Uchiha Nagi, a newly promoted Pillar, along with Flame Pillar Kyojuro Rengoku, faced off against Upper Rank Three Akaza, but the battle ended in an unexpected way.
Uchiha Nagi had only been practicing Breathing Technique for a short time, having copied it, and hadn't yet grasped its essence like Tanjiro and the other Pillars.
His strength was only forcibly considered Pillar-level due to his Mangekyo.
It was like Sasuke, who had just awakened his Mangekyo, going up against Might Guy with his Eight Gates Release Formation and Raikage with his Lightning Release Chakra Mode; if not for protagonist's halo, he would have been beaten to death.
However, Flame Pillar Kyojuro Rengoku possessed genuine strength.
Due to lack of information, he suffered some hidden losses against Akaza's Destructive Kill techniques, but in terms of pure strength, Flame Pillar was genuinely suppressing Akaza in the earlier parts of the fight.
It was just a pity that Akaza didn't need to defend; as long as his neck was protected, he could abandon defense and directly attack with the rest of his body.
Flame Pillar couldn't do that; he was human, and once injured, it was difficult to recover instantly.
Thus, the saying arose that the Twelve Kizuki could only be resisted by two Pillars, because human bodies only grow more fatigued with prolonged fighting, and they must not only be careful to defend but also prevent injury, whereas the Twelve Kizuki only needed to protect their necks.
"When I return this time, I expect to retire.
In my current state, I can no longer serve as Flame Pillar.
I want you to become the Flame Pillar, Uchiha brother, what do you think?" Kyojuro Rengoku said.
Clang Clang Clang~
The scenery outside the window was constantly receding.
Inosuke was still sticking his upper body out the window, shouting loudly, while Zenitsu was embarrassingly holding onto him to prevent him from falling out and getting lost.
Tanjiro and Uchiha Nagi were sitting opposite the Flame Pillar.
This time, his eyes weren't unfocused; instead, he was seriously staring at Uchiha Nagi as he spoke.
Uchiha Nagi: "I..."
"Please let me finish, Uchiha brother," Kyojuro Rengoku said.
"Firstly, your nichirin blade is the same color as mine, making it very suitable for practicing Flame Breathing.
Secondly, your strength is already at Pillar level, and your potential surpasses all of us."
"Although your Medical Ninjutsu is miraculous, I know my injuries.
At least for several years, my body won't return to its peak state.
Since you are also a newly promoted Pillar, it is most fitting for you to take on the role of Flame Pillar, and you won't even need to think of a new name, hahahaha~"
"As for strength, don't worry.
During this period of recovery, I can provide you all with some special training and guidance.
You young ones should all come along too, how about it?"
Hearing Kyojuro Rengoku say this, Tanjiro immediately rejoiced, "Really?
That would be wonderful, thank you so much, Rengoku-sensei."
Kyojuro Rengoku laughed heartily, "Hahaha, just call me Big Brother Rengoku, I'm only a few years older than you all."
"Oh oh, can I train with Big Brother Golden Hair?
That's great~"
"Ah, train together, and with Nezuko-chan?
That's wonderful~"
Kyojuro Rengoku suddenly remembered something and slapped his head, "Right, Tanjiro, my father might know something about your Kagura Dance.
He was the previous Flame Pillar, and many ancestral things aren't recorded in books but passed down orally.
I'll take you to ask him then."
"Really?
Then thank you so much, Big Brother Rengoku," Tanjiro said happily.
"Haha, it's nothing.
Oh, Uchiha brother, when Akaza was being beheaded, his Destructive Kill Final Form, in that instant, I truly felt like I was going to die.
Then, in the moment you used Susanoo to block in front of me, I seemed to have comprehended something, but I can't quite describe it," Kyojuro Rengoku scratched his head, troubled.
"It was Akaza's state, he had no self-awareness, no brain, no thoughts, but relying on an indomitable will, I seemed to see a state of selflessness~ It was like... it was like..."
"Transparent World?"
"Yes, Transparent World?
That's a good name.
I seemed to have that feeling at the time, as if I could see the whole world without using my eyes, a feeling of me merging with the world," Kyojuro Rengoku slapped his thigh, excited.
"Heh heh, I saw it too.
Akaza had one foot stepped into the Transparent World.
You probably saw his state, and you were also in the gap between life and death, so you comprehended it.
But he only had half a step, and you were also saved by me, so you only comprehended half of it," Uchiha Nagi smiled.
"I'm the same as you, I saw it too, and it was quite difficult.
When we go back for special training, we can exchange notes on that feeling.
Perhaps we'll step into that realm."
"Transparent World?
That... I think I heard my father mention it before." Tanjiro, who had been listening for a while, suddenly raised his hand, hesitating.
"Oh, Tanjiro, you know?" Uchiha Nagi deliberately asked.
The Transparent World is not a type of Breathing Technique, but rather a realm in the Demon Slayer World, silent and imperceptible, similar to entering the Tao.
Once one enters the Tao, they can perceive their surroundings as if they possess a heavenly eye, seeing through the muscles, organs, and bones within the human body, including trees and flowers.
They can also merge with nature, integrating their own aura with it, fighting without killing intent or sound, and can no longer be sensed by powerful individuals.
Moreover, this state provides astonishingly powerful assistance in combat.
Everything about the opponent is transparent in the mind's eye of a Transparent World master; their moves are predicted before they are even made, so people in the Transparent World do not need to use their eyes in combat.
The founder of Sun Breathing was a natural Transparent World user, essentially born with a heavenly eye.
While others painstakingly practiced sword techniques, he would learn them just by watching.
He then combined all sword techniques with the structure of his own body to create Sun Breathing.
If he hadn't talked too much at the end, Muzan wouldn't have escaped.
When Muzan encountered Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the founder of Sun Breathing, he was defeated in one blow.
He then self-destructed into over eighteen hundred pieces to escape, but Yoriichi instantly annihilated fifteen hundred of them, and Muzan's injuries persisted for hundreds of years without healing.
Uchiha Nagi had a premonition that if he could comprehend the Transparent World, he would be able to summarize, categorize, and create the Breathing Technique most suitable for himself from all existing Breathing Techniques.
Sometimes, the strongest Breathing Technique is not necessarily the most suitable for oneself.
For example, among the nine Pillars, many improved the original Breathing Techniques to make them most suitable for themselves.
Upper Rank One Kokushibo improved Sun Breathing, resulting in the Moon Breathing that best suited him.
The Sound Pillar's Sound Breathing was an improvement of Thunder Breathing, and the Mist Pillar's Mist Breathing was an improvement of Wind Breathing.
In short, it means absorbing the advantages of all Breathing Techniques and then, based on one's own attributes and body, adapting them into the most suitable Breathing Technique sword skills, only then can one unleash 200% of their strength.