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Mika's first destination was the Demon Slayer World, the place where his journey had begun.
Since this was a trip down memory lane, a relaxing vacation, he didn't return to the time he had just left but skipped ahead several years.
By now, the Demon Slayer Corps had defeated Muzan—eradicating demons from the world. The Corps itself had been disbanded—but its members—thanks to Kagaya Ubuyashiki's generosity, were living peaceful, fulfilling lives.
Tanjiro Kamado, along with his sister Nezuko, had returned to their rebuilt home.
Several years had passed, and both had grown into adults, even married.
Just like in the original story, Tanjiro had married Kanao Tsuyuri, Nezuko had married Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Inosuke Hashibira had married Aoi Kanzaki.
However, they hadn't abandoned their training.
When Mika met them, their strength had increased significantly. After all, they had still been young, their bodies not yet fully developed, when he left. Now, they were in their prime.
Mika, excited to see them again, sparred with them, sharing his Martial arts Skills and demonstrating his Divine Swordsmanship—inspiring awe and admiration. He then taught them his techniques.
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After visiting Tanjiro and the others, he continued his journey, first visiting his old mentor—Sakonji Urokodaki, the former Water Hashira.
The old man—despite the years—was still in good health.
Mika, filled with gratitude for his first teacher—spent some time with him, sharing stories of his adventures in other worlds—In this world, he didn't have to hide his abilities.
He was practically invincible.
As Sakonji listened, a sense of longing filled his heart. He decided to travel the world. With Muzan gone and the Demon Slayer Corps disbanded, he had no further duties. He had lived a quiet, peaceful life for the past few years, though also a…lonely one.
However, it was a loneliness he had grown accustomed to. But now, inspired by Mika's tales, he decided to leave—to explore the world—After bidding Mika farewell, he departed.
Mika wasn't concerned. With his strength as a former Hashira, Sakonji was more than capable of protecting himself.
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After their farewell, Mika visited Kagaya Ubuyashiki, learning the locations of the former Hashira.
Thanks to Mika's influence, those who had awakened their—Demon Slayer Marks—had survived and were now living peacefully throughout Japan. He visited each of them, a reunion with old friends, a trip down memory lane.
He also extended an invitation to join him in his travels to other worlds. However, they declined. While they might have accepted his offer immediately after Muzan's defeat, now, having finally found peace after years of battling demons, they were no longer interested in such a life.
They had settled down—started families—their children still young. They simply wanted to live out their days in peace, enjoying the tranquility they had fought so hard to achieve.
Mika respected their decision.
While they were, in a sense, members of his Familia—their autonomy was paramount. Besides, their lives had been filled with hardship; he wouldn't force them back into a life of danger.
However, he wasn't entirely without…recruits.
While most had chosen to stay, one had been waiting for his return:
Shinobu Kocho—the Insect Hashira.
Unlike the others, she hadn't started a family but had remained at the Butterfly Mansion, awaiting Mika's return. He had, after all, promised to take her to other worlds during his time there—And upon seeing him—she had punched him playfully in the stomach.
"You're late!" She had exclaimed.
Mika had apologized profusely.
He hadn't realized how much time had passed for them, his decision to skip ahead several years having unforeseen consequences.
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Tanjiro, too, had been tempted by Mika's offer.
But years had passed since Muzan's defeat. He was now married to Kanao, with young children. He couldn't simply abandon his responsibilities.
Seeing his hesitation—Mika hadn't pressed the matter, nor had he extended the invitation to Zenitsu or Inosuke, knowing their situations were similar. He resolved to be more mindful of the time differential in future visits.
Having concluded his reunions, Mika and Shinobu—his sole companion from this world—embarked on a journey, traveling the globe.
His objective wasn't just relaxation but also to achieve the—[8th Sense]—Unlike his other two goals—modifying the [Falna System]—which was Yahweh's responsibility, and mastering the [Heaven's Feel] ritual, which required time and research – achieving the [8th Sense] was a personal journey.
He had experienced its Power through both Shaka and Saori.
It was a state of transcending life and death.
According to Saori, to achieve it, he first had to understand the true meaning of both life and death.
And before he could comprehend death, he had to understand life.
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What was the meaning of life?
He didn't know. Neither did Saori.
Yahweh, however, had offered some advice:
He was still young, his experiences, though extensive, primarily focused on training and combat. He hadn't truly lived.
Therefore, she suggested he travel—to experience the world—to witness its beauty and its diversity. Mika, recognizing the wisdom in her words, readily agreed.
However, he still had a question:
Almost every generation of Saints had at least one who achieved the 8th Sense—And they were all relatively young.
Saori had provided the answer: To transcend life and death—one first had to understand them. Yahweh's approach was to experience life fully, then, through that understanding, comprehend death—a transition from life to death.
The Saints, however, walked a different path—seeking understanding of life through death. Facing the ever-present threat of Powerful enemies—their lives constantly on the line—they were forced to confront their own mortality.
It was a perilous path, seeking enlightenment through the very act of dying.
Hearing this, Mika understood; that wasn't his path. While he had faced countless battles, many of them life-or-death struggles, he had never truly faced his own mortality.
Relying on his foreknowledge, he chose his battles carefully, always calculating the risks and ensuring his own survival. He was a strategist, not a gambler.
He couldn't simply throw himself into the abyss and hope for enlightenment.
He needed to experience life, to understand its nuances, its beauty, its fragility—Only then, through that understanding, could he truly comprehend death, and, ultimately, transcend it.
This was the purpose of his journey!
He traveled the world, not as a Powerful warrior, but as an ordinary traveler, experiencing life as a mortal, climbing mountains, crossing rivers, sailing the seas. He observed the world, its diverse cultures and peoples, their joys and sorrows, their hopes and dreams.
He spent years wandering the Earth, until he had seen it all, a kaleidoscope of Human experiences filling his mind, giving him a deeper, though still incomplete, understanding of life.
It was like a hazy dream, a vision just beyond his grasp. He knew he wasn't there yet. His journey had to continue. He needed to visit other worlds.
However, before leaving, he decided to visit his friends one last time. He didn't know when he would see them again.
And this time, his invitation was met with a different response.
"Mika, we'll go with you," Tanjiro said.
"You've decided?" Mika asked, surprised.
"Yes. My children are older now; I can take them with me. And Kanao doesn't want to leave Shinobu-san," he replied.
Mika nodded.
Indeed, thanks to his extended stay in their world, Tanjiro's children were no longer toddlers. While boys in ancient Japan often married at twelve, this world, though technologically advanced in the cities, still adhered to more traditional customs in rural areas.
Tanjiro, who had begun working at a young age, had trained his children from a young age as well, their physical abilities now surpassing his own from that time.
And unlike in the original story—Shinobu was still alive, with family—her sister, Kanao. She wouldn't be separated from them. She hadn't been present when Mika first extended his invitation. If she had been, she would likely have accepted immediately. After all, to her, home was wherever Tanjiro and her sister were.
"What about Nezuko? Are you willing to leave her?" Mika asked. While she was married, she was Tanjiro's only remaining family.
"Nezuko is coming with us, along with Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Aoi," Tanjiro replied with a smile. "They all want to see these other worlds you've told us about."
"Then let's go." Mika smiled.
He was happy to have his friends join him. He valued their companionship and hoped they would stay by his side even after he achieved his goals. That was the future he envisioned.
Before leaving for a new world—he returned to Orario—entrusting Tanjiro and the others to Airmid, who had returned from the Saint Seiya World.
Yahweh, Mellie, and Airmid would help them acclimate to their new lives. However, he didn't officially add them to either the Yahweh or the Astraea Familia. After all, the Yahweh Familia, one of Orario's strongest, rarely recruited new members.
A sudden influx of Skilled adventurers would attract unwanted attention. And the Astraea Familia was an all-female group.
Therefore, he registered them with the Hephaestus Familia.
Hephaestus, now under Yahweh's control—was currently studying the forging techniques she had acquired from other worlds, making the Hephaestus Familia a close ally of the Yahweh Familia.
"Aren't you staying?" Shinobu asked as he prepared to leave.
"My journey continues," Mika replied with a smile, gently pinching her cheek.
"I can come with you," She said, her voice soft.
"You need to become stronger first. Then you can join me."
Their relationship had changed during his years of travel in the Demon Slayer world—a development he hadn't anticipated.
He hadn't expected Shinobu to be the only one waiting for his return, the others having settled down and abandoned their adventurous spirits. He couldn't simply leave her behind for another few years.
Therefore, he had taken her with him on his travels, their bond deepening during their time together.
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