"Click~"
A pane of glass between them.
Roy didn't bother with him; he simply switched off the bedside lamp.
The room fell into darkness…
He told Goldie-chan to wake him if anything happened, and as he drifted off he planned an experiment.
The "curse" had reminded him—ever since awakening Door of Cognition, there was one thing he'd ignored: time.
On the surface, one day in Hunter = one day in Demon Slayer. But what if one day in Hunter = two days in Demon Slayer… three… even four?
If so, then—
he could race the clock. Without affecting "reality," he could accelerate his Demon Slayer run, boosting his growth even faster.
With that thought, Roy folded his hands over his abdomen and closed his eyes.
…
Demon Slayer world.
After sending Tomioka Giyu off in the middle of the night, Urokodaki lay on the warm floor. In the corner: Roy, breathing softly in sleep.
In the small house, the chill drafts finally quieted. Perhaps because he could feel it, Urokodaki's heart was missing a small piece of company—one shaped exactly like Sabito and Makomo.
Tonight in Sagiri Mountain, the fog parted to leave a window for the moon, letting it spill silvery light with abandon.
Sabito and Makomo, rarely inside, had climbed onto the roof.
One hand resting on his sword, back straight, basking in moonlight.
One curled up, hugging her knees, chin tipped to the stars… silent, both of them.
Hooo— The mountain wind blew, no longer as cold as midwinter…
Makomo's amber eyes reflected the moon. Listening to Roy's faint snoring inside, she murmured, grey with sadness: "Do you think… if we asked Roy not to kill that thing… he'd agree?"
And if he would… so what? If he wouldn't… so what?
Sabito spread his right hand and pinched a strand of moonlight. He knew exactly what she was thinking.
Giyu was gone. Roy would go soon. The "Final Selection" was close. Even if Roy spared "that thing," there would be Roy #2… Roy #3… Roy #4 to handle it.
The Demon Slayer Corps can't stomach sand in the eye. If not to corral demons to train juniors, that monster—and all the demons on Fujikasane—would have been wiped out long ago.
"The world belongs to the living. Be ready to vanish."
It sounded cruel, but he knew the truth: short pain beats long pain. For a pure-hearted girl like Makomo, it was kinder to hurt her once than stretch it out forever.
Makomo pressed her face to her knees. "Don't worry, I won't say something that stupid."
"We all died because of that thing. I'm not selfish enough to ask Roy to spare it…"
"You're wrong."
A low whimper of wind spiraled up to the roof. Makomo looked up. Shinji, Fukuda—the whole gang arrived and quietly stood beside her.
"It's that we can't bear to go."
"Roy gave us hope. If, at the end, we can choose the one who ends us…"
Sabito let the moonlight melt back into the night and said, calm as a lake: "I choose Roy."
"I choose him too!" Shinji sprawled down beside Roy's future spot, forthright as ever. "We'll all go together anyway—won't be lonely on the road."
"Who wants to go with you?" Fukuda clicked his tongue at him. "Stay far away."
"Not a chance. I'm sticking to you."
"Oh yeah? I won't wait for Roy—I'll kill you right now!"
"Come on then!"
They scuffled, whipping up the tiles and wind… and in their racket,
Makomo's face softened. She tipped her head to the moon and prayed silently: Please fall a little later. Even a minute later is fine…
Just a little more time in this world—to stay with Sensei, with Roy, with this bright and marvelous life—just a little longer…
Inside.
Urokodaki rolled over and stared at the rafters, unable to sleep.
He endured the night on stubbornness alone. When the sky paled, he got up, went to the river, caught a few fish, and walked home talking to the air as if to a child: "No need to cling."
"Sensei doesn't have many years left. I'll come down to find you."
Makomo had seen him step out and floated down from the roof, trailing him step for step, literally placing her little feet into his larger prints. At some point she stopped, tears brimming without warning. She forced a smile. "All right, Sensei."
She drew a deep breath and followed.
At the horizon, the red sun leapt out and spilled dawn across the floor through a slit in the paper window—onto Roy's peaceful face.
Roy, coming by deep sleep from the Hunter world, opened his eyes in Demon Slayer. First thing, he checked the back of his hand… smooth. No "seal."
He exhaled in relief.
It seemed the curse targeted lifespan only—it wouldn't interfere with him using nen. Good news.
"You're up. Sashimi this morning," Urokodaki called from the kitchen, just like always.
"Okay." Roy's eyes swept the room, then paused—Giyu was nowhere to be seen. Sabito, arms crossed by a pillar, caught his thought. "Your senpai left last night. Once you leave today, I expect you'll meet again soon."
"He knew I'd go today?"
Roy glanced over, surprised. Unusually, everyone was present; even the usual brawlers Shinji and Fukuda were perched properly each on a beam, no noise, no antics.
Sabito smiled. "Sensei says there's nothing more to teach you. From here on, it's all you."
"What about the final test?"
"Your senpai lost to you. What final test?" Makomo, newly bright again, cut him a look. "Roy, do you plan to split Sagiri Mountain in half otherwise?"
"Haha—could be." Shinji dropped down and slung an arm around Roy's shoulder. "Give him a little time—one stroke to split Sagiri Mountain wouldn't surprise me."
Snickers rolled through the room…
Roy chuckled along. "If that day comes, I want all of you to witness it for me."
"Us…?" The words tripped Makomo's breath. "We probably won't live to see—"
It was like someone hit mute. Laughter cut off. Even Urokodaki's knife stopped.
The old man sighed.
Then the boy said, "Why wouldn't you see it?"
"What if I told you—I have a way to make sure every one of you sees it. Would you…"
"Would you be willing to try?"
~~~
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