After traveling day and night, it was already evening several days later when he finally returned to Peach Mountain.
The familiar scent washed over him, and Mr. Ryosuke's taut nerves finally relaxed a little.
Just as he stepped into the training ground, a rapid series of sounds entered his ears.
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In the center of the grounds, Shota was bare-chested, relentlessly attacking a wooden post.
The blade, carrying the momentum of wind and thunder, fell like raindrops.
"One hundred ninety-seven! One hundred ninety-eight! One hundred ninety-nine!"
He yelled the count, putting all his strength into every strike.
Just a few steps after Mr. Ryosuke approached, Shota abruptly stopped, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for breath.
He grabbed a towel and wiped his face, snorted loudly through his nose, and lifted his chin high.
"Hmph! You're back? You don't look so good! Unlike me, my mission was clean and swift; I didn't even get a hair hurt."
"Yeah, impressive."
Mr. Ryosuke couldn't be bothered to argue with him and gave him a perfunctory thumbs-up.
Right now, he just wanted to go inside and collapse, letting his faintly aching, broken liver calm down.
"Big Brother Ryosuke!"
A clear voice rang out behind him.
Rika rushed up to Mr. Ryosuke, her large eyes filled with pure joy.
"You're finally back! Was it fun outside? Did you run into anything interesting? Tell me all about it!"
She naturally grabbed Mr. Ryosuke's sleeve and shook it gently.
Shota: ( )
When Shota saw this scene, the veins on his forehead bulged, and he clenched his fists tighter.
"Mhm, I'm back."
Mr. Ryosuke rubbed Rika's head and said casually, "It was nothing special outside, just cut down a few demons."
"You cut down a few? What kind of demons?" Rika's excitement grew.
Shota stood nearby, arms crossed, and sneered.
"Tch! What powerful ones could he kill? Probably just some demons that have only eaten two or three people!"
Mr. Ryosuke yawned and spoke nonchalantly.
"They were alright. One had a head and body that could separate and do their own thing; it was called a Rokurokubi, and it was a bit troublesome to cut down."
"The other liked to sing songs at midnight and send seashells to trick young girls; it was called Yumee, and its Blood Demon Art was quite annoying, drilling into people's minds. It was very noisy."
The expression on Shota's face instantly froze.
Rokurokubi? Yumee?!
Those two demons that the Demon Slayer Corps has been talking about so wildly for the past few days?!
Shota opened his mouth, subconsciously wanting to challenge him.
With you?!
You're full of hot air, bro!
But seeing Mr. Ryosuke's indifferent attitude—too lazy to speak and too lazy to listen—he forcibly swallowed his words, his face turning alternating shades of green and red.
"What nonsense are you spouting now?"
Jigoro walked over, leaning on his cane, his gaze sweeping over Shota's frustrated face before finally resting on Mr. Ryosuke.
"Grandpa."
Mr. Ryosuke and Rika called out simultaneously.
Jigoro pulled a neatly folded letter from his robes; the envelope was sealed with a special flame crest.
He handed the letter to Mr. Ryosuke, his expression complex: "Look at this. It was sent by Rengoku Shinjuro, the Flame Hashira."
Mr. Ryosuke raised an eyebrow and unfolded the letter.
The handwriting on the paper was forceful, penetrating the back of the sheet, and the entire letter was filled with the Rengoku Family's characteristic bold style. The core message was singular.
"Become my successor disciple!"
"Quickly become my successor disciple!!"
"Quickly, damn it, become my successor disciple, Mr. Ryosuke!!!"
Shota craned his neck, trying to see what it was, until his eyes nearly popped out.
Flame Hashira! successor disciple!
This was absolutely an honor and an opportunity that everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps wouldn't even dare to dream of!
This kid... this kid actually... "Mr. Shinjuro is certainly enthusiastic."
Mr. Ryosuke scanned the letter quickly, folded the paper, and casually put it back in the envelope, his tone flat.
"However, I refused."
"What?!"
Shota cried out, having lost his voice, as if he had heard the most absurd thing in the world.
"You... you refused?! The position of the Flame Hashira's successor disciple?! Has your brain been eaten by a demon?!"
He even wanted to chop Mr. Ryosuke down right then and there!
Jigoro also frowned tightly.
"Why refuse? Shinjuro is the Flame Hashira. His strength is outstanding, and his personality... is a bit bold, but he is upright and incorruptible. Becoming his successor disciple is a rare opportunity and a great help to you; countless people beg for it and can't get it!"
"I know."
Mr. Ryosuke rubbed his slightly throbbing temples.
I can't exactly say that the experiences from my previous life left me with psychological trauma... "Mr. Shinjuro is a good person and very strong, but..."
Mr. Ryosuke paused, looked at Jigoro, and gave him a mischievous smile: "First, I can't learn Flame Breathing. Our temperaments don't match, and forcing it would be a waste of effort."
"Second, his loud voice and enthusiasm are something I really... can't handle."
"And third..."
Mr. Ryosuke drew out his tone and chuckled under Jigoro's slightly confused gaze.
"I can't bear to leave you, Grandpa! Peach Mountain is so great. I have Grandpa's guidance, Shota's motivation, and Little Sister Rika's warm concern. Why would I run off so far?"
This nearly spoiled, rogue-like speech had an excellent effect.
The rigid seriousness on Jigoro's face instantly softened, the corners of his mouth uncontrollably turning up in a look of helpless affection.
He feigned anger and lightly pointed his cane at Mr. Ryosuke.
"You brat! Always running your mouth!"
The words were scolding, but the tone was incredibly gentle.
Shota pouted.
Although he was envious, he knew that Mr. Ryosuke had earned all of this through his own strength.
There was nothing to be jealous of; at most, it was just a young man's competitive spirit acting up, making him covetous and annoyed!
Rika pursed her lips and giggled secretly.
Big Brother Ryosuke said he couldn't bear to leave Peach Mountain!
That definitely means he can't bear to leave me, too!
Hehe~
After Jigoro finished his affectionate scolding, he noticed Mr. Ryosuke's slightly pale complexion and changed the subject.
"But Ryosuke, you're not young anymore. You're seventeen. Look at the Master, he's already a father of two at a young age."
Mr. Ryosuke's lip twitched.
This familiar line! This familiar tone!
Oh no!
It's the marriage-pushing combo!!!
Sure enough, Jigoro looked at him expectantly, with the excitement of an old child trying to pry a secret.
"You travel all over the country executing missions and meet many people..."
"Have you met any girls who caught your eye?"
Just as expected!
Mr. Ryosuke's mouth twitched again.
Rika, who was eavesdropping nearby, instantly perked up her ears, subconsciously twisting the corner of her clothes with her small hand, nervously yet expectantly peeking at Mr. Ryosuke.
Even Shota, who was sulking, cocked his ear to listen.
Gossip is a human instinct.
Mr. Ryosuke felt his scalp prickle under Jigoro's investigative gaze.
He originally intended to brush it off casually, but then he hesitated.
With this kind of thing, fooling them once leads to a second time, and fooling them twice leads to a third.
However, if he had met someone who caught his eye... Mr. Ryosuke's mind suddenly flashed to the tatami room in Asakusa.
The woman was elegant and tranquil, her dark hair like clouds, her temperament as gentle as jade, carrying the tenderness and resilience of one who had experienced much, and there was the fleeting coolness on her fingertips when they parted...
Driven by a strange impulse, Mr. Ryosuke didn't filter the thought through his brain and blurted it out immediately.
"Hmm... If I really had to say, there is such a person."
Jigoro's eyes "flashed" bright, as if two lanterns had been lit.
"Oh? Tell me quickly! Which family is the girl from? Where does she live? What does she do? How old is she?"
A barrage of questions was thrown at him.
Rika's heart suddenly sank, and she twisted her small hands even tighter.
Shota also moved closer, a smile appearing on his face.
Huh?
He has a girl outside!
Then you can't corrupt my little sister anymore~
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