Storm is coming
Shiro's pregnancy was like dropping a huge rock into a tranquil lake, sending ripples swiftly throughout the entire Demon Slayer Corps' decision-making hierarchy. This miracle brought not only joy but also a heavy and pressing strategic pressure.
A few days later, a secret letter from the lord summoned Giyu Tomioka and Haku Inji.
The atmosphere within the Japanese-style residence of Ubuyashiki was solemn, almost stagnant. Ubuyashiki Kōya sat at the head of the table. Though his face was ravaged by illness and curse, his eyes, unable to see, seemed to penetrate the hearts of men. On either side, besides those pillars who had to remain at their posts, several other core pillars, including Shinobu Kocho, Mitsuri Kanroji, and Minoru Fushigawa, were prominently displayed.
"Yiyong, Bai, congratulations." The lord's voice remained gentle, yet with a subtle heaviness. "The arrival of this child is an invaluable ray of light in this dark age."
Bai bowed slightly with Yiyong's support. She could feel a solemn atmosphere in the air, which was different from the usual blessings.
"However, precisely because this light is so precious," the lord said, his tone becoming serious. "We must consider how to protect it from the coming final storm." He tilted his head slightly, as if "looking" in Bai's direction. "Bai, your physical condition and the child you are carrying have become a crucial variable in our strategy."
Shinobu Kocho took over, her voice clear and professional, yet the severity beneath it couldn't be concealed. "Based on our analysis of Muzan's behavior and the message left by Miss Tamayo, we can conclude that once he confirms Shiro's pregnancy—especially since this child might inherit both the potential for sunlight immunity and an aversion to Muzan's blood—he will be driven into unprecedented madness. He will stop at nothing to take you and your child away before they are born. For him, this may be his last, only chance to achieve perfect immortality."
Fuzukawa Miyabi crossed his arms, frowned, and snorted coldly: "In other words, she has become the biggest bait and the most vulnerable target."
This may sound harsh, but it is the naked reality.
Ubuyashiki nodded slightly. "Right now, we face two choices." His voice was steady, but every word weighed heavily. "First, immediately transfer Bai to an absolutely secret and secure location and mobilize all resources to protect her until the birth. We'll lose a powerful force and potentially miss a golden opportunity, but we'll guarantee the safety of both mother and child to the greatest extent possible."
Yiyong's grip on Bai's hand suddenly tightened. This option was exactly what he longed for deep down. He could even immediately abandon his duties as Water Column and take Bai away with him.
"Secondly," the lord continued, his voice adding a touch of determination, "we should use this as an opportunity to proactively plan our strategy. Transform Bai's location into the final battlefield to end Muzan. This may be the best, or perhaps the last, chance to end centuries of fighting. But the risks... are undeniable."
"I choose the second one."
A clear and firm female voice rang out, interrupting the brief silence. Everyone turned to the source of the voice—Shiro.
She stood up straight, one hand tightly held by Yiyong, the other gently covering her lower abdomen. There was no fear on her face, only a glow of maternal love and warrior will.
"Precisely because this child is about to arrive, I must fight for him even more and create a peaceful world for him, free of demons." Her gaze swept across everyone present, finally landing on the face of Giyuu beside her. With an apologetic look, she was extremely determined. "I can't hide and leave the danger and battle to my companions. If my existence can be the key to defeating Muzan, I am willing to take this risk."
"Bai!" Yiyong's voice was filled with suppressed anger and panic, "You don't understand..."
"I understand, my husband." Bai turned to look at him, his eyes gentle but unshakable as a rock. "I understand better than anyone what I could lose. But precisely because of this, I cannot retreat. Do we want our children to live in the same fear and battle as we have in the future?"
She looked at her lord and the pillars: "Please allow me to participate in the final plan. I know my body very well. It is tougher than you think. And..." She paused, as if sensing something, "I can feel that this child... he/she seems to be giving me strength, an unprecedented, calm and powerful strength." This was not a lie. After pregnancy, the Muzan blood in her body, which had occasionally been restless, did become unusually docile and stable.
The meeting ended in a solemn atmosphere; the final decision would require further detailed deduction. On the way back, Yiyong said nothing, simply holding Bai's hand tightly, with a force that almost hurt her.
That night, at Tomioka's house.
For the first time, Yiyong completely lost his composure in front of Bai. He hugged her tightly, burying his face in the crook of her neck, his voice hoarse and fragile as never before: "No... Bai, I don't agree... I can't bear it again... Looking at Santu, looking at my sister... I can't look at you and the child anymore..."
This man who always buried his emotions deep in his heart was now as frightened as a child who had lost everything.
Bai's heart ached beyond words. She hugged him back and patted his back gently, like comforting a frightened child.
"No, Giyu-senpai." Her voice was gentle, yet it held a strange, soothing power. "Look, we've created so many miracles. Our meeting was a miracle, my being able to stay by your side was a miracle, and the birth of this child was also a miracle... Why can't we believe once more that we can create the final, greatest miracle together—the miracle of survival?"
She cupped his face, kissed away the almost non-existent moisture in the corners of his eyes, and said with a smile, "Besides, you are no longer just protecting me. It's our future. So, let's fight together, okay? So that we can see our children grow up, so that we can grow old together."
Under her gentle soothing voice and firm will, Yiyong's fierce opposition gradually subsided like a wave hitting a reef. He looked deeply into her eyes, where he saw unquestionable determination and complete trust in him.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, the fear in his blue eyes had not completely disappeared, but was replaced by something deeper and more resolute - it was a consciousness that was willing to burn everything to protect the one he loved.
He nodded slowly and very solemnly, and held her in his arms again, his strength gentle but extremely firm.
"Okay." He promised in a low voice, as if making an oath, "We'll be together."
The storm is coming, and they have made their choice. This road to the end is destined to be full of thorns, but for each other and for the new life in their belly, they will use love as armor and hope as a sword to face it together.
The decision has been made, and the Demon Slayer Corps, a huge war machine, began to operate with unprecedented efficiency and precision around the core goal of "protecting Shiro and the future."
Beneath the Ubuyashiki residence, in a specially reinforced secret chamber, enshrined in soundproofing and scented with wisteria, the final battle meeting was taking place. Participating in the meeting included not only the lord, the pillars, Haku and Giyuu, but also the core members of the "Hidden" unit responsible for logistics and intelligence analysis, and a special participant: Tamayo, who transmitted information remotely via a crocodile.
"First, we must suppress the information." Ubuyashiki Kōya's voice echoed through the secret room. Though weak, it carried undeniable authority. "News about Shiro's pregnancy must be kept to a minimum. Simply announce to the public that Shiro's old injury from the battle at the Swordsmith Village has recurred and she needs to rest. Tomioka Giyuu will be providing personal protection."
Fuzukawa Miyabi crossed his arms, his brows still furrowed, but this time he offered constructive suggestions: "What about the location? Infinite City is so elusive, we can't possibly deploy defenses throughout Japan."
"So, we need a 'stage,'" Shinobu Kocho took over, her fingertips running across the spread-out map, "a place that can both limit Muzan's mobility to the greatest extent possible, allow us to take advantage of the terrain, and... be convenient for setting up the 'gift.'"
Her gaze shifted to the special crow, which was relaying Tamayo's cold yet rational voice: "Based on my research on Muzan's blood and analysis of Shiro's blood sample, I've completed a preliminary formula for a 'special potion.' It can't directly transform a demon back into a human, but it can greatly disrupt, or even temporarily 'paralyze,' Muzan's cellular regeneration ability and control of blood demon arts in a very short period of time. The prerequisite is that it must be directly injected into his body, or a sufficiently concentrated 'medicinal mist' must be formed around him."
This means that someone needs to be able to get extremely close to Muzan, or lead the battlefield to a relatively closed space.
"As for the location," Rock Pillar Gyoumei of the Island of Sorrow said in a deep voice, tears streaming down his face. "I suggest we go to headquarters. Beneath the headquarters, there are complex secret passages and fortifications built over generations. We can transform it into a massive 'trap.' This is also where our strength is most concentrated."
This proposal was bold, tantamount to placing the final battle at their base camp. But the advantages were also obvious: familiarity with the terrain would facilitate the assembly of all forces, and a large amount of wisteria flower toxin and other anti-ghost weapons could be deployed in advance.
"Okay." Ubuyashiki nodded in agreement. "Then, next topic: Shiro's character."
Everyone's attention was focused on Bai again. She sat quietly beside Yiyong, her hand tightly held by his.
"Bai cannot directly participate in front-line combat." Yiyong immediately reiterated in a firm tone.
"That's natural," Shinobu Kocho agreed. "But, Shiro, your blood demon arts, especially your spatial perception and displacement abilities, will play a crucial role in defense and relocation. What you need to do is not to attack, but to use your abilities at critical moments to disrupt Muzan, or...if necessary, instantly take key personnel away from the most dangerous area."
This was a heavy responsibility, requiring Bai to use her strength precisely while protecting herself and her fetus, becoming the "fuse" and "transmission" of the entire battle.
"I understand." Bai nodded solemnly, "I will control my strength and ensure the safety of the child." She could feel that the little life in her belly seemed to form a delicate balance with her own energy, making her perception of space more acute and stable than before.
"Then, lastly, and most importantly..." Ubuyashiki's voice became even deeper. "How can we ensure that Muzan will fall into this trap as we anticipated?"
The secret room fell into a brief silence. This was an open conspiracy, and Muzan was no fool; he must have sensed the risks involved.
"Because he had no choice." Tomioka Giyu, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly spoke up, his gaze as sharp as a knife as he swept across everyone present. "Nezuko has overcome the sun, and Shiro is pregnant with a child who may possess both traits. For Muzan, who has pursued the perfect life for millennia, this is a temptation beyond all reason. Even if he knew it was a trap, he would definitely come. He would believe that in the face of absolute power, any scheme is futile."
His analysis was cold and precise, revealing the inevitable logic of Muzan's actions that stemmed from his extreme greed.
"So, our mission is..." Rengoku Kyojuro's resounding voice broke the silence, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. "When he's at his most complacent, thinking he can seize everything, we must strike him a fatal blow! Use the strength of all of us to pave a path for the future!"
The strategic framework was thus finalized. In the days that followed, the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters resembled a giant beehive, undergoing intense and orderly transformation and preparations for war beneath a surface of calm.
Shiro's life was confined to the core area of headquarters. She no longer participated in training, but instead, Shinobu Kocho monitored her and the fetus's condition daily, while also training her in mental concentration and control, preparing her for the delicate blood demon arts she might need in the future. Ms. Tamayo, using blood samples secretly transmitted by the Hidden Corps, remotely supervised the final refinement of the potion.
Giyuu was even busier. Not only did he participate in the headquarters' defense deployment and tactical drills, he also had to stay by Shiro's side. His anxiety wasn't completely dispelled, but instead transformed into an extreme focus and calmness. He began to learn how to fight while protecting Shiro, how to more precisely control the range and effects of "Water Breathing: Nagi" to create a completely safe area for her in the chaos of battle.
Young team members like Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke also sensed the solemn atmosphere of the impending war and trained even harder. They knew that this time, what they had to protect was not only world peace, but also a miracle that was within reach, representing love and the future.
The air was filled with the oppressive feeling of impending storm, yet also with an unprecedented determination. Everyone knew this would be the final battle. For their deceased loved ones, for their surviving companions, and for that unborn little life that already carried everyone's hopes, they had to win.
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