Demon Slayer: Taking Care Of Tanjuro's Wife And Daughter

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Name: Ryuji

Constitution: 3.25 (The average for a normal human is 1.)

Agility: 3.25 (The average for a normal human is 1.)

Strength: 3.25 (The average for a normal human is 1.)

Spirit: 3.45 (The average for a normal human is 1.)

Technique: Breath of the Sun (4.6/100)

Attribute Points Available: 2.55

Ryuji stared at the glowing panel before him, the strange, otherworldly numbers seemingly alive. He didn't hesitate. His finger drifted toward the skill labeled Breath of the Sun. Without a second thought, he allocated 2.5 attribute points into the technique.

The moment the points were distributed, a searing heat erupted in his mind.

"Agh!" Ryuji gripped his head, doubling over as waves of excruciating pain crashed into him. Memories not his own—countless hours of practice, blinding sunlight, the rhythmic inhale-exhale of perfectly controlled breathing—flooded his consciousness. It was overwhelming, as though decades of training had been condensed and injected into his brain all at once.

Needle-sharp pricks danced across his skull, but behind the agony, there was something else. Power.

When the pain subsided, Ryuji staggered to his feet, sweat dripping from his brow. His chest heaved, but his heart was steady, burning with the knowledge he had just acquired. His breaths came naturally now, syncing with the rhythm of Breath of the Sun.

"So this is what it feels like..." he whispered, clenching his fists. Strength surged through his body—raw and untamed. It was intoxicating. He felt as though he could split a boulder with a single punch.

But this newfound power came with a familiar unease. His body felt foreign, unbalanced.

"I need to adapt... quickly."

He opened the panel again.

Constitution: 3.99

Agility: 3.99

Strength: 3.99

Spirit: 3.99

Technique: Breath of the Sun (7.1/100)

Attribute Points Available: 0.05

Ryuji frowned. By his calculations, adding points to Breath of the Sun should have pushed all his base stats past 4. Yet, they stubbornly remained at 3.99. A ceiling.

"Why won't it break through?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the flickering numbers. There was something unnatural at play—an unseen force keeping him from surpassing this limit.

The thought filled him with frustration.

"No matter. I'll figure it out."

Without hesitation, Ryuji left his home. The moon hung high in the sky, casting pale light on the narrow dirt paths of the village. His sharp eyes scanned the streets until they landed on a house on the outskirts—the home of a local thug who had long terrorized the townsfolk.

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Ryuji kicked the door open with a deafening crash.

"What the—?!" The man, a hulking figure with greasy hair, bolted upright, his small, piggish eyes wide with fear.

Before he could scream, Ryuji closed the distance. The blade at his side remained sheathed. There was no need for it. With one swift motion, he struck the man in the chest, sending him flying into the wall.

The house trembled with the impact, the wooden beams groaning under the force.

"D-Demon!" the man wheezed, clawing at the ground.

"No," Ryuji said coldly. "I'm just cleaning up trash."

With one final blow, the man slumped to the ground, lifeless.

---

A soft chime echoed in Ryuji's ears.

"Ding. Congratulations, host. You have gained 0.1 attribute points."

"Ding. Congratulations, host. You have gained 0.1 attribute points."

Ryuji opened the panel, immediately allocating the new points to Breath of the Sun.

As the points were added, a familiar flood of memories and insights filled his mind. He could feel his mastery of the technique deepening, his movements becoming sharper, more instinctual.

Yet, as his stats flickered on the screen, something strange happened.

The barrier at 3.99 remained. Constitution, Agility, Strength, and Spirit—all refused to budge. The numbers pulsed faintly, as if on the verge of breaking through, but something held them back.

"What... is this?" Ryuji murmured, his jaw tightening.

The power he had felt moments ago seemed distant now, blocked by an invisible wall. Could it be the limits of his current body? Or something tied to this strange, game-like system he had awoken with?

Whatever the reason, Ryuji knew one thing for certain.

"I'll break through," he said, his voice low and resolute. "No matter what it takes."

After all, humans have limits. These limits stem from their innate physical structure.

Ryuji raised his head, his sharp gaze piercing through the morning mist as he muttered under his breath, "Have I already reached the limit of my human body? The Breath of the Sun—even its techniques—can't seem to push me beyond this boundary."

He clenched his fists thoughtfully. The idea had struck him like a lightning bolt during his last battle.

"If increasing my physical capabilities through the Breath of the Sun isn't feasible, then… can I enhance my physical strength directly?"

Ryuji's mind flickered back to his early training days. Before he had learned the Breath of the Sun, he had already experimented with ways to enhance his physical abilities. Back then, it was enough. But as his mastery over the Breath of the Sun grew, he had prioritized it, believing it to be a more efficient path.

"But now, I may need to revisit those methods…" He paused, his brows furrowing. "Still, I'll need a real test—a fight against a demon. Only then will I know if this theory holds any weight."

The sun had risen, bathing the forest in soft light. Ryuji sighed. "No point taking action now.." With that, his figure vanished into the shadows.

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As the morning grew brighter, Tanjiro Kamado stepped out of his home, wiping the sleep from his eyes. He stopped when he spotted his uncle, Ryuji, already hard at work in the training yard. Tanjiro's heart sank slightly.

'Uncle Ryuji's talent is incredible,' he thought, ashamed. 'He's already so strong, yet he works harder than anyone. I… I have to push myself harder!'

His determination ignited, Tanjiro clenched his fists. "I won't fall behind," he whispered to himself.

Ryuji noticed him and paused mid-movement. Beads of sweat glistened on his brow, yet his expression was calm and composed.

"Tanjiro, you're up early," Ryuji said, his tone casual but warm.

Tanjiro lowered his head slightly, his voice tinged with admiration. "Compared to you, Uncle, I'm far behind. You're so strong and so hardworking. I can't waste any more time—I need to catch up!"

Ryuji blinked, surprised by the boy's earnestness. For a moment, he thought about explaining that his training wasn't just about diligence—it was about survival in a world overrun with demons. But he stopped himself. If Tanjiro's misunderstanding fueled his determination, so be it. Hard work was never a bad thing.

"Good. Keep that mindset," Ryuji said with a small nod. "In this world, strength is everything. If you don't train, you risk losing what's most important to you."

Tanjiro's eyes burned with resolve as he turned toward his training area. Meanwhile, Ryuji resumed his practice, adjusting to his growing strength with each strike and step.

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About an hour later, as the day fully blossomed, the sound of approaching footsteps reached Ryuji's ears. He turned to see Himejima Gyomei, the towering Stone Hashira, entering the training grounds. The gentle clink of his prayer beads accompanied his every movement.

Gyomei stopped and nodded at Ryuji. His serene expression remained unchanged, though his deep voice carried warmth. "Ryuji-san. Training already?"

"Gyomei-sama," Ryuji replied, stepping forward with a respectful bow. His lips curled into a faint smile. "Actually, I was hoping to ask for your guidance. I made some progress recently and would like to test it against you."

Gyomei clasped his hands together, his prayer beads slipping between his fingers. "It seems last night's events left quite an impression on you," he said, his tone light yet knowing.

Ryuji chuckled softly but didn't refute the claim. Instead, he raised his hands, shifting into a combat stance. "If you don't mind, Gyomei-sama."

The Stone Hashira's smile widened slightly as he assumed his own stance. "Very well. Show me your resolve."

Ryuji wasted no time. His figure blurred as he dashed forward, his palm striking toward Gyomei with incredible force.

The collision was swift and powerful. Gyomei met Ryuji's strike with his own open hand, their palms slamming together with a deafening boom. The ground beneath them cracked, and the air around them seemed to ripple with the force of their clash.

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