Time passed slowly.
Several years quickly went by.
Oboro had long since returned to his residence.
Using the cards obtained from the three Upper Ranks — Muryo, Doma, and Kokushibō — he transformed dozens of demons over these years... All of these demons upheld one single will: to change the world, to save the world!
Unlike Muzan's demons, the belief Oboro instilled caused these demons to target almost exclusively the high-ranking officials of the Shogunate who ruled the material world.
Therefore, they were bound to deal a heavy blow to the nation's stability, adding further hardship to an already chaotic era.
However, Oboro would never make it so easy for the demons he created to achieve their goals; will must be tempered.
As one of the Shogunate's most powerful figures himself, Oboro secretly guided everything from behind the scenes.
For example, by sending hints to the Demon Slayer Corps or to Muzan, he directed them to stop his inheritors, creating obstacles and difficulties for them.
It was equivalent to Oboro controlling every aspect of the situation from the shadows.
It was normal for the Demon Slayer Corps to hunt down his inheritors. As for Muzan, he sent his subordinates to assassinate them for research purposes...
Since Muzan dared not confront Oboro directly, to understand his true intentions and why these demons could break free from his blood's control, he wanted to capture some "specimens."
The current situation was a chaotic three-way struggle. Some of Oboro's inheritors had died, while others had survived.
Among them, several had realized that it was nearly impossible to fulfill their vision alone. Moreover, will needed to spread, needed companions, and needed to gather greater strength.
Therefore, some of the demons transformed by Oboro had begun to build their own forces, or had simply become leaders of rebel armies.
During this time, the strength of Demon Slayers and demons alike increased drastically... because without growing stronger, death was certain.
The pressure everyone faced was on a completely different level compared to just a few years ago.
Only those who truly survived this chaotic conflict would qualify to take part in the future.
In this respect, Oboro had already achieved his goal.
In the beginning, he had observed Ichiei and Tenjurō, both Hashira, in their mastery of the breathing arts...
When they fought Muryo, the two could only use breathing techniques to greatly enhance their physical attributes. But now, almost all Hashira could reinforce specific parts of their bodies, and several had even begun to temper their internal organs through the circulation of internal energy.
Oboro understood the Demon Slayer Corps so well because the Shogunate had now stationed several swordsmen within its ranks...
The world was no longer so ignorant regarding demons or those who hunted them; even ordinary warriors among the people had begun to practice basic techniques specifically to combat demons.
These were all changes.
Of course, as the mastermind behind the scenes, there were certain fundamental structures related to the "system of power" that he could not alter.
For example, through correspondence, he had effectively helped the Ubuyashiki family preserve the core strength of the Demon Slayer Corps, dissuading the Shogunate from attempting to take control.
Without his help, it would have been nearly impossible for the Ubuyashiki family alone to protect the Corps.
He believed that after this experience, the young leader of the Ubuyashiki family would have an even clearer understanding of his intentions.
Speaking of just how brutal these past few years had been.
Leaving aside the countless casualties among the general populace, among the Hashira Oboro once knew, it seemed only Ichiei and Tenjurō remained...
On Muzan's side, the prestige of the Twelve Demon Moons was hanging by a thread. The Lower Ranks had been replaced again and again, and even some Upper Ranks had fallen in battle.
Oboro's future directions were clear. First, although the Demon Slayer Corps could remain free from government control, the arts of demon hunting and the power of swordsmen must spread widely among the people.
Only when the soil was vast enough would there be enough seeds, creating the possibility that one day, sheer numbers would bring about a fundamental qualitative change.
The greater the hostility demons faced, the more Muzan and his inheritors would be forced to evolve.
Second, the Shogunate could not be allowed to fall. Although the world was chaotic, everything must remain controllable.
Because if the Shogunate were overthrown and replaced, it would mean the inheritors had taken a major step forward in their goal of "saving the world" — and Oboro would never allow them to succeed so easily.
Hope was given by him.
Despair... was also arranged by him.
As he always said, will shines brightest in the darkest moments.
The power of the Demon Slayer Corps was evolving.
And the inheritors of his will were also evolving... For instance, some of them had gained the ability to transform humans into demons who were immune to Muzan's control, even if the number they could turn was limited for now.
It must be noted that originally, this was something only Oboro could do.
But now, after merging with his essence blood, some outstanding inheritors had seemingly adapted to become "immune to Muzan's cells," and could successfully pass this trait on to the next generation.
The only ones not evolving were Muzan and his subordinates.
Though, it wasn't that they hadn't evolved at all... Having survived on such high-pressure battlefields and experienced countless fights, the experience and growth they had gained marked the beginning of transformation.
The current generation of warriors was already incredibly strong; Oboro could hardly wait to see how powerful the characters of future generations would become.
...
Several months later, Oboro sat at the entrance of his estate, watching several children wielding wooden swords chase each other in the street, shouting that when they grew up, they would become swordsmen who killed demons.
In the past, it was rare to see strangers outside his residence.
Ordinary people did not dare approach.
But since his return, things had changed. Many unfamiliar faces had appeared in the city — refugees or families fleeing war...
Most of these children were from other regions; they were still young, had no fear of authority, and only knew that a man in a black haori sat at the gate every day and gave them candy...
He seemed to be a warrior, and occasionally taught them how to practice with wooden swords. As time went on, more and more children came around.
"Teacher... have you ever killed a demon?"
A boy with a runny nose walked up to Oboro, who wore a gentle expression, and asked curiously.
"Mm," Oboro nodded softly.
"Are demons very scary?" the boy continued.
"If demons are scary, doesn't that make me even scarier for having killed them?" Oboro replied with a smile.
The boy's eyes lit up.
Oboro patted his head and let him go play.
Then he turned his gaze toward the street corner.
There, a familiar figure was walking toward him.
They hadn't met in years... His appearance hadn't changed much, but his eyes were different.
From the moment he appeared, his sharp, undisguised gaze had been fixed entirely on Oboro.
After a long while, the man stopped before him, glanced briefly at the children, then looked at Oboro and spoke calmly, "It's truly hard to imagine that someone like you could exist..."
"Innocent children like them suffer every hardship they face today because of you."
"And you, the one responsible, sit here with a clear conscience, acting like a kind elder, teaching them and caring for them."
"Yet you are the one who wants to destroy this world..."
"Did Ubuyashiki Hideo tell you all this?" Oboro asked with a calm smile.
At this stage, if the Ubuyashiki family and others in the Demon Slayer Corps still hadn't realized his true intentions... they wouldn't be worth keeping around.
"So... why come to me instead of going after Muzan?" Oboro asked, remaining seated and speaking in a teasing tone.
"He rarely shows himself, hiding deeper than anyone else... mostly because he fears you," the man replied.
Muzan had already changed his identity and was no longer a daimyō.
With his abilities, as long as he kept hiding and avoided direct confrontation... it would be nearly impossible for the Demon Slayer Corps to catch him.
"Go back. It wasn't easy for you to unlock your Demon Mark and reach this level with your breathing techniques.
Although your lifespan will be somewhat shortened, you won't die young... There's no need to throw your life away," Oboro said.
"Going back would only mean wasting time. I can feel that with my talent, I have already reached my limit... I can't wait any longer."
"Besides, Muzan is so cautious now that it's almost impossible to get close enough to fight him..." the man added.
"I thought... you were a wise man," Oboro sighed, slowly standing up.
"Some things... still need to be done."
Ichiei stared directly at Oboro. "You are wrong."
His voice was calm, yet those four simple words carried the weight of thunder.
He was denying everything Oboro stood for.
"Let's go," Oboro said, taking the lead and walking away.
Today, the Water Hashira had come seeking revenge.
Revenge for the former Thunder Hashira, Jigoro Kuwajima.
Even though they used the same breathing style, Hashira titles were not uniform. For example, Sajurō Kuwajima was also a user of Thunder Breathing, yet he was known as the Sound Hashira.
Oboro had a clear impression of Jigoro Kuwajima.
After all, the Hashira of that generation, including Ichiei himself, had made Oboro realize just how powerful the force of inherited will could be.
Beyond revenge, Ichiei's greater purpose was to kill him.
To eliminate a threat for the Demon Slayer Corps and for the world.
At this moment, he acted only as an individual and had no official connection to the Corps.
The fact that he had come meant he had already settled all his affairs beforehand.
Oboro could even guess that no one else in the Demon Slayer Corps — not even Ubuyashiki Hideo — knew he had come to find him.
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