The morning sun slipped through pale clouds, casting gentle light across the estate. A quiet breeze stirred the trees, carrying with it the calm of an ordinary day.
"The master is here."
*slide*
The sliding of doors was heard, revealing Ubayashiki Kagaya sitting in the shade of his house. His frail form was draped in white, his scarred face serene as always, carrying that same warmth that softened even the fiercest hearts.
Besides him, sat two his children. One had white coloured hair, while the other had black hair, however, both of them had the same purple pair of eyes.
They were both dressed as girls, but I knew that one of them was a boy. The reason why males are dressed up as females in the Ubayashiki bloodline is so that if Muzan were to ever find them, he would certainly kill all the males to make sure the bloodline continued. Hence, they added an extra layer of protection.
"Hello, my adorable swordsmen."
"""""Greetings, Oyakata-Sama"""""
Out in the courtyard, five Hashira knelt in silent respect.
I silently knelt beside the Hashira, while discreetly glancing at Ubayashiki.
'Let's see if my gamble pays off.' I thought mentally, a bit nervously, 'Because what I am about to reveal in this meeting will decide the fate of the entirety of the Slayer Corps.'
"Greeting Oyakata-Sama," Shinobu spoke with a small smile. "How is your health today?"
"Greetings, Shinobu." Ubayashiki replied, "My health has not deteriorated much since the last meeting; you need not be worried about me."
"Tch," Tengen muttered to himself, "I wanted to ask him about his health. How unflamboyant of me."
"Namu Amida Butsu," Gyomei prayed, "Your presence brings strength to us all, Oyakata-sama. I will pray for your health."
"I appreciate your thoughts, Gyomei," Ubayashiki replied with a sad smile, "But I'm afraid prayers will not help, for it is the gods themselves that have cursed me."
"Greetings, Oyakata-Sama!" Rengoku shouted, "I hope you had a good night's sleep."
"Thank you, Kyojuro," Ubayashiki answered gently. "Though truth be told, I was quite excited about your fight with Upper Moon Six, so I accidentally stayed up quite late."
"That won't do, Oyakata-Sama," Tengen answered. "Please don't worry about the fight, and leave everything to us. We will be sure to complete this mission."
"Your words have always put me at ease, Tengen," Ubayashiki replied. "However, it is not the completion of the mission I am worried about, but whether I will lose one of you. I have already lost a dear child to one of the Upper Moons."
At his words, Shinobu's fists tightened against her knees, though her expression remained serene.
"Please do not worry, Oyakata-Sama," Giyu quietly replied, "We will all come back alive."
"I am thankful for your words, Giyu," Ubayashiki replied, "It would be better if you spoke such words a bit more with me."
'Nahh, bro really roasted him.'
While maintaining a calm facade, I internally cackled at his words.
"Greetings, Oyakata-Sama," I said, "I hope for us to lift your curse as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Aoyama." Ubayashiki replied, " I, too, hope to rid my family of this curse, so my future generation may live a long life in an era of peace."
Ubayashiki then lifted his chin, as if addressing us all.
"I hope Sanemi is recovering well?"
"He will recover without any permanent injuries, except for a few burn scars." Shinobu replied, "But, I'm afraid he won't recover in time for the fight against Upper Six."
"I see." Ubayashiki replied, "Knowing Sanemi's personality, he must be livid right now."
What an understatement.
"Sanemi's unavailability will make things difficult," Tengen spoke, "But I assure you that it will not affect the final outcome whatsoever."
"Indeed!" Rengoku remarked, "Not to mention, I believe we have an equivalent addition in the team as well!"
In an instant, everyone's gaze converged on one spot.
'Kyojuro, are you trying to hype me up?' I thought, feeling everyone's gaze on me, 'or just making everyone more murderous towards me?'
"Speaking of unavailability," I interrupted, trying to shift the attention from me, "I want to bring in a few people for the mission with your permission, Oyakata-Sama?"
"Oh?" Ubayashiki spoke with intrigue, "Very well, let's hear who you wish to recommend?"
"They are trainees," I said. "The first is Tanjiro Kamado, who is currently learning under the previous Water Hashira, Urokodaki Sakonji. The next are Itsuki Kaede and Zenitsu Agatsuma learning under the previous Rumble Hashira, Jigoro Kuwajima. The last is Mitsuri Kanroji, who is the Tsugoku of Kyojuro."
"Aoyama!" Rengoku interrupted with a frown, "I understand Kanroji, but the others aren't even a part of the Slayer Corps. Bringing in Slayers who have never even killed a normal demon will put them in a lot of danger."
"I agree with him," Tengen said, "Even if the ones you mentioned are somewhat strong, they have no experience in slaying demons whatsoever. Disregarding their safety, the manpower needed to protect them could be used in other ways, which would hold us back. That's something we can't afford against an unknown enemy."
"Namu Amida Butsu," Gyomei replied, as a few tears streamed down his cheek, "To force the young ones into battle so soon...It breaks my heart. What a cruel world we live in..."
"Yeah, I understand." I replied, nodding in understanding, "But, I assure you, there will be no need to protect them."
'It's true that they won't stand a chance against an Upper Moon.' I thought, 'But it's not like they will be facing one.'
Currently, out of the four I recommended, only Mitsuri was somewhat capable of killing a Lower Rank. The last time I met them, the other three hadn't even mastered Total Concentration Constant, so even all four of them together might not be able to defeat Daki.
Of course, none of them would actually face Daki or Gyutaro.
"The ones I mentioned have great potential," I responded, "I believe that all four of them could become swordsmen as strong as Hashira. That's why I want to broaden their horizons from the start."
In an instant, everyone's gaze turned full of intrigue.
"As strong as Hashira?" Shinobu replied, "That's some high praise coming from you."
"Hmph! I still don't support it." Tengen remarked, flicking his headband, "But, I suppose if you have that much trust in them, then I'll leave the decision to Oyakata-Sama. If you really think they can become Hashira, then they should at the very least not die against some weakling demon."
"Hm," Rengoku hummed, folding his arms, "Very well! I believe in Mitsuri's strength, so if anything goes wrong, she will at the very least be able to protect them."
"I will trust your judgement on this, Aoyama," Shinobu replied with a small smile. "If you really do believe they can become Hashira, then I would like to see the next generation myself."
"I'm fine with Tanjiro Kamado coming." Giyu said in a somber tone, "I don't mind the others either."
"Senpai, Tanjiro doesn't practice Water Breathing." I said, clearing his misunderstanding, "He uses the same breath as I."
"...Ah, what a shame."
At the same time, Tengen propped his head on his hand, leaning forward in interest.
"The same breath as you, huh?" Tengen remarked, rubbing his chin, "Breath of the Sun, was it? That's a bit interesting. Very well then! I will see for myself how flashy this Tanjiro Kamado is!"
"Thunder Breathing is the breathing technique Sound Breathing was derived from, right?" Shinobu remarked, looking at Tengen," Don't you want to see the main Breathing Technique it was derived from?"
"Insect Breathing is a derivative of Water Breathing, right?" Tengen replied in a sarcastic tone, "By that logic, shouldn't you be fawning over Tomioka's breathing? I don't see you doing a lot of that."
"My, my," Shinobu remarked, as a few veins popped on her forehead, "What a prankster you are, Tengen!"
The atmosphere thickened as the two entered a stare-off as electricity seemed to crackle between them.
"Um..." Rengoku said, turning to both of them, " I, for one, am very interested in seeing Thunder Breathing! It's the only style I haven't seen yet!"
"Aoyama"
Ubayashiki's voice disrupted the chaotic atmosphere. Every Hashira stopped bickering before bowing once again.
Despite my trying my best to conceal my intentions, it looks like Ubayashiki was able to sense something amiss. As such, he turned to me before asking me for my intentions.
"May I ask, why you wish to bring them on this mission?" he questioned with a calm tone. "If you truly believe they can become Hashira, then shouldn't they be nurtured with care to maximize their potential?"
Yet, I did not panic.
'Of course he would ask that.' I thought mentally, 'After all, I wanted him to ask me.'
After all, there's only one real reason I am here attending this meeting.
"You can't nurture a Hashira, Oyakata-Sama." I replied, shaking my head, "In the first place, Demon Slayers risk their life all the time, and only those who survive while doing so can reach the position of Hashira. The only thing you can do is train them in the basics and leave the rest to them, and I believe that they have mastered their basics."
"I see," Ubayashiki said, nodding in understanding. "However, I feel like you are still hiding something. They are not yet a part of the Slayer Corps, so even with your reasons, it feels like you're rushing them. Why send them against an Upper Moon when they haven't even killed a normal demon?"
"Rushing them..." I muttered before shaking my head, "I guess that's about right."
I pondered my thoughts before speaking out.
"I want to kill Muzan as quickly as possible."
As soon as I spoke those words, the atmosphere instantly plummeted. Every pair of eyes turned toward me, sharp with disbelief, as if I had just uttered the most outrageous thing imaginable.
"Kill Muzan...as quickly as possible?" Ubayashiki muttered with shock. "Aoyama, what do you mean?"
'Here it is.' I thought mentally, taking a deep breath, 'Everything that goes on after this will determine the fate of this world.'
"I know where Muzan Kibutsuji is."
For a moment, everyone quietened down.
""""""EHHHH?""""""
Then, for the second time, all hell broke loose.
*whoosh*
In an instant, Tengen rushed over before grabbing both my shoulders. He then tightened his grip over them until his hands started to creak against my durable skin, before he began to shake me violently.
"What the hell are you talking about!" Tengen yelled, shaking me violently, "You knew where Muzan Kibutsuji was this whole time, and you didn't tell me?!?!"
"Aoyama!" Rengoku shouted, trying to wedge himself between us. "Answer me! Is it true? Do you really know Muzan's location?!"
"Everyone, step aside," Shinobu yelled, grabbing my face, before also beginning to shake it violently. "You knew where Muzan Kibtsuji was this whole time?"
"Kibutsuji Muzan?" Giyu remarked with wide eyes.
"Kibutsuji Muzan" Gyomei repeated, tightening his grip over his prayer beads.
"Kibutsuji Muzan," Zoro murmured
Can't...see...
"Martial Union Sun Breathing: Fake Rainbow"
Utilizing Sun Breathing, I exploded into a burst of color, my body split into bands of light. I slipped out of Tengen's grip, reappearing several meters away in a shimmer of rainbows.
"I-ugh" I retched, feeling the world spin around me. "Oh, hold on a moment, Ugh… the world's… spinning…"
*whoosh*
"There there," Shinobu remarked, patting my back. "Don't vomit here, you will dirty the master's home."
"...Water?" Giyu offered
"You idiots, did you just forget what he said just now?" Tengen yelled, pointing his finger at me, "This guy just said he knew where Muzan Kibutsuji was!"
"Yeah, I do," I confirmed, rubbing my head. "Down to the exact city, to the exact house, to his exact appearance, I know exactly where he is."
*clatter*
The sound of clattering of cups could be heard, as Ubayashiki fell down while trying to crawl forward.
"Aoyama, you," Ubayashiki muttered, trying to get up. "Do you really know where Muzan is?"
""Father!""
The two children beside him got up in an instant, trying to support him before he accidentally fell. However, Ubayashiki still pulled forward, as his eyes turned red from madness, as if the only thing that mattered in his heart was Muzan Kibutsuji.
"I, uhm." I replied unsuccessfully, "I didn't think you would be that surprised."
Didn't he react pretty calmly when he told the Hashira that Tanjiro encountered Muzan Kibutsuji? So what the hell is up with him now? Is he faking it?
*zing*
The world turned gray.
'Oh wow, he's not faking it at all.'
His heart was beating like crazy, and his lungs were expanding like crazy. His muscles trembled with every movement, and the flow of blood in his body reached critical levels, to the point of damaging the blood vessels carrying it.
"Oyakata-Sama, calm down," I yelled in urgency. "You're going to have a heart attack!"
'Why is he?' I thought before coming to a realization, 'I see, it's because he received the news beforehand that he was able to calm himself during the Hashira meeting. Furthermore, the only information he had was that Tanjiro had only encountered Muzan, not that he knew exactly where he was!'
What a stupid oversight. And yet, what a blessing in disguise!
'This makes things so much easier.'
"I can bet on Tengen's soul that I know exactly where Muzan Kibutsuji is."
"Bet on your own soul, you bastard!"
"Jokes aside, I really know where he is," I remarked, shaking my head. "Also, I'm serious, you're really going to have a heart attack at this rate."
"Oyakata-Sama," Shinobu said, taking in deep breaths, "Please calm down."
*cough* *cough*
Coughing a few times, Ubayashiki took in a few deep breaths before calming down.
"Shinobu" Ubayashiki remarked, "You don't seem very calm yourself either."
"It can't be helped," Shinobu replied with a smile, "This is really big news after all."
"You say that." Tengen replied as he pointed to Giyu, "But he doesn't look that shocked either, and neither do you."
"I...already knew." Giyu replied, "Aoyama mentioned it once to me before the Final Selection, but I did not take it seriously."
"HUH?" Tengen yelled dramatically before pointing a finger at Giyu, "Even if it was a joke, you're supposed to report something like that to the master! This is why you don't have any friends, bastard!"
"...I have friends."
"That's the part you're focusing on?!?!"
"Regarding me," Shinobu replied, placing a hand to her chest, "I have already heard many shocking things from Aoyama, so I'm not as surprised either."
"A few shocking things?" Rengoku replied, perking up, "What exactly did you two talk about?"
Shinobu merely smiled, not saying anything.
"Tch." Tengen said scoffing, "Is it just me, or is she in a better mood today?"
*clap*
"Alright alright" I interrupted clapping my hands "We're getting off topic here."
Clearing my throat, I turned towards Ubayashiki.
"First off, I believe everyone wants to know how exactly I found Muzan Kibutsuji right?"
"Indeed" Ubayashiki replied nodding his head "Muzan Kibutsuji is notorious for hiding for centuries. For you to not only encounter him, but somehow survive is an exceptionally rare situation."
"Coward." Tengen mumbled, "All that strength, and he still hides."
"To answer your question." I replied, pointing to my eyes, "I possess a special ability that enhances my vision. With it, I can see through solid objects, including the human body."
"Special vision..." Ubayashiki mumbled "Do you mean the Transparent World?"
'How does he?' I thought before narrowing my eyes 'Wait, he knew about the Red Hot Nichrin, and the Demon Slayer Mark. Could it be...?'
I see, it's because he possesses the records of the first generation of the Hashira. That's how he originally knew that anyone who possesses the Demon Slayer Mark dies before the age of 25. So, it shouldn't be surprising that he knew about the other abilities as well.
'I wonder, could he let me read the manuals once?' I internally thought, 'If I could find anything about the Selfless State, especially any instructions left by Yoriichi, it would be a massive help.'
Putting that thought at the back of my head, I continued my speech.
"The transparent world?" Giyu asked.
"An ability that can let you see the muscles of the human body?" Gyomei remarked "I see, it makes sense now, that even with his speed, you were able to anticipate Sanemi's attacks. You were able to see the pulling of muscles, correct?"
"Damn, what a cheat," Tengen whistled. "And with visuals on your own muscles, you could probably correct a bunch of unnecessary movements too. Man, that makes me jealous!"
Zip it up when you're done with it.
"...As I was saying."
"Muzan Kibutsuji is hard to identify, because he can change his looks at will." I replied, shaking my head, "His ability lets him have complete control over his body. If he wishes to, he could even change his gender, body type, or height."
"I see." Ubayashiki nodded, "That makes complete sense. Up untill now, the Demon Slayer Corps has been searching for him with just a rough estimate provided by Itsuki Kaede. However, if he can change his form at will, he must have most likely already changed by now."
"No wonder we haven't been able to find him." Shinobu muttered, "He could have been beside us this whole time, and we wouldn't have known. But, with this information, we might be able to-"
"It won't help," Tengen interrupted, cutting off Shinobu. "Even with this information, the chances that we even encounter one lone man amongst the entire population of Japan are already low, and the chances of us identifying him are even lower."
Tengen then raised his finger, pointing straight at me.
"That's why I want to know how exactly you were able to not only find him, but even single him out." Tengen said, narrowing his eyes "Even with your special vision, what are the chances that you really encountered Muzan Kibutsuji and some random demon."
"Tengen." I replied addressing him "Did you know, that even if you cut off Muzan Kibutsuji's head, he won't die?"
"Huh?" Tengen yelled "That's insane! What kinda bullshit is that?"
"He is correct."
As soon as he spoke, all eyes turned to the praying Gyomei.
"Oyakata-Sama told me this once." Gyomei replied, clutching his prayer beads, "He believes that even if we cut his head off, Muzan will not die. The only way to kill him is through sunlight."
"You two are correct, Oyakata-Sama, Himejima-Sensei," I replied, nodding my head. "The reason why Muzan Kibutsuji won't die is that he possesses 5 brains and 7 hearts. Even if we cut off one of his brains, he will still have four brains left.
It's because of his unique physiology that I was able to single out Muzan Kibutsuji. As for meeting him, it was a complete coincidence on my part. It probably won't happen ever again."
The courtyard fell into silence, processing the information. Muzan Kibutsuji was already strong, but to think he wouldn't die even if his head were cut off? And the fact that he has four brains...
"What if we cut off the remaining four brains as well?" Gyomei asked, "Will that kill Muzan Kibutsuji?"
"Probably not." I replied with a sigh, "To begin with, even most of the Upper Moon have overcome beheading. As such, even if you cut off the remaining four brains, Muzan, whose regeneration far exceeds an Upper Moon's, might still be able to regenerate."
I then raised my hand, tapping my skull.
"Even then, we only know the location of one of his brains." I replied, pointing to my skull, "The rest of his brains could be located anywhere else on his body."
A somber silence spread throughout the courtyard. Even if the Hashira and Ubayashiki maintained a neutral expression, it was easy to tell that they were all getting greatly demoralized.
"So, is there really no way to kill him?" Ubayashiki murmured, "If we take him by surprise with everyone, could it work?"
"Muzan can call all the Moons to his side in an instant." I replied, shaking my head "If you do go after him, it will be the Twelve Kizuki and Muzan against the five Hashira."
Ubayashiki's shoulder sagged with a downcast expression.
"What should we do then?" Ubayashiki murmured, "There has to be a way, right?"
There is a way.
'But I can't interrupt him.'
As much as this pains me, I can't blurt it out.
'The more they despair, the better the result.'
I don't like this, not one bit. To subtly shift everyone's feelings, despite us being on the same side, goes against everything I thought about myself.
'I have to do it though.' I thought, hardening my resolve, 'I have to get them to trust me more.'
It's hard to explain, but there are plans regarding the future I can't speak about yet. The reason I'm doing this is that those plans are utterly absurd, and without their trusting me, they will never come to fruition.
'Working with Tamayo, accepting Nezuko, ' I thought, 'And, even after killing Muzan Kibutsuji, there are things I need to get done.'
Killing Muzan Kibutsuji may be the end for the Demon Slayers, but to me, it is nothing more than a short-term goal.
So, I need them to ask me. When a person on the brink of desperation starts to depend on a person, it becomes hard to stop depending on them. Slowly but surely, you ask more and more about their opinion, to the point where that person gets a special place in your life.
'And, I need to maintain an image. The image of the strongest, that is.'
Everything that has happened until now was anticipated. Joining the Slayer Corps and purposefully seeking out other Hashira in the disguise of learning their breathing styles , dropping the location of an Upper Moon, provoking a Hashira and fighting them and then finally giving information on Muzan Kibutsuji.
But not everything went to plan. I met Kyojuro earlier than I expected to meet him. Somehow, learning the other breathing techniques helped me achieve Sun Breathing, and somehow, Sanemi unlocked his Demon Slayer Mark in his fight against me.
That is, my entire journey by now, and all plans I made until now, were all assisted by abnormal good luck, as if, for some reason, the gods themselves had been guiding my actions this whole time.
If I were actually the strongest, I wouldn't have to resort to any of this trickery. Most probably, my mere presence would have told them. I may be stronger than the Hashira now, but their view of me hasn't changed yet; they consider me to be equal to them still.
So, even though a lot of my journey was filled with luck, it was still all planned from the start to subtly shift their perception of me, all the way from my first impression to their current one.
And, sure enough.
"If you are telling us about all of this, Aoyama." Rengoku muttered, addressing me, "Then, do you have a plan?"
Hook.Line.Sinker.
"I'm glad you asked," I replied.
*snap*
Snapping my finger, one of the Kaksuhi hurried forward, carrying a brown wooden box along with them.
"Thanks, Gotou," I replied, taking the box. "You can go now."
"U-uh, yes!" Gotou replied, bowing as he dashed off.
*clank*
Placing the box done, a bunch of clanking sounds could be heard from within.
"Is that glass?" Tengen murmured, eyeing the box.
"Close enough." I muttered, opening the box, "It's a lantern."
*whoosh*
Taking out the lantern, I held it above my head, as if showing off a trophy.
"Tadaa"
...
No one responded, staring at me in confusion.
Shinobu's fingers paused for the briefest moment on the hem of her sleeve. Gyomei's beads stilled between his hands, the faintest hesitation in his prayer. Tengen's rings gave a tiny clink as he shifted his hand. Rengoku's smile flickered, just slightly tighter than before. Giyu's eyes blinked once, slow, unreadable.
If you don't want to read all that, basically, they were disappointed.
"Tough crowd," I muttered, placing down the lantern. "You guys need to have a hobby other than murder."
"I study medicine." Shinobu replied.
"Yeah, for murder."
"Aoyama." Rengoku remarked, "Is that lantern supposed to be special?"
"Of course it is." I replied, placing the lantern down, "Do you guys think I would just bring a normal lantern in?"
"Well, it certainly looks..." Shinobu muttered, staring at the lantern, "Unique?"
Traditional lanterns during this era were just disposable candles covered in a glass casing.
My lantern, however, was extremely futuristic-looking compared to the lanterns of this era. Instead of a candle, the lantern had a bright white bulb encased by an iron cage. The top of the lantern was covered in solar panels instead of a wooden circular base, and its handles were iron bars covered in rubber instead of normal wooden handles.
I then penetrated the lantern with my finger and turned it on.
*click*
As soon as I clicked the button, the lantern lt out a piercing violet light, instead of a soft yellow glow.
"For starters," I replied, "Does anyone know where the moon gets its light from?"
"If I remember correctly," Shinobu replied, "Then it reflects sunlight, right?"
"What a basic question." Tengen scoffed, "What was the point of that?"
How about you shut the fuck up? Does all your blood go to your dick because you have to fuck three wives instead of your brain, because you never read three books?
"It's a basic question, right?" I replied, "Then, if moonlight is just reflected sunlight, why can demons survive under the moon, and not the sun?"
"That's..." Tengen started to reply, before stopping. "That's because..."
Tengen, along with the rest of the Hashira, fell silent, trying to think of the answer.
"Aoyama." Ubayashiki asked, "Do you know the answer?"
"It's because of something called UV rays," I replied. "They're basically invisible rays beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum. Their main function is stimulating the production of Vitamin D in the human body, and assisting a few mushrooms and aquatic species in their growth.
However, they mostly have harmful effects on the human body. Overexposure to UV rays can cause harmful effects, including sunburn, allergic reactions, skin cancer, premature aging, and other health effects in humans. These effects result from DNA damage, immune suppression, and cellular breakdown."
"Notice how when a Demon is exposed to sunlight, their skin starts burning, and their cell break down into ashes?' I pointed out, "I just cross-references those phenomena with the effects caused by UV rays."
"Uh." Rengoku remarked, scratching his head, "I see! I understand what you are trying to say! Basically, they set their heart ablaze!"
"Sorta? But in like a bad way, I guess."
"So, what you are saying?" Ubayashiki interrupted, "Is that, those lanterns are basically mini-suns?"
"Exactly," I snapped, "These lanterns produce the equivalent of sunlight. That means that if we expose demons to these even for a second, they will be completely obliterated. Not to mention, considering this is basically sunlight, it would remove Blood Demon Arts as well."
The one thing all demons share in common is that they have absolutely no resistance to sunlight. They might be able to resist the Red Hot Nichrin blade for a while, but they absolutely cannot stand the sun. Even Muzan Kibutsuji only layered himself in hundreds of pounds of flesh to somewhat resist sunlight, and even that only lasted a second or two.
That is, a few seconds of exposure to sunlight is a guaranteed win against a demon. So, having a few mini suns will obliterate any demon they come across.
'Well, Japan is going to have a few mini-suns in the future anyway.'
"That's!" Shinobu yelled in shock, "Doesn't that mean that even a normal person could kill demons?"
"Correct again," I nodded. "Oyakata-Sama, I would suggest giving this sample to the blacksmiths and mass-producing it. Once the blacksmiths become proficient in making these, we could even offer them for sale to normal people. Though I wouldn't recommend it, considering all the side effects I just listed out."
"Starting with the weaker Upper Moons, we will slowly climb one by one, until all the Upper Moons are dead." I said, tapping the lantern, "After that, we will finally face Muzan Kibutsuji."
"I see." Rengoku nodded. "That's why you wish for the newbies to gain experience, because we will need all the manpower we can get in our fight against Muzan Kibutsuji."
"Now you're getting it." I replied, "Upper Moons may be more valuable to Muzan, but even if we kill one, Muzan will probably just get a replacement in about 50 or so years. In the end, the one we really have to kill is Muzan."
"This could work," Ubayashiki mumbled, getting agitated. "Maybe, we can truly kill Muzan Kibutsuji in this generation."
Taking in ragged gasps, Ubayashiki let out a crazed smile, grabbing his black hair into a bundle as saliva drooled from his mouth. His ragged gasps produced hot white air, as if utilizing a breathing technique.
"Muzan. Muzan. The shame of my family. Muzan. You will die, you will certainly die!
Hehehhahaha!"
"Psst! Oyakata-Sama," I whispered, "You're going insane."
I won't deny that I experienced some guilty pleasure seeing him behave like this, after the last meeting, when I was powerless against him, it was somewhat satisfying. Who's in who's hands now?
*cough*
As if realizing his stature, Ubayashiki coughed once to stabilize his emotions as he began to discreetly fix his Haori, like that was just going to make the Hashira forget what they just saw.
"Oyakata-Sama, are you alright?" Shinobu asked.
"Please do not mind my earlier display." Ubayashiki said, "I merely got a bit excited."
Then, turning towards me, he spoke.
"Aoyama, thank you so much." Ubayashiki replied, "With your help, the Demon Slayer Corps has taken a major step forward in eliminating all demons."
Saying so, he tightly clenched his fist. His mouth curled into a thin line, as if he didn't know what emotion to express.
"I..." He replied, "I don't know how to thank you enough. We were struggling all this time, and you appeared out of nowhere and solved all of our problems. If the Demon Slayer Corps can help you with anything, we will try our best."
"...Yeah."
'Why are you doing this?'
Replying to me with such gratitude. You're only going to make me feel bad for what I'm going to do in the future, so please, don't thank me, don't make that face, my consciousness can't handle it.
Why? Why can't you react with a little more guilt or a little more suspicion? I come from god knows where, knowing everything about demons, and you just blindly trust me? Please, judge me more, make me feel less guilty!
"You don't need to worry, Oyakata-Sama." I replied, shaking my head, "Because there is one thing the Hashira will have to sacrifice as well."
Yeah. I really wanted to avoid this, but with Sanemi being here, it's only a matter of time before they realize it themselves.
"In my fight against Sanemi, he awakened a strange mark." I replied, pointing to my head, "I'm sure you know what I am talking about, right?"
"A strange mark..." Ubayashiki muttered, "You don't mean?"
"The Demon Slayer Mark." I nodded
"The Demon Slayer Mark?" Gyomei asked.
"I'm sure you all saw the fight me and Sanemi had, right?" I responded, addressing all the Hashira, "Then, you saw the second half of the fight as well, right?"
My words made the Hashira remember the fight yesterday.
"It's kind of hard to forget." Tengen replied, "That speed and power you guys suddenly displayed was ridiculous. It's kind of hard to forget it."
"Indeed," Rengoku yelled, clenching his fist, "That speed, that power, it really flamed up my spirit. I still remember the heat to this day!"
"This day? Bro, that was literally yesterday."
Regardless.
"That's the result of the Demon Slayer Mark." I nodded, explaining, "In short, it makes you strong enough to temporarily acquire strength rivaling an Upper Rank's."
"Wait, that's the strength of an Upper Rank?" Tengen yelled, "That was insane, are you telling me all the Upper Ranks are that strong?"
"No, that's not the case." I replied, shaking my head, "Most of them are stronger than Sanemi and the current me. Even with the Demon Slayer Mark, you'll have to team up to have any hopes of defeating them."
"That strong, huh?" Giyu quietly replied, "I see, that's why you want to take out the Upper Ranks separately."
"Allow me to explain." Ubayashiki interrupted, "In the Sengoku era, when the first generation of Hashira were created, they all awakened a strange mark on their face. The mark granted them immense strength and speed, which is likely the reason why the first generation of swordsmen were so powerful."
"But why haven't we ever heard of something like this?" Tengen asked
"Because it doesn't come without a cost." I nodded. "To be specific, any human who awakens the mark will inevitably die at the age of 25. That is the price you have to pay to become as strong as an Upper Rank."
"Indeed, that is most probably the reason the first generation of Hashira did not record the method to obtain so for the future generation." Ubayashiki confirmed, "Either that, or they died before they were able to record it."
"If Sanemi was able to awaken the Demon Slayer Mark, then can we awaken it as well?" Rengoku asked
"The Demon Slayer Mark spreads from one swordsman to another. Contact with the marked ones will lead to the other swordsmen becoming marked as well." Ubayashiki replied, "In short, when the mark awakens in one person, it will start to 'resonate' with the other swordsmen."
"So, if we just stay with Sanemi, we will awaken our Demon Slayer Marks?' Rengoku asked.
"No, that's not enough." I replied, "Sanemi almost died trying to awaken his Slayer Mark. Staying with him might make it easier to awaken your mark, but it probably won't be that easy to awaken the mark.
Luckily, Upper Moon Six isn't strong enough to use the Demon Slayer Mark on. We can start with our training after we are done with that."
"So, in other words." Rengoku beamed, "We need to set our hearts ablaze!"
"Huh?" Tengen replied, "Ha, hahaha, this guy is amazing. Thank god you're the Flame Hashira and not your father."
"Thank you for the compliment!" Rengoku replied, "But please do not speak ill of my father!"
*whoosh*
In an instant, Rengoku stood up, proudly pointing a finger at his chest.
"Then, I'll be the second person to awaken the Mark," he proudly announced. "After that, I will help everyone else to awaken their Demon Slayer Mark as well!"
Despite him yelling to get everyone's expectations up, Tengen stood away, shifting his eyes from Rengoku.
"...There is no need to help me." Giyu somberly replied, "I am...different from you all."
This guy...
"Tomioka-San" Shinobu muttered, placing her hand on her forehead, "You need to change your way of speaking."
"...?"
"This is why you have no friends," Tengen replied.
"...!"
"Alright, that's enough." I said, stopping them, "Senpai, you have friends. I think. Anyways, that's all I needed to say in this meeting."
"...You think?"
"Then, if that is all we have to discuss." Ubayashiki replied, "We can end the meeting today. In about three days time, the Slayer Corps will officially raid the Entertainment District in order to eliminate Upper Rank Six. Any suggestions?"
"I suggest that during these three days, all the Hashira have a mock battle amongst themselves." I recommended "That way, they will know about the forms of the various Breathing Styles, and accordingly adapt to them to ensure greater teamwork."
"I agree, Oyakata-Sama." Gyomei replied, "To know each other's strengths and weaknesses will be crucial in this battle."
"What a flamboyant proposal." Tengen remarked, "I do want to see how strong the new Flame Hashira is, and I want to see that absurd physique of Aoyama's in action too! I wonder if my bombs will be able to explode through his skin or not!"
"Are you being for real?" I replied, "What the fuck are you saying? Why would I ever fight you if you say stuff like that?"
"Will you be joining them, Aoyama?" Ubayashiki questioned.
"I'm not a Hashira."
"That's fine." Rengoku replied, "Your combat prowess against the Wind Hashira is more than enough proof of your strength. I want to see how much your body can take before it crumbles, like against the Wind Hashira!"
"...I do not have a problem." Giyu quietly uttered.
"Like I said before," Tengen replied, pointing to himself, "I want to explode you with my bombs! I'm going to blow you!"
Yo.Pause.
"I agree as well." Shinobu replied, "I want to see how you fare against my strikes as well. Since your skin is quite tough, I will be able to effectively test a lot of my moves."
"You guys...Do you just want a moving training dummy?"
Shaking my head in fear, I declined them.
"I'm afraid not." I replied, shaking my head, "I have somewhere to go for the time being. I will most likely not contact either of you for atleast two days, and perhaps only meet up on the last day."
With me speeding up Muzan Kibutsuji's death, there are two tasks that I must, in conjunction, speed up as well before his death.
"Are you sure your task is that urgent?" Shinobu asked, "You may not be a Hashira, but you are still a great combat resource."
"Indeed!" Rengoku remarked, "I really want to see if I can cut through your skin! Perhaps I can awaken my Mark this way, too!"
'Why does he act like this?' I thought 'Kyojuro's a smart fella, why does he behave like a simpleton?'
Is he trying to cheer me up because he sensed my stress? Or am I just overthinking it? He was quite well with emotions, wasn't he?
'Nah, maybe I'm overthinking it.'
"And be stuck in the hospital for an entire month, three days before the expedition?"
"Urgh!" Rengoku grunted before smiling, "Never mind!"
Yes, speaking of the hospital!
"Oh, right, Senpai, I created the 12th and 13th forms of Water Breathing. Please come to me in a bit so I can teach them to you."
Wait, what does this have to do with a hospital?
"For real?" Giyu replied.
"Yeah?"
"You created two forms of Water Breathing?"
"Yeah?"
"You haven't even been using Water Breathing for more than 5 months."
"Yeah?"
"Become the Water Hashira."
"No."
~~~
Even though the normal Hashira meeting ended, I still ended up stopping Tengen, Gyomei, and Ubayashiki in order to hold a private meeting to address some issues I noticed before.
"Aoyama." Ubayashiki mentioned, "Is there any reason why you asked me, Tengen, and Gyomei for a private meeting?"
Yeah, obviously. I don't want to play a game of poker with a blind man, and one who's about to become blind anyway. Oh, and Tengen is here too, I guess.
'I really need to have some respect for this man.'
"Indeed," I replied, "For starters, I want to say something to Sensei."
Saying so, I turned towards Gyomei.
"Aoyama?" Gyomei muttered, "What do you wish to say to me?"
Clutching his beads, he looked towards me. Even though he was blind, he could discern my position with the sound of my voice and the interrupted flow of wind on his skin.
"First of all, Himejima-Sensei, you are already 26 years old." I mentioned, "If you awaken the Demon Slayer Mark, you will die in a matter of hours. As such, I hope you do not awaken the Demon Slayer Mark."
"That's impossible."
Gyomei refused my request with no thought. Demon Slayers, or at least the Hashira, couldn't care less about sacrificing their lives if it meant helping them get one step closer to eradicating all demons.
"As Demon Slayers, we have no guarantee of living until tomorrow." Gyomei replied, "For us, living only means killing demons. We are proud to live as humans, and die honourably as humans."
"I figured," I replied with a sigh.
'Suicidal maniacs, why must you make everything harder for me?'
Finding a solution to the side effects of the Demon Slayer Mark on myself is easy enough, but how on earth am I supposed to find a cure for the side effects imposed on the other Hashira?
Well, there is one cure I can think of in this world...
'Atleast, it doesn't have to be the case for every single Hashira.'
"Tengen, you don't need to unlock the Demon Slayer Mark."
Tengen remained quiet as I spoke. Perhaps he wanted to speak out against me, but it looked like he did not want to lie in front of Ubayashiki or Gyomei.
"You don't owe the Demon Slayer Corps anything, right?' I said, "You only joined us because Oyakata-Sama helped you flee from your life as a Shinobi. In actuality, you want to live a peaceful life with your three wives, don't you?"
"...How did you know?"
In the end, Tengen could only reply with a wry smile, as if unable to lie. That simple gesture confirmed my suspicions.
Tengen originally retired after his fight against Upper Moon Six. He harbored hatred for Muzan Kibutsuji, but he loved the idea of a peaceful life with his wives far more than his hatred, and couldn't leave the Slayer Corps before doing something to make up for the hospitality Ubayashiki displayed.
In simple words, he wanted to go out flamboyantly!
"Tengen." Ubayashiki began, "If you truly wish for a peaceful life, then I recommend listening to Aoyama. Once you awaken the Demon Slayer Mark, you will die before the age of 25, and that will leave your loved ones as widows."
"Namu Amida Butsu." Gyomei replied, "I will pray for you to have a healthy and long-lived family, free from all misfortune. As such, we will make sure we eradicate Muzan Kibutsuji to give your children a safe world."
Tengen's face showed an expression of surprise as he heard the two. Perhaps, he always thought that the Hashira would call him a coward for trying to leave the Slayer Corps, which is why he always kept the thought buried in his heart.
"You guys..."
Tengen smiled softly before shaking his head. Pulling down his hands, a wide grin could be seen on his face.
"Very well then!" Tengen replied, pointing a finger at himself, "I will flashily kill Upper Moon Six, and then retire from the Demon Slayer Corps."
*clap clap*
"Yayyy"
Clapping cheerfully, I let out a small cheer for his resolve.
"You brat." Tengen murmured with a smile, "Take good care of the other Hashira and the Slayer Corps for me, you get it? I have a feeling you're going to make a big change in this era."
"Thank you for your confidence." I replied, "But that task is suited for someone more...native. Still, I will try my best for your sake."
"Hahaha, great!" Tengen laughed, "I can rest easy now."
Saying so, he began to laugh crazily.
'Yes, that's true. These Slayers deserve a peaceful life once Muzan Kibutsuji dies.'
And yet, I wish for them to do more. That's why I am doing everything I can right now.
I know myself, so I know that once Muzan Kibutsuji dies, I will hope for everyone to have a peaceful life. That is why I have to make them feel indebted, so they will help me, even if I do not want their help.
That is, I am currently outsmarting my future self, forcing him into unfavorable conditions for a brighter future.
'What a terrible man I am.'
But, even with all that, perhaps in the future, I will thank my current self.
[3rd Person POV]
*clank*
In a part of Japan, in the city of Tokyo, test tubes clattered against each other, laid out on a wooden table. Several tubes flowed from one tube to another, making it appear as a makeshift lab.
"...What?"
Muzan Kibutsuji suddenly froze, as an uncomfortable feeling rose in his chest.
"What does this mean?" Muzan muttered, placing his hand over his chest. "Why am I...Is it because of the raid?"
In another part of Japan, in the estate of the Water Hashira, several katanas were laid across the wall, making it appear as a collection.
"...What?"
Aoyama suddenly froze, as an uncomfortable feeling arose in his chest.
"My instincts are warning me?" he muttered. "Is it because of the raid? Will something wrong happen?"
In an instant, in the hearts of the forces of evil and good, a feeling of unease arose, as if something beyond their expectations was about to occur.
"I'm thinking too much." Muzan muttered, going back to his lab, "To think I would ever be afraid of humans after that man...How infuriating."
"Maybe, I'm thinking too much." Aoyama muttered, "But, I have done everything I can do. I can only hope for the best...But there is no need."
"After all."
"After all."
As though speaking simultaneously, both Muzan and Aoyama spoke at the same time.
"The victor will be me."
"The victor will be me."
After all, what could possibly go wrong?
~~~
Hello, I'm done with the preparations. The next few chapters are going to be an all-out brawl with the Upper Moons (not all of them, still need to save some fo the Infinity Castle arc) , then some other miscellaneous stuff, and then I'll probably suspend the Demon Slayer Arc so he can go to the MHA world.
Yes, part one of the Demon Slayer world travel series is coming to an end soon (not really, probably still going to be like 10+ chapters). As much as I would like to, I simply cannot find a way for Aoyama to reach Muzan's level of strength if he only stays in this world. Part two of the arc is going to be the final arc for Demon Slayer which will include the ifnity castle arc and Muzan Kibutsuji, but that's a long time away.
Call me whatever you want, but I want Muzan to be soloe'd by Aoyama alone. I found his death in Canon to be very unsatisfying, what with him dying to what is essentially a plot device that somehow gained three new functions in the fight against Muzan. I want him to have a proper 1 on 1 with Aoyama at full strength and lose.
Anyways, cya.