This is incredibly powerful.
Li Mo couldn't find the words to describe his feelings.
Facing the black bear, he had almost no ability to resist. While it was partly because he didn't have a weapon, he didn't think he could have killed the bear so easily even if he had an axe.
One strike, and the bear's head was severed.
It was a movement Li Mo couldn't comprehend. Yes, he saw every action clearly, but he couldn't understand it.
It was the purest form of skill. The man before him had a fragile body, like a candle in the wind, about to be extinguished at any moment. Yet, despite that, he could perform such a feat.
This man was completely different from someone like Yujiro Hanma, a demon who despised technique and relied solely on his raw strength, dismissing anything else as "impurities." This man, without a strong body, possessed skills that were almost divine.
He was like Guo Haixian, who had beaten Li Mo for who knows how long.
"Are you... okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine! How did you do that? To execute such a movement and generate that kind of explosive power in just one breath."
Curiosity welled up in Li Mo's heart.
It was a technique different from **"Dissipating Force."** It was a skill that allowed a human body to produce astonishing lethality. Li Mo's extensive experience of being beaten told him that if this man were to strike him with the axe, he would die.
There would be no room for struggle.
"Um... rather than that, I suggest you check your injuries first," the man said, slightly flustered.
Li Mo was in a sorry state. His clothes were covered in mud, and his coat had turned into rags. In his desperate attempt to escape the bear's attacks, he had done everything he could. It was a miracle his body was still intact.
"Injuries? It's nothing, just some superficial wounds... ugh." As he spoke, Li Mo spat out a mouthful of blood.
Having taken several direct hits from the bear, the fact that Li Mo was still alive was a testament to his mastery of **"Dissipating Force."**
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine!" Li Mo gave the man a thumbs-up and smiled. "Hello. My name is Li Mo. May I ask your name? And where is this place?"
The thin man replied, "Hello. You can call me Kamado Tanjuro. This is Mount Kumotori in the Okutama District of Tokyo Prefecture."
"Tanjuro, huh? Thank you for saving my life."
Kamado Tanjuro. Li Mo now knew where he was. The surname "Kamado" was too distinctive. Combined with the man's appearance—the burn-like scar and the sun-shaped earrings—it was all too familiar.
This was the world of *Demon Slayer*.
Li Mo remembered what Tanjuro's near-divine skill was.
**"Transparent World"!**
To those who achieved it, the world became clear. It was similar to the Byakugan, allowing one to see the flow of blood, the movement of muscles, and the position of bones within a living being.
In that state, killing a black bear with a frail body was effortless.
Kamado Tanjuro asked, "What's wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?"
"No, no. It's just that when I saw your earrings, I felt like I'd seen them somewhere before," Li Mo said.
"These? They were passed down to me by my father. They're heirlooms in our family," Tanjuro said, touching the sun-shaped earrings.
"I heard about the story of the sun earrings from a senior. Well, that's not important."
"Hmm. It's late. Why don't you rest at my house for now?" Tanjuro, standing in the cold wind, was like a bonfire in winter, as if a gust of wind could extinguish him.
Indeed, standing outside in winter and chatting was a foolish idea.
Li Mo nodded. "Then I'll gladly accept your offer."
He desperately needed a warm place to rest. During the chase, he hadn't noticed, but now that he had a moment to relax, his body felt like it was falling apart.
...
The Kamado household was deep in the mountains, far from the nearest town. A round trip would take more than half a day. Tanjuro usually left early in the morning to sell charcoal and returned near dusk. Selling the charcoal took a lot of time.
Li Mo realized that if he hadn't been lucky, he might have wandered deep into the mountains and been stuck dealing with the bear for who knows how long.
"Please come in, Li-kun."
"Thank you. I won't hold back."
Following Tanjuro into the house, Li Mo saw a fire burning in the center of the room, with an iron pot hanging above it. Beside it sat a gentle woman.
"Welcome back, Tanjuro."
"I'm back, Kie."
Kamado Tanjuro said, "This is my wife, Kamado Kie. Kie, this is our guest, Li Mo."
"Welcome to our humble home, Li-kun."
"Thank you for having me."
Li Mo nodded politely. Visiting someone's home late at night, even he felt a bit reserved. He didn't want to cause too much trouble.
"This is deep in the mountains. It's too dangerous to travel at night. Li-kun, please stay here for the night. I'm not feeling well, so I'll retire to my room. Kie will take care of you," Tanjuro said, coughing slightly before heading to the inner room.
"Thank you for your hospitality today," Li Mo said.
"Don't be so polite. Anyone would do the same," Kamado Kie said with a warm smile.
Her smile was like the winter sun, warming Li Mo's body and relaxing his mind.
It was like a mother's smile.
"Thank you," Li Mo said softly, sitting down by the fire.
"Don't mention it. Here, have some hot soup. It's just mushroom soup, but it's quite delicious."
"Thank you."
A bowl of hot soup was worth its weight in gold on a winter night, especially since Li Mo hadn't eaten dinner.
The lunchbox he had been carrying had been lost somewhere in the forest during the chase. Not only had he not replenished his energy, but the pursuit had also drained him.
When the hot soup reached his stomach, the warmth spread throughout his body. Li Mo felt like he had been revived.
"There's more. Would you like another bowl?"
"Yes, please."
Kamado Kie smiled and served Li Mo another bowl of mushroom soup, this time with more solid ingredients.
His eating manners were probably quite messy, but hunger was a powerful enemy. He couldn't afford to care about that.
"Mom, do we have a guest?" A child's voice came from the room.
It was a child who looked very much like Tanjuro, even with a similar scar on his forehead. He seemed to be pushing the door open with some difficulty, so only half of his body was visible.
Kamado Kie said to the child, "Tanjiro, come here."
"Okay."
Dressed in thick clothes, like a little dumpling, Tanjiro obediently came to his mother's side and sat down like a little adult.
"This is my eldest son, Kamado Tanjiro. He's five years old this year. Tanjuro and I also have two other children—a girl named Kamado Nezuko and a boy named Kamado Takeo."
As Kamado Kie introduced her children, her eyes shone with a gentle light. To her, her children were treasures.
"Mom, is this uncle a guest?"
"Yes, he's a guest. Tanjiro, be polite and greet him properly."
Tanjiro said, "Hello, Uncle."
"Good evening, Tanjiro," Li Mo said.
"Li-kun, would you like another bowl?"
"Thank you, but I'm full."
"Alright. Let me prepare a futon for you. Please rest in this room tonight."
Li Mo opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but the gentle woman stopped him. "It's late. Let's rest for now. We can talk more tomorrow."
Soon after, Kamado Kie brought out a futon and temporarily settled Li Mo in the small living room. She seemed a bit apologetic, feeling that this arrangement was somewhat rude.
The Kamado family were all good people.
As night fell, Li Mo, now alone, thought to himself.
Also... so Tanjiro is only five years old now? That child is so adorable.
Gradually, exhausted, Li Mo fell into a deep sleep.