Uchiha Nagi, a newly promoted Hashira, alongside the Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyojuro, had faced Upper Moon Three, Akaza. The outcome, however, was unexpectedly anticlimactic.
Uchiha Nagi had only been practicing Breathing Styles for a short time, having copied them. He hadn't yet grasped their essence like Tanjiro and the other Hashira. His strength, which had earned him the rank of Hashira, was largely augmented by his Mangekyo Sharingan. It was like Sasuke, right after awakening his Mangekyo, going up against Guy with his Eight Inner Gates or the Raikage in his Lightning Release Chakra Mode. If not for protagonist plot armor, he would surely have been beaten to death…
The Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyojuro, however, possessed genuine, hard-earned strength. Due to a lack of intelligence about Akaza's Destructive Death techniques, he had suffered some setbacks during a few exchanges. But in terms of raw power, in the earlier stages of the fight, the Flame Hashira had demonstrably been overpowering Akaza. It was just unfortunate that Akaza didn't need to defend. As long as he protected his neck, he could abandon defense elsewhere and attack directly. The Flame Hashira, being human, couldn't do the same; once injured, it was difficult for him to recover instantly.
Thus, the saying arose that it took two Hashira to even contend with one of the Twelve Kizuki. This was because a human body would only grow more fatigued with prolonged fighting, and they had to be careful to both defend and avoid injury. The Twelve Kizuki, on the other hand, needed to defend only their necks.
"When I return this time, I'll probably have to retire. In my current state, I can no longer fulfill the duties of the Flame Hashira. I was thinking of you taking over as Flame Hashira, Uchiha-bro. What do you think?" Rengoku Kyojuro proposed.
Clang-clank~ Clang-clank~ Clang-clank~
The scenery outside the train window rushed backward. Inosuke was still leaning his upper body out the window, yelling, while Zenitsu, thoroughly embarrassed, clung to him to prevent him from falling out and getting lost. Tanjiro and Uchiha Nagi sat opposite the Flame Hashira. This time, Rengoku's gaze wasn't unfocused; he was looking intently at Uchiha Nagi as he spoke.
Uchiha Nagi: "I…"
"Hear me out first, Uchiha-bro," Rengoku Kyojuro said. "Firstly, your Nichirin Blade is the same color as mine, which is very suitable for practicing Flame Breathing. Secondly, your strength is already at the Hashira level, and your potential surpasses all of ours." "While your Medical Ninjutsu is miraculous, I know my own injuries. My body won't return to its peak condition for at least a few years. Coincidentally, you're also a newly promoted Hashira. It's most fitting for you to take on the role of Flame Hashira. You wouldn't even need to think of a new title, hahahaha~" "As for strength, don't worry. During my recovery period, I can provide some special training and guidance for all of you. You young lads can join in too. How about it?"
Hearing Rengoku Kyojuro's words, Tanjiro's face lit up. "Is that alright? That would be truly wonderful! Thank you so much, Rengoku-san!"
Rengoku Kyojuro laughed heartily. "Hahahaha, just call me Rengoku-aniki, all of you. I'm only a few years older than you."
"Ooh, ooh! Can we train with Big Bro Blondie? That's great~" "Ah, train together? With Nezuko-chan too? That's wonderful~"
Rengoku Kyojuro suddenly remembered something and slapped his forehead. "Right, Tanjiro, about your Kagura dance, my father might know something about it. He was the previous Flame Hashira, and many inherited traditions aren't recorded in books but passed down orally. I'll take you to ask him when we get the chance."
"Really? That would be amazing! Thank you so much, Rengoku-aniki!" Tanjiro said happily.
"Haha, it's nothing. By the way, Uchiha-bro," Rengoku scratched his head, looking troubled. "When Akaza was decapitated and unleashed his Annihilation Type, in that instant, I truly felt like I was going to die. Then, at the exact moment you shielded me with your Susanoo, I think I grasped something, but I can't quite put it into words." "It was like Akaza's state—he had no self-awareness, no brain, no thoughts, but driven by an unyielding will… I seemed to see a state of 'no-self'… like… like…"
"The Transparent World?" Uchiha Nagi offered.
"Yes! The Transparent World? That's a good name for it! I felt something like that at the time. It was as if I could see the entire world without using my eyes, a feeling of being one with the world," Rengoku Kyojuro exclaimed, slapping his thigh excitedly.
"Hehe, I saw it too," Uchiha Nagi smiled. "Akaza had one foot in the Transparent World. You probably perceived his state, and you were also on the brink of life and death, so you gained some understanding. But he was only halfway there, and you were saved by me, so you only grasped half of it as well." "Like you, I saw it too. It was quite an experience. When we're back and training, we can exchange our feelings from that day. Perhaps we can fully step into that realm."
"The Transparent World? Um… I think I might have heard my father mention it before," Tanjiro, who had been listening for a while, suddenly raised his hand hesitantly.
"Oh? Tanjiro, you know about it?" Uchiha Nagi asked deliberately.
The Transparent World wasn't a type of Breathing Style but a state of being within the world of Demon Slayer—silent, traceless, akin to achieving enlightenment or "entering the Dao." Once one entered this state, they could perceive their surroundings as if possessing a Celestial Eye: the internal muscles, organs, and bones of a human body, even the inner workings of trees and flowers. Furthermore, they could merge with nature, integrating their presence and aura, becoming undetectable to even the strongest opponents during combat due to the absence of killing intent or sound.
Moreover, this state provided an astonishingly powerful combat advantage. To a master of the Transparent World, everything about their opponent was laid bare. Their moves were anticipated before they were even made. Thus, those in the Transparent World didn't need their eyes to fight.
The creator of Sun Breathing was born naturally in the Transparent World, essentially possessing a Celestial Eye from birth. While others painstakingly practiced their sword skills, he could master them with a mere glance. He then combined all sword techniques with his understanding of his own physical structure to create Sun Breathing. If he hadn't been a bit too chatty, Muzan would never have escaped. When Muzan encountered Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the creator of Sun Breathing, he was defeated in a single move. He then self-destructed, splitting into over 1,800 pieces to flee. Yoriichi instantly destroyed 1,500 of those pieces, and Muzan's injuries persisted for hundreds of years, unable to heal.
Uchiha Nagi had a premonition: if he could grasp the Transparent World, he could synthesize and refine all existing Breathing Styles to create one perfectly suited for himself. Sometimes, the most powerful Breathing Style wasn't necessarily the best fit for an individual. Among the nine Hashira, many had modified original Breathing Styles to better suit themselves. Upper Moon One, Kokushibo, had adapted Sun Breathing to create Moon Breathing, which was a perfect fit for him. The Sound Hashira's Sound Breathing was derived from Thunder Breathing, and the Mist Hashira's Mist Breathing was derived from Wind Breathing.
In essence, the goal was to absorb the strengths of all Breathing Styles and then, based on one's own attributes and physique, modify them into the most suitable sword style. Only then could one bring out two hundred percent of their potential.
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