Multiverse: Why does the world show a health bar? !

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It's... decent."

"Shinobu, when did you become such an unstraightforward person?"

Tonight's moon was exceptionally bright, its silvery light spilling down from the heavens, as if draping the entire world in a delicate veil.

Li Mo and Butterfly Shinobu weren't resting inside the house. Instead, they were out together in the dead of night.

But the topic they had just finished discussing wasn't the scenery before them—it was the Dance of the Fire God they had performed earlier.

"It's just your Sun Breathing sword forms. I've seen them more than once."

The Dance of the Fire God was, in fact, Sun Breathing. When Kamado Tanjirō was practicing, Shinobu had recognized it as Sun Breathing.

It was the technique Li Mo had relied on to make a name for himself. Three years ago, when he wasn't yet a demon, he had stood at the pinnacle of the Demon Slayer Corps solely because of this breathing technique.

Li Mo spoke up, "Shinobu, you probably don't know this, but when I saved you all back then, I was using Sun Breathing even while swinging that axe."

"That was so long ago."

Shinobu avoided the topic. In truth, she remembered everything about that night. Even now, that scene would occasionally appear in her dreams.

After a pause, she didn't want to continue discussing this and changed the subject. "After we return this time, are you going to see Tamayo?"

"I've delayed it long enough. It's time to go. Don't worry, even though I never trained in Water Breathing, having seen it in action, I can use it too."

Sun Breathing was purely about killing. It wasn't as flashy as Flame Breathing, but it was pure, unadulterated damage. Like the sun, it had no concept of gentleness or cruelty.

Li Mo had once promised Tamayo that he would kill her in the gentlest way possible.

"I see... And after that? Are you going back?"

"Yes, I am. I still have many things to do."

Li Mo spoke earnestly.

The three tails were just the beginning. He didn't know when he would grow more tails. Everything he needed to do next required strength.

Sending Hanachirusato back to Teyvat required strength.

Meeting Koyanskaya later would require strength to handle various troubles.

The mess in Inazuma also required strength.

Having strength meant you could choose not to act, but lacking strength was unacceptable. In short, it was the difference between having a sword and not using it, and not having a sword at all.

"Is that so? Then, what about us? What are your plans?"

Us.

She wasn't just referring to herself, but also Kanae and Makomo. He couldn't just leave after everything, could he? That would truly make him a scoundrel.

"Please wait for me."

Li Mo reached out, brushing Shinobu's long hair away from her neck, feeling its softness.

His tone was gentle.

"Li Mo, did you use this same tone with my sister and Makomo?"

"Yes."

"At a time like this, you should say that I'm unique."

"But I don't want to lie to you."

Or rather, there was no need to lie. Li Mo didn't think being honest would cross any boundaries with Shinobu. For the girls of the Demon Slayer Corps, there was no room for such pettiness.

"What will you do when you go to other worlds?"

"Study, research, and explore other worlds. The last one is passive—it doesn't depend on my will."

Li Mo wasn't particularly fond of traveling between worlds. He was the type who preferred to stay in his comfort zone until the end. Traveling, however, was the exact opposite—venturing into unknown territories.

He didn't see himself as an adventurer.

In his youth, he had thought he would just be another cog in the machine of society.

Just a cog.

But fate was unpredictable.

He was a traveler between worlds.

"I see..."

"That doesn't mean it's a good thing. After traveling once, as long as certain conditions are met, I can return to that world. Haven't I returned now?"

Shinobu nodded. "Is this what it means to be a traveler of worlds?"

"I'm special... I think?" Li Mo withdrew his hand from Shinobu's hair, his thoughts drifting to Hanachirusato.

—That world didn't seem so simple.

But then, Li Mo affirmed, "I am special."

In childhood, everyone thinks they are unique, believing the world would stop spinning without them. But as they grow older, they realize the world is equally indifferent to everyone—"zero."

After traveling through several worlds, the young man came to understand one thing: he was special.

"Special? As a traveler of worlds, Li Mo, you are indeed special. So, Li Mo dear, where are you planning to take me? In the dead of night, in the middle of nowhere, are you planning to do *that* kind of thing here?

My sister did mention that you're surprisingly bold in that regard, even though you were so awkward at first. You couldn't even find the right spot."

The words that came out of Shinobu's mouth were shockingly bold. It seemed that Kanae, as her sister, had told Shinobu all sorts of private details to ensure her younger sister wouldn't be at a disadvantage.

Men have likely seen the world.

But he didn't dare meet her gaze directly. In a fleeting glance, he noticed that the girl, too, avoided looking at him.

Her face had turned bright red, as if illuminated by firelight.

It made him want to take a bite. Li Mo couldn't bring himself to do something so rude, but he could reach out and poke her cheek.

Then, after a moment, Shinobu slapped his hand away.

Smiling at the girl's irritation, Li Mo looked ahead. The path they had taken so far formed a map in his mind as he searched for their destination.

"We're here. It's time to reveal the mystery."

Li Mo scanned the area, looking for some landmark under the moonlight.

Then, Shinobu watched as her companion began digging in the dirt like a fool. The only saving grace was that he wasn't using his hands but something he called "Yin-Yang arts."

Though, according to him, what he used wasn't actually Yin-Yang arts. Its proper name was... magecraft?

Recently, Shinobu had been exposed to so many new terms that it would take time to digest them all.

Finally, she saw a box being unearthed from the dirt.

Li Mo smiled at Shinobu and said, "Look, Shinobu. This is a product from a hundred years in the future."

A plastic box.

It had once been a disposable lunchbox. On that day, Li Mo had brought his lunchbox home, stepped inside, and then found himself in this world. Shortly after, he was attacked by a bear.

It was winter.

The young man, who knew nothing, escaped from the bear and witnessed a charcoal burner kill the beast in one strike. The scene unfolded vividly before Shinobu's eyes.

It was his past.

The starting point of everything.