Uchiha Bing shook his head.
Witnessing his mother die with his own eyes and his father being eaten alive by a demon was indeed tragic enough, but within the Demon Slayer Corps, it was almost commonplace.
Who didn’t have friends or family members who had died at the hands of demons?
He turned to leave, but suddenly a child’s voice mixed with sobs reached his ears.
“You’re a swordsman who specializes in slaying vicious demons, right?
Can I join you?”
Uchiha Bing turned his head and carefully sized up the child.
He looked to be around eleven or twelve years old, with an ordinary appearance and no discernible special talent.
However, encountering a demon without losing his mind from fright showed a bit of courage.
Joining the Demon Slayer Corps, he would at least become a road pillar.
Uchiha Bing was not clear about the specific process of the Demon Slayer Corps recruiting newcomers.
He turned his head to look at the Kasugai Crow: “How does the Demon Slayer Corps generally handle victims of demons like him?”
The Kasugai Crow, which was standing at the window grooming its feathers, froze involuntarily upon hearing Uchiha Bing’s question.
“Uchiha Bing, I’m just a bird.
Don’t ask me such complicated questions.”
Birds could talk?
The little boy stopped sobbing and stared wide-eyed at the crow.
Uchiha Bing was silent for a moment.
He had really overestimated this crow’s intelligence.
“He wants to join the Demon Slayer Corps.
What should he do?”
The Kasugai Crow happened to know the answer to this question.
“They are generally sent to a trainer for training.
If they have talent, they participate in the selection to become an official swordsman; if they lack talent, they are transferred to logistics or join the Kakushi.”
A trainer?
Uchiha Bing’s eyes lit up.
He had already learned Water Breathing and was looking for an opportunity to see what other Breathing Styles were like, and whether there was a Breathing Style more suitable for him, such as the fastest Thunder Breathing.
Speaking of which, the compatibility between Breathing Styles and Chakra was very high.
Chakra’s five-element ninjutsu were: Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning.
The five major schools of Breathing Styles were: Wind, Flame, Water, Stone, Thunder.
Although there were slight differences in names, the basic attributes were the same, making them very valuable to learn.
Uchiha Bing decided that whether he specialized in a single Breathing Style or created a unique one in the future, it was necessary to learn all five major Breathing Styles. This story is hosted at g.com.
“What’s your name?”
Uchiha Bing turned around and looked at the little boy.
“Yamada.”
“I’l take Yamada to the trainer, and it just so happens I can learn a new Breathing Style.” Uchiha Bing looked at the Kasugai Crow.
“Do you know where the nearest trainer is?
What Breathing Style do they teach?”
“Information about trainers requires me to make a trip back to headquarters to know; after all, I’m just a bird.”
The island nation’s area was not large.
The Kasugai Crow flew back to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters in the middle of the night and flew back by morning.
By this time, Uchiha Bing had just helped Yamada bury his parents.
Two new graves stood side by side on the hillside behind the house.
There were no tombstones, only two flattened pieces of wood stuck in the dirt.
Yamada knelt in front of the graves and kowtowed three times, his forehead stained with mud.
To be honest, it was truly incredible that the headquarters of the Demon Slayer Corps had not been exposed to this day.
This method of transmitting messages via Kasugai Crows could easily be noticed by vicious demons.
With demons’ physical abilities exceeding ordinary people by several times, they could completely keep up with the speed of a Kasugai Crow and sneak into the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.
After all, Kasugai Crows didn’t have intelligence bases like branches; all information was directly handed over to the master.
Forget it, if you ask, it’s just that the Demon King has no brain.
Anyone with a slightly normal brain wouldn’t lay a hand on the doctor who treated them.
Not being able to find a single flower in a thousand years sounded baffling.
If you just cooperated with the government, given the island nation’s nature, there wouldn’t be any place for Demon Slayer Corps Members to hide.
The Kasugai Crow brought news of the nearest trainer, along with a secret decree from Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
The Kasugai Crow stood on the graves of Yamada’s parents and conveyed Kagaya Ubuyashiki’s instructions word for word, with precise articulation.
“Kuei-class member Uchiha Bing, hear my order.”
“Verified and confirmed by Kakushi members: After joining the Demon Slayer Corps, you have slain and eliminated one hundred and ten vicious demons with your own hands, among which are two elites among vicious demons who possessed the Blood Demon Art.”
“Your merits are illustrious, and your contributions are extraordinary.”
“Therefore, Lord Kagaya Ubuyashiki specifically issues this decree: exceptionally promoting Uchiha Bing’s member rank, leaping from [Kuei] to [Ting]!”
“May you continue to work diligently and achieve new merits!”
Jumping six ranks at once was indeed rare.
But Uchiha Bing didn’t care.
Swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps below the Hashira were divided into ten ranks.
On the surface, the hierarchy was distinct, but in reality, there were only two ranks—Hashira-level and non-Hashira-level.
“Uchiha Bing, Lord Ubuyashiki thinks very highly of you.”
After promulgating the secret decree, the Kasugai Crow resumed its previous lazy posture, leisurely grooming its feathers.
“As a violent apparatus, the capable rise and the mediocre fall is a leader’s most basic judgment.”
Uchiha Bing was unimpressed.
With the Kasugai Crow leading the way, the two humans and one bird crossed mountains and ridges, soon arriving at the trainer’s residence.
Maeda Hideki, a former Grade Kano Swordsman of the Demon Slayer Corps, encountered a Lower Rank of the Twelve Kizuki during a mission.
Although he survived by a fluke, his amputated body could no longer support him in frontline combat.
Thus, he retreated to the second line and became a trainer, continuing to fight against vicious demons from another perspective.
The Breathing Style this trainer excelled at was Thunder Breathing.
Although this former Grade Kano Swordsman had an empty left sleeve, an obvious scar on his face, and one cloudy eye that clearly could no longer see, his overall aura was not low, exuding a fierce bravery seasoned by long battles.
His gaze carried scrutiny as he swept his eyes over them.
“Mr.
Maeda, this child is named Yamada.
He encountered vicious demons last night, lost both parents, and wants to join the Demon Slayer Corps.” Uchiha Bing got straight to the point.
Maeda Hideki’s gaze fell on Yamada, silently sizing him up for a moment.
Yamada’s eyes were still red, but standing half a step behind Uchiha Bing, he neither lowered his head nor trembled.
Maeda gave a soft grunt.
“Come in.” Then his gaze returned to Uchiha Bing, pausing for a moment on the nichirin blade at his waist.
“You are a swordsman who practices Water Breathing?”
“Yes.”
“Escorting newcomers is something the Kakushi should handle.
Do you have other business?”
Uchiha Bing didn’t beat around the bush: “I want to learn and understand Thunder Breathing.
You don’t need to teach me personally; just let me see the basic sword forms.
In exchange, I can do anything for you.”
Maeda Hideki was silent for a moment, then propped himself up with a cane, standing on one leg under the veranda.
He supported himself with one hand on the door frame to keep his balance, his gaze level with Uchiha Bing’s.
“Anything?”
“Anything.”
“Then chop the firewood in the courtyard first.”
Uchiha Bing followed his gaze toward the corner of the courtyard.
A mountain-like pile of logs was stacked there, numbering at least several dozen.
Next to it stood an old axe, its handle polished smooth and shiny.