Fireside Chat X Roy's Carefree Demeanor

Patience... one must still have patience... and continue to have patience...

If only he had possessed the temperament to keep them for a few more years, to help them perfect their Breathing Styles and further hone their skills... perhaps they would not have fallen into the state they were in now.

Urokodaki Sakonji, wearing a haori patterned with white clouds on a blue base, walked ahead.

Roy followed at a leisurely pace with Tanjiro, while behind them, a crowd of lingering spirits watched with fixed gazes, the scene indescribably eerie.

"Slurp~" Makomo seized the chance as Tanjiro passed by, sticking out her small tongue to lick the rabbit, though naturally, she licked nothing but air.

"I have never hated being a ghost as much as I do today." Sabito seemed to hear her inner voice and glanced at her helplessly before moving his feet to keep up with Roy.

The boy's physique was taller than what was typical for his age; as he walked with the basket on his back, every step seemed pre-measured, balanced and controlled. Clearly... he was no ordinary person.

He must have undergone rigorous training as well, and in fact... judging by the speed he displayed earlier, his physical constitution far exceeds mine, already showing signs of being able to rival Giyu...

Laymen watch the spectacle, while experts watch the technique. What Sabito could see, Urokodaki Sakonji could see even more clearly and further.

"Master is moved." Makomo, having failed to get a taste, was not disappointed, but rather said happily: "Master finally has company."

"And we have company too..."

Sabito turned his back to the towering Mount Sagiri, gripped the katana at his waist, and warned: "Don't get happy too soon; they still need to pass the test."

A mule or a horse must be led out to be tested; the traps buried deep within Mount Sagiri were not mere decorations. Relying on speed alone... there was absolutely no chance of passing.

"Creak~" The wooden door pushed open. Urokodaki Sakonji placed his carving knife on the shelf, shook off the snow, and stepped inside.

Roy and Tanjiro stomped their feet, followed him in, took off their baskets, and handed over the rabbit.

A mature swordsman may not necessarily be a good cook, but he is certainly skilled with a blade. The half-roasted rabbit fell into his hands, and Urokodaki Sakonji sliced it into uniform pieces in a flash, seasoned it with sake to remove the gamey smell, stir-fried it with sauce, and laid it over a bed of greens. Soon, a "beggar-style braised rabbit" was taking shape.

He then pushed aside the bed board, lit the stove, and let it simmer slowly until it was ready to eat.

"Sniff... sniff..." Makomo twitched her nose, eager to move.

She sat kneeling beside Urokodaki Sakonji, while Roy and Tanjiro sat across from them, separated by the stove.

Sabito and the other lingering spirits drifted in from outside the walls in twos and threes. They didn't crowd close, but simply lay down where they were, unexpectedly filling the small wooden cabin with a unique, cozy warmth.

"Gurgle..." The clay pot bubbled over the fire.

Having finished all this, Urokodaki Sakonji finally began to seriously examine Roy and Tanjiro.

The Kamado brothers shared a three-part resemblance, yet there was a distinct gap in their physiques.

Perhaps because he had inherited life energy from Minamino Hirotomo, Roy was stronger than before. Sitting cross-legged by the stove, he possessed a temperament as immovable as a mountain and as deep as an abyss.

In contrast, the innocent Tanjiro seemed somewhat immature.

He mimicked Roy's posture, sitting upright and looking for all the world like a "little adult."

"He won't do." After a moment of silence, Urokodaki Sakonji glanced at Tanjiro and spoke bluntly: "He is too young to withstand the intensity. Go home and recuperate for three years before talking about it."

"I'm not small!" Upon hearing that he might be separated from Roy, Tanjiro defiantly flexed his biceps: "I can already help Nii-san kill demons!"

What?!

In an instant, every gaze in the room turned toward him, pinning Tanjiro down with an invisible pressure, even though he could not see Sabito, Makomo, and the other spirits.

"You've already encountered a demon?" Shinsuke, who had been lying lazily in the corner, let out a strange cry upon hearing this and flew directly above Tanjiro, circling him.

A gust of ghostly wind blew, cold and chilling... making a shiver run down Tanjiro's spine.

The foolish younger brother noticed Urokodaki Sakonji's gaze locked onto him, swallowed hard, and braced himself to say: "I didn't help with the one we met in the mountains, but I did contribute to the one we encountered in the shrine last night..."

Not only did I contribute, I was almost hacked to death by Nii-san's axe because I was hesitating...

Tanjiro added to himself; thinking about it now, his right cheek still throbbed with pain.

Urokodaki Sakonji remained silent, looking at him deeply... then turned his head, followed by the crowd of disciples who mirrored his movement to stare at Roy.

Tanjiro seemed to have said everything, yet also nothing at all... what did he mean by "I didn't help with the one we met in the mountains?"

Shinsuke and Fukuda desperately wanted to grab his ears and demand a proper explanation... after all, this was no laughing matter. If he wasn't lying, it meant—

The boy sitting silently and calmly across from the Master had single-handedly killed a demon!

And he had done so without even learning a "Breathing Style"!

"Oh~ he seems even more impressive than you, Sabito." Makomo's eyes sparkled, finally tearing her gaze away from the clay pot.

"He is even more impressive than Giyu." Sabito looked at Roy with undisguised admiration, silently adding in his heart...

Roy patted Tanjiro on the back to signal him not to be anxious, then pressed his palms together and looked sincerely at Urokodaki Sakonji: "Demons eat people first; people kill demons after."

"My younger brother is a straightforward person. Please forgive his rudeness, Master Urokodaki."

Urokodaki Sakonji still did not speak. He studied Roy once more, already sensing from these few words that he was a child entirely different from Sabito and Giyu...

He was too calm... too composed... too patient. He displayed a maturity completely inconsistent with his age, which was truly astonishing!

"Although I am very reluctant to admit it..."

"I must say, you are a child with immense talent."

"Perhaps you really could kill it..."

Urokodaki Sakonji sighed gloomily after a long silence.

Roy glanced at Sabito, his mind as clear as a mirror; the "it" in question was none other than the Hand Demon, imprisoned by the Demon Slayer Corps on Mount Fujikasane, the very creature that had devoured all of Urokodaki Sakonji's disciples, including Sabito and Makomo!

That Hand Demon was Urokodaki Sakonji's captive, and the culprit behind his years of decadence.

Urokodaki Sakonji stirred the rabbit meat with a wooden ladle to keep it from burning at the bottom.

He spoke to himself, "You have patience, talent, and you know when to advance or retreat. Any other trainer would have already taken you in as a disciple, but I am different..."

He covered the pot and looked up, staring straight into Roy's eyes, attempting to see through his heart and ensure not a single lie slipped past his gaze.

He said in a deep voice, "Tell me your resolve. What is it that sustains you in choosing to kill demons..."

Roy smiled.

The youth did not fear the eye contact, speaking with dashing candor, "To be honest, I think you've asked an idiotic question..."

"Since a demon chooses to eat humans, it has earned its own death."

"It is only natural that I kill it."

"Oh~" Makomo's eyes shimmered as she tilted her head toward Sabito, "This guy is even cooler than you..."

Sabito, his pink hair draped over his shoulders, felt the eyes hidden behind his fox mask suddenly ignite with two flames, glowing and brilliant!