Little Tree Begins Its Second Growth

Ume is the name Gyutaro uses for his younger sister.

In fact, Daki's name only contains the character 'Mei'.

The name comes from the illness suffered by the two women's mothers.

Just like she treated Gyutaro, the mother also hated this daughter... Fortunately, every time she tried to harm her, Ume was well protected by Gyutaro.

Oboro also saw the baby girl in swaddling clothes.

Even if it's just a baby, you can clearly tell from her outline, especially her eyes, that she has a perfect and beautiful appearance.

Oboro only happened to see Gyutaro sister when he was passing by the Rashomon Riverbank.

The boy now held an object in his hand.

A sickle.

These are toys left behind by a guest.

After Daki was born, Gyutaro not only took on the responsibilities of an older brother, but also the responsibilities of a parent, and he began to try to support his younger sister.

His eyes began to change, taking on a potentially aggressive look.

He couldn't let Ume eat snakes, insects, and rats like him, so he had to find a better food source, and he was willing to do anything for it.

Oboro came to the Rashomon Riverbank because she hadn't seen Gyutaro come begging for food for several months.

Just as he predicted, once he had developed a certain level of survival skills, Gyutaro stopped bothering him.

Oboro also noticed that the way the passersby looked at Gyutaro was not only disgust and hatred, but also a hint of fear.

It seems that Gyutaro has made quite a few changes during this period.

At least he dared to fight back when faced with those who hurt him.

Chiyoko, who was accompanying him, handed over the food that had been prepared beforehand, but Gyutaro did not take it. He simply bowed to Oboro again and left.

This made Chiyoko freeze, somewhat at a loss.

Then, the two went back.

Spring passes and autumn comes.

Oboro didn't pay much attention to the siblings' lives, but she would occasionally hear news about them, such as Gyutaro's evil deeds. Despite his young age, his fighting ability was even stronger than that of an adult. Moreover, this little guy was extremely ruthless, which instilled fear in many people.

It has almost become the 'little tyrant' of the Rashomon Riverbank.

Ume has grown into a graceful young woman, and her appearance has become increasingly beautiful.

As for their mother, although she was still a prostitute, relying on prostitution to make a living... she seemed to have little to do with the two children anymore, and they lived separately.

The incident started when she beat up Ume, which finally angered Gyutaro, causing Gyutaro to almost kill her.

From then on, the woman was terrified of her son... and could only speak ill of the siblings behind their backs, just like everyone else.

What Oboro was more concerned about were the rumors coming from the Shogunate.

And information from the Demon Slayer Corps.

A very interesting phenomenon.

In the past year, the number of demons has started to increase... It's obvious that Muzan is on the move and has made new moves.

However, unlike decades ago, this new batch of demons is very strong and has even caused some trouble for the Demon Slayer Corps.

Meanwhile, the demons on the inheritor's side are also hunting down Muzan's forces on a large scale, because demons can devour each other to gain power... This has led to a direct conflict of interest between the two forces that are not on the same side.

Upon learning of this situation, Oboro knew that after decades of sampling and research, Muzan had indeed made some discoveries.

They tampered with the will contained within the blood cells of the inheritor, which were related to themselves.

Almost every successor incorporates a bit of Oboro's essence blood to suppress Muzan's cells. More importantly, the will within the cells can strengthen the successor's spirit, making the successor more outstanding in a certain way.

Since it was only a few drops of blood essence, the will that Oboro could bestow was very weak... Therefore, it was not Muzan for Muzan to break through.

However, his ability to alter the will within blood cells indicates that, after years of effort, Muzan has finally discovered the energy of the 'soul'. Muzan is not only the progenitor of demons, but also a highly knowledgeable researcher; with his methods, power, and the vast amount of time he has dedicated to this task, he is capable of achieving it.

However, discovery does not mean that one can touch or control it. It is speculated that Muzan mostly relies on changes in physical form to passively change deeper cells as well.

A physical approach to the response.

Before Oboro's involvement, the demons were all individuals belonging to the same life dimension. Even if they devoured each other and became incredibly powerful, they could never break through their limits. But now, with Oboro's essence and the changes it brought, demons can increase their evolutionary level by consuming each other.

Because the upper limit of Oboro-shogi's life has been increased.

The four men, including Yasuhara and Teshimaga, who fought in the Edo Castle are a good example.

Muzan realized this, and someone on the Inheritors' side must have also noticed it, otherwise, the two sides wouldn't have fought so fiercely.

As for the Demon Slayer Corps, the Ubuyashiki Clan has already had two leaders, and its Pillar-level swordsmen have been replaced time and again.

His mastery of breathing techniques far surpasses that of Shiwei and Tanjuro's generation.

The most typical example is... the current generation of Demon Slayer Corps has more than ten Pillars, two of whom have awakened their Demon Slayer Mark, and the existence of the power of the 'Red Blade' has been discovered, and systematic teaching and training have begun.

These methods, which were not expected to appear for another hundred years, have been brought forward significantly.

Everything proceeded smoothly as Leng had anticipated.

That winter was particularly cold.

A blizzard was raging.

Oboro arrived alone at the Rashomon Riverbank and saw from afar Gyutaro and Ume huddled in a street corner, covered with a straw mat for warmth.

Gyutaro held his sister and made promises and agreements.

They will never be apart; as long as they are together, the two of them are invincible.

Neither poverty nor hunger could defeat the brother and sister.

Long just watched from afar and did not go forward.

However, in such terrible weather, the streets were deserted, and even though the heavy white snow obscured the view, blurry figures could still be seen.

It was Ume who first discovered Oboro.

She stared at the dark figure in the distance, feeling as if the person was watching them, and couldn't help but say, "Someone's there."

Gyutaro, trembling, glanced over without saying a word.

Although he couldn't see clearly, he had a premonition of who the other person was.

The person didn't leave; instead, they stood still.

"Maybe... they got lost."

Gyutaro smiled at his sister.

Ume didn't know Long.

After a while, the figure walked away.

Gyutaro's tense mood eased slightly.

He was afraid that Long would come over and see the awkward situation of him and his sister.

It wasn't a matter of pride or dignity, but Gyutaro felt that the debt of gratitude was too heavy... and he couldn't repay it right now.

On the way back, Oboro looked down at the footprints in the snow, her mind racing.

People in this world are truly different from those Hunter x Hunter.

The shaping and development of personality is so simple and pure, which makes emotions very focused.

Whether it is good or evil.

"You've grown a bit too..."

Long chuckled softly.

He 'saw' the Little Tree that symbolized the will of this world; its withered branches had come back to life, adorned with more greenery.

Even the tree trunks have become much thicker.

The Little Tree swayed and rustled, as if responding to his words.