You have to trot out a mule or a horse to see what it's worth. No matter how much others hype it up, when it comes down to it, you have to see the real deal.
Roy wasn't opposed to joining the Demon Slayer Corps. In fact, after he finished his apprenticeship, he would need the intelligence support of the Demon Slayer Corps to kill more demons and collect 'life energy'.
If Ubuyashiki wanted to see, then he'd let him see. Of course... before that...
"Senior Brother, I have a request."
Roy looked calmly at Giyu Tomioka. "After joining the Demon Slayer Corps, I hope to receive a list and all known intelligence on all known demons."
Aside from the demons that appeared in the original story—the Hand Demon, Swamp Demon, Temari Demon, Arrow Demon, the spider demon family on that mountain led by the Lower Moon Five, Rui, and the other Upper and Lower Moons—Roy wanted all the demon intelligence the Demon Slayer Corps possessed.
His main principle was to pluck a feather from every goose that flies by; not a single bit of life energy could be wasted.
Giyu Tomioka fell silent. Sabito glanced at him and asked impassively, "What do you want to do?"
Makomo, Shinsuke, Fukuda, and the other disciples all looked over, followed by Urokodaki Sakonji, who seemed to have a faint feeling about this.
The old man looked deeply at Roy....
Roy smoothed his short-hilt sword, smiled candidly, revealing a row of pearly teeth. "Evil must be completely eradicated. Every demon encountered must be killed... I plan to kill them all and give the world back a safe night."
Urokodaki Sakonji thought to himself: 'Just as I thought.'
Sabito, Makomo, and the others looked at each other, nonplussed...
Giyu Tomioka was stunned for a moment. He recalled when he was recognized by his master and became a 'Hashira', he was permitted to engrave the four words "Slay Demons" on his Nichirin Sword. Looking at the young man now, he felt a bit dazed.
Because of his sister, because of Sabito, because he had seen too many tragedies of demons eating people, he too had once had such a thought... But without exception, after becoming a true demon slayer, Giyu Tomioka realized just how absurd that idea was.
How impossible it was to achieve.
"It's very difficult." As the former Water Hashira and someone who had been through it, Urokodaki Sakonji understood the young man's thinking very well. But understanding was one thing; one must also respect the facts.
"Demons can never be completely killed, unless you kill Muzan Kibutsuji."
Urokodaki Sakonji was right. To become a demon, one only needed one condition: to be able to withstand Muzan's demon blood. And the more blood one withstood, the stronger one often became.
In contrast, to train a mature Demon Slayer Corps member capable of fighting an ordinary demon, the time span was often measured in 'years', even three, five, or ten years!
Of course...
"Eiichiro, it's good that you have this determination." Urokodaki Sakonji worried he might have dampened the boy's enthusiasm, so he added a word of affirmation.
Roy took a sip of tea and said nothing. He knew in his heart, the killing just wasn't fast enough!
If he really slaughtered those few Upper Moons that Muzan relied on most, Roy didn't believe he wouldn't get anxious!
"I can't make this decision," Giyu Tomioka said, returning to his senses and looking at Roy honestly. "I will report to the Master when I return. I will do my best to fight for this for you."
"Your word is enough, Senior Brother." Roy stood up, knowing full well that rights ultimately had to be earned through strength. He held his short-hilt sword, twirled it single-handedly in a flourish, and smiled at Giyu Tomioka. "There's no time like the present. After you, Senior Brother."
Giyu Tomioka looked deeply at him, stood up, placed his hand on his Nichirin Sword, pushed open the door, and left the small house, heading first into the depths of Mount Sagiri.
*Whoosh.* A cold wind followed. Shinsuke and Fukuda called out to Roy from a distance, "Eiichiro, hurry up, we'll wait for you at the old spot!" Roy smiled and turned to look at Urokodaki Sakonji. "Master, what about you?"
"I won't go." The old Water Hashira finished his tea and picked up his carving knife. "I'll wait for you here."
He went out and sat on a tree stump, starting to carve a mask... He was old, his eyes were getting blurry, and he truly worried that one day he wouldn't be able to keep up and send his disciples off... 'At the very least, I must finish before sending Eiichiro off for the Mount Fujikasane exam.'
Urokodaki Sakonji thought silently to himself.
"Let's go." Sabito patted Roy on the back. "We'll let Makomo stay here and keep Master company."
"No, I want to watch too." Makomo flew out in a flash, saying without looking back, "I'll come back after I'm done watching."
Sabito: "..."
He shook his head helplessly. This time, it was Roy's turn to pat him on the back. "It's fine, it will be quick."
Sabito: "?"
He looked at the young man earnestly.
Roy tightened his grip on his short-hilt sword, said no more, and strode away, neither fast nor slow, not looking like he was joking.
"One after another... you all really leave me speechless..." The fox-masked boy flew up to follow...
Ten minutes later, on opposite banks of the waterfall, Roy and Giyu Tomioka stood, each on a large green boulder, facing each other from a distance.
*Whoosh.* Shinsuke, Fukuda, and the others each found a large tree to stand on... Sabito arrived right after, drifting with the wind, and landed on the tip of a birch tree next to Makomo.
Just then, they heard...
Giyu Tomioka spoke: "I heard you haven't learned a 'Breathing Style' yet. To be fair, I won't use it either."
A 'test' was not a 'life-and-death battle'. Giyu Tomioka didn't want to bully Roy by relying on 'techniques'. However...
"That was the day before yesterday." Roy slowly drew his Asauchi, stroked the blade with his fingers, and looked at Giyu Tomioka with narrowed eyes. "Master already taught me yesterday. Please give it your all, Senior Brother, no need to hold back."
Giyu looked at the young man in surprise, then glanced at Sabito... Sabito nodded, still feeling incredulous. "It's true."
"Master taught him yesterday."
'So, it's not that Master's letter was written too perfunctorily, but... this little junior brother of mine is changing day by day, progressing so fast that Master can't even keep up with his letters?'
Giyu Tomioka suddenly remembered the detailed progress chart Urokodaki Sakonji had attached regarding Roy's sword practice some time ago... His expression turned solemn, and he slowly drew his Nichirin Sword.
*Clang.* The blade scraping against the scabbard produced a series of clear 'metallic' sounds.
The four words "Slay Demons" flashed with a grim, cold light...
He was concise, saying just one word: "Good."
His gaze met Roy's. The young man started with a "Flying Slash"... instantly crossing the river valley, slashing towards his chest!
The river valley was nearly thirty meters across!
Giyu Tomioka's pupils shrank. He thought, 'Wasn't it only ten meters?'
Only then did he confirm that his guess was correct. Since Master wrote the letter at the New Year, his little junior brother had improved again!
A slash that could leap thirty meters was truly astonishing!
"Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash."
*Splash.*
The sound of water emerged... Giyu Tomioka's waist led his hand, his hand led his sword, and the sword guided the water's momentum in a horizontal slash... Seeking the center point of the sword aura, he parried the slash with one stroke, then thrust upwards with force!
The slash's direction changed, and it was instantly deflected into the air...
Taking advantage of this gap, his ears suddenly twitched. He abruptly heard a series of water-stepping sounds. He turned his head to look...
Roy was crossing the river using his perfected "Dark Step," and with the exact same "Water Surface Slash," he aimed for his heart. His swordsmanship was skilled, not at all clumsy, and judging by his eyes... it really didn't look like he had just learned it yesterday.