Chapter 335

He didn't dwell on it, turning to look at Butterfly Shinobu with curiosity: "Young Lady Butterfly, why did you call us here? Is there a mission?"

Zenitsu and Inosuke also snapped out of their daze and turned to look at her.

"This…?"

Butterfly Shinobu wore her usual gentle smile: "You'll find out soon enough."

The three exchanged glances.

After a while.

A voice rang out.

"Are you all here now?"

Everyone turned to look.

A tall, upright figure appeared out of thin air ahead.

He wore a plain black robe, draped in a green haori, smiling as he stood with hands behind his back, his long black hair tied high at the nape, a three-foot slender straight sword with a red scabbard hanging at his waist—clean, efficient, and strikingly elegant.

"Mr. Luo En?"

Tanjiro and the others looked startled.

Munakata Genya, hearing their voices, glanced at Luo En with a flicker of surprise and confusion in his eyes.

"This is the person Master mentioned…"

Though he had never met Luo En, he had heard the name from his Master, Himejima Gyomei.

He hadn't expected him to look like this…

Aside from being very tall, he looked nothing but a nobleman's son—no trace of a warrior's aura at all…

Yet despite these thoughts, Munakata Genya would never truly regard the man before him as weak.

Someone who had defeated that bastard brother, appeared suddenly beyond his perception, earned the respect of all the Pillars, and made even that powerful Master admit he had no chance against him… how could he possibly be a powerless weakling?!

The only possibility was that Luo En's strength surpassed his imagination, rendering him utterly unable to sense any aura at all…

Munakata Genya clenched his fists, his eyes locked tightly on Luo En.

This man… is undoubtedly an extraordinary powerhouse!!

42, Special Training Begins

After gathering at the Ubuyashiki estate, Luo En led everyone toward the back mountain.

On the way.

Butterfly Shinobu and the other Pillars explained the situation to Tanjiro and the others, who were still unaware.

"We've called you here so you can also join the special training."

"Special training?"

Tanjiro looked puzzled.

Zenitsu struck his palm with his fist, eyes wide with realization: "Ah! I get it! The Pillars are giving us special training, right?!"

Butterfly Shinobu shook her head: "No. Like you, we Pillars are also the ones being trained."

Zenitsu froze, then gasped in shock.

"... Eh?!?! The Pillars are being trained too?!"

Butterfly Shinobu nodded, smiling: "Mr. Luo En will be training us Pillars, guiding us to awaken the Hinokami Kagura. He suggested bringing you along as well."

Zenitsu and Munakata Genya, standing farther away, stared in shock at the tall, upright back of the figure leading them.

That man… is going to train the Pillars?!

Tanjiro and Inosuke, who had witnessed Luo En's power, were not as startled.

Tanjiro, in fact, felt great anticipation.

What would Mr. Luo En's special training be like?

It must make me stronger.

If I could become as strong as Mr. Luo En, I could protect those who need protecting—and kill that bastard…

…………

They reached a clearing on the back mountain.

Luo En stopped walking.

"We're here."

The Pillars and Tanjiro and the others halted.

Tanjiro looked around—nothing but an empty, barren stretch of land.

Kyojuro Rengoku called out loudly to Luo En: "Mr. Luo En, what exactly is the special training?"

The others turned to him.

Luo En glanced sideways at them: "Don't rush."

A brilliant light flashed briefly in his azure eyes.

Hum~

An invisible ripple spread across a hundred-meter radius.

Before Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and the other five could react, their shoulders sank under an overwhelming, sudden weight—they were crushed to the ground!

The Pillars too were bent low, struggling to stay upright, faces strained.

Goto, standing outside the gravity field, stared wide-eyed at them.

"W-what is this…?!"

Tanjiro, pinned beneath the crushing weight, widened his eyes: "This… is gravity?!"

"So strong! I can't even lift my arms!"

Zenitsu turned pale with shock.

Inosuke and Shinobu Kuwajima strained their arms, trying to rise from the ground, but it was excruciatingly difficult, their faces twisted with effort.

Kanao was the best among them, managing to force her upper body upright against the gravity, kneeling on one knee while propping herself up with her Nichirin Blade.

Look at the Pillars.

Aside from Uzui Tengen, Kanroji Mitsuri, and Ikkyu Kanao, all were bent over.

Rengoku Kokushibo, Shinobu Kocho, Shinobu Kuwajima, and Butterfly Shinobu had all initially bent under the sudden gravity, but quickly straightened their backs and stood tall within it.

Shinobu Kuwajima glanced at Butterfly Shinobu.

She's always been physically weak… when did she gain this kind of strength? Has she improved by staying with that person?

"This gravity is incredible—about seven to eight times stronger than usual."

Rengoku Kokushibo, clad in a flame-patterned cloak with sharp eyebrows, leaned on his Nichirin Blade, his eyes blazing as he stared at Luo En: "Training swordsmanship under this gravity would surely double our progress!"

"Exactly."

"Fighting each other under this gravity to hone swordsmanship—that's the Pillar's special training."

Luo En stood with his hands behind his back, smiling at them: "As for Tanjiro and the rest, just adapt to this gravity first."

Tanjiro, struggling to hold himself upright under the gravity, gasped out:

"Yes…"

And so.

The training began under this gravity.

Rengoku Kokushibo versus Shinobu Kuwajima, Butterfly Shinobu versus Shinobu Kocho, Uzui Tengen versus Ikkyu Kanao, and Kanroji Mitsuri trained with Luo En wielding a sword.

Under this immense gravity, the Pillars' sword swings trembled; their speed and technique were severely diminished. Only by fully exerting their Breathing Techniques could they barely execute complete sword forms, and their once-perfected techniques now brimmed with flaws.

To outsiders, the Pillars' swordsmanship looked utterly pathetic.

Shinobu Kuwajima gripped his Nichirin Blade with both hands and slashed out Wind Breathing: Third Form—Clear Wind Tree.

The three wind blades he spun around himself vanished instantly before they could strike.

"No! Damn it!"

Shinobu Kuwajima gritted his teeth in frustration.

The other Pillars were the same.

Tanjiro and the others had barely, with great effort, adapted to the gravity—rising from fully prone to bowing low, propping themselves up on their Nichirin Blades in a half-kneeling stance.

"Under this… state, they still managed those movements… No wonder they're Pillars."

Zenitsu's face was strained with effort.

Tanjiro, leaning on his Nichirin Blade, drenched in sweat, his eyes resolute: "We… we have to adapt too—quickly."