Long ago, Yoriichi Tsugikuni once told the Kamado family ancestor, Sumiyoshi: "All who reach the pinnacle arrive at the same endpoint. Even though times change, and each person's experiences are different, they will ultimately reach the same destination."
In the original story, ten days before his death, Tanjuro took Tanjiro and Nezuko up the mountain to hunt a bear. Even though his time was near, he was still able to effortlessly slay a large bear without emitting any killing intent, cutting off its neck, as thick as an old tree trunk, as easily as breathing.
At that time, Tanjuro told Tanjiro: "It's a domain."
What domain?
"When all distracting thoughts in the mind are cleared away, a transparent world will appear before your eyes."
Hence, it was defined as—the Transparent World!
Roy raised an eyebrow, not at all surprised that his father had seen through him... Just like how the Mark could spread, once one appeared, a whole bunch would emerge as if in resonance... When Tanjuro danced while using the Transparent World, his perception and insight would be greatly enhanced. It would be stranger if he hadn't noticed anything unusual.
"That wasn't the Transparent World." Roy sat down cross-legged, took the hot tea Tanjuro offered, sipped it, and said, "I am different from Father, just as Father is different from Grandfather, and Grandfather is different from our ancestors. Each generation of the Kamado family has a slightly different understanding of the Hinokami Kagura."
Just as the "sun" also has ten thousand faces—a warm sun in winter, a scorching sun in summer. It can parch the earth, causing drought, yet it can also nurture all things, bringing forth vibrant life.
Tanjuro poured himself a cup of hot tea as well, warming his hands with it. He carefully mulled over Roy's words. After a long moment, he looked at him with gratification. "You've been away for these few months, and you've finally gained some perspective."
"It's just as you said. People are different. One cannot use their own experiences to judge another's life."
"It's just a pity, Eiichiro... that there isn't much time left for you."
Tanjuro held up three fingers. "Three years at most... you must have felt it just now. This body of mine will reach its limit."
The man spoke as if it were the most normal thing, smiling nonchalantly. "When that time comes, I'll entrust this family to you."
"I don't want it." The young man refused without a second thought, drained the tea his father had offered in one gulp, stood up briskly, and went back inside to sleep.
He left only one sentence behind, carried by the wind and snow, clinging to the warm stove, and delivered into Tanjuro's ears—"Three years isn't enough for Father, but for me, three years is more than enough."
The young man left decisively, almost with finality... Tanjuro quietly watched Roy brave the wind and snow, close the door. His heart felt both happy and troubled, ultimately dissolving into a long silence.
"Juro, maybe that child really has a way..." Aoi, having just put Hanako to sleep, poked her head out. "Why not trust him this once?"
Tanjuro gave a wry smile. It had nothing to do with trust.
"He's a stubborn one. He's had his own ideas since he was little. Even if you tell him, he'll still do things his own way, according to his own thoughts..."
As for stopping him, with this frail body of his, he couldn't stop him even if he wanted to...
Tanjuro suddenly remembered the two divine flames flickering in the young man's eyes earlier, truly like two rising suns.
"Whimper..." The wind and snow blew out the last lamp in the Kamado house... but failed to extinguish any of the lamps in the Zoldyck house, because they were electric.
Kukuroo Mountain.
While Roy, through deep sleep, remained immersed in the world of Demon Slayer, in the parallel Hunter world...
Ever since Illumi got his father Silva's notebook from Roy, he had holed himself up in his bedroom, staying awake night after night.
He sat at his desk, staring blankly at his reflection in the mirror. The notebook lay open on the desk, turned to the page recording all the knowledge and training experience regarding Ren. The section on "questioning the heart" was circled in red pen.
The key explanation read: "To learn Ren, one must first question their own heart, delve into their desires, determine what they truly want most deep down, and then use that as a blueprint to develop their Ren. That is the path best suited for oneself..."
So, Illumi had been thinking, 'What is my heart?'
'What is the thing I desire most deep down?'
'And if... it's not a thing, then what?'
Two days and two nights passed, just contemplating...
From initial confusion, a glimmer of light first appeared in his vacant eyes, and then his path became firm... At 3:30 AM, Illumi finally pulled open a drawer, took out the first-aid kit he always kept for missions, opened it, and found a suture needle. Coating it with Nen, he compared it to the mirror and pierced it into his face. And then...
One needle wasn't enough, then two, two weren't enough, then three... After more than a dozen needles, a handsome young face appeared in the mirror.
He had a strong jawline, a high nose bridge, and a pair of sword-like eyebrows that curved slightly at the ends, heroic yet with a touch of softness. It was completely... a carbon copy of Roy!
"Niisan..." Illumi stared entranced at his reflection in the mirror...
After a long moment, he pressed his face against the mirror, cupped his chin, and compared them carefully again. Those vacant, lifeless eyes were brighter than ever before.
'No, it's still not perfect.' The young man admired it for a while, then swiped his hand across his face dissatisfied. His features rippled and instantly returned to his original appearance... The foolish little brother thought carefully for another moment, then took up the needles again and changed into another face.
He had a sexy beard, V-shaped eyebrows, short hair, a sharp upturned nose, and a somewhat melancholic gaze. He pushed up the glasses on the bridge of his nose and said respectfully to his reflection, "Young master."
He looked exactly like Roy's personal butler, Gotoh.
The only difference was... this "Gotoh" seemed somewhat disgusted with himself. After setting the shape, he didn't even want to look at it again. He pushed open the door, walked out, rounded the corner, traversed the long corridor, climbed through a window, and arrived at Roy's bedside.
He watched silently for a while, activated Zetsu, concealed his aura, climbed onto the bed, lay face-to-face with Roy, and silently pulled out a Nen needle from his robes...
'I want... want him... I want to possess him so badly...'
Illumi trembled with excitement. The whites of his eyes rolled up, and he plunged the needle down...
What greeted him next was a powerful, heavy kick from Roy!
He crashed through the door with a "BANG~" and flew out...
"Could you please put away that perverse desire for control..."
The stench could be smelled even across two worlds... Two suns appeared in Roy's eyes, seeing through Illumi's disguise in an instant. He flipped off the bed, chased after him, grabbed his collar in mid-air, dragged him under the willow tree, and gave him a sound beating. Finally, he stuck him headfirst into the ground, tore his pajamas into strips, tied him up, and hung him from the willow tree!
The thrashing woke quite a few people...
In the master bedroom on the second floor, Silva, having just settled Kikyo to sleep, opened his eyes and instantly teleported to the window. It was cold; Zeno, having just returned from a mission, went to see the old master first as usual. He stopped in his tracks in the long corridor. In the small, dimly lit room, the cartoon played 24/7. Maha rocked in his chair, tapping his fingers on the armrest, and smiled...
"Brotherly love and respect, good... good..."