Thinking this far, Muzan Kibutsuji placed his fingers on his temples, his mind stirring.
"Kokushibo, find this guy and kill him."
Muzan Kibutsuji, looking at the chaotic mess on the ground, fell into deep thought.
"Should I just get rid of all these annoying rats?"
---
Roa has made a name for himself, killing two Upper Moons in a row, one of whom was Upper Moon Three.
There is a difference between Upper Moons.
Upper Moons Three and above, aside from their internal conflicts, have almost ne been killed by humans.
Hashiras have fallen one after another, but in the past hundred years, not a single Upper Moon has been slain by the Demon Slayer Corps.
And Roa has killed two in one go. The result is as you can imagine.
After bidding farewell to Shinobu and Giyu, who rush off to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters to report, Roa takes Tanjiro and heads down the mountain.
He stretches his sore shoulders, wincing slightly.
Upper Moon Three was tough. His hands are still sore from the fight.
As they walk, Tanjiro asks curiously, "Roa, how can I become as strong as you?"
Roa smiles and pats Tanjiro's iron head, "You're already strong."
Tanjiro looks skeptical, his eyes meeting Roa's golden ones, silently expressing his doubt.
Roa laughs and says, "If you master the Sun Breathing to my level, even you can kill Upper Moons."
Tanjiro's face falls. Currently, Tanjiro has nothing—no Transparent World, no Demon Slayer Mark, no Red Nichirin Sword. At this level, fighting Lower Moons is a stretch, let alone Upper Moons. He'd be dead before he knew it.
But Roa thinks about the so-called pinnacle of martial arts, the Transparent World.
Roa isn't entirely sure about the conditions for opening the Transparent World, but he can feel that as he continues to practice Sun Breathing, his mind becomes clearer, and the world becomes more vivid. However, this process isn't instantaneous; it takes a long time.
Moreover, the experience of opening the Transparent World isn't pleasant. During that time, Roa could see people's hearts and blood vessels, which made him feel a bit uncomfortable.
The conditions for opening the Transparent World are quite strict. Otherwise, Upper Moon Three wouldn't have lived for so many years without reaching what he called the pinnacle of martial arts.
But for Roa, it's as easy as eating and drinking.
However, gaining such abilities often comes with a price, even for Roa.
He now feels a bit troubled. The Transparent World is like an enhanced version of X-ray vision, but this X-ray is a bit too strong, directly seeing through people's flesh and blood.
Roa looks at Tanjiro's body with a slightly complicated expression. Tanjiro's heart is beating fiercely.
Every organ—heart, liver, kidneys—Roa sees them all clearly. As Sun Breathing continues, everything around him slows down. Every breath, every movement Tanjiro makes, becomes slower.
No, it's not that Tanjiro is slowing down.
It's that Roa is speeding up. His neural reactions have become much faster.
It's a strange feeling. Tanjiro's exposed blood vessels, the beating of his heart with every breath—in this moment, Roa can clearly sense Tanjiro's weaknesses.
At the same time, Roa's brain is passively memorizing every blood vessel and tendon in the human body at an incredibly fast rate.
Roa's memory is excellent, to say the least. After a quick glance, he remembers most of it.
By the time Roa reaches Tanjiro's home, he has mastered the Transparent World.
Perhaps because Roa is used to using magic to sense his surroundings, he quickly adapts to the Transparent World. For other, having to relearn movements and sensations, with all five senses open, and having to recognize every blood vessel in their body, might be painful.
But for Roa, it's not too difficult.
After closing the "Transparent World," the scene before my eyes returned to its previous state. However, the sensation lingered, and if I wished, I could subconsciously re-enter that realm.
"Hmm, the Transparent World? Not bad," Roa murmured, slightly surprised. This ability was far from useless; in fact, it was quite remarkable.
Compared to the other two abilities, the Transparent World stood out as an excellent skill, regardless of the world it was applied in. The ability to see through an opponent weaknesses, enhance one's reaction speed, and gain an advanced version of X-ray vision—who wouldn't want such a power?
Upon reaching the mountain, I saw Kie Kamado cooking inside the house, humming a cheerful tune with a joyful smile on her face.
Roa greeted her, while Tanjiro Kamado, yawning behind him, set down his belongings and sat in the living room, savoring the long-awaited peace.
Nezuko Kamado was playing with her two younger brothers. Seeing Roa and Tanjiro return, she smiled and said, "Welcome home."
Roa smiled back at Nezuko, "Nezuko, you look as adorable as ever today."
Nezuko's face immediately flushed red. Tanjiro, scratching his head, found her reaction a bit odd.
Nezuko's appearance was naturally outstanding, exuding a gentle and graceful aura, though she could become quite terrifying when angry.
Tanjiro remarked, "Nezuko, you never used to get this shy when I complimented you."
Roa glanced at Tanjiro, somewhat exasperated, "I'm not like you. You're her older brother; she's probably used to your compliments by now."
Tanjiro simply nodded and continued playing with the children.
Roa pondered for a moment and then suggested to Tanjiro, "How about I take your mother to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters for a few days to keep her safe?"
Tanjiro fell into deep thought. Behind him, Hanako Kamado peeked out, her curious eyes fixed on Roa.
Roa continued, "I don't need to explain the situation further. With two of the Upper Moons dead, the Demon King is bound to retaliate. Honestly, I'm worried about you all. It would be safer if you lay low for a while."
Tanjiro looked at his mother, Kie Kamado, in the house, then back at the others, and finally sighed and nodded.
"Alright, it seems there's no other choice," Tanjiro agreed.
Indeed, as Roa had said, with so many family members, staying on the mountain was too dangerous. Previously unaware, now knowing about demons, Tanjiro couldn't help but worry for his family's safety.
Roa nodded, glanced around, and after a moment of contemplation, said to Tanjiro, "Shinobu Kocho told me she's already reported the situation to the Master. If all goes well, I'll be promoted to the rank of Thunder Hashira, and I'll be assigned a house and a jurisdiction. When that happens, you can come with me."
Tanjiro nodded in agreement.
The message from the crow arrived earlier than expected.
Just as Roa finished his meal and was leisurely sitting on a chair outside, teaching Tanjiro swordsmanship, Nezuko and the others watched the side.
At noon, a crow flew in from the distance, cawing twice at Roa.
Roa recognized this crow—it belonged to Kyojuro Rengoku. Puzzled, Roa offered it some food, wondering why it had come here.
The crow didn't eat the food but cawed twice, delivering its message.
"The Master has called for a Hashira meeting. You are to attend."
Roa was slightly surprised, "So soon?"
The crow ignored him, repeated the message, and then flew away.
Watching the crow disappear into the distance, Roa turned to the group behind him, "Well, want to come along for some fun?"
Tanjiro explained the situation to Kie Kamado, who, upon learning about the demons, expressed genuine concern.
Tanjiro, who was in the middle of training, paused and looked up at Roa, "Brother Roa, you go ahead. I'll stay here with the family. I'm not the same as I used to be. We'll talk when you're done."
Roa thought for a moment, then nodded, "Don't slack off while I'm gone. Nezuko, keep an eye on your brother. If he doesn't meet his training goals, don't let him rest."
Nezuko, covering her mouth to stifle a laugh, nodded at Roa and said loudly, "I'll make sure of it."
Tanjiro's eye twitched, but he ignored Roa's antics.
Roa glanced at the sky and reassured Tanjiro and Nezuko, "Don't worry, it's safe during the day. I'll come back tonight."
After bidding farewell to everyone, Roa prepared to leave.
By the time Roa arrived at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, two hours had passed.
Upon reaching his destination, Roa found the place already crowded, with several individuals casting less-than-friendly glances his way.
The traditional Japanese-style courtyard was as serene as ever, with a small bridge over a flowing stream and wisteria flowers blooming in vibrant purple hues.
The courtyard was spacious, easily accommodating dozens of people. At the head of the courtyard sat a pale young man, who smiled at Roa upon seeing him. He coughed lightly and addressed the group, "Everyone is here."
Suddenly, several figures emerged from the previously empty co.
A composed, unsmiling young man with black hair stood to the side, his Demon Slayer Corps un adorned with a haori featuring different patterns on each side.
This was the Water Hashira, Giyu Tomioka, whom Roa had met the previous day. When their eyes met, Giyu nodded in acknowledgment.
Standing beside Giyu was the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Kocho. The two seemed to have a good relationship, as they had arrived together the day before.
However, apart from these familiar faces, the other two individuals appeared less friendly.
Except for Mitsuri Kanroji, who hadn't yet become the Love Hashira in the original story, all the Hashira were present.
A young man with long black hair, bangs framing his face, and mint-green tips to his hair and eyes, wearing an oversized Demon Slayer Corps uniform, glanced at Roa and gave a slight nod.
This was the Mist Hashira, Muichiro Tokito.
Born into a family of lumberjacks, Muichiro joined the Demon Slayer Corps after his brother was killed by a demon and became a Hashira in just two months. Both he and Giyu were known for their reserved personalities, and after the initial nod, they remained silent.
Muichiro's strength and talent were undoubtedly exceptional.
As Roa finished observing these two, a deep voice sounded beside him.
"Ah, so young. You seem only slightly older than Tokito. To face the Upper Moons at such a young age is truly pitiful. Amitabha."
Roa turned to see a burly man dressed as a monk, his hands clasped together.
The man, with tears streaming down his face, a long scar across his forehead, and seemingly blind eyes, wore a brown kasaya with the words "Namu Amida Butsu" written on it. He held a string of prayer beads, his expression filled with compassion.
Roa raised an eyebrow, immediately recognizing him.
This was the Stone Hashira, Gyomei Himejima.
Among all present, Gyomei's aura was the most formidable his presence honed to perfection.
Roa smiled at Gyomei, "It wasn't much of a fight. I just took them down."
Indeed, it had been a one-sided victory.
Gyomei was momentarily speechless, then muttered, "Amitabha."
"Yo, what a flashy young man! Truly flashy, almost as flashy as me."
Roa turned to see a man squatting on the wall, flashing a bright smile.
This was a muscular, tall man dressed like a ninja, wearing a sleeveless Demon Slayer Corps uniform. His headgear resembled a ninja's, adorned with diamonds and light blue chains hanging from the sides. His hair was tied into a ponytail at the back.
This was the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui.
Uzui was undoubtedly a handsome man, but in terms of flamboyance, Roa believed he outshone Uzui by half.
Roa suddenly looked up at Uzui with curiosity, "I heard you have three wives?"
Roa remembered a line from "Demon Slayer": "I don't envy lovers or immortals; I envy Uzui every day."
Uzui looked surprised, "This is our first meeting. How did you know I have three wives?"
Roa replied expressionlessly, "Just heard it around. They say you have three wives as beautiful as fairies."
Uzui laughed, "Well, you sure know how to talk. No wonder you're half as flashy as me."
Roa chuckled, deciding not to engage further with Uzui.
The man gave off an air of shamelessness, leaving Roa speechless.
Apart from these individuals and the familiar faces, the remaining two Hashira didn't seem too pleased.
One of them, with heterochromatic eyes—left green, right gold—and a white bandage over his mouth, sat on a tree, his black, seaweed-like hair flowing. He wore a black-and-white striped haori and always had a white male snake coiled around his neck.
This was the Snake Hashira, Obanai Iguro, known for his rather unpleasant personality.
Iguro stared at Roa and said bluntly, "So, you're the one who killed Upper Moon Three and Five? You don't look all that impressive. Just a pretty boy."
Roa, annoyed by Iguro's taunt, smiled and retorted, "Want to spar?"
Before Iguro could respond, another voice chimed in, "You're quite cocky. Who knows how you killed the Upper Moons? Did you team up with the Insect and Water Hashira? Otherwise, there's no way you could have done it alone."
Roa raised an eyebrow, turning to the speaker.
This was a young man with white, spiky hair, three long scars on his face, and a fierce expression. His body was covered in scars, and he wore a white haori with the character for "kill" on it. He liked to leave his uniform open, revealing his muscular build.
This was the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa.
In truth, most Demon Slayer Corps members were physically strong, their bodies honed through rigorous training. Roa had once aspired to have a muscular physique and had worked hard to achieve it.
Indeed, his efforts had paid off, transforming him from a delicate-looking boy into a handsome blonde. However, after fusing with dragon blood, his physical abilities had significantly improved, rendering his previous efforts somewhat redundant. Fortunately, he hadn't reverted to his former delicate appearance and now maintained a more refined look.
Though his dream of becoming a muscular powerhouse was dashed, Roa found himself somewhat content with his current state.
From a distance, Shinobu Kocho and Giyu Tomioka, who had been watching the scene, found themselves inadvertently dragged into the conversation. Giyu spoke up first, "Roa killed the demons alone. I didn't help."
Sanemi sneered, "If the Upper Moons were so easy to kill, there wouldn't have been no changes in their ranks for a hundred years. Are you telling me that last night, he single-handedly killed two Upper Moons, one of them being Upper Moon Three? Do you think that's a funny joke?"
Roa raised an eyebrow. Truth be told, Sanemi had a point.