This article contains major spoilers from the Demon Slayer manga.

Demon Slayer is infamous for its brutal and devastating deaths, and with the adaptation of the Infinity Castle arc, the casualties are expected to rise. Regardless of whether they are an upper moon or a Hashira, no one is safe in the final battle between the forces of good and evil in Demon Slayer.

Among the demon slayers fighting in the Infinity Castle, the main trio and the Hashira might be the closest to death, as they encounter upper moon demons with immense strength and enhanced regenerative abilities. On top of that, a deadly curse awaits them as soon as they surpass their limits. Instead of dying from a demon attack, the curse could claim their precious lives.

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By Mirza Aaqib Beg

The Demon Slayer Mark Is Both a Curse and a Power-Up

The Price of the Demon Slayer Mark

The demon slayer mark is a massive power-up with fatal side effects.

Activating the demon slayer mark is an important milestone for a swordsman. No ordinary demon slayer can simply awaken the mark, as only a few talented and highly capable individuals can use this power. Other than Tanjiro Kamado, Mitsuri Kanroji and Muichiro Tokito also successfully activated the demon slayer mark, but more Hashira should gain access to it in the Infinity Castle.

When a demon slayer activates the elusive mark, they temporarily feel a massive boost in strength, speed, and resistance. It enables them to fight on equal ground with powerful demons, almost as if it increases their chance at victory. Its effects have been proven effective not just in Tanjiro Kamado’s previous fights with Gyutaro and Hantengu, but also in Muichiro and Mitsuri’s in the Swordsmith Village.

I always wanted to proceed down a path without making mistakes, but I don't know what lies ahead.—Tanjiro

Unfortunately, a massive power-up such as the demon slayer mark comes with a deadly curse. In other words, it’s a high-risk, high-reward power-up. Those who can fight with an active demon slayer mark have a tragic fate they won’t be able to avoid, unless they abandon their humanity. Death awaits a demon slayer with a mark, regardless of the power they hold.

The Curse That Kills the Stone Hashira

The Stone Hashira Activates the Mark, Knowing Death Awaits

The Stone Hashira can activate the demon slayer mark at will.
The Stone Hashira will die from the fatal effects of the mark at the age of 27.

The Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima, is widely known as the strongest Hashira of his generation despite his blindness. His fellow Hashira could not agree more, as they believe Gyomei stands at the top of the ranks with his brute strength that rivals even the most powerful upper moon in Demon Slayer. It isn’t a surprise that someone of his caliber has access to the demon slayer mark even before the events of Infinity Castle.

Fans know how scary Gyomei is when fighting, especially after they see him running while swinging his weapon, crushing Muzan Kibutsuji’s head by the end of the Hashira Training arc. But when he activates the demon slayer mark at will in the Infinity Castle, he’s going to be scarier; his fighting scenes could haunt countless fans in their dreams.

We are proud to live and die as human beings.—Gyomei

However, as mentioned above, activating the demon slayer mark comes with a deadly curse, and Gyomei Himejima won’t be an exception. Once he uses the mark, the countdown to his death is already set because of his age. Those with the mark can’t go past the age of 25, and with Gyomei using the mark at 27, his fate is sealed. By sunrise, Gyomei knows he won’t last another day, as the deadly curse will claim his life, despite surviving the long night fighting lower and upper demons in Infinity Castle.

Two Demon Slayers Escaped the Mark’s Fatal Curse

The Curse Couldn’t Touch the Tsugikuni Brothers

While almost all demon slayers with a mark die before the age of 25, manga fans know there were two characters who escaped the curse. The first one was Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the legendary demon slayer, said to be the progenitor of all breathing styles and the strongest of them all, and the second one was his older brother, Michikatsu Tsugikuni, now known as Upper Moon One Kokushibo.

While Yoriichi lived for more than 80 years, Michikatsu avoided death by turning into a demon capable of living for hundreds of years. It’s unclear how Yoriichi survived the curse, but fans speculate that his survival was due to his inborn demon slayer mark, unlike most swordsmen. On the other hand, Michikatsu's case is self-explanatory, as demonification increased his lifespan.

Meanwhile, it remains uncertain whether Tanjiro, Sanemi, and Giyu died due to the curse, just like Gyomei. Fans are still divided, with most of them believing they grew old and had a long and happy life in Demon Slayer.

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