Chapter 74: Thunder on Mt. Momoyama
The winter sun filtered through the sparse clouds, lazily spilling onto the training grounds of the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.
On the field, the third batch of swordsmen in training were sweating profusely, the sounds of their rhythmic panting intertwining with the crisp clacking of wooden swords.
On the sidelines, three figures were supervising with an air of boredom.
"Ah... so boring. When is Master coming back? I really want to have a flamboyant spar with him!"
Rengoku Kyojuro stood with his arms crossed, a desire for battle burning in his gold-and-red eyes.
Tokito Muichiro sat on the stone steps nearby, propping up his chin as he said flatly, "Master is busy... and Rengoku, don't pick up Brother Uzui's catchphrases."
Beside him, Iguro Obanai nodded without a word, his gaze fixed somewhat vacantly on a pink-haired girl in the field.
Kaburamaru, the snake around his neck, flicked its tongue gently.
That girl is very pretty... and her strength is quite formidable.
"Mm, I've been sparring with Brother Uzui too much lately, it just slipped out... Also, Iguro, are you feeling unwell?"
Rengoku Kyojuro scratched his head and turned to Iguro Obanai, asking with concern:
"You've been distracted for a while now. Are you feeling sick?"
"It's nothing."
Iguro Obanai snapped back to reality and shook his head, yet his heterochromatic eyes still drifted unconsciously toward a certain direction in the field.
Rengoku Kyojuro followed his gaze and saw a petite girl with twin braided pigtails and a constant flush on her cheeks, swinging her wooden sword with all her might.
Though her movements were still a bit unrefined, every swing carried a startling amount of power.
Isn't that the girl from the Kanroji family?
I heard she joined the Demon Slayer Corps just to find a husband stronger than herself... Is Iguro...?
Has he taken an interest in this powerful girl and wants to take her in as a Tsuguko?
Mm, he has quite the eye!
"Hey, you three, stop chatting."
A familiar voice rang out behind them.
The three turned around to see Ryuji standing there at some unknown point, a large pack slung over his shoulder.
"Master!"
The three immediately stood at attention.
"Pack your things. You're coming with me to Mt. Kumotori."
"Yes, Master!"
The three agreed without the slightest hesitation.
Over the past six months or so, these so-called field training exercises had become a regular fixture.
Starting from the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, they would travel north through mountains, forests, and cities, eventually arriving near Mt. Kumotori.
Ostensibly, it was to train their comprehensive abilities.
In reality, it was a scheme Ryuji had devised to camp out for Muzan. He had already had Tamayo spread rumors that the blue spider lily could be found near Mt. Kumotori.
Ever since killing Upper Rank Three Akaza, he had been afraid Muzan would go into hiding.
Of course, they encountered many demons during their travels. His three star Disciples had accumulated enough military merit through these 'training exercises' to be promoted to Hashira and become assistant instructors.
Even so, all three of them felt they were still a long way off from being true Hashira.
"By the way, we're changing the route slightly this time."
Ryuji pulled a map from his robes and pointed to a location on it.
"The Master has given me a mission to visit several retired Seniors along the way to see if they've taken in any talented children."
Rengoku Kyojuro asked curiously, "Oh? Which Senior are we visiting first?"
Ryuji looked at the map and said softly, "The former Thunder Hashira, Mr. Kuwajima Jigoro. Mt. Momoyama, where he lives, is the closest, and we won't have to go out of our way."
After packing their bags, the four quickly set out on their journey.
They encountered a few blind little demons along the way, but before Ryuji could even make a move, they were torn apart by his three Disciples until not even a scrap remained.
A few days later, they arrived at Mt. Momoyama where Kuwajima Jigoro resided.
"Mr. Kuwajima Jigoro, I've come to visit!"
Ryuji stood before the familiar wooden house and called out loudly.
Soon, a short old man wearing a yellow haori and leaning on a cane walked out.
"Oh? It's you, kid. Welcome."
Kuwajima Jigoro looked Ryuji up and down, then glanced at the three young men behind him whose auras were steady and restrained. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes.
Four Hashira?
What kind of demon would require four Hashira to work together, even to the point of calling upon an old man like him?
"Come on in."
After some pleasantries, Ryuji explained the purpose of his visit.
"Oh, I see. I indeed have two new Disciples."
Kuwajima Jigoro sighed, a trace of helplessness appearing on his face. "One is named Kaigaku. He has good talent, but he's too ambitious and arrogant. The other is Agatsuma Zenitsu..."
He paused and sighed again. "Sigh, let's not even mention him."
Kaigaku?!
Agatsuma Zenitsu?
This early?
Didn't they say Agatsuma Zenitsu only took a year to finish his apprenticeship?
Could this be the butterfly effect?
While Ryuji was thinking, his eyes turned slightly red.
His Observation Haki sensed a weak and panicked aura on the nearby back mountain, moving stealthily toward the foot of the hill.
This sneaky feeling... it's definitely Agatsuma Zenitsu!
The corner of Ryuji's mouth curled up as he looked at Kuwajima Jigoro. "Senior Kuwajima, it seems someone is preparing to slip down the mountain..."
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, Kuwajima Jigoro immediately flew into a rage. He grabbed his cane and roared, "It must be that good-for-nothing brat Agatsuma Zenitsu! He's trying to run away again!"
With that, he transformed into a streak of yellow lightning and rushed out.
Ryuji followed with a smile. This was getting interesting.
On the path in the back mountain, a black-haired youth with a bowl cut was running while crying, carrying a small bundle on his back.
"Waaaah... I don't want to stay here anymore! Every day the training is like Hell! Gramps is a demon! Senior Brother is also a demon!"
"I haven't even married a cute girl yet! I don't want to die!"
As he was crying, a thunderous roar suddenly came from behind him.
"Zenitsu! Where do you think you're going now?!"
Zenitsu looked back and his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering in fear. His demon gramps was charging at him with his cane at a speed that completely defied his age.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Modified, Cane of Love!"
Kuwajima Jigoro went up and gave him a sound thrashing, making Agatsuma Zenitsu howl and scurry all over the mountain.
"Gramps, I was wrong! Stop hitting me! I'm going to die! I'm really going to die!"
Ryuji's lip twitched. What the Hell was 'Cane of Love'?
Didn't I just use the Iron Fist of Love on a team member once while I was teaching you back then... How did you end up learning that?
Shaking his head, he could see clearly from the side that although the old man's strikes looked fierce, he was actually holding back. It was all bark and no bite.
Finally, Zenitsu scrambled up a large tree and clung to the trunk for dear life, refusing to come down no matter what.
Looking at this scene, Ryuji found it more and more familiar. This seemed to be when Agatsuma Zenitsu got struck by lightning and gained his 'cheat' powers, right?
Except... he looked up at the sky. It was cloudless. Forget lightning, there wasn't even a single dark cloud to be seen.
"Should I... give him a hand?"
He rubbed his chin, thought for a moment, and decided to help Agatsuma Zenitsu out.
His right hand silently transformed into a dragon claw, and golden electrical sparks gathered at his fingertips. This was a result of his recent development of the azure dragon fruit. He had to thank the swordsmen of the second and third squads for voluntarily providing human models for his experiments.
"Off you go."
He pointed his finger at the tree where Agatsuma Zenitsu was.
BOOM!!!
A bolt of golden lightning, far more dazzling than natural lightning, descended from the sky and struck Zenitsu precisely on the head.
"AAAAHHH—"
A shrill scream echoed through the forest. Zenitsu fell from the tree, his body charred black, and his hair turned a brilliant golden yellow in an instant.
"Zenitsu!"
Kuwajima Jigoro's heart nearly stopped. He rushed over and reached out with a trembling hand to check Zenitsu's breathing.
"Thank goodness... he's just fainted."
Kuwajima Jigoro looked at the clear sky, somewhat puzzled. How could a bolt of lightning strike down like that?
Ryuji looked at Agatsuma Zenitsu, whose black hair had turned golden, and nodded. It seemed he really did need a good shocking.
Agatsuma Zenitsu was taken care of. As for Kaigaku... Ryuji's eyes narrowed. Whatever, he'd deal with that later.
After all the chaos, Ryuji and his party of four also stayed at Mt. Momoyama.
The next day.
"Ugh... it hurts..."
Agatsuma Zenitsu woke up on the tatami mat, scratching his head, a bit dazed.
He seemed to have been struck by lightning yesterday?
"You're awake? If you're awake, get out there and train!"
Kuwajima Jigoro's voice exploded in Agatsuma Zenitsu's ear, making him jump. He got out of bed, washed up, and ate in one smooth motion.
"I say, old man, pushing the kid too hard isn't good for him..."
Agatsuma Zenitsu heard the unfamiliar voice and glanced at Ryuji standing beside Kuwajima Jigoro.
He couldn't help but nod inwardly. Exactly!
That's it! You have to balance work and rest!
"He only needs to train for eight hours."
The smile immediately vanished from Agatsuma Zenitsu's face upon hearing Ryuji's following words. He finished his meal mechanically and bolted to the training ground to begin his practice.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
Agatsuma Zenitsu stepped forward and delivered a strike.
"Huh? This feeling..."
He looked at the iron sword in his hand. He felt as if his understanding of Thunder Breathing had deepened.
Well, even though he only knew the First Form.
"Alright, let's try again. Maybe I can learn the other forms!"
As he continued to practice, that feeling became more and more apparent to Agatsuma Zenitsu.
Every step and every draw of his sword was several times faster than before. There were even faint sparks of electricity in the air.
Just as he was immersed in this wonderful sensation, a voice suddenly sounded behind him.
"Good speed, but your power delivery is still a bit scattered."
"Ah! A ghost!"
Agatsuma Zenitsu's Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering at the sudden voice. Without thinking, his body reacted before his brain could.
"Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!"
He transformed into a bolt of golden lightning, his iron sword letting out a piercing roar as he slashed toward the figure behind him!
His eyes widened when he saw Ryuji's face.
It's a person!?
Oh no, I can't stop!
I'm going to kill someone!
He thought in horror as his blade was about to reach Ryuji's neck!
"No! Wait, huh?"
He felt a sudden jolt in his hands. His hands stung as he was sent flying backward, crashing into a tree. Through eyes blurred by tears, he saw a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.
That tall figure had simply reached out his hand.
He had caught the blade with a backhand grip!
Backhand!
The blade!
A strike unleashed with all the power he could muster had come to an abrupt halt in that single instant.
"!!!"
Agatsuma Zenitsu's eyes nearly popped out of his head. He looked at that face with its playful smile, his mind going completely blank.
In the nearby woods, Kaigaku was also shocked beyond words.
He had grown tired of training and wanted to see that trash Zenitsu to mock him, but he hadn't expected to see such a reality-shattering scene.
That man... he knew him!
The Fist Hashira, Ryuji!
The Chief Physical Training Instructor of the Demon Slayer Corps!
Even his Disciples were already Hashira who could hold their own!
A strong surge of desire and envy instantly gripped Kaigaku's heart.
He didn't want to waste any more time following this old man. He had already learned all the forms... well, most of them.
He didn't want to learn Thunder Breathing anymore; he wanted to learn Fist Breathing!
He wanted to take Ryuji as his Master!
He wanted to become stronger!
He wanted to become a Hashira!
Ryuji naturally knew Kaigaku was spying, but he didn't call him out immediately.
How should he handle this future traitor?
Kill him directly?
What would Senior Kuwajima think?
But then he thought, with his current strength, why should he be so hesitant?
What was wrong with cleaning up a piece of scum who was destined to fall into the path of a demon ahead of time?
My heart and actions are as clear as a mirror; everything I do is for justice!
With that thought, Ryuji no longer hesitated.
"Who's there?!"
He suddenly let out a thunderous shout and threw a heavy backhand punch toward where Kaigaku was hiding!
The terrifying wind from his punch, like an invisible cannonball, instantly blasted a huge gap in that part of the woods!
"Ah!"
With a scream, Kaigaku's figure was forcibly blown out of his hiding place by the wind from the punch. His body traced a parabola in mid-air and crashed right into a sharp rock.
The sharp corner of the rock pierced through his chest from his back.
"Sen... Senior Brother?"
Agatsuma Zenitsu was completely stunned. He hadn't expected Senior Brother Kaigaku to be there, much less... "Quick! Go find your Master to save him!"
Ryuji shouted at Zenitsu. Once Zenitsu had scrambled away, he slowly walked up to the dying Kaigaku.
"Save... save me..."
Kaigaku reached out, his eyes full of the desire to live. Ryuji just watched him quietly, not saying a word.
"You... bastard..."
Looking at those cold eyes, Kaigaku seemed to understand something. He used his last bit of strength to curse hoarsely, "You won't... die a good death..."
[Ding! Detected that the host has killed a prospective pirate. Reward: 200 military merit points.]
Ryuji watched indifferently as he took his last breath, his heart showing no ripples.
Instead, a strange sense of relief washed over him.
It was a completely different feeling from killing demons or those bewitched by demons... it was more refreshing, more... captivating?
Ryuji wasn't sure, so he pushed the thought out of his mind.
Soon, Agatsuma Zenitsu arrived with Kuwajima Jigoro and the three young ones.
Ryuji explained the whole process and apologized sincerely.
"Sigh... perhaps this was just his fate."
Kuwajima Jigoro looked at Kaigaku's body and let out a long sigh, ultimately only able to attribute it to an unfortunate accident.
The matter ended with Ryuji personally digging a hole to bury Kaigaku.
After this incident, it wasn't appropriate for the group to stay at Mt. Momoyama any longer. They bid farewell to Kuwajima Jigoro and continued toward Mt. Kumotori.
"Master, why did you kill that man?"
On the road, Tokito Muichiro suddenly moved silently to Ryuji's side and asked softly.
Ryuji's heart skipped a beat. This kid's powers of observation were truly frighteningly sharp.
"Why do you think I did it on purpose?"
he asked back.
"Because with Master's strength, even if your fist hit his face, you could ensure he only felt pain and didn't die."
Tokito Muichiro tilted his head, stating the facts in a flat tone. "So, it couldn't have been an accidental kill."
He tilted his head slightly. "I'm just curious as to why."
"Of course, if Master doesn't want to say, then just act like I didn't ask. As long as you can spar with me a few more times."
Ryuji was silent for a long time before he slowly spoke:
"Muichiro, if... you knew someone would definitely become a demon in the future and do very, very bad things, but right now, he is still human."
Pausing, Ryuji looked at Muichiro and asked, "Would you kill him?"
"Yes."
Tokito Muichiro nodded without even thinking.
"Why?"
"No reason."
Tokito Muichiro looked at the overcast sky and said softly, "Demons can kill people, and people can also kill people."
"This world is very cruel. Strength is the only truth."
Ryuji fell silent again.
After a long while, he reached out and ruffled Tokito Muichiro's head. "Don't think too much."
"Mm. Then Master, can you spar with me a few more times?"
"Sure."
On the way to Mt. Kumotori, Ryuji and Tokito Muichiro sparred many times.
This Genius's rate of progress was almost double that of Rengoku and Iguro. If his body weren't yet fully grown, his strength would likely have already surpassed theirs.
The snow began to fall harder and harder.
By the time they reached Mt. Kumotori, it was nearly completely blocked off by heavy snow.
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