After Su Chen woke Kanao Tsuyuri, who was lying on his lap, the two went over together to accept the swords.
Su Chen drew the Nichirin Blade and glanced at it.
The blade was long, with the four large characters for "Destroy evil demons" engraved near the guard.
This was a Nichirin Blade a Hashira had used!
Su Chen was a little surprised.
He had thought Kyojuro would bring an ordinary corps member's sword to make do with.
He had not expected him to bring a sword a Hashira had used!
With his eyes wide open, Kyojuro said somewhat sheepishly, "Sorry, Mr. Su Chen. We don't have many spare Nichirin Blades at home, and I gave the spare to Miss Kanao."
"The one you're looking at belonged to my father. I hope you don't mind."
Kanao accepted her sword and thanked him with a smile.
But Su Chen did not hear what Kyojuro said.
His attention was already entirely on the sword before him.
Su Chen had previously gained an understanding of sword-forging design.
Although the Nichirin Blade before him still had many flaws in his eyes, its strengths lay in its simple structure and rough shape.
Precisely because its design was simple, it was particularly easy to use.
Back on Autumn Sky Mountain, Su Chen had used Kanao's sword, but that blade had been designed specifically for Flower Breathing.
It had inevitably felt somewhat awkward for Su Chen to use.
He had even accidentally hacked Kanao's blade out of shape at the end!
But this Nichirin Blade, designed specifically for Flame Breathing, was different!
Simple, direct, and brutal!
Su Chen could not resist handling it for a moment.
Then he abruptly swung it!
A faint sonic ripple suddenly sounded.
Su Chen sliced lightly through the air, and a heat wave as thin as a cicada's wing instantly distorted the view.
Senjuro and Kanao did not notice, but Kyojuro saw it all clearly!
Kyojuro was stunned.
What sharp swordsmanship!
Although that slash wasn't very powerful, it leaned toward a lighter sword technique!
It seemed the rumors that Mr. Su Chen had learned Flower Breathing and Insect Breathing were true. Otherwise, he couldn't have delivered that slash.
Thinking back to when they first met, Kyojuro still remembered that Su Chen had not known any Breathing Style then.
He had never even held a sword!
But now, Su Chen's progress could only be described as terrifying.
Standing nearby, Senjuro muttered, "Can't you be gentler? This guy's going to ruin Father's sword."
"Senjuro, you mustn't say that." Kyojuro stopped his younger brother again.
Then he looked at Su Chen. "Mr. Su Chen, if you're ready, let's begin."
Su Chen nodded, only to see Kyojuro draw his own Nichirin Blade.
Puzzled, Su Chen asked, "Mr. Rengoku, didn't you say there would be a test first?"
"There's no need." Kyojuro shook his head.
"I acknowledge your strength. You can spar with me directly."
Those words expressed his recognition of Su Chen.
Senjuro was instantly dumbfounded.
When did that happen?
Why didn't I know about it?!
Su Chen was not one to dawdle, either. He had come for the Flame Hashira's Breathing Style in the first place, so getting straight to the fight could not have been better.
"Kanao, move back a little."
Shing!
Both Nichirin Blades left their sheaths.
Su Chen and Kyojuro chose an open stretch of ground, then each assumed his stance.
In Su Chen's eyes, Kyojuro adopted a strange opening stance.
First, he settled into a horse stance.
Then he reached forward with his left hand, grasping at empty air, and held his sword ready in his right.
His Nichirin Blade lay horizontally, level with his shoulders.
To Su Chen, an invisible heat wave seemed to burst from Kyojuro Rengoku!
So strong!
Su Chen's pupils contracted. He had still underestimated a Hashira's strength.
He immediately activated Butterfly Footwork!
He dodged sharply to one side!
Boom!
A fire-dragon-like blast swept through the spot where Su Chen had been standing.
Only then did Kyojuro's voice reach Su Chen's ears.
"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Big Brother's the best! Teach Su Chen a good lesson!"
Senjuro could not have been happier to see Su Chen get the worst of it.
It was as though he had finally vented the resentment in his heart.
Hmph! That's Big Brother's strength!
But as he laughed, Senjuro suddenly found he could not laugh anymore.
Kanao had suddenly appeared beside him.
A pair of icy eyes stared silently at him.
Senjuro could not help shivering. He stuck out his tongue and sheepishly shut his mouth.
Bullet Time!
Not daring to be overconfident, Su Chen immediately activated his "domain skill"!
Everything around him on the grounds seemed to slow down in his eyes.
Only then did Su Chen's brain begin working furiously.
I still underestimated him a little.
Kyojuro definitely put all his strength into that move just now!
He had no intention of holding back at all. He seemed quite confident that I could block it.
It looked like Kyojuro really regarded me as an opponent.
No, the person I'm fighting right now shouldn't be called Kyojuro.
He's...
The Flame Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps!
Su Chen held his breath and concentrated, pouring all his mental energy into his eyes.
At that very moment, Su Chen finally saw the Flame Hashira's movements clearly.
His power was gradually flowing into his legs.
The next strike will be another high-speed burst!
Now!
Butterfly Footwork!
Su Chen twisted his body immediately.
Almost instantly, a tiger-shaped flame attack swept past the side of his waist!
"Flame Breathing, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!"
The Flame Hashira gathered his strength and unleashed a massive slash that surged forward like a blazing tiger.
In the original storyline, Upper Rank Three, Akaza, had blocked this move with Destructive Death: Disorder.
But Akaza had also paid the price of having his flesh blasted apart!
Su Chen was no demon. If this "Flame Tiger" so much as grazed him, it would be game over for his life!
At that moment, Su Chen's footwork changed.
A bizarre black pattern spread rapidly from Su Chen's neck.
At the same time, his steps no longer focused on lightness, instead shifting to irregular, strength-driven twists.
Ghost Shadow Footwork!
A footwork technique that moved in straight lines through explosive power!
To everyone watching, Su Chen seemed to have eyes all over his body. Not a single inch of the Flame Hashira's attacks could graze him!
"So this is the Demon Slayer Mark?"
A hint of anticipation flashed in the Flame Hashira's eyes.
The sudden increase in Su Chen's speed at that critical instant was still fresh in his memory.
And then there was his footwork!
The Flame Hashira was very familiar with Su Chen's initial footwork. He had seen that light, elusive quality in Shinobu Kocho.
But after Su Chen revealed his Demon Slayer Mark...
His footwork had suddenly changed.
He actually saw the shadow of a "demon" in that footwork!
Looking at Su Chen standing in the sunlight, panting, the Flame Hashira could not help widening his eyes.
It must have been my imagination, right?
After all, Su Chen couldn't possibly be a demon.
With a swish...
The Flame Hashira returned his Nichirin Blade to its sheath.
He could tell that Su Chen seemed to be nearing his limit.
If he rashly attacked again, he might injure Su Chen.
That was something he did not want to see.
So the Flame Hashira restrained his desire to fight and stopped attacking.
Under the blazing sun, the Fighting Spirit around the Flame Hashira gradually subsided.
He became the usual smiling Kyojuro again.
Before you continue