Chapter 71: I Was Thinking the Same Thing
On the training ground, dust flew as the sun scorched the earth.
A group of swordsmen who had just finished their weighted runs were slumped under the shade of a tree, gasping for breath, looking as if they had just been pulled out of the water.
"Hey, have you guys heard? Ryuji-sensei's three Personal Disciples are practically monsters now!"
A young swordsman with freckles on his face lowered his voice and spoke while looking around cautiously.
"They're more than just monsters!"
Another swordsman immediately took up the conversation, his eyes full of awe:
"I saw Mr. Rengoku training from a distance last time. Good grief, that guy is basically a walking ball of fire!"
"I heard he's already combined Flame Breathing with the martial arts teacher taught him. That aggression... it makes people breathless even from far away!"
"I actually think Tokito-kun is even scarier..."
A female swordsman patted her chest with lingering fear: "When he practices his sword, his whole being is like a patch of mist..."
"You can't see his movements at all. By the time you react, the wooden sword is already at your neck..."
She swallowed hard, and as if remembering something, she shuddered all over:
"He's usually so quiet, but once he picks up a sword, that pure killing intent..."
"Have you all forgotten about Mr. Iguro?"
The freckled swordsman who spoke first suddenly sat up straight, a trace of fear on his face:
"His swordsmanship is getting weirder and weirder; the angles are so tricky they're impossible to defend against! Last time I sparred with him, I was only grazed by the wooden sword, and half my body went numb!"
He rubbed his arm and said word by word:
"I only found out later that Ryuji-sensei actually had him practice with snake venom on his wooden sword!"
"He even said something like, 'How can a real snake not know how to use poison?'... It's too terrifying!"
The crowd felt their skin crawl and shivered one after another.
Ryuji-sensei himself is already a devil, and the Disciples he's taught are simply three little devils!
Just then, a spine-chilling coldness quietly enveloped them.
Everyone's bodies stiffened, and the expressions on their faces froze instantly.
This feeling... They turned their heads little by little, their necks making cracking sounds.
They saw Ryuji standing silently behind them at some point, with a smile as warm as a spring breeze on his face.
In his hand, however, he was slowly clenching his fist, his knuckles letting out crisp cracks.
"Discussing your instructor behind his back, and so enthusiastically too..."
Ryuji smiled, revealing his pearly white teeth:
"It seems the training volume is still too low; you guys still have extra energy."
"No! It's not like that! Teacher, we were wrong!"
"We were just admiring your excellent teaching!"
"The Iron Fist of Love is coming! Run!"
Boom!
Before they could scatter, several iron fists full of "love" accurately knocked on everyone's foreheads.
Accompanied by a series of cries of pain, the swordsmen who had just been chatting together instantly scattered like birds and beasts.
One by one, they clutched the large bumps on their heads and ran faster than rabbits.
No kidding—if you get caught, it's triple the training volume!
That would be the death of someone!
Ryuji shook his head in amusement.
"Teacher."
Three figures appeared behind him; they were the protagonists of the discussion just now.
Rengoku Kyojuro was still his usual energetic self, his eyes burning with a desire for even tougher training.
Tokito Muichiro stood quietly to the side, Ryuji's back reflected in his clear eyes, as if he were contemplating something.
As for Iguro Obanai, he silently adjusted the white snake wrapped around his neck.
Looking at these three Disciples who already showed the style of their future selves, Ryuji felt a wave of emotion.
Time flies; in the blink of an eye, seven or eight months have passed.
Over the past half year, besides training these swordsmen to death, he had been frantically training himself.
With constant tempering and the addition of cultivation points, his Dual-type Haki had steadily reached mastery and showed signs of moving toward the Grandmaster level.
It seemed Conqueror's Haki could be mobilized now, and the development and Fusion of the azure dragon fruit were also progressing steadily.
Now, his strength should be comparable to an Admiral candidate in the Pirate world.
During this time, Muzan had been unexpectedly low-key.
Ever since Gyokko was slain and Nakime's eyeballs were discovered by him,
the Twelve Kizuki seemed to have vanished into thin air, never showing their faces again.
Instead, the number of ordinary demons across various regions surged; though their individual strength wasn't high, it kept the Demon Slayer Corps exhausted from running around.
It wasn't without benefits; at least the swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps were highly motivated to grind for merit.
His military merit points had increased by a large margin without him even noticing.
"Although one demon only gives 50 or 100, the sheer number makes up for it... The second Devil Fruit is coming soon."
He calculated in his mind, then shook his head, no longer thinking about Muzan's turtle-shell strategy.
If he couldn't figure it out, he wouldn't think about it.
Anyway, with the current strength of the Demon Slayer Corps, plus a bug-level existence like himself,
Muzan wouldn't be able to make any big waves.
Or rather, Muzan is the challenge!
Just then, a Kakushi Member rushed over: "Pillar of Fist, Oyakata-sama requests your presence."
Ryuji nodded and quickly arrived at the Oyakata Residence.
"Ryuji, you've come."
Ubuyashiki Kagaya looked at Ryuji, his voice filled with concern.
The purple scars on his face had already spread to the corners of his eyes, and his aura was much weaker than it had been a few months ago.
His vision had begun to blur.
"I'm here."
Ryuji replied softly.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya smiled gratifiedly: "Thank you for your hard work. I have a favor to ask of you."
"This year's Final Selection at Mount Fujikasane is about to begin. My body can no longer stand for long periods, so... I would like you to go in my stead to witness the birth of those new children."
"Okay."
Ryuji agreed; he also happened to want to go see the results of Kocho Sisters' practice.
At Mount Fujikasane, the sea of wisteria flowers still bloomed under the quiet Moonlight, with various demons captured by the Stone Hashira roaming within.
But this year's Final Selection was entirely different from previous years.
Since the scientific training method provided by Ryuji had long been promoted to Cultivators everywhere, the overall level of the swordsmen participating in this selection was a large step higher than in previous years.
They no longer relied solely on their Breathing Technique talent and a burst of passion; their basic physical fitness and combat awareness far exceeded those of previous students of the same level.
And among this group of already excellent swordsmen, two figures were as dazzling as fireflies in the dark night.
"Flower Breathing, Fourth Form: Crimson Hanagoro!"
A gentle yet magnificent double slash sliced through the night sky from top to bottom, like a flower blooming, instantly severing a demon's head.
Kocho Kanae stood with her sword sheathed, the Moonlight spilling over her gentle profile, looking like a Fairy stepped out of a painting.
She always used the most elegant and beautiful sword techniques to give demons the gentlest end, like a death god guiding lost souls.
On the other side... "Insect Breathing, Dance of the Butterfly: Caprice!"
Shinobu Kocho's figure was as fast as a ghost, the specially made thin blade in her hand tracing countless afterimages in the air.
With a speed difficult to capture with the naked eye, she instantly pierced dozens of fine holes into a demon's neck.
Then, with a flick of her wrist and minimal force, she completely tore apart the holes that had been connected by the erosion of the toxin.
The entire process was clean and efficient, filled with a precise and deadly assassin-like beauty.
The seven-day selection, for them, was more like a one-sided hunt.
When the dawn lit up the mountain peak again, the selection ended.
Ryuji stood at the finish line, looking at the young faces filled with exhaustion but unable to hide their excitement, especially Kocho Sisters walking side by side, and a gratified smile appeared on his face.
"Congratulations, you have passed the Final Selection."
On behalf of Oyakata-sama, he offered blessings and encouragement to these new swordsmen.
"Teacher!"
As soon as Shinobu Kocho saw him, she ran over happily, her face brimming with pride.
Kocho Kanae followed behind, giving him a faint smile that was even brighter than the wisteria flowers on the mountain.
"You did very well."
Ryuji rubbed Shinobu Kocho's head and nodded warmly to Kanae:
"You have found your own paths. I am very proud of you."
This warm interaction hadn't lasted long before a crow landed on his shoulder with an urgent cry, circling as it descended.
"Emergency mission! Emergency mission! A demon has appeared in the northern mountains! Multiple swordsmen have been sacrificed! A heavily injured female swordsman who escaped specified... it must be the Pillar of Fist himself!"
The moment Ryuji heard the words "Pillar of Fist," his gaze suddenly became sharp.
A trap... specifically targeting him?
Or was the opponent a martial arts fanatic who only fought the strong?
A name instantly popped into his head.
Upper Rank Three, Akaza!
An unsuppressable surge of excitement and Battle Intent flared up from his heart!
"Teacher, can you take me with you!"
Rengoku Kyojuro said, and beside him, Tokito Muichiro and Iguro Obanai, though silent, also looked at Ryuji with expectation.
They were also auxiliary examiners for this assessment.
Hearing the crow's words, they realized it must be a powerful demon!
Killing those ordinary demons was no longer a challenge... it would be better to follow Teacher!
Ryuji looked at his three Disciples, who could already stand on their own, thought for a moment, and then nodded in agreement.
"Fine, keep up."
It would be good for them to see it.
With him there, it would be enough to ensure their safety.
By the way, it was also time for them to witness the true terror of an Upper Rank Demon, and... to earn them merit for promotion.
The group of four, like four streaks of light, rushed to the scene of the incident.
The sky was terrifyingly gloomy, with dark clouds rolling and pressing heavily onto the mountains; the air was thick with the dampness and oppression of an impending mountain storm.
At the temporary gathering point at the foot of the mountain, the surviving Demon Slayer Corps Members looked terrified.
"Pillar of Fist! You're finally here!"
"The demon on the mountain is very strong and only kills male swordsmen! He slaughtered several of our squads all by himself! It was too terrifying!"
"Pillar of Fist, please be careful!"
Ryuji nodded as he listened to their report; it was confirmed—it was Akaza!
He closed his eyes.
Observation Haki, like mercury spreading over the ground, instantly covered the entire mountain.
"There's only one with a very strong aura... stronger than before. It seems he's eaten quite a few people."
He opened his eyes and spoke in a low, raspy voice, looking at the three little ones behind him who were eager to try:
"There are still many small demons on the mountain who aren't quite dead yet. Go practice your skills and clean them out."
"Yes, Teacher!"
The four stepped into the forest area.
"Heh heh heh... more people coming to their deaths!"
A few remaining demons lunged from the shadows, bloodthirsty wild laughter on their faces.
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!"
Rengoku Kyojuro was the first to charge; he turned into a ball of raging flames, his scorching blade light sweeping out like a furious tide, instantly engulfing those few demons.
Aggressive as fire, burning through all directions!
Ryuji looked at the demons turning into ashes and nodded; Rengoku Kyojuro already had the style of a Flame Hashira!
Swish!
Two more figures leaped out from the dense forest on the flanks. Before Kyojuro could defend, a misty haze and a weird snake-shaped slash had already arrived first.
Tokito Muichiro's figure flickered in and out of the mist; every sword strike was precise and deadly, like a dreamlike phantom.
Meanwhile, Iguro Obanai's swordsmanship was tricky and bizarre, like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows.
He always launched his most fatal attacks from the most unexpected corners.
The two, who were a beat slower, clearly didn't want to miss another chance to show off.
The four cleared the way up, with Ryuji occasionally stepping in, only picking out a few relatively powerful demons.
It was true he was grinding merit for his Disciples, but he had to grind military merit points as well.
Patter.
Ryuji looked up; it was raining.
Bean-sized raindrops fell, instantly forming a curtain of rain, while thunder rumbled deep within the clouds.
A figure slowly stepped out of the rain and mist at the top of the mountain.
Peach-pink short hair, golden pupils, and his body was covered in deep blue tattoos.
He just stood there quietly, and a demonic aura so powerful it was suffocating rushed toward them.
The three little ones' breathing hitched at this moment.
It was a fear stemming from biological instinct, as if an antelope had met a tiger; every cell in their bodies was screaming to run away.
The newcomer was indeed Akaza.
At this moment, his aura was more condensed than the last time Ryuji saw him, the color of the tattoos on his body was deeper, and his short hair was as red as if soaked in fresh blood.
He casually grabbed a small demon passing by that wanted to attack Ryuji, and without even looking, bit off its head, crunched and chewed it up, then wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
His gaze, from beginning to end, was locked onto Ryuji.
"Your Fighting Spirit... has grown stronger again."
Akaza spoke, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible surprise and even more excitement:
"Very good. It looks like you've mastered that overbearing Fighting Spirit."
"What, choosing another rainy day to come out—are you trying to find an excuse for your escape in advance?"
Ryuji mocked him tit-for-tat.
Akaza's face instantly became somewhat unsightly; the scene of being forced back by the sun last time was his greatest humiliation.
But he soon laughed out of extreme anger: "Last time, you were just lucky."
He cracked his neck, and the Fighting Spirit on his body surged step by step.
A terrifying smile hung on Akaza's face: "I said, when we meet again, I will definitely smash your head to pieces!"
Ryuji was also lightly bouncing on his toes, and hearing this, a smile appeared on his face: "What a coincidence..."
Boom!
Before his words finished, the ground under Ryuji's feet exploded, and his whole body shot forward like a cannonball.
On his right arm, pitch-black Armament Haki and blood-red Conqueror's Haki intertwined, forming a visible red-black cross-lightning!
A terrifying red glow flashed in his eyes: "I was thinking the same thing!"
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