Chapter 334

The room fell silent for a while.

Finally, it was Ubuyashiki Kagaya's voice that broke the stillness.

"A hundred years…"

Ubuyashiki Kagaya, no longer his usual calm self, his eyes bright with evident excitement.

"The stagnant situation of a century has finally changed, my friends—do you understand? This is the 'omen'! The 'omen' brought by Mr. Luo En—this foretells a tremendous shift in fate."

"The ripples stirred by Mr. Luo En will gradually spread, eventually reaching that one—Kibutsuji Muzan! Our task is to seize this opportunity firmly and never let that man escape again!"

…………

In a small courtyard near Butterfly House.

Luo En lay back on a chair, eyes closed.

His Observation Haki, saturated with the essence of the Root, covered a hundred-kilometer radius centered on him.

Even the movements of demons in darkness were clear to him.

Including the spatial fluctuations at the entrance and exit of Infinity Castle.

He had already located Infinity Castle.

If he wished, he could enter it right now.

Creak.

The courtyard gate was pushed open.

Shinobu Kocho stepped before him, lips parting but words unspoken.

Luo En didn't open his eyes: "Say what you want to say."

Shinobu Kocho hesitated, then softly asked: "Didn't you say you wouldn't get involved in the affairs between the Demon Slayers and the demons… so why now…?"

"I can't just stand by and watch the student I carefully trained be killed. And…"

"And?"

Luo En opened his eyes, smiling at the blue sky between the cherry blossom branches: "I'm planning to leave."

Shinobu Kocho's violet eyes widened slightly.

"... Huh?"

Luo En looked at her and smiled: "So I won't waste more time waiting for Kibutsuji Muzan to come to us."

"I'll take you to him."

41, Gathered

"Go… to Kibutsuji Muzan?"

Shinobu Kocho was utterly stunned by Luo En's words, staring at him in silence.

"Yes. Full-scale war between the Demon Slayers and the Twelve Kizuki."

Luo En stood up, stretching.

He glanced at Shinobu Kocho and smiled: "You want to avenge that Ice Demon too, don't you?"

Shinobu Kocho's violet eyes narrowed.

"You're only one step away from fully entering the Transparent World. Training alone might take time, but in a life-or-death battle, breakthrough comes easily."

Luo En picked up the ancient sword leaning against the wall, strapped it to his waist, and walked past Shinobu Kocho: "Of course, I'm not taking you to Kibutsuji Muzan right away. At least another ten days—after all, you still haven't activated your Crimson Blades. Your current strength won't stand well against the Upper Moons."

"Therefore."

He turned back to Shinobu Kocho and smiled: "Everyone will undergo special training."

…………

After Shinobu Kocho informed Ubuyashiki Kagaya of this.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya immediately summoned the seven remaining Pill members stationed at headquarters, excluding Mitsuri Kanroji and Sanemi Shinazugawa who were on missions.

After discussion, all the Pill members agreed to undergo Luo En's training.

Thus,

On the third day after Luo En and the others returned from the Infinity Train.

Tanjiro, Zenitsu, Inosuke, Kanao, and Muichiro were summoned by the Hidden Goto to the front of the Ubuyashiki residence.

"What's this about? Not another mission, right?"

Zenitsu trembled nervously.

"Mr. Goto, do you know what this is about?"

"No."

Goto answered bluntly.

Zenitsu grew even more terrified: "No way! I just escaped from that terrifying Infinity Train! I've already fought the Twelve Kizuki! My wounds aren't even healed yet! I really don't want to deal with demons again!"

Inosuke snapped: "Shut up! You're not even hurt!"

"It's not physical wounds—it's psychological trauma! What do you know?! By the way…"

Muichiro, scarred across face and body, could no longer endure Zenitsu's babbling and growled: "Shut up! You're annoying!"

"Y-yes! Sorry!!"

Zenitsu jumped in fright.

Tanjiro glanced at Muichiro.

This guy…

Wasn't he the rough one I met during the Entrance Exam at Mount Fujikasane?

His name… was Muichiro, right?

His name sounds similar to the Wind Pill's—do they have a connection? Are they brothers?

Tanjiro was a little curious.

Kanaho kept a faint smile on her face the entire way, saying nothing.

Very soon.

The group arrived at the Ubuyashiki estate, which was tucked away in a remarkably secluded spot.

Quite a few figures were already standing in the courtyard.

Shinobu Kocho, Kyojuro Rengoku, Tengen Uzui, Obanai Iguro, Muichiro Tokito, Sanemi Shinazugawa, Mitsuri Kanroji.

"It's the Hashira!"

Zenitsu's eyes went wide: "So many Hashira standing together!"

"Took you long enough. What a bunch of slowpokes."

Sanemi Shinazugawa, arms folded across his chest, looked at the group and said.

His gaze lingered on Genya for a moment, then shifted away.

Genya Shinazugawa didn't even bother to look at him.

"Yo, Tanjiro."

Kyojuro Rengoku, a bold grin on his face, raised a hand to greet Tanjiro, his voice booming.

"Brother Rengoku,"

Tanjiro smiled and waved back.

Zenitsu and Inosuke pressed in close beside Tanjiro and couldn't help asking: "Tanjiro, that person is...?"

"Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. He's a really good person, he's taken good care of me, and he even told me to call him Big Brother."

Tanjiro said with a smile.

Zenitsu stared at Tanjiro, his face a picture of envy, jealousy, and spite: "You bastard... when did you, without even realizing it, latch onto the Flame Hashira's coattails!"

"Probably back when I was summoned here to report on the situation. You were still asleep then, Zenitsu."

Tanjiro said to him with an innocent look on his face.

Zenitsu still wanted to say something.

Mitsuri Kanroji walked up in front of them and said with a smile to the three: "You two must be Tanjiro's companions, Zenitsu-kun and Inosuke-kun, right? I've heard Tanjiro talk about you two for a long time now. Being able to fight the Twelve Kizuki alongside Tanjiro — that's really amazing."

Looking at the smiling, sweet-faced, adorable Mitsuri Kanroji before them and listening to her words, Zenitsu and Inosuke froze for a beat, then their faces bloomed like fresh flowers.

"Tanjiro, I'm sorry I doubted you just now. You really are my best friend."

Zenitsu was delighted at being praised by a cute, pretty girl, while Inosuke was simply happy at being praised.

"?"

Tanjiro tilted his head, blinked his big round eyes, and had absolutely no idea what had just happened.