Chapter 70: The God of Fire Dance

Tanjuro tried to stop him, but his chest began to ache, his throat tickled, and he burst into violent coughing.

“Father!” Little Tanjiro stood helplessly beside him, wanting to help but not knowing how.

The oden vendor, hearing Tanjuro’s violent coughing, hesitated, then turned back and gently patted Tanjuro’s back. “Itachi need real rest—your body won’t hold out much longer.”

THUD!!!!

No sooner had he spoken than a tremendous crash erupted from the carpentry shop ahead, shaking the entire building and startling everyone nearby.

The next instant, a dark shadow flew out from inside and landed right at the oden vendor’s feet.

It looked human—but was covered in sharp fangs and claws, its face grotesque and terrifying.

The oden vendor took one look and recoiled in terror.

Though it wasn’t noon, the setting sun’s glow struck the demon’s body and unleashed astonishing power, instantly igniting its entire form.

“Aaaahhhhh!!!!”

The demon’s agonized screams drew a crowd of merchants.

Some trembled in fear, their terror mixed with confusion and bewilderment.

What in the world is that thing?

Everyone watched in silence as the creature, shaped like a man, burned to ash.

Tanjuro had already covered Little Tanjiro’s eyes, watching the monster’s death in full himself, heart pounding.

It was all real.

“Where did that young man go?” Tanjuro turned toward the carpentry shop—it was pitch black inside, nothing visible.

“Was that monster thrown out by the young man just now?” The oden vendor was nearly stunned, his face pale as death.

While they were still bewildered, Chu Yang had already slipped out the back door, reached the forest beyond town, and drawn his greatsword.

The commotion had been too loud; Chu Yang couldn’t afford to stay in town, nor could he risk drawing too much attention to Tanjuro in front of others—it would harm his future life.

So he slipped away during the chaos.

He leapt onto a tree, leaned against the trunk, and dozed off, waiting outside for Tanjuro.

After a while, Tanjuro finally appeared at the end of the mountain path, slowly leading Little Tanjiro by the hand.

“Itachi’re late.”

Chu Yang leapt down from the tree and landed before the father and son.

“Thank Itachi just now—if not for Itachi, I’d have run straight into that demon.” Recalling the scene, Tanjuro shuddered with relief, deeply grateful.

“No thanks needed—I saved Itachi for a reason.” Chu Yang waved his hand, then said seriously: “I want to make a deal with Itachi.”

Tanjuro was instantly confused—he had nothing valuable to trade except charcoal.

Chu Yang cut straight to the point: “I want Itachi to teach me the God of Fire Dance. In return, I’ll give Itachi a substantial sum of money so Itachi and your family can live better.”

“So that’s it.” Tanjuro immediately understood—Chu Yang had set his sights on his family’s sacred God of Fire Dance. He realized it made sense; his only valuable possession was the dance.

“But… how did Itachi even know about the God of Fire Dance?” Tanjuro asked, puzzled.

“We’ll talk as we walk.” Chu Yang bent down, picked up the drowsy Tanjiro, and walked ahead without waiting. Tanjuro froze for a moment, then hurried after him.

Then Chu Yang told Tanjuro everything: the origin of demons, the history of the Demon Slayer Corps, the friendship between Kokushibo and Tanjirou.

For this man whose life was nearing its end, Chu Yang had no need to hide the truth—and Tanjuro’s nature meant he’d never spread such secrets.

As they spoke, they neared Tanjuro’s home in the mountains.

Learning all this, Tanjuro felt a profound, indescribable emotion—he never imagined the Breath of the Sun would be passed down in this way.

“It seems my short life had meaning after all.” Tanjuro smiled, his eyes shining with a light he’d never shown before.

“Even without the Breath of the Sun, Itachi are an excellent father. Your life’s meaning isn’t given by the Breath of the Sun—it’s given by your child.” Chu Yang replied sincerely.

Thinking of his child, Tanjuro found peace. No matter what, he had to leave something behind to ease his wife and son’s future.

He had no reason to refuse Chu Yang’s offer—and the man didn’t seem evil.

Finally, at the door of his home, Tanjuro performed the God of Fire Dance for Chu Yang—his movements fluid and swift, utterly unlike a sick man’s.

Tanjuro prepared to perform it again, but Chu Yang stopped him—his talent was such that one viewing was enough to memorize every detail.

If Tanjuro performed the dance twice in succession, his body would be utterly drained.

As agreed, Chu Yang left behind a fortune, ensuring Tanjuro’s widow and orphan could live well after his death.

This fortune came precisely from the demon in the carpentry shop.

That demon had long roamed human society, preying on people and collecting valuables from corpses as trophies—over time, it had amassed a great deal of wealth.

Chu Yang cared little for wealth; no amount could replace the Breath of the Sun.

Beyond money, Chu Yang used Wood Release chakra to restore some of Tanjuro’s vitality—enough to extend his life by several years, giving him time to see Tanjiro grow to adulthood, though not enough to cure his illness.

Interestingly, the sleeping Tanjiro seemed to sense something.

He clung desperately to Chu Yang’s clothes, refusing to let him go; Chu Yang had to exert effort to free himself.

After bidding farewell to Tanjuro’s family, Chu Yang’s solitary figure vanished once more into the darkness.

Tanjuro stood by the door, gazing after Chu Yang’s retreating back.

In the night, he looked up at the heavens and silently offered a heartfelt prayer.

“May the gods protect Itachi!”

…

Leaving Tanjuro’s home, Chu Yang retraced his steps. When he passed through the town again, it was unusually lively.

Blood stained every corner of the carpentry shop.

The bodies of the owner and his family had been devoured by the demon beyond recognition—how could such a horrific crime scene fail to cause an uproar?

More importantly, many merchants had witnessed the demon’s death firsthand.

Just as Chu Yang wondered what to do…

Around the town, he spotted members of the “Hidden.”

Clearly, they’d been sent by the Demon Slayer Corps to handle the aftermath.

The town’s remote location made news spread slowly.

The impact was minimal, making it relatively easy to manage.

Far more troublesome were battles near Kyoto—hard to conceal, forcing the Ubuyashiki clan to mobilize official connections.

In places like this, as long as money was paid, even the gravest matters could be buried—and the Ubuyashiki clan had more than enough.

Let professionals handle professional matters. Chu Yang had no intention of interfering; he planned to return to the temple and train in the Breath of the Sun. If a mission came, he’d kill demons.

As for the Butterfly House, if Tengen Uzui came to his senses, he’d visit Shinobu himself—this was none of Chu Yang’s business.

After joining the Demon Slayer Corps, Chu Yang began his life of demon-slaying and training—a simple, two-point routine.

In the One Piece and Naruto worlds, Chu Yang’s situation was much the same.

Meanwhile, in the Harry Potter world, Chu Yang experienced his first Halloween since beginning his studies at Hogwarts.

(End of Chapter)