The Journey Back and the Trip to Tokyo

After leaving the Wisteria house in the northern lands, Moyu set out on the journey back to Mount Sagiri. On the way there, he had focused on traveling and deep contemplation; on the return journey, he placed more emphasis on testing and consolidating the results of his training in actual combat.

The integration of "Energy Manipulation Proficiency (advanced)" continued to deepen, and each day he could feel his control over his breathing Cursed Energy growing ever more refined. The unparalleled insight of the Six Eyes, combined with the precise control knowledge granted by the system, made the azure Cursed Energy flowing through his body seem almost alive. He directed it as easily as his own limbs, and its circulation incurred extremely little loss.

He deliberately chose remote paths where demons were rumored to appear. It was not for bounties or missions, but to use those wandering, relatively weak demons as whetstones to hone his newfound control.

The first to cross his path was a "Mud Swamp Demon" lurking in the cellar of an abandoned waystation. It could merge its body into damp soil and launch surprise attacks. When its muddy claws suddenly shot out from beneath Moyu's feet, they were met with neither a hasty dodge nor a block.

With only a slight thought from Moyu, an extremely thin, almost invisible "Limitless" force field spread across the surface of his body in an instant. The Mud Swamp Demon's claws were still half an inch from the sole of Moyu's boot when they seemed to sink into an invisible, endless quagmire. All their kinetic energy was infinitely subdivided and canceled out until they finally stopped moving.

Astonishment and terror appeared on the demon's ugly face. It had never encountered such a bizarre defense. Before it could pull away, a thin azure line swept across its neck—Moyu had merely concentrated highly compressed Cursed Energy at the tip of his blade and swung it. The Mud Swamp Demon's head fell and turned to ash. Throughout the entire process, Moyu's breathing never faltered, and his Cursed Energy consumption was negligible.

[Unranked demon "Mud Swamp Demon" slain. Gold coins +350.]

[Practical fine-control experience with "Inviolability" increased. Energy consumption further optimized.]

The second encounter was in a bamboo forest, where he met two "Bamboo Joint Demons" that seemed capable of simple cooperation. They could use the elasticity of bamboo for High-Speed Movement and spray corrosive sap from bamboo tubes. Moyu drew Azure Star, but what he used was no longer Water Breathing.

Azure light flowed over the blade. It no longer had the moist, sustained feeling of Water Breathing, but carried an indescribable sense of "density" and "pull." He moved, blending into the play of light and shadow in the bamboo forest.

"Azure Flow Breathing, First Form: Vortex Draw!"

The blade's path did more than cut. It also subtly drew the surrounding air into motion, creating a faint gravitational disturbance. A Bamboo Joint Demon came springing at him from the side at tremendous speed, only for its trajectory to be nudged off course by the invisible pull, exposing a huge opening. Moyu stepped forward, and his blade flashed, severing the demon's head.

The other Bamboo Joint Demon, furious and alarmed, sprayed a great sheet of corrosive sap from above. Moyu neither dodged nor evaded. The "Inviolability" force field precisely covered the direction of the attack, and all the sap stopped about a foot away from him before dripping to the ground, leaving him untouched. At the same time, he loosely curled his left hand, and an extremely stable miniature "Blue," no larger than a fingertip, took shape in an instant. He then flicked it out with exquisite precision.

The miniature "Blue" silently pierced a bamboo stalk and struck the fleeing Bamboo Joint Demon squarely in the back of its heart. The miniature force of spatial collapse erupted inside it. Without any earth-shaking noise, the demon's upper body eerily caved inward and twisted before breaking apart. The attack had consumed nearly half as much energy as it had back in Maple Leaf Town, and his control had become more effortless.

[Unranked demon "Bamboo Joint Demon" slain x2. Gold coins +400 x2.]

[Self-created Breathing Style "Azure Flow Breathing" tested in actual combat. Compatibility with Limitless is good.]

[Proficiency increased in miniaturized and rapid-fire applications of "Blue (prototype)."]

After several small-scale encounters, Moyu had a clear understanding of his progress. The issue of Limitless's endurance had been greatly alleviated. As long as he did not maintain a high-intensity, wide-area defense for an extended period, the consumption of ordinary combat was now manageable. His use of "Blue" had become more flexible and varied. Although its power was limited by its scale and his total Cursed Energy, it was already enough to threaten ordinary demons as an unexpected killing move or a precise medium-range means of picking them off.

More importantly, he had begun consciously incorporating some of the "principles" of Limitless into his swordsmanship, forming an "Azure Flow Breathing" unique to him. This Breathing Style had emerged from the framework of Water Breathing, but its core placed greater emphasis on "control," "pull," and "the use of spatial awareness," making it better suited to the insight of the Six Eyes and the spatial manipulation potential of Limitless. Although it currently had only one or two rudimentary forms, and their power had yet to match certain fully mastered forms of Water Breathing, its uniqueness and potential for growth were already beginning to show.

Eager to return, and traveling faster thanks to his improved strength, Moyu arrived back at Mount Sagiri earlier than expected.

Before the mountain cabin, however, only Sakonji Urokodaki was there, tending the vegetable garden with care. There was no sign of Tanjiro training, nor could he hear Nezuko's familiar muffled humming.

"Master Urokodaki." Moyu stepped forward and bowed.

Sakonji Urokodaki raised his head, turned his Tengu Mask toward Moyu, and nodded. "You're back. Did the mission in the north go smoothly?"

"Yes, it's been taken care of. A weak demon that hid in the fog and attacked livestock." Moyu gave a brief report, then asked, "Where are Tanjiro and Nezuko? Are they doing special training?"

"They're no longer on Mount Sagiri." Urokodaki's voice was calm and even. "Not long after you left, Tanjiro received a new mission to investigate a series of disappearances around Tokyo Prefecture. Nezuko went with him, of course."

Tokyo?!

Moyu's heart gave a violent lurch.

The name of the place was like a crucial switch, instantly triggering the knowledge of the "plot" from another world buried deep in his memory!

Tokyo... Tanjiro and Nezuko... at this point in time... Jumbled images and fragments of information flashed rapidly through his mind. He remembered! In the original story, it was while Tanjiro was carrying out a mission in Tokyo that he had an encounter that changed his fate and unveiled a greater, pivotal event—he came face-to-face with the progenitor of demons, Muzan Kibutsuji! Though he had survived by sheer luck, the encounter had far-reaching consequences. Not only did it bring the Kamado siblings to Muzan's attention, it also drew the notice of the Twelve Kizuki.

Danger! Extreme danger!

Moyu knew full well how strong Tanjiro and Nezuko were at this moment. Tanjiro was exceptionally gifted, and Hinokami Kagura had boundless potential, but he was still far from being able to contend with an Upper Rank demon, let alone face Muzan himself! Nezuko's Blood Demon Art was special, but her mind was immature and her power unstable. If the plot deviated in any way, or Muzan changed his mind... the consequences were unthinkable!

"How long ago did they leave? Where exactly in Tokyo is the mission?" Moyu's voice took on an involuntary note of urgency.

Urokodaki seemed to notice the change in Moyu's mood and glanced at him from beneath his Tengu Mask. "About five days ago. The exact location is unknown; the Kasugai Crow will guide him. The mission is to investigate, not to eliminate the threat at all costs. Given Tanjiro's cautious nature, he should act within his means." He paused, then added, "You seem very worried?"

Moyu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. Unable to explain the source of his information, he could only say, "Tokyo Prefecture is densely populated. Demons hiding there are often more cunning and dangerous. Tanjiro has improved quickly, but he's still inexperienced, and Nezuko's identity is a special case... I have a bad feeling about this."

Urokodaki was silent for a moment. As a former Water Hashira, he had been through countless life-and-death situations and knew well that intuition was sometimes more accurate than intelligence. He said slowly, "If you can't set your mind at ease, then go. I have a general idea of your strength; you'll be fine acting alone. But Tokyo is a place where all sorts mingle. Remember to be cautious, and don't push yourself beyond your limits."

"Yes!" Moyu nodded without hesitation. He did not even go inside to rest, merely replenishing his supply of dry rations and water before checking his equipment.

"Is Azure Star serving you well?" Urokodaki suddenly asked.

Moyu gently stroked the hilt, feeling its cool texture and the faint resonance it seemed to hold with his breathing Cursed Energy. "It feels just right in my hand."

"Good. Go on, then. If the situation is beyond you, protect yourself and seek help in time." Urokodaki waved a hand and turned back to his vegetable garden, though his retreating figure carried a trace of barely perceptible gravity.

Moyu bowed deeply to Urokodaki's back, then turned and raced toward Tokyo Prefecture at full speed! He could not even wait for the Kasugai Crow to guide him at its own pace. Once he had established the general direction, he traveled in a straight line, crossing mountains and ridges at the utmost speed. The results of his training on the journey back showed themselves now: his endurance and speed far surpassed what they had been before, and his azure aura left a faint trail behind him.

I have to make it in time! It was the only thought in Moyu's mind. He could not be sure exactly where in Tokyo Tanjiro would encounter Muzan, nor did he know whether those events had already happened. He could only pray that he would arrive in time, before tragedy struck—or at least be able to lend a hand when Tanjiro found himself in a desperate situation.

He made no stops along the way, detouring around towns and traveling day and night. Only when utterly exhausted did he pause briefly to regulate his breathing and use the Mental Strength Meditation Method to recover. He applied his newly acquired "Energy Manipulation Mastery" to his journey, optimizing the flow of breathing Cursed Energy through the meridians in his legs and reducing unnecessary loss, greatly lowering the cost of his long-distance dash.

Fragments of his memories of the Tokyo arc continually came together and grew clearer in his mind: Asakusa... the movie theater... Miss Tamayo... Yushiro... and Muzan Kibutsuji, disguised as a human aristocrat and accompanied by his "family"!

Muzan's strength is terrifying. His regenerative ability makes him nearly immortal, and his strength and speed far surpass those of ordinary demons. He can also split apart to escape... There's no chance of winning in a direct confrontation. Moyu analyzed the situation calmly. My advantages lie in the insight of the Six Eyes and the unique properties of Limitless. If we encounter him, my first priority is to make sure Tanjiro and Nezuko get away safely. I absolutely must not fight him head-on. Limitless's "Inviolability" might be able to withstand a few of his attacks, but it definitely can't last... The prototype of "Blue" probably won't be able to inflict a fatal wound on him either...

He continually worked through various possibilities, considering how to respond to each. At the same time, he made use of every moment to deepen his understanding of Azure Flow Breathing as he ran, trying to incorporate his movements and adjustments to his breathing into it, making it more seamless as a whole.

After several days of racing onward without sleep or rest, the outline of Tokyo Prefecture finally appeared on the horizon. Seen from afar, the metropolis that had developed rapidly since the Meiji Restoration was already lit up with brilliant lights. In stark contrast to the darkness of the countryside, it was full of the air of modernity and the undercurrents of its clamor.

Moyu paused briefly outside the city, changed into an inconspicuous set of dark clothes, and carefully wrapped his Nichirin Blade in strips of cloth to conceal its edge. His Six Eyes quietly activated, and his azure pupils scanned the vast city, with its complex auras.

The crowds surged, their auras mingling. The scent of demons... was masked here by the auras of countless humans, the smells of industry, and the aromas of food, making it difficult to distinguish clearly. But Moyu could sense that more than one cold, evil presence lurked beneath the city.