Master of the Mansion

Oyakata-sama (お館様)

Tanjiro comes face-to-face with the nine most powerful Demon Slayers: Giyū (the Water Pillar), Shinobu (the Insect Pillar), Kyōjuro Rengoku (the Flame Pillar), Tengen Uzui (the Sound Pillar), Mitsuri Kanroji (the Love Pillar), Muichirō Tokitō (the Mist Pillar), Gyōmei Himejima (the Stone Pillar), Obanai Iguro (the Snake Pillar), and Sanemi Shinazugawa (the Wind Pillar). They put Tanjiro on trial due to him having violated Demon Slayer Corps rules by travelling with a demon, even if she is his sister. Tanjiro states she won't eat humans and can fight with the Demon Slayers to protect humans. Sanemi comes outside with Nezuko in her box, calling him deluded and stabs through the box and into Nezuko's shoulder. Tanjiro charges him and Giyū calls out that the Master will soon be here and to stop, which startles Sanemi, giving Tanjiro and opening to headbutt him and knock him to the ground, putting himself between the box and Sanemi, which impresses the Hashiras. The Master of the Demon Slayers arrives before Sanemi can strike him back and all the Hashiras kneel, Sanemi forcing Tanjir's head down. The Master is a blind man with scars across the upper half of his face, but Tanjiro is uncertain if it is an injury or sickness, accompanied by two white-haired girls. The Master states he has sanctioned the situation with Tanjiro and Nezuko and asks the Hashiras to accept it, but most don't. The Master has one of the girls with him summarize a letter from Urokodaki Sakonji, the former Water Pillar, asking the Master to approve of Tanjiro's situation as Nezuko has not lost her human emotions or harmed a human. If Nezuko does assault a human, he vows himself, Tajiro, and Giyū will all commit seppuku (ritual suicide), and their loyalty shocks Tanjiro. Rengoku says seppuku won't make bring back the human Nezuko will kill and rejects it. The Master agrees it's no guarantee she won't attack humans, but they can't prove that she will attack humans. Even when starved, she has not harmed one in two years, so the Master will risk it unless the Hashiras can argue a more convincing argument then she may. He then adds Tanjiro has met Kibutsuji, shocking them as none of the Hashira have seen the reclusive progenitor or demons. They start demanding he tell them details about Kibutsuji until the Master breaks them up. Kibutusuji has sent pursuers after Tanjiro, perhaps only to silence him and Nezuko, but it's the first time he's revealed himself and the Master doesn't want to let him fade away again. Sanemi will relent on Tanjiro but won't let Nezuko live. He cuts open his arm and stabs Nezuko twice more through the box, intending to prove she can't be trusted. After tossing the box inside a house out of the sun, he opens it, telling Nezuko to attack him for the human blood she hungers for. Nezuko stands from the box, badly wounded, and turns to him, salivating through her muzzle.