The material of the Nichirin Sword was what it was, and it was destined not to reach a very high level. This was beyond doubt.
If it weren't for the fact that the Nichirin Sword had the special property of cutting through demons, Roa wouldn't even have glanced at it.
But at the moment, he was indeed lacking a decent Nichirin Sword.
Roa looked up at Kagaya Ubuyashiki with a serious expression and said, "This time, please give me a better Nichirin Sword."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki smiled and nodded, saying to Roa, "Of course. As a Hashira's Nichirin Sword, I will have the most outstanding swordsmith from the Swordsmith Village forge it. The quality of your Nichirin Sword is assured. This one should serve you well for a while."
Roa nodded and waited for a moment, noticing that Kagaya Ubuyashiki was still looking at him without speaking. Roa thought for a moment and asked, "Is it over?"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki chuckled and said, "Then we'll be counting on you from now on, Roa. Meeting adjourned. Everyone, go about your business."
As they left Kagaya Ubuyashiki's residence, Kyojuro Rengoku walked up to Roa and looked him up and down with curiosity.
Roa was a bit speechless and said directly, "If you have questions, just ask. You're not the indecisive type."
Kyojuro Rengoku didn't hold back and asked bluntly, "How can I become as strong as you?"
Kyojuro Rengoku's voice was loud, as it always was. His words immediately drew the attention of all the Hashiras.
To be honest, aside from the initial amazement, what everyone was thinking about now was how they could become stronger.
If there was one thing the Hashiras wanted more than anything, it was to become stronger.
Roa was slightly taken aback and met Kyojuro Rengoku's gaze, asking, "Do you really want to become stronger?"
Kyojuro Rengoku widened his eyes and said in his loud voice, "Isn't that obvious? We all want to become stronger."
Roa fell into thought and nodded, "Alright, since you all have this desire, I'm not the type to keep secrets. Although can't guarantee that you'll become as strong as me, I can definitely help you reach the next level. However, the training time still needs to be confirmed. We'll talk about it later. Let me deal with the urgent matters first."
Kyojuro Rengoku smiled and said to Roa, "As expected of the young man I admire. Handsome young man, I can feel your determination."
Roa: ???
What determination? What determination do I have?
Kyojuro Rengoku patted Roa's shoulder and gave him a thumbs up, "Keep it up, handsome young man!"
At this moment, Giyu Tomioka and Shinobu Kocho walked over with expressionless faces. Since they were all familiar with each other, they didn't feel awkward. Shinobu Kocho directly said, "I want to join."
Roa looked at Shinobu Kocho. She was still smiling, but her calm eyes were unusually serious.
Giyu Tomioka stood to the side, looking at Roa, and said simply, "We're counting on you."
Both of them had greeted Roa, and although Roa usually seemed quite unreliable, the fierce offensive he displayed last time had left a deep impression on the two of them.
Roa was usually quite approachable, so the two didn't waste any time and came directly to sign up.
However, signing up was one thing, but most people who wanted to get stronger would usually say something more—like their determination to become stronger, their promises, or at least talk about their past experiences and express their will to kill demons. But why were these two speaking in such a flat tone?
Roa sighed, feeling somewhat helpless.
As for Giyu Tomioka's cold demeanor, Roa didn't say much. He knew the other's personality well—it was precisely because of this way of speaking that Giyu wasn't well-liked among the Hashira.
With Shinobu Kocho taking the lead, the white-haired one came over and said, "The flamboyant young man, hmm, do you think I'm flamboyant enough? As the 'God of Festivals' who oversees flamboyance, I think we have something in common."
Roa gave Tengen Uzui a sidelong glance, his lips twitching, and said with a look of exasperation, "Alright, you're in."
"That…"
"Sure."
"I also want to…"
"Okay."
In the end, except for Sanemi Shinazugawa, who was too embarrassed to join, everyone else came over.
Roa agreed to all of them, and finally, with no other choice, he said to the group, "Alright then, I'll talk to the Master later, and you can all come together. I'll guide you one by one."
The Hashira felt a bit awkward hearing the word "guide." Normally, it was they who guided others, so having a mentor above them felt a bit strange.
However, no one said anything. Roa's strength was undeniable, and calling him "sensei" wasn't a problem, even though he was younger than most of them.
After Roa finished dealing with everyone, he prepared to set off to bring Nezuko and the others over.
He tucked the newly acquired Nichirin Sword into his waistband and stepped outside. A Demon Slayer Corps member came running with a uniform—a light-colored haori with faint stripes, giving it an elegant appearance.
Roa raised an eyebrow, took the haori from the Demon Slayer Corps member, and nodded, asking, "What's this?"
The Demon Slayer Corps member bowed respectfully and said, "It's a symbol of being a Hashira."
Roa nodded, took the haori, and said, "Not bad."
He draped the haori over his shoulders, and his already striking appearance became even more pronounced.
The haori fit well, and although it was just a piece of clothing, it was surprisingly good.
The Demon Slayer Corps member continued, "Since you're satisfied, shall I show you to the quarters we've arranged for you?"
Roa nodded, and the Demon Slayer Corps member led him to a courtyard outside.
The courtyard of Kagaya Ubuyashiki was quite large, although the room where Kagaya himself lived wasn't particularly big. After walking for a while, they finally stopped at a courtyard. Roa looked around—it was empty, clearly uninhabited for a long time.
Although no one had lived there for a while, it was still cleaned and maintained regularly.
The Demon Slayer Corps member asked, "What do you think?"
Roa scanned the area. The room was quite spacious, and even if Tanjiro Kamado's family had many children, it wouldn't be a problem. There was also a small courtyard in the center of the room. While it couldn't compare to Kagaya Ubuyashiki's courtyard, it was better than nothing.
The courtyard still had its signature plants—the blooming wisteria flowers, their dazzling purple petals scattered on the ground, adding a unique charm to the courtyard.
Overall, it felt quite nice. While it couldn't compare to the mountains, nor did it have the vast space of the mountains, having such a nice room in someone else's home showed Kagaya Ubuyashiki's thoughtfulness.
In any case, Roa was quite satisfied. He expressed his admiration, saying, "It's good, I like it."
As long as he brought Tanjiro Kamado's family here, he could finally relax. As long as Muzan Kibutsuji didn't come knocking, there would be no worries.
Even if Muzan Kibutsuji did come, he would probably target Kagaya Ubuyashiki first, as Kagaya was a more significant target compared to Tanjiro Kamado's family. This was a small thought Roa had.
Moreover, there was no absolutely safe place in this world. Roa could only do his best to ensure that his home wouldn't be raided by minor demons. Beyond that, he could only minimize the risks.
After exchanging a few words with the Demon Slayer Corps member, Roa prepared to go down the mountain to bring Tanjiro Kamado's family here to stay for a while.
By the time he reached Tanjiro's house, it was already around 3 PM. Without wasting any time, he briefly explained the content of his conversation at the Hashira meeting to Tanjiro Kamado and then went inside to extend the invitation to Kie Kamado.
Kie Kamado hesitated for a moment. Roa knew what she was hesitating about—this house had been the Kamado family's home for generations. Roa smiled and explained, "I'm just taking you away temporarily stay for a while. Once I've dealt with all the troublesome matters, you can come back whenever you want."
Kie Kamado looked at Shigeru Kamado, who was holding her hand, and nodded. The nearly thirty-ye-old woman still looked radiant. She smiled and said, "Then, I'll trouble you."
Roa nodded and called out to Tanjiro Kamado in the courtyard, "Get ready, pack the essentials. We'll stay there for a while."
Tanjiro Kamado called back from inside the house, "Yes, Roa-nii!"
Hearing their conversation, Nezuko came running over and started packing her things as well.
Roa looked around, took the bambo basket he used for carrying firewood, placed it on the ground, and said to everyone, "Alright, put your things here. I'm strong, I'll carry it."
Kie Kamado didn't stand on ceremony. She packed some daily necessities and bedding, placing them all in the bamboo basket.
Once everything was packed, everyone was carrying bags of various sizes.
Even the younger children were holding two small bags each.
Roa carried a large bag in each hand and had the bamboo basket on his back, making him look quite bulky.
Tanjiro Kamado was similarly loaded.
Roa took the lead, guiding Tanjiro Kamado and the others.
The Demon Slayer Corps headquarters was well-hidden. Even Muzan Kibutsuji would take some time to find it. The key to its concealment was its location in the mountains, and the headquarters wasn't fixed—it moved to a new hiding spot every so often.
Except for the Hashira, ordinary people who wanted to reach the headquarters were subject to strict secrecy. But since it was Roa's request, he only needed to bring Tanjiro Kamado's group to the designated house.
Carrying so many bags was too conspicuous, so Roa found a carriage, loaded everything onto it, and led the group toward the headquarters.
Tanjiro Kamado walked beside Roa, curiously asking about the events of the previous night.
Young people always loved hearing adventurous stories, and in Tanjiro's eyes, the battle last night must have been intense.
Roa smiled and said to Tanjiro, "Actually, it wasn't much. The two demons didn't act together initially. The Upper Moons don't get along well, and the two had a disagreement. The first one I encountered was Upper Moon Five. His perception wasn't strong, so I got close and killed him. The remaining one was Upper Moon Three. He was strong, but not strong enough. I fought him until you arrived. You know the rest, so I won't say more."
Tanjiro Kamado's face fell. That was too simple. He quickly pressed Roa for more details, "I know all that, but I want to know the specifics!"
Roa scratched his head, thinking about what specifics he could share.
Then, as if remembering something, he clapped his hands and said to Tanjiro, "I've been holding back two moves to use against Muzan Kibutsuji."
Tanjiro Kamado: ???
Roa patted Tanjiro's shoulder and said, "I might need you to be the bait when the time comes."
Seeing Tanjiro's confused expression, Roa explained, "Muzan Kibutsuji is a very controlling person. This time, I killed Upper Moon Three and Upper Moon Five. He definitely won't let it slide, but that alone won't be enough to draw him out. He needs to feel a sense of crisis."
Tanjiro Kamado frowned, his clear eyes fixed on Roa, and asked, "A sense of crisis?"
Roa smiled and said, "That would be the Sun Breathing, the Kagura dance passed down in your family. Muzan Kibutsuji was nearly killed by someone using it before. He wouldn't want another person like that to appear, even if that person is still a baby. He would try to find and kill them."
Tanjiro Kamado looked at Roa, somewhat speechless, and said, "Roa-nii, don't you also know it? The Sun Breathing, I mean. With your strength, you must have mastered it to the peak, right?"
Roa shook his head and continued, "I can't show my strength. This breathing technique has to be used at a critical moment to give Muzan Kibutsuji a surprise."
Tanjiro Kamado scratched his head, thought for a moment, and as they walked, he said, "Alright then, I trust that Roa-nii wouldn't harm me."
Then he gave a sincere smile.
Roa glanced at him, and because the smile was so genuine, he felt a sudden pang of guilt.
But upon reflection, he realized he hadn't done anything wrong. Although he had deceived Tanjiro at first, he had good intentions and was now even thinking about Tanjiro's future.
With that in mind, Roa felt jus and nodded with a look of approval.
As they chatted on their way up the mountain, it was almost time for dinner by the time they arrived.
After unpacking and tidying up a bit, it was already evening. Roa didn't let Kie Kamado cook; instead, he had the Demon Slayer Corps members bring over the prepared meals. As a Hashira, basic necessities like food and shelter were provided for free, and this small privilege was something he had.
However, the children who had just moved in seemed a bit down, but they were obedient to Kie Kamado, so even if they were unhappy, they didn't say much.
The atmosphere became a bit silent.
After finishing his meal, Roa looked at the sky and said to Kie Kamado, "As usual, I'll go out on patrol. You all should sleep. It's much safer here."
Tanjiro Kamado stood up, wanting to go with Roa, but this time Roa didn't let him. He told Tanjiro to stay at home.
Tanjiro Kamado looked dejected, and Roa said helplessly, "This time, I don't know who Muzan will send. If it's not Muzan himself, it's probably Upper Moon One. If you run into him head-on, you'll be killed instantly."
Tanjiro Kamado looked ashamed and said, "I'm sorry, Roa-nii, I can't help you."
Roa smiled and comforted him, "Don't worry, Tanjiro, you've already done your best."
After saying goodbye, Roa set off alone.
Roa didn't head straight to the mountain. Instead, he followed the map Kagaya Ubuyashiki had given him and scouted the surrounding area first. After confirming that there were no particularly strong demons nearby, he returned to the mountain and crouched at the spot where Upper Moon Three had died, observing for a while.
The night was silent. The area that had been devastated in the previous battle had already been cleaned up. The fallen trees and the pockmarked ground had been repaired.
Waiting in ambush was undoubtedly extremely boring. Roa looked up at the moon in the distance, its bright light spilling over the earth.
Things had reached this point, and this world was nearing its end.
Killing Muzan Kibutsuji would mean it was time to return.
Tonight was destined to be uneventful.
Roa had miscalculated. He sat there until dawn, but no powerful demonic aura appeared. Not even a single wandering female demon passed by.
Roa grew impatient and got up, taking the oil lamp he carried with him and wandering aimlessly around the mountain.
He activated the Transparent World, and in an instant, the world slowed down. The sound of the wind rustling the leaves, the sound of footsteps on the ground, the insects crawling out of the soil—everything became slow.
Roa began to observe his surroundings. The scenery was always the same, but with the Transparent World activated, everything became incredibly clear—the branches and leaves of the trees, the sprouting buds, the tree trunks, the insects hidden beneath the bark—everything was so vivid.
He had only acquired this ability a few days ago and hadn't explored it deeply yet.
If this was all it could do, the ability was strong but not overwhelmingly so.
Roa tried to infuse his magic power into the Transparent World. To his surprise, the magic power integrated seamlessly.
The Transparent World was essentially an extreme enhancement of the five senses. When activated, the senses reached a terrifying level.
The essence of magic power was still spiritual energy, and the Transparent World was also a development and application of spiritual energy.
So, using spiritual energy to supplement spiritual energy wasn't a problem.