"I'm sorry, Mother. I must go. My companions are still in danger." Kyojuro Rengoku knelt before his mother, tears streaming down his face.
"Go, my child. Though I don't know what's happening, Mother will always support you and love you."
Kyojuro Rengoku's mother spoke to her child as gently as he remembered.
"I'm sorry, Mother…"
Kyojuro Rengoku shed tears, silently bowed his head, and then drew his nichirin blade.
There were many ways to break out of the dream world: either one's mental strength was powerful enough to break through the opponent's deception, or one killed oneself, or… Kyojuro Rengoku swung his nichirin blade and plunged it into his mother's heart. The moment he killed his mother, his heart was utterly devastated, aching so much he couldn't breathe.
Emotional pain was also a way to awaken from the dream world.
——
When Uchiha Nagi saw tears in the Flame Pillar's eyes, he knew the Flame Pillar had realized he was in a dream world. Without hesitation, he walked towards the others.
Then he opened Tanjiro's eyelids and entered his mental world… The sky and water were the same color, a blue sky with white clouds. On the ground was a large lake, clear to the bottom. The air was incredibly crisp, and everything was so sunny.
This was Tanjiro's inner world, pure and without a trace of impurity.
A man, holding a sharp spike, was being guided by several small figures made of white clouds, walking towards Tanjiro's mental core.
This man was there to kill Tanjiro, but Tanjiro's mental world was still so innocent that it was willing to help him, which was why the small cloud figures appeared to guide him.
Uchiha Nagi suddenly blocked their path and said, "Hey, little cloud people, take me to Tanjiro."
The man who came to assassinate Tanjiro suddenly exclaimed in fear, "You… who are you?"
Crack—
Uchiha Nagi showed no mercy to these fallen individuals. He directly twisted the assassin's neck, and the same went for the woman in the Flame Pillar's world.
The little cloud people, still pure and innocent, nodded and began to lead the way, leaving the assassin's corpse behind.
In the forest, Tanjiro stood by the river, already knowing something was wrong, but he didn't know how to leave this dream world.
"Tanjiro, once you're done dreaming, come out quickly."
"Huh?" Tanjiro turned around and said in surprise, "Nagi-aniki (Nagi, older brother), how are you here?"
Uchiha Nagi nodded, "I specifically came in to wake you up. Everyone else outside is still dreaming. If you're tired of playing, come out quickly."
Tanjiro anxiously said, "Nagi-aniki (Nagi, older brother), I know I'm in a dream, but I don't know how to get out. What should I do to leave?"
Uchiha Nagi stroked his chin and pondered, "When people dream, there are several ways to wake up. One is to die, another is to kill the person you value most, intense pain to the bone can also wake you up, and the last is like me, knowing you're in a dream and having such strong mental power that you break out of the dream yourself."
Uchiha Nagi patted Tanjiro's shoulder, "Your mental strength is too weak. You only have a choice between two. I'll go out and check on Zenitsu and the others first…"
"Understood!" Tanjiro took a deep breath. Hurting his family was something he couldn't quite do, but—
Clang—
After the sound of a nichirin blade being drawn, a splash of blood flew from his neck… — — — —
In Zenitsu's world, it was pitch black. The person sent to assassinate him was fumbling in the dark, searching for his mental core.
"Why… why can someone else enter besides Nezuko-chan?"
A hollow-cheeked Zenitsu, now a ghost, followed behind the assassin, occasionally making noises to scare him.
"Nezuko-chan, where are you, where are you…"
"I don't know! Help me~~~" The person frightened by Zenitsu ran in terror.
Perhaps due to his two personalities, in the subconscious area of his mental world, there was still a Zenitsu chasing the assassin.
Crack—
Uchiha Nagi, without ceremony, stepped forward and directly twisted the assassin's neck.
Uchiha Nagi's lips curved into a smile, "Zenitsu, stop playing. Come out to the real world quickly. Oh, and Nezuko is in danger, so if you hurry, you might still make it for a heroic rescue…"
After saying that, Uchiha Nagi withdrew and moved on to the next person.
"Ah, ah, ah, wait for me! Nezuko-chan is in danger! I have to get out! Nezuko-chan, I'm coming!" The next second, Zenitsu transformed into the ultimate simp, frantically trying to rush out of the dream world… In Inosuke's world, he was leading several people on an adventure, aiming to conquer the train monster ahead. And in the subconscious mental core area, an Inosuke, like a big wild boar, was chasing the assassin.
"Are the subconscious minds of people who aren't normal always this outstanding?" Uchiha Nagi burst out laughing watching this scene.
"Oh, you are—?!" Inosuke, chasing the female assassin, stopped halfway when he saw Uchiha Nagi.
"It's time to go, Inosuke. The battle outside can't do without you. Even Tanjiro is in danger."
"Awooo— Understood! Lord Inosuke is here…"
——
On the speeding 'Mugen Train', a man in a suit and tie stood. Although he was male, his neutral face and effeminate voice made him look like a stylist.
At this moment, he was utterly bewildered, because his Blood Demon Art was being broken one by one. Not only did none of the demon slayers have their mental core destroyed, but they had also broken free from his dream world.
"Why, why hasn't a single one been dealt with?" Lower Rank One, Enmu, frowned in confusion.
"Hmm?"
Enmu suddenly saw several people rapidly running towards him: Tanjiro and Uchiha Nagi, along with the accompanying Flame Pillar Kyojuro Rengoku.
Tanjiro's nose was keener than a dog's, so he led the way and quickly found Enmu showing off at the front of the train.
"You… those earrings?" Enmu's pupils constricted when he saw Tanjiro's earrings.
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire."
A flash of flame quickly passed—
Whoosh~
Lower Rank One, Enmu, bewildered, touched his neck. He hadn't even used his Blood Demon Art before the Flame Pillar slit his throat. What the hell, that's not fair!~
A bloody head rolled onto the train roof.
"Is it done?" Uchiha Nagi frowned. The Flame Pillar's speed was too fast; it was over before he could even step forward.
Each Breathing Technique, perfected by successive Pillars, had a fast, high-burst move, and the fastest of Flame Breathing was its First Form.
"How surprising. I didn't expect a Pillar's strength to be so great. I didn't even have time to release my Blood Demon Art…"
A stylist's voice slowly rang out. The head severed by the nichirin blade did not turn to ash; instead, a new body grew from it.
[PS: Enmu's ability is not the same type as Tsukuyomi's world. When you're caught in Tsukuyomi, your main brain is conscious and aware. But Enmu's ability is dreams, real dreams. Even Orochimaru and Madara dream when they sleep, unless you can realize you're in a dream.]