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Chapter 31 - Mastering the Breath of Fire

The next day.

When Rengoku Kyoujurou returned to the Butterfly Mansion, he saw a shocking scene before him.

"First Form: Unknowing Fire!"

Kamihara Tetsuya, holding a wooden sword, instantly launched an attack with an explosive burst of flame-like momentum, changing his technique mid-way to "Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun!"

He swung the wooden sword upwards, his blade, like a blazing inferno, tearing through the air.

Immediately after, he unleashed "Fourth Form: Blooming Flame Undulation!" With himself as the center, he swung the wooden sword, creating a vortex of flame-like sword shadows.

There was almost no pause—

"Third Form: Blazing Universe!"

Accompanied by intense flames, he slashed downwards!

"Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!"

The wooden sword thrust forward, and the flames it unleashed were like a fiery tiger trying to pounce on its prey.

...

His proficiency was probably no less than his own!

Rengoku Kyoujurou's face was stunned; it was precisely because he was certain that Kamihara Tetsuya had never learned Flame Breathing that he felt a bit overwhelmed.

In one night, Kamihara Tetsuya had learned the first five forms of Flame Breathing, and he had only demonstrated them twice to him.

"Is this the world of a genius?"

Rengoku Kyoujurou murmured; he had spent several years poring over three Flame Breathing guidebooks.

This generation of Demon Slayer Corps genius swordsmen was springing up like mushrooms after rain; he heard that a ten-year-old boy joined the Demon Slayer Corps and, after wielding a blade for only a month, was able to fight on par with a Class A swordsman.

He didn't expect there to be another master!

The Kamihara Tetsuya before him had mastered Flame Breathing overnight.

Rengoku Kyoujurou couldn't help but recall his father Shinjuro's words, "Utterly boring, anyway, neither of us father and son will achieve anything great," and "Geniuses are omnipotent; we aren't that swordsman from centuries ago."

...

The bewilderment on Rengoku Kyoujurou's face vanished without a trace in an instant, and his sunny smile returned.

He was to replace his father, who had abandoned the Flame Pillar responsibility, and become the new Flame Pillar. Just because he wasn't a genius, did that mean he couldn't do it?

Kamihara Tetsuya greeted him, "Rengoku-san."

"It seems you've mastered the Flame Breathing sword forms very well," Rengoku Kyoujurou laughed loudly.

Kamihara Tetsuya could feel that Rengoku Kyoujurou's words held no hidden emotions; he was genuinely happy for him. Truly worthy of being Flame Pillar Rengoku Kyoujurou.

With his talent, it was impossible to master Flame Breathing overnight; of course, he cheated using his Sharingan.

Although Kamihara Tetsuya hadn't tried it, the difficulty of replicating Flame Breathing sword forms should be much lower than replicating a B-rank Water Release ninjutsu with 44 hand seals.

A two-tomoe Sharingan was sufficient.

"Flame Breathing also has an ultimate sword technique. While I'd love to teach it to you now, that technique consumes a lot of stamina, and I've just received a new mission," Rengoku Kyoujurou said with regret. He also wanted to see how long it would take Kamihara Tetsuya to learn that ultimate sword technique.

Kamihara Tetsuya was curious, "A mission?"

"Tokyo Prefecture, Asakusa area, suspected presence of demons. I've been dispatched to investigate," Rengoku Kyoujurou didn't hide anything. He had already taught him Flame Breathing; he wasn't an outsider.

Kamihara Tetsuya: "..."

They say the Demon Slayer Corps' actions are delayed, but this is too late. The demons in the Asakusa area were likely attracted by Tamayo, and those demons still haven't given up.

This was a coincidence; following Rengoku Kyoujurou meant gaining a powerful bodyguard. It was a good opportunity to go back and check on Kocho Kanae, and also deliver his blood to Tamayo.

Kamihara Tetsuya said, "Please, you must take me with you."

Rengoku Kyoujurou frowned. Kamihara Tetsuya had learned Flame Breathing, but he hadn't yet passed the Final Selection and wasn't considered an official swordsman member.

Kamihara Tetsuya said, "I am a physician at the Butterfly Mansion; I can provide emergency treatment for swordsmen."

Rengoku Kyoujurou lowered his head in thought. This reason was plausible. It would also be good for Kamihara Tetsuya to witness the scene of demon slaying in advance, so he wouldn't be scared during the Final Selection. Those seven days and seven nights weren't easy to get through.

"Alright, let's go to the Asakusa area together!"

Kamihara Tetsuya immediately ran to Kochou Shinobu to ask for leave; he wasn't skipping work without reason.

Kochou Shinobu had been intentionally or unintentionally avoiding Kamihara Tetsuya for several days due to that misunderstanding. Today, she had also locked herself in her room and didn't respond for a long time.

"Be careful on your way."

Just as Kamihara Tetsuya was about to give up, Kochou Shinobu's voice came from behind him.

Whoosh!

Kochou Shinobu opened the door. Her beautiful and lovely face wore her usual sweet smile, but Kamihara Tetsuya saw a hint of guilt in her eyes.

Kamihara Tetsuya felt a wave of speechlessness. He had almost died from sun exposure and hadn't dwelled on it for so long.

However, Kamihara Tetsuya could understand.

The Kochou Shinobu before him was not the mature and resolute Insect Pillar from the original timeline; she was just a fourteen-year-old poor girl who had just lost her only blood relative.

She was desperately imitating the deceased's words and actions, trying to leave the last trace of her in this world.

Kamihara Tetsuya said, "Regarding Shinobu-Miss's matter, Kanae-Miss once told me."

"My sister?"

Waves appeared in Kochou Shinobu's calm, water-like pale purple eyes.

"She said, 'I still like Shinobu's genuine smile,'" Kamihara Tetsuya smiled. This wasn't something he made up; Kocho Kanae had indeed said it herself.

Kochou Shinobu froze, a hint of reminiscence in her eyes. Such familiar words.

After buying Kanao Tsuyuri from human traffickers, she found that without orders, the girl would do nothing, even if it meant starving to death on the spot.

When she brought it up to her sister, her sister Kocho Kanae had used this phrase to joke around, and then taught Kanao Tsuyuri to use coin tossing to decide whether or not to do something.

"It's too late," Kochou Shinobu said silently. The person was already dead; what more was there to say?

She had already decided to live on as her sister Kocho Kanae from now on.

Kamihara Tetsuya keenly observed the changes on Kochou Shinobu's face—from complex, nostalgic, and joyful to sorrowful, painful, and resolute. This girl's thoughts were truly troublesome.

However, since he had promised Kocho Kanae to look after Kochou Shinobu, he had to bite the bullet.

"This is a spare nichirin blade from the Butterfly Mansion. I hope you won't need to use it," Kochou Shinobu took out a nichirin blade and handed it to Kamihara Tetsuya. If he used it, it meant a dangerous battle had occurred. The casualty rate among new swordsmen in the Demon Slayer Corps had always been high, far exceeding others.

Whoosh!

Kamihara Tetsuya felt that its weight was about four to five catties. He drew the blade; his and Kochou Shinobu's faces were reflected on the smooth, clear blade.

The blade was originally entirely azure, indicating that its previous owner was a swordsman of the Water Breathing style.

This was one of the characteristics of a nichirin blade: it changes color according to the different Breathing Technique mastered by the swordsman.

Red for Flame Breathing, blue for Water Breathing, yellow for Thunder Breathing, and so on.

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