Soon, the sun set.
The mountain forest was lush with vegetation, and darkness fell much faster than at the foot of the mountain.
Fortunately, this small mountain wasn't as remote as the one where Tanjiro had previously lived.
This mountain still had people passing through regularly, and there was even a temple on it.
The path was clear and obvious, with occasional stone steps.
But very quickly, both Tanjuro and Tanjiro's expressions changed.
"There's the smell of blood."
It had to be said—in the Demon Slayer world, those who could make something of themselves were never normal people.
Their individual traits, if placed in a normal world, would be considered supernatural abilities.
In the original work, Tanjiro's nose could even smell something similar to death lines.
Meaning if he cut along those lines, he could sever things more easily.
Tanjuro and Tanjiro could smell the blood, but Lin Chen truly couldn't detect anything.
"Chika-Sensei, stay here and protect them. We'll go take a look."
Lin Chen exchanged a glance with Tanjuro, and they each grabbed an axe before leaving.
He wasn't too worried about demons lurking in ambush.
Tanjuro and Tanjiro's senses could detect a demon's presence from quite a distance.
There were definitely no demons nearby.
Tanjuro in his healthy state, with the Transparent World activated, moved much faster than Lin Chen.
In one breath, he traversed over a hundred meters through the forest path.
By the time Lin Chen caught up to Tanjuro, he found him in front of a temple, facing off against a demon roughly 1.8 meters tall.
Beside the demon lay the corpse of a monk whose arm and leg had already been eaten.
"Honestly! Don't disturb me while I'm eating!!"
"This is my RARE, peaceful dining hall!"
The demon brazenly gnawed on a human leg, blood dripping from its mouth.
Tanjuro gripped his axe tightly. For the first time, Lin Chen saw anger on that gentle face.
How terrifying an honest man could be when angered.
Lin Chen witnessed it firsthand.
"Dance of the Fire God—Seventh Form: Sunflower Thrust."
In an instant—so fast that Lin Chen's eyes couldn't track it at all.
Tanjuro's body had already appeared behind the demon.
Blood droplets slid down from the axe.
The next moment, the man-eating demon's four limbs and head fell to the ground.
In that single instant, Tanjuro had slashed five times with his woodcutting axe while passing through, severing all four limbs and the head.
After recovering his young, healthy body, Tanjuro now probably had Pillar-level strength.
Though Lin Chen couldn't determine which tier of Pillar he was at.
But at this moment, the only thing separating him from being a Pillar was a Nichirin blade.
Becoming a Pillar the day he picks up a sword?
Well, there was also the Mist Pillar who became a Pillar within two months of picking up a sword—and he had also started with an axe.
"I wonder if there's a Woodcutter class. There might be a talent bonus."
Lin Chen's mind wandered with idle thoughts, but his body didn't slow down at all.
Sun Breathing activated—large amounts of air entered his lungs, then were forcefully pushed throughout his entire body's flesh and blood.
His physique was enhanced in every way. The axe in his hand easily cut down a tree as thick as a bowl nearby.
A few axe swings later, the trunk became several sections of sharp wooden stakes.
Thunk thunk thunk.
The sharp wooden stakes were driven into the demon's body, limbs, and head all at once by Lin Chen.
In an instant, blood splattered everywhere—quite a nauseating sight.
Seeing this scene, Lin Chen also felt the urge to retch.
But without a Nichirin blade, this was the only way to deal with demons.
This was exactly what Tokito Muichiro had done.
Of course, there was an even more brutal method—just keep smashing the demon's head until dawn.
"So this creature is a demon?"
Tanjuro looked at the demon on the ground, his expression calm as usual, yet carrying a hint of disgust.
In the Transparent World state—
This demon was indeed as Lin Chen had described: impossible to kill through normal means.
Its regenerative ability was quite astonishing.
"Old man over there, no need to keep hiding. Come on out."
Suddenly, Tanjuro turned around, looking toward the forest not far behind him.
Lin Chen followed his gaze and saw a man wearing a tengu mask emerge from behind the trees.
More accurately, an old man.
White hair, and the condition of his exposed skin—all indicated this was an elderly person.
Urokodaki Sakonji.
The retired Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps who protected this area.
Also the teacher of Tanjiro, the protagonist of the original Demon Slayer story.
"Who are you people? Not demons, and seemingly not members of the Demon Slayer Corps either, yet you've mastered breathing techniques."
Urokodaki Sakonji observed the two before him.
Most of his attention was on the adult holding the axe.
His extraordinary sense of smell could distinguish between humans and demons.
It could also detect corresponding emotions.
But he found that he couldn't see through the aura of the man with the scar on his forehead.
He could only determine the other party was human because there were no demonification features, and because he had killed a demon.
Moreover, the strength this man had displayed when he struck before Urokodaki could act was quite formidable.
"Mr. Urokodaki, I'm a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. I just accidentally lost my Nichirin blade."
"Mr. Giyuu sent us to find you."
Lin Chen spoke up from the side.
Trying to act like a typical transmigrator in anime—using his knowledge of the plot and characters to gain the trust of original work characters.
Urokodaki Sakonji said nothing.
Instead, it was Tanjuro beside him who spoke up.
"He can tell you're lying, Lin Chen."
Tanjuro's gentle voice rang out, startling both Urokodaki across from them and Lin Chen beside him.
Urokodaki couldn't understand how the other party had detected this while he was wearing a mask. Could it be mind-reading?
"That's right, you are lying. Though I don't know how you learned my identity and about Giyuu."
Urokodaki removed his mask, revealing a rather dignified face.
"But Giyuu and I are in regular contact. If he were far away, he would have his Kasugai Crow send me information in advance."
"As for my identity—under normal circumstances, a Demon Slayer Corps member of your strength and age couldn't possibly know it."
"However, you do seem to bear no ill will."
"As expected, you're not so easy to fool."
Lin Chen sighed helplessly. Anyone who could become a Pillar, even if their strength wasn't that impressive, had considerable experience.
"I'm a visitor from another world who was swallowed by a spatial rift. You can verify this through your Kasugai Crow by contacting the Demon Slayer Corps."
"They should have some connection with our world."
Lin Chen honestly told the truth.
"I see." Urokodaki Sakonji nodded: "There was indeed information from the Demon Slayer Corps this morning."
"Asking us to help search for a girl with pink hair."
As a former Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, even in retirement, Urokodaki maintained extremely close ties with them.
Few people knew about the Demon Slayer Corps' connection with other worlds.
But Urokodaki Sakonji was one of them.
After all, aside from that one person from several hundred years ago, no one would believe a Pillar would betray them.
"Pink-haired girl."
Urokodaki Sakonji muttered, walking closer to examine Lin Chen up and down. The atmosphere grew somewhat silent.
He truly couldn't connect the young man before him with a pink-haired girl.