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...
"I lost!"
Looking at the long sword on his chest, Urokodaki Sakonji slowly said.
"You've grown to surpass me, it's truly remarkable!"
"It's all thanks to your teachings," Mika replied humbly as he withdrew his sword.
Urokodaki Sakonji shook his head.
"Your swordsmanship has completely surpassed mine. I haven't even reached this level myself, so how could I have taught you this?"
"But now I can be completely at ease. Someone like you will surely survive until the end."
Urokodaki Sakonji's voice was filled with satisfaction.
...
After staying in the Sagiri Mountains for three days, Mika bid farewell to Urokodaki Sakonji, saying he planned to travel more before participating in the Demon Slayer Corps selection when the time came later that year.
"Take this with you."
Mika accepted the katana Urokodaki Sakonji handed him. Upon unsheathing it, he was immediately drawn to the azure blade.
"Is this... a Nichirin blade?"
"That's right. This is my Nichirin blade. It'll be helpful to have a Nichirin blade with you while you're traveling outside."
"But what about you if you give me your Nichirin blade?"
Although Mika liked this Nichirin blade very much, he also knew how important it was for demon-slaying swordsmen.
"Don't worry, I'll have another one made. Besides, I'm retired now. I don't have many opportunities to fight demons anymore. You should take it with you."
Patting Mika's shoulder, Urokodaki Sakonji said gently, "Consider it as inheriting my will."
"..."
"I understand!"
Gripping the Nichirin blade tightly after sheathing it, Mika said earnestly, "I will definitely use it to cut off Demon King Muzan's head."
"Mm!"
Urokodaki Sakonji nodded seriously.
"Oh, and take this too."
Pulling out a fox mask from his chest, Urokodaki Sakonji handed it to Mika, saying warmly, "I give this 'disaster-averting mask' to every student who graduates from my tutelage as a graduation gift. This one is yours."
"Thank you, Urokodaki-sensei!"
Slowly accepting the mask and carefully placing it on the side of his forehead, Mika said emotionally.
"Then I'll be going, Urokodaki-sensei."
"Go on!"
"Yes!"
Nodding firmly, Mika turned and left.
Urokodaki Sakonji stood there, watching Mika's back until his figure completely disappeared from sight.
"Don't you dare die, Mika!"
...
After leaving the Sagiri Mountains, Mika found himself at a loss.
Planning to involve himself in the Demon Slayer storyline, Mika had split up with Airmid and the others, letting them wander freely in this world.
But now, due to his actions, he had missed all the plot points he knew about.
This left Mika completely unsure where to look for Tanjiro next.
"Is Tanjiro at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters right now, or on the Infinity Train? Or has he already left the Infinity Train?"
"This is such a hassle!"
Sitting in a small noodle shop, Mika pondered while eating his noodles.
Soon, his deliberations led him to a conclusion.
"I should go check out the Infinity Train."
With Tanjiro's whereabouts now unknown, determining the timeline became more crucial.
For now, the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters location was unknown and couldn't be confirmed.
So the only way to determine the timeline was through the Infinity Train.
"I wonder if the Flame Pillar Rengoku Kyojuro is dead yet."
Regarding the Infinity Train, Mika only knew that Tanjiro and Flame Pillar Rengoku Kyojuro encountered Upper Moon Three Akaza there, and that Flame Pillar Rengoku Kyojuro died there protecting the passengers on the train.
As for what Upper Moon Three meant?
Under Demon King Muzan's command, there was a group called the 'Twelve Kizuki'.
These twelve were considered the strongest among Muzan's subordinates.
Furthermore, these twelve were divided into Upper Moons and Lower Moons, with six in each group.
Although they seemed close in rank, the strength of the Upper Moons and Lower Moons was vastly different.
In the hundreds of years since Muzan's birth, the six Upper Moons had never changed, but the six Lower Moons were constantly shifting.
Those 'Twelve Kizuki' who were defeated by the Demon Slayer Corps were always Lower Moons.
And among the Demon Slayer Corps, countless of those called 'Pillars', the strongest swordsmen, had died at the hands of the Upper Moons throughout history.
According to what Mika had read online in his previous life, one Upper Moon was equivalent to three Pillars.
This shows just how terrifyingly powerful the Upper Moons were.
Not to mention that the Flame Pillar was facing Akaza, who ranked third among the Upper Moons.
It was already extremely fortunate that Tanjiro and the others hadn't been completely wiped out at that time.
"I hope the Infinity Train storyline hasn't ended yet."
Thinking this, Mika quickly headed towards the location of the 'Infinity Train' he had inquired about after finishing his meal.
...
[Mika: Hey, where are you guys now?]
[Airmid: Osaka!]
[Mika: That far?]
[Gabriel: What's wrong with being far? For us, it's natural to go wherever it's interesting. We're heading to Tokyo next!]
[Mika: ...]
[Mika: Alright, do as you please. Have fun however you like.]
[Mellie: How are things on your end, Mika? Have you met up with your friend Kamado Tanjiro?]
[Mika: Not yet, I'm on my way to find him now.]
[Mellie: Well, good luck then!]
[Airmid: Good luck!]
[Mika: Thanks! I'll do my best.]
Putting down the Nen phone and ending the communication, Mika turned his attention to the newspaper in front of him.
'Man-eating Infinity Train resumes operation, no abnormalities found after inspection.'
"No abnormalities found after inspection? Has the Infinity Train storyline already ended?"
"Has the demon on the Infinity Train been eliminated by Tanjiro and the others?"
"Is Flame Pillar Rengoku Kyojuro already dead?"
The content of the newspaper was truly hard for Mika to accept. If the Infinity Train storyline had ended, how was he supposed to find Tanjiro and the others?
He didn't know the later plot, nor did he know where the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters was located.
"Do I really have to spend half a year playing around in this world, then wait to participate in the next Final Selection held on Mt. Fujikasane?"
"I guess that's not a bad idea either!"
Recalling Airmid and Mellie who were traveling everywhere, Mika thought this could be a good opportunity to cultivate their relationships.
The thought of traveling and honeymooning with Airmid and Mellie suddenly made Mika's mood brighten.
But then, thinking of his friendship with Tanjiro, Mika hesitated again.
"Well, whatever. I'll still go check out the Infinity Train."
"I'll just treat it as experiencing an 'antique' train ride!"
With this thought, Mika headed towards the ticket booth.
The moment Mika received the Infinity Train ticket from the ticket seller, a sense of crisis suddenly arose within him.
"This is 'Danger Warning'!"
Seeing that his skill had taken effect, Mika immediately focused his attention on the ticket in his hand.
"As soon as I took the ticket, a sense of warning arose. Is it because the identity of an Infinity Train passenger brings danger?"
Recalling that Tanjiro and Flame Pillar Rengoku Kyojuro would encounter Upper Moon Three Akaza on the Infinity Train, a slight smile appeared on Mika's lips.
...
Mika was very punctual.
Living near the train station, Mika was among the earliest batch of passengers to board the Infinity Train, and even his seat was quite close to the front.
"This 'antique' level train does have a unique flavor!"
After walking from the platform into the train, Mika walked along the aisle towards the front of the train.
Arriving at his seat, he sat down quietly.
"From the current situation, it seems the demon on the Infinity Train hasn't been eliminated by the Demon Slayer Corps yet, which means Tanjiro and the others probably haven't arrived at the Infinity Train."
"And the confrontation between Flame Pillar Rengoku Kyojuro and Akaza hasn't started yet either."
"I just don't know when Tanjiro and the others will arrive at the Infinity Train."
Leaning back in his seat, Mika pondered quietly.
"I wonder what kind of strength Flame Pillar Rengoku Kyojuro and Akaza possess!"
As he thought about it, Mika came to the most famous question.
That is, the question of combat power.
Not counting his Nen abilities, with his LV.2 mid-level physical attributes, plus his 'Transparent World' level of combat power, Mika felt he should be among the strongest of the Pillars.
"I wonder how strong the physical attributes of the Flame Pillar and Akaza actually are."
According to Mika's estimate, the Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps should be considerably inferior to the Upper Moon demons in terms of physical attributes. To make up for this gap, they would need to reach the pinnacle of the Breathing techniques: the Demon Slayer Mark.
Once the Demon Slayer Mark is activated, it can't be turned off. It's a state that greatly enhances the body by consuming one's life force, which is why all marked swordsmen can't live past 25 years old.
Except for the founder who created the Breathing techniques, Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
"As the existence that once terrified Muzan, Tsugikuni Yoriichi's strength shouldn't just be reflected in the Demon Slayer Mark and Transparent World."
In his previous life, Mika had seen people arguing online about the combat power of various characters in the Demon Slayer world.
Thus, Mika knew that in the future, besides the protagonist Kamado Tanjiro, there would be others who possessed both the Demon Slayer Mark and Transparent World: Rock Pillar Himejima Gyomei, Mist Pillar Tokito Muichiro, and Snake Pillar Iguro Obanai.
But none of these three displayed the same overwhelming terror as Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
From this, it's clear that in terms of physical attributes, which form the basis of combat power, Tsugikuni Yoriichi was far beyond ordinary people. Perhaps, as he said, he was truly a being sent by heaven to kill Muzan.
"In any case, Upper Moon Three Akaza shouldn't be simple to deal with."
"However, if I really encounter him, I won't just stand by and watch him kill the Flame Pillar."
Although Mika's purpose for this journey was to find Kamado Tanjiro, he wouldn't just be a bystander if he encountered demons.
"Perhaps, I could even directly obtain a position in the Demon Slayer Corps through this."
Although the Demon Slayer Corps position couldn't bring Mika any benefits, Mika, with his collector's mentality, was still enthusiastic about it.
"Woo woo woo!"
With the sound of steam being released, the train slowly began to move in the midst of the steam's eruption, finally speeding along the tracks.
"Finally departing, huh? I wonder if Tanjiro and the others have boarded?"
"Should I go check later?"
"Better wait until after the ticket check, it's best not to cause trouble for the staff."
Thinking this, Mika sat back down and quietly admired the rapidly disappearing scenery outside the window.
"The conductor is coming to check tickets."
Hearing the slightly chaotic sounds of ticket checking nearby, Mika quickly regained his focus.
"Here you go."
Handing his ticket to the conductor, the other party used a special tool to clip a corner off Mika's ticket, proving that Mika hadn't dodged the fare.
"Wait!"
As the ticket was clipped, Mika's danger warning suddenly rang violently in his mind.
"What's going on? Did I fall for it?"
Before Mika could think further, a feeling of drowsiness suddenly arose.
"Sleep state?"
Mika was very familiar with this feeling.
After all, Mellie herself was also a master of dream manipulation, and after gaining the ability to operate dreams, she often ran into Mika's dreams to find him, which made Mika instantly become aware.
Of course, only his consciousness was awake.
His body had still fallen for it.
"Where is this?"
Looking at the familiar surroundings, Mika was immediately stunned.
"Is this my home?"
This wasn't Mika's home in Orario, but the home from his previous life when he was still called 'Mi Kah'.
"It seems I really did fall for it!"
As someone who was often manipulated by Mellie in dreams and met in dreams,
Mika's mind wasn't deceived, he clearly recognized the situation he was in now.
"It seems I've indeed been caught up in the Infinity Train storyline now."
"I should be in a light sleep state now, and I'll wake up immediately if I encounter any real crisis, unless I gradually enter a deep sleep state."
"However, because my mind hasn't been deceived, I probably won't continue to enter a deep sleep state now. As for the method of waking up, it's suicide, right?"
Walking back and forth in his room, Mika couldn't help but chuckle.
As Mika was looking around the room layout, searching for a sharp object to help him end his life, a gentle voice suddenly came from outside the door.
"., aren't you up yet? It's time for dinner!"
The sudden voice interrupted Mika's thoughts, causing him to freeze on the spot.
"That's mom's voice."
Walking out of the room, looking at his father, brother, and sister sitting at the dining table, hearing his mother's voice from the kitchen, Mika's tears began to flow.
This was Mika's home, his home from his previous life.
Father, mother, brother, sister, his family from his previous life were all sitting in this room, warmly conversing.
"What's wrong, brother?"
Noticing Mika's tears, his sister immediately came forward and asked.
"It's nothing, just my glasses are a bit uncomfortable. I'll go wash my face."
Saying this, Mika hurriedly walked into the bathroom and splashed water on his face.
Mika knew very clearly that this was set up by a demon manipulating dreams, it was fake.
But even if it was fake, they still felt so real at this moment.
Mika had long given up hope of being able to return home. He hadn't possessed a corpse to return to life, but had truly experienced a reincarnation. His previous life had long ended.
Even if the current Mika and the former Mika were placed side by side, no one would be able to recognize them.
Even his personality had changed through the trials of different worlds.
Mika understood that he could never go back.
But precisely because of this, he was so reluctant to leave now.
In the dream, he hadn't returned as 'Mika', but as 'Mi Kah' who had never left this place.
"What should I do!"
After a moment of hesitation, Mika made a decision.
He wanted to stay here for a while.
"Given my current state of shallow sleep, any attack directed at me will cause me to wake up. Coupled with the warnings from 'Danger Sense,' I can fully assess my own safety."
"So, before real danger arrives, let me take a little nap!"
Mika smiled bitterly.
"But I do feel a bit sorry for Tanjiro. I initially intended to help him out, but now I can't even ensure my own safety."
"At this moment, I don't want to wake up!"
After tidying up, 'Mi Kah' took a towel from the wall and wiped his face and hands.
Then he walked out of the bathroom.
Pushing open the bathroom door and seeing his father, mother, brother, and sister already seated at the dining table, 'Mi Kah' smiled and said, "Good morning, everyone!"
...
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