One Piece: With Sign-in System
Chapter 260 - 11: The Origin of Breathing Techniques — Ron Tells an Old Story

Chapter 260: Chapter 11: The Origin of Breathing Techniques — Ron Tells an Old Story

For a few long seconds, everyone simply stared at him, utterly speechless.

"Ahaha, did I kill the mood? My bad~"

Ron gave an embarrassed chuckle, scratching the back of his head. "That line... I’ve actually been dying to say it for a long time now. Just think of it as me trying to sound cool. No need to take it seriously."

"Anyway," he added, standing up with a stretch, "let’s head inside and have a proper talk."

As the group made their way into the hidden mansion...

Elsewhere.

In a dark, narrow alleyway.

Kibutsuji Muzan stood silently in a pool of fresh blood, his face deathly pale, his eyes colder than ice.

"That earring..."

His pupils contracted violently as a terrifying memory surfaced — a memory from a hundred years ago.

The human who had once made him taste the fear of death.

The one whose very existence had scarred him so deeply that the terror remained seared into his bones even now.

Yoriichi Tsugikuni!

For an entire century, Muzan’s fear of that man had never faded. Not for a moment.

And now... the sight of that same hanafuda earring reappearing in the world—

A heavy, oppressive rage darkened Muzan’s face. He pressed a hand against the nearby wall — and with a screech, the stone cracked and split apart under his fingers.

"Summon them."

Swish!

Two figures materialized behind him and immediately dropped to their knees.

"Bring me the head of the demon slayer wearing those earrings."

Muzan’s voice was void of emotion, like a blade of ice cutting through the night.

"At once!"

...

Back inside the mansion.

After listening to Tanjiro and Tamayo explain their respective circumstances...

"A demon free from Muzan’s curse... a demon who doesn’t feed on humans... and demons created by someone other than Muzan..."

Shinobu and Kanao sat frozen, staring at Tamayo, Yushiro, and Nezuko, unable to fully process what they were hearing.

Even Tanjiro, who had just recently learned the truth, was struggling to wrap his head around it.

Tamayo, for her part, was also deeply intrigued — and pleasantly surprised — by Nezuko’s unique situation.

"That’s pretty much the gist of it."

Ron sat leisurely at the table, munching on a pork cutlet brought back by Tamayo and Yushiro. Between bites, he explained casually, "Not every demon has to be slain. Tamayo and Yushiro survive without consuming humans. They share your hatred for Kibutsuji Muzan. Nezuko, too, has never harmed a human since she turned. She’s... special. To the Demon Slayer Corps, they’re not enemies. In fact, they might just become powerful allies in the fight against Muzan."

Hearing this, Tanjiro couldn’t hold back any longer. His heart pounding, he leaned forward and asked the question burning inside him.

"U-um... Ron, Miss Tamayo... I’d like to ask something..."

"What is it?" Ron and Tamayo replied almost simultaneously.

Tanjiro’s hands clenched into fists. His gaze was serious, almost desperate.

"Is there... is there a way to turn a demon back into a human?"

Tamayo stared at him quietly for a few seconds... and then, slowly, she nodded.

"There is a possibility," she said softly.

Hope lit up Tanjiro’s face like a sunrise.

"Every illness has its corresponding cure and treatment. Demons should be no different. Although no method currently exists to reverse demonization, if we can study and analyze the blood of demons... it’s possible that we might be able to develop a medicine to turn them back."

Her voice was gentle, but filled with conviction.

Shinobu, sitting across the table, narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, studying Tamayo carefully.

She hadn’t expected this.

A demon, operating outside of Muzan’s control, quietly conducting research to undo what he had wrought...

Suddenly, a memory stirred in her mind.

Wait...!

The Master — Kagaya Ubuyashiki — had once spoken of certain exceptional demons who might oppose Muzan.

Could Tamayo be one of those rare few he had hinted at?

Tamayo paid no heed to Shinobu’s searching gaze. Her attention was wholly focused on Tanjiro.

"As for the cure... I’ve already made some progress toward it," Tamayo said. "But... there are still some critical elements missing."

"What elements?!" Tanjiro asked urgently, leaning forward in his seat.

"First," Tamayo said softly, "please allow us to study Nezuko’s blood. She managed to survive by sleeping for two years without consuming human flesh or blood. That means some sort of extraordinary change has occurred within her body, and understanding this anomaly could be crucial for our research."

"Second," she continued, her eyes serious, "to craft a cure, we’ll need a large quantity of demon blood. The more saturated the blood is with Kibutsuji Muzan’s essence, the more valuable it is for our research."

"In other words," Ron chimed in with a smile as he leaned back lazily, "if you want your sister to turn human again, you’ll need to go out there and collect blood from powerful demons. The stronger, the better."

Tamayo nodded in agreement. "Exactly."

Tanjiro turned his gaze to Nezuko, who was lying on her back nearby, nibbling on her bamboo muzzle. Her round, beady eyes stared up at the ceiling, her small legs kicking gently against the wall as she wiggled around playfully. A surge of determination flickered in Tanjiro’s heart.

"I understand. I’ll collect as much demon blood as needed," he said firmly.

I’ll definitely turn Nezuko back into a human!

"But..." Ron said, stretching lazily after polishing off a big bowl of rice, "with your current strength, you’re nowhere near ready."

He smirked at Tanjiro. "Even against the weakest member of the Lower Moons, Lower Rank Six, you wouldn’t stand a chance."

"The Lower Moons?" Tanjiro blinked, confused. It was his first time hearing the term.

"Let me put it simply," Ron said, speaking casually, "the Twelve Kizuki are Muzan’s elite—the twelve most powerful demons under his command. Their bodies are overflowing with his blood, and they’re leagues stronger than the average demon. Some of the Upper Ranks have probably lived for centuries, becoming monsters that only the strongest Demon Slayers can even hope to challenge. They’re nearing the limit as Muzan himself."

He sounded completely nonchalant, but his words sent a shiver down everyone’s spine.

"Limit...?" Tamayo and Shinobu both exchanged serious glances, their faces darkening.

"What do you mean by ’limit’?" Tanjiro asked urgently. "What kind of limit?"

Tamayo took a slow breath, her voice heavy as she answered, "It means overcoming the weakness of the neck. A state where even decapitation wouldn’t kill them... Just like Muzan. At that point, the only weakness left is sunlight."

Tanjiro’s eyes widened in shock.

"Even if you cut off their head... they won’t die..."

Meanwhile, Ron reached over and patted Nezuko’s head. Her hair was soft, and she closed her eyes in contentment, snuggling against his hand.

"And by the way," Ron added offhandedly, "if Muzan ever manages to overcome his vulnerability to sunlight, he’ll become a perfect, invincible being. At that point, nothing—absolutely nothing—will be able to kill him."

"That will never happen," Shinobu said sharply, her pretty face unusually fierce. "We’ll kill him before that happens!"

Ron lazily glanced over at her, a smirk playing on his lips. "Honestly, with your current strength... that’s a dream."

He rested his cheek on his hand, his other hand still idly stroking Nezuko’s hair. "If Muzan led the Twelve Kizuki to attack right now, even if the entire Demon Slayer Corps fought to the death, the result would be total annihilation."

Shinobu clenched her teeth, her violet eyes locked onto him with stubborn defiance. "How can you be so sure about something that hasn’t happened yet?"

"It’s not a guess," Ron said calmly. "It’s a fact—based on the clear gap in strength between your two sides."

As he spoke, Nezuko shifted slightly, eventually laying her head across his lap, utterly relaxed. She closed her eyes, fully trusting and content as Ron continued to gently pat her head.

"Shinobu," he said, his tone turning a little more serious, "do you know the origin of the breathing techniques?"

The room fell into stunned silence.

"The origin... of the breathing techniques?" Tanjiro whispered, swallowing nervously.

Everyone stared at Ron, holding their breath.

With their full attention on him, Ron began to speak, his voice low and steady.

"A long time ago... about four hundred years ago, during the Sengoku era, there was a family called Tsugikuni. One day, a pair of twins were born into that family..."

As Ron’s storytelling voice filled the room, Nezuko let out a small sigh and settled herself more comfortably against him, as if lulled to sleep by his warmth and words.

...

While Ron was recounting the ancient story of Tsugikuni Yoriichi and the true origin of breathing techniques...

Elsewhere, two sinister figures—the Temari Demon and the Arrow Demon—moved through the shadows. Sent by Kibutsuji Muzan himself, they had finally tracked their target.

Their lips curled into menacing smiles as they stood before the hidden portal cloaked by Tamayo’s illusion spells.

"Found you~," the Temari Demon whispered gleefully.

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