Upon hearing the System's latest reward, Horitake's eyes shot open, snapping him out of his meditative rest. He couldn't help but gape in disbelief.
What the heck?
Thunderous Crescent Slash!?
Wasn't that… that move!? The one that was ridiculously famous back in the day!
As Horitake reeled in shock, the System seamlessly integrated the technique into his body and mind. In an instant, he not only mastered Thunderous Crescent Slash but felt his strength surge to new heights!
This was the beauty of the System's cheats—his power had grown yet again.
How much stronger had he become?
Horitake estimated that, with his current strength, he could face a fully healthy Akaza and defeat him. It'd still be a tough battle, requiring significant effort, but he wouldn't get injured this time.
Against Douma? Horitake figured he'd handle him with relative ease.
Against Kokushibo? His odds had improved considerably.
Against Muzan? Well… as much as he hated to admit it, he still wasn't quite confident.
Perched on the tree branch, Horitake calmed his mind, focusing on the sensation of Thunderous Crescent Slash.
Gradually, a satisfied smile spread across his face.
His arsenal of attacks had expanded.
Not only that, but among his single-form techniques, Thunderous Crescent Slash was now his strongest—Thunder Breathing, Fourth Form: Thunderous Crescent Slash!
Even his trusty Thunderclap seemed to pale in comparison.
Of course, this was just for single-form techniques, not fused ones.
No matter how powerful Thunderous Crescent Slash was, it couldn't match the Thunderclap One Hundred Eight Flashes he'd unleashed in his Overdrive state.
But then again…
Now that he'd mastered Thunderous Crescent Slash, and given his knack for combining techniques, who's to say he couldn't fuse it with Thunderclap? When that happened…
The resulting move's power wouldn't just be one plus one equals two—it'd be something far greater.
His meditation complete, Horitake stood on the branch, stretching his arms and cracking his neck. Tiny purple arcs of electricity sparked across his joints with each movement.
Feeling his newfound strength, Horitake's excitement grew.
He suppressed his elation, locked onto the direction of the Demon Slayer Corps' new headquarters, and, with a flash of purple lightning, sped off!
He ran without stopping, covering vast distances.
Horitake dashed out of the mountain range, passed through numerous towns, and plunged into another cluster of peaks, drawing closer to the new headquarters.
Thanks to his enhanced strength, his speed and stamina had improved significantly, which meant…
Horitake arrived at the new headquarters before Yoyoi!
Standing at the gates of the Demon Slayer Corps' new headquarters, Horitake couldn't help but take a moment to survey the place.
To his surprise, aside from the different location and surrounding environment, the interior layout was nearly identical to the old headquarters!
Had the Corps' ancestors planned for this, designing the backup headquarters to mirror the original for seamless adaptation?
This made things easy.
Once the Corps relocated, they could settle in immediately, resuming normal operations and daily life without delay.
"Not bad at all…" Horitake muttered.
With that, he strode into the new headquarters.
The swordsmen guarding the entrance fixed him with sharp, vigilant stares.
Relocation was a serious matter, and the safety of the headquarters demanded utmost caution.
But when they saw Horitake, their stern gazes softened into reverence.
Thanks to the Kasugai Crows' reports, the people at the new headquarters had heard about last night's battle.
Upper Rank Three had been defeated, two Lower Ranks eliminated, and hundreds of demons slaughtered—all without a single loss on the Corps' side!
It had been ages since the Demon Slayer Corps had achieved such a decisive, exhilarating victory!
So, when they saw Horitake—the mastermind of the battle, the one who'd crushed Upper Rank Three—they couldn't help but feel awe, respect, and admiration.
Amid the respectful calls of "Lord Horitake" from the guards, Horitake smiled, nodded, and stepped through the gates.
Along the way, whether he encountered Hidden Corps members or Demon Slayer swordsmen, their gazes held the same reverence.
Some female members and swordswomen even sent him heart-eyed glances, subtle flirtations, or outright confessions!
It was clear that, after this battle, Horitake's prestige within the Corps had soared to new heights.
And why wouldn't it? Not only was he immensely powerful, but he'd also orchestrated a battle that ended in a resounding victory.
This was the mark of a true leader—brilliant in both strategy and combat!
The Corps had no shortage of strong fighters; there were ten Pillars alone.
But someone who excelled in both brains and brawn, who could command an entire operation and lead the Corps to a sweeping victory with unmatched strength? That was Horitake alone!
How could his prestige not skyrocket?
Horitake took the admiration and reverence in stride, even feeling a touch of pride.
Spotting a Hidden Corps member, he pulled them aside and asked, "Have Mitsuri Kanroji and Shinobu Kocho returned?"
The member blinked, then nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes, Lady Kocho has returned. She's at the new Butterfly Mansion."
"Where's the new Butterfly Mansion?"
"It's in the same spot as before. The headquarters may have changed, but the internal layout is basically the same."
"Oh, and Mitsuri?"
"She's at the Butterfly Mansion too."
"What!?" Horitake's jaw dropped, and he asked urgently, "Why are they together!? They didn't get into a fight, did they!? Are they okay!?"
The Hidden Corps member, clearly aware of Horitake's messy personal affairs, gave him a sympathetic look. "I don't know why both ladies are at the Butterfly Mansion, but we haven't seen it explode, so… they're probably getting along fine?"
Horitake was momentarily speechless.
No explosion at the Butterfly Mansion meant they were getting along fine!?
The logic seemed sound, but also kind of absurd.
Still, hearing that the Butterfly Mansion hadn't blown up reassured Horitake that Mitsuri and Shinobu weren't fighting. He let out a small sigh of relief.
But then, a new problem arose.
What should he do next?
Who should he go see?
Whether he went to find Mitsuri or Shinobu, he'd end up facing both of them together. Who knew what kind of chaos that would spark?
Horitake scratched his head, a wave of frustration washing over him.
Forget it. This mess is my own doing. I won't go see either of them—I'll just head home!
Wait a second!
Horitake realized another serious issue.
Where was his home!?
Back at the old headquarters, he'd had a house set up right next to the Butterfly Mansion.
But he hadn't even spent a single day there! And now… it was gone!?
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