The fear of death surged in like a tsunami.
In that instant, all sound retreated from Okane Kichiro's world. Everything fell silent—his breath, his heartbeat—paused as if time itself had stopped.
A moment later, the world before him seemed to peel away layer by layer, revealing its truest form.
Okane Kichiro had entered the Clear World Vision.
What was the Clear World Vision?
Tanjiro's father, Tanjurō Kamado, even when his life was fading, could still sever the neck of a towering bear as easily as breathing—without a trace of killing intent.
That was the most direct expression of the highest realm of martial arts.
So even if Okane Kichiro only held a broken blade—no, even if it were just a tree branch—once he entered the Clear World Vision, a horde of half-starved demons without even a trace of Blood Demon Art would never be able to touch him.
Fear, panic, hesitation—every emotion vanished from his mind. In their place came a focus so pure that Okane Kichiro nearly felt as though he had lost himself.
Only one thought remained.
Cut down every last demon here.
The demons had no idea what had changed, but in that moment, the roles of hunter and prey had reversed.
"Breathe…"
He exhaled, then inhaled deeply. His heart thudded to life again, pumping blood through his body at an unbelievable rate. Power surged within him, yet Okane Kichiro did not move—his eyes, unfocused, were fixed on something beyond this world, a realm few could ever touch.
The demons, seeing his stillness, thought the human had frozen in terror. They had no idea that the moment they stepped into his range, their lives no longer belonged to them.
Okane Kichiro moved.
Under a barrage of claws and teeth, he simply took a light step back. It was all it took. Every strike missed him by a hair's breadth. Even in the tightest encirclement, he found the fleeting gaps that no one else could see.
Not a single demon even brushed his clothes. In the same motion, his blade flashed upward—a broken knife glinting faintly black under the moonlight.
The demons lunged again and again, but as Okane Kichiro weaved between them, they fell one after another. They were too consumed by hunger to understand what was happening. Only when the last demon reached him, stretching out its hand—only for that hand to be severed—did it realize something was wrong.
Before it could even think, its vision spun wildly. By the time its head hit the ground, it saw the truth: every other demon that had attacked now lay motionless—each one decapitated.
"M–my head… when did…"
Its mouth opened and closed twice. Its consciousness dimmed. In its final moment, it met Okane Kichiro's empty gaze and wondered
(What… is he even looking at?)
[Slain: Lower-class Demon – Reward: 20 Paradise Coins]
[Slain: Lower-class Demon – Reward: 30 Paradise Coins]
[Slain: Lower-class Demon – Reward: 20 Paradise Coins]
Notification after notification popped up in his personal interface, but Okane Kichiro, still lost in the Clear World Vision, didn't react. With the demons gone, his body froze mid-action, blade in hand, motionless.
Then, a light figure descended before him—graceful, like a butterfly landing on a flower.
It was a young girl with soft, delicate features and a pair of violet eyes. Waving a slender, spotless hand in front of his vacant gaze, she frowned slightly.
"Um… are you okay?"
Still uncertain, she muttered under her breath, "Maybe I should check, just in case."
She reached out and began patting him down, carefully examining him from head to toe. Finding no wounds, she let out a sigh of relief, though curiosity soon replaced concern.
"How strange… You don't even look that strong, so how did you decapitate all these demons so easily?"
Driven by her medical instincts—and, admittedly, a touch of curiosity—she poked him twice more to make sure.
She had many questions.
How had an outsider entered Mount Fujikasane?
How could an ordinary man, without ever learning Breathing Techniques, slay a dozen demons in mere minutes?
Still, as long as he was human, the rest could wait.
"…What are you touching?"
Okane Kichiro slowly came back to himself. His focus returned—and that's when he realized there was a beautiful girl practically pressed against him, her hand still exploring his chest.
"…"
The girl froze, then withdrew her hand calmly, forcing a smile.
"I'm a medic. I was checking for injuries."
Though she maintained her composure well, Okane Kichiro could feel her embarrassment beneath the surface. As a gentleman, he decided to ease the tension.
"Well, you could check again if you want. I still feel… a bit unwell."
The girl said nothing, though the grip on her sword tightened. Eventually, she cleared her throat and changed the subject.
"I don't think I caught your name."
"Just call me Kichiro."
Okane Kichiro glanced at her attire—her uniform, her sword, her butterfly-like haori. There was no mistaking it.
"You must be… one of the Hashira."
"Then, Mister Kichiro," she said with a calm smile, "would you mind explaining why you're here?"
"…"
Only now did Okane Kichiro realize how much the so-called Paradise had set him up—it hadn't even given him a cover identity!
Should he make something up?
No. He wasn't confident in his acting skills. If Tanjiro Kamado could smell emotions, who knew what other Hashira were capable of?
He had two choices—spin a flimsy lie that might get exposed, or keep things simple.
After a pause, he said, "Can I… not answer that?"
"Of course."
Her smile didn't fade—but something in it made him uneasy.
"In that case," she continued sweetly, "please return the demons I worked so hard to capture."
"…Those demons were yours?"
"Of course."
"They tried to eat me! That was self-defense!"
The girl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and sighed softly.
"Be that as it may, this mountain is off-limits to outsiders. You shouldn't be here in the first place, should you?"
He had no comeback for that. She wasn't wrong. Still, this might be a blessing in disguise—if he was going to join the Demon Slayer Corps eventually, meeting a Hashira now saved him the trouble of finding them later.
As for joining the demons? No chance. Okane Kichiro had no intention of apologizing for being human.
"Fine, fine… but can we at least get some food first? I'm starving!"
The Clear World Vision had only lasted a few minutes, but it had drained him completely. He felt as though his body had burned through every ounce of fat and energy. His stomach growled audibly, and even speaking made his vision spin.
"In that case," she said with a small smile, "come with me."
"…Kinda hard to walk right now."