Chapter 223: 223 ’Blossom
"The true Thirteenth Form..."
Tsukiguni Yoriichi muttered, his gaze on Reiger shifting.
In fact, like Reiger, he had always believed that the Thirteenth Form he created could not be considered a new sword technique.
It was merely a cycle of using the twelve forms of Sun Breathing sequentially; something anyone capable of using the first twelve forms could achieve. How could that be considered a new form?
Thus, although Tsukiguni Yoriichi had conceived this so-called Thirteenth Form during his encounter with Kibutsuji Muzan, he never named the technique.
Because, in Tsukiguni Yoriichi’s view, this form could only be seen as an application of the previous twelve forms of Sun Breathing.
He had thought of creating a truly new sword technique, but the idea quickly passed.
After all, at that time, his fated encounter with Kibutsuji Muzan, the one destined to be his only such battle in life, had ended with Muzan’s escape, leaving him with a lifetime of regret. His own brother had fallen into demonhood, murdered the lord he served, and he himself had been expelled from the Demon Slayer Corps, becoming utterly alone.
Afterwards, Tsukiguni Yoriichi almost aimlessly wandered the world like a ronin, living like a walking corpse, devoid of any desire to create new sword techniques.
Yet, the young man before him seemed to have accomplished something he had not in his lifetime.
"Click..."
Under Tsukiguni Yoriichi’s watchful eye, Reiger slowly sheathed his sword, returning the hermit into its scabbard.
However, the blazing flames surging around Reiger were not only not extinguished, but instead grew more tumultuous and fierce.
They transformed into strands of fire, flowing like currents, winding around the sword at Reiger’s waist.
Then, the flames seemed to be compressed into the scabbard, all of them poured in.
Reiger lowered his body, stepping forward with one foot and retreating with the other, adopting a charging stance while gripping the scabbard with one hand and the handle of the sword with the other.
Seeing that posture, Tsukiguni Yoriichi immediately realized.
"Iaijutsu, huh?"
Iaijutsu, that is to say, the art of the quick draw.
To increase the power and speed of a strike using the friction of drawing the sword from its sheath, achieving a one-strike kill. That is iaijutsu.
The first form of Thunder Breathing, known for its quickest speed and explosive strength among the five basic breathing techniques, "Thunderclap and Flash," is an iaijutsu—a quick-draw slash.
Is the true Thirteenth Form created by Reiger also a quick-draw technique?
"So that’s why you said there was one more sword strike yet to come?"
Iaijutsu naturally involves only a single strike.
Its pursuit is the effect of a one-strike kill; one strike to defeat the enemy, one strike for victory. Once the sword leaves the scabbard, there is but one slash; if that one fails, there are no follow-up moves.
That means...
"As long as I block this one strike, I win."
Tsukiguni Yoriichi also lowered his body, gripped his sword with both hands, and the transparent luster in his eyes grew more intense.
In this moment, Tsukiguni Yoriichi pushed his Transparent World to the limit.
"See through it!"
That was the only thought left in Tsukiguni Yoriichi’s heart.
However, Tsukiguni Yoriichi soon trembled.
Because he noticed that the intensity of Reiger’s breathing had suddenly risen several levels; the oxygen drawn into his lungs transformed into power continuously pouring into his limbs and organs, into every cell, causing the strength bursting from within him to surge several fold!
"Boom!"
This was the sound of his blood boiling, as well as the tumult of raging flames bursting forth from Reiger’s form.
Endless fire flowed towards the sword at Reiger’s waist, into the scabbard, causing a sharp humming within it.
A tidal wave of high temperature and pressure erupted instantly from Reiger, sweeping around like a hurricane.
"Sun Breathing, Thirteenth Form..."
A voice, as if coming from inside the sun, faintly emerged.
Firelight bloomed, flames burst forth, and the whole world seemed to be dragged into the sun’s core, shaking and swaying violently.
At that moment, in Tsukiguni Yoriichi’s Transparent World, all that could be seen was a bright sun rising before his eyes.
Then, that sun transformed into a figure, a beam of fire, occupying all of his vision and mind.
In a trance, the figure within the firelight seemed to draw the sword.
That one strike was as hot as if it could evaporate everything.
That one strike, as if the sun itself was compressed into the blade, was fiery red.
The ultimate heat, the ultimate cut, flashed through Tsukiguni Yoriichi’s Transparent World and was gone.
When Tsukiguni Yoriichi came back to his senses, the scene before him changed, returning to that high mountain, to the peak turned into a sea of fire.
Then, Reiger’s voice came softly from behind Tsukiguni Yoriichi.
"Secret Technique: Blossom."
The glowing Sun Wheel Blade was gently sheathed back into the scorching scabbard as Reiger’s voice fell.
"————"
Time, it seemed, stopped in that second.
Tsukiguni Yoriichi stood still for a long while, silent for a long time.
After a long moment, he softly opened his lips, his voice warm and gentle.
"Well done..."
With those words, the sword in Tsukiguni Yoriichi’s hand snapped.
The break in the blade still bore marks of being scorched red-hot.
"Pff!"
At the same time, a sudden spurt of blood appeared before Tsukiguni Yoriichi, a deep cut visible to the bone.
The wound was nearly deep enough to cleave Tsukiguni Yoriichi in two, drenching his entire body in blood.
"Huff—"
Reiger exhaled the air that had been pent up in his lungs for so long and simply stood there, unable to move any longer.
Upon closer inspection, his whole body was trembling, each muscle twitching, a clear sign he could fight no more.
There was no helping it.
Sun Wheel Breath: Thirteenth Form: Blossom.
This was the secret technique Reiger had created, the final form of Sun Wheel Breath, the strongest form, and a sublime, fleeting strike.
"Just now, in that instant, you didn’t just use breathing to enhance your body, but you further pushed all your strength to its limit, increasing your power several times over, didn’t you?"
As if feeling no pain at all, Tsukiguni Yoriichi spoke these words, his back facing Reiger and his body dripping with blood.
"Exactly." Reiger didn’t turn to face Tsukiguni Yoriichi, or rather, he no longer had the strength to do so. "By intensifying my breath suddenly, I focused all of my body’s strength to burst forth in an instant, squeezing out my physical power to its utmost extent, so that I could multiply my strength several times in that instant."
"After that moment passes, my body becomes incapable of moving any further."
"Therefore, I can only swing my sword once, one final time."
Hence, Reiger developed this strike within his swordsmanship, elevating the force of this blow to its apex.
The power unleashed in that moment not only multiplied Reiger’s physical abilities several times but also magnified the power of the Sun Wheel Breath by the same margin.
Reiger compressed all the flames of the Sun Wheel Breath that erupted in that state into the scabbard of the Sun Wheel Blade.
Thus, not only would the blade of the Sun Wheel Blade heat up again, increasing its lethality, but the flame bursting forth from the scabbard at the moment of the draw would propel the sword at a speed so terrifying it reached a whole new level.
Such a swift strike was too fast for even Tsukiguni Yoriichi, who had mastered the ways of the world since childhood, to see through or keep up with.
Such devastating power could cleave not just a common iron blade but even a top-grade special weapon in two.
A supreme strike that combined the ultimate speed and ultimate strength, leaving no room to dodge, to react, to defend, to resist—the ultimate, final slash.
This was the Thirteenth Form of Sun Wheel Breath that Reiger created, the secret technique of Sun Wheel Breath.
Its name was—"Blossom."
"Perfect."
Tsukiguni Yoriichi articulated his appraisal without hesitation.
Even then, as if he felt it wasn’t enough, he added another sentence.
"Unassailable."
To elicit such words from the progenitor of the breath techniques of this world spoke volumes about how astounding Reiger’s Thirteenth Form really was.
Tsukiguni Yoriichi’s face then showed an unprecedented look of fulfillment.
"As I leave this world, being able to witness the Sun Wheel Breath manifest such potential, such brilliance, I have no more regrets."
"’Blossom’ truly is an exceptionally fitting name."
"You will definitely be able to wield it well."
Tsukiguni Yoriichi’s tone brightened, losing its previous steadiness yet remaining perceptive.
"...Thank you. For fulfilling such an unreasonable request of mine at the end."
Reiger fell silent for a moment before he summoned the last bit of strength in his powerless body, turned around, and bowed in gratitude to Tsukiguni Yoriichi.
Without Tsukiguni Yoriichi, Reiger would not have learned the Sun Wheel Breath.
Without learning the Sun Wheel Breath, he wouldn’t have been able to evolve it, possessing the astonishing combat power to steadily transcend a level and, in a state of constant concentration, to continuously improve and see more possibilities for becoming stronger.
So, this bow was owed. It was a debt of gratitude for teaching.
"No need," Tsukiguni Yoriichi replied, shaking his head. "You took on the responsibility I unilaterally entrusted to you, filling the void I left in my life. It is I who should thank you."
As he spoke, Tsukiguni Yoriichi’s body began to fade into an illusion.
"This way, I can finally go to my wife."
The injuries on Tsukiguni Yoriichi’s body vanished, like a mirage blending with the surrounding scenery, shimmering away.
Seeing this, Reiger gave a faint smile.
"Rest assured, you and your wife will have a future."
"You will both be reborn into an age of peace and meet again, marry once more."
"At that time, you both are certain to live safely and happily for all your days."
"I promise."
This was also the ending as per the original work.
"...Is that so?"
Tsukiguni Yoriichi seemed lost in thought, apparently picturing that future, his smile genuinely happy.
"If that is true, then that would be wonderful..."
Having said that, Tsukiguni Yoriichi disappeared.
Along with the dream, slowly fading from Reiger’s view.