Su Chen smiled and nodded. "Mr. Rengoku, I believe we last met at Oyakata-sama's estate?"
Kyojuro laughed heartily. "Hahaha, yes! Now we finally meet again."
The two exchanged pleasantries.
Eventually, Senjuro could no longer stand watching and tugged at his older brother's hand, signaling for him to get to the point.
Su Chen glanced at Senjuro.
He remembered that this was just how Senjuro was.
He could show his true nature when Kyojuro was around, but whenever a stranger appeared, he would instinctively hide behind his older brother.
Kyojuro affectionately patted his younger brother's head.
"Well then, Mr. Su Chen, let's go inside to talk."
Su Chen nodded. "All right."
Then, taking Kanao Tsuyuri along, he entered the training grounds with the Rengoku brothers.
As soon as they entered, a wave of heat washed over them.
Su Chen looked around and found that the place was essentially the same as where the Sound Hashira trained the corps members in the original story.
It seemed that Kyojuro usually did some basic training here.
But what had Kyojuro meant by the test he mentioned earlier?
With that thought, Su Chen asked him, "Mr. Rengoku, what exactly did you mean by that test you mentioned?"
Kanao Tsuyuri also raised her head to look at Kyojuro.
Kyojuro smiled and said, "Oh, here's the situation. When I returned yesterday, I received a summons from the Master."
"This test was also the Master's idea. Specifically, it involves training based on your current weaknesses, Mr. Su Chen."
Senjuro poked his head out from the side and added, "This training was designed especially for you, Su Chen! And this is how you repay the Master for thinking so highly of you!"
"Senjuro, don't be rude," Kyojuro scolded.
His younger brother represented the Rengoku Family, and he could not let the family leave a bad impression on Su Chen.
But Senjuro pulled a face. "Big brother, the Master said days ago that training would start in the morning, but this Su Chen guy made us wait several extra hours!"
"Nonsense. Kocho already told me today that Mr. Su Chen would arrive a little later. We were the ones who came early."
Kyojuro glared, siding with Su Chen in everything he said.
Senjuro said sulkily, "But it's true! I won't forgive Su Chen unless he agrees to one demand!"
"Stop this nonsense!" Kyojuro abruptly stopped in his tracks.
Then he raised his hand.
He was clearly angry for real.
Seeing this, Su Chen hurriedly stopped him. "Please don't get upset, Mr. Rengoku. It really was my fault!"
"Why don't we hear what Senjuro has to say first?"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Su Chen. You've had to witness an embarrassing scene," Kyojuro said apologetically.
He had originally brought Su Chen here to train today.
But his younger brother did not seem to like him very much.
That gave Rengoku a bit of a headache.
But since Su Chen had made his position clear, Kyojuro simply stopped interfering.
He would hear his younger brother out first.
If the demand was too unreasonable, he would not agree to it!
Senjuro gave Su Chen a surprised look.
He had not expected Su Chen to actually let a child like him make a demand.
But since Su Chen had given him this chance, he certainly would not let him off.
Otherwise, how could he make up for the hours he and his older brother had spent waiting for him under the sun?
So Senjuro said, "My demand is simple. Since you were late, let my big brother teach you a lesson!"
Kyojuro: "???"
Clearly, Kyojuro had not understood.
How could he possibly take the initiative to teach Mr. Su Chen a lesson?
But Su Chen understood.
Senjuro wanted him to fight Kyojuro one-on-one, then watch Kyojuro knock him down so he could vent his anger.
Su Chen understood that Kyojuro was only being polite to him now because of Kagaya Ubuyashiki's orders.
If he truly wanted the Rengoku brothers' acknowledgment, he still had to show some real ability.
The first step was this demand.
"I agree," Su Chen said with a smile.
Just then, Kanao Tsuyuri moved closer and tugged at Su Chen's hand.
Her large, worried eyes blinked, as though seeking confirmation from him.
Clearly, Kanao Tsuyuri had also understood what Senjuro meant.
Su Chen likewise blinked rapidly at Kanao Tsuyuri.
His eyes curved as he said, "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
Only then did Kanao Tsuyuri feel considerably more reassured.
Still, her slender fingers did not let go, continuing to clutch the hem of Su Chen's clothes.
Seeing this, Su Chen smiled and simply took the girl's hand.
Holding her fair fingers felt like holding a piece of mutton-fat white jade.
Soft and smooth.
Kanao Tsuyuri's hand visibly trembled, but she barely resisted.
She let Su Chen hold it.
At that moment, Kyojuro Rengoku spoke. "Mr. Su Chen, how could you agree to such an unreasonable demand!"
"That's not it, Mr. Rengoku. You've misunderstood."
Su Chen hurriedly explained it to Kyojuro.
Only after hearing him out did Kyojuro understand what his younger brother meant.
"Hahaha, so that's it! I thought you really wanted me to teach Mr. Su Chen a lesson. I really wish I could find a hole to crawl into! Hahaha!"
With the misunderstanding cleared up, Su Chen and the Rengoku brothers agreed to have their match after the assessment.
However, when Rengoku noticed that neither Su Chen nor Kanao Tsuyuri had brought a sword, he decided to take his younger brother home to fetch two.
Su Chen had a rare moment of leisure.
He began mentally taking stock of his skills.
He had currently mastered three Breathing Styles.
Flower Breathing, Insect Breathing, and his own Bee Breathing!
Of these, Su Chen intended to save Bee Breathing for his fight against Shinazugawa in the finals.
Besides, he had already used that Breathing Style outdoors beforehand.
If Su Chen's guess was correct, Muzan's side might already have taken notice of him.
Given his tendency to avenge even the slightest grievance, he would definitely send someone to hunt Su Chen down.
After yesterday's battle, Su Chen had roughly gauged his current fighting strength.
Dealing with a Lower Rank was easy, and he could put up a fight against two or three, but he was unsure when it came to an Upper Rank.
Since the Upper Ranks were stronger than the Hashira, Su Chen was not yet entirely confident that he could defeat any Hashira-level fighter other than Kocho.
So, for now, he did not want to expose his identity outside.
He could not use Bee Breathing for the time being.
That was why Su Chen had come to Rengoku's training grounds.
Aside from training himself, Su Chen had another important goal.
That was to learn Kyojuro Rengoku's Flame Breathing!
Flame Breathing differed from Flower Breathing and Insect Breathing.
Flower Breathing and Insect Breathing emphasized speed and suited women with light, nimble builds.
Flame Breathing, on the other hand, was a Breathing Style particularly suited to men.
Utterly unyielding and fierce, with overwhelmingly powerful attacks!
That was Flame Breathing!
Just then, the Rengoku brothers returned from fetching the swords at home.
Before you continue