When power is excessively concentrated in the hands of one person, it is extremely easy for certain problems to arise.
First, the organization's ability to adapt is weakened, making it unable to respond quickly to global changes. This leads to information or problems being transmitted with a lag or distortion, resulting in erroneous judgments.
Second, the lack of effective supervision. Excessive concentration of power leads to corruption and even abuse.
Netero had already become aware of some problems and, in recent years, had been pondering whether to form a new team, hiring the best hunters from various fields to assist him in managing the Hunter Association. Of course...
It definitely wasn't because he was too bored and just wanted to find some opponents to fight in his spare time.
"Omm..." The airship shredded the air, slowly flying toward the exam site...
Evening, the sun was setting. Aboard the "Neptune," rushing toward Dolle Island.
The sea's surface reflected the sunset's glow, shimmering with light. Kurajing pushed the dining cart just as she had yesterday, coming to the bow to deliver Roy's meal.
This time, she had learned her lesson. She didn't talk too much, nor did she try to steal his work, allowing Gotoh to serve Roy his meal. Suddenly, her neck felt cold again. She looked suspiciously at Gotoh, only to find him focused on peeling shrimp for Roy, with no time to glare at her. She turned her neck and scanned her surroundings but found nothing out of the ordinary. 'Could it be... I was just overthinking it?'
Little did she know, the moment she turned her head back, a hole opened in the deck within a patch of shadow, and a head full of pins poked out, staring at her expressionlessly.
'A girl... a live one... Who is she?!'
Illumi gripped the deck, his vacant eyes uncontrollably emitting a murderous intent.
He suddenly met Roy's gaze. The boy's head retracted, and he ducked back down....
"Young Master?"
"It's nothing."
Roy withdrew his gaze and accepted the peeled shrimp from Gotoh. Without looking up, he said, "I have a mission for you."
"Please instruct me, Young Master."
"Open her Nen."
"Who?"
Gotoh had a bad feeling. He turned his head to look at Roy. The Young Master raised his chin slightly, motioning toward Kurajing. Gotoh's body instantly stiffened.
"Don't overthink it."
"Kastro is useless, so it's not a bad idea to switch to someone else."
'A "type" is innate. "Enhancement" is "Enhancement," and "Conjuration" is "Conjuration." Forcibly changing it was, in the end, a waste of Kastro's talent.'
"Yes." Gotoh squinted at Kurajing. "I guarantee the mission will be completed before we disembark."
The girl was startled and swallowed nervously.
Night fell. The sun set, and the moon hung high in the sky.
Gotoh, having accepted Roy's order, was explaining knowledge related to "Nen" to Kurajing.
Roy closed his eyes to sleep, his cane-sword resting flat on his knees. He was like an old monk in meditation, emptying his mind, listening to the waves crash against the "Neptune." He gradually fell into a dream.
He passed through the colorful dream passage, just as before, and arrived at the familiar Sea of Cognition. He reached out and pushed open the Demon Slayer gate.
Along with the familiar sensation of falling... he opened his eyes again. His gaze fell upon an unfamiliar figure who was busy in the kitchen with Urokodaki Sakonji. He paused for a moment, then rolled over and got out of bed.
"You're awake... The porridge is almost ready." A pot of fish porridge was simmering over the fire. Urokodaki Sakonji, who was slicing dried radish, spoke without turning his head.
Turning his head along with him was... Giyu Tomioka's cold and sharp face.
"Giyu Tomioka," he said.
"Kamado Eiichiro," Roy replied.
A ghostly wind shuttled back and forth between the two, lifting their bangs...
Suddenly, Urokodaki Sakonji said, "Eiichiro, take your Senior Brother Giyu to meet your other senior brothers and sisters."
Giyu Tomioka's cold eyes moved. A hand was placed on him, and immediately, a warm current traveled up his arm, slowly climbing to his eyes.
He looked again... The fox-boy had removed his mask, smiling at him as he called out, "Giyu."
Giyu Tomioka's body trembled. He quickened his pace and threw his arms around Sabito, burying his head in his shoulder, greedily breathing in his scent.
For how many years had Giyu Tomioka dreamt, in the middle of the night, of his senior brother's face and smile?
It was he who, after his sister's death, often comforted a crying him...
It was he who, when he was too tired and didn't want to practice the sword, constantly encouraged him...
It was he who, when he was being disciplined by their master, always spoke up to protect him...
And it was he who, during the battle on Mount Fujikasane, protected him, only to be devoured by a demon...
For all these years, Giyu Tomioka had never for a moment stopped regretting. If he had been stronger back then, maybe his senior brother wouldn't have died, and the junior brothers and sisters who followed wouldn't have passed away one by one...
He just held Sabito tightly, with so, so many things he wanted to say to him... But the words, reaching his lips, were caught in a choke, unable to come out. In the end, they transformed into a single phrase: "Senior brother, I missed you."
"Plop." A tear passed through Sabito's spirit body, landing on the floor...
Shinsuke watched from the rafters, his eyes turning red. He grabbed Fukuda and started bawling, only to be kicked away by Fukuda.
"Go cry somewhere else! I seriously suspect you're wiping your snot on me..."
"You two!" Makomo wiped the corner of her eye and shot them a fierce glare, which almost made her laugh... If Senior Brother Sabito saw this, how embarrassing would it be...
The girl slipped into the kitchen, deciding to hide.
Roy watched quietly from the side, just as he had when he sent Nanno Kōji home. He stood by silently, feeling the subtle changes in "emotions" under "intense impact," deepening his understanding of "Nen."
A moment later, by the kotatsu, the master and his two students sat facing each other.
Urokodaki Sakonji, just like at the new year, brought out the bowls and chopsticks from the cupboard and placed them in a circle along the edge of the table.
This time, it wasn't just Sabito, Makomo, Shinsuke, and Fukuda. There was also... Giyu.
"Master, this is the first time everyone has been gathered together in so many years," Makomo said with a bright smile, sitting right next to Urokodaki Sakonji.
Sabito and Giyu Tomioka looked at each other, and then heard a sigh. It was Urokodaki Sakonji.
The day the old man "received" Roy's slash and took off his tengu mask, he had often fantasized if he would ever have the chance in this life to sit just like this, share a simple meal with everyone, and make small talk. Now...
The fantasy had come true.
Urokodaki Sakonji raised his bowl, lifting it toward Roy from afar. "To Eiichiro."
Sabito smiled. "To Eiichiro."
He followed, raising his bowl, his hand passing right through it, but he didn't mind.
Then... Makomo... Shinsuke... Fukuda... Watanabe... Shimizu...
Many gazes converged, and "To Eiichiro" was heard again and again... Giyu Tomioka was the last to raise his bowl, joining everyone. He looked at Roy seriously and said, "Thank you, Eiichiro."
Roy smiled freely and raised his bowl. "To everyone."
He tilted his head back and poured all the porridge from the bowl into his stomach.
"Careful, it's hot." Makomo rolled her eyes in complaint. Only this boy, relying on his tough constitution, dared to drink it like that. Otherwise... 'Look at Senior Brother Giyu, he's taking small sips, much more careful than someone.'
Sabito lowered his hand and said with a smile, "No need to worry. He's a man who can make his blade turn red-hot."
The moment his words fell, a "Clack" was heard.
The bowl fell from Giyu Tomioka's hand, clattering onto the kang.
The current Water Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, ignoring his discomposure, whipped his head toward Sabito. "Senior brother, what did you say?"
He then turned his head to look at Roy, his expression more solemn than it had ever been!