The once lively city had now become a ghost town.
Not a single person could be seen.
Xia Feng frowned.
"What exactly was Doma trying to do?"
He couldn't understand it at all.
But staying here wouldn't reveal anything more.
So he brought Zenitsu and the others back to the Butterfly Estate.
After throwing the three injured boys to the Kakushi for treatment, Shinobu Kocho appeared in front of him.
She smiled gently.
"Xia Feng-kun, I heard you killed another Upper Rank again."
Xia Feng looked a little surprised.
"The news spread that fast?"
He had only just returned.
Yet the news had already arrived before him.
He scratched his head.
"I actually wanted to keep a low profile…"
"But there's something I need to report to Ubuyashiki."
"This might be part of Muzan's plan."
Thinking about how an entire city's population had vanished, Xia Feng felt the situation was getting troublesome.
Inside the Ubuyashiki estate…
Kagaya Ubuyashiki sat on a tatami mat, carefully reading reports sent from different regions.
Xia Feng stepped forward.
Ubuyashiki looked up with a warm smile.
"Xia Feng-kun, is there something you wanted to discuss?"
Xia Feng nodded.
"Although I killed Upper Rank Two…"
"…I still can't understand what Doma and Muzan were planning."
"They took the entire population of the city."
Ubuyashiki's expression immediately became serious.
An entire city.
That was no small number of people.
If all those people were turned into demons and released across the country—
The damage would be unimaginable.
Ordinary demons might not be a major threat to Demon Slayer swordsmen.
But to normal civilians—
They would be a disaster.
Ubuyashiki sighed.
"It seems Muzan Kibutsuji is preparing something major."
His brows knitted together.
Xia Feng shrugged lightly.
"For now, we don't have a way to stop him."
"We'll just have to deal with things as they come."
Ubuyashiki nodded slowly.
"Indeed."
After finishing the report, Xia Feng returned to the Butterfly Estate.
Once Zenitsu had fully recovered—
Xia Feng immediately dragged him into special training.
Days later…
In a forest clearing.
Xia Feng stood in front of Zenitsu.
"You heard what happened to your master, didn't you?"
Zenitsu nodded firmly.
After days of intense training, his eyes had changed.
They were no longer timid.
Instead, they carried determination.
The look of someone who had finally found his purpose.
Zenitsu placed a hand on his Nichirin Blade.
"How could I let Grandpa handle this himself?"
"Cleaning up this mess should be the responsibility of his useless disciple."
During training, Zenitsu had visited the Thunder Breathing training house.
When he saw the disappointment hidden in Jigoro's eyes—
His heart ached.
He had made a silent vow.
He would kill Kaigaku himself.
Xia Feng nodded calmly.
"Good."
"Your training is complete."
"Now it's time to finish what you started."
Zenitsu nodded again.
They soon arrived in the forest.
Kaigaku was leaning against a tree, waiting.
When he saw them arrive, he grinned arrogantly.
"Ah… my useless junior brother."
"I thought your 'fair fight' meant facing a Hashira."
"Turns out it's just this trash."
His eyes were full of disdain.
Xia Feng smiled slightly.
"You'll know whether it's fair after the fight."
"But you should prepare yourself to die."
Kaigaku burst into laughter.
"Die?"
"From this idiot who only knows Thunderclap and Flash?"
"Is he planning to kill me with that move?"
"Hahaha!"
Zenitsu shouted angrily.
"Do you know that Grandpa almost committed seppuku because of your betrayal?!"
Kaigaku shrugged.
"So?"
"What does that have to do with me?"
Zenitsu inhaled deeply.
His anger settled into calm resolve.
"If that's how you feel…"
"…then I have nothing more to say."
"Today, I will clean up the Thunder Breathing school."
Kaigaku drew his blade.
"Trash."
"I'll show you the difference between us."
"Back at the training house, you never once beat me."
"Now that I've become a demon, I'm even stronger."
"You never stood a chance."
Zenitsu placed one hand on the hilt of his sword.
The air grew tense.
Then—
Lightning flashed.
Their blades clashed so quickly that the fallen leaves were blown into the air.
The leaves were sliced apart before they could even touch the ground.
Zenitsu kept using Thunderclap and Flash to attack and evade.
But wounds slowly accumulated on his body.
Kaigaku sneered.
"Trash will always be trash."
"All this time, and you still only know the First Form."
"A useless swordsman like you should just die already!"
He raised his blade.
Thunder Breathing – Sixth Form: Rumble and Flash!
Lightning exploded outward.
Zenitsu dodged with Thunderclap and Flash—
But the attack's range was too wide.
Half of his body went numb.
Still—
He remained standing.
Kaigaku mocked him.
"You can barely hold your sword now."
"And you still talk about cleaning house?"
He lifted his blade toward Zenitsu's neck.
"Just die already!"
Kaigaku lunged forward.
But Zenitsu slowly raised his head.
Something in his eyes had changed.
"Who said…"
"…I only know the First Form?"
Suddenly—
Zenitsu vanished.
Kaigaku's expression changed instantly.
He stabbed forward, aiming at the afterimage he had seen.
But the moment he attacked—
Zenitsu had already disappeared.
Kaigaku's eyes widened.
Zenitsu appeared behind him.
His sword was already sheathed.
Thunder Breathing — Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi no Kami (Flaming Thunder God).
Kaigaku's head separated from his body.
He stared at Zenitsu standing there.
Then he suddenly grinned.
"I knew it."
"That old man always favored you."
"He secretly taught you other techniques!"
At that moment, Xia Feng stepped forward.
He gently placed a hand on Kaigaku's forehead.
"Jealousy turned you into a demon."
"Even now… you still don't understand?"
"Everything happened because of your envy."
Kaigaku's smile slowly faded.
He snorted.
"Losing to trash… really pisses me off."
His body soon turned to ash.
Xia Feng walked over and caught Zenitsu, who was about to collapse.
"Let's go."
"We should return and tell your master the news."
Zenitsu nodded weakly.
His entire body trembled.
He took one step forward.
Suddenly—
A sound like a biwa string echoed through the forest.
Zenitsu blinked in confusion.
But then—
The ground beneath Xia Feng suddenly opened.
Zenitsu stared in shock.
This was flat ground!
How could something like this happen?
In the next moment—
Xia Feng fell downward.
Along with him—
A strange sliding door that had appeared in the ground vanished as well.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed.
Claim early access on Patreon: patreon.com/c/LuneWriter
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:
💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter
🔷 200 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.