Luke listened closely as Jigoro explained the theory behind Thunder Breathing and demonstrated its various forms.
It had to be said: Jigoro was a master instructor. There was a reason he had trained a talented boy like Zenitsu. He made the key principles of Thunder Breathing easy to understand, and when he demonstrated the forms, he deliberately highlighted their essence for Luke and Zenitsu to see.
Three hours later, Zenitsu was already being smacked with Jigoro’s cane as he repeatedly practiced the First Form of Thunder Breathing. Meanwhile, Luke sat cross-legged nearby, his eyes half-closed as he contemplated the mysteries of Thunder Breathing.
"Grandpa, I really can’t do this! If I go to the selection, I’m really going to die! You don’t want me to die either, do you, Grandpa?"
After practicing for a while, Zenitsu began crying again. He truly had no confidence in himself and was certain that a Demon would devour him during the selection.
"Zenitsu, you need to believe in your own strength. I believe you have already mastered the First Form. Even if it is the only move you know, that is all right."
Jigoro spoke earnestly. The way he looked at Zenitsu was less like a master looking at his disciple and more like a grandfather looking at his grandson. It was clear that they were deeply attached to one another.
"But, Grandpa..."
Zenitsu truly regarded Jigoro as his own grandfather and respected him immensely. He did not want to disappoint him, but he was terrified of dying. Besides, he thought of himself as a weakling who could only use the First Form.
There was no need to even mention Senior Brother Luke. He also had a second senior brother named Kaigaku, who had mastered every form of Thunder Breathing except the First. Zenitsu deeply admired him.
He believed that only someone like Kaigaku was qualified to inherit his grandfather’s legacy and become the next Thunder Hashira. Someone like him was simply not worthy.
Of course, he respected Senior Brother Luke as well. Even though Luke still had not learned Thunder Breathing, Zenitsu still considered him powerful.
In Zenitsu’s eyes, Senior Brother Luke had always been as steady and imposing as a mountain, giving people an overwhelming sense of security. And because Luke had been born with monstrous strength, Zenitsu felt that even without Thunder Breathing, his senior brother was already strong.
Moreover, he knew that Luke worked hard. He had never slacked off in his Thunder Breathing training; he simply had yet to grasp the trick of it.
"Wait..."
Jigoro interrupted Zenitsu. He stopped lecturing him and looked toward Luke. Just now, he seemed to have sensed the aura of Thunder Breathing coming from Luke—a certain sign.
"Let’s stop here for today. Zenitsu, go relax and get yourself into the right state for the selection."
Jigoro wanted the area to be quiet so Luke could better comprehend Thunder Breathing. This time, there truly seemed to be hope of success.
Zenitsu wanted to throw a tantrum and insist that he would not take the selection, but after glancing at Senior Brother Luke, who was immersed in his comprehension of Thunder Breathing, he held it in and quietly headed down the mountain.
Some time passed. Luke sat atop a hill surrounded by blooming peach blossoms. Petals drifted down with the wind. As the cool breeze brushed across his face, he took a deep breath.
His chest visibly expanded. Then the corners of his mouth stretched into a grin, revealing a row of stark white teeth. Before Jigoro’s astonished gaze, golden lightning seemed to flicker around Luke’s body.
Scorching vapor poured from between Luke’s teeth, forming two white dragons that spread out on either side of him before soaring skyward on the wind.
Crackle—crackle—
Fierce electrical currents rang out around Luke. Bathed in golden arcs of lightning, he rose to his feet. With every rhythm of his breathing, he could feel his strength continuously rising.
Luke looked at Jigoro and grinned. "Teacher, I’ve learned it."
He respected anyone who taught him martial skills, but there was only one person he regarded as his master in his heart. Because of that, he would not use that title for anyone else.
"Finally... finally..."
Seeing the lightning coiling around Luke’s body, Jigoro was overwhelmed with excitement. When Luke had proposed joining Zenitsu for the selection a few days earlier, Jigoro had still harbored some concerns. Now, all of them had vanished.
Luke had failed to comprehend Thunder Breathing for ten years. Even with Jigoro’s tremendous patience, it would have been a lie to say he had never felt disappointed.
That was why, when Luke had once again expressed his desire to take the selection a few days ago, Jigoro had agreed. He hoped Luke and Zenitsu, as fellow disciples, could look after each other. He had also wondered whether Luke might need real combat to comprehend Thunder Breathing.
Yet he had never expected Luke to succeed just days before the selection began. It was a wonderful surprise.
"I should be thanking you for your patient guidance all these years, Teacher."
Through Zenitsu and Jigoro’s words, Luke could roughly infer that his assigned identity was someone who had spent years unsuccessfully trying to learn a Breathing Style.
This setting of his taking years to fail at learning a Breathing Style could only work with Jigoro. The old man was truly patient, gentle, and forgiving toward his disciples.
Unfortunately, part of that patience and affection had been given to an ungrateful wretch who would ultimately cause his death.
"It is good that you have learned it. Good... Now I can finally rest easy about your upcoming selection. You know what Zenitsu is like. Even though I believe his Thunder Breathing is already quite good, he never has confidence in himself. You will need to look after your junior brother more in the future."
Jigoro spoke with relief. He actually had another disciple, Kaigaku, who had passed the selection last year and become a member of the Demon Slayer Corps.
However, Kaigaku was more withdrawn by nature. Asking him to care for Luke and Zenitsu would probably be difficult, so Jigoro did not bring it up.
"Don’t worry, Teacher."
Luke glanced at the sky. The sun was nearly setting. "Zenitsu still isn’t back?"
"That brat has probably been having so much fun down the mountain that he lost track of time again."
Jigoro scolded him, but his expression remained kind.
"I’ll go down and take a look. I can pick up ingredients for dinner while I’m at it."
Luke was a little worried about Zenitsu. If Zenitsu died before the selection even began, Luke’s mission would fail.
Luke had already noticed the pattern behind Endspace’s penalties. Since the first stage of this main mission was exceptionally easy, its failure penalty was correspondingly severe: erasure.
So, over the next few days, he needed to keep a close eye on Zenitsu. If a Demon from Muzan’s faction killed Zenitsu, Luke would die for nothing.
And it was entirely possible that Demons from Muzan’s faction would target Zenitsu.
Zenitsu was currently at his weakest, before he had even made a name for himself. Considering this world’s upper difficulty limit, it would not be surprising for second-tier Explorers to enter. For a second-tier Explorer, killing the current Zenitsu would be laughably easy.
Even a late first-tier Explorer would have no trouble killing Zenitsu. Luke had to stay alert.
"All right. I’ll head back first and cook some porridge."
Jigoro did not find this strange. He merely assumed Luke wanted to share the joy of learning Thunder Breathing with his junior brother.
...
Elsewhere, the peach blossoms of spring were in full bloom. Their fragrance filled the mountains, and the spring breeze against one’s face was enough to lift anyone’s spirits.
Having just come down the mountain, Zenitsu temporarily forgot the terror of the selection amid the beautiful scenery. He happily made his way toward the market, intending to buy some sweets to bring back and share with his senior brother and grandfather.
When he reached the market at the foot of the mountain, he saw several youths who were likewise Demon Slayer Corps recruits gathered together, chatting and laughing. Curious, he approached to greet them, but the moment he heard what they were discussing, his face darkened.
"Hahaha! Did you hear? That ten-year Peach Blossom squatter is taking the selection too."
"I was shocked when I heard. That guy called Luke is quite a bit older than us, right? I heard he’s been up on that mountain for ten years and still hasn’t learned a Breathing Style."
"That useless? I thought I was weak for taking two years to learn a Breathing Style. That guy has been freeloading on the mountain for ten years without learning it? Isn’t he just wasting food?"
"Heh, if you ask me, Lord Jigoro has finally run out of patience and is throwing him out. He can’t keep feeding a good-for-nothing who only consumes supplies forever, right?"
"Hahaha, true. But that guy really is lucky. Lord Jigoro used to be a Hashira. He got instruction from a Hashira and still couldn’t learn a Breathing Style. What a waste. If only I could become Lord Jigoro’s disciple."
"What a useless loser, wasting Lord Jigoro’s teaching..."
The close-cropped-haired youth who spoke last did not get to finish.
A yellow figure charged forward and punched him squarely in the nose. Zenitsu glared at them furiously. "Don’t you dare talk about Senior Brother Luke like that! Senior Brother Luke isn’t useless!"
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