Chapter 66: Hinokami Kagura

Tanjuro wanted to stop him, but a sharp pain flared in his chest, followed by an itch in his throat that triggered a violent fit of coughing.

"Father!" Little Tanjiro stood aside in a panic, eager to help but completely at a loss as to what to do.

Hearing Tanjuro's severe cough, the oden vendor hesitated for a moment, then turned back, gently patting Tanjuro on the back. "With a body like yours, you really need to get some proper rest."

Thump!!!!

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a tremendous crash erupted from the carpentry shop ahead. The entire building shook violently, startling everyone nearby.

The next second, a dark shadow flew out from inside, landing right at the feet of the oden vendor.

It looked human, yet it was covered in sharp fangs and claws, its face twisted into a hideous expression.

The oden vendor took only a single look before backing away in sheer terror.

Though it was not yet noon, the lingering rays of the setting sun cast upon the demon still unleashed a terrifying power, instantly setting its entire body ablaze.

"Aaaaaahhhhh!!!!"

The demon wailed in agony, drawing a crowd of curious vendors.

Some trembled violently at the sight, their overwhelming fear mixed with confusion and bewilderment.

What on earth was that thing?

The onlookers watched in stunned silence as the human-like monster was burned to ashes.

Meanwhile, Tanjuro had long since covered little Tanjiro's eyes, watching with a pounding heart as the entire process of the monster's demise unfolded.

Everything was real.

"Where is that young man?" Regaining his senses, Tanjuro looked toward the carpentry shop. The interior was pitch black, revealing nothing.

"Was that monster thrown out by the young man from just now?" The oden vendor was nearly scared out of his wits, his face drained of all color.

While the two men remained bewildered, Chuyang had already slipped out through the back door of the shop, reached the woods outside the town, and retrieved his execution blade.

The commotion had been too loud. It was inconvenient for Chuyang to linger in the town, and even more inappropriate to interact excessively with Tanjuro in plain view of everyone, as that would not bode well for his future life.

Thus, Chuyang simply took advantage of the chaos to slip away.

He vaulted up into a tree, leaning against the trunk to doze off while waiting for Tanjuro outside.

A moment later, Tanjuro appeared in the distance, slowly leading little Tanjiro along the edge of the mountain path.

"You're really slow."

Chuyang leapt down from the tree, landing right in front of the father and son.

"Thank you for earlier. If it weren't for you, I probably would have run straight into that demon." Recalling the scene from moments before, Tanjuro felt a lingering fear and immense gratitude.

"No need for thanks; I saved you for a reason." Chuyang waved a hand, then said earnestly, "I want to make a deal with you."

Tanjuro was instantly baffled. Aside from selling charcoal, he had nothing of any real value to trade.

Chuyang cut straight to the point. "I want you to teach me the Kagura dance. In exchange, I will give you a substantial sum of money so that you and your family can live a better life."

"So that's it." Tanjuro understood immediately. What Chuyang had set his sights on was his family's hereditary Kagura dance. Upon reflection, it made sense; the only valuable possession he owned was indeed the dance.

"However... how did you come to know about the Kagura dance?" Tanjuro asked with a puzzled look.

"Let's talk as we walk." Chuyang bent down to pick up the sleep-eyed Tanjiro, walking ahead on his own. Tanjuro paused for a second before hurriedly catching up.

Along the way, Chuyang explained the origins of the demons, the history of the Demon Slayer Corps, and the friendship between Yoriichi Tsugikuni and Sumiyoshi, telling Tanjuro everything.

For a man whose life was nearing its end, Chuyang saw no need for concealment, and given Tanjuro's character, he would never go around spreading such secret lore.

As they talked, the two men were already approaching Tanjuro's home in the mountains.

Learning the whole truth stirred an indescribable emotion deep within Tanjuro's heart. He never expected that, in the end, Sun Breathing would be passed down in such a manner.

"Viewed that way, even my short life has meaning." Tanjuro wore a smile, his eyes gleaming with a brilliance never seen before.

"Even without Sun Breathing, you are an exceptional father. The meaning of your life is not bestowed by Sun Breathing, but by your children," Chuyang replied sincerely.

Mentioning his children brought Tanjuro a sense of peace. No matter what, he had to leave something behind so that his wife and children could live a slightly easier life in the future.

He had no reason to turn down Chuyang's offer, especially since the young man did not seem like a bad person.

In the end, right outside his doorstep, Tanjuro performed the Kagura dance for Chuyang. His movements were remarkably fluid and agile, bearing no resemblance to those of a sick man.

Having watched it once, Tanjuro prepared to perform it a second time, but Chuyang stopped him. With Chuyang's exceptional talent, a single viewing was entirely sufficient to grasp the essentials.

Making Tanjuro perform the dance twice in succession would severely overdraw his physical strength.

True to his word, Chuyang left behind a fortune to ensure that after Tanjuro's passing, the widow and orphans he left behind could live comfortably.

Coincidentally, this wealth had been acquired from the very demon at the carpentry shop.

That demon had spent years mingling in human society to prey on people, fond of stripping valuables from its victims as trophies. Over time, the wealth it accumulated had grown increasingly substantial.

Chuyang had little interest in wealth; no amount of money could ever buy Sun Breathing.

Aside from wealth, Chuyang deliberately used Wood Release chakra to restore some of Tanjuro's vitality. While it could not completely cure his illness, it would extend his life by a few years, giving him the chance to watch Tanjiro grow into adulthood.

Interestingly, Tanjiro seemed to sense something even in his sleep.

He clung tightly to Chuyang's clothes, refusing to let him go, and Chuyang had to spend some effort to break free.

After bidding farewell to Tanjuro's family, Chuyang's solitary figure vanished once more into the darkness.

Meanwhile, Tanjuro stood guard by the doorway, gazing into the distance at Chuyang's retreating figure.

Under the night sky, he raised his head toward the heavens and silently offered a sincere prayer from the depths of his heart.

"May the gods bless you!"

...

Departing from Tanjuro's home, Chuyang returned by the same route, and when he passed through the small town once again, the place was exceptionally bustling.

Blood was splattered everywhere inside the carpentry shop.

The corpses of the proprietor and his family had been devoured by the demon until they were unrecognizable. How could such a horrifying crime scene fail to cause a sensation?

More importantly, many vendors had witnessed the entire process of the demon's death with their own eyes.

Just as Chuyang was wondering how this should be handled, he spotted members of the Kakushi patrolling around the perimeter of the town.

Clearly, they had been dispatched by the Demon Slayer Corps to deal with the aftermath.

The town was located in a rather remote area.

Spreading rumors or news out of the region was no easy task, so the impact was minimal and relatively easy to manage.

The truly thorny issues were the battles that erupted near Kyoto, which were difficult to keep under wraps, forcing the Ubuyashiki family to even resort to official connections.

In places as small as this, as long as money was thrown at the problem, matters of any scale could be swept under the rug, and money was the one thing the Ubuyashiki family never lacked.

Professional tasks were best left to professionals. Chuyang had no intention of making things harder, choosing instead to return to the temple to practice Sun Breathing, and heading out to slay demons whenever a mission arose.

As for the Butterfly Mansion, once Sakonji Urokodaki figured things out on his own, he would naturally go to visit Makomo—that was not something Chuyang could interfere with.

After joining the Demon Slayer Corps, Chuyang settled into a routine of slaying demons and training, living a life confined between two points.

His situations in the worlds of One Piece and Naruto were largely similar.

Meanwhile, in the world of Harry Potter, Chuyang was about to welcome his very first Halloween since starting his student life at Hogwarts.