A violent shout like thunder resounded, and scorching flames carrying the sharp edge of a blade slashed forward!
Muyaku was greatly alarmed and quickly retreated.
As the firelight dispersed, a tall, well-built man stood in front of Ryosuke.
His long, golden-red hair was like blazing fire, and his white and red haori flapped loudly in the heat waves, his fighting spirit surging.
Muyaku was utterly shocked; the burning sensation from that slash just now still made his hands throb with pain.
Such battle aura and strength, could he be...
"Y-You're a Hashira?!"
Shinjuro Rengoku completely ignored Muyaku's barking.
His gaze was like a torch as he slapped his hand heavily on Ryosuke's shoulder.
"Young man!"
Shinjuro's voice was as loud as a bell.
"I have received your pure intent to slay demons! Well done! This will is exactly the sharpest blade of us demon slayers!"
The immense force and loud voice made Ryosuke, who was caught in the Blood Demon Art, sway.
The surging battle aura washed over him, shattering the quagmire of desires. Ryosuke stumbled back a few steps and woke up.
He looked up and clearly saw the man in front of him.
That resolute and heroic face, that iconic owl-like hairstyle...
Aniki?! (Big bro)
Ryosuke instinctively wanted to shout it out, but instantly held it back.
No! That's not right!
The current 'Aniki' wasn't old enough yet.
This must be his father, the current Flame Hashira, Shinjuro Rengoku!
Tch, this is hard to handle.
The corner of Ryosuke's mouth twitched.
In the early stages, he was indeed quite capable, but after his wife died of illness, he lost his fighting spirit and became the king of slacking off.
But right now... hehe~
Shinjuro Rengoku in his prime was still very reliable.
Ryosuke flashed an Anya-style smirk and gave Muyaku the middle finger.
Come on, come on—
I can't beat you, so why don't you spar with this boss here?
Let's see if he doesn't hack you to death, you sissy!
Muyaku exploded with anger, shrieking and roaring.
"So what if you're a Hashira! Under my Blood Demon Art, you still have to die!"
As soon as his voice fell, Muyaku's ten fingers danced wildly, and bizarre syllables spilled from his mouth.
Countless blood-red seashells appeared out of thin air, buzzing and vibrating like a swarm of bees!
With a wave of Muyaku's hands, the sky full of blood-red light shot towards Shinjuro like a blanket!
The firelight in Shinjuro's eyes burned even brighter, showing no sign of fear.
He forcefully stomped his foot, cracking the ground beneath him, as scorching flames erupted around his body!
"Flame Breathing, Third Form: Blazing Universe!"
Slash!
The fiery red Nichirin Sword slashed out a massive arc of flame!
The flames soared and exploded with a bang!
The roaring, terrifying sea of fire was like an angry dragon, instantly swallowing the incoming swarm of seashells!
In the face of absolute power, everything is futile.
The blood light was purified by the flames, and the smell of burning filled the air.
"No—!"
Watching his Blood Demon Art being easily crushed by the opponent, Muyaku let out a despairing wail.
Run! I must run!
A Hashira's strength is completely beyond what he could contend with!
As long as I can see that Lord!
As long as I can see that Lord, I can survive!
Muyaku lost all will to fight and turned around, wanting to blend into the darkness.
"Evil demon! Don't try to escape!"
Shinjuro roared angrily, flames gathering on the blade of his sword.
"Repent and atone for your sins in the karmic fire!"
Ryosuke was suddenly stunned.
Oh hell no!
He's going to die!
I need to steal this kill! I absolutely must steal this kill!
I'm just a freeloader who only cares about the final score!
"Flame Breathing, Fifth Form: Flame Tiger!"
Following Shinjuro's violent shout, the blade swung down, and a roar shook the night sky!
A massive tiger formed entirely of roaring flames appeared out of nowhere!
It pounced towards Muyaku with the violent intensity of burning everything to ashes!
"Let me help you!"
Ryosuke shouted, quickly using Thunderclap and Flash to charge forward madly!
You sissy! Hold on a bit longer!
Dying anywhere is still dying! But you absolutely have to die by my hands!
Muyaku couldn't put up any resistance. Reflected in his eyes was the gaping maw of the Flame Tiger that incinerated everything, and... an inconspicuous but incredibly fast streak of lightning.
Boom!
Flames shot into the sky, illuminating half the night sky as bright as day.
Scorching heat waves swept out. Right before Muyaku's body was reduced to ashes, Ryosuke burst out from the sea of fire and chopped off his head.
Ryosuke was in a sorry state, his entire body scorched black, but he let out a long sigh of relief.
Bakayaro! See how nice I am to you!
In order to prevent you from dying under the Flame Hashira's ultimate move, I directly braved the sea of fire to chop you personally!
Really, I'm moved to tears!
The night wind blew, carrying a wisp of green smoke and the smell of burning.
As Muyaku's body dissipated, hazy memories began to surface.
"I was born with no worries about food or clothing. My parents were wealthy pearl merchants."
"That day I saw a girl on the street. She was so beautiful. I wanted to possess her, I definitely had to possess her!"
"But that bitch didn't know what was good for her and rejected me, saying she already had someone in her heart!"
"Damn it! Damn commoners!"
"In a fit of rage, I worked with the government to kill her entire family, and I tortured that man to death too."
"Hahahaha, I finally got her, I got everything of hers!"
"However, on our wedding night, this bitch actually stabbed me with scissors!"
"On the verge of death, I saw a pair of eyes, a pair of beautiful, rainbow-colored eyes."
"That Lord was like a god, begging for demon blood for me and giving me a new life!"
"From then on, just like that Lord, I exclusively fed on women and awakened this Blood Demon Art that manipulates desires using seashells as a medium..."
...
Ptooey!
Ryosuke spat on his not-yet-fully dissipated corpse.
Another living piece of trash!
And a brain-dead fanboy of Doma to boot! Killing you is definitely a net positive!
[Slain Final-stage Demon Muyaku. Gained 5 years of lifespan. Current remaining lifespan: 8 years and 360 days.]
Nearly 9 years of lifespan!
Wooohoo~
Another big step closer to the small goal of 10 years!
Stealing kills feels so good!
This kill had to be stolen!
"Uuu—"
Muffled sobs came from the young woman nearby.
The kidnapped woman finally snapped out of her desires.
She looked at the battlefield around her and the blades in the two men's hands, screamed in horror, and rushed out the courtyard gate without even leaving a word of thanks.
Ryosuke didn't mind this.
After all, the work of the Demon Slayer Corps had always been like this.
"Hahahahaha!"
A hearty laugh rang out from behind him.
Shinjuro Rengoku strode over to Ryosuke's side and clapped him heavily on the shoulder.
"Beautifully done, kid!"
"To not lose your true self in the face of a mind-beguiling Blood Demon Art! I admire your resolve! As pure and blazing as a burning coal!"
He leaned closer, his golden eyes staring straight at Ryosuke, his voice booming.
"Kid! Are you willing to become my Tsuguko?"
"..."
The corner of Ryosuke's mouth twitched.
These familiar lines.
The Rengoku family not only looks alike and has similar personalities, but even the habit of taking in Tsugukos is passed down through generations, huh!
Just like that strongest man on the seas, always liking to take people as his sons at the drop of a hat!
Ryosuke waved his hand.
"Sorry, I refuse."
"Hm?"
Shinjuro was stunned.
Normally, swordsmen are incredibly respectful when they meet a Hashira, let alone being offered to become a Tsuguko.
That is not only an acknowledgment of your strength by a Hashira, but also a great honor!
And this kid actually refused?
Ryosuke sighed faintly.
A Tsuguko can enjoy more privileges, he knew that of course.
But with Ryosuke's talent, it was impossible for him to learn Flame Breathing on his own.
Even with the system, he didn't have extra lifespan to put points into it.
Biting off more than one can chew is bad; for Ryosuke, the most cost-effective way was to stick to Thunder Breathing all the way to the end.
Zenitsu Agatsuma specialized in one thing and reached the absolute pinnacle.
When the time comes, I'll max out all the other forms of Thunder Breathing too. Won't that be even more badass!
"Flame Hashira-sama, I will advance to become a Hashira with my own strength. Please save the position of Tsuguko for others in the Demon Slayer Corps."
"Hahahahaha, you really are an interesting kid!"
"Neither arrogant nor impatient, much better than that boy in my house!"
Shinjuro's thoughts gradually drifted, thinking that Ryosuke was the kind of person wholeheartedly dedicated to slaying demons and caring for his comrades.
What a righteous talent!
Naturally, Ryosuke didn't know what Shinjuro was thinking.
He only felt that the way the other party looked at him was getting increasingly fiery...
This instantly made Ryosuke, who lived in Sichuan in his previous life, vigilant!
As the saying goes, the prejudice in people's hearts is like a mountain in Sichuan.
The perverted homos keep chasing from behind~ The beasts in the shadows keep flashing the 'OK' sign~
Having seen and experienced so much, Ryosuke inevitably developed a sense of vigilance towards his fellow male compatriots.
Bro, no way!
You have a wife and kids!
Could you not look at me with that kind of gaze.
The Demon Slayer Corps doesn't allow unspoken rules!
Shinjuro, entirely lacking a sense of boundaries, stepped forward and threw his arm around Ryosuke's shoulders.
"Kid! I really like you!"
Ryosuke: o_0?
Ryosuke quickly retreated, bowing to him in farewell.
"Flame Hashira-sama! I, I still have some private matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave first!"
"Eh—"
Shinjuro's hand stopped in mid-air. Before he could even finish speaking, Ryosuke activated Thunder Breathing and fled!
Shinjuro scratched his head and sighed with some regret.
"This kid, I wanted to invite him to my place for a bit."