their two familiar comrades.

Their eyes were locked on the young man standing between them—black hair, black eyes, calm expression.

At first glance, Ryo didn't seem particularly out of the ordinary.

Aside from his strikingly handsome face and a gentle demeanor, he didn't appear much different from any of them.

But a second look told a different story. His "gentleness" wasn't the warm or inviting kind—it had a subtle, elusive quality, like a smile that didn't reach the heart. Friendly on the surface, but distant beneath.

What truly drew their focus, though, was his hands.

Several of them noticed the calluses on his wrists and hands—and their eyes immediately sharpened.

This guy's a master—no, a monster-level expert!

The thick layers of calluses screamed years of sword training. But more than that, they were oddly smooth and pale—so much so that if you weren't paying attention, you wouldn't even notice them. That was unsettling in itself.

What kind of hellish training must someone go through to wear down calluses to that state?

Shouldn't calluses harden over time, becoming rougher and tougher until they stop changing?

So… what was going on with his hands?

Ryo, who had clearly noticed all the curious stares, glanced at his palm with mild confusion.

"Huh? Is it really that strange?"

Of course, he knew about the calluses on his hands.

They were a side effect of the Hōgyoku forcibly speeding up his combat training and experience. A kind of micro-level physical optimization that molded his body for swordsmanship.

In Ryo's eyes, he wasn't some delicate girl obsessed with looks. So what if he had calluses? It wasn't worth wasting effort trying to get rid of them.

Hence why the Hashira were now all weirded out by them.

"This really is weird..." several of them silently muttered in their hearts.

At that moment, Kagaya spoke up with a gentle smile.

"Mr. Yagami, I must apologize for making you come all this way."

"No need. We both benefit from this," Ryo replied, shaking his head. Then he looked closely at Kagaya and raised an eyebrow. "You're looking surprisingly well."

Kagaya glanced down at his own hand with some confusion.

"Strangely enough… yesterday, I started feeling a lot lighter. My body just felt... easier to move."

Hearing that, Kyojuro and several of the Hashira immediately stiffened.

"Master, have you had a doctor check you out yet?" Kyojuro asked, concerned.

After all, for someone plagued by chronic illness to suddenly feel much better—that wasn't good news. In fact, most people would immediately think of something ominous.

Like the body giving one final burst of strength before death.

Kanae frowned and turned to a nearby aide. "Bring me a med kit, now."

Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima quickly spoke before Kagaya could object, "The Flower Hashira is a certified medic. Please—let her take a look."

The other Hashira caught on quickly and nodded solemnly.

Their united front had that same unshakable tone of "You're seeing the doctor whether you like it or not."

Kagaya felt slightly embarrassed.

He was like a father being dragged to the clinic by a group of concerned kids. What else could he do? Refuse?

And yet… they were in the middle of an important meeting.

Just then, Ryo cast him a sideways glance and said with an amused tone, "So that's how it is… looks like the Ubuyashiki family's curse has weakened quite a bit. Something must've happened on Kibutsuji Muzan's end."

That made Kagaya's eyes widen. "Mr. Ryo… what do you mean by that?"

Ryo chuckled slightly. "The curse on your family stems from Muzan's immortality. In a twisted sense, the worse your health is, the better off he is. And now? It's flipped. Which means… Muzan's probably in trouble."

He paused, then added with a strange expression, "My guess is Muzan has entered a low-activity state—probably gone into hibernation. With him suppressing his own presence, the curse on your family has weakened too. That's why you're feeling better."

Everyone around them suddenly understood.

So the reason Kagaya was feeling better... was because Muzan was having problems?

From the Demon Slayer Corps' point of view, that was fantastic news.

The Demon King having issues? That's a celebration already. If it also meant Kagaya's condition improved? That was double the joy!

It was the first time they'd ever heard of Muzan going into hibernation—and the first time the master's illness had shown any sign of improvement.

Two pieces of good news hitting at once—it felt like a miracle.

But Gyomei, the oldest among them, couldn't shake his unease.

This man—Kagaya's friend—had seen through the curse at a glance and could even infer Muzan's current condition?

That kind of insight… was terrifying.

'Could those eyes be divine?' Gyomei wondered silently.

Kagaya was thinking even deeper.

If Ryo could detect Muzan's sleep state… could he also pinpoint Muzan's location?

He glanced at Ryo, as if about to ask, then hesitated and held his tongue.

He understood something clearly.

Yes, Muzan was the root of their suffering, and yes, he needed to be taken down—but the real problem wasn't just him. The other demons, including the Upper Kizuki, were all butchers aiding and abetting his crimes.

And if they were ever going to clean house completely, they'd need to take them out too.

There would never be a better time than now—while Muzan was in hibernation.

But that would require planning. It couldn't be blurted out here, not in front of the Hashira.

If he did, some of them—driven by vengeance—might act rashly and ruin everything.

Kagaya sighed softly, then exchanged a meaningful look with Ryo before turning to Kyojuro.

"Kyojuro, how did things go on your end?"

Kyojuro immediately dropped to one knee and reported, "Lord Ubuyashiki, this morning, Flower Hashira and I followed Lord Yagami and successfully retrieved The Sun Breathing legacy."

"Wait… what? The Sun Breathing!?"

In an instant, the courtyard erupted in shocked murmurs from the Hashira.

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