Throughout the past year, Horitake's power had increased with steady, unwavering precision. Every ounce of his newfound strength was forged through his own sweat and discipline—a result of pure, unadulterated cultivation.
Because his growth was gradual rather than explosive, it meant that for the entirety of the year, the System had been practically dormant. For reasons unknown, the System had not issued a single quest for twelve months. Consequently, Horitake had received zero rewards.
Without quests and the subsequent rewards, his strength could only climb at a natural pace, devoid of the sudden leaps he had grown accustomed to.
At times, out of sheer annoyance, Horitake would try to communicate with the System in his mind. He would demand to know why this "damn system" had been silent for so long. Faced with his interrogation, the System would only offer vague, stammering excuses, claiming that this year was merely a "transitional period" or some other nonsense.
Naturally, Horitake was far from satisfied with that answer. If he could have reached into his own mind and dragged the System out by its collar, he would have given it a thorough thrashing long ago.
Fine, if there are no quests, so be it, he eventually rationalized. He was a practical man. Relying on his own training to build his strength was hardly a bad thing. In fact, a year of continuous, rigorous cultivation had yielded a different, highly beneficial result: his foundation was now more solid than ever.
In the past, the System would frequently pop up with a quest. Once completed, Horitake's power would surge violently. While the feeling of rapid growth was intoxicating, it inevitably left his foundation somewhat unstable. This year of peace and steady progress had allowed him to anchor his power deep within himself.
All in all, Horitake's life over the past year had been exceptionally fulfilling.
As the days turned into weeks, the Demon Slayer Corps approached an important milestone.
The Final Selection at Fujikasane Mountain.
This biennial event marked the infusion of fresh blood into the Corps. It was a day of immense significance, one that commanded the attention of everyone from the highest Pillars to the lowest kakushi. After all, the previous Final Selection had produced two of the Corps' current Pillars: Mitsuri Kanroji, the Love Pillar, and Horitake, the Sky Pillar—the strongest combatant in the organization's history.
Naturally, expectations were sky-high. Even if this Selection didn't produce a "monster" on Horitake's level, the Corps hoped to find at least a few seeds with the potential to reach the rank of Pillar.
Sensing the collective hope of his comrades, Horitake could only chuckle inwardly.
This Final Selection would certainly not disappoint them. While it wouldn't produce another "anomaly" like himself, it would indeed bring forth several Pillar-level candidates. At the very least, the "Trio"—Tanjiro Kamado, Zenitsu Agatsuma, and Inosuke Hashibira—would undoubtedly pass!
These were the three protagonists, after all. They were the "Children of Fortune," beloved by the very destiny of this world. Even though they didn't technically become Pillars by the end of the original story, their combat prowess and value had firmly reached that echelon. Given enough time to grow, their ascension to Pillar status was a certainty.
So, the Corps had nothing to worry about.
Horitake himself was looking forward to the Selection. However... before he could attend, he had to finish his current task. He had to deal with this bastard first!
Indeed, Horitake was currently on a mission, mid-pursuit of a demon.
Over the past year, his primary focus had been medicine and training. He only took on missions when the situation was so dire or complicated that the Corps had no other choice but to rely on him.
What kind of mission could be so difficult that only the Sky Pillar could handle it? Was it a member of the Twelve Kizuki? Some ancient, powerful demon?
Not quite. Horitake could say with absolute certainty that this demon wasn't particularly strong or powerful. It was just... incredibly, infuriatingly slippery.
If he had to describe this mission in four words, it would be: A thousand-mile pursuit.
By Horitake's estimation, he had been chasing this creature for a very long time, covering a distance that easily exceeded a thousand miles. Yet, despite his efforts, the demon remained just out of reach.
The creature excelled at nothing else—except running away.
Under normal circumstances, no demon could escape Horitake. His mastery of Thunder Breathing had reached a transcendent level; his speed was unrivaled in the world. There should have been no one faster than him.
But this demon was an exception. Its raw speed wasn't necessarily faster than Horitake's, but it possessed a unique advantage that allowed it to slip through his fingers time and time again: it could fly.
Among demons, Blood Demon Arts were varied and strange, but those that granted flight were rare. Aerial units were few and far between. The last demon Horitake had encountered with such a capability was one of Hantengu's clones—the avian one.
This demon was similar. It was covered in feathers, possessing a human head on an eagle's body. Its arms were wings, and its legs ended in sharp talons. It flew at high speeds and, more importantly, at extreme altitudes.
Since it was merely an insignificant side-character, Horitake didn't even bother to learn its name. He simply referred to it as the "Eagle Demon."
The Eagle Demon's specialty was flight—high and fast. In a straight footrace, it couldn't hold a candle to Horitake, but whenever Horitake closed the distance, the creature would simply beat its wings and soar into the clouds.
Horitake couldn't fly. He had no way to pursue it into the sky, and even his ranged attacks couldn't reach such heights with enough precision to kill. It was an incredibly thorn in his side.
Furthermore, true to its name, the Eagle Demon possessed extraordinary vision. From high above, it could spot the smallest movements on the ground. Even at night, this telescopic sight allowed it to see Horitake approaching from miles away, giving it plenty of time to take flight and vanish into the darkness.
These abilities combined to make the Eagle Demon a master of escape, leading Horitake on a fruitlessly long chase across the country.
As the pursuit dragged on and the miles piled up, Horitake's irritation reached a boiling point.
This can't go on, he thought, his brow furrowed in frustration. The moment he sees me coming, he bolts into the sky. How am I supposed to kill him if I can't reach him?
Was the illustrious reputation of the Sky Pillar really going to be tarnished by a coward who only knew how to fly away?
Maintaining his pace and keeping his eyes locked on the silhouette in the sky, Horitake began to frantically search for a countermeasure.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 30 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"