Chapter 52: A year as a Pillar

A year has passed just like that.

There's almost no difference between being a "Pillar" and not being one. Members of the Demon Slayer Corps are all driven by the singular goal of "killing demons." They are experts at killing demons, but finding demons is the responsibility of the "Kakushi."

The number of "Kakushi" members far exceeds that of swordsmen. The terrifying mortality rate of swordsmen ensures their numbers never grow too high. If it weren't for the annual "Final Selection" providing fresh blood, it's questionable whether the organization could continue to function.

The work of a "Pillar" is closely tied to both the "Kakushi" and the regular "Demon Slayers." When a large number of deaths occur in a certain area and reinforcements are needed, the "Pillars" step in. Over the past year, Li Mo has been responding to reports from the "Kakushi," providing support and slaying powerful demons. These demons might be difficult for regular swordsmen, but for Li Mo, most were dealt with in a single strike—or two, if necessary.

Along the way, he even encountered one of the Twelve Kizuki, though it was a lower-ranked member, not one of the Upper Six. Due to the demon's Blood Demon Art, Li Mo spent some effort before finally cutting off its head.

His communication with Lady Tamayo never stopped. During this time, he also sent her samples of demon blood for her research. However, as her studies progressed, the requirements for blood samples became more stringent. It seemed that in the future, only the blood of the Upper Ranks would suffice.

—Well, that's a problem for future Li Mo to worry about.

"Next, where am I supposed to patrol?"

Standing in a forest near a mine, Li Mo had been called to deal with a demon causing disturbances that halted work. The mine's manager, who had heard of the Demon Slayer Corps, invited them to handle the situation. Several regular Demon Slayers had already fallen here, so Li Mo had to step in.

"Caw caw—Next, it's time for the idiot to rest," the Kasugai Crow on Li Mo's shoulder squawked.

"Stupid bird, how many times have I told you? Don't call me an idiot. Do you believe I'll pluck your feathers and roast you?"

"Caw—You wouldn't dare!"

"Ugh, my temper!" Li Mo grabbed the crow by its feet and swung it around, causing a few feathers to fall out. He was about to take a few days off anyway, so the crow wouldn't be of much use for a while.

"Caw—Caw, you jerk! There's a letter for you."

"Oh? I thought that thing on your foot was just decoration. How many times have you tricked me now?" Despite his words, Li Mo stopped tormenting the crow and took the letter from its foot.

Kasugai Crows usually don't carry letters. Their intelligence allows them to relay messages verbally. Missions are typically communicated this way, but for more personal correspondence, the crows act like traditional carrier pigeons.

After releasing the crow, Li Mo expected it might retaliate by pecking him, but he was quick enough to catch it again if it tried. The reflexes of a "Pillar" were no joke.

"A letter from Kanaho?"

Looking at the signature, Li Mo remembered the gentle woman. The last time they met was two years ago. After extensive training, she had participated in the "Final Selection" and become an official Demon Slayer. In the letter, apart from describing her current situation, Kanaho also wrote about her sister, Shinobu. It seemed that during the "Final Selection," there had been an outstanding participant who killed demons left and right, allowing even Shinobu, who couldn't cut through a demon's neck, to pass the test.

Kanaho also mentioned that Shinobu had poisoned a demon on Mount Fujikasane and was frustrated that there wasn't a second demon to experiment on.

"Sabito, you did well," Li Mo muttered, a wide grin spreading across his face.

Fate had been changed.

Sabito and Giyu Tomioka had participated in their "Final Selection" that year. This time, Sabito wasn't killed by the Hand Demon but successfully passed. With his talent and strength, Sabito was unlikely to fail unless he encountered a demon like the Hand Demon, which had exploited a loophole. The previous year, Li Mo had cleared Mount Fujikasane from top to bottom, ensuring no overpowered demons remained.

The only downside was that Demon Slayers had to capture and release demons onto the mountain for the selection. As a "Pillar," Li Mo didn't have to do this himself—to him, all demons were equally weak.

—All of them could be dealt with in a single strike.

Though Li Mo had once helped others with such tasks as a last resort.

"Caw—Are you going to rest for a few days?"

"I'll take a week off. I want to visit Urokodaki-sensei," Li Mo said.

Of course, he couldn't leave immediately. After just emerging from the mine tunnels, having slain the demon, Li Mo was covered in grime, and his haori was stained black.

If it weren't for the fact that demons' bodies disintegrate upon death, he'd likely be covered in blood.

Arriving at a nearby estate marked with the Wisteria Family crest, Li Mo decided to rest for the night. He opened the system panel and entered the "Level Up" interface, looking at the nearly empty experience bar.

"Finally reached Level 12. The higher the level, the longer the experience bar. Will it be like Genshin Impact, where the last five levels require more experience than the first fifty-five combined?"

Li Mo wasn't sure. Who knew how this broken system would unfold?

Looking at the extra six attribute points and his unchanged six core stats, he closed the system interface. Stat-wise, he hadn't grown stronger, but his overall combat ability had improved significantly. His mastery of "Sun Breathing" and "Softness Release" had deepened through daily training. He had even learned to use "Softness Release" to unleash devastating power.

By mastering the balance between relaxation and tension, he could generate unparalleled destructive force at the moment of attack, capable of splitting mountains and shattering boulders. The only downside was that this technique couldn't be applied to his Nichirin Blade. It only worked with his fists. He had tried it with a regular sword, but the blade snapped instantly.

—Nichirin Blades are fragile weapons that can be easily broken from the side.

"Maybe it's time to disappear and go home? I wonder how time will flow in this world after I leave. Will it sync up when I return?"

"This broken system."

The system had been patched up somewhat. At least the interface no longer looked like it had been chewed by a dog. It was neat and presentable now. But that was about it.

So far, only the appearance had been fixed. Why not fix the functionality too?

Li Mo was getting used to the system's unreliability.

After venting his frustrations, Li Mo checked the time and decided to rest, soon falling into a deep sleep.