Chapter 47: The Leader of the Demon Slayer Corps

The Demon Slayer Corps, as an organization, had a leader who was respectfully referred to as "Oyakata-sama." To the entire Demon Slayer Corps, he was like a father figure.

It made sense. Many members of the Demon Slayer Corps joined in their teens and grew up under Oyakata-sama's guidance. Showing respect to such a person was only natural.

—But Li Mo had never imagined that the process of meeting Oyakata-sama would be so troublesome.

A few days ago, on Natagumo Mountain, Li Mo had killed Rui and its family—or more accurately, Rui and its subordinates. By killing Rui, a member of the Twelve Kizuki, Li Mo had earned the qualification to become a Hashira.

Before officially becoming a Hashira, Li Mo needed to meet Oyakata-sama. The problem lay in the journey to meet him.

"Is meeting Oyakata-sama really this troublesome? How many people have we switched already?"

"Come to think of it, is this the first time in my life that I've been carried on a woman's back? And in such a manner?"

"Do the current Hashira have to go through this when meeting Oyakata-sama?"

"..."

Along the way, Li Mo had many questions. But none of them were answered, or even if they were, he couldn't hear them. His ears were blocked, and he couldn't hear anything from the outside world. How could he know?

His current situation was this: his eyes were covered with a black cloth, his ears were stuffed with hemp, and he couldn't see or hear. Only his mouth was free to speak, and if it weren't for his keen sense of smell, his nose would have been blocked too.

In such a state, talking was a way to relieve stress. But as he kept talking, Li Mo eventually fell silent and began to let his thoughts wander. After leaving Natagumo Mountain, he had rushed here without stopping, only to be handed over to the Kakushi, who had subjected him to this treatment.

He wondered how Makomo was doing. Had she teamed up with anyone? With her skills, she should be doing well in an ordinary squad.

Did Rui really have that many family members? He couldn't remember there being so many. Maybe some of its "family" had died over time? Oh, right, he remembered now. One of its sisters had betrayed it and was burned alive, wasn't she?

As they walked, memories kept surfacing. But most of them were useless. The only useful piece of information was that, a hundred years later in the modern era, one of Tanjiro Kamado's descendants had found the Blue Spider Lily and then managed to kill it?

Wait, was it the Blue Spider Lily or the Blue Morning Glory?

After a long journey of thinking, questioning, and self-reflection, it finally came to an end. Li Mo felt himself being set down. Was it time to switch carriers again? As before, he said, "Thank you." He had been quite chatty along the way, and the fact that the other person had tolerated his ramblings deserved a "thank you."

But this time, he wasn't handed over to someone else. Instead, the black cloth covering his eyes and the stuff in his ears were removed. He regained his sight and hearing.

The Kakushi who had done this quickly bowed and left, disappearing from the scene. Li Mo now had time to observe his surroundings.

He found himself in a courtyard. The trees in the corners were particularly lush, and he stood in the center of the courtyard. Beside the courtyard was a traditional Japanese building, its paper doors open to reveal tatami mats inside.

A man sat there.

He was a handsome man, though the purple mark on his forehead marred his appearance. Upon closer inspection, it looked like a tumor—a scar from a burn.

"Oyakata-sama." Li Mo knelt on one knee, suddenly feeling like a medieval knight pledging allegiance to a noble. This led him to think of the phrase, "The subordinate of my subordinate is not my subordinate." The human mind's ability to jump from one thought to another was on full display here.

"I apologize for the manner in which you were brought here."

"It's fine, Oyakata-sama. Is there something you need from me?" Li Mo asked.

Oyakata-sama: "Let me introduce myself. I am Ubuyashiki Kagaya, the current head of the Ubuyashiki family. This isn't the first time we've met, is it?"

"No, Oyakata-sama."

Li Mo had seen Ubuyashiki Kagaya during the Final Selection. This being their second meeting, Li Mo felt more at ease. Familiarity breeds comfort, and he wasn't fond of overly formal situations.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Yes, please."

Soon, Li Mo was sipping tea brewed by Ubuyashiki Kagaya. During this time, Oyakata-sama explained the responsibilities of a Hashira. The main point was that once someone became a Hashira, they wouldn't have to go through such a cumbersome process to meet him.

"Oyakata-sama, I have a question. When Gyomei Himejima first met you, did he go through the same process? If so, how did anyone manage to carry someone who's 2.2 meters tall?"

Ubuyashiki Kagaya: "Gyomei was a child I brought out of prison. He didn't go through this process when we met."

"Oh, Oyakata-sama. Aren't you concerned that I might be lying about killing a member of the Twelve Kizuki? There were no witnesses at the time. Aren't you worried I might be exaggerating my achievements?"

This question had been on Li Mo's mind during the journey. Exaggerating achievements was common throughout history, like ancient armies inflating their numbers by including civilians transporting supplies, claiming to have a "million-strong army."

Li Mo was the first to raise this question. Many members of the Demon Slayer Corps were teenagers whose logical thinking wasn't fully developed. Moreover, given their level of education, they might not consider such a sinister possibility. Oyakata-sama was different. The Demon Slayer Corps' funding came entirely from the Ubuyashiki family. Someone capable of managing such wealth had to be intelligent.

"I trust my children."

In short, Oyakata-sama trusted him. Li Mo decided to drop the matter.

"Oyakata-sama, you're younger than me, right?" Li Mo said. "I understand the culture here, but it still feels a bit strange."

In Japan, it wasn't uncommon for someone to adopt their younger brother as their own child. Oyakata-sama viewing all Demon Slayers as his children wasn't unusual.

"I understand. Like with Kyojuro Rengoku, I called him 'Rengoku-san.' How about I call you 'Li-san'?"

"Just call me Mo. When you mentioned Rengoku-san, were you referring to the current Flame Hashira?" Li Mo asked.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya: "Yes. When Rengoku-san became the Flame Hashira, my father was still the head of the family. I couldn't be less polite."

"Speaking of the Rengoku family, Oyakata-sama, do you know about 'Sun Breathing'?"

"Sun Breathing..." Ubuyashiki Kagaya paused, his tone meaningful. "That's a very distant term. I only know of its existence. I think the Rengoku family might know more about it. Is that your Breathing Style?"

"Yes," Li Mo said.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya: "Our ancestors once said that if 'Sun Breathing' reappears in the world, its inheritor must be extremely cautious. It will draw the attention of the Demon Progenitor. Mo, be careful."

"I understand, Oyakata-sama."

"Regarding your Hashira name, do you have any ideas? Usually, Hashira are named after their Breathing Style. What do you think?"

Sun Breathing—this name was like PTSD for Muzan. After Yoriichi Tsugikuni's death, Muzan had killed everyone related to Sun Breathing, leaving few records in the Demon Slayer Corps.

The name "Sun Hashira" inherently carried danger.

"Let's just go with 'Sun Hashira.' That name is fine," Li Mo said.

"I respect your decision. As for Sun Breathing, you can ask Rengoku-san for more information. His family might have more detailed records. Rengoku-san is currently stationed in Tokyo. You can go find him there."

"Also, I have a mission for you, Mo. What do you think of the demons on the opposing side?"

The question came from Ubuyashiki Kagaya, and Li Mo had a vague idea of what Oyakata-sama wanted him to do.

He gave his answer: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"Then, this mission is yours."

...

...

A few minutes after Li Mo left, Ubuyashiki Kagaya looked at the teacup in front of him. The remaining tea had long gone cold.

"Ah, Father, I have seen it."

"The first vision has appeared before me. If the second vision appears, then the third will follow."

Ubuyashiki Kagaya touched his forehead. When he had met Gyomei Himejima years ago, there had been nothing there. But after seeing those three visions, he had been injured, and one of his eyes had gone blind.

"But it's fine. This is the ancestors' way of helping their descendants."

All he needed to do was wait.

The teenage boy sat quietly, as calm as an elderly man in the twilight of his life.