The conductor punched their tickets, one by one. Ryou didn't stop him; he knew it wouldn't be life-threatening and was curious to see what he would see in his dream.
The moment the conductor punched their tickets, the train lights flickered, and Ryou felt his consciousness being affected by an unknown force. If he wanted, he could have resisted it, but instead, he allowed the sensation to wash over him.
The next second, his eyes closed in reality, and he slipped into a dream. Yet, even in this dream state, Ryou retained full awareness. He knew he was dreaming. As he looked around, he realized he was in a familiar place—the backyard of his home on Earth.
It felt so real as if he had truly returned to the life he had once lived.
Looking at his younger self, Ryou estimated that he must be around 10 years old.
"Is this what I desire?" Ryou pondered, gazing at the scene before him. Standing in front of him was a twelve-year-old girl with an athletic figure, her dress hugging her frame tightly.
It was his sister, Maya, who was two years older than him.
"Why are you spacing out?" she taunted, suddenly rushing forward. With a swift move, she grabbed him and effortlessly tossed him over her shoulder, pinning him to the ground. Her fist stopped mere inches from his face, a playful grin on her lips. "You lose again, little bro!"
"Your breathing is off, and your core stability is lacking. A girl just threw you over her shoulder! You need to let your breath flow and strengthen your stance," his father, Gael, instructed sternly from the side.
Ryou's father appeared to be around 30 years old, standing tall at 6.2 feet with a commanding presence. He had a strong, athletic build, his muscles defined from years of hard work and training. His posture was upright, while his eyes were sharp and discerning, seeming to observe everything around him with calmness.
Aside from showing his stern side during their training, his father is gentle and cares for them deeply.
"Yes, Dad." Rising to his feet, Ryou shifted his gaze to his sister and mused. 'I couldn't beat you in real life as far as I remember, but we are in my dreams, I will defeat you today.'
He recalled being overpowered by his sister for as long as he could remember. There wasn't a single time he had managed to defeat her as she was proficient in a range of fighting styles, from traditional martial arts to more modern techniques.
Unlike Maya, Ryou excelled in swordsmanship, a skill he had learned from his mother.
"Here, I come." Ryou attacked Maya with confidence and excitement, envisioning her defeat.
But even in his dream, reality proved unforgiving. Despite using all the techniques he had mastered in the world of Demon Slayer, he couldn't land a single punch on her.
It was as if she could predict his every move. 'I see... I'm fighting my subconsciousness,' Ryou realized, he was fighting his own shadow.
"Okay, that's enough. Maya, why are you being so tough on your brother? He's just a kid," his mother, Taira Yuri, called out as she walked over to the training ground, carrying a tray full of snacks and fresh juice.
Ryou's mother was a striking beauty in her mid-thirties, yet she possessed a youthful appearance that made her look more like a woman in her mid-twenties.
"Mom... I'm also your kid. You always favor him over me," Maya snorted, casting a devious smile at Ryou as if already planning the tortures she'd put him through the next time they sparred.
Ryou shuddered. "Mom, look at her smile. She's definitely planning something. Dad, I'm not going to spar with her anymore."
"Maya!" His father called.
"It's okay, Little Ryou," his mother Taira said soothingly, ruffling his hair. "With me here, your sister won't do anything."
In the next moment, the scene changed to a warm and intimate backdrop: the family of four sat in a circle, enjoying snacks and fresh juice while chatting cheerfully. It was lively with Ryou and Maya teasing each other.
As Ryou took in this heartwarming scene, his eyes welled up with tears unconsciously, missing them. Yet, he quickly shook his head, reminding himself that this was merely a dream—a fleeting glimpse of the life he once lived.
"I will definitely return to Earth," Ryou thought.
The next moment, his breath climbed and his eyes turned into sharingan. With a slight concentration, he shattered the dream space and woke up, returning to reality.
--
Ryou woke up just in time to see a small girl trying to tie a rope around his wrist. "What are you doing, little girl?" he asked.
"You..." Before she could respond, Ryou knocked her out with a clear strike to the back of her head.
When he looked around, he saw that everyone else in the compartment was asleep, while Kyojuro, Tanjiro, Inosuke, and Zentisu's wrists were bound with ropes. His eyes then landed on Nezuko, who was sitting next to Tanjiro and using her flames to burn through the ropes.
'It wouldn't be long before Tanjiro wakes up.' Ryou thought, sensing the entirety of the train with his extraordinary perception.
--
Outside,
Lower Rank One Enmu stood atop the moving train, relishing the feeling of the people sinking deeper into their dreams. He mused aloud,
"They're lucky to die while dreaming. Humans have such fragile hearts. No matter how strong the Demon Slayers are, if you destroy their spiritual core, they'll die just like that."
Suddenly, Enmu's senses tingled as he detected someone waking from the dream. "What a strong spirit. He must be a Hashira!
But it doesn't matter. Every inch of this train has become an extension of my body—my blood, my flesh, and my bones. And, I have many hostages."
--
A few seconds later, Tanjiro jolted awake from the dream with a startled cry, his hand instinctively reaching to his neck. He gasped for a moment, before spotting his sister. "Nezuko, are you okay?"
As he scanned the area, his eyes met Ryou's. "Ryou-san, you weren't affected?"
Ryou replied casually, "Such a weak demon's dream can't affect me! Now that you're awake, go deal with the demon. Only through fighting the strong demons, you can improve yourself!"
"Understood," Tanjiro replied and turned to his sister. "Nezuko, burn off everyone's ropes."
Nezuko promptly used her flames to incinerate the ropes binding the others. At that moment, the kids who tied ropes around their wrists woke up and confronted Tanjiro.
Tanjiro knocked them all unconscious and climbed to the top of the train to confront Enmu.
Not long after Tanjiro had left, Inosuke and Zenitsu also awoke, followed by Kyojuro.
Seeing Kyojuro wake up, Ryou shook his head and remarked in friendly ridicule. "You took your time, Kyojuro. Even the younger ones woke up before you."
"Hahaha... I dozed off a little. I'm ashamed as a Hashira! If there were a stone nearby, I'd crawl under it." Kyojuro stated and took action without wasting a second.
In a single, powerful attack, Kyojuro destroyed the demon flesh crawling over two compartments, trying to devour the passengers.
--
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