"I am Gotou, a member of the Kakushi—the cleanup brigade of the 47th unit of demon hunters."
"I have been tasked with escorting you to the demon hunters' headquarters."
Jin looked at the man standing before him, dressed in a black version of the standard Demon Slayer uniform.
'Where is his head covering and mask? Don't they usually conceal their identities?'
'And if I remember correctly… didn't he just introduce himself so openly?'
'Wait a minute… something isn't right here.'
"So, Gotou-san, can you tell me the location of this headquarters?"
"Of course. It is approximately 5 kilometers to the northeast of here."
'Just as I thought.'
"And by the way, how many headquarters does the Demon Slayer Corps currently have?"
"Hm… It's hard to say. We have headquarters all around the world. But here in Japan, every city has at least one, and some major cities even have two."
"But there must be a central or main headquarters, right?"
"There is… but its location is known only to the Pillars."
'I see… so everything is somewhat similar to the original… but on a much larger scale.'
'I need to get stronger… if I want to experience that kind of battle again.'
Jin clenched his fists, recalling his previous fight.
The thrill.
The excitement.
It was unforgettable… and addictive.
And now—
An opportunity was right in front of him.
He quickly gathered his belongings—his sword and a small pouch of money.
Gotou nodded.
"Follow me."
They exited the safe house.
Gotou immediately began running.
Jin followed closely behind.
'He's fast!'
'And… his footsteps don't make any sound.'
After about ten minutes, they reached a road lined with wisteria trees, their branches covered in beautiful purple flowers.
'This… is breathtaking.'
Soon, they arrived at a large establishment surrounded by wisteria plants.
Numerous demon hunters could be seen entering and exiting.
"This is the Asakusa headquarters. Here—take this token."
He handed Jin a small object.
"Without this, you won't be able to enter. Only those with a Demon Slayer mark can freely access the headquarters. This token is issued only by a Pillar… so don't lose it."
"I understand."
"Good. Now follow me—Rengoku-sama is waiting."
Jin stepped inside.
The moment he entered, he felt something probing his body.
It lasted only a few seconds before disappearing.
'Some kind of security system…'
"This way. He's in the cafeteria."
"UMAI!"
Jin's face twitched.
'Why am I not surprised…?'
As he entered—
There he was.
Kyojuro Rengoku sat in the middle of the cafeteria, surrounded by stacks of empty plates, happily devouring a large bowl of ramen.
Gotou approached and kneeled.
"Rengoku-sama."
"UMAI!"
"…."
'This is… hilarious.'
Jin struggled to hold back his laughter.
"Rengoku-sama, I have brought the person you were looking for."
Rengoku turned his gaze toward Jin.
A hint of surprise flickered across his face.
"Nice to meet you, sir. My name is Kawahire Jin."
Rengoku nodded, then finished his bowl in one gulp.
*BANG!
"You as well, young one! I am Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps!"
He stood up energetically and gestured for Gotou to leave.
Gotou bowed once more and exited.
"Young Jin, come with me."
"Yes, sir."
They walked through the compound.
Jin occasionally glanced at Rengoku.
'I still can't believe it… I'm walking beside him.'
'I admired him so much… and when the Mugen Train arc came out… I even cried at his death.'
"So, young Jin… have you ever heard of breathing techniques?"
"Uh—!"
*COUGH
"I mean… no, I haven't."
"Hm."
Rengoku hummed and continued walking.
They eventually reached an open training ground.
Rengoku turned to face him.
"Breathing techniques were created by Tsugikuni Yoriichi—a legendary Demon Slayer who lived nearly 500 years ago during the Sengoku era."
"He was the strongest Demon Slayer ever to exist."
"He created Sun Breathing and later taught his disciples. They adapted it based on their strengths and weaknesses, giving rise to other breathing styles."
"All breathing techniques originate from Sun Breathing."
"There are five main styles—Water, Flame, Wind, Stone, and Thunder."
"These are the most commonly passed down… while Sun Breathing has nearly vanished."
Jin listened silently.
This much… he already knew.
But he also knew—
This world was different.
Rengoku continued.
"The real question is—how do humans match demons who can flatten mountains with a single strike?"
"The answer lies within the technique itself."
"When the first user practiced breathing, his perception, instincts, and physical abilities all sharpened."
"He discovered an energy flowing into his body with each breath."
"He named it… Universal Energy."
"This energy adapts to the user and manifests according to their compatibility and breathing style."
"It grants us power."
"And demons… draw from the same source."
"When humans turn into demons, their bodies absorb a massive amount of this energy."
"But unlike us… they cannot naturally absorb it afterward."
"They must consume humans—especially breathing users—to grow stronger."
"To them… humans are livestock."
Jin felt dizzy.
'This world… is far more dangerous than I imagined.'
'But also… far more exciting.'
He suppressed a grin.
"Now you must be wondering," Rengoku continued, stepping closer,
"Why am I telling you all this instead of simply training you?"
"Why not teach you a breathing style and let you take revenge?"
Jin met his gaze.
"I do appreciate the knowledge… but yes, I am curious."
Rengoku's expression turned serious.
"The reason is simple."
"You already possess a natural breathing technique… just like the first user."
Jin froze.
"And more importantly, your body contains Universal Energy in its pure form."
"You can learn… and use… every breathing technique in existence."
*Silence.
"With that ability… You have what it takes to become a Pillar."
"Huh…?"
"HUUUH?!"
'What did he just say…?'
Jin stood there—
completely stunned.