Chapter 16: You Want to Learn Breathing Styles Too?
This kid has confidence.
Urokodaki Sakonji found himself genuinely intrigued. Perhaps, as Kazami had written, this boy truly was a once-in-a-generation talent.
What the Demon Slayer Corps needed most was powerful, gifted swordsmen. The more terrifying the talent, the further they could walk on the path to defeating Kibutsuji Muzan.
"Just out of my own curiosity," Urokodaki asked, "young Kokonoe, why are you so eager to understand other Breathing Styles?"
He is so young. He could easily wait until he mastered Wind Breathing before trying to forge his own path. If he isn't just an arrogant brat as Kazami claims, then there must be a reason for his urgency.
"Because I want to become stronger."
"Why?"
"Only by becoming stronger can I defeat stronger demons."
"Then why not specialize in Wind Breathing? If you push Wind Breathing to its absolute limit, even if it isn't perfectly compatible, you would still reach the level of a Hashira."
"Is a Hashira not enough? That is the pinnacle of the Demon Slayer Corps."
Looking at the Tengu-masked old man, Natsuya retorted as if stating a simple fact.
"Of course it's not enough."
"If I become a Hashira, let alone killing the Demon King, I wouldn't even be able to defeat the Upper Moons."
"If I don't surpass the level of a Hashira, how am I supposed to kill the Demon King?"
Silence instantly filled the room.
Not only were the two children stunned, but even Urokodaki Sakonji's breath hitched for a moment.
This child's ambition... is it truly this vast?
He didn't just want to kill demons to avenge his murdered sister. He didn't just want to reach the summit of the Corps and become a Hashira. He stated, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, that he intended to kill Kibutsuji Muzan—a feat that ordinary swordsmen wouldn't even dare to dream of.
Even Urokodaki hadn't thought that far ahead in a long time.
In all these years as a Cultivator... have I lost the fire I had when I first joined the Corps?
To every disciple he raised, the words he said most often were: "Take care of yourself" and "Survive."
He had forgotten that they were swordsmen who existed for revenge, for the sole purpose of slaying demons.
It wasn't just Urokodaki who was reflecting. Beside him, Sabito and Giyu stared wide-eyed in shock.
They were still worrying about how to survive the Final Selection. Becoming a Hashira, surpassing a Hashira, or personally killing the Demon King? Those were realms they hadn't even imagined.
"Amazing," Giyu whispered.
Sabito snapped out of his daze, patted Giyu on the shoulder, and said seriously, "We can do it too, Giyu."
Urokodaki looked at Natsuya, a faint smile forming on his aged face beneath the mask.
"A perfect answer."
"I think I understand why Kazami admires you now."
He handed a cup of hot tea to Natsuya. The atmosphere relaxed, and the old man even cracked a joke.
"With three growing boys in the house, I suppose I'll need to prepare extra rice in the pot."
Natsuya acted as if he didn't catch the nuance. He replied earnestly, "I have money."
Between the savings he'd hoarded over the year and the loot he'd scavenged from fallen teammates during the Final Selection, he had enough cash to eat at high-end restaurants for a month.
Urokodaki: "It was just a joke. I do not care about the money."
Having served in the Corps for many years, Urokodaki had accumulated a substantial fortune. Not to mention, the Master frequently sent him a generous pension for retired swordsmen. In short, the former Water Hashira was loaded. He even had enough money to hire local hunters to help build the traps on the mountain.
"I can cook, too. Leave the daily chores to me," Natsuya offered. "I'm happy to do it."
Urokodaki: "That wasn't what I meant..."
Natsuya: "My cooking is really good."
Urokodaki facepalmed and sighed. "Fine. Tonight, you will help me prepare dinner, Natsuya."
Seeing this, Sabito tried to suppress a laugh. This Senior Brother... seems to be a bit socially dense, doesn't he?
He looked at the boy beside him. The black-haired Giyu tilted his head, wondering why his best friend was giving him such a weird look.
As it turned out, Natsuya wasn't lying about his cooking skills.
"This taste..."
"This isn't something a human could make..."
Giyu put a piece of vegetable in his mouth, froze, and then began chewing deliberately. Then, one after another, he stuffed several meatballs into his mouth.
"I've never eaten anything this good."
Sabito was no exception. With his mask off, he looked much more childish. "Besides salt, what did you add? This aroma... Senior, it's a waste for you to be a swordsman."
Seeing Giyu choking because he ate too fast, Sabito quickly handed him a bowl of soup.
"It's 'Dashi'," Natsuya explained. "I boiled mushrooms and kelp to make a concentrated stock."
By the hearth, the three residents of Mt. Sagiri were enjoying the dinner Natsuya had prepared.
[Wild Game & Mountain Vegetable Hot Pot]
A rich broth made from slow-simmered mushrooms and kelp bought after the Selection. Loaded with seasonal mountain vegetables, homemade fish balls and meatballs, and wild pheasant meat, seasoned with miso and soy sauce.
[Citrus-Salt Grilled Salmon]
The leftover fish wasn't wasted. Marinated with wild garlic, sansho pepper, and wild citrus juice. Although the marinating time was short, the precise control of the fire created a crispy, charred skin that perfectly complemented the juicy, acidic flesh inside.
In the end, the plates were wiped clean. The three of them even used the leftover soup to soak up their rice.
Urokodaki Sakonji couldn't help but wonder: "Did Kazami write that recommendation letter just to get access to this food?"
While the group enjoyed their meal, far away in the deep mountains of Nara...
At the Ubuyashiki Estate.
"I didn't expect Kazami-sensei to raise such an interesting child."
Putting down the letter, Ubuyashiki Kagaya smiled as he chatted with the Kakushi beside him.
"Not satisfied with just borrowing from one style, but choosing to learn all of them? perhaps he is a 'Scholar-type' genius."
Kakushi: "The Master is correct."
"Mamoru also mentioned this child. His evaluation was equally high."
"There are many swordsmen who are strong and can defeat many demons alone. There are also many who are kind and willing to help others in times of crisis. But those who possess both qualities are rare."
"If I have the chance, I would really like to meet him."
Kakushi: "The Master is correct."
Kagaya: "How many demons have fallen by his hand so far?"
Kakushi: "The Master is... correct..."
Realizing he was half-asleep and had just agreed to a question that wasn't a statement, the exhausted Kakushi clamped his mouth shut in embarrassment. His ears turned red, and his face under the mask was likely burning.
Kagaya didn't blame him. Instead, he comforted him. "Tanaka, it was my lack of consideration. Keeping you here chatting after such a long journey when you are so tired."
"If you are sleepy, we can continue tomorrow."
The Kakushi waved his hands frantically. "No, no, no! I am not sleepy at all! You were asking about Kokonoe-kun, right?"
"This new swordsman is indeed capable."
"According to reports from Lake Ashi, at least 80% of the demons in the Selection were slain by him."
"Furthermore, on his journey here, we had dispatched swordsmen to handle several demon sightings in the surrounding areas. When they arrived, they found the demons had already been eliminated. Based on the overlapping travel routes, it is highly likely that Kokonoe-kun was responsible."
"In total... roughly thirty demons. Including two that possessed Blood Demon Arts."
So, Kagaya thought, this child had the battle record of a 'Tsuchinoto' (Rank 6) swordsman before he even passed the Selection?
Although he had never fought on the front lines, Kagaya knew how terrifying demons could be. especially those with Blood Demon Arts.
Most fresh graduates struggled to survive against a regular demon. Against a Blood Demon Art user... it was usually a death sentence.
Yet this child seemed to have handled them without even exerting his full strength.
"Another child with talent comparable to Gyomei, perhaps?"
Come to think of it, even the swordsmiths are curious about him. His 'unreasonable' request has actually energized the village.
"Once he has some official achievements, let us grant him a rank that matches his ability. Since Fudo-san's sacrifice, the Corps is sorely lacking in swordsmen who can shoulder the burden."