Because he was carrying an enormous zanbatō, Chu Yang couldn't use any form of transportation. He couldn't even conveniently enter towns, leaving him with no choice but to travel through the wilderness.
Moonlight illuminated very little in the open wilds. Since Chu Yang hadn't brought a lantern or any other light source, he could only cast a Lighting Charm, making his hands glow.
From a distance, his hands looked like a car's headlights, swaying back and forth in the darkness with each swing of his arms—an unsettling sight, to say the least.
"When am I finally going to learn the Extension Charm?" Chu Yang muttered. "Carrying a huge blade around everywhere is such a pain. Next time I see that top student, I have to remind him to pick some actually useful spells."
Most of the spells Chu Yang knew were beginner-level, but they were surprisingly practical.
For example, the Fire-Making Charm could be used to start fires in the wild—an essential survival skill.
The Cleaning Charm could clean objects and even be used on people. The Waterproofing and Fireproofing Charm made targets resistant to water and fire. Both were indispensable when traveling.
The Cough-Relief Charm could clear airways, while the Splint-Binding Charm reduced pain and secured bandages and splints—spells that could save lives in critical moments.
However, without a wand, Chu Yang couldn't control magic very precisely in other worlds. Accidents were bound to happen—like accidentally setting a mountain on fire.
The Chu Yangs from the pirate world and the ninja world had both experienced similar disasters.
That was why, aside from the safest spells, they avoided using magic recklessly.
With illumination, Chu Yang's travel speed increased drastically. Coupled with the fact that the island nation itself wasn't very large, he reached the outskirts of Sagiri Mountain in just two days, eventually finding a small wooden cabin deep in the mountains.
While chopping firewood, Urokodaki Sakonji sensed someone approaching. He immediately retreated into the house, donned his mask, and stepped back outside—only to see Chu Yang walking toward him with a massive zanbatō on his back.
The young man approaching him carried an oppressive presence that made Urokodaki Sakonji tense. If he hadn't failed to detect any trace of a demon's scent, he would've already drawn his blade.
"Are you Mr. Urokodaki?" Chu Yang asked.
Hearing the boy call out his name, Urokodaki Sakonji finally confirmed that the visitor was a Demon Slayer. He relaxed slightly and answered loudly, "I am."
Chu Yang hurried over. "I've got a letter here. Makomo asked me to deliver it to you."
Urokodaki Sakonji's heart jolted. Fearing bad news, his breathing grew hurried. "What happened to her?"
Seeing how tense he was, Chu Yang immediately realized the misunderstanding. "She was injured during the Final Selection. She's currently recuperating at the Butterfly Mansion and will need to rest for a while. She was afraid you'd worry, so she asked me to bring you a letter."
At those words, Urokodaki Sakonji finally let out a long breath of relief.
The tension drained from his body as well, and he smiled gently. "Thank you, young man."
Chu Yang handed him Makomo's handwritten letter and replied politely, "It's no trouble. We participated in the Final Selection together—we're from the same batch. This much is nothing."
If Shinobu were here, she'd definitely complain about how fake he sounded—after all, he'd looked anything but willing when he first agreed.
"Thank you," Urokodaki Sakonji nodded again. After learning that Chu Yang was also a newly selected swordsman, a strange light flickered briefly in his eyes.
He opened the envelope and began reading Makomo's letter. Chu Yang knew this could take a while—Urokodaki Sakonji's emotional journey alone could probably fill tens of thousands of words.
Completely disregarding etiquette, Chu Yang wandered over to the side of the cabin, lifted the lid off a water barrel, and scooped water with a wooden ladle, gulping it down.
Just as Chu Yang finished drinking his fill and prepared to leave, his Kasugai Crow suddenly flew over. It perched on the rim of the barrel and began speaking in a human voice, delivering Chu Yang's very first official mission.
Whether startled awake by the crow's voice or not, Urokodaki Sakonji carefully folded the letter and turned to Chu Yang.
"I was going to ask you to stay for a meal," he said, "but for us, no matter how serious things get, missions always come first. I'll prepare some dry rations for you to take along."
"That won't be necessary," Chu Yang replied politely. "I'm pretty good at hunting in the wild—I won't go hungry."
"Take them anyway," Urokodaki Sakonji insisted. "Consider it a small token of my gratitude."
Makomo had explained everything clearly in her letter. Urokodaki Sakonji already knew that it was this young man who had slain the Hand Demon, allowing the souls of those dead children to finally be freed.
Chu Yang stopped refusing. After sincerely thanking Urokodaki Sakonji, he accepted the provisions without hesitation.
And so, having just finished delivering the letter, Chu Yang immediately set off once more, heading toward the next region rumored to be haunted by demons.
Watching Chu Yang's departing figure, Urokodaki Sakonji stood there in a daze, unmoving for a long time, lost in thought.
Several days later, following the location provided by his Kasugai Crow, Chu Yang arrived at a remote town. To avoid causing panic, he hid his zanbatō in a nearby forest before entering.
That said, even without the zanbatō, Chu Yang could still slay demons—though it would be more troublesome. Without Scarlet Crimson Ore to suppress a demon's regeneration, it was easy to be dragged into a prolonged battle.
Like a centipede that refuses to die, such enemies weren't a threat to Chu Yang—but they were more than annoying enough.
Once he left the zanbatō behind, Chu Yang's aura immediately shifted—from a deranged killer to a sunny, athletic young man. His muscular arms stretched his clothes tight.
As he walked through town, quite a few people began to look his way—older sisters, younger girls, all kinds.
Unfortunately, Chu Yang's attention was entirely focused on investigating demons. If he couldn't smell anything, he expanded the range of his Observation Haki instead, trying to pick up clues through sound.
"Hey! Tanjūrō, our house needs some charcoal! Thanks again for fixing my chair last time!"
"Tanjūrō, my shop needs charcoal too! Next time you come, can you bring some game meat? I'll pay a good price!"
"Tanjūrō, I forgot to pay you last time. I'll make it up to you today!"
Before long, a name kept echoing in Chu Yang's mind.
Tanjūrō.
This person seemed incredibly popular—everywhere he went, people greeted him and bought things from him.
A charcoal seller…
Chu Yang suddenly recalled something extremely important and began actively searching for the man named Tanjūrō.
After turning past two cross streets, Chu Yang spotted him outside an oden stall—a slender man speaking with the shop owner.
The man carried a basket on his back nearly thicker than his own body, filled with black charcoal. He was holding the hand of a small boy who looked very much like him—bright reddish hair, and a burn-like scar on his forehead.
The owner planned to buy all the charcoal in the basket to fuel the shop's heaters, making customers more comfortable while they ate.
The man named Tanjūrō wore a gentle smile. Business had gone smoothly today—he'd managed to sell all the charcoal before nightfall.
(End of Chapter)