The three new occupants in the Butterfly Mansion's sickroom instantly made it lively, though it gave the residents of the Butterfly Mansion a bit of a headache.
Tanjirou was fine; he was very sensible, but unfortunately, his two roommates were slightly deranged.
Luckily, Kochou Shinobu was keeping them in line, so Zenitsu had been relatively quiet recently, but a certain Pig-headed Boy who couldn't read the atmosphere would occasionally shout a few words and loved roughhousing with Zenitsu.
He was disciplined repeatedly but never changed, proving his brain was comparable to reinforced steel.
Kanae's study of Snow Breathing was not going smoothly. Mizuki received the inherited classic texts from her, which were not the original but a handwritten copy.
Moreover, this copy looked quite old, and out of the original eight Sword Forms, only three or four moves remained.
They were Snow Breathing, First Form: Tornado, Fourth Form: Warm Snow, Snow Breathing, Seventh Form: Snow - A Fissure of Light, and Snow Breathing, Eighth Form: Endless Snow. Among them, the Fourth Form and Seventh Form were not pure Snow Breathing, but mixed with Flame Breathing and Thunder Breathing.
Kanae pointed to the copy and said, "Every time I use the Fourth Form and Seventh Form, my lungs ache, and I feel a clear sense of obstructed breathing."
Mizuki closed the slightly yellowed pages and handed them back to Kanae: "That means your physique is not suited for these two moves."
"Although Snow Breathing is derived from Wind-Water Breathing, most of its Sword Forms are mixed with other Breathing Techniques. If one doesn't possess a suitable physique, using these moves will indeed only cause side effects."
It should be known that the Five Great Breathing Styles are the most fundamental Breathing Techniques, having almost no barrier to entry.
If one specializes in a single Breathing Technique, the practice will, at most, result in either getting twice the result with half the effort or half the result with twice the effort, but it will absolutely not create an unbearable burden on the body.
Snow Breathing, however, is different. Pure Snow Breathing naturally only requires a physique compatible with Wind-Water Breathing.
But for some of its Sword Forms, the mixture is not simply a concept of one plus one plus one equals three.
This requires not just compatibility with the Five Great Breathing Styles, but compatibility with Snow Breathing and the Five Great Breathing Styles. The difficulty here skyrockets, and the transitions, especially during combat, can easily injure the body.
Snow Breathing is the kind of technique where you might be able to learn most of the Sword Forms, but you can absolutely never learn all of them completely.
According to Kanae, Snow Breathing has been passed down to the present day, and many people have even treated some of its moves as mere tricks to fool others.
Currently, Snow Breathing encompasses all other Breathing Techniques except Stone Breathing, which requires heavy weapons to be utilized to its fullest. To find someone compatible with all Five Great Breathing Styles...
...is difficult.
Kanae asked, "Are there any Sword Forms that I can learn?"
She currently mastered three Breathing Techniques: Water Breathing, Flower Breathing, and Snow Breathing.
Regarding Water Breathing, her talent was limited, preventing her from developing it fully, but Flower Breathing was quite suitable.
However, because it is a derivative breathing style, it is not necessarily stronger than the Five Great Breathing Styles; she only uses it because it suits her better.
Snow Breathing, on the other hand, was learned by chance. It is a Derivative Breathing Technique extended from two basic Breathing Techniques, and it turned out to be surprisingly suitable.
Moreover, from Kanae's understanding, although Snow Breathing is a Derivative Breathing Technique, it is absolutely no weaker than the Five Great Breathing Styles; it is just peculiar in certain aspects.
Mizuki pondered for a moment: "Hmm, I will first organize the Snow Breathing Sword Forms. Kanae, you can start by studying them. You will definitely be able to easily master the pure Snow Breathing Sword Forms."
Although the Sword Forms of Snow Breathing have been developed up to the Eleventh Form, the pure Sword Forms actually only go up to the Eighth Breathing Form.
It can only be said that this is to complete the Sword Forms missing from the copy for Kanae.
The usable Sword Forms are likely only the First, Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth, and Eighth.
"Then I will trouble Miss Mizuki."
Mizuki smiled and shook her head: "You're welcome. It's fine as long as I can help you."
Kanae opened her mouth to say something, but in the end, she just nodded with a smile.
Mizuki copied the Sword Forms, but only instructed Kanae to practice the pure Snow Breathing Sword Forms.
Learning the Sword Forms was not difficult for this group of highly talented Hashira. Kanae, who already mastered Breathing Techniques, completely mastered them after a little practice.
Just as Mizuki was about to try helping her activate the Demon Slayer Mark, an order from Ubuyashiki dashed their plans.
The mission required her to cooperate with the Wind Hashira, Sanemi Shinazugawa, to go and slay a Lower Rank Demon Moon.
Hearing this news, Mizuki couldn't help but be surprised. She pulled out her little notebook, which clearly stated that Muzan would lay off staff after Mount Natagumo.
But now... a Lower Rank Demon Moon was actually appearing.
Did Muzan not lay off staff?
Kochou Shinobu was curious about the little notebook Mizuki was holding, so she shifted her seat and tilted her head to look.
Mizuki glanced back, and Shinobu's body swayed before she forced herself to sit back down calmly.
Mizuki simply handed the notebook to her and asked Kanae, "Is the intelligence reliable? Has it been confirmed to be a Lower Rank Demon Moon?"
"Yes, according to the Demon Slayer who escaped and returned, it should be Lower Rank Four of the Twelve Demon Moons."
Information regarding the Twelve Demon Moons is either unknown or absolutely correct.
The number in their eyes doesn't lie.
Kochou Shinobu was utterly confused looking at Mizuki's notebook. Hearing Kanae's words, she couldn't help but look up and express concern: "Sister, you must be extra careful on this trip."
Kanae reassured her: "Don't worry. With Mr. Shinazugawa there, I don't think anything will go wrong."
Kochou Shinobu nodded slightly. Shinazugawa, when he was with her sister, behaved like a human being, so things should be fine.
"Then I will go back and prepare now. Excuse me." Kanae bowed slightly toward Mizuki and Kochou Shinobu before leaving.
"Take care, Sister." Kochou Shinobu returned her gaze to the notebook, finding that it was filled with text and symbols she couldn't understand.
Flipping back, there was information about the Upper Ranks. The Master also had a copy of this, and it had already been distributed to the Demon Slayer Corps.
The text in this section was normal, but the latter part was completely illegible to her.
She turned her head, intending to ask, only to see Mizuki frowning, looking somewhat distracted.
She couldn't help but gently push her: "Mizuki?"
"Hm?" Mizuki's eyes were clear.
Shinobu couldn't help but worry: "Are you alright?"
Mizuki paused, then shook her head: "I'm fine."
She was just surprised why Muzan hadn't laid off staff, not worried about these demons becoming a threat.
Lower Rank Demon Moons, ultimately, cannot be considered fighting power.
The gap between them and the Hashira is far greater than the gap between the Hashira and the Upper Ranks.
Any Hashira who hasn't awakened the Demon Slayer Mark can easily deal with them.
Otherwise, Muzan wouldn't have laid off staff so decisively.
Seeing that she truly seemed fine, Kochou Shinobu's slightly furrowed brow relaxed, and she smiled: "In that case, I..."
"Hahaha! this great lord is fully recovered!"
"PIG ASSAULT! PIG ASSAULT!!"
Kochou Shinobu: "..."
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