In the dark mountain forest, Horitake walked slowly.
Pausing before a large tree, he flashed a sly smile.
Using Weiguang's hilt, he rhythmically tapped the trunk, chanting,
"Little bunny, be good, open the door quick. Daddy's here, let me in."
As he finished, the tree trunk cracked open with a snap, and a green-faced, fanged female demon with a long tongue burst out, lunging at Horitake with bared claws!
Horitake's expression remained impassive. Channeling Heavenly Thunder Breathing, he swung his still-sheathed Weiguang, crackling with rolling thunder, smashing it into the demon's face!
A muffled thud and a scream followed as the demon was sent flying to Horitake's left, crashing through a small tree and collapsing.
Thanks to the devastating, demon-slaying power of Horitake's thunder, the demon was gravely wounded, her injuries unhealing, leaving her slumped helplessly on the ground.
Horitake approached her step by step.
With each nearing footfall, the demon grew more desperate and unhinged.
Lifting her head, her blood-streaked eyes glared venomously at Horitake, her voice dripping with malice.
"Why? Why won't you just let me go!?"
Horitake's tone was cold, his face expressionless.
"You talk like that, but what about the people you ate? Why didn't you let them go?"
"I'm a demon! Demons eat people! It's only natural!" she roared.
"Then the Demon Slayer Corps killing demons is just as natural," Horitake replied icily, adding with a hint of mockery or jest, "If you're so great, try not eating people."
The demon laughed, infuriated by his words.
"A demon that doesn't eat people? Impossible!"
You'd be surprised. I know one, a female demon no less, Horitake thought, smirking inwardly.
His hand still on Weiguang, still sheathed, he unleashed a flash of lightning, striking the demon with a single blow!
Unsurprisingly, the demon's head was severed, her body dissolving into nothingness.
Watching the vanishing corpse, Horitake mused.
It's been two or three months since I joined the Demon Slayer Corps. How many demons have I killed now?
Too many to count—thirty or forty, at least.
His relentless demon-slaying had earned him the nickname "workaholic" within the Corps.
By the way, Horitake was already a top-tier Kinoe-rank swordsman, one step from becoming a Hashira.
If he kept slaying demons or took down one of the Twelve Kizuki's Lower Ranks, he'd be promoted to Hashira. That was why he'd been so zealous lately.
As he pondered, Weiguang faintly conveyed its emotions to him.
"Hm? What? You want to come out and kill demons?
Sorry, these small-fry demons don't warrant unsheathing you.
When I killed Shikeji Ro, you complained he wasn't worth your edge. These nobodies are even less deserving!"
"What? You've been cooped up in the sheath for two or three months? Need some air?
Come on, I polish and maintain you every few days. When have you ever lacked air?"
"Heh, craving blood now? Can't hold back? Done being picky? No more tantrums?
Too late! Stay in the sheath! I'll let you taste blood when I'm in a good mood.
Begging won't help. Who told you to throw a fit before? This is to tame your temper!
Think I can't handle you?"
Though Weiguang was a remarkable, spirited blade, Horitake wasn't one to coddle it. It needed discipline!
Back when he first named it, Weiguang had dared challenge his thunder, nearly getting them both killed. That temper needed reining in!
Securing Weiguang at his waist, Horitake checked his surroundings, found his bearings, and moved forward.
"This is close to Sagiri Mountain. Might as well visit my future brother-in-law and wife."
"I wonder how they're doing."
Muttering and humming a tune, Horitake headed toward Sagiri Mountain.
At Sagiri Mountain, the sun rose, heralding morning.
As the saying goes, the morning sets the day's tone—a prime time for training.
Tanjiro's internal clock woke him early. He hurriedly prepared breakfast, ate with Urokodaki, and, without prompting, grabbed his sword and dashed outside, racing up the mountain to train.
Today's morning task: run down from Sagiri Mountain's peak, navigating traps Urokodaki set the previous night, reaching the cabin as quickly as possible.
And so, Tanjiro climbed the mountain, chose a path, gripped his defensive sword, and charged downward, facing grueling training.
Yes, grueling—Urokodaki's traps made that clear.
Tanjiro was adept at the early traps, his uncanny sense of smell letting him weave, leap, and dodge with ease.
The first half of the descent took little time.
Tanjiro felt no pride in this small feat. He knew the later traps grew tougher, with Urokodaki occasionally adding new, unpredictable ones.
A brief lapse in focus triggered a trap!
A rope tripped him, sending him sprawling. He knew he was in trouble!
Without hesitation, Tanjiro sprang up with a carp-like flip, dodging as sharpened bamboo spikes shot from all directions!
The barrage was dense. At first, he evaded them, but the final few were unavoidable!
His katana came into play.
Fortunately, Tanjiro had trained in swordsmanship. Facing the incoming bamboo, he decisively slashed and parried, shattering them!
No more spikes came. Panting, sword raised, Tanjiro scanned his surroundings warily.
All was quiet—no anomalies.
The trap was over. Tanjiro resumed his sprint downward!
Focused on training, he neither noticed nor smelled Horitake's presence.
Horitake, perched on a tree, watched Tanjiro's retreating figure, stroking his chin.
"Didn't expect Master Urokodaki's training to have this style. Completely different from my master's."
"Oh? What's Sakonji's training style like?"
Urokodaki appeared beside Horitake on a branch, asking casually.
Horitake thought for a moment.
"Pure physical and endurance training, with occasional sparring, but not much. Never anything like this agile trap-dodging."
"That's due to the difference in Breathing Styles."
"How so?"
"Thunder Breathing demands sudden bursts of power and a robust physique, so Sakonji focuses on physical conditioning. Without a strong body, you can't sustain Thunder Breathing's force.
My Water Breathing emphasizes adaptability and relentless flow, so these traps train Tanjiro's quick thinking and stamina."
Watching Tanjiro's distant figure, Horitake saw him trigger another trap, barely dodging in a flustered scramble.
"Master Urokodaki, isn't this a bit much? Aren't you worried Tanjiro might die in one of these traps?"
Urokodaki, expressionless (not that you could see it through his mask), replied,
"I've calculated carefully. As long as Tanjiro gives his all, these traps won't kill him. They'll push his potential further."
(A three-second pause.)
"Tanjiro's tenacity is terrifyingly strong. I owe you for sending me such a disciple.
If I'd missed him, I'd have regretted it."
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