Chapter 186: Resigning as "Flame Hashira" x "Nen" Shocks Demon Slayer!
Demon Slayer World.
April 27th, Taisho Year 3. This day was the most unforgettable day for Kagaya Ubuyashiki in the nearly fifteen years since he took over the position of family head and leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, fighting against demons.
This day was also a tragic day for Muzan Kibutsuji. After spending a thousand years painstakingly creating the Six Upper Moons, nearly three of them were slain at the same time!
Except for Upper Moon One Kokushibo, Upper Moon Two Douma, and Upper Moon Six Gyutaro, who was saved in the nick of time by Douma's appearance, Upper Moon Three Akaza, Upper Moon Four Hantengu, and Upper Moon Five Gyokko were all killed!
The initiator, the main figure who caused this sudden imbalance in the confrontation between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons, was... Eiichiro Kamado!
Caw~ April 28th. Hidden within a dense wisteria forest lay a secret village. In the center of the village stood an estate, the headquarters of the Ubuyashiki family for nearly a thousand years.
At this moment, crows circled overhead as the "Hashira" returned from their missions one by one. Seven had left. Excluding the "Stone Hashira" Gyomei Himejima, who had stayed to guard the estate, and the "Insect Hashira" Shinobu Kocho, who coordinated the treatment of the wounded, the seven returned missing an arm. The one missing an arm was the one who always had "flamboyant" on his lips—Tengen Uzui!
"What a pity, let him escape. Otherwise, I definitely could have killed him!" Tengen Uzui, his left arm severed at the shoulder, fumed at the thought.
Fighting the demon siblings in the Entertainment District, he had already figured out their attack patterns using "Sound Breathing" and was about to turn the tables. Unexpectedly, an iron fan appeared, blocking both him and Sanemi Shinazugawa, not only helping the demon siblings escape but also costing him an arm, shattered by ice, just to survive alongside Sanemi.
"Douma... Upper Moon Two... I swear, next time I see him, I will kill him!"
Beside Tengen, Sanemi Shinazugawa's face was even uglier, twisted in rage... He couldn't forget the disappointment on the demon's face when he saw it was just the two of them, muttering something like "A pity, didn't wait for the main act."
Clearly, he didn't even consider Sanemi a threat, but was there for this so-called "main act"!
As for who the "main act" was, Sanemi didn't want to recall, but the hundred-meter-long flaming blade that brushed past his shoulder and cut through the entire district had lingered in his mind for days, refusing to fade.
He gritted his teeth, sulking!
"Water Hashira" Giyu Tomioka and "Serpent Hashira" Obanai Iguro were silent. One sat in a tree, the other found a corner to hide in. They were even gloomier than the other two. Why? Because... they hadn't encountered an "Upper Moon," not even a "Lower Moon"...
When Kagaya Ubuyashiki speculated that Muzan Kibutsuji was orchestrating demon attacks to target Roy, only he and Obanai Iguro came up empty.
Roy handled the "Mugen Train," Sanemi and Tengen handled the "Entertainment District," and... Kyojuro Rengoku led his disciple Mitsuri Kanroji and the rookie swordsman Muichiro Tokito to the "Swordsmith Village." All of them encountered "Upper Moons" to some extent...
In fact, Kyojuro's trio not only encountered "Upper Moons" but, following Roy's slaying of Upper Moon Three Akaza, killed two Upper Moons at once... Upper Moon Four Hantengu and Upper Moon Five Gyokko. Their glory was unmatched, drawing everyone's attention!
"Mitsuri-sama, you're amazing!"
"Are Upper Moons scary? I heard they all look terrifying, is it true?"
In a corner of the courtyard, several Kakushi members familiar with Mitsuri Kanroji surrounded her with stars in their eyes. Thankfully, she had a good temper, generous and straightforward, deeply influenced by Kyojuro Rengoku in some aspects, and was loved by everyone. Otherwise... Obanai Iguro, unaware of this, would definitely get jealous and might not be able to sit still.
Hiss~ The white snake Kaburamaru flicked its tongue. Obanai suppressed his temper and looked over...
Mitsuri waved her hands, laughing. "Oh no, it was Master... Master killed them both!"
"Both Upper Moons?"
"Both."
The noisy courtyard instantly fell silent...
All eyes focused on the yellow-haired young man standing in the courtyard, chest out, waiting for the Hashira meeting to begin. The tips of his hair were red. He stood quietly as usual... but looking again, he seemed different from before. There was an aura of towering mountains and boundless oceans about him, like the sun overhead... Once it tears through the darkness and leaps into the sky, nothing in the world dares ignore it, not even demons!
"What happened back then?" someone stole a glance at Kyojuro Rengoku and whispered to Mitsuri Kanroji.
Muichiro Tokito had also gone to the Swordsmith Village with Kyojuro. Tengen Uzui, who usually looked after him, put his remaining right arm around the boy's shoulder. "Muichiro, you saw it, right?"
Muichiro Tokito, whose eyes were often vacant due to lost memories, rarely lit up. He glanced at Kyojuro Rengoku and said softly, "Mm."
Noticing Tengen's frown, the boy seemed to feel his answer was too perfunctory and added two words: "Very strong."
"Be specific."
"Strong enough not to be two people."
"?!?"
Sanemi Shinazugawa, Obanai Iguro, Shinobu Kocho, and even the always-distant Giyu Tomioka looked over... Just then...
Clap~ A soft sound!
Gyomei Himejima, sitting at the end of the wooden corridor, chanting and striking his wooden fish, clasped his hands together and chanted, "Namu Amida Butsu."
"Quiet. The Master has arrived!"
He glanced pointedly at Kyojuro Rengoku, then knelt on one knee first, bowing to the man being helped out of the inner room by his wife and daughters.
"Master!"
Swish~ Following Gyomei, Sanemi, Tengen, Shinobu, Obanai... all the Hashira, including Giyu, knelt in unison.
Suddenly... one person stood out like a crane among chickens. Even more out of place than Giyu, who claimed he wasn't the "Water Hashira" and had no right to attend the meeting!
Who?
Was it that guy Eiichiro?
No... he didn't come... It was... Kyojuro Rengoku!
A sudden anomaly. Everyone, including Gyomei and all the Hashira, as well as the Kakushi members delivering intelligence, stared in unison... The young man in the white haori with the flame pattern hem stood straight. Seeing Kagaya Ubuyashiki emerge, he merely bowed slightly...
Every pair of eyes was filled with disbelief!
"Kyojuro! Do you know what you're doing?" The hot-tempered Sanemi Shinazugawa couldn't tolerate disrespect towards the Master. Eiichiro was one thing; he wasn't a member of the Corps and had no reason to kneel... But you... "Don't forget, you are a Hashira!"
Shinobu Kocho, Obanai Iguro, and Giyu Tomioka, the Hashira generally considered "hard to get along with," usually maintained good relations with Kyojuro Rengoku. Mainly because of his character... cheerful, kind, upright, often taking care of everyone like a big brother, trustworthy!
But... today's "Big Brother" was a bit too unexpected!
Shinobu and Obanai frowned silently. Giyu, at the end of the right row, watched quietly... For some reason, he felt today's Kyojuro was... familiar. He seemed to have a trace of someone's shadow?
That person acted just like him last time, even more "arrogant," only nodding slightly to Kagaya Ubuyashiki. It was his junior brother... Eiichiro Kamado!
"Amitabha... Kyojuro, I think you owe everyone, and the Master, an explanation." Gyomei Himejima fingered his prayer beads. Though his gaze wasn't as angry as Sanemi's, his words carried a weight that pressed heavily on everyone's hearts.
"Gyomei," Kagaya Ubuyashiki raised a hand, signaling for silence... Accompanied by Sanemi's angry snort, the man, supported by his wife Amane, looked warmly at Kyojuro Rengoku. "Kyojuro, I heard... Shinjuro-dono has quit drinking?"
"I was just about to report to the Master. My father is preparing to return. He will come to see you soon," Kyojuro said loudly.
Gyomei's eyes moved, tears flowing like two streams. He silently chanted a Buddhist prayer.
The others, like Tengen and Shinobu, exchanged glances, all looking at each other... Even Sanemi, who felt "betrayed," raised his eyebrows in surprise. Incredible!
If one were to ask whose family heritage was the longest, who had followed the Ubuyashiki family the longest, the Rengoku family would claim second, and no one would dare claim first. Among those present, only Kyojuro Rengoku had such a long-standing family lineage!
Precisely because of this, Shinjuro Rengoku's alcoholism and decadence were known to all. Unexpectedly... he had quit drinking, reclaimed his life, and even planned to return... Not just the Hashira, even Kagaya Ubuyashiki was greatly surprised upon receiving this news, holding onto it for a long time, unable to look away.
"Good news... Shinjuro-dono's prestige is renowned. If he is willing to return to the Demon Slayer Corps, just say the word, and I will arrange it immediately."
"Master," Kyojuro bowed slightly on behalf of Shinjuro, then straightened his back, looking sincerely at Kagaya Ubuyashiki. "Please forgive my 'disrespect' just now. A servant cannot serve two masters. I came here to resign from the title of 'Flame Hashira'. From now on, I will no longer hold an important position in the Demon Slayer Corps!"
Whoosh!
The words seemed to suck all the air out of the room, suffocating everyone!
Clang~ A blade flashed...
Sanemi Shinazugawa drew his sword abruptly, furious. "Kyojuro Rengoku, you've gone too far!"
Whoosh~ A tornado instantly rushed towards Kyojuro, the wind stinging everyone's faces!
"Wind Breathing, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter!" Sanemi, filled with pent-up rage and frustration from failing to kill Gyutaro and Douma, seemed to find an outlet!
Wind blades hidden within the tornado howled towards Kyojuro's face... As the Hashira dodged, they suddenly saw a dazzling fire rise. Looking again, Kyojuro Rengoku sheathed his sword as if he hadn't drawn it. With an effortless motion, he peeled open the dust tornado, instantly burning it to ash!
"This..."
Ding~ A crisp sound. The clash ended in an instant!
Sanemi stood frozen, gripping his sword!
The others, Obanai, Shinobu... their pupils constricted, staring at Kyojuro in shock.
That swift slash wreathed in fire was fast, sharp, and hot, almost invisible to the naked eye... It seemed completely on a different level from Sanemi!
Was this really... the Kyojuro Rengoku they knew, the one who always smiled and looked after everyone?
"Again..." Muichiro Tokito recalled the battle in the Swordsmith Village. Kyojuro leading the team, chasing down and killing Gyokko and Hantengu alone. He thought it was incredible then, but looking now... in the less than a day it took to return, the man seemed to have improved again!
Just then, a hand quietly rested on Muichiro's shoulder... The boy looked sideways. Tengen Uzui looked at Kyojuro Rengoku and said deeply, "You're right. That flamboyant swordsmanship isn't one person."
"Sanemi, stand down!"
"In the presence of the Master, how dare you act recklessly!"
With a wave of his large sleeve, Gyomei Himejima stood up, his massive body shielding everyone.
He stared intently at Kyojuro, subtly guarding Kagaya Ubuyashiki. Kagaya patted the monk's shoulder. "I don't believe Kyojuro would harm me."
Stepping forward, refusing Amane's support, he forced his weak body to stagger to Kyojuro. He smiled at the young man. "Kyojuro, I heard reports that you asked Eiichiro for advice on sword techniques. So... is it him?"
"A servant cannot serve two masters. If it is him... you may go with him..."
"Master!" As Sanemi started to rise, he suddenly saw... Kyojuro put down his sword and performed a Dogeza, touching his head to the ground, bowing solemnly to Kagaya Ubuyashiki. Then he lowered his body, not quite standing, not quite squatting, freezing in a half-squat!
Then, the young man in the white haori with the flame pattern spoke sincerely: "Kyojuro Rengoku is a member of the Demon Slayer Corps for a day, and a member of the Demon Slayer Corps for life."
His yellow hair swaying in the wind, Kyojuro lifted his head again, taking a deep breath. "Please understand, Master. Kyojuro is absolutely not a treacherous person. It's just... there are more important things to do!"
"May I ask what things?" Gyomei suddenly asked.
The Stone Hashira fingered his prayer beads and chanted a Buddhist prayer. "That day in the wisteria forest, what did Eiichiro Kamado say to you? What can he give you? Can you enlighten us?"
Eiichiro Kamado... The boy's face instantly appeared in everyone's mind... As his senior brother, Giyu Tomioka received several covert glances. In the silence... everyone waited quietly for Kyojuro's answer.
This time, Kagaya Ubuyashiki didn't stop Gyomei. Truthfully, he was also very curious about what kind of magic potion that boy Eiichiro had fed Kyojuro... to make him change so much in such a short time!
Kyojuro Rengoku didn't answer. He simply stood up and silently opened his aura nodes...
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