Atone for Your Sins with Your Life!

As the words fell,

the sound of a biwa came from behind them.

Enmu, who had fallen to the ground, was transported out through the shifting Infinity Castle and landed on an empty street at night.

Enmu lay there, sensing the memories passed on through the blood—memories of Tanjiro and all the intelligence that had been gathered.

A pained smile spread across his face.

"To receive your approval and be sent to kill this demon hunter... it feels like a dream..."

Meanwhile, within Infinity Castle,

Muzan had once again summoned the Upper Ranks of the Twelve Kizuki!

That demon hunter, who seemed to be possessed by Yoriichi Tsugikuni's ghost, was certainly not someone Enmu could kill. The only reason Muzan had given him blood

was because Enmu was merely one of many pieces of bait. To kill that monster, at the very least, an Upper Rank would be needed!

But if even the Upper Ranks could not do it, then Muzan would abandon the hunt for Tanjiro.

As for what to do about dead Upper Ranks?

When the strings of an instrument snapped, they only needed to be replaced. As long as Muzan, the master, still existed, that was enough!

Elsewhere,

at the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters.

The Butterfly Mansion.

After their battle with Sanemi Shinazugawa, Tanjiro and the other two had returned here and continued their training in the courtyard.

During a break,

Tanjiro sat in the hallway eating a rice ball. Three girls knelt beside him, and one of them asked in a clear voice.

"Um... Mr. Tanjiro, are you now using Total Concentration Breathing twenty-four hours a day?"

The three girls all watched him curiously.

Tanjiro glanced at Ajuramaru at his waist, then turned back to them with a gentle smile. "Thanks to Ajuramaru, I can now maintain Total Concentration Breathing all the time."

"That's amazing..."

The three girls looked at Ajuramaru, their faces filled with curiosity.

One of them asked,

"Then, Mr. Tanjiro, would you like to try blowing up a gourd?" As she spoke, she took out a small gourd and placed it directly on the hallway floor in front of him.

Tanjiro took a bite of his rice ball and asked with a smile,

"Am I supposed to make the gourd produce a sound?"

"No, you need to blow the gourd up." The girl's voice was crisp and pleasant, but what she said was rather terrifying.

"Blow it up?"

Tanjiro picked up the gourd and tapped it, producing a hollow thud. It was obviously much tougher than an ordinary gourd.

"That's right. The gourd Kanao can blow up now is even bigger." The three girls carried out a larger gourd as they spoke.

It was nearly as tall as he was!

"Would you like to give it a try?"

The three girls continued asking.

When Tanjiro thought of how such a slender girl could blow up a gourd like that, he found it a little frightening.

Just as he was wondering whether he should try it,

Ajuramaru's voice rang out in his mind.

"This gourd poses no challenge for you. You have already perfectly mastered Constant Total Concentration. What you need now is to hone your combat skills and become more proficient with the Dance of the Fire God.

"Beyond that, learn more Breathing Styles and integrate them all together!"

Hearing that, Tanjiro understood Ajuramaru's good intentions and answered earnestly, "Thank you for your guidance, Ajuramaru. I'll definitely work even harder!"

As he spoke, he stood and walked toward the large gourd in front of the three girls, asking,

"Can I give it a try?"

"Of course."

The three girls answered in unison.

Not far away, Zenitsu and Inosuke, who had been training furiously, stopped and looked over curiously.

Then they saw Tanjiro forcefully blow up that enormous gourd. Fragments flew everywhere.

Amid Tanjiro's apologies,

the two fell silent.

"This is bad. It feels like we've been completely left behind!" Zenitsu's eyes widened. He had known this would happen, but he still could not accept it.

In contrast, Inosuke was blunt and straightforward. "Hmph! Without that sword helping me, I can do it too!"

With that, he began training like mad.

Even Zenitsu had no choice but to temporarily cast aside his lazy nature and focus on training.

Time passed quickly.

The next morning.

The three of them had only just woken up as usual.

A man wearing a crimson cape and radiating righteous vigor had already appeared in their room—Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku!

"Young men, come train with me! I will do my utmost to cultivate you. Follow me now!"

Tanjiro's nose twitched. From the scent coming off this man, he could feel an overwhelming sense of justice.

He was unquestionably a good person!

"Okay!"

Neither Tanjiro nor Inosuke resisted, but Zenitsu rolled around on his bed, crying, "I don't want to get beaten up again... ah... no..."

In Zenitsu's cries, the three of them arrived at that plain once more.

It was the same as before.

Three against one!

Kyojuro Rengoku drew the fiery red Nichirin Blade at his waist. Facing the three of them, he wore a faint smile, his gaze blazing.

"Get ready, young men. I'm coming!"

As he spoke, he unleashed his full presence.

His cape moved without wind, heat waves rolled around him, and sparks scattered through the air.

But Tanjiro urgently warned him first.

"Mr. Rengoku, Ajuramaru is too sharp. If we spar, your Nichirin Blade might be damaged."

Kyojuro Rengoku's expression did not change. He remained as righteous as ever. "Is that so, young man? But it's fine. Attack without worry!"

"Okay!"

Hearing that, Tanjiro no longer hesitated.

Holding his sword in both hands, he used the Dance of the Fire God. Brilliant flames bloomed along the blade!

"So this is Sun Breathing? It truly is bright and warm!" Kyojuro Rengoku laughed heartily, already poised to experience it for himself.

He had been waiting for this day for a long time.

But Zenitsu and Inosuke were the ones who suffered for it.

Kyojuro Rengoku lunged forward, sword in hand, and immediately went after Zenitsu, who was twitching bizarrely.

"Huh? Why are you coming after me first? Don't come over here!..."

Zenitsu turned and ran.

"You really are better when you're asleep."

Even Inosuke was utterly speechless from nearby and could not help mocking him.

"What do you mean, asleep?"

Zenitsu turned around, about to ask, only to be sent flying by a punch. He crashed to the ground again, unable to move.

There was only one thought in his mind now.

Why was I always the one getting hurt?

"Be careful, young man!"

Kyojuro Rengoku held back just enough to render him unable to rise and fight for a short while without injuring him.

Then, as usual, his body trailed flames as he charged toward Inosuke in the distance.

"You're coming at me? Why does this feel familiar somehow? Whatever, I won't think about it!" Inosuke lived by one rule: if someone dared to come at him, he dared to fight back. He rushed forward with both swords in hand.

The two clashed head-on.

Inosuke unleashed all sorts of sword techniques, while Kyojuro Rengoku did not use any sword techniques at all. Instead, he simply continued using Flame Breathing.

Fighting him at close range, he was clearly honing Inosuke's combat ability.

However, it still did not last long.

Inosuke was defeated and collapsed to the ground as well, unable to rise again. This time, he simply gave up thinking.

He lay motionless on the ground.

Now only Tanjiro remained. Facing Kyojuro Rengoku, he spoke with a serious expression.

"Mr. Rengoku, please guide me!"

The two used Breathing Styles and began sparring on the plain.

One sword technique after another flew forth.

Tanjiro's understanding of the Dance of the Fire God had clearly advanced further. Both his timing and power had improved.

Watching Tanjiro's progress with his own eyes, Kyojuro Rengoku felt incomparably proud. "That's it, young man! I will train you into the strongest swordsman!"

"Thank you very much for your instruction!"

Tanjiro smiled as he replied.

Ajuramaru, within the blade, watched the scene and reminded him at the same time.

"Tanjiro, take this opportunity to try using two Breathing Styles at once. You need to reach the point where you can switch freely between them!"

Though he said that, Tanjiro questioned himself. Can I really do it? Thinking back to the battle at Mount Natagumo, it seemed that he had done it once before!

With confidence, he boldly began to try!

Tanjiro held his sword in both hands as flames burst from the blade. "Dance of the Fire God—Dance Flash!"

He rushed forward at high speed, leaped into the air, spun once, and Ajuramaru, wreathed in flames, slashed down in an instant.

"A powerful strike! But too slow!"

Kyojuro Rengoku's resolute eyes stared directly at the attack. "Flame Breathing—Fourth Form—Blooming Flame Undulation!"

Holding his sword in both hands, he swung it in a winding arc before him, forming a massive vortex of fire!

Tanjiro's strike was blocked.

The flames merged together, but in the next instant, a surging torrent suddenly burst from the blade that had been burning with fire!

"Water Breathing—Second Form—Water Wheel!"