(Extra chapter)
New separation at 1100 energy stones
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"Is the training very rigorous?"
Kiyokawa Izumi looked at the timid and cowardly Zenitsu Agatsuma, his face showing no sign of disdain as he asked in a gentle voice.
This youth had medium-short golden hair—perhaps an effect of being struck by lightning—and his round eyebrows and pupils were the same golden color as his hair.
At this point in time, Zenitsu wasn't particularly powerful.
He was probably around the level of an ordinary Official Member.
Perhaps slightly stronger, but not by much.
Wearing a yellow Kimono with a triangle pattern, Zenitsu was currently somewhat speechless.
This was because he didn't want to make his grandpa lose face.
He was afraid that if he said the training was hard and that he couldn't persevere, it would bring shame to his grandpa.
It didn't matter if he was looked down upon, but being kind-hearted, he didn't want to drag his grandpa down with him.
"He has great potential; he will be an excellent Thunder Breathing Swordsman."
To Zenitsu's utter surprise, this strange Hashira actually praised someone as cowardly as himself.
He felt a weightless sensation throughout his body, a feeling he had never experienced before.
"Want to train with me? It's very easy. You just don't sleep for a whole day—first, half a day of basics, then half a day of physical conditioning, and at night, Breathing Techniques and practical combat training.
Go and fight those demons who possess Blood Demon Arts. As long as you don't die, you'll definitely make great progress!"
"?"
What was he saying?
Was he even speaking a human language?
No time to rest, nothing but training and fighting... he would definitely die, right?
"Zenitsu will definitely be fine!"
The old man also nodded repeatedly, seemingly very satisfied with this kind of training.
"We can't waste the daytime, and there are arrangements for the night... as for sleep... you can sleep for half an hour in the early morning. What do you think?"
Kiyokawa Izumi's smile was kind, but the words he spoke were exceptionally cruel.
How could half an hour of sleep be enough?
Zenitsu quickly broke free and silently returned to his grandpa's side.
"Grandpa, I suddenly feel that training with the Official Members is more suitable for me!"
Leaving those words behind, he turned and bolted.
He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, this strange Hashira would snatch him away for training.
That kind of training would absolutely, definitely kill him!
"This child is very talented."
The old man naturally saw that Kiyokawa Izumi was scaring Zenitsu, but he didn't expose him; instead, he was very cooperative.
"He will be an excellent Thunder Breathing Swordsman. Those are my heartfelt words, not a lie."
After a slight hesitation, Kiyokawa Izumi continued, "When you have time, may I consult you regarding Thunder Breathing?"
The old man silently lowered his head, looking at his prosthetic leg. He really wanted to ask: by 'consult,' do you mean a discussion or a spar?
Of course, he didn't refuse. The old man still greatly admired this generation of Hashira.
After bidding farewell to the Former Sound Hashira, Kiyokawa Izumi didn't ask about a certain scumbag's situation.
He simply didn't care about that guy at all.
He didn't want to get involved in such a troublesome matter.
Kaigaku was a pure scumbag, and he had a connection with the current Stone Hashira—before the Stone Hashira joined the Demon Slayer Corps, he had been a monk raising a group of children.
Among them was Kaigaku during his childhood.
Due to multiple thefts, the other children had expelled him behind the Stone Hashira's back.
After leaving the temple, he encountered a demon at night. To save his own life and for revenge, he led the demon back and extinguished the wisteria flower incense burner burning outside.
This action also indirectly led to the Stone Hashira later being wrongfully imprisoned.
This pure scumbag then acted as if nothing had happened and became a Disciple under the Former Sound Hashira.
Who could blame him for having such a good master?
Kiyokawa Izumi even felt that even if his past crimes were exposed, the old Former Sound Hashira who adopted him would be willing to believe in him one more time.
He might even commit Seppuku to serve as his guarantor.
Beseeching the Lord and the Demon Slayer Corps to give him another chance.
The older generation of Hashira were indeed very good people.
Doing such a thing wouldn't be considered absurd or an exaggeration.
After all, weren't the previous and current Water Hashira also willing to serve as guarantors for a demon? In the eyes of those who didn't know the details, that behavior was also quite absurd.
It was precisely because he knew all this that Kiyokawa Izumi was unwilling to get involved—he didn't want to go through the effort of expelling that scumbag from the Demon Slayer Corps, only to have the Former Sound Hashira commit Seppuku as a guarantee, pleading for everyone to believe in Kaigaku once more.
If he really encountered such a situation, he would find it disgusting.
Instead of dealing with all that nonsense, wouldn't it be simpler to just give him a slash when no one was around? Physical elimination was much easier.
Of course, Kiyokawa Izumi wouldn't bother planning such things either.
No one would criticize him for slaying a demon.
But if it were a human, even if he were a Hashira, it wouldn't be acceptable without a reasonable explanation.
Once exposed, he would also offend the Former Sound Hashira for no reason—the old man might even come to fight him to the death. How could he endure his cherished Disciple being killed without cause?
No benefits to be seen, and a mountain of risks.
This was the reason Kiyokawa Izumi was unwilling to get involved.
Just then, the sound of clashing metal suddenly reached his ears.
It was the sound produced by nichirin blades colliding with each other.
Who was fighting at the Butterfly Mansion?
Did they not know whose territory this was?
'Not bad, both sides are quite capable...'
Kiyokawa Izumi could tell just from the sound that both people fighting were quite strong—shouldn't he go and watch the excitement?
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Only two more assessments remain for the extra chapter.