Avoiding battles indeed dampens morale. However, it's undeniable that this is currently the best and most advantageous choice for the Demon Slayer Corps. They can't recklessly sacrifice people in battles they can't win.
Adam is ambitious. He wants everyone to survive — he aims for a perfect ending. Only children make choices; adults want it all!
For this reason, he instructed all the Pillars to accumulate strength and retreat when encountering demons they can't defeat. Retreating isn't shameful; it's an important battlefield tactic.
However, constantly avoiding battles isn't acceptable either. It can easily wear down morale, cause self-doubt, and possibly lead to hesitation when facing Upper Rank demons in the future.
So, everyone agreed on a timeframe: One year.
With this one-year deadline, they would launch an all-out attack against Muzan and the Twelve Kizuki!
Adam set this timeframe based on Kagaya's physical condition as the final deadline. Even with the help of〘Purify〙and〘Heal〙, his lifespan was only about a year. His body was critically ill, on the verge of collapse.
This was a race against time.
Using Kagaya's lifespan as the boundary, they would see whether the Demon Slayer Corps could kill Muzan first, or if the Demon Progenitor would succeed in annihilating all members of the Demon Slayer Corps.
All the Pillars were eagerly rolling up their sleeves, itching to get started.
"Alright! Since everyone's eager to improve their strength — dismissed!" Adam clapped his hands, shooing away the group of Pillars who wanted to leave but seemed reluctant to do so.
"I'll do my best! I'll master the Sun Breathing as soon as possible and eradicate all the demons!" Kyojuro exclaimed enthusiastically as he left first.
His passion had always been unwavering. If the strongest Gyomei was the pillar of stability for the Demon Slayer Corps, then the energetic Flame Pillar was their guiding light. With his strong leadership and sound judgment, he could always inspire others to take action.
As expected, following his departure, the other Pillars bid their farewells and left one by one. In the end, only Shinobu remained.
Adam looked at her and asked, "Shinobu, did you stay behind to see me off?"
"Mm-hmm, after all, I promised to see Suoh-kun off last night. I can't just leave you alone, can I?" She said with a smile, "Besides, I rely on poison to kill demons, so there's not much room for improvement in my skills..."
"Don't underestimate yourself! Medical personnel are crucial logistical Find your next favorite novel on NovelHub today!" Adam set down his teacup, "You're very important, Shinobu."
He gazed directly into her eyes.
"..." Shinobu broke eye contact first, "I'm really happy that Suoh-kun thinks so highly of me, the mistress of the Butterfly Estate."
"If you truly believe that, then don't carelessly risk your life. Doma is not an opponent you can currently face." He reminded her patiently, concerned she might rashly seek out Doma for a confrontation.
"Yes, yes, I know, I know. I definitely won't go looking for a fight with Doma, rest assured, Suoh-kun." Shinobu's smile twitched, a vein popping on her forehead, "Geez, Suoh-kun is such a mother hen. Do you really have so little faith in me?"
To be honest, even though it was for her own good, after hearing the same advice repeated several times, Adam wasn't tired of giving it, but Shinobu was tired of hearing it.
"Mother hen...?! This has nothing to do with whether I trust you or not, it's just..."
"No, it's nothing." He held back what he wanted to say, then spoke to her solemnly, "Shinobu, while I'm away, if any of the Pillars unfortunately fall in battle, make sure to retrieve their bodies. Don't let them be consumed by demons!"
Shinobu looked at him puzzled, "Well, if possible."
Even the Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps had often fallen prey to demons. She herself was prepared for such a fate.
"Also, ensure the retrieved bodies are as intact as possible. Don't cremate or bury them — use ice blocks to freeze them and prevent decay. Then wait for my return!"
"I'll give you and the Twelve Kizuki a surprise."
Adam smiled mysteriously.
'A surprise? More like a shock.' He thought, 'Bringing the dead back to life would violate worldly ethics no matter how you look at it!'
The ability to revive the dead could only be one skill—
Indeed, Resurrection! Adam had already learned this incredibly useful skill from other high priests. However, unlike Aqua's 〘Resurrection — Goddess Privilege〙, the ordinary version wasn't as powerful.
It had quite strict prerequisites:
First, the target had to have died within one month. Second, the body must still exist and be mostly intact. And third, it was limited to one resurrection per person.
Normally, the time limit would be death within one day, but Adam had spent quite a few Skill Points to level it up, extending the death time limit to one month.
"Aha~ I see." Hearing this, Shinobu became even more confused. But she did understand that she must retrieve the bodies of fallen comrades.
"Shinobu, it's getting late. Could you have someone escort me out?" Adam said, ready to depart.
"Of course." Shinobu replied, leading him out of the Butterfly Estate.
As they walked, Adam spoke.
"Shinobu, while the Pillars are self-motivated, we shouldn't let the other Demon Slayer Corps members slack off. Especially Tanjiro and his two companions — I'm sure you've noticed their extraordinary talent. They'll likely become crucial in our fight against Muzan Kibutsuji."
Shinobu smiled. "Indeed, we're of the same mind. Tanjiro and the others are training diligently. I'm confident they'll grow stronger!"
Just then, a Kakushi member arrived, kneeling respectfully before them.
"Lady Kocho, your orders?" The black-clad figure asked softly.
"Please escort Suoh-kun out." Shinobu instructed calmly. Turning to Adam with a smile, she added, "If you need assistance, look for shops with wisteria flower patterns. You can also send messages to the Corps through them. We'll be eagerly awaiting your return, Suoh-kun."
"I see. Thank you for the information." Adam nodded.
"I wish you the best of luck in your endeavors."
"Thank you for your kind words!"
With Shinobu's heartfelt blessing, Adam donned a black hood, climbed onto the Kakushi member's back, and departed from the Demon Slayer Corps.
T/N: If you want more chapters , check out my Find your next favorite novel on NovelHub today!Find your next favorite novel on NovelHub today!com/mrblackwing