Chapter 11: Sun Breathing? Moon Breathing

Early the next morning, Zero took Xiao Yue and arrived at the Ubuyashiki mansion early.

And Kagaya Ubuyashiki and his wife had already been waiting for him in the courtyard hut.

According to Zero's request, Kagaya Ubuyashiki found the portrait of Yoriichi Tsugikuni from the Warring States Period, but it was somewhat damaged; after all, time had passed, and the portrait was somewhat blurry.

"Zero, this is the portrait of the founder of the initial Breathing Technique, Yoriichi Tsugikuni! But because too much time has passed, it is already somewhat damaged and blurry."

Zero looked at the portrait. Although it was not very clear, for him, it was enough.

"Oyakata-sama, thank you. This is enough, I will find a way for the rest."

"Since that is the case, then I will leave it to you. In addition, this is the normal Nichirin Sword you wanted."

Kagaya Ubuyashiki let his wife hand a normal Nichirin Sword to Zero.

Zero took the Nichirin Sword, looked at it, and smiled: "Okay, sorry for the disturbance!"

"No problem, then we won't disturb you!"

As soon as the words fell, Kagaya Ubuyashiki left the courtyard hut with the support of Amane Ubuyashiki.

Watching Kagaya Ubuyashiki leave, Zero began his action.

"Master, this portrait is already somewhat blurry, will it work?"

"Whether it works or not, I'll know after trying!"

【Turn on scanning!】

He turned on the scanning mode of the analysis glasses and scanned the portrait.

【Scanning... Scanning failed!】

"As expected, it still doesn't work?"

"Master, why don't you try other methods to see if you can restore this portrait? Maybe it can be done!" Xiao Yue gave her suggestion.

"Hmm, you're right! Since the portrait is somewhat blurry, then we will restore it using our own methods!"

Subsequently, Zero took out some things from his nano-space, a large sheet of white drawing paper, some pens, and some pigments.

"Although I don't know if it can succeed, I can try! If it really doesn't work, then I'll look for other ways."

Afterward, Zero began to copy according to the outline of the portrait, copying every stroke carefully.

Although he knew the possibility of doing this was a bit low, he could only do this now, while Xiao Yue accompanied him on the side...

After two or three hours, he finally finished copying the portrait.

The character in the portrait had a high ponytail, long hair that was black with red, wore Hanafuda earrings, and had a deep red flame Demon Slayer Mark on his left forehead.

"Finally done, although it was only copied according to the outline, I don't know if it is exactly the same?"

Taking a deep breath, he turned on the scanning mode of the analysis glasses again.

【Turn on scanning!】

【Scanning... Scanning successful!】

"That's great, finally succeeded!"

He immediately turned on the projection mode of the analysis glasses to project the information directly and watch it with Xiao Yue.

【Name: Yoriichi Tsugikuni】

【Identity: Second son of the Tsugikuni family】

【Age: 80 years old (died at the age of)】

【Brother: Michikatsu Tsugikuni】

【Wife: Uta】

【Best friend: Sumiyoshi Kamado】

【Birth era: Warring States Period】

【Breathing Technique: Founder of Initial Breathing · Sun Breathing】

【Features: Congenital Demon Slayer Mark, Transparent World】

【Weapon: Nichirin Sword, the hilt and scabbard are black, the blade is a black-red sun-flame blade, the base of the blade is engraved with a single "Destroy" character, the guard is a black wide cross shape,】

【Introduction: The second son of the Tsugikuni family during the Warring States Period, he had a twin brother Michikatsu Tsugikuni. Because of his father's indifference, he was unwilling to speak, which once made people around him think he was born deaf and dumb. But for his mother and brother who always treated him kindly, he was still sincerely respectful and worshipped them.

His swordsmanship talent and attainments were extremely high. After showing his amazing talent, he was changed his mind by his father to inherit the Tsugikuni family as the second son.

He was called by his brother a person who was "favored by the gods" and "did not show even subtle emotional fluctuations," which also made his brother, who felt inferior to him, feel jealous.

After his mother died of illness when he was a child, he left his family and parted ways. On the way, he passed by a neat farmland and met the love of his life—Uta. They spent ten years together and became husband and wife.

After becoming an adult, after his wife Uta died, he became taciturn, serious, and earnest, because his own strength was beyond mortal, he became indifferent to feelings.

After becoming friends with Sumiyoshi Kamado, Yoriichi Tsugikuni would also help take care of Sumiyoshi's little daughter Sumire when Sumiyoshi's wife Suyako was sleeping.

And in his later years, he encountered his brother who had become a demon. Yoriichi Tsugikuni did not kill him immediately, but instead shed tears of sadness for him and lamented for him...】

"It seems my guess yesterday was indeed correct... hmm..." Zero looked at the introduction of this information, it was not very complete, and it seemed that something was missing.

He took out his notebook and pen, opened a new page, and began to record Yoriichi Tsugikuni's information.

After recording, he flipped back to the previous page and drew a line next to the words 【Michikatsu Tsugikuni】 and wrote the words 【Became an Evil Demon】.

"Sure enough, Michikatsu Tsugikuni became an evil demon. Although my guess yesterday might have a little deviation, at least it proved that the train of thought was not wrong, but I always feel that something is missing..."

Xiao Yue watched Zero talking to himself on the side, holding a pen and recording something.

She was very well-behaved and didn't disturb him, just floating on the side watching. Besides Luo Li and his comrades, she was the one who knew Zero's personality best.

Every time Zero received a mission in the starry sky, he always formulated a plan for everyone, reducing the danger to the lowest level to avoid accidents.

But every time he performed a mission, he always liked to rush to the front, and even if he was injured, he wouldn't stop his forward steps. This was also one of the characteristics that allowed him to quickly become the space-time patrolman Zero.

Zero looked at the information on the projection screen, and then drew two lines next to the words 【Yoriichi Tsugikuni】 in his notebook. One line wrote 【Yoriichi's wife: Uta】, and the other line wrote 【Best friend: Sumiyoshi Kamado】.

"Yoriichi Tsugikuni's wife Uta, and his best friend Sumiyoshi Kamado..."

Looking at these two names, he fell into thought again. He always felt that something was missing in the information, but he didn't know where the problem was...

"Yoriichi Tsugikuni's wife died, but the cause of death was not explained..." Zero's train of thought was somewhat chaotic, but he still sat on the tatami mat and thought calmly.

Just when his train of thought was somewhat chaotic, Zero remembered the discussion with Kagaya Ubuyashiki about the Demon Slayer Corps.

According to Kagaya Ubuyashiki, everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps had an irreconcilable hatred for evil demons, and everyone's family or brothers and sisters had been killed by evil demons.

Therefore, joining the Demon Slayer Corps was not only for revenge, but also to protect the people around them, and also to kill all evil demons, so that everyone would no longer suffer from evil demon attacks and return to peace.

"If... Yoriichi Tsugikuni's wife... was killed by an evil demon?"

Although Zero felt that his idea had some discrepancies, after all, Yoriichi Tsugikuni was so strong that it was not an exaggeration to say that he was the ceiling of strength during the Warring States Period, and protecting his wife was more than enough.

But what if his wife's body had some condition that caused Yoriichi Tsugikuni to have to go out?

And in the process of going out, he met someone who needed help and delayed the time, failing to rush home as soon as possible...

Evil demons only act at night. At that time, Yoriichi Tsugikuni might have been delayed by other things and hadn't returned yet. During this period, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's wife, who was waiting for her husband to return home alone, happened to meet an evil demon who was foraging and was killed...

Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who rushed home afterward, felt regret and pain for his dead wife... It was precisely because of this that his personality became more taciturn than before...

"If it is really as I guessed, then what was the reason that forced Yoriichi Tsugikuni to have to go out..."

Just when he was thinking, a flash of inspiration suddenly flashed, and he looked up at the information on the analysis glasses projection screen again.

"Became husband and wife... adult... help best friend take care of little daughter..." These three pieces of information made him think of something.

"Although it is only a guess, if it is because his wife was pregnant, and then she was about to give birth, and there was no one else near their home, which caused Yoriichi Tsugikuni to have to go out to find a midwife..."

This idea kept lingering in Zero's mind, and in the dark, it seemed that something was pulling him.

A guess is a guess, but as soon as he thought that if things were really as he thought, then it would be unforgivable, after all, it was two lives in one body...

After all, he seemed to have encountered similar things before, but his memory was very blurry, and he couldn't remember when it happened.

Thinking of these, he couldn't help but clench his fists, making a "click" sound.

"Phew~" After forcing himself to calm down, he continued to think.

"If my guess is really like this, then after this, he was discovered and comforted by the Demon Slayer Corps, and it might be precisely because of this opportunity that Yoriichi Tsugikuni joined the Demon Slayer Corps and taught them Breathing Technique, making the Demon Slayer Corps' strength go to the next level..."

"If it's really like this, then it seems to connect with my guess yesterday!"

His mind suddenly became clear, and added to yesterday's guess, it was like the unknown road ahead was blocked by fog, and after exploration, it became somewhat clear.

So he drew a line under 【Yoriichi's wife: Uta】 and wrote the words 【Pregnant, about to give birth】, then drew a line under the name 【Yoriichi Tsugikuni】 and wrote the words 【Go out to find a midwife】, and finally connected it with 【Pregnant, about to give birth】.

Finally, he drew a line alone next to 【Yoriichi's wife: Uta】 and wrote the words 【Killed by an evil demon】.

"Although that is said, I always feel that something is missing... what exactly is it...?"

The pen stopped in his notebook, and Zero felt that things were not as simple as his guess and imagination.

After thinking for a while, he decided to put this matter aside for the time being, and wait until he went to Kagaya Ubuyashiki's study to find the answer before thinking about it.

He kept his gaze on the words 【Best friend: Sumiyoshi Kamado】.

"……Best friend... hmm..." The information mentioned that Yoriichi Tsugikuni was a taciturn person. To be regarded as a best friend, it should be under the action of some coincidence that they became best friends.

"Eh? I seem to have ignored something? What exactly is it...? Why do I always feel that I have forgotten something? Muzan? No... what exactly is it?!"

"I always feel that something is missing in one place... forget it, I don't want to think about it, wait a minute and go to Kagaya Ubuyashiki's study to check the Demon Slayer Corps'... Demon Slayer Corps? Michikatsu Tsugikuni?!"

Just when he was planning to put this matter aside first, it seemed that some fog had dispersed in his mind, allowing Zero to perceive some of the keys.

He guessed that Yoriichi Tsugikuni joined the Demon Slayer Corps after his wife died, so Michikatsu Tsugikuni should also have joined.

Afterward, he reorganized the information collected yesterday, and then according to yesterday's information, Zero made another guess: Yoriichi Tsugikuni met his brother, Michikatsu Tsugikuni, while performing a mission after joining the Demon Slayer Corps.

Because he showed his strength, Michikatsu Tsugikuni also longed for this power, so he also joined the Demon Slayer Corps and became a demon hunter like Yoriichi Tsugikuni.

In the Demon Slayer Corps, Yoriichi Tsugikuni taught his Breathing Technique to everyone, but unexpectedly, because Sun Breathing was too powerful and could not be mastered, five Breathing Techniques were derived, but these five Breathing Techniques were ultimately not as good as the powerful Sun Breathing.

"I don't know which Breathing Technique Michikatsu Tsugikuni is... I feel that he is definitely not one of these five basic Breathing Techniques!"

"The information mentioned that Michikatsu Tsugikuni felt jealous of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, so he must have wanted to comprehend a powerful Breathing Technique to surpass Yoriichi Tsugikuni!

But the information mentioned that everyone in the Demon Slayer Corps could not master Sun Breathing. Presumably, with Michikatsu Tsugikuni's talent, he certainly could not master it!"

"Then what exactly is his Breathing Technique? It's not these five basic Breathing Techniques, then he should have derived a new Breathing Technique based on Sun Breathing, which is stronger than the five basic Breathing Techniques and second only to Sun Breathing..."

Thinking about it, he still couldn't figure out the reason, so he lay directly on the tatami mat, with his right arm on his forehead.

"Not in the five basic Breathing Techniques, but stronger than the five basic Breathing Techniques, second only to Sun Breathing... which one is it?"

Xiao Yue saw this, landed directly on Zero's chest, supported her chin with both hands, swung her legs, and comforted him: "Master, you don't have to think so much, just let nature take its course!"

"Xiao Yue, you should understand why I want to do this?! We came to this dimensional world and were suppressed by the interface. Our strength can only exert half or even less!

If there are very powerful monsters in this world, then our lives might be threatened, such as that idiot Muzan Kibutsuji!

Therefore, I want to collect more information to make plans for the unknown time later, to prevent accidents!

Even if the long-standing things in this dimensional world might become new unknowns in this era!

Making plans early is beneficial for both us now and later! After all, we don't belong to this world, and sooner or later we will go back!"

Xiao Yue also understood these words, and also knew that it was like fighting in the starry sky, where everything might be full of unknowns and mutations, and even the smallest things might become the key to turning the situation around.

"Hmm, Xiao Yue knows. But Master, you don't have to force yourself too much!"

"Rest assured, I won't!"

Zero lay on the tatami mat, closed his eyes, and there was always a fog in his mind that he couldn't see clearly, as if the answer was close at hand, but he couldn't capture it.

"The sun is light, illuminating the day, letting everyone see all things in the world! The moon is also light, illuminating the road forward for people at night!

The sun rises in the east, the moon rises in the west. Rest at sunset, sleep at moonrise! The sun has morning and evening, day and night, the moon has cloudy, sunny, round, and missing, the sun and moon shine together..."

Thinking of these words in his mind, he suddenly seemed to capture a trace of the answer.

"Sun and moon shine together... Sun and moon shine together!!!" At this moment, Zero's train of thought became much clearer. He opened his eyes suddenly, and a rise almost threw Xiao Yue, who was lying on his chest, out.

He quickly used his hand to hold Xiao Yue and put her aside, saying sorry: "Sorry Xiao Yue, I scared you just now! I seem to have found the answer."

Xiao Yue was somewhat stunned by what happened just now, but she understood her master's personality, and being able to find the answer naturally made her feel happy for him.

"Yes, it doesn't belong to the five basic Breathing Techniques, and it is stronger than these five basic Breathing Techniques and second only to Sun Breathing! If Sun Breathing is compared to the light of the sun during the day, then the moon is naturally the light at night!"

At this moment, Zero seemed to understand. Although it was only a guess, if he didn't even dare to think boldly about the guess, then how could he talk about things later?!

"Yoriichi Tsugikuni is Sun Breathing, then the Breathing Technique used by Michikatsu Tsugikuni, I guess it should be Moon Breathing! Weaker than Sun Breathing, but stronger than the five basic Breathing Techniques!"

He drew a line next to the name 【Michikatsu Tsugikuni】 and wrote the words 【Moon Breathing】, and then drew a double arrow symbol next to the words 【Sun Breathing】 on another page and wrote 【Moon Breathing】.

Sun Breathing? Moon Breathing.

The Breathing Technique derived from Sun Breathing is stronger than the five basic Breathing Techniques, but only weaker than Sun Breathing.

"Although it is only a guess now, I believe that if there is a chance later, it will definitely prove whether my guess is correct."

Subsequently, he gave a command to the analysis glasses:

【Search: Sun Breathing moves】

【Searching... No relevant information found】

【Search: Moon Breathing moves】

【Searching... No relevant information found】

"None... but it doesn't matter, I believe I will find it later, but I don't know if there is anyone in the Demon Slayer Corps now who can use Sun Breathing and Moon Breathing? Wait a minute, I'll go and ask Kagaya Ubuyashiki!"

Zero originally intended to search for information about 【Sun Breathing】 and 【Moon Breathing】 moves to do research. Although he didn't get the answer he wanted, it didn't mean he wouldn't find the answer later.

At least time will prove everything, but I don't know how long it will take? Maybe a day, maybe a month, maybe a year, or even longer.

These are not what he is thinking about now. He just wants to make the answer and plan he wants for the road full of unknowns.

Even if this is all just a guess, it is better than doing nothing.

It's like danger is everywhere. A safe place will eventually become a dangerous zone one day! A truly safe place is one's own strength! If the strength is strong, one will also be much safer.

And Zero reorganized some information collected yesterday and today just now, and also made another guess: Yoriichi Tsugikuni being expelled from the Demon Slayer Corps might not be that simple.

If it was just because he failed to kill Muzan Kibutsuji and let him escape and the female demon he let go, Yoriichi Tsugikuni would at most be blamed and punished by everyone!

But if it was added that his brother Michikatsu Tsugikuni became an evil demon when he was a Demon Slayer swordsman, and it was known by the members of the Demon Slayer Corps, then Yoriichi Tsugikuni being expelled from the Demon Slayer Corps was not necessarily unfeasible.

Because the Demon Slayer Corps is an organization that exists to destroy evil demons and eliminate Muzan. Since there is a Demon Slayer swordsman who has become an evil demon, that is an unforgivable traitor.

According to the habits of the Neon country, not only will he be condemned, but he will also have to commit seppuku to apologize.

As for why Michikatsu Tsugikuni became an evil demon, Zero already knew the answer yesterday, that is 【Demon Slayer Mark】.

There are still many fogs of problems that have not dispersed, but Zero firmly believes that as long as he keeps exploring, he will definitely disperse these fogs and find the answer.

Subsequently, he drew a line next to the name 【Yoriichi Tsugikuni】 and wrote 【Brother became a demon, expelled from the Demon Slayer Corps】.

"Became an evil demon... no, this Michikatsu Tsugikuni became an evil demon, then his strength must be very powerful?!"

Zero seemed to have guessed something else. Michikatsu Tsugikuni and Yoriichi Tsugikuni were both people from the Warring States Period, so becoming an evil demon, plus hundreds of years of precipitation, his strength must be self-evident!

"If it's really like this, then can those Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps defeat him? 【Breathing Technique】 and 【Demon Slayer Mark】 plus 【Transparent World】, then how powerful is this evil demon called Michikatsu Tsugikuni?!"

The more he thought about it, the more incredible it felt. After all, Michikatsu Tsugikuni became an evil demon, plus these things on his body, he must be a very powerful swordsman evil demon!

Zero even made a very bold and possibly true assumption: The strength of Michikatsu Tsugikuni, who became an evil demon, is so powerful that he can destroy all the Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps!

He opened a new page, drew a diamond pattern, wrote 【Michikatsu Tsugikuni】 above the diamond, wrote 【Moon Breathing】 on the left, wrote 【Demon Slayer Mark, Transparent World】 on the right, and wrote 【Became an evil demon】 at the bottom.

After thinking about it, he wrote the words 【Strongest Swordsman Evil Demon】 in the middle.

Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down again, organized the information, and continued to flip back to the previous page to look at the name 【Best friend: Sumiyoshi Kamado】.

"Sumiyoshi Kamado... became best friends with Yoriichi Tsugikuni. Presumably, it should be that Sumiyoshi Kamado's family encountered an evil demon and was saved by Yoriichi Tsugikuni, who was still a Demon Slayer swordsman, so they became best friends..."

"Let's try it!"

【Search: Sumiyoshi Kamado】

【Searching... No relevant information found】

"Uh... I really am..." A cross appeared on Zero's forehead, and he couldn't say anything for a long time.

This feeling is like catching prey. He had already found the target, but because he was too vigilant, he accidentally let out a fart and scared the prey away.

You don't even know if the prey was scared away by the sound of your fart, or smoked away by the smell of the fart.

"Sigh~ I'm really convinced! It was clearly shown in the information that he was Yoriichi Tsugikuni's best friend, but I couldn't search for it..."

"Pfft!" Xiao Yue saw Zero's appearance and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Okay, Xiao Yue, you dare to laugh at me! Watch how I teach you a lesson!"

He reached out a hand, grabbed Xiao Yue, put her in his palm, and began to tickle her.

"Giggle giggle... see if you still dare to laugh at me!"

"Hahaha... Mas... Master... Xiao Yue knows she was wrong!... Next time... next time... I will definitely... still dare... hahaha... so itchy... Master... don't tickle anymore... hahaha..."

"You still dare to have a next time!"

"I don't dare anymore, I don't dare anymore... hahaha... spare me, Master... hahaha... I swear to the light bulb..."

Hearing Xiao Yue's oath, Zero let go of Xiao Yue: "That's more like it!"

But after thinking about it, he felt something was wrong: "Swear to the light bulb?!"

"Xiao Yue!"

However, Xiao Yue was already floating, and Zero couldn't catch her at all: "Blehh~ Master, you can't catch me! Heehee!"

Xiao Yue said with a smile while sticking out her tongue.

"Sigh~ forget it, forget it, I don't want to bother with you. I don't know who you learned it from? Besides Luo Li, I can't think of anyone else!"

He turned around and pretended not to bother with Xiao Yue anymore.

Xiao Yue saw that her master didn't bother with her, flew down to Zero, and acted spoiled: "I'm sorry, Master, Xiao Yue knows she was wrong."

"Sigh, you really are a little fool!" He touched Xiao Yue's head with his finger and said: "But it's good like this, at least with you accompanying me, I won't be so lonely."

"Master, Xiao Yue said, she will accompany you to the end!"

"You, you! Alright, I still have things to do now. After things are finished, I will take you around and accompany you to relax!"

"Hmm hmm!"

The little interlude of the two's play ended temporarily, and Zero picked up the notebook and pen on the ground to continue recording information.

"Although there is no information about this person called Sumiyoshi Kamado, maybe I can look for it according to the surname 【Kamado】 later, maybe I can find it. Presumably, there should be his descendants in this era... probably..."

Thinking of these, he used a pen to circle the surname 【Kamado】 next to the words 【Best friend: Sumiyoshi Kamado】, wrote 【Descendants】, and added a question mark.

After recording these, he put the pen and notebook aside, and then looked at the ordinary Nichirin Sword placed on the side... ===== CHAPTER 12 =====