As the dazzling light gradually faded, not a trace of demonic aura remained in the meeting room.
The powerful life force contained within the light shocked all the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps.
"That was amazing, Master," Yuichiro said, staring dumbfounded at the Nichirin Sword in Shinichi's hand.
Muichiro, like his brother, had a look of profound admiration in his eyes.
His Mist Breathing was renowned for its speed, yet for a moment, Muichiro felt that if he had been facing Shinichi's blade, he might not have been able to dodge that strike.
"It's incredibly powerful, yet you can feel a great warmth from that power. How marvelous," Kanae Kocho said, extending her hand to feel the lingering life force.
Next to Kanae, Sanemi Shinazugawa frowned.
Although he didn't quite feel the warmth Kanae mentioned, ever since activating his Mark, Sanemi had constantly felt his blood boiling.
That scorching sensation not only enhanced his strength but also, to a large extent, intensify his volatile temper.
However, in the instant Shinichi struck, as the light shone upon him, the scorching, boiling feeling in his body seemed to have subsided slightly.
Clap! Clap!
Tengen Uzui sheathed his twin swords and clapped twice without reservation, his expression full of praise.
"Subarashii! A truly flamboyant Breathing Style, Shinichi."
Kyojuro Rengoku strongly agreed with Tengen's assessment and also gave Shinichi a thumbs-up.
Witnessing Kamaro's figure turn to ash under Shinichi's blade, Sabito and Giyu also sheathed their Nichirin Swords.
The two exchanged a glance, and Sabito smiled faintly. "Even though we were a step too slow, our Water Breathing isn't so bad either, you know."
Mitsuri's pretty face was slightly flushed.
Everyone was praising how amazing Shinichi's Breathing Style was, but she felt quite embarrassed.
The light had been so blinding that she had instinctively covered her eyes. "How rude of me! What should I do? If I say it out loud, will it make Shinichi-san angry?"
Kaburamaru, the small white snake coiled around Obanai's neck, flicked its tongue, its small red eyes also staring at Shinichi with interest.
"The Breath of Life. From this day forward, another great Breathing Style should be added to the historical records of the Demon Slayer Corps," the young leader, Kiriya Ubuyashiki, declared.
As for Shinichi, the center of everyone's praise, there was not a shred of joy in his heart at that moment.
However, Shinichi also knew that while everyone seemed to be praising him, they were actually trying to ease the tension.
Every Hashira present was an elite who had distinguished themselves through desperate battles against demons.
They all possessed a sufficient sense of crisis—well, perhaps Mitsuri was a little more innocent.
In any case, from the words of the slain imposter, everyone could sense that an unavoidable war was about to begin.
Seeing Shinichi remain silent, Shinobu blinked, then walked over to his side.
With a smile, she poked his arm with her finger.
"Hmm, I thought that after you returned to normal, your skills would have declined. I didn't expect you to have gotten even stronger. Is there some kind of trick? Teach me, won't you~"
Shinobu's poke elicited a reaction from Shinichi.
He let out an imperceptible sigh, then helplessly handed his Nichirin Sword to Shinobu. "Then you're going to be disappointed Shinobu. There's no trick, just a lot of brute force. If you don't believe me, try my Nichirin Sword. my swordsmith used plenty of materials when he forged it. See if you can even swing it."
Seeing Shinobu's face darken slightly after being rebuffed, Shinichi's words—that phrase: 'There's no trick, just a lot of brute force'?—made Gyomei Himejima pause for a moment.
He seemed to have heard that line somewhere before.
When he finally remembered, a few traces of amusement appeared on his solemn face.
...
"Tanjiro, you... you have to pull yourself together! You can't just keep moping like this!" Zenitsu said, pushing the depressed Tanjiro beside him with a worried expression.
But Tanjiro didn't react at all, and a few faint sobs could be heard.
Seeing this, Zenitsu turned his head, looking somewhat indignant as he shouted at the figure who was busy stuffing his face with tempura rice balls.
"Hey! You wild boar! Are you still eating? Nezuko-chan was captured, and Tanjiro is this upset, don't you feel anything at all?!" Zenitsu finally couldn't take it anymore.
He stood up and rushed in front of Inosuke, veins of anger popping on his forehead.
Inosuke stopped chewing, wiped his mouth casually, and from under the boar mask, his wild green eyes on his handsome face shifted from the tempura rice balls to Zenitsu.
"Shut up, Monitsu," he said, his voice muffled because his mouth was still half-full of a rice ball.
"Of course I care."
"Then why are you—" Stared at by Inosuke's feral gaze, Zenitsu's voice grew quieter.
"Because crying is useless," Inosuke interrupted him, his tone impatient.
"Can crying bring Nezuko back?"
Zenitsu was stunned.
Inosuke put down the rice ball and stood up.
His movements weren't fast, but his innate wild aura made Zenitsu subconsciously take half a step back.
Inosuke swaggered over to Tanjiro and looked down at the curled-up figure.
"Hey! Tontaro," he called out, using his own variation of Tanjiro's name, a name only he would use.
Tanjiro's shoulders twitched slightly, but he didn't turn around.
Inosuke took a deep breath, and then—
"Get up, you spineless weakling!!" Inosuke's voice boomed like a clap of thunder, making the room's door vibrate.
Tanjiro finally reacted.
He slowly, arduously turned over, revealing his haggard face. His eyes, once as bright as flames, were now dim and lifeless, with heavy dark circles underneath and tear stains at the corners.
"Inosuke..." Tanjiro's voice was so hoarse it was barely audible. "I... I..."
"Shut up!" Inosuke cut him off rudely, planting his hands on his hips and leaning forward until his face was almost touching Tanjiro's.
"Listen up, Tontaro! In the mountains, if a mother boar loses her piglet, do you know what she does?"
Tanjiro looked at him blankly.
"SHE GOES CRAZY!" Inosuke roared, his voice filled with a beast-like wildness. "She'll stop at nothing to find it! She'll sniff every inch of the ground with her nose, dig up every fallen leaf with her hooves, and even if she runs into a wolf or a bear, she'll charge right at it! Because she knows that crying in the den won't find her piglet!"
Zenitsu's mouth fell open, not expecting Inosuke to say something like that.
Inosuke grabbed Tanjiro by the collar and hauled him up from the tatami mat.
Tanjiro's body was limp, barely able to stand.
"Look at the state you're in!" Inosuke shook him. "You're worse than a wild boar! Nezuko is your sister, not mine, not Monitsu's, she's your sister, Tontaro! She was taken, so what should you be doing?"
"I..." Tanjiro's gaze began to focus.
"You should be looking for her, no matter what!" Inosuke pointed at Tanjiro's nose. "Use that nose of yours, which is better than a dog's, and track her down! Find that damn bastard who took Nezuko! And then—"
Inosuke raised his fist and swung it fiercely through the air.
"Beat them to a pulp! And take Nezuko back!"
A brief silence fell over the room.
Then, in Tanjiro's eyes, the extinguished flame rekindled into a small flicker.
It was very weak, but it was definitely burning!
At this moment, Zenitsu also came to his senses. He rushed to Tanjiro's side, nodding vigorously.
"Inosuke's right! Tanjiro, we can't give up! Pull yourself together, Nezuko-chan is waiting for us to save her!!"
Of course, it would be even better if he could be the one to play the hero and save the damsel in distress.
"I... I... Zenitsu, Inosuke, you're right! I can't keep wallowing like this, Nezuko..."
Twang!
Before Tanjiro could finish his words of resolve, the eerie sound of a biwa rang out in the ears of all three of them almost simultaneously!
At the same time, that same biwa sound echoed in countless other places
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