In the afternoon,
Kiyokawa Izumi lightly knocked on the gate of the Rengoku Family's residence; that was just his personality—he always completed what needed to be done at the first opportunity.
One could say he was quite impatient.
The person who opened the door was a youth wearing a white Kimono, with medium-length yellow hair that turned red at the tips, like the color of burning flames.
Beneath thick black eyebrows, his eyes sparkled with spirit.
"Excuse me, who might you be?"
Senjuro looked at the young man before him with some confusion; wearing the Demon Slayer Corps uniform, he was likely an official Demon Slayer.
"Demon Slayer Corps, Kiyokawa Izumi!"
After a brief self-introduction, Kiyokawa Izumi said solemnly, "I wonder if your elder brother, the Flame Hashira, is at home right now?"
"My brother? He's already gone out, and I'm not sure when he'll be back... Is there something you need from him?"
Senjuro spoke in a gentle tone.
"I just wanted to ask for some guidance regarding Flame Breathing. My apologies, it seems I've come at a bad time."
Kiyokawa Izumi felt a bit helpless; he had indeed come at an inconvenient time. The Flame Hashira had a district to patrol, so it was normal for him not to be home.
As for when he would return, Senjuro wasn't quite sure either.
As Kyoujurou's younger brother and the second son of the Rengoku Family, he lacked the talent to become a swordsman and thus had not joined the Demon Slayer Corps.
Therefore, he could only offer Kiyokawa Izumi a slightly apologetic smile.
Kiyokawa Izumi was naturally disappointed, but just as he was about to leave, a sudden scolding voice made him stop in his tracks.
The owner of the voice was extremely impatient. "Senjuro, what are you making such a racket about?"
"Father, a swordsman from the Demon Slayer Corps has come to visit..."
Facing his father, Senjuro answered cautiously.
To his surprise, his father suddenly flew into a rage.
"Tell him to get lost!"
"He came to ask Brother for guidance on Flame Breathing..."
"Tell him to get out, now!"
Seeing his father so angry, Senjuro naturally didn't dare say more and could only bow slightly to Kiyokawa Izumi in apology.
Kiyokawa Izumi rubbed his temples in frustration; although the person inside was being rude, he didn't intend to take offense.
It wasn't just for the sake of Big Brother, nor was it entirely because this man was the Former Flame Hashira.
Shinjuro Rengoku was not a qualified Flame Hashira, far inferior to his son.
But he wasn't necessarily a bad father.
If Big Brother hadn't become the Flame Hashira, would he have avoided death?
Were the past discouragements and rebukes simply to squash his son's foolish ideas?
He knew a lot—he knew of Sun Breathing and Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
Throughout history, with so many Demon Slayers and generations of Hashira, who could ever compare to Tsugikuni Yoriichi?
Forget standing shoulder to shoulder with him; they couldn't even see his back!
Setting aside the current generation of Hashira, which generation since the first had mastered the Demon Slayer Mark or the Transparent World?
Even putting forth every ounce of effort, they could only deal with ordinary Demons and the Lower Ranks.
Encountering an Upper Rank meant certain death.
The gap was too vast!
Even someone as strong as Tsugikuni Yoriichi couldn't finish off Muzan back then; what could ordinary people like them use to Face Muzan?
What was the point of training desperately with the inherited Flame Breathing?
What if one became the Flame Hashira?
It was all a waste of effort!
Thus, knowing too much isn't necessarily a good thing.
Just like Kiyokawa Izumi, because he knew his own limits, he didn't even dare to set Muzan as his goal—how could he even speak of surpassing Tsugikuni Yoriichi?
"I'm sorry!"
Facing the repeatedly apologizing Senjuro, Kiyokawa Izumi fell silent for a moment. He had intended to leave immediately, but the more he thought about it, the more unsettled he felt, and he couldn't help but shout loudly.
"Is this how you act as a father? I can't see even a hint of the will a Flame Hashira should possess in you!"
Kiyokawa Izumi could understand his thoughts—it was simply that he clearly knew his own ceiling and the cruelty of reality, and his mental state had collapsed.
Between facing it and escaping it, he chose the latter.
The reason Kiyokawa Izumi became emotional now was simply because he thought of the fates of Kyoujurou and Kochou Shinobu.
He couldn't stand seeing the decadent and slothful Shinjuro.
Does he really need to lose a son before he wakes up?
Because his voice was so loud, the person inside naturally heard him.
Senjuro's expression changed slightly. Before he could even try to mediate, a tall figure carrying a sake flask kicked the door open and stepped out.
Kiyokawa Izumi didn't back down—you're in your forties, haven't trained in years, and are an alcoholic; how strong could you possibly be?
Do you even still have the strength of an ordinary Hashira?
Shinjuro walked out full of rage, unshaven and wearing a thin Kimono, looking completely unkempt.
The smell of alcohol wafted toward him. The man seemed barely able to stand straight, and in his drunken state, he couldn't even control his emotions.
"Father—"
Senjuro was about to try and dissuade him but was pushed aside by his father.
"You brat!"
Shinjuro suddenly reached out, clearly intending to grab Kiyokawa Izumi's collar and teach him a lesson.
Normally, in a sober state, he might still be rude, but he would never lose his composure like this.
As for now, this brat spouting nonsense was simply intolerable; he would give him a good thrashing first.
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Hurry up, there's only a little left for the extra chapter.