There were only two ways to awaken Nen abilities.
First, through meditation, sensing the existence of aura and opening it yourself. Second, through forceful methods, opening the aura nodes to directly experience aura.
Since the family had Silva, a top-tier Nen user, this saved Roy the trouble of meditation.
He immediately noticed the anomaly, discovering that milky-white energy was continuously flowing out from within his body, quickly enveloping his entire form.
This scene was both fresh and familiar, just like when Wing helped Gon and Killua forcefully awaken their Nen abilities at Heavens Arena. Roy hurriedly closed his eyes and, using a posture he found easier to imagine, slowly gathered the escaping aura back into his body.
Long before Silva decided to awaken his Nen, Gotoh had prepared in advance, sharing all his knowledge about Nen abilities without reservation and patiently explaining the precautions before and after opening the aura nodes.
But "knowing" didn't equal "mastering." Having just opened his aura nodes, Roy could slowly gather the aura flowing across his body's surface back inside—such speed still made Silva, who was observing from the side, take a second look.
Though it was just one glance...
"Hiss... exhale..."
In just a few seconds between inhaling and exhaling, all the aura scattered across Roy's body surface was drawn back inside.
The young man opened his eyes again. His pupils flashed with a "whoosh," as if two "Nen flames" had been ignited, truly completing the transformation from an ordinary person to a Nen user.
This feeling was extremely mysterious, as if his entire life level had achieved a leap. Looking back at himself from three seconds ago, he felt an additional sense of high-level confidence and composure.
"This is 'Nen,' an existence that fuses multiple elements like 'stamina,' 'willpower,' 'emotions,' and 'soul.'"
Roy silently felt the changes within his body. As his thoughts churned, he also received a notification from his status panel.
[Host detected to have opened aura nodes...]
[Nen Ability: "Gate of Recognition" has awakened...]
[Host can enter deep sleep, delve into their own cerebral cortex, push open their "Gate of Recognition," draw nourishment from the world of "recognition," and manifest it in reality...]
So—
'I'm not an "Enhancer," but a "Conjurer"?'
Roy was somewhat surprised.
Originally, he thought that with his intense desire to enhance his physical capabilities as his "driving force," he would ultimately awaken an Enhancement-type Nen ability most compatible with himself. He hadn't expected this result.
Looking back now, he had completely overlooked one issue—he was a transmigrator reborn in this world!
"Transmigration" itself was his deepest secret and his greatest advantage!
This was interesting. Was fate subtly reminding him that "rather than seeking outward, it's better to seek inward"?
Roy seriously contemplated the four words "Gate of Recognition," and immediately felt an impulse to fall asleep right now and explore it thoroughly.
Unfortunately, first, having just awakened his Nen ability, he was still excited and whether he could fall asleep was questionable. Second, Silva was watching from the side, and he couldn't leave the man with an impression of laziness in this training room dedicated to sweat and progress, or that cracked wall behind him would become his fate.
When a father sees his son still alive, he brings out harsh discipline...
Roy had experienced Silva's abilities in discipline and punishment before.
So he immediately suppressed his excitement and respectfully bid Silva goodnight: "Father, I'll head back now."
Silva made a noncommittal "mm" sound, said nothing, and didn't ask Roy about testing his Nen type or what ability he planned to develop. He turned back to continue his leg stretches, as if he had just done something insignificant.
Perhaps, in a father's view, he had long known what kind of person his child was.
The reason for awakening "Roy's" Nen early was because Silva had already seen through this child—his potential was truly limited.
In the future, forget about partnering with him for missions; whether he could even protect himself from being killed was questionable.
So what difference did knowing or not knowing make?
At night, the midsummer wind stirred the wall lamps, casting enchanting shadows.
As the training room door opened and closed again, it separated father and son into two different worlds.
On one side, Silva remained in his black training outfit, muscles knotted, expression cold. On the other side, Roy walked briskly, excitement no longer suppressible at the corners of his mouth, hurrying toward his bedroom.
When passing a dimly lit room, he performed a simple bow.
The old man lying in the rocking chair inside, listening to cartoons and sleeping soundly, turned over, mumbling something in his sleep, then shifted positions and slept even more soundly.
Yes, the night was as beautiful as a painting—perfect for sleeping. Even though it wasn't Roy's usual bedtime, he had to sleep now.
After returning to his bedroom, Roy directly locked the door from inside.
Then he threw himself onto the bed, pulled out his phone to activate "white noise sleep mode," and forced himself to slowly close his eyes.
"Chirp chirp~" cicadas called outside the window. "Rustle rustle~" the evening breeze stirred the leaves.
After about ten minutes, he finally caught a hint of sleepiness and walked alone into his dreams.
Dazedly, he felt like he was floating, with a colorful tunnel ahead.
From the tunnel's end, he could vaguely hear the sound of waves hitting rocks, drawing Roy to float inside.
One step, two steps, curiosity mixed with a trace of leisure. Soon, Roy emerged from the tunnel and saw a vast ocean.
This ocean stretched endlessly, with azure as its base color. Surprisingly, wooden doors stood on the sea surface—some weathered, some new, some dark, some bright on the surface, as if they had existed here since ancient times, but all without exception were locked.
Only—
The wooden door closest to Roy's right side, with a "demon head" ornament hanging above it, was slightly ajar, revealing a glimmer of light from within.
Roy understood—it was waiting for him.
Without further hesitation, he reached out, pushed it open, and strode inside.
"Hiss—"
"So cold—"
Completely opposite to the hot Batokia Republic, snowflakes were actually falling in the sky of this cognitive world.
When Roy opened his eyes again, he found himself lying in an old forest covered with deep snow.
To his left was a hatchet, to his right a basket filled with charcoal.
So—
In his "cognitive world," he had become a charcoal burner?
Roy curiously examined himself. A heavy mountain cloak wrapped around his body, thick socks on his feet, wooden sandals, and deep red hair hanging to his eye level. He looked remarkably like an anime character familiar from his previous life, yet somehow different.
Fortunately, before his confusion lasted too long, his status panel appeared and gave him the answer.
[Character generating...]
[Kamado Eiichiro... Kamado Tanjiro's older brother...]
Only then did Roy realize—'So this is actually the world of Demon Slayer!'