"Wow! So strong—!"
Stark marveled at Stelle's skills, even more so at her courage—how she could charge forward without hesitation, seizing that fleeting opportunity. She was... a born warrior.
"Though I'm no warrior and can't offer much guidance, watching her fight should help you recognize your own shortcomings," Frieren said calmly.
In Frieren's view, among the characters that had appeared so far, if ranked by strength, the strongest would be Kafka and Silver Wolf, followed by Dan Heng and Stelle, then March 7th and Arlan.
Kafka's blade skills were exquisite, but even more dangerous was her ability called "Spirit Whisper." After much contemplation, Frieren still couldn't find a reliable way to counter it aside from plugging her ears.
Silver Wolf's close-combat prowess was unclear, but her most troublesome ability was something akin to teleportation magic—or, as she put it, "just tossing out coordinates casually."
Dan Heng and Stelle were exceptionally strong in close combat—especially Dan Heng, whose spear techniques were airtight and dazzling.
As for March 7th... she was more like the team's mascot.
——
[The Trampler that had just been beaten to a pulp by the Trailblazer wasn't dead yet. Instead, it struggled to let out a hoarse roar toward the sky, summoning a swarm of Voidrangers that surrounded the group.]
[Then, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air as a sleek drone flew in from the distance, sweeping across the sky like a storm, reducing every Voidranger in its path to dust.]
[Its speed was so fast that the Voidrangers didn't even realize their bodies had been sliced apart by the drone's blades before they disintegrated.]
"This...!"
At the Demon Slayer Corps' headquarters, Kochou Shinobu couldn't help but gasp at the drone's ghostly speed and lethality.
So... so strong!
Even to the seasoned Hashira, who had undergone rigorous training, the drone's speed was astonishing—almost on par with the Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen's. To an average swordsman, let alone seeing the attack clearly, reacting in time would be impossible.
The key was that this machine, this hunk of metal, didn't require decades of grueling training like the Hashira. With just one of these, slaughtering demons could be done with terrifying efficiency.
Since it flew so high and fast, aside from the Upper Moons—who appeared maybe once in decades—no other demon could likely destroy it.
It was practically a trash mob annihilator!
But...
The light in Shinobu's eyes dimmed slightly.
This was clearly not a creation from their world. A perfect 1:1 replica was out of the question even a rough imitation would be nearly impossible. A heavy hunk of metal flying through the sky... Just trying to comprehend its principles felt absurd to Shinobu.
Yet, she wasn't willing to give up so easily.
Stepping forward, Shinobu addressed Ubuyashiki Kagaya: "Oyakata-sama, I believe the Demon Slayer Corps should dedicate resources to researching such new weapons. If we succeed, they could become a powerful asset in our fight against demons."
Before Ubuyashiki could respond, the Wind Hashira, Shinazugawa Sanemi, cut in impatiently: "Oi oi, Shinobu, are you joking? That thing's clearly not something anyone in our world can make! Even if we could, how many years would it take? Fifty? A hundred?"
"But we've been fighting demons for a thousand years without results. If spending decades or even a century could bring us one step closer to eradicating them... wouldn't that be worth it?"
Shinobu met Shinazugawa's gaze head-on. "Even if none of us live to see that day... isn't it still worth striving for?"
"Hmm." Ubuyashiki nodded, agreeing with Shinobu's words, though he also wanted to hear Shinazugawa's thoughts: "Sanemi, what do you think?"
"I'd say the martial arts of these otherworldly humans are worth studying too. Whether it's that woman Kafka or the boy Dan Heng, their skills are impressive. We might not be able to learn that mind-controlling 'Spirit Whisper,' but their techniques could still be adapted."
Shinazugawa's opinion earned a nod from the Stone Hashira as well.
The Hashira's strength came from their Breathing Techniques, and their moves had been refined over centuries. If they could incorporate the martial arts of these otherworldly fighters, it might breathe new life into their own techniques.
"Well said." Ubuyashiki gave Shinazugawa an approving glance. "Both of your suggestions are excellent. Let's proceed separately—Shinobu, you'll focus on researching new weapons, while the other Hashira will document the techniques of Dan Heng and the others."
"No matter our differences, our goal remains the same."
Taking a deep breath, Ubuyashiki's severely scarred face finally showed a trace of cold killing intent. Struggling to sit up, he gritted his teeth and spoke word by word:
"Slay Kibutsuji Muzan. Eradicate all demons!"
——
[With the drone providing cover, Dan Heng quickly made a decision, ushering everyone toward the elevator.]
[The doors closed just in time, and the group finally let out a collective sigh of relief, their tense bodies finally relaxing.]
[As the elevator reached its destination, the scene shifted to a woman with fiery red hair.]
[The woman's demeanor was elegant and dignified, draped in a luxurious black military-style coat made of high-end fur, worn off one shoulder. Beneath it, she wore a white, high-slit dress adorned with black-and-gold patterns at the waist and cuffs, exuding an indescribable regal grace. Her golden eyes shimmered with warmth, giving her a gentle, intellectual air.]
[And those long, pale legs peeking through the high slit? A straight man's kryptonite.]
"AAAAH—I wanna go on adventures with a big sister like this!! This is why I became an adventurer, damn it!!" Realizing the woman on the Celestial Screen was out of reach, Sein's alcohol-fueled wails echoed from the corner where he clutched his bottle.
Red hair! An older woman! Flawless looks and figure!
Every detail danced perfectly on Sein's preferences.
When the beautiful woman—who appeared to be in her twenties—fully revealed her face, the office of a certain Valkyrie academy fell into stunned silence.
As an instructor there, Himeko's eyes widened in shock: "Huh...? That's me?"
This time, it wasn't just Bronya who was dumbfounded. Both Mei and Kiana's jaws dropped: "A-Auntie Himeko?"
"Himeko..." Meanwhile, in an animation studio, Welt Yang's hand trembled slightly as he held his pen.
Why was Himeko in there? Her outfit, demeanor—everything was different. But that face was undeniably hers. And if that wasn't enough, even the name was the same?
Still... she looked stunning.