Demon Slayer: Strength Gained with Every Swing of the Sword

The morning sun rose.

A strip of sunlight on the horizon illuminated the entire land.

Feng Yu stood on Xiao Hei's back, gazing into the distance.

"Perhaps after the dust settles, I'll visit the Dragon Kingdom in this world…"

Feng Yu's thoughts swirled, and his gaze dimmed slightly.

Though he often appeared indifferent, deep down, he longed to return to that land—the one he was most familiar with, the land that gave him life.

"Perhaps the Dragon Kingdom is still in seclusion..." Feng Yu mused, mentally calculating the time.

"Xiao Hei, how much further is the nearest town?" he asked.

"Ah... Lord Feng Yu, it's just ahead," Xiao Hei replied, flapping his wings with visible fatigue.

Xiao Hei, who had flown for several years, had never felt this exhausted before… But he dared not say this aloud.

"Alright, Xiao Hei, let's stop by that mountain road. You can let us down there."

To avoid causing unnecessary panic, Feng Yu decided to walk the rest of the way on foot.

Hearing this, Xiao Hei gave a cheerful cry and swiftly flew downward.

Once Feng Yu landed, Xiao Hei's massive body, about the size of an ox, shrank visibly to its usual size—like that of an ordinary crow.

"Good work, Xiao Hei. Here's a reward for you."

Feng Yu took out seven Marrow-cleansing pills from his system space and handed them to Xiao Hei.

Watching Xiao Hei eagerly gobble them down, Feng Yu speculated that once Xiao Hei finished these pills, their effect would likely wear off.

Xiao Hei's aptitude wasn't as good as Xiao Bai's, so the pills wouldn't have much effect beyond a few doses. It would be impressive if Xiao Hei could consume ten or so.

Sure enough, when Xiao Hei reached the fifth pill, he felt his body nearing saturation and lost the desire to continue eating.

Xiao Hei found himself in a dilemma—he wanted to finish the pills, but his body's instincts wouldn't let him.

Seeing Xiao Hei's struggle, Feng Yu stepped forward and said, "If you can't eat anymore, just leave it. I'll keep them for you. Next time, when you feel like it, or perhaps you can give them to your crow companions."

Feng Yu picked up the two remaining pills.

Xiao Hei tilted his head, seeming to contemplate the matter, but since Feng Yu had already taken the pills, he could only reluctantly flutter onto Feng Yu's shoulder and close his eyes to rest.

"Looks like after a night of flying, Xiao Hei's a bit worn out. He needs more training…" Feng Yu thought, making a mental note that in the future, if he traveled far, he would have Xiao Hei carry him. It would not only be more convenient but also help train Xiao Hei's stamina.

Meanwhile, Xiao Hei was already dreaming peacefully, unaware that the upcoming days would be far more exhausting than this one.

Feng Yu placed the wooden box on the ground. Xiao Bai, who had been inside, poked his head out with a drowsy expression. Compared to Xiao Hei, the difference was stark.

Xiao Bai jumped out of the box, and Feng Yu gently lifted Xiao Hei, placing him inside the box to rest.

After doing all this, Feng Yu took out some food for himself and Xiao Bai, satisfying their hunger. Then, he prepared to head down the mountain to the town to gather information.

Feng Yu's steps were slow. He was enjoying the moment. He had mastered Total Concentration Breathing to the elementary level a few days ago, and walking slowly now helped his breathing remain steady, which was beneficial for his training.

Xiao Bai, equally energetic, hopped around, expending the energy built up from being confined in the box for the past couple of days.

Every now and then, he would jump into the grass or dive into a cave.

Feng Yu wasn't worried about Xiao Bai. With Xiao Bai's current strength, even the beasts in the forest wouldn't be a threat. Additionally, no hunter's traps would be able to catch him.

Xiao Bai's pure white fur never picked up a speck of dirt. Even if it did, with a slight shake, it would automatically fall off—an almost automatic cleaning ability.

Feng Yu couldn't help but marvel.

In less than a year, the little white fox that once trembled and begged him for help in the snow now possessed special abilities.

As for himself, in just over a year, he had transformed from an ordinary person to where he was now.

Not only had the system helped, but his own relentless effort had played a significant part.

"Things will get better… Xiao Bai… Xiao Hei…" Feng Yu thought.

As for Xiao Bai and Xiao Hei, Feng Yu treated them as friends and companions rather than subordinates, even though they were bound to him by a contract.

"If the day comes when I kill Muzan Kibutsuji, will I leave everything behind in this world…?" Feng Yu pondered, looking at Xiao Bai, and questioning his own heart.

But the answer was one only Feng Yu knew.

The two of them walked on, Xiao Bai eventually tiring from his play. He jumped into Feng Yu's robe, poking his little head out, closing his eyes to rest. If someone who loved cute animals had seen this scene, it surely would have melted their heart.

"Hey, young man, are you coming down from the mountain?"

A middle-aged man, carrying firewood on his back, called out to Feng Yu.

"Yeah, Uncle, I'm just heading down to the town to have a look," Feng Yu replied with a smile.

"You… You're really coming from the forest?"

The man's face contorted in disbelief as he looked at Feng Yu.

Feng Yu frowned, not understanding the strange expression on the woodcutter's face.

"Uncle, is there something odd about the forest?" Feng Yu asked, puzzled.

"Young man, here's the thing. You must be from out of town. This whole forest is home to monsters. Anyone who goes up into the forest ends up in the monsters' territory. Those who pass by get eaten by them. We woodcutters have already lost a few people…"

The man said in fear.

Seeing Feng Yu's calm demeanor, the man continued, "It's been like this for as long as we can remember. The forest has become a nightmare for our town. Originally, we woodcutters made our living here, but one day, people started disappearing, one after another. At first, we thought they had just gotten lost, but then someone saw terrifying monsters in the forest. When they appear, there's always a thick mist…"

"The mist is filled with the sound of screams and horrific chewing noises…"

"More and more people have disappeared in the forest... Now, even we woodcutters only dare to chop wood near the edge."

"Young man, I don't know why the monsters haven't taken you, but I advise you not to come back to this mountain. It's for your own good…"

With that, the woodcutter quickly loaded his firewood onto his back, hastily ran down the mountain as if he had oil on his feet.

"This…"

Feng Yu stared at the woodcutter's swift actions in astonishment. It felt as if someone had wanted to tell him a secret, but before they could finish, they had already run off, leaving no trace.

"So… There are Demons on this mountain?"

Feng Yu asked, confused.

But the only sound that remained was the wind, no one was there to answer.

With a helpless sigh, Feng Yu could only continue down the mountain toward the town to learn more about the situation.