Why does the world show a health bar? !

Under the night sky, Tokyo was bustling with people coming and going. Under normal circumstances, an attack wouldn't happen in such a crowded place, but the world is full of unpredictable events. This world never lacks absurd occurrences.

The Kasugai Crow flew low through the night, while Li Mo followed from the rooftops. Both moved swiftly, leaving only a blur to the naked eye—if they were even noticed at all.

"How much longer?"

"Just ahead, just ahead."

The crow's voice was as grating as ever, or perhaps even more piercing. Having grown accustomed to his companion's voice, Li Mo surveyed the surroundings under the moonlight, gathering data and information.

The flow of the crowd could serve as observational data. When an attack occurred, the surrounding people would flee, fearing they might be caught in the crossfire. Decades ago, the samurai of this country would even test their blades on people.

Found it.

Li Mo adjusted his direction. Amidst the calm flow of the crowd, a sudden disturbance appeared, making it as easy to spot as finding a white crane among a flock of chickens.

...

Sakata felt incredibly unlucky. He had heard of demons before, but he always dismissed them as rural folklore. After all, who hadn't heard stories of monsters like Shuten-doji or Tamamo-no-Mae as a child? But how many people had actually seen such creatures in real life?

Yet, here he was, face-to-face with a man-eating demon.

His arm had been torn off in an instant. If he hadn't dodged at the last moment, his entire body might have been ripped apart.

The sheer terror of that strength was monstrous.

Now, fighting this monster was a man in a black uniform, who claimed to be a swordsman from the Demon Slayer Corps. He had been locked in combat with the demon for some time. If it weren't for his sudden appearance, Sakata would already be a corpse. But... anyone could see that the swordsman was at a disadvantage.

What to do, what to do? Should I run? But my legs feel like jelly.

Looking at his severed left arm, which had been hastily bandaged to stop the bleeding, Sakata knew it wouldn't hold for long. He needed professional medical help.

Perhaps he should try to crawl away.

Soon, Sakata realized he didn't need to think about that.

The young man he had met the previous day descended from the sky, his white haori flaring open like the wings of an eagle. The blade in his hand reflected the moonlight, and in an instant, the demon that had given the swordsman so much trouble was beheaded.

A "Pillar."

Sakata thought of this title. It seemed to be the highest rank of combat strength within the Demon Slayer Corps, akin to the elite samurai of ancient times.

He was saved...

But no matter what, he had survived.

The streets were brightly lit, but there were no pedestrians in sight. Even the surrounding shops had closed their doors temporarily. It made sense—who wouldn't flee from such a horrific event?

"It's you, Kanamori. This isn't the time for small talk. The police will be here soon. Help Sakata-san, and let's get out of here."

Li Mo recognized the swordsman fighting the demon as Kanamori Kyoji, an old acquaintance. They had participated in the "Final Selection" in the same year.

As for avoiding the police, it wasn't because Li Mo had done anything wrong. It was simply that members of the Demon Slayer Corps tried to avoid official personnel whenever possible. During the era of the sword ban, carrying a blade in front of authorities was tantamount to provocation, especially in a major city like Tokyo.

"Yes, Flame Pillar-sama."

Li Mo noticed Sakata's injuries and glanced around. The surroundings felt familiar. A mental map of Tokyo formed in his mind, and he realized they weren't far from Tamayo's residence.

"Follow me, Kanamori. We're going to find a doctor."

Before leaving, Li Mo didn't forget to take Sakata's severed arm. Perhaps Tamayo's medical skills could reattach it?

—The chances were slim, but it was worth a try. It wasn't like it would cost anything.

The three quickly left the scene, leaving the mess for the police to deal with.

...

...

The Western-style house where Tamayo resided was usually invisible to the naked eye, concealed by Yushiro's Blood Demon Art. No ordinary person could detect its presence.

But Li Mo was no ordinary person. He had been granted access.

*Knock knock knock—*

Led by a cute cat, the group successfully entered the hidden area. Along the way, Li Mo carefully checked to see if anyone had noticed them. Unsurprisingly, no one had.

"Li-san? What brings you here? Wait, I see. Please come in. I'll inform Tamayo-sama to prepare for surgery."

The one who opened the door was Kocho Kanae. She was momentarily stunned upon seeing Li Mo holding a severed arm, but then she noticed Kanamori supporting Sakata and understood what had happened.

Sakata was taken to the operating room, and the severed arm was handed over. However, according to Tamayo, reattaching the arm was impossible. She could only stop the bleeding.

Yushiro was the one who attended to Li Mo. The boy had a sour expression, as if saying, "Why are you here again? Get lost!" But in reality, he was preparing tea.

"Yushiro, are you angry?"

"Of course! Why did you bring people here again? What if you attract the wrong kind of attention? Tamayo-sama is still being hunted by demons!"

Li Mo understood Yushiro's concerns. As the only demon in a thousand years to betray Muzan Kibutsuji, Tamayo was on his blacklist. Decades ago, during the Warring States period, if it hadn't been for Yoriichi Tsugikuni's overwhelming presence, Muzan's first act would have been to hunt her down.

"Don't worry. No one saw us on the way here. I even accounted for the blood trail. Besides, unless an Upper Moon shows up, anyone who comes will be dealt with in a single strike."

"Tch." Yushiro was clearly dissatisfied, but he knew Li Mo wasn't lying. As one of the Demon Slayer Corps' top fighters, Li Mo was incredibly powerful. Over the past year, he had delivered numerous blood samples, far more than what Yushiro and Tamayo had collected in their entire lives. He had even brought blood from Lower Moons.

Kanamori Kyoji said, "By the way, I heard the attacking demon mention... that an Upper Moon is coming to Tokyo."

"Huh?" Li Mo raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? Demons are all big mouths, aren't they? They even spill this kind of information."

Suddenly, Li Mo understood why Muzan Kibutsuji had cursed his demons with the rule that speaking his name would result in instant death. With mouths this loose, without the curse, all his secrets would have been exposed long ago.

Kanamori explained, "The demon probably thought it had the upper hand at the time... I was already at a disadvantage."

"Fair point. Kanamori, you should get your injuries checked."

"I'm just exhausted. I didn't get hurt much. I'll leave after a short rest," Kanamori said. "I heard there's a civilian hunting demons recently. I need to check that out."

Li Mo nodded. "Rest well. Let the doctor take a look at you later. By the way, Yushiro, I remember you know some medicine. Why don't you take a look?"

"Hmph! Why should I?" Yushiro retorted.

How to deal with a bratty kid? Bring out the big guns, of course. Li Mo said, "I don't think Tamayo-sama would approve of your attitude."

Yushiro glared at Li Mo but reluctantly began examining Kanamori.

With nothing else to do, Li Mo picked up his teacup and stood by the window, savoring the rare moment of peace. Soon, he would have to head out again to protect Tokyo's nightlife.

—Then, he saw the Kasugai Crow.

"Emergency, backup needed! Emergency, backup needed!"

"Flame Pillar encountered an Upper Moon! Urgent backup required!"

The crow brought terrible news—extremely terrible news. Li Mo set down his teacup and prepared to leave immediately.

Kocho Kanae's voice came from behind. "Li-san, are you leaving again?"

"Yes, I must go provide backup," Li Mo replied without turning back.

As a fellow swordsman, Kanae understood the weight of a "Pillar's" responsibilities. She didn't ask him to stay and rest but simply said, "I wish you a safe journey."