I'm in an American comic book, and all my teammates are main characters and bosses.

Chapter 9: The Mythical Beast Called River Crab is Watching You

Deep in the mountains, there lies a huge mansion unknown to outsiders.

"My lord, new intelligence has arrived. The commander seemed very anxious after reading it and ordered me to deliver it immediately."

Hearing the words of the Hidden member and noticing his slightly panting voice, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, sitting upright in the courtyard, nodded gently and then instructed, "You've worked hard these past few days. Take a rest when you have time, and don't overwork yourself."

Upon hearing this, the members of the Demon Slayer Corps felt a warmth in their hearts and gratefully replied, "Yes, sir!"

After speaking, the members of the Hidden Sect turned and left, no longer disturbing their lord. After they left, Kagaya Ubuyashiki calmly opened the letter and carefully read the message.

As a gentle and meticulous person, even in the most critical moments, Kagaya Ubuyashiki can handle everything calmly and methodically. Steadfastness and reliability are the most profound impressions Kagaya Ubuyashiki gives as the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps.

But this time was different. After seeing the message on the envelope, although he was able to maintain a calm look at first, he soon clenched his fists because his limbs were weak due to the curse. He then started breathing rapidly and, after a moment, he even picked up a handkerchief to cover the blood he coughed up due to his emotional agitation.

Seeing this, a serene white-haired woman in a kimono quickly came over and, supporting Ubuyashiki Kagaya, anxiously asked, "Husband? What happened? You look terrible!"

Her husband's name was Ubuyashiki Kazune. The woman knew him; he had always been in poor health, but his character had always been wise and calm—a gentleman who maintained his composure and reason even in the most dangerous situations. So why was he suddenly like this, even coughing up blood, yet still flushed with excitement?

"A turning point has arrived!"

With a burning glint in his eyes, Kagaya Ubuyashiki excitedly stared at the message on the letter, constantly telling himself to stay calm. He then summoned members of the Hidden Organization and, after a thorough investigation and confirmation that the information was not false, and with on-site reconnaissance by regional field personnel, Kagaya Ubuyashiki finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Having confirmed the truth of the matter, Ubuyashiki Kagaya handed the letter to his wife. Similarly, after learning about the battle that had taken place on that nameless country road and its outcome, Ubuyashiki Amane also showed the same shock and astonishment.

Having quickly adjusted his emotions and calmed himself, Kagaya Ubuyashiki swiftly issued the following order:

"Call a meeting of the Pillars! All Pillars, whatever mission you are currently undertaking, cease operations immediately. If the distance is too great, proceed to Tokyo to rendezvous!"

With Kagaya Ubuyashiki's order given, the Demon Slayer Corps quickly began a new round of operations.

The Demon Slayer Corps has nine Pillars. Apart from the Pillars who stayed behind to guard the Demon Slayer Corps' base and prevent any attacks by demons, the other Pillars returned to the Demon Slayer Corps' headquarters as quickly as possible.

"This mission seems urgent; they've summoned us all back all of a sudden!"

At the Demon Slayer Corps' base, the cheerful swordsman Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Pillar, walked at the front, her face filled with curiosity as she looked at Shinobu Kocho beside her. She asked with some curiosity, "Shinobu-neechan, you've been staying at the base taking care of the Butterfly Mansion's wounded these past few days. Do you know why our master has been doing this?"

Upon hearing the Love Pillar's question, Shinobu Kocho, the Insect Pillar who was wearing a guild uniform underneath a haori with a long sword hanging at her waist, shook her head and then said gently, "Although I am the Pillar who stayed here this time, my lord did not tell me any information related to this. However, as far as I know, it seems that the Hidden Brigade has discovered some valuable clues, which seem to be related to one of the Twelve Demon Moons, the Upper Moon."

Upon hearing Shinobu's words, all the Hashira present tensed up.

The Twelve Demon Moons are Muzan Kibutsuji's most powerful demon generals. Each possesses terrifying strength far exceeding that of ordinary demons, and each has blood on their hands, viewing humans as unforgivable villains. If it were a Lower Moon, it wouldn't be so bad; at their full power, even in a one-on-one fight, they could barely maintain a stalemate. But if it were an Upper Moon…

While the Lower Moons are occasionally replaced, the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps present knew of the Upper Moons' existence almost from their very first day of joining the team. Some members of demon-slaying families within the Demon Slayer Corps even grew up hearing the names of these Upper Moons.

If the Lower Moon demons typically kill hundreds of people, then each of these Upper Moon demons carries the weight of tens of thousands of lives! It's safe to say that each Upper Moon demon is undeniably a cataclysmic force.

"Should we launch a siege?" the Hashira wondered. But even if they did, they had to be prepared for some casualties. Otherwise, the slightest mistake could allow the enemy to escape! If word got out, those demons would certainly not miss the chance to ambush and kill the Hashira!

Realizing this, the Pillars, who had been curious about their Lord's summons, quickly calmed down and arrived at the courtyard where Kagaya Ubuyashiki was.

Upon entering the courtyard, Kagaya Ubuyashiki was slightly taken aback by the solemn expressions on everyone's faces. He then asked with some curiosity, "Everyone, why do you all look so serious? Has something happened?"

Upon hearing Kagaya Ubuyashiki's question, the Hashira present exchanged glances. Then, Shinobu Kocho, standing to the side, asked, "Lord, did you summon us here because of the Upper Moon demons?"

"Yes,"

"Then we're all ready!" Hearing their lord's words, before Shinobu could say anything, a loud and energetic voice rang out from the side: "If it's an Upper Moon demon, we're prepared for a fight to the death! No matter what, we won't let him escape! Oh! Just thinking about it makes my body heat up!"

As he spoke, the man, whose long, flowing hair blazed like flames, his eyebrows raised and eyes wide with rage, clenched his fists.

"We will definitely complete the mission! No matter the cost! We will not let our lord down!!"

Hearing Rengoku Kyojuro's words and glancing at the other Pillars whose eyes were filled with determination, Ubuyashiki Kagaya realized something, then nodded with a wry smile and said, "You guessed some things correctly, but not entirely."

"Um?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of doubt and curiosity appeared on the faces of the Pillars. Meeting their gazes, Ubuyashiki Kagaya calmly stated:

"Actually, I want to share some good news with you all. Three demon slayers from across the ocean learned about what happened here and decided to help us. And after confirmation, with the help of Demon Slayer Corps member Tanjiro Kamado, the three demon slayers from across the ocean have successfully killed an Upper Rank demon named Hantengu, who is the Fourth Upper Rank!"

Upon hearing Kagaya Ubuyashiki's words, everyone present couldn't help but widen their eyes in astonishment.

After a moment of silence, the Sound Pillar, Yuzui Tengen, asked with some curiosity:

"Demon hunters from across the ocean... Does this mean that demons like ours exist elsewhere?"

"That's currently unknown; our knowledge of these three guests is very limited." Ubuyashiki Kagaya shook his head in response to Uzui Tengen's question. However, after frowning and thinking for a moment, Ubuyashiki Kagaya said:

"Speaking of which, although they are from across the ocean, according to intelligence, one of the three seems to be a ninja, and the other is a pregnant girl wearing a kimono. However, both of them can speak fluent foreign languages. The Hidden Department tried to use these clues to investigate, but even now, despite the Hidden Department's best efforts, they still haven't found a trace."

Upon hearing his lord's words, Uzui Tengen was taken aback at first, then frowned slightly and asked, "Do you have an image?"

"Yes, when they passed by, the camp took pictures with a Western camera and sent them over." As he spoke, Kagaya Ubuyashiki took out a photo from his pocket and handed it to Tengen Uzui.

The idea of ​​a camera can be traced back to Leonardo da Vinci in the 16th century, while the modern camera and photograph were invented by the Frenchman Nicolas Niep in 1826. Since then, camera technology has continued to innovate and develop, and by the Taisho era, even the Demon Slayer Corps was using cameras produced by Kodak.

Well, normally, even the Demon Slayer Corps rarely uses such precious imported goods. But there's no other way; the death of an Upper Moon demon is a huge boost and inspiration for the Demon Slayer Corps. To ascertain the situation, Kagaya Ubuyashiki was prepared to undergo massive bleeding.

As the head of the Demon Slayer Corps, the Ubuyashiki family were also major landowners and merchants in Japan.

He was no stranger to photographs, but upon seeing one, Uzui Tengen still couldn't help but let out a soft "Eh!" He then looked up at Ubuyashiki Kagaya and asked with some confusion, "Master, why is this person in the photograph...?"

As he spoke, the other pillars also looked at the photo, and then their eyes showed surprise.

In the photos taken by the camera, Wolf, Tanjiro, and the Rejuvenating Child are all clearly visible, showing that the Hidden Division specifically found a good angle to take the pictures. Moreover, it wasn't a sneaky shot, but rather a frontal shot taken with Ron and the others' permission.

Even under these circumstances, the face of the demon hunter in the document, wearing a triangular hat with the brim resembling burning feathers, remains indistinct. Or rather, there is a strong overexposure.

"This gentleman's name is Ron. He cannot be photographed, drawn, or even recorded." Sensing the crowd's confusion, Kagaya Ubuyashiki said calmly, yet with a hint of seriousness and bewilderment:

"We consulted these three Outland demon hunters before filming and obtained their consent before proceeding. But no matter the angle or the space, even in a closed room, we still couldn't capture Mr. Ron's face in a photograph. In addition, even face-to-face drawing was useless; once we looked away, it was difficult to recall the detailed appearance and image. The same applies to written records."

As he spoke, Kagaya Ubuyashiki pursed his lips and explained, "This is someone who can only be seen with the naked eye, and cannot be recalled or described by any means."

"..."

Hearing their lord's words, everyone fell silent. After a moment, the eldest and strongest of the pillars, the Stone Pillar, Himejima Gyomei, murmured "Namo Amitabha" before asking, "My lord, if that's the case, what do you intend to do?"

"Prepare for battle." Looking at the group before him, Kagaya Ubuyashiki said, "Lord Ron has confirmed that their target is the Demon King, Muzan Kibutsuji. According to him, he will be waiting for us in Tokyo in three days for a formal meeting. Ten days later, we will choose the location and find a way to lure Muzan Kibutsuji here. At that time, we, including ourselves, will surround and kill him!"

With a solemn and resolute look in his eyes, Kagaya Ubuyashiki solemnly declared, "Let's finish this in one battle, ending all the hatred between the Demon King Muzan Kibutsuji and the Demon Slayer Corps in Tokyo in ten days!"

While Kagaya Ubuyashiki and the Demon Slayer Corps were still making tense preparations for the final battle, practically emptying their coffers to increase their chances of victory, on the other side...

Holding a bunch of gleaming twenty-yen coins, Ron became the most dazzling guy on the street almost the moment he stepped into Shinjuku.

After all... each of these twenty-yuan coins weighs sixteen grams and is made of 0.9% gold. Although it may seem like just a small handful, it represents several months' wages for many people.

In 1925, Japan was undoubtedly the leader in industrialization among Asian countries. Seven or eight years earlier, one might have even encountered Lu Xun studying medicine in Sendai.

In this unique era, it's no wonder that many writers, including Lu Xun, once advocated for the de-Sinicization of Chinese characters, because the sense of disparity between different civilizations was simply too great. Although this seems foolish and wrong in hindsight, in that era of change and awakening, even a flawed idea was better than rigidly adhering to convention and rejecting all change. The reason is simple: truth becomes clearer through debate.

Countless advancements have also arisen from countless debates between differing opinions.

Thinking this, Ron couldn't help but stroke his chin.

Or, while we're on a mission, why don't we go to the other side of the sea...?

The system provided an accurate and timely response to Ron's idea without even needing to ask or consult him.

[If you want to die, please don't take me with you.]

(End of this chapter)