When James finally stepped out of the Ubuyashiki residence, an hour had quietly passed.
No one—except for Ubuyashiki and James himself—knew what was discussed during their private conversation.
Afterward, Ubuyashiki offered kind words to Kanroji, who had just returned from a successful mission. He advised her to rest well and informed her that once the next Hashira Meeting concluded, she and James would travel to the Swordsmith Village to retrieve the specially forged Nichirin Blades prepared for them.
The Hashira were rarely gathered in one place. Their responsibility to hunt down demons meant they were constantly on the move. Typically, only one or two Hashira remained at headquarters at any given time, rotating as needed to ensure the protection of the base.
After bidding farewell to Ubuyashiki, who stood under the warm sunlight, watching with a serene smile, and after also saying goodbye to Kanroji, James finally found himself with some time alone.
He returned to his residence, took a long bath, and then brewed a cup of tea.
"Open the panel," he said, gazing at the empty space ahead.
---
Name: James
Strength: First Level
Spiritual Power: 190 / 190
Basic Skills:
Japanese Grandmaster (850 / 7500)
Basic Swordsmanship – Mastery (10000 / 50000)
Breathing Techniques:
Sun Breathing – Full Concentration (996 / 1000)
Water Breathing – Full Concentration (256 / 1000)
Sound Breathing – Full Concentration (310 / 1000)
Love Breathing – Beginner (10 / 100)
Sun Breathing – Beginner (? / 1000)
Red Blade – Beginner (1 / 10000)
Temporary Talent: Near Tao
Evaluation: First-Level Ordinary!!!!!!
---
James stared at the evaluation with a deadpan expression.
Do the extra exclamation marks mean I've gotten stronger? What kind of evaluation system is this?
Still, the numbers didn't lie. Compared to the blank, pathetic stats he had when he first arrived in the Demon Slayer world, this was a significant leap forward. It might not be an earth-shattering change, but it was definitely a qualitative one.
He took a sip of tea, savoring the earthy flavor. Since arriving in this world, it felt like every moment had been a gamble. Yet, in truth, every action had been calculated.
He hadn't taken any unnecessary risks.
When you're unsure if you've traveled here in your actual body or if you've been reborn into a replica crafted from the void, prioritizing safety is only logical.
Even when facing the Upper Six, despite their terrifying power, he'd always maintained an edge in speed. If things ever went south, he could escape.
The same held true for the Demon Slayer Corps. After his private conversation with Ubuyashiki, the possibility of the Corps turning on him had essentially been eliminated.
Now, only Kibutsuji Muzan remained as a genuine threat.
For the first time since arriving, James allowed himself to relax.
In the real world, he was always under pressure from national competitions. Here, he had faced constant mortal danger. But today? Today was different.
James was confident—if he were to return now, he could easily take first place in the school tournament.
And here, in the Demon Slayer world, unless he made a seriously reckless mistake, he was unlikely to encounter another life-or-death crisis anytime soon.
His strength was growing by the day.
Give it another month or two, and it'll be Kibutsuji Muzan who's running away from me.
He laid out a plan for the week: first, he would focus on improving his strength. He'd seek out members of the Demon Slayer Corps to learn about various breathing techniques and see if he could restore Sun Breathing to its full potential.
In his spare time, he'd exchange sword techniques with Kanroji.
Once the other Hashira returned, he planned to visit them one by one and ask for their guidance. Each offered a unique perspective and combat style that could accelerate his growth.
Let's set a small goal first—become the greatest swordsman in world history. Just for fun.
Grinning, James raised his teacup and downed the rest in one gulp.
"To be honest, I still prefer plain water."
He walked over to the weapon rack and picked up his katana, then made his way toward the training room.
---
The Red Blade.
One of the ultimate mysteries of the Demon Slayer world.
It was named for the transformation the blade underwent—glowing red-hot, blazing with power once activated. The Red Blade drastically boosted both physical and mental performance. In that state, it could cut through nearly anything and was said to be highly effective against demons.
There were several methods to unlock the Red Blade:
1. Exert overwhelming force and focus the entirety of your will into the blade.
2. Raise the sword's temperature by transferring heat from your own body.
3. Use friction to generate intense heat.
4. Use a Blood Demon Art-like effect (similar to Nezuko's fire-based technique) to ignite the blade.
Of these, only the first method met James's criteria. The others had drawbacks—limited duration, complicated triggers, or unstable results.
James wanted to master the Red Blade in a way that would remain useful even after leaving this world. His body was strong enough to sustain the brute-force method.
He took a deep breath, gripped the katana tightly with both hands, and began to apply pressure. His mind cleared as he poured everything—physical strength, spiritual energy, focus—into the blade.
The katana began to tremble.
A low humming sound echoed through the room as the vibrations increased.
The pure white steel of the blade shimmered, gradually shifting hues—from white to orange, orange to red, and finally to a deep crimson.
The air around the sword warped from the intense heat. A sharp sizzling sound crackled nearby, as if the very air was being burned.
Crack!
Without warning, a web of fractures appeared on the blade's surface. The cracks spread like wildfire.
Snap!
The entire blade shattered in James's hands, leaving nothing but the handle.
He blinked at the wreckage.
Well… that's unfortunate.
It seemed the ordinary katana simply couldn't withstand the strain. In the world of Demon Slayer, Nichirin Blades were crafted specifically to endure such conditions. Regular swords, however, were nothing more than brittle decorations under that level of pressure.
At this rate, I'm going to go broke just replacing swords.
He thought of his wallet—and Mochizuki's—and felt a cold sweat run down his back.
Maybe I can find some kind of extraordinary weapon in this world... something that'll survive this technique.
After cleaning up the shattered pieces, James sat cross-legged on the floor and reopened his system panel.
---
Breathing Method – Full Concentration: 996 / 1000
---
Total Concentration Breathing...
This was a method James had developed himself. According to his internal data, it significantly boosted strength and speed. Oddly, it didn't align with any elemental affinity—possibly a result of his subconscious neutrality toward nature-based techniques.
"Yang Breathing" sounds cool, he thought idly.
He inhaled and exhaled slowly. Gradually, he sensed something inside him begin to shift.
Snap!
It was like breaking a hidden seal.
The airflow within his body, once limited to fixed channels, now moved freely. He could concentrate his breathing energy at will, unleashing it all at a single point.
---
Sun Breathing – Full Concentration: Normal (10 / 10000)
Water Breathing – Normal (856 / 1000)
Sound Breathing – Full Concentration (810 / 1000)
Love Breathing – Full Concentration (600 / 1000)
---
A wave of joy surged through him.
He'd finally achieved a breakthrough in Sun Breathing, and the momentum carried over to the other techniques. One by one, his breathing methods had entered full concentration mode—except for Sun Breathing, which had just begun its long journey toward true mastery.
James could feel it—his body was changing.
The flow of energy inside him became smoother, more efficient. His muscles felt tighter, denser. His spine felt like it was coated in steel, every inch of him brimming with newfound power.
Eight points of energy... can I wield the Red Blade with one hand now?
Still seated, he carefully regulated his breathing, learning how to adapt to the sudden spike in strength.
---
Today was a good day.
And tomorrow would be better.
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)