Milky white Nen aura burst from his body, forming a 'Nen shroud' that instantly enveloped Kyojuro Rengoku from head to toe... He had not yet learned [Ren], so he could only use [Ten] to attach the aura to the surface of his body.
But even so... as Rengoku stood before everyone, his imposing manner climbed steadily. In the eyes of the 'Hashira', led by Gyomei Himejima, there was clearly a new, indescribable quality about him.
Once the micropores opened, there was a distinction between 'Mundane' and 'Nen'.
"This is 'Divine Power'." Rengoku knew the crowd only saw it as mysterious but could not see 'Nen' clearly. He extended a finger, coated it with [Ten], and lightly poked the wooden pillar beside him.
"Pfft."
His finger sank into the pillar like a knife meeting no resistance, leaving behind a deep finger hole!
The pupils of everyone present constricted. Some looked at each other, speechless...
"Did you use 'Divine Power' for that strike just now as well?" Sanemi Shinazugawa looked over ferociously. As the most irritable and bellicose among the 'Hashira', he often sparred with Rengoku and Tengen Uzui. That strike just now was heavy and powerful, yet fast as lightning; it completely exceeded the scope of what humans could master. It seemed... it really could be called 'God'.
Rengoku nodded.
Tengen Uzui, standing next to the pillar, stroked the finger hole and sighed, "Your physical constitution is already no less than that of an evil demon. No wonder..."
"Amitabha." At this moment, a Buddhist chant drew everyone's attention.
The Stone Hashira, whose tall stature was no inferior to a demon's, chanted softly. His eyes burned as he looked at Rengoku and said, "Kyojuro, may I experience it carefully?"
Gyomei paused with his prayer beads, immediately asked someone to bring a table, rolled up his sleeves to reveal his thick forearms, and set up an 'arm wrestling' stance... Clearly, he wanted to compete with Rengoku!
He was the strongest 'Hashira', also famous for his 'Great Strength'... In the original story, before learning Breathing Styles, Gyomei Himejima could rely entirely on his monstrous strength and fists—which were not much smaller than alms bowls—to beat a demon to death. This showed—
Just how strong his constitution and power were!
"Gyomei..." The monk waited quietly. The other Hashira watched in silence. Sanemi Shinazugawa sheathed his sword with a clang and stepped aside. Soon... the spacious front hall was cleared to give the two enough room.
"Master." Rengoku turned his head to look at Kagaya Ubuyashiki. The latter smiled and patted him on the shoulder, saying nothing.
Rengoku's gaze shifted, sweeping over everyone, pausing significantly on Giyu Tomioka, who stood silently with his sword. Then he lifted his foot, laughed heartily, strode forward, opened his right hand, and with a pa sound, clasped Gyomei's thick, solid hand!
Whoosh. A gust of wind blew past, rolling up wisteria petals, causing them to dance and drift in the air...
The moment he touched Rengoku's right hand, Gyomei immediately felt a warm current attached to the other's palm. According to... Rengoku's explanation, this must be the 'Divine Power' he spoke of.
'Such gentle power... It is hot... and righteous... strangely, it brings no feeling of evil, filth, distortion, or madness to me...'
Gyomei was immediately somewhat surprised. People who studied Buddhism paid attention to [The Mind of Clear Perception], or [Zen of Clarity]. Its core was 'observing the body, breath, and mind' and 'thoroughly seeing emptiness', advocating breaking through the five hindrances (greed, anger, etc.) to achieve a deep meditative state, and possessing the potential to trigger the Six Superknowledges and Three Insights.
It was easiest for him to cultivate a 'Buddha Heart', keenly perceiving the 'righteous' and 'evil' around him, understanding the hearts of others, and subsequently seeing their nature.
At this moment, in Gyomei's view, Rengoku was still that fire burning for others; he hadn't changed a bit. The difference was... he was now burning more fiercely and vigorously. He had grown from a small flame into a 'bonfire'!
And this... seemed to be related to that boy with the hanafuda earrings of mountains and rivers...
"Kyojuro, since you are leaving, I cannot pretend not to see." The contest of strength began!
The small table placed between the two suddenly sank. Visible to the naked eye, veins popped out on Gyomei's thick forearm, winding hideously like small snakes. One could even see the blood flowing beneath them; it was terrifying!
"Lord Stone Hashira... is serious!"
"In the past, he only symbolically played along with Lord Kyojuro and Lord Tengen; he was never serious... It seems... Lord Kyojuro has really made him sad and angry..."
Under the pine tree in the small courtyard, by the door, beside the pillars, in the corners, members of the 'Kakushi' squad peered in—hanging on, poking their heads out, or standing on tiptoe...
After Gyomei exerted his force first, Rengoku, reinforced by 'Nen', silently felt the strength of this big brother who used to suppress him with power to the point of breathlessness. It seemed... he wasn't as strong as he had imagined... Rengoku's right hand remained motionless like a monolith, and his elbow was like an iron nail driven into the table. No matter how hard Gyomei pushed, he couldn't shake it in the slightest.
"I know, I know everything..." Rengoku moved his right hand, gently pressing Gyomei toward the table surface. Amidst Sanemi's silence... Obanai Iguro's slightly constricted pupils... Mitsuri Kanroji raising her fist to cheer... Muichiro Tokito breaking his daze to reveal a gleam in his eyes... and Giyu Tomioka's silent gaze... Within Kagaya Ubuyashiki's pricked-up ears...
He exerted force, and in an instant, pressed Gyomei's large hand down!
Immediately following was a muffled thud...
Overwhelmed, the small table shattered directly. Only Gyomei's large hand, which had been pressed down, remained suspended in mid-air... unable to lift up again for a long time...
Silence pervaded the Ubuyashiki estate today.
The 'Kakushi' members peeking in widened their eyes in disbelief. Several members who frequently followed Gyomei on missions absolutely did not believe... that Lord Stone Hashira, who could crush a demon's head with a casual swing of his flail, would lose. They looked again at... Kyojuro Rengoku, their eyes full of awe!
"I lost... Amitabha..." Gyomei came back to his senses after a while. He wasn't dispirited, nor was he depressed. Instead, he clasped his hands together, chanted a Buddhist mantra, and looked at Rengoku with admiration. "Kyojuro, the you of today is different from yesterday."
The monk praised, "I have never admired anyone; you are the second."
Who was the first... The Hashira understood intuitively. The image of a boy with fiery red hair naturally floated into their minds. That casual strike that pierced through the entire courtyard flashed by, as if it were yesterday.
In a corner of the room, Giyu Tomioka, who had been hiding alone like a cat the whole time, wore a haori woven with red, yellow, and green. Hand on his Nichirin Sword, he silently took everything in. Ripples appeared in his cold gaze, and he couldn't help but sigh softly in his heart: 'Even if that person isn't here, this place... still stirs up wind and clouds because of him, and even...'
'Circulates legends belonging to him...'
Giyu remembered his master, remembered the letter he wrote to the Master, and remembered that sentence... "If anyone can kill Kibutsuji Muzan, it must be my disciple, Kamado Eiichiro."
While his emotions fluctuated, he heard a series of footsteps and looked up...
Kagaya Ubuyashiki, whose eyes were nearly blind from the curse of Kibutsuji Muzan, dragged his sick body over and found Rengoku. He raised his hand slightly... The young man lowered his body slightly, allowing him to pat his shoulder gently. "I believe in your judgment, and I believe in Eiichiro, and also..."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the existence who in the original story did not hesitate to drag his wife and daughters into self-destruction to drag Kibutsuji Muzan into hell, stared with his blind eyes and looked around at everyone. "Everyone present."
"If possible,"
The man paused. His body was too frail, and he began to cough. Fortunately... Rengoku was quick-eyed and deft-handed, supporting him. Only then did he catch his breath slightly. He smiled and nodded at Rengoku, then said to the crowd again, "You may all leave!"
"As long as,"
"You can become stronger, kill demons, and even..."
"Ask me to give up the position of leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, it is no problem!"
"Master!" Gyomei, Sanemi, Tengen... including Giyu, all the Hashira knelt on the ground in unison...
Kagaya Ubuyashiki listened with a smile... The Hashira expressed their feelings, having no intention of leaving. Supported by Rengoku, he could even feel the complex emotions surging from the young man's heart. He gently patted the back of Rengoku's hand. "This is not a discussion, but an order!"
"Giyu."
"Here."
"I say, you hold the pen. Write a letter to inform Eiichiro that I wish to switch my allegiance to him as my Lord. Invite him back for a talk."
Giyu Tomioka: "..."
The Hashira: "..."
They looked at each other, speechless...
After a moment, only Kyojuro Rengoku put his palms together and said devoutly, "Praise the Sun."
A simple muttering drifted away with the wind, carrying a trace of 'devotion' and 'concern', crossing the boundaries of worlds, breaking away from the Demon Slayer world, arriving in the Hunter world, and drifting into Roy's ears.
[Hint: Detected nine "Potential Believers"... To be observed...]
[Believer One, Gyomei Himejima (Note: "Forced Faith", Loyalty to be cultivated)]
[Believer Two, Sanemi Shinazugawa (Note: "Forced Faith", Loyalty to be cultivated)]
[Three, Muichiro Tokito... Four, Tengen Uzui... Five, Obanai Iguro... Six, Shinobu Kocho...]
[Seven, Mitsuri Kanroji...]
[Eight, Giyu Tomioka (Note: "Semi-Forced Faith", Loyalty: Absolute Loyalty)]
[Nine, Kagaya Ubuyashiki (Note: "Active Faith", Loyalty: Absolute Loyalty)]
Zoldyck Family Estate, Kukuroo Mountain, 2:00 PM.
Roy, accompanied by Gotoh, had just left the bedroom when he suddenly heard the panel notification sounds chiming like spring water, ringing incessantly. He checked the panel immediately, and his person... halted in his tracks.
Creak. The bedroom door closed.
Gotoh, carrying two suitcases, was one step behind Roy. He asked, "Did you leave something behind, Young Master?"
Roy's expression was strange. It wasn't that he 'left something behind', but rather that many 'things' had popped up...
Potential believers... Ubuyashiki + the Nine Hashira... Did Rengoku do something?
Roy quietly closed the panel, suppressed his doubts, and planned to check in his dreams tonight. He moved his feet. "Let's go."
Gotoh picked up the luggage and followed. Master and servant strolled through the mottled corridor filled with the aura of time, exiting directly through the main gate of the castle. Passing the garden, Silva, who had just coaxed Kikyo to sleep for her afternoon nap, was returning alone to the study. He glanced at Roy briefly, then turned his back and walked away.
" The Master has been a bit strange these past few days. Why does it feel... like he is intentionally avoiding you, Young Master?" The moment Gotoh saw Silva, he bowed. When he looked up again... the man had hurried into the main door, leaving only a sentence lingering in the garden...
"Your mother is about to give birth. Come back early. I think... she would want you by her side..."
"Yes." Roy watched the man leave, then turned and went down the mountain...
In a dim little room on the first floor... a skinny old man was listening to cartoons, rocking contentedly in his rocking chair, chuckling, "How nice... a family should be reunited..."
At a certain moment, the laughter stopped and turned into a faint, long sigh. He seemed to have returned to his glorious past, remembering something. He tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep for a long time...
2:30 PM.
Republic of Padokea, on an airship flying to the Yorubian Continent.
VIP Suite.
The young butler served Roy black tea. Not long after boarding, he received the information sent by the other party.
"Young Master, the other party sent the mission overview. It says... the person we are to hijack has a security team in addition to the prison guards responsible for the escort."
"Not surprising." Roy spread open his grandfather Zigg's notebook and flipped to the page for [Ko]. He examined it carefully... This advanced application technique, which combined the four major principles of [Ten], [Zetsu], [Ren], and [Hatsu], as well as the application technique [Gyo], was currently the only problem Roy had yet to conquer besides [Ryu].
[Ko]: First use [Gyo] to concentrate all aura on a certain part of the body (such as the right hand), then use [Ten] to coat all the emitted aura on that spot to increase the density of the aura... At this time, a small amount of aura will still leak from other parts of the body, so one needs to use [Zetsu] to eliminate the aura from other parts. Finally, use [Gyo] to strengthen the right hand. In this way... the right hand will receive 100% of the Nen from the body and be drastically strengthened!
In short, it is increasing the [Ken] utilization rate of a local body part to one hundred percent!
"The opponent is Razor. Ordinary prison guards can't deal with him. It's no problem that they hired a separate security team."
"Is this person called Razor very strong?"
"Very strong."
Gotoh opened the computer and looked through the data. His gaze focused on a man with squinted eyes. Noticing that he was also an Emitter, he said deeply, "Young Master... besides him, the other party also asked you to pay attention to another person."
"Who?" Roy looked up. Gotoh pushed the glasses perched on the bridge of his nose and turned the laptop around. A photo immediately appeared on the screen, entering Roy's view and surprising him somewhat.
"So it's him."
The Sheep — Ginta. Poacher Hunter, commando, future Zodiac.
After Netero's death, when the Zodiacs explored the Dark Continent, he was one of the few assigned to the Biology Team. Moreover...
He was also one of the few men whom Hisoka, at his peak, rated over ninety points!
Higher than Saiyu and Kanzai, who were assigned to the 'Defense Team'!
Second only to Botobai!