Click.
Separated by a single window.
Roy paid him no mind and directly turned off the bedside lamp.
The room immediately fell into darkness...
The boy instructed Xiao Jin to wake him if anything happened. As he prepared to sleep, he planned to conduct an experiment.
The "curse" had reminded him... Ever since awakening his Nen ability, the "Door of Cognition," Roy had overlooked a problem: time!
It seemed to be a one-day rotation in Hunter and one day in Demon Slayer. Was it possible that one day in Hunter could be two days... three days... or even four days in Demon Slayer, an expanding rotation?
If so, it meant Roy could race against time, accelerating his progress in conquering the Demon Slayer world without affecting reality, thereby speeding up the enhancement of his own strength!
With this thought in mind, Roy crossed his hands over his abdomen and closed his eyes.
Demon Slayer World.
After sending Giyu Tomioka off during the night.
Urokodaki Sakonji lay on the heated bed, while in a corner, Roy was sound asleep.
Inside the small wooden hut, the sinister wind gradually subsided. Perhaps sensing something, Urokodaki Sakonji felt a bit of companionship missing from his heart, replaced by a touch of loneliness. The missing pieces were... Sabito and Makomo.
Tonight, the dense fog blanketing Mount Sagiri suddenly tore open, leaving a gap for the bright moon to pour down its silvery light.
Sabito and Makomo, unusually, weren't hiding inside. Instead, they were on the roof. One rested his hand on his samurai sword, sitting up straight to admire the moonlight; the other was curled up, hugging her knees, gazing up at the stars... Silently, neither spoke.
Whoosh. The mountain breeze blew, no longer as cold as it was in the dead of winter...
Makomo's amber eyes reflected the bright moon. Hearing Roy's faint snores from inside the house, she murmured, "Do you think... if we asked Eiichiro not to kill that guy, would he agree?"
'What if he does, and what if he doesn't?'
Sabito opened his right hand, seeming to pinch a ray of moonlight. How could he not know what the girl was thinking?
Giyu was gone, and Eiichiro would be soon too. The "Demon Slayer Corps Selection" was just around the corner. Even if Eiichiro truly stayed his hand and didn't kill that guy, there would be an Eiichiro-two... an Eiichiro-three... an Eiichiro-four to take care of it.
In short, the Demon Slayer Corps tolerated no evil. If not for the purpose of keeping the demons confined to train future swordsmen, that guy, along with all the other demons on Mount Fujikasane, would have been slaughtered long ago!
"The world belongs to the living. Be prepared to disappear."
The fox-masked boy's words were somewhat cruel, but he understood the principle that a short, sharp pain was better than prolonged agony. For a naive girl like Makomo, hurting her once was far better than tormenting her over the long term.
Makomo buried her head in her knees. "Don't worry, I won't say something so stupid."
"Everyone died because of that guy. I won't be selfish and ask Eiichiro to spare him..."
"You're wrong."
Sob...
The sinister wind swirled and flew up to the roof... Makomo heard the commotion and looked up. There was Shinsuke, there was Fukuda... Everyone had come up to the roof in unison.
They stood silently beside her. "It's just that... none of us want to leave."
"Eiichiro gave us all hope. If, in the end, we could choose who gets to finish this for us..."
Sabito's hand relaxed, letting that ray of moonlight dissolve into the night. He said calmly, "I choose Eiichiro."
"I choose him too!" Shinsuke was carefree and nonchalant. "Anyway, if we're all going, we'll go together. It won't be lonely on the road."
"Who wants to go with you?" Fukuda spat at Shinsuke in disgust. "You'd better stay far away from me."
"I refuse! I'm sticking right with you!"
"Heh heh, is that so... I say, let's not wait for Eiichiro. I'll kill you right now!"
"Come and try if you've got the guts!"
Whoosh! The two grappled, stirring up gusts of sinister wind... After their rowdy interruption...
Makomo's expression eased a little. She looked up at the moon, praying silently in her heart, hoping it would set just a little later. Even one minute later would be good. At least then, she could stay in this world a moment longer, to be with her Master, with Eiichiro, with this wonderful world... to cherish it for just a little while more...
Inside the house.
Urokodaki Sakonji turned over, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling beams, unable to fall asleep for a long time.
He forced himself to stay awake all night. Seeing the first hint of dawn cresting the horizon, he got dressed. By the faint light, he went to the river, caught a few fish, and headed back home. As he walked, he spoke as if to no one, "Child, there's no need to be reluctant."
"Master doesn't have many years left either. I'll come looking for you when the time comes."
Makomo, having seen him come out earlier, had floated down from the roof. She followed closely behind him, stepping exactly in Urokodaki Sakonji's footprints, small feet covering large, slowly approaching the familiar little wooden hut.
At a certain point, she stopped. Tears had begun to stream down her face without her realizing... She forced a smile and said, "Okay, Master."
She took a deep breath and followed him. Just then, the red sun leaped up from the horizon, filling the sky with morning light. A ray shone through a corner of the paper window, illuminating Roy's peaceful face.
The boy had used "Deep Sleep" to leave the Hunter world and arrive in the Demon Slayer world... He groggily opened his eyes and immediately looked at the back of his hand... It was clear, with no "mark" visible. He couldn't help but sigh in relief.
It seemed the [Curse] only affected his "lifespan" and couldn't interfere with the activation of his "Nen ability." This was undoubtedly good news.
"You're awake. We're having sashimi this morning." Urokodaki Sakonji was busy in the kitchen, just like any other day.
"Okay." Roy glanced around but didn't see Giyu Tomioka... Sabito was leaning against a pillar with his arms crossed. He saw the confusion and said, "Your Brother Giyu left last night. After you leave today, I'm sure you'll see each other again soon."
"Brother Sabito, did you know I was leaving today?"
Roy shot him a surprised look. He noticed that, unusually, everyone was present today. Even Brother Shinsuke and Brother Fukuda, who usually loved to bicker, were staying quietly on their own beams, gone was the usual clamor.
Sabito smiled. "Master said there's nothing left he can teach you. After you go down the mountain, you'll be all on your own."
"What about the final test?"
"Even Brother Giyu lost to you. What final test do you need?" Makomo seemed to have recovered her spirits. She shot Roy a look. "Eiichiro, are you planning to split Mount Sagiri in half?"
"Haha, maybe he will!" Shinsuke floated down and draped an arm over Roy's shoulder. "If this guy keeps training, splitting Mount Sagiri with one blow isn't impossible."
"Heh heh heh..." The teasing laughter started up...
Roy laughed along with them. "If that day really comes, I'll have to ask all my brothers and sister to bear witness."
"Us? I'm afraid we won't be around to see that day..."
The boy's one sentence was like hitting a mute button. The laughter died instantly. Even Urokodaki Sakonji, who was slicing river fish in the kitchen, went silent...
The old man's knife paused, and he let out a long, quiet sigh...
Suddenly, the boy's voice cut in. "Why wouldn't you?"
"If I said I have a way to guarantee all my brothers and sister will definitely see it, I wonder..."
"Would my brothers and sister be willing to try?"
Shh