Chapter 74.3: The One Who Ends It All!

Yes.

This was all he had.

Falling into self-doubt, Sanemi's eyes gradually became vacant. The combined physical and mental blows completely shattered this young genius.

He could no longer hold on.

Sanemi's vision went black, and his consciousness faded. Beyond the distant cries of concern, his body went numb, and it felt as though the world was slowly slipping away from him.

It was as if his soul was leaving his body.

If Chu Yang hadn't held back, Sanemi's life would have ended today.

As everyone watched the unconscious Sanemi fall to the ground, Kagaya Ubuyashiki and Kanae remained calm, but many others' expressions had changed several times, their minds in turmoil.

The fact that a Hashira had been defeated was shocking enough, but what was even more terrifying was the absolute dominance Chu Yang displayed in battle.

If this had been a real life-or-death fight, Sanemi would have been mercilessly killed by Chu Yang.

"Is this the difference between a Hashira and an Upper Moon?" Tengen Uzui muttered in a deep voice, fear flashing in his eyes. "How are we supposed to defeat such a powerful opponent?"

His question left most people in silence, except for Rengoku Kyojuro and Gyomei Himejima, whose expressions remained unchanged.

These two had incredibly strong wills. Though they felt fear, they would still choose to face their enemy head-on.

Chu Yang returned, carrying the unconscious Sanemi, and tossed him to Kanae for care. Then, he turned to Uzui and said, "You made a mistake earlier. This isn't the difference between you and an Upper Moon. This is the difference between an Upper Moon and me."

Uzui's face flushed red in an instant.

Obanai Iguro and Mitsuri Kanroji whispered to each other nearby.

"Did you see? That guy didn't have a single scratch, not even on his clothes!"

"Yeah, I saw. If we hadn't seen him in the daylight, I'd think he was a demon. No human could do what he just did."

"But he's really strong. He defeated Sanemi so easily. Though his temper isn't great, his strength is undeniable."

"To be honest, Sanemi's stronger than me. If I'd been the one fighting, it would've ended even more quickly."

Giyu Tomioka stood quietly to the side, listening to their conversation, nodding in agreement.

In fact, Giyu had a good impression of Chu Yang, even though they'd never met. He'd heard stories about Chu Yang from Sakonji Urokodaki and Makomo.

Chu Yang had slain the Hand Demon during the Final Selection, fulfilling Sabito's long-held wish, for which Giyu was deeply grateful.

Thus, when it came to Chu Yang's extraordinary strength, Giyu had no negative thoughts. He simply felt that someone who had achieved so much as a human deserved respect.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki, visibly emotional, trembled uncontrollably. Though he had glimpsed the future before, witnessing it unfold in front of him was overwhelming.

If not for his ailing body, he might have shouted out loud, venting the thousand-year frustration of the Ubuyashiki clan.

"How did you achieve this? Can you teach me?"

Rengoku Kyojuro stepped forward, looking straight at Chu Yang with clear, sincere eyes. If it were anyone else, they might have struggled to put aside their pride and ask so openly.

Had someone else asked, Chu Yang might have brushed it off with a simple "talent." But faced with Rengoku's genuine gaze, he found it hard to dismiss the question.

"A while ago, while on a mission, I came across an ancient Breathing Technique. At first glance, it seemed similar to Flame Breathing but was entirely different."

"I later learned that this technique is called Sun Breathing, created by a man named Yoriichi Tsugikuni…"

Chu Yang calmly recounted the origins of the Breathing Techniques and the story of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, his words stirring a storm in everyone's hearts.

After Yoriichi's death, the Demon Slayer Corps had suffered brutal retaliation from Muzan Kibutsuji, enduring several catastrophic losses in history, nearly erasing their legacy. So, this part of history had long been forgotten.

It was only through Chu Yang's account that they began to understand how Breathing Techniques were originally created.

Even Kagaya Ubuyashiki, as the head of the family, was hearing this for the first time. Chu Yang's explanation cleared up many of the long-standing mysteries he had regarding his family and the Demon Slayer Corps.

So, the Corps had once experienced such a glorious era, coming so close to eradicating demons entirely.

"Can I see what Sun Breathing looks like?" Kagaya Ubuyashiki's eyes gleamed with hope as he spoke.

It wasn't just him; the expressions of everyone else mirrored his anticipation.

Even though Kanae had witnessed it once during the battle against Doma, she still wanted to see that powerful and reassuring force again.

Chu Yang demonstrated the Sun Breathing for everyone. When the flame-like currents surrounded him, the aura did indeed resemble the Flame Breathing quite closely.

However, everyone soon noticed the differences.

The temperature generated by the Sun Breathing was much higher than that of the Flame Breathing. It truly felt like being scorched by the sun. Knowing that demons feared sunlight the most, they understood why Muzan Kibutsuji, the progenitor of demons, would be terrified of practitioners of this breathing technique.

Just when everyone thought that was all there was to it, Chu Yang borrowed Rengoku Kyojuro's Nichirin Blade and began performing the Dance of the Fire God.

The thirteen-form swordsmanship of the Sun Breathing, honed to perfection by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, was flawless, with every movement exuding an indescribable beauty.

While the sword techniques of the Flame Breathing produced flame-shaped energy, Chu Yang's Dance of the Fire God had a similar energy but with a distinct white halo at its core, glowing like the sun itself.

In just a brief moment, Rengoku Kyojuro was utterly captivated by the Dance of the Fire God.

Over time, some sword techniques of the Flame Breathing had been lost, as had happened with other breathing styles. Therefore, when the perfect thirteen-form swordsmanship of the Dance of the Fire God appeared before them, it felt as though a missing piece had been restored in their subconscious.

Both Rengoku Kyojuro and Gyomei Himejima found inspiration in improving their own sword techniques.

From that moment on, they were absolutely certain that the Sun Breathing, as described by Chu Yang, was the origin of all breathing techniques.

Standing farthest away, Kagaya Ubuyashiki could still feel the heat waves emanating from Chu Yang. Although it was late at night and the temperature had dropped, he felt as if he were basking in the midday sun.

After performing the Dance of the Fire God several times, Chu Yang stopped. A thin layer of sweat covered him; each time he practiced this technique, he was pushing his limits.

As the warmth of the sun faded, everyone had a lingering sense of unfulfillment.

In just a few minutes, they had gained so much.

"If every member of the Demon Slayer Corps could master the Sun Breathing, we might have already eradicated the demons," Kagaya Ubuyashiki said wistfully.

Chu Yang shook his head and replied, "The Sun Breathing is indeed powerful, but its training threshold is very high. Not everyone can master it to an advanced level. Hundreds of years ago, aside from Yoriichi Tsugikuni, there were other practitioners, but in the end, Muzan Kibutsuji killed them all."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki nodded and smiled bitterly. "You're right. I was being too idealistic."

Having come this far, Chu Yang didn't mind doing a little more.

"The Sun Breathing is strong, but that doesn't mean the derived breathing techniques are weak. In fact, once you've mastered Total Concentration Breathing: Constant, any breathing style can elevate your body's functions to a higher level."

"At that stage, a mysterious mark will appear on your body. Yoriichi Tsugikuni was born with this mark and possessed even greater abilities."

Chu Yang continued explaining the concept of the mark, but he deliberately left out the fact that it drains one's life force.

Because this drawback could be resolved by him. Since the mark drained life force, couldn't he just replenish it for them?

The mark draining life force was different from Rengoku Kyojuro's father, Shinjuro, who was terminally ill. There was little Chu Yang could do in that case.

Replenishing life force and curing terminal illnesses were two different matters.

Chu Yang wasn't skilled in medicine.

But if someone could cure Shinjuro's illness, Chu Yang could restore his life force to its peak, allowing him to live a normal life.

"So, if we awaken the mark, we can become as powerful as you?" Tengen Uzui's eyes gleamed as he gazed at Chu Yang.

"It depends on the person," Chu Yang replied. "If you truly awaken, come to me, and we can test it out."

Tengen Uzui smiled, genuinely looking eager to try.

After learning about the mark, Giyu Tomioka, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked, "So how do we awaken the mark?"

"It's simple." As soon as Chu Yang finished speaking, marks resembling feathers or scales began to appear on his face and arms.

"When one swordsman awakens the mark, others will gradually awaken as well, because the mark resonates like breathing." Chu Yang said calmly, "All you need to do is go with the flow."

Rengoku Kyojuro scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. "It feels a bit like cheating."

Chu Yang shook his head and said, "Awakening the mark isn't the pinnacle of breathing techniques."

"While the mark can be 'passed on,' you need to refine your breathing technique, using minimal movements to exert maximum strength. During this process, your mind will gradually become transparent."

"As your five senses open, you'll become aware of more information from your body, information that is normally filtered out by your brain. This can be painful, but you must endure and learn to control it."

"Then, you'll be able to shut off unnecessary senses, making your movements as swift and precise as blinking. You'll also be able to hide your presence at will. At that point, a transparent world will appear in your mind. This state is known as the Transparent World."

"In the Transparent World, your body's abilities will be significantly enhanced. You'll be able to sense the flow and fluctuations of blood vessels inside your enemies, clearly perceiving their movements and weaknesses."

Everyone listened intently, afraid to miss any crucial details.

It wasn't until a cold wind swept through the night, causing Kagaya Ubuyashiki to cough violently, that they snapped out of their trance. They quickly helped him back inside the house.

Once seated in the brightly lit hall, they began discussing their next steps.

"My appearance and the deaths of the Upper Moons must have already drawn Muzan Kibutsuji's attention. What attitude he'll take remains uncertain, but it will likely be one of two things."

"Either he'll strike with his full power before I become stronger, or he'll fear my strength and hide, just as he did centuries ago."

Listening to Chu Yang's analysis, everyone had different expressions. These two possibilities represented extreme outcomes.

The hall fell into silence as everyone pondered which scenario was more likely.

"In reality, no matter what Kibutsuji decides, we must first take care of our own matters."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki looked around at everyone, his gentle gaze resting on them. "Awakening the mark and mastering the Transparent World are the only ways to fight him. Until then, any preparations we make will be in vain."

"So, starting today, I will temporarily withdraw all the forces of the Demon Slayer Corps. We won't give the enemy any chance to chip away at us. Once you've all fully awakened the mark, we will launch a final battle against Muzan Kibutsuji."

At the same time, deep within the Infinity Castle, Muzan Kibutsuji had summoned a large number of demons.

Aside from the Twelve Kizuki, many other demons who had survived for years and mastered Blood Demon Arts were present.

Muzan did only one thing.

He gave them a large amount of blood, allowing them a slim chance of evolving.

Most of the demons present would die, unable to withstand his blood.

But Muzan didn't care at all.

Within the Infinity Castle, blood surged like a tide.

It was eerie, with a hint of indescribable beauty.