"Hello~"
"Hello~, Su Chen, can you hear me?"
Su Chen opened his eyes and discovered that he had been moved from Mount Natagumo into an enclosed room.
The voice just now had belonged to Shinobu Kocho.
Shinobu Kocho knelt on his left, quietly tending to him.
Beside her was a mature, elegant, intellectual woman.
She had white hair, gorgeous, alluring eyes, and a face even more beautiful than an enchantress's.
Su Chen recognized her too: Amane Ubuyashiki.
The wife of the Demon Slayer Corps' Oyakata-sama.
Seeing Su Chen wake, Shinobu Kocho smiled. "Mr. Su Chen, you've been asleep for quite a while."
Su Chen held his forehead and sat up with some difficulty.
"Where am I? Is someone outside?"
Shinobu Kocho smiled and wiped the sweat from Su Chen's forehead. "This is the Master's residence, and the lady beside me is Lady Amane."
"Hello, Su Chen. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Amane Ubuyashiki."
Lady Amane had a lovely voice. Su Chen couldn't help marveling that she truly was the woman Muichiro Tokito's older brother had praised as an enchantress.
Every expression, every smile, was filled with elegant beauty.
Su Chen blinked and looked around.
A guess immediately formed in his mind: this was the upper room of Kagaya Ubuyashiki, the Demon Slayer Corps' Oyakata-sama.
Then, according to the original storyline, Kagaya Ubuyashiki and all the Hashira outside were conducting Tanjiro's trial.
That made it easy to guess why Shinobu Kocho and Amane Ubuyashiki were beside him.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki probably already knew that he had awakened the Demon Slayer Mark.
He had specifically sent Shinobu Kocho to watch him.
"That's not it. I came voluntarily, so please don't overthink things, Mr. Su Chen." Shinobu Kocho wrung out the soaked cloth and smiled at Su Chen.
Su Chen froze. Before he could speak, someone opened the door.
A man in a white robe slowly walked in, supported by two young girls.
He stood straight, but large purple bruises covered his face.
Su Chen recognized the man before him almost instantly.
The current Oyakata-sama of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
Behind him followed a group of young men, each with a different style.
Rather than the Demon Slayer Corps' standard black uniform, they wore clothes they each liked, showing their individual personalities.
And this varied, colorfully dressed group...
Were the Demon Slayer Corps' current strongest fighters, the Hashira!
Su Chen frowned, unsure what they intended to do.
Then Kagaya Ubuyashiki spoke. "Hello, Su Chen. Could you tell everyone how you made those unusual patterned marks appear on your body?"
"Marks?" Understanding dawned on Su Chen, and he finally grasped the situation.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki must have meant the Demon Slayer Mark on his body.
The Demon Slayer Mark had given Kagaya Ubuyashiki hope of defeating Muzan. No wonder Su Chen had woken up in his residence.
"What? He's just a kid!"
At that moment, a man whose face was covered in scars frowned, seemingly unimpressed by his first look at Su Chen.
Su Chen was skinny, his body clearly not accustomed to regular exercise, and he looked about the same age as Muichiro Tokito.
How could someone that age possibly be as strong as the Master had said?
"So he's Su Chen? This young fellow looks very flashy!" This time, the speaker was a tall, handsome man.
"Shinazugawa, you should say less. Young Kamado has already proved you wrong once."
The speaker this time was the Serpent Hashira, Obanai Iguro.
He got along well with Shinazugawa, and the two often sparred.
Shinazugawa immediately looked displeased at Obanai's words.
"You mean that brat who headbutted me earlier? I just let my guard down that time. Otherwise, how could he have touched me?"
By this point, Su Chen had more or less figured out Kagaya Ubuyashiki's purpose.
It seemed that the vast majority of the Hashira still didn't know about the Demon Slayer Mark. Kagaya Ubuyashiki had come to give them a lesson.
Su Chen glanced again at Shinobu Kocho beside him.
Fortunately, Shinobu Kocho had rescued him. Otherwise, he would have died on Mount Natagumo. He owed her a debt for that.
Su Chen looked up and met Kagaya Ubuyashiki's gaze.
"Yes, but I have one condition."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki gave his usual smile. "Please, go ahead."
"I want to join the Demon Slayer Corps!"
Su Chen's goal was clear. Since he had transmigrated, he needed to find a powerful backer.
Although he had awakened a cheat that granted heaven-defying comprehension, he still needed time to develop in the early stages.
And where could be safer than the Demon Slayer Corps? After all, all its top fighters were gathered here right now. Even if Muzan came in person, it would still be incredibly safe.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki nodded. "Certainly. Since you can awaken the Demon Slayer Mark, the Demon Slayer Corps naturally welcomes you. I can even offer you a Hashira position."
At those words, the room immediately fell silent.
Then Shinazugawa was the first to react. "Master, you can't! The Hashira represent the convictions of the Demon Slayer Corps. How can you so casually give a little brat a Hashira position?"
Obanai Iguro also felt that the Master's decision was somewhat inappropriate.
"Master, as a rule, every swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps must pass the selection test. Wouldn't this be too hasty?"
The other Hashira said nothing, but their expressions showed their skepticism.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki, however, waved a hand.
"This is different. If the Demon Slayer Mark can be activated, it means a golden age is about to begin. We may even be able to defeat Muzan Kibutsuji."
"What?!"
Everyone's expressions changed at once. They hadn't expected Oyakata-sama to think so highly of the Demon Slayer Mark!
"Just what is this Demon Slayer Mark?" the Sound Hashira, Tengen Uzui, couldn't help asking.
"Let me explain." Lady Amane stood up.
Lady Amane exchanged a glance with Kagaya Ubuyashiki. After receiving his permission, she slowly began:
"During the Sengoku era, the original Breathing Style users nearly drove Muzan Kibutsuji into a corner. It is said that marks resembling demons' patterns appeared on all their bodies."
"This account has been passed down quietly. Some of you may have heard it."
Shinazugawa asked in confusion, "This is my first time hearing about it. Why wasn't it made public before?"
Lady Amane continued explaining. "In the past, many people became obsessed because no marks appeared on them. As a result, many parts of the legend of the Demon Slayer Mark became ambiguous."
"Only one statement has survived to this day: whenever someone bearing the Demon Slayer Mark appears, the people around them will develop Demon Slayer Marks as though resonating with them."
"The Demon Slayer Mark can greatly enhance a swordsman's strength, and the Demon Slayer Corps will enter a golden age because of it."
"And Su Chen is the first person in our era to awaken the Demon Slayer Mark!"
Before you continue