Demon Slayer: I am a Demon

Chapter 124 We've Been Targeted by Ghosts (4/4 (Two-in-One))

As night fell, Urokodaki Sakonji and Makomo ate their meal around the fireplace. Apart from the occasional crackling of the burning firewood and the noises from their meal, the room was very quiet.

Meanwhile, outside the door, a lively commotion could be heard.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard.

Urokodaki Sakonji and Makomo both looked up and gazed out the window.

In the pitch-black night, a burst of dazzling fireworks illuminated the darkness. The new residents lit firecrackers, and the flickering fireworks lit up the inky world.

The outside world was bustling with the cheerful sounds of children, the constant clapping of their hands, and the gentle calls of women.

Once upon a time, Mount Xiawu was also lively like this. Although there were no fireworks or firecrackers back then, the senior brothers and sisters would gather around the campfire, chatting and laughing.

But gradually fewer and fewer people came.

Now, only Master and Makomo remain, oh, and Tomioka Giyuu who doesn't want to come back.

"This is really noisy."

Urokodaki Sakonji took a sip of porridge and muttered to himself.

Makomo glanced at her most respected master. Her master, who wasn't wearing a mask, had a gentle face. She could clearly see a hint of envy and sadness in the corner of her master's eyes.

Makomo lowered her head, thinking of Cuotu and her former senior brothers and sisters, and silently took a sip of porridge.

"Da da da————"

Footsteps came from outside, almost simultaneously, and Urokodaki Sakonji and Makomo immediately put on the masks placed beside them.

Soon, Su Mu arrived with Tanjiro and Kanao.

"Ha, Urokodaki-senpai, have you started eating yet? —"

Su Mu walked into the house with a smile, saying, "Madam Kuizhi made some dorayaki today. I brought them for you to try; perhaps you'll like them."

Tanjiro immediately placed a large bowl of steaming dorayaki in front of the two of them.

Both Urokodaki Sakonji and Makomo were wearing masks, so their facial expressions couldn't be seen, but they didn't do anything to stop them, so they probably didn't object.

When Tanjiro placed the dorayaki in front of the two of them, Su Mu smiled and said, "Did I not disturb you?"

"fine."

Under the tengu mask, Urokodaki Sakonji's voice was calm, his eyes still fixed on Su Mu with doubt, but he did not ask any questions.

"This time, we came to Mount Sagiri because of a ghost story that happened near our hometown."

Su Mu then began to explain.

Beneath the mask, Urokodaki Sakonji looked at Su Mu, and smelled the scent of lies in his breath. However, he was unsure if what he smelled was true. After all, he had smelled the ghost on this person during the day, and even now, he could still smell that strong ghostly scent in his nose.

"The reason we chose this place is not only because we heard that there are extremely powerful demon hunters here, making it safer, but also because we want to participate in the hunting of demons and ask Mr. Urokodaki to teach us the skills to hunt demons."

Before Urokodaki Sakonji could speak, Makomo, standing beside him, frowned and said, "Demon hunting is a very dangerous thing. If you're not careful, you can lose your life."

"I know."

Su Mu nodded: "But if you can all do it, why can't I?"

"Oh----"

Makomo gave a cold laugh, but even with that laugh, her voice was light and airy, making it almost impossible to feel any force in it: "You have no idea what it means to hunt demons."

"What does that mean?"

Su Mu looked up at the petite girl wearing a fox mask with her eyes closed.

"It means you will die, don't you understand at all? Not only will you die, but the people you are trying to protect will also die. As an outsider, you don't understand the weight that this represents."

Thinking of her senior brothers and sisters who had already walked this path, or even died on it, the girl behind the mask looked at Su Mu and said, "You have no idea what kind of price you have to pay."

"But we have no other choice."

Su Mu spread his hands and said with a wry smile, "We've been targeted by ghosts."

"What—"

Makomo couldn't help but stand up, and Urokodaki Sakonji also narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Where is the ghost?"

Makomo placed her small hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist, a sharp, murderous aura that seemed out of place with her cute, petite figure, but she didn't spot the ghost.

Sensing danger from this menacing aura, Tanjiro instinctively clenched his fists. He glanced at Su Mu with some concern, worried that Su Mu's identity as a demon would be exposed.

But Su Mu's expression remained calm. He nodded to Tanjiro: "Demonstrate your breathing technique to Urokodaki-sensei."

Tanjiro nodded and began to breathe. As a large amount of oxygen was inhaled, Tanjiro's physical functions rapidly improved in a short period of time.

Urokodaki Sakonji, who was sitting upright, also leaned forward slightly at this moment. As a senior who had practiced breathing techniques for many years, he could naturally sense the difference in Tanjiro's breathing techniques.

In fact, it could be said that this kind of breathing was even more domineering, requiring the body to have an extremely high tolerance. He could even feel the burning sensation that Tanjiro's breathing carried.

"This breathing technique—it's different from any other breathing technique I've ever seen. Is it a new breathing style derived from the five major breathing techniques?"

Beside him, Su Mu raised his head slightly, his eyes showing some surprise. He hadn't expected that Urokodaki Sakonji wouldn't recognize the "Breath of the Sun".

Regardless of the circumstances, the other party is a Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, even if he has already retired. He is still a very core member of the Demon Slayer Corps. The fact that even the other party does not know about the "Breath of the Sun" shows the serious lack of knowledge about the "Breath of the Sun" within the Demon Slayer Corps.

Once upon a time, swordsmen who practiced "Sun Breathing" were the main force against demons. Now, with the passage of time, apart from the Kamado family and the Rengoku family, who still have some remnants, they have almost completely disappeared.

"A very powerful 'breathing' technique; it feels like it would be even more potent against demons."

Although it was the first time he had experienced this kind of breathing, Sakonji Urokodaki noticed its characteristics after only observing it briefly.

Undoubtedly, this breathing technique is more effective in fighting demons, but Sakonji Urokodaki also felt the burden it placed on his body.

"An ordinary swordsman's body should not be able to withstand the pressure brought by this kind of breathing; it is estimated that only a very small number of people can cultivate such a 'breathing' technique."

Urokodaki Sakonji gave his evaluation, then looked at Su Mu: "You said the ghost is targeting you, and it's related to this breathing?"

""

"I don't know either, but there are ghosts searching for our tracks, and they must have been watching us from the shadows all along."

Are you sure?

Urokodaki Sakonji also became solemn. No wonder he could smell some demonic aura on the other person; perhaps it was related to this.

If there really is a ghost, Urokodaki Sakonji wouldn't mind taking matters into his own hands and slaying it. After all, although he is old, he is not dead, nor is he incapable of slaying evil spirits.

Perhaps he would have some difficulty dealing with the Twelve Demon Moons now, but dealing with ordinary demons, even those who know blood demon magic, would be just as easy.

"I'm not sure, I just feel like there's a ghost watching me."

Su Mu shook his head.

Urokodaki Sakonji stared at Su Mu, and smelled the scent of lies on this man again, which made him somewhat hesitant.

In fact, he was very wary of Su Mu and his group who had suddenly entered the Narrow Mist Mountain, but he relaxed his guard a little when he saw that most of them were women and children.

Aside from the man in front of them, whom they couldn't quite understand, most of these people didn't seem complicated.

"Given the power of demons, they wouldn't need to spy on you; they would have already made their move on you. You might already be food for demons."

Ordinary people have absolutely no chance of facing evil spirits.

Urokodaki Sakonji shook his head. "This might be related to the Kamado family's traditions."

Su Mu spoke softly to Urokodaki Sakonji about the sun-shaped earrings that the Kamado family had always passed down, and about the will that Yoriichi Tsugikuni left to the Kamado family.

"Tsugikuni Yoriichi —"

After Su Mu finished speaking, Urokodaki Sakonji couldn't help but show a thoughtful expression. He seemed to have seen this name somewhere before.

After thinking for a long time, Sakonji Urokodaki suddenly remembered that when he first became a Pillar and had the opportunity to access the deeper secrets of the Demon Slayer Corps, he had seen this person's name in a secret scroll.

I vaguely remember that the secret scroll recorded that Yoriichi Tsugikuni was the most powerful swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps at that time, far surpassing anyone else in the Demon Slayer Corps, and even able to fight against Muzan Kibutsuji by himself.

Originally, such a person should have been a powerful figure that the Demon Slayer Corps would have praised and remembered by all members of the Demon Slayer Corps. However, he had many dishonorable qualities and was even expelled from the Demon Slayer Corps because of them.

The secret scroll states three main reasons for expelling Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

Firstly, Yoriichi Tsugikuni clearly had the opportunity to kill Muzan Kibutsuji, but he allowed him to escape.

Secondly, Yoriichi Tsugikuni actually let go of a man-eating demon named Tamayo, one of Muzan Kibutsuji's subordinates.

According to Sakonji Urokodaki, these two points were not the main reasons. The real reason for expelling Yoriichi Tsugikuni from the Demon Slayer Corps was that Yoriichi's older brother, Kokushibo Tsugikuni, had become a demon. This was the first time a swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps had become a demon, and it was a humiliation that the Demon Slayer Corps had never suffered before.

Furthermore, Kokushiro Katsumi cut off the head of the then-leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, and then used the leader's head to defect to Muzan Kibutsuji. This was an unprecedented humiliation for the Demon Slayer Corps in its fight against demons.

The Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen are not afraid of sacrifice, but this kind of humiliation is unacceptable to them. Some swordsmen even believed that Yoriichi Tsugikuni, like his brother, would want to join Muzan Kibutsuji to obtain eternal life, and even wanted him to commit suicide as atonement.

Therefore, information about Yoriichi Tsugikuni was sealed away, and it was only after he became a "Pillar" that he was able to access this information. Ordinary people would probably have forgotten it long ago.

Urokodaki Sakonji never expected to receive news about Yoriichi Tsugikuni here.

"Therefore, the breathing technique you are practicing now" originates from Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

"Yes, the 'Sun Breathing' technique I practice is a lineage passed down from Yoriichi Tsugikuni."

"So it was the 'Breathing of the Sun'."

Upon hearing the name "Breathing," Urokodaki Sakonji suddenly realized.

As a Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, he naturally knew some things about the "Breathing of the Sun." However, this breathing technique had long been lost within the Demon Slayer Corps, and he hadn't considered it from the beginning. He thought it was a new breathing technique derived from the Five Great Breathing Techniques, and wondered what kind of breathing technique could produce such a powerful one, even the "Breathing of Flames" would find it difficult to achieve.

"No wonder this breathing technique is so domineering and seems to have high requirements for the body; it turns out it's the 'Primitive Breathing Technique'."

Urokodaki Sakonji stood up and, while instructing Tanjiro to "breathe," couldn't help but lean closer. Feeling the scorching heat, as if he were about to be burned, he exclaimed, "No wonder! No wonder the secret scrolls record that those who practice 'Sun Breathing' are the main force against demons. No wonder this 'breathing' even possesses a hint of heat. I even feel that if this 'breathing' reaches a certain level, it can kill demons even without a Nichirin Blade."

If it's "Sun Breathing," there's a real possibility of being targeted by a demon.

As he spoke, Urokodaki Sakonji also became excited: "If the Demon Slayer Corps had more swordsmen who had mastered the Breath of the Sun, fighting demons would undoubtedly be much easier."

After a while, Urokodaki Sakonji finally snapped out of his excitement. Seeing that Su Mu was still staring at him, he awkwardly sat back down and asked, "So, you came here not only because you thought it was safer, but also to learn how to hunt demons, and then hunt down that demon that's watching you?"

"You could say that."

Su Mu nodded.

Upon hearing this, Urokodaki Sakonji thought for a moment and said, "I can teach you how to hunt demons and provide assistance with your breathing techniques, but I need to report your information. I think your information is crucial; perhaps my lord has even more important information about 'Sun Breathing.' What do you think?"

As he spoke, Urokodaki Sakonji was also carefully observing Su Mu. His nose could detect a lot of lies on this person, but he did not detect any danger.

In fact, Urokodaki Sakonji also had some doubts about this person's motives, but after thinking about it, he gave up the idea of ​​investigating further.

Everyone has their own secrets, and even if you try to find out more, the other person may not tell you.

"No problem."

Su Mu agreed without hesitation.

Urokodaki Sakon nodded, looked at the two of them, and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Actually, hunting demons doesn't necessarily mean facing them directly. In fact, some methods are far more effective than simply killing a few demons."

"Oh?"

"For example, becoming a hermit to assist the Demon Slayer Corps' swordsmen, or going to the Butterfly Mansion to heal and rehabilitate injured swordsmen, or becoming a swordsmith in the forging department to forge powerful weapons for swordsmen, or becoming a 'breeder' to cultivate a continuous stream of fresh blood for the Demon Slayer Corps."

As he spoke, Urokodaki Sakonji looked at Su Mu: "I believe that if you could pass on the Breath of the Sun technique and train more swordsmen who embody it, it would be ten times, even a hundred times, more effective than killing one or two demons."

What do you think?

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