Demon Slayer: I am a Demon.

Seeing this, Kanae Kocho was somewhat helpless. Although she had told Mitsuri Kanroji many times, Mitsuri Kanroji still felt ashamed of her big appetite.

"Actually, you really don't need to care about this."

Kanae gently held Mitsuri Kanroji's small hand: "Even what you think are not so good, others may consider them to be excellent."

"They eat like pigs, are as strong as gorillas, and have hair that color... These are not them at all..."

As she spoke, Kanroji Mitsuri found herself unable to continue.

"Eating a lot means you have a strong recovery ability and are very strong, which is good too. Hair color doesn't really matter..."

Kanae whispered, "These are things that even 'Shinobu' is looking forward to. If Shinobu had your strength and your high density of muscles, she would be really happy."

Is this something to be happy about?

Kanroji Mitsuri couldn't believe that these were the very things that made her feel inferior.

"Yes, Shinobu always wished she were stronger. You might not know this, but Shinobu is actually quite weak; she can't even cut a demon's neck. She practices her strength almost every day, but despite her hard work, she hasn't improved much..."

"If eating can increase strength, I will definitely work hard to increase my strength."

Kanroji Mitsuri couldn't help but recall the first time she met Shinobu, who was always serious and had a tense expression. Compared to her gentle older sister, Shinobu always seemed very cold.

"I've heard about... your story."

Kanroji Mitsuri lowered her head: "So...so Shinobu hates demons."

Kanae Butterfly's purple eyes couldn't help but recall that cruel night. Like her younger sister Shinobu, she was deeply trapped in despair and fear of demons. But seeing her trembling sister, she could only force herself to hold her sister in her arms.

Even now, recalling that nightmarish scene still fills me with fear.

Therefore, the younger sister's hatred for demons is almost ingrained in her blood. Given that Mitsuri is practically a born swordsman, she must be overjoyed.

As the older sister, she knew how much suffering her younger sister had endured to embark on the path of demon hunting. In the past, her younger sister couldn't bear the slightest hardship or pain in front of their parents. But over the years, she had been training relentlessly, never uttering a sound no matter how bitter, tiring, or painful it was, all for the sake of possessing the power to sever the necks of demons like Mitsuri.

"I...I know that you, and everyone else, joined the Demon Slayer Corps and became demon slayers with the determination to slay demons. Many of you have had your own happiness destroyed by demons, and many of you joined with hatred for demons and the desire to protect the happiness of others from being destroyed by demons..."

Kanroji Mitsuri whispered, feeling increasingly ashamed, but perhaps sensing Kanae's gentleness, she voiced her inner unease: "I...I feel that my reason for joining the Demon Slayer Corps is utterly shameful."

"What's the reason?"

Kanae Kocho also asked with some curiosity.

"I want to find... find a good man, I want to be in a relationship or something..."

Upon hearing Kanroji Mitsuri's reason for joining the team, Kocho Kanae couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Seeing this, Mitsuri Kanroji lowered her head in shame, feeling ashamed of her shallow reason for joining the Demon Slayer Corps. Compared to everyone else's desperate fight against demons to protect humanity and prevent others' happiness from being destroyed, her reason for joining was truly...

"Kanae-nee also thinks so..."

Kanroji Mitsuri whispered.

Before Kanroji Mitsuri could finish speaking, Kocho Kanae grabbed Mitsuri's hand and said, "Hearing your reason for joining the team is indeed quite surprising."

At this point, Kanae Kocho laughed again.

Kanroji Mitsuri also looked up and saw that Kocho Kanae's beautiful eyes were filled with a smile, but this smile was not a smile of ridicule for her shameful reasons, nor was it a smile of belittling.

This surprised Kanroji Mitsuri.

Kanae gently held Mitsuri's hand, her voice filled with tenderness.

Kanroji Mitsuri only felt a gentle warmth surrounding her.

"If everyone is filled with hatred and sorrow, even if we lick each other's wounds, we can't move forward. We're not moving forward because our hearts are always filled with hatred. We've always been moving forward because we want to see Mitsuri like this, hoping that everyone can find happiness and find someone they love..."

At this point, Kanae Kocho's expression darkened slightly: "If Shinobu had the same thoughts as you, I would be really happy. I have always hoped that Shinobu could find that good boy, fall in love, and be happy together."

"Does Kanae-neechan also hope that Shinobu shares the same thoughts as me?"

Kanroji Mitsuri looked up in disbelief.

"Yes."

Kanae Kocho looked up at the dark night outside the window: "My sister's heart is always filled with hatred. She only has demon hunting in her heart. Every day is... very tiring."

Kanroji Mitsuri couldn't help but picture Shinobu's taut, cold face, sharp as a drawn sword, and suddenly felt an urge to give him a hug.

“Before, I was always worried that my sister might continue to live like this.”

Kanae's voice, which had been suppressed, suddenly released, and a genuine smile appeared on her delicate face: "But it seems that Shinobu has recently met someone who might change her."

“I have always believed that endurance will not last forever, nor will my heart be filled with hatred forever. I always believe that if one day my sister meets someone she likes, that liking will take root in her heart and then quietly bloom into a beautiful flower.”

"Wow……"

Kanroji Mitsuri, standing nearby, also looked expectant: "It all sounds so romantic, I feel..."

The girl clutched her chest: "I feel... my heart is beating so fast, it's going to burst out..."

Are you feeling unwell?

Kanae looked at Mitsuri Kanroji with some concern.

"I don't know either, but every time I hear these things, I feel a surge of joy, and my heart flutters..."

Kanroji Mitsuri whispered, "Then... my 'breathing' will become very fast, and if I'm really excited, I feel my strength will also become very strong."

"It feels... strange, but it doesn't seem like a bad thing."

Kanae Kocho frowned: "If Shinobu were here, she would know the reason. You know, Shinobu's medical skills are the best."

Chapter 182 Unlocks the Marks

As usual, the sun rises from the east, and the darkness is dispelled with the appearance of sunlight.

Shinobu Kocho got up early and, after washing up, began her usual routine of checking the bodies of every boy and girl on Mount Sagiri, especially the boys who were practicing 'Sun Breathing'.

Fortunately, the boy's body, which was practicing the 'Sun Breathing' technique, had adapted to the scorching heat it caused.

As a healer, she could clearly feel the burning sensation brought by the 'Breathing of the Sun'. This 'breathing', which contains the power of sunlight, should have an amplifying effect on the damage inflicted on demons.

Although she had never seen it, she could imagine it.

It is foreseeable that if the Demon Slayer Corps had more initial swordsmen who had mastered the 'Sun Breathing' technique, then the situation of being at a disadvantage against demons for the past few hundred years might be reversed.

Not only that, there are also crimson blades, markings, and a transparent world.

If all of these could appear in the Demon Slayer Corps, then...

It's almost unimaginable how much the Demon Slayer Corps' strength will increase.

Just thinking about these things made Shinobu Kocho feel somewhat excited.

In the past, after examining these people and doing what she, as a doctor, should do, she would quietly exercise alone.

But today

Unconsciously, I stood still and waited, somewhat hoping that person would appear.

At this moment, she vaguely regretted that she seemed to have left too many bad impressions on the other party.

Not long after, the person finally appeared. Shinobu Kocho was suddenly excited and walked over.

Upon seeing Shinobu Kocho approaching, Su Mu nodded and found the boy who had just been examined by Shinobu Kocho using the 'Sun Breathing' technique.

After the boy gave a brief demonstration, it was clear that his 'Sun Breathing' training was progressing smoothly.

"It seems there are no problems now."

After finishing his inspection, Su Mu returned to his residence, picked up a pen and paper, and silently finished writing down today's record.

Shinobu Kocho followed beside him, wanting to say something, but found that she didn't seem to know what to say to him.

After finishing his record, Su Mu took the results of his training over the past few days to Senior Urokodaki.

"This is a record of the recent training process of this 'Sun Breathing' practitioner. Other 'nurturing masters' who discover that they can train 'Sun Breathing' can also try to cultivate them in this way..."

Urokodaki Sakonji took the paper, and after reading it, he thought to himself with admiration, "How come I never thought of these things? I should also write down my methods for training disciples..."

"Mu Jun also inspired me, and I should also write down some of my methods for treating the wounded."

Shinobu Kocho, who was standing next to her, finally found a topic to join in and hurriedly expressed her opinion.

So the three of them talked about this method, and even began to discuss the shortcomings of the Demon Slayer Corps in training new swordsmen.

Urokodaki was the most vocal and abhorrent about this, as many of his outstanding disciples had so easily perished at Fujisaki Mountain.

Butterfly listened from the side, occasionally interjecting. The girl's face remained tense, but she had lost her usual serious demeanor. Occasionally, when talking about something positive, her lips would slightly curl up.

And this...

This is quite rare for Shinobu Kocho, who is usually perceived as aloof.

…………

A training plan for the Demon Slayer Corps' newest swordsmen was once again sent to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters via Kasugai Crow.

Wearing a tengu mask, Urokodaki Sakonji stood by the window, watching the Kasugai crow flap its wings and fly away, a smile unconsciously appearing in his eyes.

Since he went into seclusion on Mount Sagiri, sadness and pain have almost always accompanied him. One by one, his disciples died on their way to Mount Fujikasu. Every New Year, he was filled with fear, fear that another of his beloved disciples would be gone forever.

Until... Su Mu stepped into the Narrow Mist Mountain, everything changed.

First, they received information about the 'Breath of the Sun' and the legacy of Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

Then, the last disciple, Makomo, also successfully passed the Fujikasane Mountain test with his help, and understood the truth behind the disciples' failures over the years.

Not only that, but now he also understands the so-called 'Crimson Blade,' such as 'spots,' and 'the Transparent World.' Although it's just theory, all of this is like opening a window for him, who has always been stuck in a rut in terms of strength.

Nowadays, there are also reforms to the training of new disciples.

Sakonji Urokodaki could almost foresee that the confrontation between the Demon Slayer Corps and the demons would be completely changed in the future.

"Truly, an amazing person."

Urokodaki Sakonji sighed inwardly, this was the first time he had ever praised someone so highly.

Although he was old, seeing such a junior really gave him hope of killing Muzan Kibutsuji.

Standing by the window, looking outside, the young boys and girls who had just arrived were training hard. His only disciple, Makomo, was instructing a girl. In the distance, Tanjiro was constantly tightening his grip on his Nichirin Blade, seemingly trying to master the 'Crimson Blade'.

Urokodaki Sakonji silently watched all of this. Everything was full of vitality and hope, while his aged body was like the setting sun.

Even though he has retired, as a 'pillar', there are still things he should do.