CHAPTER 73: CHAPTER 73: QUESTIONING THE HEART

Snowflakes danced through the air, blanketing the mountains.

On the mountain path, Sosuke and Kanae trudged through the accumulated snow.

This wasn’t the road back to Butterfly Mansion, but the path to Mt. Sagiri.

Some things couldn’t be delayed, especially matters concerning Mt. Sagiri. Sosuke was particularly eager to set out.

So, having obtained permission, he departed without hesitation.

As a result, their stay at Butterfly Mansion lasted only three days. He didn’t even see Shinobu before embarking on their journey with Kanae.

Sosuke’s heart was filled with complex emotions.

Mt. Sagiri, Sakonji Urokodaki!

The previous Water Pillar, Tomioka’s master, and also the Tanjiro’s teacher!

To be honest, Sosuke had considered visiting Urokodaki countless times, but circumstances had always prevented him from making the trip.

Now, as he set out, his anxiety stemmed from the fear of encountering people he shouldn’t see there.

Tanjiro’s family had vanished without a trace. Sosuke had exhausted every method and resource in his search, yet they remained missing.

If they were to meet on Mt. Sagiri, it would confirm that the tragedy of that night had still occurred.

He had failed to change anything.

If they hadn’t seen him, there might still have been a sliver of hope... But if they never found him, what then?

This complex emotional turmoil, known only to those who knew the truth, was truly agonizing.

Kanae sensed something was troubling Sosuke, though she didn’t know the truth. She gently took his hand, trying to convey warmth and comfort.

There were things Sosuke didn’t speak of, and she never pressed him for answers.

If it were something she needed to know, she trusted he would never keep it from her.

Whatever was causing him such anguish must be something she couldn’t help with, even if she knew.

So, she could only offer comfort, without probing for details.

The journey was long and arduous. It took them seven full days to reach Mt. Sagiri from the Butterfly Mansion.

Following the address provided by Kagaya, they searched the mountain, but instead of finding a house, they found a person.

The man sat atop a large boulder, his short, gray-white hair visible beneath a tengu mask.

He sat there, seemingly one with the mountain itself.

If the Flower Pillar hadn’t tugged Sosuke’s arm, he might not have noticed the figure at all.

"Sakonji Urokodaki?"

Sosuke glanced at Kanae.

Kanae nodded and asked, "Are you here to pick us up?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the figure sitting on the rock leaped down and landed before them.

"You’ve finally arrived," Urokodaki said, his voice devoid of any particular emotion. His tengu mask’s eyes swept over Kanae before settling on Sosuke’s face. He nodded silently and asked, "You must be Tetsu no Sosuke?"

Sosuke nodded and greeted him politely.

"Follow me," Urokodaki said, turning to walk away. "I’ve heard much about you recently—unexpected things, yet deeply inspiring. You forged a Nichirin Blade that suppresses a demon’s regenerative abilities and repaired an Automaton that had remained unmastered for three centuries. My only question is why you aren’t content with being a swordsmith and instead aspire to become a swordsman?"

He paused and glanced back at Sosuke. "With your rare talent, who would willingly send you to the front lines to fight demons? Your true potential lies in supporting us from behind the lines! Don’t you understand this?"

Sosuke listened in stunned silence, never expecting to be lectured before even reaching home.

For a moment, Sosuke felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. But looking into the eyes beneath Urokodaki’s mask, he realized the man wasn’t joking.

After a brief silence, Sosuke said earnestly, "I want to have the power to protect others!"

"Who do you want to protect?" Urokodaki asked again.

Sosuke replied solemnly, "Humanity!"

Urokodaki glanced at him, shook his head, and seemed dissatisfied with the answer.

Sosuke paused, then grasped Kanae’s hand. "I want to protect her!"

Kanae’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she couldn’t hide her joy.

"That’s more like it," Urokodaki nodded. "But there must be more to it than that, right?"

Sosuke was taken aback. ’What else could there be?’

The man suddenly reached out and poked Sosuke’s chest with a finger. "Ask yourself. Ask yourself a thousand times. Question your heart until it reveals your true power! Every person possesses an extraordinary strength within them, a potential that transcends human limits. The only way to find it is to relentlessly question your heart, until you uncover the answer deep within. It’s a sharp blade, and your heart will never unlock its use unless you truly understand your purpose!"

After delivering these words, Urokodaki remained silent, turning to continue leading the way.

Sosuke glanced at Kanae, who smiled softly and squeezed his hand.

Sosuke let out a soft breath, questioning his own heart—asking it a thousand times.

’Does this really work?’

’Why didn’t you tell the Tanjiro this back then?’

’Or is this some secret technique? Or perhaps personalized instruction tailored to each individual’s nature?’

’Or... is he just lying to me?’

Sosuke’s mind churned over these thoughts, but he couldn’t find a clear answer.

Suddenly, he realized his thoughts were becoming overly complicated.

He wasn’t as straightforward and kind as the Tanjiro, nor as pure and sincere as Tomioka. His heart was burdened with too many thoughts and too much speculation.

’Could this be why I’ve been unable to make my sword strike with true purity?’

The thought surged through his mind as the scene before him opened up.

The crisp sound of chopping wood echoed in his ears—wood splintering, falling to the ground... A young man with a scar on his forehead was swinging an axe, sweat pouring down his face as he repeatedly lifted the wood, positioned it, swung the axe, and split it in two.

All of Sosuke’s carefully laid plans shattered the moment this young man appeared before him.

Kamado Tanjirō!

He had already reached Urokodaki!

’I... I’ve accomplished nothing after all!’

He instinctively clenched his fists, blood surging, veins bulging.

Yet he forced his eyes shut.

"You’re back!"

The young man’s cheerful voice reached his ears. Sosuke opened his eyes to find Tanjirō looking curiously at him and Kanae. "Who are they? Ah, forgive my rudeness! I’m Kamado Tanjiro!"

The young man stood straight and bowed politely.