Multiverse: Why does the world show a health bar? !

The Wind Pillar, Sanemi Shinazugawa, is a man with a fiery temper.

This temper manifests in battle, where he often chooses to endure minor injuries to kill demons, even when he could avoid them.

This temper also shows in how he interacts with his beloved younger brother, often resorting to yelling.

Currently, only two people can suppress this temper: Kanae Kocho, who has treated many of his wounds, and the Corps Leader standing there.

For the Corps Leader, he holds immense respect.

So, who the hell is that bastard standing next to the Corps Leader?! How dare he stand there?! The Corps Leader hasn't even spoken, yet he has the nerve to open his mouth?

In an instant, Sanemi felt the urge to draw his sword and cut the guy down.

But reason told him that the Corps Leader was standing right next to that bastard. The fact that the Corps Leader allowed him to speak meant he had his approval!

Thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning.

The next second, he heard the voices of others. Almost everyone except him shouted a single name.

"Li Mo."

A non-Japanese name.

A foreigner in the Demon Slayer Corps. These two things combined brought a person to Sanemi's mind.

A man who had faded from the Demon Slayer Corps years ago.

A name that even Masachika Kumeno mentioned on his deathbed.

"The Sun Pillar?!"

Sanemi Shinazugawa stared intently at the man standing beside the Corps Leader.

Li Mo calmly accepted Sanemi's gaze, just as he accepted the stares of the others.

The momentary shock and surprise from everyone faded as the Corps Leader raised his hand slightly and then lowered it. The scene quieted down again, under his control.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki is a "strong man."

Not in terms of martial prowess, but in every other aspect—he is an exceptional "strong man."

Communication, leadership, and keen insight into matters. Kagaya Ubuyashiki's talent in administrative work is surprisingly extraordinary.

The curse of the bloodline doesn't just bring suffering. It also brings talent. The Ubuyashiki family seems to have a "limited precognition" ability passed down through generations, allowing them to survive and thrive.

If not for this, how could a family whose leaders die in their twenties have survived from the Heian period to the present?

"Li, stand beside me. Before we officially begin the Pillar Meeting, it's your time," Kagaya Ubuyashiki said calmly.

His voice was like a gentle breeze in spring, always soothing. Yes, before this Pillar Meeting, there was something that needed to be addressed.

His own explanation.

"That's right... Everyone must be wondering how I, who supposedly died three years ago, came back to life. But if you think about it, the official report from the Corps was that I went missing, not that I died."

Li Mo noticed Makomo. If it weren't for Giyu Tomioka and Sabito standing beside her, she might have rushed over to grab his collar and demand to know where he had been.

Three years.

In reality, the time he spent away wasn't three years, but in this world, three years had passed.

"Namu Amida Butsu. So, Li, you're saying that back then, you didn't die in battle but went missing, correct?"

Missing. That was what Kanae Kocho had claimed three years ago, and the former Flame Pillar, Shinjuro Rengoku, had endorsed the report.

Gyomei Himejima glanced at Kanae Kocho.

Back then, she had said he went missing. But everyone thought it was because she was too grief-stricken. Had they misunderstood her?

"Yes. Back then, I did go missing. I had to leave in a hurry because I was on the verge of death and had no choice but to return to my own time for treatment. So, I didn't get to say goodbye."

Li Mo glossed over the past events. Now wasn't the time to delve into that. Everyone had their own understanding of what had happened.

He noticed Makomo glancing at Kanae Kocho. It was mainly because Kanae was the only one smiling now. How could Makomo not notice?

Kanae also looked at him, seemingly reproachful.

—He would probably get scolded by his senior sister later.

But he wasn't too bothered by it.

After briefly explaining where he had been for the past three years, Li Mo turned his attention to Sanemi Shinazugawa.

Among the current Pillars, Sanemi was the only one Li Mo had never met. Tengen Uzui had become a Pillar before Li Mo's "death," and they had attended Pillar Meetings together.

"I suppose the Wind Pillar doesn't know much about me?" Li Mo said.

He also noticed that after recognizing his identity, Sanemi's emotions were quite intense. Like a volcano ready to erupt, but held back.

With Kagaya Ubuyashiki present, Sanemi Shinazugawa didn't dare to explode.

Among the members of the Demon Slayer Corps, Kagaya Ubuyashiki was like an elder brother. He remembered every member's name, knew their personalities, their likes, and where they had died in battle.

Sanemi Shinazugawa respected him so much that the anger in his heart was suppressed. But a volcano would erupt eventually; it was only a matter of time.

"No, I know you. Masachika told me a lot about you! Even on his deathbed, he was talking about you."

Masachika Kumeno, an ordinary Demon Slayer Corps swordsman. Perhaps his greatest achievement in life was guiding a talent like Sanemi Shinazugawa.

"Masachika Kumeno... Time flies. I still vaguely remember how he looked during the Final Selection."

Times had changed, and faced with the death of an old acquaintance, Li Mo appeared indifferent. Not to mention, he had already learned about it when he returned to this world at the hotel. In truth, he should have been accustomed to such things by now.

The life of a Demon Slayer Corps swordsman was always precarious. The familiar faces from last time might be lying dead the next time they met—or worse, their bodies might never be found.

Habit is a terrifying thing.

"So, I don't understand. Why did Masachika hold you in such high regard? Yin-Yang arts? Magecraft? Coming from the future? Who would believe such things? You wasted three years on this?"

Sarcasm?

No, it was pure venting of dissatisfaction.

Perhaps in the next second, Sanemi would point at his nose and challenge him to a duel.

Li Mo smiled and extended his hand.

The next second, a strand of hair fell from Sanemi's head, floated into Li Mo's hand, and was woven into a white dove. This dove, made from a strand of hair, then landed on Sanemi's head.

When Sanemi grabbed the dove, it turned back into a strand of hair.

"Wind Pillar, look in front of you."

Under the sunlight, a spectral entity materialized out of thin air. The shrine maiden spirit Li Mo had subdued in Teyvat now revealed herself.

"Although I said three years, in my timeline, it's been little more than a year. Wind Pillar, I want to tell you that some things should be experienced before being judged.

This world has spirits and hell, but as far as I can tell, there's no system of death gods or the like. Otherwise, a being like Muzan Kibutsuji, who defies death, would have been targeted by them long ago."

Li Mo spoke calmly.

He could silently pluck a hair from Sanemi's head, and he could just as silently kill him. This wasn't just skill; it was the suppression of the mystical over the non-mystical.

"Sanemi, don't let anger blind you. Look, the sunlight today is beautiful. We are all bathed in the light of the sun god, and we should carry the weight of the dead, pointing our blades at the enemy."

A mix of sternness and gentleness.

Sanemi Shinazugawa lowered his head and said, "Yes, Corps Leader."

"Good. Now, let's begin the Pillar Meeting."

"I apologize for calling this emergency Pillar Meeting. I understand that everyone is excited to see Li, but I ask that you calm down. There will be time for catching up later.

This Pillar Meeting has only one theme:

'The Final Battle.'"