The Headquarters Meeting and a New Direction

The next afternoon, Moyu returned to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, travel-worn and dusty. The last rays of the setting sun cast a warm golden glow over the buildings, but a purple-clad figure was already waiting at the entrance.

Shinobu Kocho wore a butterfly-wing-patterned haori and her usual gentle smile. But when she saw Moyu approaching and her gaze swept over the conspicuous tears in his haori and the dark red bloodstains on his lapels, long dried but still striking, the smile faded a little from the depths of her purple eyes, replaced by a trace of barely perceptible concern.

"Welcome back, Moyu." Her voice was as soft as ever as she stepped forward to meet him, her steps light. "It looks like the Mugen Train mission wasn't easy." Her gaze swept carefully over him, as though checking his injuries.

"Yes, I'm back." Moyu stopped, his tone calm. "I'm fine. Just minor injuries, and I've already treated them." He rolled his shoulder. The Sage Body's powerful regenerative ability had already healed his internal injuries, leaving him with only a little fatigue.

Shinobu Kocho studied his face carefully. Only after confirming that he was fine apart from some travel-worn fatigue did her smile become a little more genuine. "I'm glad you're all right. Still, if even the Eye Hashira got hurt, it seems this mission really was 'troublesome.'" She deliberately emphasized the word "troublesome," a probing note in her voice.

"Yes, let's talk inside." Moyu nodded. "The situation I encountered needs to be reported to the Master and the other Hashira immediately."

"I was thinking the same thing." Shinobu took a folded note from her sleeve. "The Kakushi's preliminary report has already arrived. It mentioned a large number of passengers falling into a deep sleep, signs of a battle on the roof, and terrain heavily damaged by fighting not far from the train, but the details were unclear. It seems you've brought back some very important information."

The two walked side by side deeper into the headquarters. Shinobu fell half a step behind, watching Moyu's upright figure from the back, where a hint of fatigue was still difficult to hide. Her gaze lingered for a moment on his torn haori, and her fingertips twitched slightly, but in the end she asked no more questions.

Before long, the Hashira who had received the urgent summons arrived at the meeting hall one after another. Kyojuro Rengoku greeted everyone in a booming voice, full of energy; Gyomei Himejima quietly recited a Buddhist invocation, his expression compassionate; Tengen Uzui made a flamboyant entrance; Mitsuri Kanroji whispered something to Obanai Iguro, her cheeks slightly flushed; Muichiro Tokito's gaze was as vacant as ever, as though his mind were elsewhere; Giyu Tomioka stood silently in a corner; and Sanemi Shinazugawa folded his arms, looking impatient, though his gaze paused briefly when it swept over Moyu.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki sat in the main seat. Though blind, he "looked" precisely in Moyu's direction. "Moyu, thank you for your efforts. Please tell us in detail what happened on the Mugen Train."

In an instant, every Hashira's gaze turned to Moyu.

Moyu stood and gave a concise account of what had happened: the passengers all falling asleep, the ticket collector's strange behavior, the ambush by four Lower Rank demons on the roof, and finally the fierce battle against Upper Rank Three. He neither exaggerated nor concealed the danger, speaking as calmly as though the matter had nothing to do with him. Yet the information in his words made the Hashira present grow increasingly solemn.

"Four Lower Ranks... appearing at the same time?" Tengen Uzui rubbed his chin. "Now that's a flamboyant lineup."

"Lower Rank One, Enmu, could manipulate dreams, and his main body fused with the train... Lower Rank Two, Rokuro, was a strength type... Lower Rank Three, Byōga, used poison... Lower Rank Four, Mukago, was a speed type..." Kyojuro Rengoku repeated the names and abilities, his thick brows tightly knitted. "They all gathered on a single train!"

"And then? What about Upper Rank Three?" Sanemi Shinazugawa pressed impatiently, fighting spirit and killing intent burning in his eyes. "What did he look like? What were his abilities? How did you survive?" He had asked the questions every Hashira most wanted answered. After all, for nearly a hundred years, the Demon Slayer Corps had possessed almost no information on the Upper Ranks, let alone fought one head-on and survived.

Moyu described Akaza's appearance: short pink hair, blue tattoos, golden eyes, and a violent aura that seemed born purely for battle. Then he focused on Akaza's abilities.

"His Blood Demon Art seemed to be some kind of enhanced martial art. He called it 'Destructive Death.' His strength, speed, and reactions were all extraordinary, and he was especially skilled in close combat. And his regeneration..." Moyu paused. "It far surpassed a Lower Rank's. The wounds I inflicted healed almost instantly. He also had an ability called 'Cursed Technique Deployment: Destructive Death: Compass Needle.' Once he deployed it, he seemed able to detect his opponent's fighting spirit and weaknesses with precision, making his attacks vastly more effective. Finally, he used a move called 'Final Form: Azure-Silver Chaotic Afterglow.' The pressure from his punches erupted in an instant like hundreds of streaks of light, covering an enormous area with tremendous power."

Silence filled the meeting hall. Even hearing the description was enough to convey the terrifying pressure of an Upper Rank demon. Instant regeneration, the Compass Needle's anticipation, a wide-area killing move... Against such an enemy, how much chance of victory did the Hashira present believe they had one-on-one?

"How did you... survive against him?" Mitsuri Kanroji asked quietly, fear lingering in her voice.

Moyu pointed to his eyes. "With these. My eyes could anticipate the paths of his attacks to some extent, and combined with my defensive Cursed Technique, I could just barely hold my own. But a defense can't hold forever. His attacks were too powerful and frequent, and my defensive Cursed Technique consumed too much energy to maintain for long. In the end, the time of day helped me." He looked up at the dusk outside the window. "Dawn was approaching, and he feared sunlight, so he chose to retreat. Otherwise, if we'd kept fighting, I would have died without a doubt."

His words were half true and half false. They made the Upper Rank's strength clear while offering a "reasonable" explanation for his survival, concealing some of the secrets of the Six Eyes and Limitless.

Even so, the Hashira could imagine how perilous the battle had been. Holding out until dawn against Upper Rank Three's furious assault was already an astonishing achievement in itself! Their gazes toward Moyu gained a measure of recognition and gravity.

"Upper Rank Three... Akaza..." Kagaya Ubuyashiki repeated the name softly, committing it to memory. "Thank you for bringing back such precious information, Moyu. It has given us an initial understanding of the Upper Ranks' strength. It seems our preparations so far are still far from enough."

"Not only that," Moyu continued, drawing everyone's attention. "Under the pressure of this battle, my eyes... seemed to see some other 'possibilities,' ways to further increase our strength."

"Oh?" Kyojuro Rengoku's eyes lit up. "Young Moyu! Please, tell us!"

"I saw two potentially viable paths," Moyu said slowly. "The first, I call the 'Red Nichirin Blade.' The second is called the 'Transparent World.'"

"Red Nichirin Blade? Transparent World?" The Hashira exchanged looks. The two terms were somewhat unfamiliar to them, yet they had a vague sense that they had heard them somewhere before.

Gyomei Himejima pressed his palms together. "Namu Amida Butsu... There seem to be scattered references in some extremely ancient records, but the specific methods were lost long ago. Eye Hashira, please explain in detail."

"First, the Red Nichirin Blade," Moyu explained. "The principle is to use a special method to heat a Nichirin Blade until it turns crimson. In that state, a Nichirin Blade can greatly suppress a demon's regenerative ability. It should be especially effective against the monstrous recovery of an Upper Rank."

"Make the blade red? Heat it?" Sanemi Shinazugawa frowned. "Would heating it with an ordinary flame work?"

"Probably not." Moyu shook his head. "What's needed is 'heat' imbued with the user's will and the power of their Breathing Style. There are generally several methods you can try: using extreme grip strength to pour the power of your Breathing Style and your burning fighting spirit into the hilt as you grip it tightly; or generating heat through the violent friction of energy when weapons clash fiercely; it may also require some kind of sudden insight or emotional outburst. The methods are relatively straightforward, so everyone can try those first."

The Hashira looked thoughtful, and some unconsciously tightened their grips on the hilts at their waists.

"What about the 'Transparent World'?" Shinobu Kocho asked softly, her purple eyes full of interest.

"The Transparent World..." Moyu's description became a little more abstract. "It's a deeper state of bodily control and perception. First, you need to concentrate intensely, making only the most essential, streamlined movements. Then try to forcibly shut down your other unnecessary senses and focus all your attention on perfectly coordinating your breathing and movements. Repeat and refine this constantly, until you finally reach a state... where you can see inside your opponent's body."

He did his best to put it into words. "Once you enter the Transparent World, everything you see slows down, and you can 'see' inside your opponent's transparent body—the movement of their bones, the contraction of their muscles, and the direction of their blood flow. This lets you anticipate their movements and weaknesses before they act. At the same time, your own presence and fighting spirit are greatly suppressed, making them difficult to detect. It can greatly improve the precision of your attacks and the efficiency of your evasions."

"Shut down the senses... see inside..." Giyu Tomioka repeated quietly, a trace of thought flashing in his eyes.

"That sounds amazing!! But it also sounds really hard!" Mitsuri Kanroji exclaimed.

"Ah, it sounds like a hassle." Muichiro Tokito yawned.

"The process is bound to involve pain and struggle," Moyu added. "Forcibly shutting down your senses is no easy task. It takes repeated attempts, and you may even suffer a backlash. But once you succeed, your strength is certain to make a qualitative leap."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki listened quietly to the end, then spoke gently. "The Red Nichirin Blade, the Transparent World... Thank you, Moyu, for showing us a new direction. Everyone, faced with the threat of the Upper Ranks, we must seize every opportunity to grow stronger. From today onward, you may consciously try to activate the Red Nichirin Blade in your training and explore ways to enter the Transparent World. Remember to stay within your limits and not rush, lest you injure yourselves."

"Yes, Master!" the Hashira answered in unison, the flame of their desire to grow stronger kindling in their eyes. The immense pressure of the Upper Ranks had become motivation.

After the meeting, the Hashira went their separate ways, absorbing the day's shocking news and eager to try the new directions in their training.

Moyu and Shinobu Kocho walked out of the meeting hall together. The sun had set completely, and the first light of the moon appeared.

"The Red Nichirin Blade and the Transparent World..." Shinobu murmured, turning to look at Moyu, the lines of her profile soft in the moonlight. "Your eyes never stop bringing surprises, Moyu. Still, the process of reaching those states sounds difficult."

"There are no shortcuts to getting stronger," Moyu said mildly.

"That's true." Shinobu smiled. "Come on, let's go back to the Butterfly Mansion. You're covered in travel dust; you need a good wash and a change of clothes. Tanjiro went on a mission with Nezuko, and Inosuke and Zenitsu went to different places too. The Butterfly Mansion has been much quieter these past few days."

The two returned to the Butterfly Mansion. Sure enough, without Tanjiro training hard, Zenitsu making a racket, and Inosuke charging about, the mansion seemed much quieter. Only Aoi Kanzaki and the three dot-eyed girls were busy sorting medicinal herbs, while Kanao Tsuyuri sat quietly beneath the veranda, looking at the wisteria in the garden.

"Mr. Moyu, you're back!" Aoi hurried to greet him. When she saw his torn haori, she frowned out of habit. "Are you hurt? Do you need your bandages changed?"

"No, they were minor injuries. They've already healed." Moyu waved a hand.

"Please go wash up first, Mr. Moyu. The hot water is ready," Aoi instructed. "Just leave your dirty clothes with me."

Moyu nodded and returned to his room. He took a thoroughly satisfying hot bath and changed into a clean black Corps uniform, washing away both fatigue and dust and feeling much refreshed. He picked up the Azure Star and gently brushed his fingertips over its cool blade, trying to draw on his Breathing Style and focus his will in his palm as he applied a little pressure. The blade seemed to take on a faint trace of warmth, but it was still a long way from turning red.

"Looks like it's not that easy." Undeterred, Moyu returned the blade to its sheath.

When he came out of his room, he saw Shinobu Kocho sitting at a table in the small sitting room. Two cups of hot tea and several plates of delicate snacks sat on the table. Kanao Tsuyuri sat quietly beside her.

"Finished washing? You look refreshed." Shinobu pushed a cup of tea toward him. "Have something to eat. Thank you for your efforts on this mission."

Moyu sat down opposite her and took a sip of tea. The warm tea went down his throat, bringing a hint of warmth. He picked up a snack; it was lightly sweet without being cloying.

"What are your plans now?" Shinobu asked, her purple eyes on him. "Train in the Red Nichirin Blade and the Transparent World?"

"I'll try training in the Red Nichirin Blade first. The Transparent World is relatively more complicated." Moyu nodded. "Also, I need more practice with some techniques for using energy that my eyes showed me." He meant his control of Red and deepening his mental meditation.

"It seems the Eye Hashira can't sit still for a moment." Shinobu chuckled, her tone faintly teasing, though there was also a trace of barely perceptible admiration. "But make sure you get some rest between training sessions. I can't speak for anything else, but the Butterfly Mansion has plenty of medicinal tea to soothe your nerves and calm your mind."

"After all, I need enough strength to protect the people I care about, and I still haven't fulfilled my promise," Moyu said, looking into Shinobu's purple eyes.

As night deepened, only the chirping of insects could be heard in the quiet Butterfly Mansion. Moyu returned to his room, but instead of going straight to sleep, he sat cross-legged and practiced the Advanced Mental Strength Meditation Method once more. At the same time, he looked inward, continuing to try the obscure and difficult Reverse Cursed Technique.