Breath of the Moon

Ch 3: Michikatsu

"Speaking"

'Thinking'

"Blood Demon Art/Hollow Technique."

Reviews:

Dragonlord001: In later parts of the series, I would agree with you. But Komomamura is easily the weakest of the captains, and even after he gained immortality, he didn't get considerably stronger. Strong enough to deal with Muzan, but not with ease. Any other captain would have no problem dispatching somebody like Muzan, even if they have to keep him in place until sunrise.

Guest 01: I do plan on doing that, but the list will be short.

NinjadFang1331: Thank you.

As I said, I wrote a lot of chapters all in one week. I'll release them monthly until I run out. But I've been on a major writing spree recently, so I don't think I will.

It hit the six-month mark since Kenji moved in and started to train Ichigo and Isshin. Within that time, Isshin learned the basics of total concentration breathing and the basics of repetitive action, to Kenji's surprise. While Isshin's prior experience as a Shinigami helped him, his older body certainly made it take longer than the former squad ten captain would have liked. Kenji still praised him for learning everything he physically could in near record time. The only individual who learned faster was the late Stone Hashira Gyomei Hiwajima. At least, according to records, Kenji was able to… acquire after sneaking into various mansions under the command of the Ubayashiki family.

Ichigo, meanwhile, took longer to learn, but that was because he needed to learn Total Concentration Breathing, Total Concentration Breathing Constant, and Recovery Breathing, which did answer some of his earlier questions about training while sleeping. Being able to be ready and in a state to fight at the drop of a hat, even when sleeping, was helpful. Apparently, it was something meant more for Advanced Demons Slayers, but Kenji was nothing if not a thorough taskmaster.

Ichigo, now 11 years old since five months prior, struggled to block Kenji's strikes. And Kenji wasn't even sweating. "You're slow to react!" The old man called out to his student. Ichigo tried and nearly failed to block another strike. "You call yourself a demon slayer? All I see is a little boy struggling. The Demons aren't going to show you any mercy when compared to me!"

"You're too strong!" The 11-year-old called out, his voice echoing in the empty forest clearing Kenji had prepared prior. It was, thankfully, the free day Ichigo had from school. He envied all the five school-day countries.

"Bull." Kenji retorted. "At my best, I would be too strong for anybody. But I've brought my level down to where a Prospect Demon Slayer, about to go through final selection, would be. If you can't match my movement now, let alone when I start using breathing techniques, then you have no right to be a demon slayer." Ichigo was forced to block a swing that came from below. Kenji reared back for another swing.

"T-Time," Ichigo called out, pausing Kenji right in the middle of the swing. The Kenpachi scowled.

"Humph. Fine, if you want to be that way." Kenji tossed aside the practice Bokken. "Need to use the bathroom or something?"

"No, huff. Just a question." Ichigo panted as he dropped his on Bokken to catch his breath. Total Concentration Breathing hit differently when doing more than walking. "When am I going to learn Breathing Styles?" He asked.

Kenji, still scowling, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, counted to ten, and relaxed his features. "May I ask what prompted this sudden urge to learn Breathing Styles?"

"Well, it's just that I've only been doing basic swords training for the past two weeks. I've already learned Total Concentration and its two derivates, Constant and Recovery. But those alone won't put me on a level capable of beheading demons, as you said yourself." Ichigo pointed out.

Kenji closed his eyes in thought. 'On one hand, learning the basics is important, and a man who masters the basics is nigh-undefeated. On the other hand, if he dedicates his time to only the basics, he will never go beyond a certain level.' "All right. You've made a valid point, Ichigo." Kenji offered. "I'll begin by testing your affinity."

Ichigo brightened before dimming again. "How do you test that?"

"By simply having you do a form of one of the Five Basic styles. See which one best aligns with you. If one is close but not quite there, then we'll look at Sub-elements, and if no sub-element fits, then it will be up to you to create a new style based on one of the five basic styles."

"Wait," Ichigo began, "How are you going to teach me forms of the Five Element Styles? Don't you use Breath of Hell?"

Kenji nodded. "I'm surprised you remember that. You only saw it on the night that demon attacked. But yes, I use a Breathing Style that isn't one of the five basic elements of Thunder, Flame, Stone, Water, and Wind; in fact, it's closer to Breath of the Sun or Hinokami Kagura than it is its own style. I created Breath of Hell when I learned Sun Breathing but lacked the necessary finishing power to truly call it Sun Breathing. I could never compare my Sun Breathing to a natural Sun Breather. But because of my study, I created a breathing style that's nearly as effective. And being a sun breather has the added bonus of me being capable of all five element styles, albeit with the caveat that I will never master the forms to the level most users can."

Ichigo blinked. "Really? Do you think I'm capable of being a Sun Breather?" Having the most powerful breathing style would make Ichigo that much more capable.

Kenji waved him off, deflating Ichigo's hopes. "Oh no, extremely unlikely. Like, a 1 in 300 chance. Maybe less. Only a select few can learn Sun Breathing, and even fewer can master it. But don't worry about that. I'm going to start you with the first form of Water Breathing. Water Breathing is simultaneously the easiest of the five elements to learn but the hardest to master. The element that's the opposite is Stone. It is the hardest to learn, but once you do, it is easy to master."

"Now, for water breathing, the key is fluidity. You not only have to move fast, but you must be limber and smooth with your motions. While all Breathing Styles use all the muscles in a body, each style prioritizes certain muscles over others. Water prioritizes muscles around the torso and hips for clean movements. Now, I'm going to slow myself down, so try to watch my movement as best as you can."

Kenji grabbed a simple, non-nichirn katana that was leaning on a nearby tree. Ichigo immediately snapped to attention as Kenji breathed in. "Water Breathing First Form: Water Surface Slash." Suddenly, Kenji was moving fast and, in a single strike, took down a tree of decent thickness.

Ichigo looked at the downed tree in surprise before looking at Kenji, who was on the ground breathing heavily. "Are you all right?" He asked, concerned.

Kenji waved him off while huffing more. "Yeah. I'm fine. Just forgot how taxing this was." Kenji grinned. "If I weren't capable of a variant of Sun Breathing, I'd be hacking up a lung right about now. That's usually what happens to demon slayers who use a breathing technique their bodies can't tolerate." He pushed himself up from the ground.

"All right, now you try." Kenji said, handing the katana to Ichigo. "Make sure to visualize water flowing. It'll help."

Ichigo nodded. "Breath of Water First Form: Water Surface Sla-" Ichigo stopped his form, dropping to the ground and hacking.

Kenji walked to where the Katana first lay. He grabbed a water bottle and tossed it to Ichigo. It was something he brought in case Ichigo pushed his total concentration too far. "Drink slowly. You don't want to choke. After you've had five minutes to recover, we'll try a different breathing style."

Ichigo drank a slow stream of water before taking a periodic moment to breathe deeply. "I have a question."

Kenji's eyebrow raised. "Go ahead."

"Are people limited to only one breathing style?" Ichigo asked.

Kenji hummed. "Well, people who learn sub-elements can almost certainly use one of the five elements that said sub-element was based on. But I assume you're asking if somebody who learns thunder breathing could theoretically learn stone breathing, correct?" He proposed as Ichigo nodded. "Well, that is to say, it's not impossible, and there have been a few people who learned two of the five elements, but it's a scarce and difficult thing to do."

"How so?" Ichigo inquired.

Kenji waved his hand around. "Well, when it comes to breathing styles, compatibility is key. Nearly everyone, save for Sun-Breathers and Demon-Eaters, possess natural affinities for one of the five basic elements. Which makes it extremely difficult to learn a breathing style your body is not compatible with. Not only that but learning a breathing style you aren't suited for means you'll never match up to a master of that breathing style, as they will always have an easier time with that element."

Ichigo picked up on the words 'Demon-Eaters' but focused on the breathing arts for the moment. "So, by testing me out with all five elements, you're looking for my affinity and, therefore, will teach me that element." Ichigo pointed out.

Kenji looked at Ichigo in a deadpan. "Well, duh. I thought I was making that clear."

"Hey! I'm eleven. Things aren't so obvious all the time." Ichigo complained.

"If you have time to complain, you have time to practice," Kenji said, grabbing the Katana from Ichigo's hands. He took a lunging form. "Follow this. Breath of Thunder, First Form: Thunder Clap and Flash." And in the blink of an eye, Kenji cut through another tree.

Ichigo looked at him in shock. "I thought you'd be going slow!"

Kenji rolled his eyes as he took in a deep breath. "I was. I could've gone ten times faster, and a master of Thunder Breathing could've gone closer to thirty. Now you try. Here's a hint: focus on the muscles in your legs."

Ichigo's eye madly twitched.

"Yo. Where are you taking me?" Urahara complained as he rode piggyback while blindfolded.

The nameless Kakushi rolled his eyes. "I understand that you have some supernatural ability to sense things, Mr. Urahara, but regulation dictates I carry you to our location."

"I can understand the need for secrecy, but I did ask where we're going, not why I'm blindfolded." Urahara pointed out.

The Kakushi bit back a growl. "In case you forgot, you're the one who requested an audience with the Master. That's where I'm taking you."

Urahara grinned. "I see, and when will we get there?"

The Kakushi felt his eye twitch as he thought about the prior Kakushi. He should have listened to her when she said the gaudy-dressed man was a chatterbox. Unbeknownst to him, a small black cat, invisible to the Kakushi, ran across the sky, keeping pace. Urahara never entered a situation without a: being in control or b: without backup.

"I understand you are bored, sir." The Kakushi began. "We only have fifteen minutes to go. And don't worry, Lord Rengoku will also be present when you speak to the master."

Urahara didn't so much as twitch as to avoid alerting the Kakushi. Having somebody like Zentaro around would reveal Yoruichi's presence prematurely, but that was always a gamble. In the past six months, the shopkeeper and his cat had gotten to know the Flame Hashira and formed a sort of coworker-level friendship. It also didn't hurt that Zentaro was a bit of a tactical genius and was one of the few who could give Urahara a workout in Shogi, even if he never won a game against the mastermind. Urahara even gifted a few tools that allowed Zentaro to purify hollows rather than killing them with his Nichirin Blade. Didn't want to cause damage to the balance.

"Really?!" Urahara asked excitedly. "Wonder if he's up for another game of Shogi? Oh, maybe your boss would be free to play a round."

The Kakushi sighed, biting his tongue from retorting the master was too ill during the day to play games. He couldn't understand why the master would approve of a meeting with such an unkempt fellow. In the distance, the Kakushi could see the tell-tale sights of wisteria—finally, an end from the shaggy shopkeep.

"We're just a couple minutes out. So please contain your excitement."

"Aye-aye, captain."

In an urge to get this over with, the Kakushi suddenly increased his pace for the last bit of running, coming to a complete stop in front of one of the Ubayashiki Mansions, this one built after the previous one was destroyed by Kaguya Ubayashiki, along with his wife and two elder children. This one had more modern amenities, like running water, electricity, and central air, all while keeping the traditional style from so long ago.

"We're here. Get off my back." Kisuke immediately jumped off, and before he could take off his blindfold, the Kakushi booked it. Once the cloth was off, Urahara pouted.

'Am I really that unlikable?' He thought to himself. He turned to the gate and took a deep breath. "HELLLOOOOOO!?"

The gate started to part as a woman with lustrous blonde hair met him. She bowed. "Greetings, honored guest. Oyakata is expecting you." She turned around. "Please follow me."

Urahara gave a low whistle at the sheer magnitude of the mansion. "This place is huge."

"Of course," The blonde said in a neutral tone. "This place doesn't just house the Oyakata and his family; it also houses a central Library and nine families of Swordsmiths."

Following the infiltration of the Swordsmith village decades ago, the Swordsmiths made the decision to split up. Families grouped up in sets of three and moved into various Hashira Estates, whether there was a Hashira or not, with the sole exceptions being the Flame Estate, which doubled as the Rengoku mansion, and the Ubayashiki Mansion. This was done so that if an Estate were compromised, most swordsmiths wouldn't have to fear for their lives. Security was also improved around Mount Yoko, always having a Hashira and five Kinoe present at all times, which made the task of protecting the source of scarlet ore much easier.

"I see," Urahara smirked.

"Yes." The blonde confirmed.

Zentaro walked up to them. "Urahara, good to see you." He turned to the Blonde. "Hana-san, the Master has requested some refreshments with his afternoon medicine. I'll take our guest to meet him." Hana nodded as she walked in a different direction.

Zentaro whispered into Urahara's ear. "You might as well call her down now."

"Not now," Urahara waved off. "Besides, she's already run off to the nearest village to rest. That was quite the trip. After all, we started at six in the morning, and it's one in the afternoon."

Zentaro's face twisted, but said nothing. He took Urahara down the hall to a specific door before knocking. "Flame Hashira, Zentaro Rengoku, requesting entrance."

"Granted." A soft, gentle, but strained voice called from within the room.

The Hashira opened the door, which let Urahara look inside. His eyes widened in shock as he bore witness to the disease that was spreading across Oyakata's young face. Too young. One eye was dull and grey, blind, while the other seemed to convey tiredness. He was sitting at a desk, writing something down; all the while, a crow hopped nearby. "Please let me finish this note, and then I will converse with you, Mr. Urahara. You're free to go, Zentaro."

"But, Oyakata-sama, I would never forgive myself if you got hurt because of my neglect." The Hashira protested.

Oyakata waved him off. "It's fine. If Mr. Urahara wished to cause harm, he would have already done so. You certainly couldn't stop him."

"I-" Zentaro began before bowing his head in shame. "Forgive me for not being strong enough."

"It's all right."

Zentaro ushered Urahara into the study before closing the door. Oyakata took a few moments to let Zentaro walk away before speaking again. "I apologize for the security, but we can't be too cautious."

Urahara subtly nodded. "Totally get it. Say, what are you writing?"

"I'm writing a mission to one Kenji Shiba."

Urahara's eyes widened in shock. "Hold on, I thought nobody was aware of Kenji's existence."

Oyakata shook his head. "A slight correction: only my son and I are aware of his existence. Nobody else in connection to the Demon Slayer Corps, not even my Wife or Daughters, knows of a quasi-immortal demon slayer. It's for the best."

Urahara nodded, taking a seat on one of the nearby pillows. Oyakata's one good eye followed him. The shopkeeper rested his cane on his lap. "So, why are you writing him a mission?"

"We have an agreement with Kenji that in exchange for going on a mission every few years, the swordsmiths care for his Nichirin blades when they get damaged. And a mission overseas is what I have for him, as we've gotten reports of 'Man-eating monsters' on two island nations. His job will be reconnaissance and extermination, as he's the only one from the corps who could take on any demon singlehandedly, including Muzan. Well, except for the original sun breather." Oyakata said, writing a few more strokes.

Urahara grimaced. "That's not good. So, demons are spreading farther than Japan's shores?"

"I hope not," Oyakata's gentle voice said, "But it never hurts to be overly cautious and investigate, even if it could be a wild animal." He put down his writing utensil and packed up the message.

The leader of the Demon Slayer Corps then picked up the crow, tied the message to its leg, and opened a window. "Take this to Karakura Town, and look for Kenji Shiba. Dual Nichirin Axes." The crow nodded its head and flew off the moment Oyakata released it from his grasp.

"Smart crow," Urahara commented.

Oyakata nodded as he closed the window. "Kasugai Crows come from a special breed that has been further bred for Demon Slayer Corps use. They're so intelligent that they often have personality quirks of their own."

"Neat," Urahara said in a playful tone before his physical mood shifted. "So, what knowledge can we exchange with each other?"

Oyakata sighed, his face not betraying his inner thought. "I believe a proper introduction should start us off. I am the 104th Oyakata, Ahiro Ubayashiki of the Ubayashiki family. I'm the official leader of the Demon Slayer Corps." He took a seat, facing Urahara.

Urahara nodded. "Guess you're right about that, common courtesy and all." The banished captain shifted in his seat. "I'm Kisuke Urahara, banished former captain of squad 12 for the 13 court guard squads of Soul Society, or as the living call it, Heaven. I was also head of R&D."

Ahiro lightly smiled. "Is heaven a nice place like many religions claim?"

Urahara's face twisted. "I want to say yes, but your afterlife experience varies depending on where you end up. Soul Society's Rukongai, where most souls reside, is divided into four cardinal directions, with up to 80 districts in each direction. And the higher the number, the worse off you are, as the quality of life drops off considerably after the fifteenth district in each direction. It takes weeks to travel from the 80th district to the 1st. A place like the Zaraki district, the 80th district in North Rukongai, is nothing more than a den of bloodthirsty killers. There is no real upside, but if you can survive a high number of districts, then you can survive anywhere. But that's not much of a conciliation prize."

Ahiro's face fell in a slight frown. "I see. I pray that my fallen children, as well as my ancestors and their fallen children, did not end up in such awful conditions. But do the Shinigami not do anything to help?" He asked.

Urahara shook his head in the negative. "No. Shinigami do patrol, but they do so to exterminate Hollows that might have snuck into Soul Society from Hueco Mundo, the realm of Hollows. Beyond that, most Soul Reapers can't be bothered to help of their own free will in these poor districts. It's also bad that Central 46, the governing body, turns a willing blind eye. They're comprised of 40 wise men and six judges, all of Noble standing." Urahara scowled at the reminder of the corrupt government.

"I see," Ahiro began in a tired voice, "So the entire government is against helping those who need help, and it is a system that perpetually corrupts itself."

"You got it," Urahara smirked. "But enough about Soul Society; what I have come here for is more related to the world of the living, especially demons. Oh, and if you would be kind enough to provide a blood sample."

"May I ask why?" Ahiro asked, subconsciously touching the purple skin on his face.

"From what I can sense," Urahara began, "Your disease, or 'Curse,' is more spiritual than physical. While I doubt I'll be able to stop or cure you of said curse; I should be able to slow it down and buy you a few more years of life. But to do that, I need something to analyze, and I doubt you'd want me hovering over your shoulder for three or four weeks."

Ahiro let out a small, light laugh. "No, I don't think I would." The twenty-year-old commented. "I permit you to take some of my blood. And please, if you can, prioritize my Son's health first; he's only five, and I'd like to spare him the pain I'm constantly in."

Urahara nodded. "A father would protect their child. You have my word." Urahara then smirked. "Now, let's get to the business of how I can help the demon slayer corps and how they might be able to help me."

Kenji scowled. They had gone through four of the five elements, and Ichigo didn't show a particular affinity for one over the other. And now Kenji was cursing his laziness for not bringing a weapon traditionally used by Stone Breathers. Not that he had one on hand. A Stone breather typically used an asymmetrical weapon; on one end was some kind of blade, and on the other was a blunt weight to balance it. The original cultivator of Stone Breathing used a chained Kusarigama, for instance. Kenji's dual axes, inspired by the stone breather's unique weapon choice, were attached to a device on his back that would rewind the chain if he sent the blade flying. An ingenious little device that didn't even require a power source to activate the recall mechanism. But they were not ideal for stone breathing.

Ichigo panted on the ground, trying to recover from his attempt at Flame Breathing. After many attempts, no breathing style seemed to click. It was disappointing for him. "Does this mean Stone Breathing is best-suited for me?"

"Not necessarily. You could be like me, having a body suited for Sun Breathing. But that isn't a certainty. You'll simply have to wa-" He was cut off.

"CAW!" The sound of a crow overhead caused Ichigo and Kenji to look up.

Kenji narrowed his eyes. 'Don't tell me…' He raised his arm out, and the crow took it as an opportunity to land on said arm. Tied to the crow's leg was a piece of paper. Kenji untied the string and unfurled the paper.

His eyebrows furrowed after reading through the mission. "Change of plans. I've just gotten a mission only I can do, so you'll be on your own for two to three weeks."

Ichigo blinked. "I thought you weren't a part of the demon slayer corps anymore."

"Officially, no. I'm not on any register or anything else they use to keep track of people." Kenji said. "That being said… because I need my weapons serviced by professionals every few years, I have an agreement that has me take on a mission or two every so often. Specifically, for missions, they can't spare any of their Hashira-level Slayers. In this instance, they want me to go to two island nations and investigate rumors of Man-eating monsters and exterminate them if true."

Ichigo deflated. "Oh. So, what should I do while you're gone?"

"What else? Practice the basics, use Total Concentration Breathing Constant, maybe even get into a few fights to practice Recovery Breathing. You get jumped often enough for that." Kenji said as he began to walk off. "When I get back, we'll test you for Stone Breathing. If you show no clear affinity for that either, then I'll train you in sun breathing, even if you'll likely never master it."

"Wait!" Ichigo called out. "Don't you need your supplies?"

Kenji shook his head. "The leader of the Demon Slayer Corps will already have prepared a traveler pack for me at the airport. Tell Isshin that I won't be back for a while." Kenji then took a sprint before hopping up to a tree. Kenji disappeared from Ichigo's sight.

Ichigo tried to process the fact that Kenji had just disappeared on a mission. "Dammit!" Ichigo yelled out to himself. He shook his head in frustration before going back to practicing with a bokken on his basic swings.

Five, ten, fifteen minutes passed as Ichigo simply went through the motions over and over.

"Your form is good." A voice called out from behind. "Your teacher is quite competent. Although, that shouldn't be a surprise. He's the second biggest reason we Uppermoons had to replace our members."

Ichigo froze and slowly turned around, sweat dripping from his brow. Standing on top of a tree branch was a man dressed in a purple samurai's Yukata with red-tipped hair held in a wild mane. But what was striking were four distinct features. The first and most mundane was the flaming marks across the man's face. The others were far less mundane like the six eyes he had, and the words 'Upper one' were imprinted in the middle set. And finally, there was a chain on his chest with just a single link.

Ichigo staggered himself. 'Wait. He looks like a demon, but he's not burning from the sunlight. And that chain embedded in his chest. Does that mean he's the spirit of a demon? A Kizuki at that?' Ichigo thought. He wasn't blind; he could see all the spirits around that had chains on their chests, even if they were few and far between. He later learned by engaging with them that the spirits were souls who had yet to accept their own demise or had something that was causing them regret in the living world. Curiously, this, 'Uppermoon 1,' was the only demon spirit Ichigo ever had the opportunity to see. Even the Demon Kenji killed the night he saved the Kurosaki family didn't leave a spirit.

"Are you… the spirit of a demon?" Ichigo asked. "I didn't think that was possible."

"Quite astute of you." The Demon spoke. "I'm surprised you can see me with such clarity. Then again, you do have a well of spiritual energy coming from within." It paused. "I suppose, in a way, I'm one of a kind. While the lingering remnants of humanity in almost all other demons lead them to willingly enter hell, I've not yet given myself such a chance. Not until I succeeded in one of two goals."

"Although, I should properly introduce myself. As a human, I went by the name Michikatsu Tsugikuni, but as a demon, I was Uppermoon one, the second most powerful demon alive, Koukoshibo. And from what I can tell, even with my dimmed senses, you have an affinity for my art, Moon Breathing." Michikatsu said in a definitive tone. "Would you be willing to learn my breathing style before my last chain corrodes entirely?"

"You…want to teach me your breathing style?" Ichigo asked in disbelief. Of all the things he expected, once Kenji left for his mission, he didn't expect that. "Why?"

The Former Uppermoon 1 tilted his head as if trying to convey his difficulty in explaining. "A little bit of exposition is needed to properly convey my thoughts. Let me ask you something. What is an older sibling's job?"

Ichigo blinked but knew the answer almost immediately. "My mother always said that it's to protect their younger siblings."

A small but sad smile appeared on the spirit's face. "I couldn't have said it better myself. But unfortunately, I allowed my jealousy to override my duty. I couldn't overcome the fact that my younger brother, the one who created the first breathing style, was so much better than me. And at the end of his life, I ended up being the last person ever to hurt him."

Ichigo felt something akin to pity in his chest but was overall confused. "What does that have to do with anything?" He asked.

The spirit sighed despite not actually needing to. "I wasn't finished. For centuries, I served my purpose as Muzan's chief enforcer until that fateful day. I don't know exactly why I was so captivated by my own reflection, but all I could see was a twisted monster—one who had strayed from the correct path and paid the price for it. I fell apart. And waiting for me after I died was my brother—the one I was supposed to protect and instead hurt the most. But I wasn't ready, not yet. With some convincing, I got my brother to finally move on to the afterlife while I stayed here to try and see the end of Muzan and demon kind through."

He grabbed the single link on his chain. "Which was one of my two wishes. I wished to see the end of Muzan, but this last link will only last a few more months at most. Being a demon granted me more time than most souls of the dead get, but not infinite time, so I wish to pass on my former title of Lunar Hashira and my breathing style to whoever could utilize it. That is my second wish, as I have been unable to fulfill the first."

Ichigo couldn't help himself. "What makes you think you won't see the end of this nightmare?" He asked.

Michikatsu looked down. "In a way, I have. But you must understand something." He said in a serious tone.

"What?" Ichigo asked.

Michikatsu fixed him with a stare using all six eyes. "The Muzan the demon slayers fight now is not the same one that I served. The original Muzan is dead and gone, burned up by the sun. This one is merely a copy but a more dangerous one. Aided by the fact that he possesses the body of that Sun Breather of the Kamado Bloodline. In short, this Muzan is immune to the sun, even if the demons he creates aren't."

Chapter three. I wrote this weeks ago. I had a really motivated week when writing. Next chapters is going to be Kenji's mission. And the one after that will be back to Ichigo's training.