Chapter 301: Excited Tanjiro!
"What!?"
Tanjiro was stunned. His hand, resting on the stone, began to tremble, and his gentle gaze wavered.
"Are you... telling the truth, Sir Enel?"
His voice softened, as though afraid that this dream-like promise might shatter if spoken too loudly.
"Of course." Enel nodded, smiling. "When have I ever lied to you?"
As he spoke, he summoned a Rotom and displayed the Ho-oH Feather—now nearly bald by the Pirate World—above Tanjiro's head.
Hmm...
I wonder if the Phoenix King Ho-oH, still frozen in the system, would be so enraged upon learning of this that he might revive himself...
Actually, Enel hadn't initially thought of this item.
Leo had once told him that not every world has an underworld or a space to hold souls.
That's why he didn't recommend methods that required special conditions for resurrection, like the Feather of the Phoenix King.
In the beginning, Enel had followed Leo's advice. Even though he knew about Tanjiro's tragic past, he hadn't mentioned the Ho-Oh Feather to motivate a trade.
After all, if this world didn't have a space for souls, telling Tanjiro about it would only lead to more despair and hurt the reputation of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce.
But just now, as they approached the training area, Enel—who could control lightning—sensed an unusual magnetic field.
On a whim, he used the "kickback" he'd gained from Tanjiro to investigate.
And then... Enel witnessed something surprising.
In this small clearing, nearly 20 souls—both large and small—were residing. Two of them were identical to Sabito and Makomo, whom Tanjiro had mentioned before.
Several others resembled Tanjiro and Nezuko, gathered around him.
If nothing unexpected had occurred, these souls were likely Tanjiro's deceased family members.
Enel instantly realized...
This world didn't need a separate space to carry souls—it could carry them within itself!
Overjoyed by this discovery, Enel grinned. From his experience in the Pirate World, he knew resurrection was a commodity people would do anything for.
"It seems my luck isn't as bad as I thought," he mused.
Setting aside the rough start when he first entered this world, the presence of demons to exchange points with and the method of resurrection made it clear that Enel's trading journey would go smoothly.
Perhaps all he needed was to wait a few more months to finish his internship tasks!
At the very least, the boy in front of him, Tanjiro, would bring him tens of thousands of points in transactions!
As he looked into Tanjiro's eyes, burning with determination, Enel was certain of it.
---
Time passed quickly.
Another half-month flew by.
During this time, Tanjiro trained hard, cared for the sleeping Nezuko, and worked with his fiery companion, Larvesta.
Occasionally, he would return to the boulder he had split and murmur to himself.
Though he couldn't see the souls of Sabito and Makomo, Enel had assured him that they lingered there every day.
Sabito, Makomo, Mother, Hanako, Takeo, Shigeru, Rokuta—and Nezuko, who he needed to restore to human form.
A quick calculation made Tanjiro realize his current wishes would require at least 50,000 points!
That was an astronomical amount for someone who had only redeemed 2,600 points so far.
On top of that, he needed to be a VIP Level 6 member to even qualify for Nezuko's treatment.
Under this immense pressure, Tanjiro trained harder than ever—harder than when he faced the trial.
If he didn't end each day with scars, it meant he wasn't pushing himself enough.
After half a month of effort, and with the help of bond evolution, Tanjiro finally grasped the fundamentals of Sun Breathing due to his fire ability.
Though not yet fully mastered, it allowed him to surpass level 20 in strength, and Larvesta reached level 15.
The bond evolution empowered Tanjiro's attacks, making them as potent as those of a level 30 fighter.
Larvesta's abilities exceeded level 20 after its evolution as well.
In just two weeks, Tanjiro's power had doubled!
Enel had expected to stay until Larvesta's strength caught up with Tanjiro's.
However, today marked a turning point. The swordsmith from the Demon Slayer Corps had completed Tanjiro's Nichirin Sword.
Along with it came an order from the Demon Slayer Corps:
"Kamado Tanjiro! Your mission awaits!"
"Travel to the northwestern town, where girls have been disappearing."
"Each night—girls vanish!"
"Find and defeat the demon hiding there!"
A raspy voice, almost like a eunuch's, delivered the Demon Slayer Corps' instructions, echoing in Tanjiro's crows beak.
"A hidden demon...?"
As he gripped the newly-forged Nichirin Sword, Tanjiro rose to his feet, fire blazing in his eyes. It was unclear whether it was rage... or anticipation.
Without hesitation, Tanjiro packed his belongings and prepared to set off.
Now more than ever, he longed to face the demon.
Only by defeating more demons could he grow stronger!
Only then could he restore Nezuko to her human form!
Only then could he resurrect his family and the children slain by demons!
Responsibility and purpose fueled Tanjiro, driving him forward.
Before departing, Urokodaki, aware of Nezuko's condition, had crafted a wooden box for Tanjiro to carry her in.
Now, Tanjiro could focus on the mission without worrying about his sister.
Half an hour after the crow delivered the message, a young man carrying a wooden box, resembling a wandering salesman, embarked on his demon-hunting journey.
To avoid interfering with the system and disrupting normal transactions, Enel didn't follow Tanjiro closely.
Instead, he relied on his powerful Observation Haki and the properties of the Thunder Fruit to track Tanjiro from afar.
...
...
The scorching sun slowly began to set.
The rays of the sunset bathed the flat path in a warm, golden glow.
Tanjiro arrived in the small town that his crow had mentioned, just before darkness fell.
Almost the moment he set foot in the town, an unsettling and foul stench assaulted his sharp senses.
Tanjiro's nose twitched, and his brows furrowed instantly.
"As suspected... there's definitely a demon here!"
Using his keen sense of smell, Tanjiro cautiously made his way into a narrow alley.
Just like in the original story, it was there that he encountered a young man in despair, having recently lost his fiancée.
Based on the information the man provided, Tanjiro quickly deduced the area where the demon was likely operating.
Yet, no matter how hard he searched, he couldn't pinpoint the exact location of the demon.
Left with no other choice, Tanjiro decided to wait in silence.
He knew...
Once night fell, the demon would surely strike.
Though it was risky, it was the only option he had at the moment.
Time passed, minute by minute.
In a flash, the sun vanished below the horizon.
The sky filled with stars, illuminated by the bright moonlight.
Late at night.
And at that very moment...
A strange puddle of water suddenly appeared in front of a wealthy family's house.
The ripples in the liquid shimmered darkly, moving toward the house as if it had a will of its own.
"Eh?"
Up in the sky, Enel, who was hovering in mid-air using his moon steps, observed the scene below with growing curiosity.
"Demons in this world... have abilities like Devil Fruits?!"
The revelation piqued his interest.
After all, an ability that allowed a creature to move through the ground like water was a rare sight in any world.
"This must be the 'Blood Demon Art' that Urokodaki mentioned, right?"
"I thought it was just some power to enhance combat skills, but I didn't expect it to mimic the effects of a Devil Fruit!"
Enel licked his lips in anticipation.
Suddenly, the world he was in didn't seem as terrible as Sir Leo had warned.
At the very least...
The abilities to be discovered here were worth exploring!
A few days ago, Enel had been considering Tanjiro's Water Breathing technique.
However, the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce had only valued it at 80 points—a surprisingly low figure.
The low evaluation also shocked Enel.
Even if Tanjiro's control of the technique was basic, a body-enhancing method like that should be worth more.
Curious, Enel used his points to further investigate the breathing technique.
Soon, he uncovered the truth...
This technique only improved concentration.
Tanjiro's growing strength was largely due to his own talent and relentless training.
Of course, that was just the basic level of the technique.
But as one advanced, the technique required the user to consume their life force.
In other words...
It traded lifespan for power.
Similar effects could be achieved through Observation Haki and Armament Haki, without the cost of one's life. So, according to the Chamber of Commerce's evaluation...
This breathing technique wasn't worth collecting.
Knowing its limitations, Enel planned to encourage Tanjiro to gather more points and switch to practicing the power system of the Pirate World as soon as possible.
Though learning Armament and Observation Haki was difficult...
At least...
They didn't drain one's lifespan.
---
A few seconds after Enel noticed the demon's actions, Tanjiro—who had been waiting patiently—suddenly opened his eyes!
"It's here!"
Without hesitation, he bent his knees and sprang up, his body shooting toward the rooftop like a tightly wound spring.
"Over there!"
Expecting danger yet determined, Tanjiro quickly sprinted across the rooftops.
Soon, he reached the courtyard of a wealthy family.
Suddenly, a black, cold flash of light cut through the air!
Without a second thought, Tanjiro burst into the room where the girl was trapped.
Before him stood a girl, her mouth and nose smothered by multiple arms, unable to make a sound.
"A demon!!!"
The demon was moments away from dragging the girl into the abyss beneath the floor. Tanjiro reacted instantly, moving in a blur to her side, his sword slicing horizontally.
"Water Breathing, First Form – Water Surface Slash!!!"
In an instant, the air shimmered with blue ripples.
A sharp slash tore into the dark pool beneath them.
At that moment...
Tanjiro didn't stop to worry whether his slash had severed the demon's head, which might affect his ability to redeem points.
Saving lives was more important than earning points!
A gush of blood splattered from the eerie pool of water, spraying everywhere.
With a piercing shriek, the demon's arms twitched violently before retreating back into the depths.
Realizing the demon wasn't dead, Tanjiro quickly reassured the terrified girl:
"It's alright, you're safe..."
"But a demon using the Blood Demon Art... that should be worth quite a lot of points!"
With a few comforting words, Tanjiro turned his focus back to the pursuit.
Sniffing the air, his nose—far keener than even the sharpest police dog's—picked up the demon's trail.
Though his eyesight was nowhere near as sharp as his sense of smell, he could still sense the traces of the demon's Blood Demon Art.
It had liquified the ground beneath it.
If he let the demon escape now, catching it again would be nearly impossible!!!
With a sharp motion, Tanjiro threw a Poké Ball from his waist.
In a commanding voice, he called out to the watery demon in the distance:
"Larvesta! Use Flame Wheel!!!"
Though he wasn't well-versed in physics, Tanjiro, who had worked tirelessly in his household all his life, knew one thing...
When water is heated, it boils!
Since the demon had chosen to hide in the water, all he needed to do was turn the liquid into boiling hot water that no demon could withstand!
"Chirp!"
Larvesta, participating in battle for the first time, brimmed with excitement, responding telepathically to Tanjiro's command through their many bond evolutions.
As soon as it appeared, a massive ring of fire ignited in front of Larvesta, instantly illuminating the darkening sky.
In the next moment...
The fiery ring surged forward, precisely predicting the pool's location, and shot straight into the water!
Even though Larvesta was only at a modest level, its fire attack was far from weak!
Ssssss—!
A thick cloud of murky steam erupted into the air.
Immediately after, three grotesque demons emerged from the pool, their skin blistered and swollen.
Though their wounds quickly began to heal due to their regenerative powers, it was clear they couldn't dive back into the scalding water anytime soon.
After all, demons may be adept at healing, but they're not immune to pain.
"Huh? Three of them?"
Just then, Tanjiro landed, having swiftly pursued from behind.
As he looked at the three snarling demons before him, their fangs bared and eyes gleaming with malice...
A glint of gold flashed in his eyes.
Perhaps he had picked up some bad habits from Enel...
Because, without thinking, Tanjiro licked his lips.
"Three demons with Blood Demon Art..."
"This time..."
"It's going to be a good haul!!!"