Horitake started by acknowledging the coordination between Tanjiro and Yae, but then turned his attention to Zenitsu. His expression shifted to one of frustration—that classic look of "resenting iron for not becoming steel"—as he began a blistering lecture.
"Zenitsu, oh Zenitsu... what am I going to do with you?"
"In this trial, you didn't faint, and you fought while conscious the entire time. That's good; to some extent, you've broken through your own limits. But is 'not fainting' really the standard we're aiming for? Isn't that a bit low?"
"You should at least play a meaningful role in the battle, shouldn't you? Achieve some actual results?"
Being scolded so harshly by his big brother, Zenitsu felt a surge of grievance. He instinctively tried to talk back.
"I... I did play a role! Didn't I slash that big fat guy's eyes out?"
Horitake clapped his hands in a mock display of admiration.
"Indeed. You took out the enemy's eyes with one strike, buying enough time for Tanjiro and Yae. That achievement cannot be erased. But the question is: would you have even stepped up if I hadn't pushed you?"
"From beginning to end, you were either slacking off or running away. Your only contribution happened because I forced you into a corner where you had no choice but to act."
"Think about it, Zenitsu. I'm by your side this time, but what happens when you go out on missions to slay demons later? Who's going to be there to provide a safety net? You'll have to rely on yourself, and there won't be anyone to nudge you forward."
"Do you really plan to let Tanjiro and Yae take the brunt of every fight while you hide in the back? Isn't that a bit pathetic?"
Horitake's words left Zenitsu speechless.
As Zenitsu reflected, he realized his big brother was right. If Horitake hadn't "driven the duck onto the perch" and forced him to charge, he likely would have spent the entire encounter fleeing or hiding. Just imagining that scenario made him flush with shame.
However, his personality was what it was. For him, participating in a fight without passing out was already a miracle; asking him to proactively seek out a terrifying enemy felt harder than climbing to the heavens.
Seeing Zenitsu's timid, self-reproaching state, Tanjiro and Yae quickly stepped in to smooth things over.
"Senior Horitake, Zenitsu is actually very strong," Tanjiro said, trying to mediate. "That Thunderclap and Flash move of his blinded the enemy instantly. And later, when I was sent flying into the air, Zenitsu was the one who saved me. I think he has incredible potential!"
"Uh... I think our junior brother is doing alright," Yae added, speaking up for Zenitsu. "Being able to join the fight without fainting is already a sign of progress. Senior Brother, don't be too hard on him."
Their words actually gave Horitake pause.
He began to wonder if he was being too demanding. As the saying goes, "Mountains and rivers may change, but a person's nature is hard to alter." Expecting Zenitsu to shed his cowardly personality overnight was clearly unrealistic; it would be a long, gradual process.
In the original story, Zenitsu had to go through a great deal of hardship before he slowly began to change. Horitake realized he shouldn't apply such a harsh standard to the boy right now—it was a bit much.
After a moment of self-reflection, Horitake concluded that it was best to let nature take its course. Since Zenitsu would eventually grow into a hero, there was no need to rush him. "Pulling on the sprouts to help them grow" would only cause harm.
With a sigh, Horitake nodded.
"Alright, Zenitsu. Perhaps I was being too impatient."
"But since you've joined the Demon Slayer Corps, you can't stay like this forever. You need to work on changing yourself. At the very least, hiding behind your teammates is not what a man should do. I won't say more for now, but I hope that as time passes, you will show me some real change."
Zenitsu nodded vigorously, etching those words into his heart.
The situation had ended successfully. The demon was dead, and its death hadn't been in vain—it had served as a valuable trial for the three young slayers.
At the same time, the System in Horitake's mind stirred, notifying him of the mission's completion:
"Ding! Safety of the trio confirmed. Host has successfully resolved the negative Butterfly Effect. Mission complete. Reward granted."
"Ding! Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the System Reward: Heavenly Thunder Breathing, Fifth Form, and its derivative techniques."
"Friendly Reminder: The Fifth Form of Heavenly Thunder Breathing is titled Hell Stab: One-Finger Spear Hand!"
"The Host likely knows the origin of this technique. Indeed, this move is derived from the ultimate skills of the Third and Fourth Raikages from the Naruto universe. This technique possesses terrifying destructive power; essentially, no one can withstand it head-on."
"Originally a Nintaijutsu (Ninja Body Technique), the System has adapted it into a Breathing Style, integrating it into the Host's Heavenly Thunder Breathing. This will further enhance the Host's strength and expand his tactical options!"
"Furthermore, the reward includes related derivative techniques: Lightning Style Armor, Lightning Plow Hot Blade (Lariat), Bolt of Arrogant Thunder (Liger Bomb), Lightning Oppression Horizontal, and Lightning Oppression Horizontal Cho."
"May these numerous techniques bolster the Host's power."
Hearing the list of rewards, Horitake was genuinely pleasantly surprised.
At his current level, ordinary techniques could no longer increase his overall strength. However, the Raikage's signature moves were rare, fierce strikes even within the lightning element. Their power was legendary, and they provided a much-needed variety of combat methods.
With these skills, his combat effectiveness would certainly reach a new peak.
As he thought this, the System began flooding the rewards into Horitake's mind and body. In an instant, he mastered the Fifth Form of Heavenly Thunder Breathing and all the derivative techniques as if he had practiced them countless times.
This was the "cheat" aspect of the System—no need to spend years training; he achieved instant mastery and integration.
It was also worth noting that in the original source, these were not simple ninjutsu, but Nintaijutsu. This meant that without a sufficiently powerful physique, the moves could not be executed.
Thus, while issuing the rewards, the System also further enhanced Horitake's physical attributes, ensuring he could utilize these techniques flawlessly.
Horitake's physical stats were already monstrous. Now, with this further enhancement, his physique had reached a truly "perverted" level of strength.
He wasn't quite "indestructible" yet, but he was close. In this world, there was virtually no one who could compete with Horitake in terms of pure physical power. Even Muzan's raw physical stats likely paled in comparison now. (Though Muzan's true strength lay in his rapid regeneration, not necessarily his base durability.)
Feeling the complete mastery of the Fifth Form and the surge in his physical power, Horitake felt incredibly satisfied.
He hadn't experienced such a massive leap in strength for over a year. While he had spent that year solidifying his foundation, nothing compared to the thrill of a sudden, explosive power-up.
Ultimately, it all came down to one thing: Using a "cheat" felt damn good!
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