Rengoku Shinjuro was the strongest among the current Nine Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps, as well as the most senior. Even Natsunishi had to admit that this was a considerably powerful swordsman.
The moment he first saw the man, his status panel was the first thing that jumped into view.
[Rengoku Shinjuro (Energy Level: 457)] Flame Breathing LV.6
It was nearly a hundred points higher than Igarashi's—
This owl-like middle-aged man was truly strong.
Damn it, I'm suddenly curious just how strong the Upper Moons must be to make Pillars like this find them troublesome.
Natsunishi stood in the courtyard of the Rengoku estate, looking at the numbers on the system panel with a furrowed brow. However, Shinjuro, whom Natsunishi acknowledged as a powerhouse, currently possessed none of the aura a powerhouse should have. There wasn't a spark of light in his eyes. His entire body was shrouded in an air of despondency, like a furnace that had lost its flaming core.
Natsunishi even felt that if they were to fight now, even Igarashi might be able to defeat this out-of-sorts owl man.
"Kuguruma-kun, we should head inside."
Kochou Shinobu's voice pulled him back. At eleven years old, she already displayed a composure far beyond her years. Even though she was carrying a small medicine box and was quite short, it was difficult to associate her with a mere child. She had come as a physician from the Butterfly Mansion for a follow-up consultation, while Natsunishi accompanied her as a "Flame Breathing practitioner" and "physician's assistant."
"Is this guy unwilling to receive guests because his wife is ill?" Natsunishi asked in a low voice. "What kind of illness is it? Have they tried both Western and Eastern medicine?"
Shinobu shook her head gently, a rare flash of helplessness flickering in her purple eyes.
"It's Shinjuro-sama and Ruka-fujin—"
"It is organ failure of unknown cause."
"Traditional doctors and Tokyo's Western hospitals have all been tried. Medication can only alleviate the pain and slow the progression... but it cannot be reversed."
"Even at our Butterfly Mansion—"
She didn't finish her sentence, but Natsunishi understood.
Upon entering the room, Shinjuro didn't even spare them a glance, merely sitting in a chair by his wife's sickbed. The sake flask in his hand was completely empty. The room didn't smell much of alcohol, however; only the heavy, bitter scent of medicine permeated the air.
A woman with raven-black hair and a haggard face, yet possessing a calm expression, lay upon the futon. She nodded slightly to the two of them in greeting.
"Shinjuro-sama, please at least let me examine Ruka-fujin," Shinobu's voice was calm and firm. "Kanae-oneesama has prepared a new prescription for pain relief, perhaps—"
"Perhaps it's useless."
Shinjuro indeed interrupted her, his voice hoarse. "How many times have you come? Every time it's 'perhaps' or 'let's try,' but what are the results?"
"Go back. I don't want her to suffer through any more tossing about."
His tone was incredibly blunt and irritable.
However, his wife glared at him with a hint of reproach. "Shinjuro, they are guests who have traveled from afar."
"My apologies, you two."
"Shinjuro has been restless lately due to my illness. Please forgive him."
Only then did Shinjuro take a deep breath, as if it took all his strength to suppress his surging emotions. "I was a bit hasty, Kochou-san."
"This time as well... I leave it to you."
Just then, a loud voice rang out from outside the door. "Father! Have guests arrived?"
A youth who looked slightly older than Shinobu strode into the room.
[Rengoku Kyojuro (Energy Level: 43)] Flame Breathing LV.1
He had gold-and-red hair similar to Shinjuro's, and his eyes were bright, like two clusters of flame. One look and you knew he was the owl's chick.
Seeing Shinobu, he immediately bowed respectfully. "Kochou-physician! You've come to treat Mother again. Thank you very much!"
Then he looked at Natsunishi and tilted his head. "And this senior is?"
Since he was wearing the Demon Slayer uniform, he was definitely a senior who had already begun slaying demons. Moreover, with his upright posture and condensed aura, he looked every bit the powerhouse—
Is he a new Pillar?!
"Kuguruma Natsunishi, Rank Hinoe. I've come to study Flame Breathing," Natsunishi introduced himself simply. "Um—I'm also currently Kochou-physician's assistant."
Although the other person wasn't a Pillar, Kyojuro wasn't disappointed. On the contrary, his eyes grew even brighter.
"Oh! A new practitioner! Father, we can practice together—"
"I don't have time."
The youth's enthusiasm was met with a cold reply from his father. Even Natsunishi couldn't help but glance sideways at Shinjuro. Is this old guy in need of some attitude adjustment lately?
Shinjuro stood up and finally looked directly at Natsunishi for the first time. There were no other emotions in that gaze—no anger, no prejudice against the youth. There was only exhaustion and pain. Natsunishi had seen that same expression on the faces of families of terminally ill patients back in the hospital.
"If you truly want to learn, practice with Kyojuro. He has already mastered the basic forms."
"If you aren't satisfied, there are other swordsmen here practicing Flame Breathing that you can observe."
Having said that, he turned toward the window and spoke no more. Shinobu nudged Natsunishi quietly with her elbow.
"I'll test the medicine for Ruka-fujin first. Kuguruma-kun, please go outside with Kyojuro for now."
In the courtyard, Kyojuro's enthusiasm had not diminished in the slightest. Holding a wooden sword, he demonstrated the few sword forms he had mastered to this visiting student.
"Kuguruma-san!"
"Please watch closely! My Flame Breathing!"
Hot white mist, hotter than that of other Breathing Styles, escaped from between his teeth. The owl youth gripped the wooden sword, his figure suddenly lunging forward.
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!"
Unlike most swordsmen who recited the name in their hearts, Kyojuro actually shouted it out earnestly. Along the trajectory of the wooden sword's strike, Natsunishi seemed to glimpse a series of fine sparks bursting forth. No wonder it was called Flame Breathing.
However... it was a bit immature.
"How was it?" Kyojuro finished his stance, a look of expectation on his face.
"Not bad."
"Your physical foundation is excellent, and your movements are crisp. It's as if a fire is burning," Natsunishi said. "Most importantly, you have great spirit!"
Kyojuro nodded vigorously, his voice booming. "Because that is what Flame Breathing is!"
"Mother said that flames burn to light the way for others and to protect others! Therefore, the user must have a righteous heart!"
What a classic hot-blooded shonen setup.
A terminally ill mother, a despondent master-level father, plus a "dummy" son full of talent and passion—if this were a mainstream Japanese manga, this owl youth would surely be the protagonist.
Natsunishi thought: Though there are jokes about how the strong should ruthlessly humiliate the weak and so on, most of the time it's just talk. No one actually enjoys being humiliated for no reason by someone stronger.
"Your mother is a good person." Natsunishi nodded, acknowledging the youth's words. "So, continue the demonstration."
However, Kyojuro answered loudly with a hint of embarrassment, "My apologies, Senior! I currently only know this one form!"
Eh?
You don't know more, yet you're still so loud. Are you actually embarrassed?
"You only know one form?" Natsunishi asked tentatively. "Or do you have some other secret skills, like poisoning or martial arts?"
With people like Sabito or Giyu, although there were degrees of proficiency among the many forms they mastered, they could at least perform more than one. Even someone like Dojima could pull off four or five moves. It didn't make sense for the second-generation Flame Shadow to only know the First Form.
"I don't know any of the things Senior mentioned at all!"
Although the youth's smile dimmed for an instant, his voice remained loud.
"Father... hasn't taught me the subsequent breathing essentials or the other forms for the time being."
His father had originally been a cheerful and powerful man. It was just that his mother's illness had recently exhausted all of his mental energy, so the training that had just begun had naturally been put on hold.
But he believed that his mother would surely get better. And his father would surely pull himself together once again!
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