In the world of demon slayer, there are three types of ‘cheats’ that can greatly enhance one’s strength.
The [demon slayer mark] which comprehensively improves physical abilities.
The [Transparent World] which conceals presence and enhances perception.
And the [Nichirin Blade] which increases damage and weakens a demon’s regeneration.
These are the three great cheats of demon slayer.
The demon slayers of the Sengoku Period were not unfamiliar with them; many had mastered one or two, and some even mastered all three.
It was precisely because of this that in the Sengoku Period, the battles between demon slayers and demons were actually dominated by humans.
However, because they failed to eliminate the Demon King Muzan, these three great cheats gradually faded into obscurity over the long river of time.
Sitting cross-legged on her bed, Chika switched from the Constant Breathing of Water Breathing to Hinokami Kagura, training her endurance while pondering how to increase her growth rate.
Setting aside the goal of defeating upper rank three in the Mugen Train Arc, and instead focusing on saving the Flame Hashira as the primary objective, the most effective among the three great cheats would undoubtedly be the ‘Transparent World’.
upper rank three, Akaza, uses his fists as weapons and masters various powerful fighting techniques, but the core among them is a skill called ‘Compass Needle’.
This skill precisely senses the opponent’s fighting spirit like a compass, making his attacks and dodges as accurate and forceful as magnetic attraction.
Moreover, this effect becomes more pronounced against those with stronger fighting spirit.
The ‘Transparent World’s’ ability to conceal one’s presence can counter the ‘Compass Needle’.
It is an ability one must master to defeat Akaza.
So here’s the problem: the Transparent World is the hardest of the three great cheats to unlock.
Basically, those who unlock the Transparent World have also unlocked the other two.
It’s too mystical.
Should I…
give it a try?
Chika closed her eyes, trying to shut down most of her senses and focus all her energy on perception.
Time passed minute by minute.
Chika didn’t know how much time had gone by because she…
fell asleep.
The first attempt at the Transparent World ended in failure.
Morning.
Chika sat gloomily on the chair in front of the mirror, her entire face seeming to reproach herself for falling asleep.
The Transparent World seems a bit too mystical to achieve in a short time.
Does that mean I can only choose the ‘demon slayer mark’ or the ‘Nichirin Blade’?
While the comprehensive physical boost from the demon slayer mark sounds tempting, the problem is that once you activate it, your lifespan is shortened to 25 years.
And it’s like a plague; having someone with the mark nearby makes it easier for others to awaken theirs.
After some thought, it seems the ‘Nichirin Blade’ is actually the easiest to activate.
There are two methods to awaken the Nichirin Blade.
First, by increasing the temperature of the Nichirin Blade through grip strength, but people who haven’t awakened the demon slayer mark generally don’t possess that level of grip strength.
Second, by using continuous collisions between weapons to raise the nichirin blade’s temperature to its peak.
This method seems more reliable, but ordinary collisions aren’t enough to achieve this condition.
The current level of sparring between Chika and Tanjirou isn’t sufficient to reach that temperature.
Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Chika continuously pondered how she could become stronger now.
The final conclusion was still to continue training her Hinokami Kagura breathing every night and attempt to enter the Transparent World, to keep sparring with Tanjirou to improve her strength, and then go to the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters to engage in high-intensity sparring with a Hashira, hoping to awaken the Nichirin Blade with the help of a Hashira-level powerhouse.
“It’s a long road…”
Chika let out a sigh.
She suddenly felt that her ‘minor demon slayer mark + minor regeneration’ physical cheat wasn’t so appealing anymore.
Why couldn’t I just awaken the Transparent World from the start?
Snapping back to reality, Chika focused her attention back on the present.
She stared at her reflection in the mirror and suddenly froze.
In the mirror, her originally loose hair was now combed to one side and braided into a loose plait.
This hairstyle is called a ‘Side Ponytail’, and in the anime world, it has another name.
[The Wife Hairstyle]!
This hairstyle is full of intellectual beauty and often appears on characters with an older sister image, wives, or mothers.
Because characters of this type in anime often meet unfortunate ends and ‘receive a lunchbox’ due to various events, this hairstyle is also notoriously called the death hairstyle.
Behind Chika, Nezuko was happily holding a comb, tidying up Chika’s hairstyle.
As the representative of the Kamado Family’s needlework, her understanding of hairstyles was not weak.
To avoid the expense of going to a barber, sometimes even haircuts were handled by Nezuko.
“Hehe~ Sis, you still seemed a bit dazed, so I helped tidy up your hair.
How is it, Sis?
My skills haven’t deteriorated, have they?~” Nezuko looked very satisfied with Chika’s current hairstyle.
Indeed, it was perfectly done.
She could probably make a living as a hairstylist.
if only it didn’t come with that kind of flag…
Of course, Chika couldn’t dampen Nezuko’s spirits.
This hairstyle it is.
“Nezuko, we should probably get ready to go out soon.”
“Mm!”
Nezuko obediently picked up the bamboo muzzle in her hands.
The portable wooden box that served as her small home was also ready and waiting by the door.
Before long, Tanjirou appeared outside the room door and gently knocked.
Knock!
Knock!
Knock!
“Sis?
Nezuko?
Are you awake?”
A few seconds later, the door opened from the inside.
Tanjirou walked in, then, carrying the wooden box, he and Chika walked out and came to the inn’s front desk.
The young lady working at the desk today saw Chika and Tanjirou come out.
Although she didn’t know them, she smiled politely and said, “You two are siblings, right?
You seem to have a very good relationship; I’m really envious.
Actually, I have a younger brother who often gives me a lot of trouble…”
The desk clerk’s casual small talk.
For an inn, even departing guests must not be neglected, as they are potential future customers.
Chika didn’t pay much attention to the content of the desk clerk’s small talk, but the key point was that this desk clerk had correctly identified her relationship with Tanjirou!
Not as older brother and younger sister, but as older sister and younger brother!
Chika’s lips twitched with joy, her eyes filled with happiness.
At the same time, she roughly guessed the reason for this change.
Her gaze tilted slightly towards the Side Ponytail Nezuko had just styled for her, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
At the same moment, a black crow appeared outside the inn.
In Japan, crows are one of the national birds, considered incarnations of divine birds, so they don’t provoke negative psychological reactions.
The crow flew around anxiously in the air, thinking to itself, Make complaintsing about why Chika and Tanjirou weren’t coming out yet.
And with so many people around, it couldn’t even speak.