Koka City, Uesugi Yuu's residence.
"Here, Hardy, try this. I made this shark fin soup myself."
A long-haired woman in a kimono gently served Hardy a bowl of soup.
"Arigatou, Sister Yuki."
Hardy accepted the bowl with both hands and thanked her.
This woman was his cousin, Uesugi Yuki, eldest daughter of Uesugi Yuu. She was seventeen years old and the epitome of a Yamato Nadeshiko.
Uesugi Yuu was nearly forty. Besides Yuki, he also had a baby son, still in swaddling clothes, currently being held by his wife.
"This is a family dinner specially prepared for you, Hardy. No need to be so formal."
Uesugi Yuu raised a cup of sake and spoke to Hardy in his deep voice.
"I've had everything you requested prepared. But it's quite a lot—can you carry it all by yourself?"
"Ah, Uncle, could I trouble you to have it sent to Momoyama?"
After retiring, the former Thunder Hashira, Jigoro Kuwajima, had gone into seclusion in Momoyama, serving as a cultivator for Thunder Breathing, training swordsmen.
That was where Hardy would go next to learn Thunder Breathing.
"Is there anything else you need? Tell me now. No one in our family has ever taken this path before. Other than some money and supplies, there's little more we elders can do to help."
"There is one thing I'd like to trouble you and Uncle to investigate together."
After saying this, Hardy smiled apologetically at Yuki and the others.
"The tonkotsu soup should be ready. I'll go check in the kitchen."
Yuki immediately understood, even if she didn't know why her father said her cousin was taking a path no one in the family had ever walked.
He's just becoming a police officer, isn't he? Isn't Uncle the Chief Superintendent of the Shiga Police Headquarters?
Uesugi's wife also caught on quickly and said, "The baby must be hungry. I'll take him to nurse."
Once the three had left, Hardy took out his map.
"Over the past month, I haven't met many people, but I've read quite a lot of information about the Demon Slayer Corps. Based on what I've found in the family records and other historical texts, I've discovered something that might be important to the Corps..."
Here is the English translation:
---
"There's a clue that could have a significant impact."
Hardy drew an area on the map.
"The Demon Slayer Corps' supernatural combat power fundamentally comes from the Breathing Techniques. There are five core Breathing Styles, but the most ancient and powerful one has been lost. According to my investigation, within this area, someone has managed to pass down the original Breathing Technique in some way."
"You want to find this original Breathing Technique and use it as an opportunity to rise through the ranks of the Demon Slayer Corps?" Uesugi Yuu asked.
"Not entirely. In the Demon Slayer Corps, status is tied to the record of slaying demons, and that record is often linked to strength. Coincidentally, this Breathing Technique is very powerful—perhaps the most powerful. If I can learn it, I might be able to rise to the upper ranks of the Corps more quickly. Based on some clues I've found, this original Breathing Technique later evolved into a folk dance known as the Dance of the Fire God. I need your help to find a family with the surname Kamado. They should be located within this area. Their family has a connection to the original swordsman who created the Breathing Techniques. If anyone has passed down the Dance of the Fire God, their family is the most likely."
Uesugi Yuu didn't ask Hardy why he had investigated so thoroughly.
The Ubuyashiki clan has controlled the Demon Slayer Corps for over a thousand years and holds considerable influence and connections in the secular world. Yet, what the Ubuyashiki clan couldn't discover was found by his own nephew.
His nephew must have some secrets, but then again, who among those who reach high positions doesn't have secrets of their own?
Having such abilities is actually a good thing.
"After lunch, come with me to the post office. We'll call your uncle and see if we can access the household registration records from other police departments to search. If we can't find anything, I'll send someone to investigate the area. However, that's not Uesugi territory, so the efficiency might be lower. You'll need to be prepared."
"I understand."
Hardy nodded slightly.
…
…
A month is enough to change many things.
The incarnation in the Demon Slayer world had mastered Wind Breathing and set out for Momoyama to learn Thunder Breathing, while Hardy in the Naruto world had fully mastered the nature transformation of Wind Release—though he publicly claimed it took him a month, it actually only took seven days.
There was no other way. Even other geniuses needed at least two or three months, or even longer. For Hardy to achieve it in a month was already a world-shaking accomplishment.
At the same time, Pakura had just begun to cut water flow, and Baki was still struggling with leaves.
These two already had top-tier talent in Wind Release.
If Hardy revealed it only took him seven days, he believed Sunagakure wouldn't go so far as to dissect him, but if the news spread, organizations like the Root in other villages would stop at nothing to assassinate him.
"Since you've mastered Wind Release nature transformation, and your puppet technique is already at a high level—you can control three puppets—I'll put you on the list for this batch of Special Jōnin promotions and submit it to the Third Kazekage."
In the tent, Chiyo looked at Hardy with satisfaction.
"But… Chiyo-sensei, I think I'm still lacking in combat achievements, aren't I?" Hardy asked Chiyo.
Chiyo smiled, shook her head, and took out Hardy's ninja file.
"Your current mission count: D-rank, 68; C-rank, 23; B-rank, 63; A-rank, 0; S-rank… 2."
Hardy was slightly stunned.
The requirements for Special Jōnin promotion are at least 60 B-rank missions and two A-rank or above missions, to prove the ninja is capable of participating in mid- to high-level missions.
Hardy had previously gained an S-rank mission credit during the White Fang incident, but where did the second one come from?
"Chiyo-sensei, this…"
"About this, I actually have to thank you and Sasori."
Chiyo handed Hardy a file stamped "Top Secret" and explained:
"Remember that Reina I promoted in the village's medical team? I never expected her to be a spy sent by Konoha, and even less that you would notice her flaws and secretly cooperate with Sasori to uncover her true identity."
So that's how it was.
Hardy flipped through the file and quickly understood the outline of the incident.
Last year, Sakumo Hatake was injured by the Third Kazekage in battle, but had fully recovered at least two months ago.
Konoha tried to use Reina, their spy, to leak information about Sunagakure's personnel movements and the Third Kazekage's whereabouts, hoping to have Sakumo lead an ambush to assassinate the Third Kazekage.
Sasori discovered this and secretly informed Ebizō. They decided to turn the tables and use this opportunity to try to eliminate Sakumo Hatake, their formidable enemy, once and for all.