Chapter 133: Conflict and Lesson

If we shift perspectives, based on the power levels of this world, it's indeed difficult for Hashira to defeat Upper Moons. The current generation of Hashira is strong, but even so, it often takes two or three of them to take down an Upper Moon, especially one like Upper Moon Three, who ranks among the top three.

That said, being questioned so directly didn't sit well with Roa. He looked at Sanemi expressionlessly, "Want to test me? See if I can really kill an Upper Moon?"

Sanemi grinned fiercely. Known for his temper, he reached out to grab Roa's collar, but Roa effortlessly dodged.

Behind them, Iguro remained silent, his cold, heterochromatic eyes watching the two. After a moment, he said, "Why don't you two go first?"

Iguro's implication was clear—he also wanted to test Roa's strength.

Roa smirked inwardly. Being such an easygoing person, he found it amusing that he was immediately challenged by two individuals. Not teaching them a lesson would be a blow to his pride.

Iguro suddenly asked, "I heard your Nichirin Sword broke?"

Roa nodded, "No problem. My fists are pretty strong too."

He flexed his arm, though it wasn't particularly muscular.

Iguro glanced at him and nodded.

Roa realized that these Hashira were all problematic in their own ways—three with cold personalities and one with a fiery temper.

Sanemi bared his sharp teeth, "What's the matter? Scared?"

Roa looked at Sanemi and Iguro, "Don't say I'm bullying you. Come at me together."

Kyojuro Rengoku, who had been watching with a smile, suddenly turned serious. He stepped forward, intending to intervene, and looked at Kagaya Ubuyashiki, "Master, aren't you going to stop them?"

Kagaya remained silent for a moment, scanning the room. Seeing the curiosity in most of the Hashira's eyes, he finally said, "Then, let them spar. I'd like to see the strength of our new Thunder Hashira."

Kagaya's words served as a reminder to everyone.

Sanemi sneered, "The Thunder Hashira, huh? No wonder you're so cocky. But, newbie, you might not understand the hierarchy in the Demon Slayer Corps."

Roa cut straight to the point, "Are we fighting or not? Both of you, come at me."

Sanemi was infuriated by Roa's words, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked. His beast-like eyes seem ready to devour Roa.

Roa waved his hand, "Shall we begin?"

Iguro nodded, the white snake around his neck flicking its tongue.

Sanemi didn't waste any more words and charged at Roa. He didn't use his sword, as half of a Demon Slayer's strength lies in their Nichirin Sword. Since Roa didn't have one, Sanemi decided not to use his weapon either.

Even without a weapon, Sanemi was confident in his victory.

However, while Sanemi chose not to use his weapon, Iguro had already drawn his Nichirin Sword.

Unlike Sanemi Shinazugawa, Obanai Iguro had heard of Roa's exploits.

When he killed Upper Moon Three, his Nichirin Sword broke, and he simply discarded it, using his fists to make Upper Moon Three question his existence.

Regardless of how strong Upper Moon Three was, the fact that Roa could fight an Upper Moon with his bare body alone was enough to prove his strength beyond doubt.

Obanai Iguro was indeed curious about Roa's strength and wanted to test his level, which is why he probed with a few words. However, this did not mean that Obanai Iguro would underestimate his opponent.

Even if the opponent was unarmed, Obanai Iguro intended to use his Nichirin Sword.

His hand instinctively reached for the Nichirin Sword hanging at his waist. Obanai's Nichirin Sword was a curved, snake-shaped double-edged sword with a purple sword. The circular guard was engraved with a snake pattern.

Obanai Iguro's Breathing Technique, along with his swordsmanship, was as flexible as his Nichirin Sword, allowing his sword path to curve like a snake. It was precisely because of his precise sword swings that he could freely change the techniques of the Serpent Breathing. By honing his skills to the limit, he could easily navigate through narrow gaps and deliver a "winding" strike.

Unfortunately, he still underestimated Roa.

When Sanemi Shinazugawa charged at Roa, Obanai Iguro had not yet drawn his sword, but Roa had already grabbed Sanemi Shinazugawa's wrist. Sanemi was momentarily stunned by Roa's speed.

In the next moment, the world seemed to spin, and an irresistible force pulled him. The strength was so overwhelming that he couldn't resist. Suppressing his shock, he swung his right fist toward Roa's face.

But just as Sanemi Shinazugawa was about to act, a hand grabbed his outstretched left arm. The powerful force pulled him and slammed him toward Obanai Iguro's position.

Obanai Iguro's expression showed a moment of surprise. He had expected Sanemi Shinazugawa to lose, as Sanemi's true strength lay in his Breathing Technique, and his physical abilities were no match for Roa. However, he didn't expect Sanemi to lose so quickly.

Obanai Iguro cursed Sanemi Shinazugawa in his mind, took a deep breath, and prepared to use his Breathing Technique to dodge and then attack Roa.

But when Obanai Iguro dodged Sanemi Shinazugawa, his expression froze.

Roa had already disappeared from his original position. Obanai Iguro, now without a target, began to look around.

The snake around his neck suddenly turned its head, flicking its tongue.

Obanai Iguro quickly retreated backward, using his Nichirin Sword to block in front of him. Roa, who had somehow appeared behind him, swung a punch.

The powerful force sent Obanai Iguro's blood churning. Even though he managed to protect himself at the last moment and block the punch, it still left him feeling uncomfortable for a while.

Roa, however, was surprised. He looked at the snake around Obanai Iguro's neck, deep in thought.

After being punched away, Obanai Iguro was thrown into a corner, and Sanemi Shinazugawa, who had been thrown to the ground, stood up again.

The exchange between the two seemed lengthy, but it actually happened in an instant.

The speed was so fast that even the Hashiras could only see a blur of Roa's afterimage.

Sanemi Shinazugawa, holding his arm, roared at Roa, "Bastard, don't look down on people!"

Roa turned to Sanemi Shinazugawa with curiosity and said, "I'm not looking down on you. Who was the one who provoked me first?"

Sanemi Shinazugawa was momentarily speechless, but then he continued to roar, "Use your full strength! You're still holding back, aren't you?"

Roa smiled, took a few steps forward, and his golden eyes stared directly at Sanemi. As he walked, he said, "Are you sure?"

In the next moment, Roa disappeared from his spot. Sanemi Shinazugawa's pupils contracted, and he kicked backward with all his might.

But his kick missed.

Roa's handsome face showed a teasing smile as he said, "I'm over here, kid. You need more practice. With just this, you can't kill an Upper Moon."

The scene shifted again, and the world seemed to turn upsi down. Sanemi Shinazugawa was once again lifted by Roa and slammed into the ground.

Of course, Roa didn't use much force, only enough to temporarily incapacitate Sanemi. After all, this was just a sparring match, and there was no need to be too harsh.

Sanemi Shinazugawa lay on the ground, looking up at the blue sky and white clouds with a dazed expression.

The sparrows in the trees chirped, and Sanemi's fierce expression gradually calmed down.

After dealing with Sanemi Shinazugawa, Roa walked over to Obanai Iguro and said, "Your snake is interesting, but you can't keep up with my speed, can you? Even with your snake's warning."

Obanai Iguro fell into silence. He was naturally a man of few words. Finally, he nodded and said, "You're strong. I'm no match for you."

He sheathed his Nichirin Sword, admitting defeat wholeheartedly. Losing and admitting it was not shameful.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki nodded slightly, his scarred face showing a gentle smile. He said to everyone, "Well, I believe has now seen the strength of the Thunder Hashira."

The eight Hashiras present exchanged glances, and except for Sanemi Shinazugawa, who was still on the ground, they all nodded.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki's voice was soft, and his words carried a natural sense of affinity. Just by speaking, he eased the slightly tense atmosphere.

Roa walked to the corner and helped Sanemi Shinazugawa up, giving him a sunny smile. "Are you okay?"

Sanemi Shinazugawa snorted coldly and ignored Roa's outstretched hand, struggling to stand up on his own.

Roa wasn't embarrassed. He withdrew his hand and greeted everyone with a smile, "My name is Roa. I look forward to working with you all."

The other eight Hashiras' expressions softened, and they nodded at Roa, acknowledging his strength.

Kyojuro Rengoku, however, was very excited and waved at Roa, saying, "Handsome young man, your strength is impressive. We must spar sometime!"

Roa nodded.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki coughed lightly, interrupting the conversation. He looked around at everyone and said in a calm voice, "I believe you all know why I called you here today. Yesterday, two Upper Moons, who had not been replaced for a hundred years, were killed. This is shocking, perhaps even unprecedented in the past two hundred years. Countless people have died at the hands of the Upper Moons, and one Hashira after another has fallen before them. Yet, no one has been able to kill an Upper Moon—until now. The appearance of the Thunder Hashira has given us hope, the hope of killing Muzan Kibutsuji."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki paused and continued, "This is good news. We have gained a stronger swordsman, and the enemy has lost two Upper Moons, one of whom was Upper Moon Three. I believe that in our generation, we can resolve this centuries-old feud."

The Hashiras present all showed expressions of excitement. After all, everyone here had suffered greatly at the hands of demons.

Demons don't think twice about eating humans, and over the centuries, this has led to countless tragedies.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki gave everyone time to digest the information, then continued, "However, this incident has caused quite a stir. Muzan Kibutsuji will undoubtedly take action. We must strengthen our vigilance in the coming days. Hashiras, you are the top swordsmen of your respective Breathing Styles. We will need to rely on you heavily in the near future."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki then took a thick stack of documents from his wife and began to explain the recent locations where demons had been sighted.

The main topics of discussion among the Hashiras were the areas where demons were active, Muzan Kibutsuji's current location, his movements, the next generation of Hashiras, and the overall discipline and balance of power within the Demon Slayer Corps.

Roa scratched his head. Aside from Muzan Kibutsuji's location, he wasn't particularly interested in the other topics.

In reality, the locations of Muzan Kibutsuji and the Twelve Kizuki were constantly changing. At best, they could only determine a general direction, and the most useful piece of information was only one.

That was the Infinity Castle.

Compared to the mobile demons, the location of the Infinity Castle was much more obvious.

The Infinity Castle was the alternate-dimensional castle where Muzan Kibutsuji, the progenitor of demons, resided. This place could be considered the demons' stronghold, and in fact, no member of the Demon Slayer Corps had ever reached this place.

Roa had originally planned to take on the entire Upper Moons and Muzan Kibutsuji alone. Given Muzan's cautious and prudent nature, the final battle would likely take place in the Infinity Castle. The Infinity Castle itself was vast, and if Roa were to charge in recklessly, even though he had killed Upper Moon Three and Upper Moon Five, it would still be extremely challenging.

And if Muzan Kibutsuji were to discover Roa's true strength, he would likely choose to flee far away.

Muzan Kibutsuji had no sense of dignity as a strong individual. All he desired was eternal life.

If he encountered an opponent he couldn't defeat, he would choose to run away and outlive them, successfully demonstrating what it meant to be a coward.

After assigning tasks to everyone, Kagaya Ubuyashiki looked at Roa, who was idly standing by, and gently coughed. "Roa, I may have to go back on our previous agreement."

Roa raised an eyebrow and looked at Kagaya Ubuyashiki without saying a word.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki showed a pained expression and said directly, "You know that our Demon Slayer Corps is severely understaffed. As a swordsman of your caliber, I hope you can take on some responsibility."

Roa nodded and simply said, "Oh."

The other Hashiras all turned their heads, curiously observing Roa.

Some of the Hashiras were aware of Roa's previous actions, and they knew that Kagaya Ubuyashiki had given Roa a lot of leeway. Initially, they thought that giving him such privileges was excessive, but considering that even without a young upstart like Roa, there wouldn't be much loss. However, now it seemed that letting Roa remain idle would be a waste.

This wasn't something that could be solved by saying, "If you don't do it, someone else will."

In reality, if a Hashira were to face an Upper Moon, the likelihood of death was very high.

The importance of a fighter who could single-handedly kill two Upper Moons was self-evident.

If a Hashira were to encounter an Upper Moon alone, they would most likely die, but if two Hashiras were present, the risk could be minimized, and they could at least hold out until dawn.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki continued, "So, as compensation, what do you want?"

Roa had somewhat anticipated this outcome. He had revealed his strength too quickly, and the current Hashiras were still growing. Additionally, the original Love Hashira had not yet appeared. If he were to back out now, the Demon Slayer Corps would indeed be in a difficult position.

Roa thought for a moment and said to Kagaya Ubuyashiki, "I want to bring my relatives here to settle down. After all, you know that Muzan Kibutsuji will definitely target me first. Those two Upper Moons were after me this time."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki raised an eyebrow, and the other Hashiras showed strange expressions. Kagaya Ubuyashiki asked curiously, "They were after you?"

Roa nodded and briefly explained the sequence of events. The expressions of everyone present became extremely colorful.

Muzan Kibutsuji had sent two Upper Moons to kill Roa, but Roa had ambushed and killed them instead.

It was somewhat absurd.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki sighed and nodded, "In that case, bring them here. Although it's a bit against the rules, where do you want to settle them? Here?"

Roa nodded and said, "Please arrange a relatively secluded room for them, as long as it's within the warning range. I don't want them to be attacked by ordinary demons. They are just ordinary, after all."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki showed a warm smile and waved to his wife, who handed him a map. He pointed to a location and asked, "Where do you want to go?"

Roa replied without hesitation, "The area where I killed the Upper Moons. This matter isn't over yet. Muzan Kibutsuji will likely send someone to investigate. I'll stay there and wait. Maybe I can catch another Upper Moon."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki fell silent. Roa's words were not without reason, but the problem was that Roa made killing Upper Moons sound as easy as eating and drinking.

The other Hashiras exchanged glances. Kagaya Ubuyashiki remained silent for a moment, then turned to Shinobu Kocho and said, "Then, Insect Hashira, you will patrol with the Water Hashira. That area will be left to Roa. Of course, you won't just be patrolling. If there are any demon disturbances in the surrounding areas or if other Hashiras request assistance you will need to help as well."

Roa nodded, indicating that he understood.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki continued, "Wait a little longer, and I will send someone to bring you a Nichirin Sword. In the meantime, you can use this one."

With that, Kagaya Ubuyashiki waved his hand, and a Demon Slayer Corps member stepped forward, presenting a Nichirin Sword that was 80% similar to the one Roa had used before.

Roa said, "Oh," and tested the sword's feel. It was decent for killing demons, but its actual effectiveness was mediocre.

Roa couldn't help but frown when he thought about the Nichirin Sword that had been broken when he killed Upper Moon Three. It seemed he needed to find a better weapon.

Although he had a magic sword by his side and wasn't overly reliant on swords, having a high-quality weapon was indeed very important.