Ding!
"Successfully added Insect Pillar Shinobu Kocho as a friend!"
"Detected that the intimacy level between the host and Shinobu Kocho is at 'Friend'. Two rewards have been granted!"
"Obtained Talent: Superior."
"Obtained Comprehension: Superior."
"Would you like to fuse Talent: Superior now?"
Lucas blinked in surprise, unsure whether the system was glitching.
How did his relationship with Miss Shinobu suddenly jump to the "Friend" level?
He couldn't recall interacting with her that much.
Over the past two days, their sparring sessions had been quiet and mechanical, with Shinobu keeping things strictly professional. She maintained her usual gentle smile and polite tone, but that was about it.
Could it be… because of Nezuko?
Maybe Shinobu's attitude toward Tanjiro had softened because of what Lucas did, and that affected how she viewed him as well?
That explanation seemed the most plausible.
"Training will be at the same time tomorrow," Shinobu said, gently patting Lucas on the shoulder as she walked past him.
Her eyes lingered on him for a brief moment, a glimmer of something nostalgic flashing behind her smile.
That day, when Lucas faced off against all nine Pillars and drew his Nichirin blade to protect Nezuko without flinching… she saw a flicker of someone else in him.
Her sister—Kanae.
Kanae, who once dreamed of peaceful coexistence between humans and demons. Kanae, whose compassion ultimately led to her death at the hands of Douma.
Shinobu hadn't been able to let go of her hatred for demons since that day. But she also didn't want to betray her sister's final wish. So she kept smiling, locking away her feelings behind a mask.
Yet, in Tanjiro and Lucas, she saw something different—something her sister once believed in.
Could it be possible?
Could there really be a world where humans and demons coexisted?
Lucas slowly returned to reality. A soft fragrance hung in the air—was this… hope?
Was Shinobu placing expectations on him?
Yes… it must be because of Kanae.
"My turn! Duel! I wanna duel you, Lotarou!"
Just as Shinobu disappeared around the corner, a loud and very unwelcome voice boomed across the training field.
Inosuke charged toward Lucas, eyes blazing with excitement.
Lucas's expression darkened. The peaceful moment he'd been enjoying immediately evaporated.
"Lotarou"? What kind of name was that?
At least before, Inosuke's mispronunciations were vaguely understandable. But now?
Before Lucas could say a word, Inosuke yelled, "Pig Assault! Pig Assault!", and rushed at him full speed.
Then—BANG!
The sound echoed throughout the training room as Inosuke was launched backward like a cannonball, slamming into the wall with a crash.
"..."
Zenitsu blinked, then looked at Inosuke with awe. "Man... Say what you want about that guy, but his skull is really hard. How many times has he been slammed like that? Eighty? A hundred?"
Tanjiro twitched, clearly exasperated. "I've told him so many times, but he never listens…"
Lucas's response to Inosuke was always the same—swift and brutal, like a bull charging at a red cape. There was no stopping it.
Lucas clapped his hands clean, about to leave the training ground, when he paused mid-step.
He turned around and walked toward the slumped figure of Inosuke, now sitting against the wall, head hanging.
Lucas crouched down beside him and leaned in close, whispering, "Is that all?"
Inosuke's head shot up like a rocket. His eyes widened, filled with disbelief.
"DUEL! I'll duel you to the end, you Luoye bastard! Bastard!!"
He scrambled for his nichirin blade, trying to rise, but Tanjiro quickly held him down.
"Inosuke, your arm's dislocated! You can't move right now."
"Dislocated?! No way! I'm not dislocated!!"
Lucas stood up and looked down at him, then glanced at the system panel.
...Nothing?
Huh. That didn't work? Last time, teasing Inosuke had increased their intimacy level and earned Lucas a Superior Talent. He thought mocking him again might give another boost.
But it seemed he'd overestimated the system.
And worst of all—there was no progress bar or indicator of any kind.
System: "?"
---
Half a Month Later
Lucas sat cross-legged in the courtyard, calmly practicing his breathing technique.
Ever since he established a connection with the five core breathing styles, his cultivation speed had skyrocketed.
Two days after the Pillar meeting, he'd broken through to D-rank. And now, just two weeks later, he felt on the verge of stepping into C-rank.
"Lucas! Lucas! We've got a new mission!"
Zenitsu ran into the courtyard with a burst of excitement, followed by Tanjiro and Inosuke.
Tanjiro gave Lucas a polite nod as usual. Inosuke, on the other hand, stood with fists clenched, ready to charge at a moment's notice.
"Mission?" Lucas opened his eyes.
Could it be… the Infinity Train?
He hadn't fused any new abilities in over two weeks, and the slow pace was starting to wear on him.
Compared to traditional cultivation, making new friends was clearly the faster route to power.
On the Infinity Train, he'd encounter Enmu and Akaza—both ideal targets for potential "friendship" gains.
Right now, Lucas had acquired four Superior Talents. Just one more and he'd hit a major breakthrough.
Akaza was especially promising. If he could somehow build a rapport with him, Lucas was confident that Akaza's Talent and Comprehension would both be top-tier.
As for Enmu, it depended. If his talent wasn't up to par, then perhaps Lucas could still gain something from his Blood Demon Art.
At the very least, the Infinity Train arc also offered the chance to build rapport with Kyojuro Rengoku, the Flame Pillar. That alone could yield another Superior Talent.
"Lucas, you're not surprised?" Zenitsu blinked, watching his reaction. "We're going with the Flame Pillar on this mission!"
"That's right! The Flame Pillar!" he continued excitedly. "My Grandpa always said the Pillars are the strongest swordsmen in the Corps. Do you think that's true?"
Tanjiro chimed in, "I heard you've met the Flame Pillar, Lucas. Is he really that powerful?"
"Powerful?" Lucas said without hesitation. "He's incredibly powerful."
Kyojuro Rengoku was someone who nearly took down Upper Moon Three Akaza by himself. That wasn't just strength—it was sheer determination and spirit.
Zenitsu looked surprised at the confidence in Lucas's voice.
He had never heard Lucas affirm anyone like this—not even his own Grandpa, whom Lucas usually just called "Old Man."
What kind of person was this Flame Pillar that Lucas admired so much?
"Are we all ready to go?" Lucas asked, standing up.
"PIG ASSAULT!" Inosuke shouted, launching another reckless charge.
"I'm ready!" Tanjiro said calmly.
Without breaking a sweat, Lucas caught Inosuke's forehead mid-charge with one hand and pushed him to the ground like swatting a fly.
"All right, I'll get changed. Then we'll head out."
He casually tossed Inosuke aside like a sack of rice and walked off.
His current training clothes weren't suited for a mission.
Lucas returned to his room and found his usual robe—a flowing white garment decorated with a cloud pattern.
As he changed, he began to mentally review the major events of the Infinity Train arc:
First, Enmu infiltrated the train, putting Kyojuro and the others into deep dreams during the ticket inspection. He then used children to bind them to the dream realm, intending to destroy their spiritual cores.
But Nezuko's unexpected awakening disrupted the plan. Tanjiro ultimately killed Enmu using Sun Breathing.
Then, Akaza arrived.
Kyojuro fought fiercely to protect everyone, paying the ultimate price in the end.
Lucas took a deep breath as he fastened the last button of his robe.
To befriend Enmu, he would need to make contact before everyone awakened from the dream.
As for Akaza, all he had to do was show strength. Akaza admired power—if Lucas proved himself, Akaza might initiate the connection himself.
With a final glance at his Nichirin blade, Lucas gripped the hilt and stepped out the door.
"Let's go! Let's find the Flame Pillar!"
---
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