Soul Has a Light

Long carefully observed the seven pillars.

Each one has its own unique characteristics.

This is mostly due to breathing techniques and one's own personality.

Breathing techniques also vary from person to person... it's not just a matter of talent or innate ability.

Take Rengoku Tenjuro of the Kariya family, for example. Someone like him can practice Water Breathing, but he's not really suited for it... His comprehension and training speed in Water Breathing will definitely be much slower.

Another thing is the Nichirin Sword they wear.

Some are knives, while others clearly do not fall into the category of knives.

For example, standing behind Long, there is a man in a tight-fitting outfit with his face covered... The weapon he holds is similar in shape to a double halberd with hand hooks. A thin Chain and small components are attached between the two long hooks, as if the two hand hooks can be disassembled and reassembled to form a completely new weapon.

Then there's the woman standing on the palanquin; her Nichirin Sword is like a tree branch, and when she swings it, the speed is so fast that the blade seems to disappear.

In short, each pillar and each breathing method has its own unique characteristics when performed by different people.

However, what truly concerned Oboro was the Pillars' sensitivity to demonic energy... He had originally thought that even if Ubuyashiki Kuno swordsmen to eliminate him, upon seeing his current state, they would mistake him for a human and not attack, but he hadn't expected this...

While Oboro was observing the group, Hashirama's gaze was also entirely focused on him.

The Pillars have already experienced the power and uniqueness of the Breath Control Technique.

Therefore, everyone is curious about bringing it to the Demon Slayer Corps, or even whether it was created by someone else.

"We meet again!"

A clear greeting came from Rengoku Tenjuro, who was raising his hand in greeting.

She smiled and nodded in response.

"It's a real shame that I didn't stop you from becoming a demon in Qinglin Town!" Rengoku Tenjuro said frankly, his expression sincere.

"Although you taught the Demon Slayer Corps the breathing techniques... given your actions towards those villagers and your current identity, I'm sorry... we must eliminate you here!"

Rengoku Tenjuro's voice was very loud.

"If you have any last words or anything you need to tell others, you can tell me and I will pass them on for you."

Tanjuro, with his strikingly colored hair, patted his chest.

"Tsk."

Beside him, Raiju, with his short, spiky hair, clicked his tongue, annoyed that Rengoku Tenjuro was being too talkative and overly enthusiastic. "Hey, what's wrong with you? Why are you so close to a demon?"

"I just think that he must have been a good person before he became a ghost."

Tanjuro stared at Oboro and gave an absurd reason.

"Ha?"

Lei Zhu remained silent.

"There's something wrong with this guy..."

The Iron Pillar behind Oboro suddenly spoke.

"That's right."

Kawai Ichie continued, "Back then in Qinglin Town, he had completely transformed into a demon, and his aura was extremely strong... But now it has become negligible, and there are no obvious demonic features on his body. Before, at least his eyes were red, but now he seems to be closer to a human... But my intuition tells me that no matter what this person has done, he is still not a human in the true sense, and he is extremely dangerous."

After he finished speaking, he changed the way he held the knife hilt.

"Although it's... barely perceptible, it is definitely the aura of a ghost, there's no mistake."

"That's for sure," the rock pillar affirmed.

"Tsukahara the charge; you all will act according to the situation."

Lei Zhu Otomo Issui stepped forward and said in a deep voice.

In terms of fighting style and breathing techniques, the Lightning Pillar and the Rock Pillar are best suited for taking the initiative, one being fast and the other steady.

Tanjuro and Shiwei's injuries have not fully recovered, so their role in this tough battle is limited.

Be careful.

The Shiwei, who had been instantly pressed close by Oboro, spoke softly.

Both he and Tanjuro had experienced the power of men up close.

Snap snap snap...

Just as the seven Pillars were about to make their move, Oboro suddenly planted his cane at his feet and gently clapped his hands, "Fantastic... your eyesight is fantastic!"

"..."

"Although their individual combat strength is weak, the conviction they exude, that will to wipe out the demons even at the cost of their lives... it really excites me. No wonder... no wonder Muzan unable to do anything to you all these years... wave after wave of people, one after another, all with the same idea, moving towards the same goal."

"From the perspective of overall life energy, although your external strength is very poor, your souls are very resilient... Due to the limitations of this world, your growth has reached a bottleneck. If your souls could be placed in another world, without exception, they would all become extraordinary and powerful beings."

"..."

Oboro's composure and his sudden praise stunned all seven Pillars.

What does this condescending, judgmental tone mean? Does it mean they look down on them?

"I originally thought those two were already quite good... but I didn't expect that there are even more determined people among you."

Oboro suddenly understands Hisoka and Biscuit a little better now... Discovering a superior 'soul embryo' is like a collector finding a rare treasure, something to be cherished.

Of course, Oboro is not addicted.

He was simply offering praise.

At first, he thought the world of Demon Slayer was boring and the resources were rather dull, but now he is increasingly able to discover the fun in this low-level world.

Especially... the exposure of one's own ghostly aura, a certain flavor.

It was more like the seven people were proving something to him, or rather, it was the will of this world that was secretly pushing the seven people to come before him and show the shining points of 'inheritance'.

If even these seven people can possess such willpower, Oboro is very much looking forward to seeing how extraordinary the souls of those characters in later generations, who are hailed as the strongest generation of the Demon Slayer Corps, will be.

"However, a strong will alone is not enough; one must also have the matching drive, intelligence, and strength..."

Long lowered his hand, grasped one end of the cane, looked at Lei Zhu, whose eyes revealed killing intent and whose aura was full of intimidation, and said calmly, "Let me verify... What kind of awareness do you have in order to shoulder the legacy of your predecessors, and what price are you prepared to pay?"

"Shut your mouth and stop acting all high and mighty in front of me."

Suddenly, Lei Zhu bent over and pressed his body down.

With each breath, electric light flashed across his body.

The moment the blade left its sheath, it was like a sudden burst of light in the darkness, illuminating the blurry eyes.

As the lightning disappeared, Lei Zhu had already closed in on him, the tip of his knife flipped so that it was aimed straight at Long's neck.

Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash.

I saw it.

This move was popularized and developed by Zenitsu, the blond-haired boy, in later generations.

It was incredibly fast... as fast as lightning.

Furthermore, due to its extremely high speed, the lightning bolt can fully utilize inertia when it strikes, making the blade speed even more terrifying... Combined with breathing techniques, it even gives the illusion that the blade is rubbing against the air and generating heat, while being wrapped in light and electricity.

A hint of excitement flashed in Lei Zhu's eyes.

When the tip of his knife was almost touching the man's neck, the man hadn't made a move yet. At that distance, in that split second, it was too late to react.

There was no time, no space, for Long to catch her breath.

Everyone was focused on Otomo Issui's attack.

This allows us to determine the level of danger posed by the target.

However, what happened next sent a chill running from the soles of the feet straight to the top of the head for the remaining six pillars.

Snap! A soft sound.

To onlookers, Oboro seemed unable to react to the speed of the Thunder Pillar, but just as the blade was about to strike, he suddenly pinched three fingers together, as if grabbing something, and firmly held the Nichirin Sword that was already on his shoulder.

Wisps of heat escaped from beneath the dark haori...

A cold wind blew, making his robes rustle.

Otomo Issui pulled at the hilt of his sword, but didn't budge.

The blade seemed to be welded to the man's fingers.

His pupils contracted, and his expression changed drastically.

"What's wrong?"

"What's so surprising... Based on your prior assessment of me, it was impossible for you to kill me in one move, right?"

"Then... why did your mind become shaky and scattered? Before you drew your sword, shouldn't you have anticipated any possible scenarios?"

"Including... your death."

Oboro's light, airy voice reached Otomo Issui's ears.

Their eyes met at that moment.

Lei Zhu couldn't understand this man's eyes... or rather, he had never seen anyone's eyes so deep and mysterious.

It's like a black veil covering everything, blocking out all emotions... all that remains is an abyss that cannot be looked at directly.

Pfft

Then, a red line appeared on Lei Zhu's neck.

Blood began to flow down his body, spreading to various parts of his body.

"My knife struck you before you could... but you didn't notice at all... you just mistakenly thought that I had only defended myself."

With her other hand, Oboro held a blood-stained leaf and smiled slightly.

Thump.

Upon hearing this, Raiju fell to the ground, his Nichirin Sword falling from his hand and landing at Oboro's feet.

Silence reigned.

Before Otomo Issui made his move, no one expected it to end this way.

Sold out instantly!

What's terrifying is that, just as Oboro said, the other pillars only saw Oboro clamping the blade between her fingers, and saw the 'information' that the man was intentionally conveying, the garbage illusions that were stuffed into their brains... but they didn't notice at all that Oboro was using a leaf to slit the Thunder Pillar's throat.

The key point is that Ye Zi killed someone first... and then she raised her hand to grab the knife.

This power... in just a short moment, based on the combat experience and intelligence processing ability of the Pillars, it was already certain... that even if the six of them joined forces, they would most likely die here.

Should this pointless battle continue?

Normally speaking, people would be afraid... No one is unafraid of death. At least based on Oboro's experience in Hunter x Hunter, all the enemies he faced were like that, except for a very few madmen.

Will it be refunded?

"Or a roundabout tactic?"

I was vaguely thinking about it.

At the very least, his shocking methods would put immense psychological pressure on the pillars, right?

Swish.

The answer to Long's suspicions was soon revealed.

Just before Lei Zhu fell, a beautiful figure flew to the top of his head.

Long looked up and met the gaze of a pair of eyes in the sky that concealed anger yet remained remarkably calm... the pillar of light, Sayuri.

Those eyes showed no hesitation or retreat whatsoever.

It was as if the death of her comrade had intensified her fighting spirit and determination to exterminate the demons!

A flicker of emotion appeared on Long's face.

"This is wonderful..."

He stared at the woman in the sky, momentarily lost in thought.

Intense emotions... a captivating radiance, a mesmerizing bond!

In Hunter x Hunter, there are also partners who are willing to sacrifice for others, just like him and Menchi teammates. However, it is unclear whether it is due to environmental factors, different world atmosphere, or differences in power systems, but the personalities they develop are somewhat different. The characters and people in Hunter x Hunter tend to be rational. Even when seeking revenge or taking action, they must plan ahead and gather information beforehand, even during battles.

On the contrary, this simplest, purest, and most valuable aspect of human nature is rarely manifested.

This is an innate brilliance of humanity.

Without any ulterior motives or intentions, it's simply because a loved one is hurt, and one wants to protect them and express the purest emotions in one's heart... and these emotions are amplified by willpower.

What Long saw was not how powerful the woman's soul was or how fiery her spirit was at that moment, but rather the beautiful light shining from her soul.

It's an emotion inherent in being human! It's about human warmth and compassion.

This is exactly what Oboro realized when he was about to leave Hunter x Hunter... because it was also what he lost because he had been pursuing his own will all along.

"The Light Breathing takes many forms, Dazzling Gemlight."

The woman moved her lips slightly, coordinating with her breathing, and in a falling posture, she aimed her sword straight at the top of Long's head.

Her moves are very interesting.

As the jacket twirled, the crystals on it burst forth with dazzling brilliance, still eye-catching even under the night sky.

My vision was blurred, but in an instant it was filled with a dazzling array of colors, and I couldn't see anything clearly anymore.

The Nichirin Sword in the woman's hand was invisible to the naked eye, as if it had vanished.

Sight has been taken away!

However, Oboro didn't just stand there foolishly; instead, she raised her arm again...

"The Iron Breathing, the form of the five, Inch Weapon, Foot Iron."

The moment he moved, a figure appeared before him with flawless coordination.

As the enemy charged, Long's ears twitched, and she heard a series of sounds. Before Iron Pillar shot towards her, he flipped his hands and disassembled and reassembled the two double halberd hooks into a round plate and threw it out.

He intended to shoot at his elbow, a vital spot.

After being thrown away by him, it returned to the Iron Pillar's palm through the Chain and, in the gap created, touched it.

Longcai took a small step back, and then two more people attacked from the front and back.

One man's blade flashed with fire, while another stirred up the tides.

From the perspective of the soul's perception, four energies, each bursting with strong emotions and possessing different soul colors, approached him in the blink of an eye.

The will revealed by these people was not primarily about killing. Although their murderous intent was obvious, what was even more 'burning' was their anger!

"A partner, you know..."

I vaguely understand, but not quite.

So that's how it is...

Only after considering a series of emotional values such as cooperating with, trusting, and protecting one's partner does one intend to kill them.

Everyone is prepared to sacrifice themselves first!

No wonder... no wonder when Lei Zhu fell just now, his gaze, though astonished, also held a sense of indomitable spirit and composure.

Too decisive, such a surrender to life! With Long's experience, it even contradicts the 'lessons' he absorbed and learned during his Hunter x Hunter.

This is a soul that can only be refined and cultivated through generations of inherited will.

Unlike Hunter x Hunter, if such a battle breaks out, most people's primary goal is to kill the enemy from their own perspective.

This feeling... is quite evident in Gon as well, but it's not pure, and even Gon has ulterior motives mixed in.

Overall, it still fits the tone of Hunter x Hunter.

"We should never underestimate any world..."

Long suddenly let out a sigh.

Then, four completely different sword auras swept in.