On the way back to the Butterfly Mansion.
"Congratulations, Star Pillar, Lord Hoshi." Shinobu Kocho congratulated Hoshidori beside him, happy for him, even though no one else knew he had become a Pillar.
"Don't tease me. My strength is nothing. I still have a long way to go." Hoshidori was uncharacteristically humble.
Shinobu Kocho just smiled and said nothing. She envied Hoshidori for being able to slay demons. She herself was too weak to sever their necks and could only use wisteria poison to kill them.
Upon returning to the Butterfly Mansion, Hoshidori went to find Kanao again. This time, Hoshidori had Li Yun materialize a bracelet, intending to give it to Kanao to see her reaction.
"Kanao, here, a bracelet for you. This one also smells like cherry blossoms." Hoshidori handed a pink bracelet to Kanao. This was simulated by Hoshidori after digitizing cherry blossoms, and it emitted a faint cherry blossom scent.
Kanao took the bracelet with her hand and put it on. She then extended her hand in front of Hoshidori, asking him to see if it looked pretty.
"Thank you, Hoshidori-niichan." Kanao had undergone a significant transformation, no longer the taciturn girl she used to be.
Hoshidori felt like jumping for joy. The first person he wanted to change in this world had succeeded. Yes, Hoshidori wanted a perfect Demon Slayer story, where no characters died. However, the timing of his arrival was after the Tanjiro family's tragedy. He couldn't save those who had already passed.
"Kanao, you look beautiful wearing this bracelet. Don't take it off."
"Thank you, I won't."
Although Kanao's words were still concise, she could now communicate normally. In a while, perhaps she could be like everyone else.
"Kanao Tsuyuri, immediately proceed to Wangjiang Town and rendezvous with Flame Pillar Kyojuro Rengoku. Hunt the demon. Please be extremely careful."
At this moment, Kanao's crow cawed in the sky. Kanao quickly got up, preparing to go to Wangjiang Town to meet Rengoku Kyojuro.
Hoshidori wanted to say something more, but this annoying crow had to interrupt, spoiling the mood.
After Kanao packed her belongings and bid farewell to the people of the Butterfly Mansion, as she was about to leave, Hoshidori suddenly ran over, wearing the Shinsengumi haori.
"Kanao, wait for me. I'll go with you. We'll team up."
Shinobu Kocho immediately disagreed. "No, Hoshidori-kun doesn't have a Nichirin Blade. You can't go!"
Hearing this, Hoshidori said, "That's easy," and shouted, "Sword, come!" A black sword flew from outside the Butterfly Mansion.
"Who says I don't have a weapon? I have this one too. Look, it even has the power of the sun." He then handed the Star Nebula Sword to Shinobu Kocho for her to examine.
Shinobu Kocho saw that it indeed had the same characteristics as a Nichirin Blade and could only agree to let Hoshidori go. "Alright then, be careful. Take good care of Kanao."
"No problem. I guarantee no demon will be able to harm Kanao." Hoshidori patted his chest and promised.
Afterward, Hoshidori and Kanao embarked on their journey, looking exceptionally well-matched under the setting sun.
"A flying sword... he's truly a mysterious man." Shinobu Kocho mused inwardly about Hoshidori's mystery but couldn't figure anything out, so she decided to stop thinking about it. She would find out eventually.
On the road.
Hoshidori always tried to find ways to talk to Kanao, to help her become more optimistic and natural.
However, Kanao's responses were always lukewarm, quickly shutting down the conversation.
"Right, let's talk about killing demons. Kanao would definitely be interested. No Demon Slayer Corps member could refuse an increase in strength to kill demons," Hoshidori thought.
"Kanao, do you know about the Mark? It's something that greatly enhances physical abilities and grants immense power."
Hearing this, Kanao's interest was immediately piqued. She turned to Hoshidori and asked, "Then how can one acquire the Mark you mentioned?"
"Excellent! She's interested after all."
Hoshidori was very happy. This was the Kanao she should be. He then explained the meaning of the Mark, including how interacting with people who had the Mark made it easier to awaken it. He pointed to the starlight pattern on his face, telling Kanao that this was the Mark.
"To awaken the Mark, the body needs to reach over 39 degrees Celsius, and the heart rate needs to exceed 200 beats per minute. However, it places an immense burden on the body."
Kanao secretly noted down these conditions and admonished herself to awaken the Mark and kill more demons to avenge her sister Kanae.
This time, Hoshidori chatted with Kanao the entire way. Kanao's smile was a little more pronounced than usual, and she spoke more than before. Hoshidori was also happier than usual. Perhaps he hadn't even noticed that this night was more exciting than when he first transmigrated.
...
After a day and a night of travel, Kanao and Hoshidori arrived at Wangjiang Town. Kyojuro Rengoku had also arrived not long before. He was seen sitting on a rock, devouring his bento box and exclaiming how delicious it was.
"Rengoku-san," Hoshidori greeted him with Kanao.
"Oh, it's Kanao and Hoshidori. Are you the assistants for this mission?"
"Yes, Kanao is an assistant, and I am Kanao's assistant."
Kyojuro Rengoku burst into laughter. "Young Hoshidori, I have high hopes for you. Let's search separately first. Everyone in this town has disappeared. Don't rush to fight the demon once you find it. Use this to signal for help."
Rengoku handed Hoshidori and Kanao each a signal flare resembling a grenade, a ninja's signal device, clearly given by Tengen Uzui.
"Alright, I'll head east. I'll send a signal as soon as I find a demon." Hoshidori took the signal flare and walked towards the east.
Rengoku and Kanao also went in their respective directions.
...
"Li Yun, did you sense anything?"
"Xingxing, don't treat me like I'm omniscient. The Heavenly Dao has perception. Find it yourself."
"Tch. The digitized Heavenly Dao is always a bootleg. This world clearly has the protection of the Heavenly Dao. Both humans and demons are children of the Heavenly Dao. If only I could use the Heavenly Dao to sense where demons are," Hoshidori muttered unhappily. The two Heavenly Daos were equal, and neither could do anything to the other. He could sense terrain, but he couldn't sense life itself.
Suddenly, Hoshidori felt something was wrong. All the people in this town had vanished without any sign of a struggle, indicating that the demon could abduct people silently.
This reminded Hoshidori of the Swamp Demon Tanjiro encountered in the original story. Perhaps... it was underground.
"Let's test it."
Hoshidori instantly transformed his demonic power, amplifying it countless times. He then unleashed Akaza's techniques.
"Destructive Death: Compass Needle!"
"Destructive Death: Annihilating Style, Thousand-Leaf Willow Branch!"
A punch slammed into the ground, instantly creating cracks. Powerful fighting spirit permeated a hundred-meter radius.
"Not enough! Still not enough power!"
"Destructive Death: Eradication Style!"
With this destructive punch, the ground Hoshidori was standing on was shattered, and he fell down with the collapsing earth.
Hearing the deafening sound, Rengoku and Kanao rushed towards Hoshidori's location.
Upon arriving, Hoshidori was nowhere to be seen. A crater nearly a hundred meters wide remained on the ground.