"Kaigaku doing something like this was my fault. If I cost the Demon Slayer Corps a future Hashira-level swordsman, that would be a sin I could never atone for, even by committing seppuku."
The old man held a short blade as he knelt on the ground, his small frame looking hunched.
Seeing him like this, Lu You immediately knew who he was.
The former Rumble Hashira, Jigoro Kuwajima, the strongest of the previous generation of Hashira and inheritor of Thunder Breathing, one of the five fundamental Breathing Styles.
He had also been Lu You's original target before Mount Fujikasane.
"There's no need, old man. He had problems. What does that have to do with you? You're not a god."
Lu You shook his head, showing that he did not mind.
"But I care, young man. I raised a sinner. I should share his guilt..."
Jigoro Kuwajima was so stubborn that Lu You's eyelid twitched. If the man really committed seppuku, that would truly mean parting ways with the Demon Slayer Corps.
"Stop, stop, stop. Old man, how about this? Teach me Thunder Breathing, and we'll call it atonement. What do you say?"
"That was my duty to begin with."
"No, you didn't have to teach me. I'm not your disciple. But since you're willing to teach me now, you're doing me a favor. That's a kindness, and of course it can offset a sin."
Lu You smiled. Only after much persuasion did he talk the stubborn old man out of committing seppuku.
"You're very kind, young man."
Jigoro Kuwajima let out a deep sigh. If only Kaigaku had a personality like this.
"I will do everything I can to teach you Thunder Breathing."
"That's all I needed to hear. But before that, sir, come deliver some sushi with me."
Lu You quietly returned to the ruins of Utsunomiya Prefecture. After searching around, he actually found the packaged sushi in the basement of Hirakane Ryusuke's shop.
Luckily, it had been stored underground, or their battle would have caught it up too.
"Is this where you fought last night?"
Looking at the ruins strewn everywhere, the old man was shocked.
He possessed such formidable strength before even joining the Demon Slayer Corps. What he might become after some time was simply unimaginable.
Perhaps he really could change the current situation.
"He was a pitiful fellow too. Of course, after becoming a demon, he became someone hateful. Over a hundred years, countless lives perished at his hands.
"Right now, I'm only offering some comfort to that sushi chef who lived an ordinary life a hundred years ago."
Lu You shook his head slightly.
There really was nothing wrong with being ordinary. At least you did not have to live in fear every day, facing countless life-or-death crises.
If he could, he wanted to return to the moment before he transmigrated and dodge that Dayun truck falling from the sky!
No, he would never have started that round of Delta Force in the first place!
Aggressive assaults ruined lives!
With the sushi in hand, he found the children without spending much time.
Although they were all young, uncomprehending children, the commotion last night had been enormous. They had all heard something from their families about Uncle Pingshong having met with trouble.
They accepted the sushi, sobbing quietly.
Lu You offered no explanation. He had merely fulfilled a promise.
[Even with evil demons roaming rampant and all five defilements clouding the world, preserve the radiance of humanity. Your attitude has earned the template character's strong approval. Synchronization Value +3%] [Total Synchronization Value has reached 30%. Ability unlocked: Steel Ball Expert (green)]
His expression instantly darkened.
"Come on, man, what use is this to me? Pachinko doesn't even exist yet."
Speaking of which, could Yuji Itadori's pachinko skills really make money?
He was highly skeptical.
He put those matters out of his mind.
In the end, Lu You followed Jigoro Kuwajima to Mount Momoi, which was not far away.
It was precisely because this place was relatively close to Mount Momoi that Kaigaku had been sent to investigate.
Then he had encountered Lu You in the middle of a fierce battle.
"Mount Momoi is where I live now. Besides Kaigaku, I have another disciple named Zenitsu Agatsuma.
"He's different from Kaigaku. Although he's timid, he's very kind."
As Jigoro Kuwajima spoke, a trace of guilt appeared on his face. If only Kaigaku had possessed even a tenth of Zenitsu's kindness.
Could Zenitsu alone carry on Thunder Breathing in the future? He did not know.
It was a training site between two mountains, peaceful and isolated from the world, surrounded by lush mountain forests, with a courtyard and houses standing there.
Lu You was very pleased with the place. It was well suited to training.
Rustle, rustle...
A golden-haired boy emerged from the bushes nearby. Hiding behind the leaves, he looked timidly at Lu You.
Clearly, this was one of the future main cast, the inheritor of Thunder Breathing, Zenitsu Agatsuma.
"Hello. I look forward to learning with you."
Lu You smiled, not minding.
"Zenitsu, you were just struck by lightning. Why did you run outside? Get back and rest! Recover before practicing your swordsmanship!"
Jigoro Kuwajima scolded him in a low voice.
"Gramps... where's Senior Brother Kaigaku?"
Despite his cowardice, Zenitsu suppressed his fear of Lu You and questioned Jigoro Kuwajima.
"He... he won't be back for a while. Go rest."
"No, Gramps, I know. Senior Brother Kaigaku, has he already... already died...?"
Tears filled Zenitsu's eyes. He even knew that the person standing beside him was the one who had killed Kaigaku.
Because he had seen the letter the Demon Slayer Corps sent to Jigoro Kuwajima, which contained everything that had happened.
"He brought that on himself!"
In a rare display of anger, Jigoro Kuwajima slammed his cane against the floor with a dull thud.
"People die when they're killed. There's nothing strange about that."
Lu You said this with a smile.
The boy before him simply could not accept death yet. He would slowly get used to it in the future.
He walked past the tearful Zenitsu.
"That child still thought of Kaigaku as family, even though Kaigaku often treated him with disdain.
"I'm sorry you had to see this unpleasantness."
Unwittingly, a glimmer of tears had also appeared at the corners of the cane-carrying old man's eyes.
"No, people are human precisely because they have feelings, while demons don't.
"You still have feelings for him. That has nothing to do with whether he was a good person. There's no need to blame yourselves."
After composing themselves, the two entered the house and began discussing the training to come.
After all, Lu You had already learned Water Breathing. There were many things to consider when learning a second Breathing Style.
The sky turned yellow as the sun sank in the west.
In the blink of an eye, two months flew by.
"Zenitsu, the resolve behind your swings is too weak.
"The most important thing about Thunder Breathing isn't its moves, but the determination to forge ahead without hesitation.
"You understand that, which is why you learned the First Form, which goes straight forward without turning back. Kaigaku couldn't grasp that, so he couldn't learn it."
The weather was clear, and sunlight bathed the open ground before the courtyard as Lu You instructed Zenitsu, who was swinging his sword.
"I can't! Big Brother You, I've been swinging my sword all morning! Aah, my hands don't belong to me anymore! I'm going to die! I'm really going to die!"
His face filled with despair, Zenitsu shouted at the top of his lungs.
Yet his hands kept swinging the sword madly.
Oh no, he seemed to have been thoroughly trained!
"Well done, Zenitsu! That's the spirit!"
The old man sitting beneath the eaves looked deeply gratified.
Ever since Lu You arrived, Zenitsu had developed some unknown fixation and actually become even more diligent than before.
"You're still a long way off. I know someone who often swings his sword all day long. He's always utterly exhausted, but he still chooses to do extra training at night."
Lu You used the kid next door (Tanjiro) to lecture Zenitsu Agatsuma.
"How could anyone like that exist?!"
The boy's eyes widened in shock.
"Of course someone like that exists. And you'll definitely see for yourself in the future."
Lu You slowly sheathed his sword and turned toward the man who had been his teacher during this time, Jigoro Kuwajima.
"Old man, I've learned everything I need about Thunder Breathing. Thank you for looking after me all this time.
"There isn't much time left before the Mount Fujikasane selection. I'm afraid I have to leave. There's something I must do on this trip."
Since he had accepted Sakonji Urokodaki's mask, how could he not deal with that fellow on Mount Fujikasane?
He even intended to completely overturn the entire selection system of the Demon Slayer Corps.
He had already had this thought when watching the anime, and now he felt it even more strongly.
He estimated that if he pulled this off, Yuji Itadori's template Synchronization Value would increase by at least 20%!
After all, the Tiger Heavenly Emperor himself deeply despised such cruel selection trials.
With those two things combined, Lu You was ready to do something big.
"The world has suffered this selection system long enough..."
Before you continue