Chapter 25: The Despairing Flame Hashira

Thud!

The sound of a body hitting the ground echoed in the training field.

"Akki Messatsu... (Destroyer of Evil Demons...) Sound Hashira, I have felt your resolve," Zhou Yi calmly sheathed his blade, unscathed, as he sincerely praised the collapsed Tengen Uzui.

"To push me this far, you are indeed strong. You are worthy of the title 'Hashira.'"

"Tengen-sama!" Suddenly, three beautiful women rushed in from outside the wall, frantically helping the fallen Tengen Uzui to his feet.

"Are you alright?!" They spoke in unison, their worry nearly tangible.

"Cough cough... I'm fine. The Water Hashira... is indeed... very strong. I got a little competitive and... slightly lost control. He already held back." Lying in the arms of his wives, the Sound Hashira displayed a satisfied smile, signaling them not to worry.

"You're unbelievable! Can't you make us worry less?"

"Exactly! Was it necessary to go so hard just for sparring?"

"Thank you, Water Hashira, for holding back."

Zhou Yi felt like he'd been fed a mouthful of dog food. Stifling his discomfort, he waved it off courteously, saying it was no trouble at all.

He then urged them to take the Sound Hashira for treatment. He had no interest in seeing more of this man!

Watching the four figures fade into the distance, Zhou Yi finally regained his composure.

"I take back my words. In certain aspects, this guy doesn't deserve to be a Hashira!"

"However, since my inheritance progress increased, I'll let it slide this time."

[Current Inheritance Progress: 40%.]

The Sound Hashira alone contributed 5%. What a great deal.

Turning to the newly arrived Gyōmei Himejima and Shinjurō Rengoku, Zhou Yi's eyes sparkled with greed.

"You two, please step forward!"

Gyōmei and Shinjurō both felt a chill run down their spines and began pushing the other to go first.

"Stone Hashira, you're young and strong! You go first!"

"Shinjurō-san, you're older and more experienced! You should go first!"

Both sensed something odd about Zhou Yi and were unwilling to be the first to face him.

Seeing this, Zhou Yi didn't bother indulging them.

"How about the two of you come at me together? I'm on a tight schedule."

This suggestion only made them even more unwilling.

"Water Hashira, I have a mission from the Master. Why don't I just demonstrate my Stone Breathing techniques for you? That would be faster!" Gyōmei, quick-witted as ever, thought of a perfect excuse.

Zhou Yi considered it and agreed. After all, observing still contributed to his progress, and this would make things more convenient.

"Alright, let's see it."

"Stone Breathing, First Form!"

.

.

Not long after, the Stone Hashira, having finished his demonstration, left with his heavy weapon in tow.

The training field, however, was left battered and bruised, enduring suffering it shouldn't have.

Zhou Yi stood to the side, full of shock—not because of the Stone Hashira's strength, as he had already expected that, but because of the numbers displayed by the system.

[Inheritance Progress: 50%.]

Holy crap! The stronger the individual observed, the more progress was unlocked!

"If I could get my hands on Kokushibō, how amazing would that be?"

Zhou Yi's mind had already wandered to the Upper Moon One. Kokushibō was a swordsmanship master, the creator of the Moon Breathing, and a permanent figure at the top of the Upper Moons!

He had to milk that opportunity dry.

[With the inheritance progress of the host's first heroic spirit reaching 50%, the system will now enter an update phase to unlock the second inheritance slot. Duration: three days.]

[Any techniques observed during this period will still contribute to progress and be added automatically after the update.]

Finally, the second heroic spirit slot would be unlocked!

This meant that in the future, he could simultaneously unlock progress for two heroic spirits. It was efficiency at its finest!

Next up was Flame Hashira Shinjurō Rengoku.

As the father of Kyojurō Rengoku, Zhou Yi planned to offer him some serious guidance.

He had to make him understand that humanity wasn't weak and Muzan wasn't invincible.

What Yoriichi couldn't achieve, Zhou Yi would.

"Shinjurō-san, it's your turn!"

Shinjurō wanted to escape, but the Master hadn't assigned him any tasks recently and instead asked him to rest.

He had no choice but to step up.

"Let's begin!" Shinjurō leaped lightly into the arena, gripping a crimson Nichirin Blade. Flames surged around him as he declared, "I will show you the power of the Rengoku family's long-standing Flame Breathing!"

"Then I won't hold back!"

"..."

...

Defeat

Kyojuro Shinjurō had been utterly defeated.

From the very first clash of their blades, Shinjurō realized the overwhelming gap between himself and Zhou Yi.

At over 30 years of age, Shinjurō finally understood what true talent looked like.

Compared to his own mediocre abilities, the young swordsman before him was undeniably a genuine prodigy. No, calling him a prodigy wouldn't do him justice.

Such unparalleled brilliance could only be compared to one man—Tsugikuni Yoriichi.

Yet even someone like Yoriichi had failed to destroy the monstrous Kibutsuji Muzan.

It wasn't enough!

Seven hearts, five brains. Muzan could split his body into 1,800 parts, any one of which could regenerate and return to fight again. A swordsman like Yoriichi alone was not sufficient to bring down such a creature!

The stronger Shinjurō perceived Zhou Yi to be, the more despair filled his heart. His gaze toward the young swordsman grew sorrowful.

"Should I tell him this cruel truth?"

"Would it crush him to know that even someone of his unparalleled talent cannot sever the curse of the Demon Slayer Corps?"

"Perhaps I should bear this burden alone…"

Shinjurō seemed trapped in an endless night. Around him, the world was shrouded in pitch darkness. The Demon Slayer Corps flickered like a dying candle in a violent storm, doomed to be extinguished. The darkness, named Muzan, would consume the final light of this world.

"Your sword weeps, Shinjurō," Zhou Yi's voice shattered the suffocating silence, drawing closer to him.

"If even your confidence has been lost, what will your blade be able to sever?" Zhou Yi's calm voice continued to resonate.

"No! You don't understand his power!"

"Even you cannot defeat him!" Shinjurō's defenses crumbled as he nearly screamed his denial.

From high above, the soft cry of a bird echoed— Coo, coo.

"Then I will prove it to you with the sword in my hands," Zhou Yi's tone remained unwavering.

"Prove it? Impossible! No matter how skilled you are, you can't defeat that monster with a blade!" Shinjurō shook his head furiously, refusing to believe.

"Signature Move: Tsubame Gaeshi!"

Coo!

The bird let out an anguished cry and plummeted from the sky.