Tanjiro lowered his head, not answering for a long time.
Seiji Takeshi asked again, "Do you want to have a match? If you don't want to compete, then don't disturb my sleep!"
I need to get some sleep now so I'll have the energy to head down the mountain tonight; by my calculations, the selection is coming up soon, and Nezuko should be waking up as well
I have selfish motives. I want to be the first person Nezuko sees when she wakes up. I wonder what it will be like.
Tanjiro didn't say anything more. After all, his strength didn't allow him to do so.
Besides, even Mr. Urokodaki wouldn't say much to this Senior Aoyama of his.
"Senior Aoyama, can you teach me how to maximize my strength?"
Tanjiro said that because he still hadn't been able to split the rock bound with thick ropes with his sword, while Aoyama had already casually split his own rock in half with a single strike.
He was currently lying on one half of that rock.
"Why don't you turn what Mr. Urokodaki taught you into your own!"
"Huh? Turn it into... my own..." Tanjiro muttered softly, ran forward, and asked, "How can I turn it into my own?"
Seiji Takeshi flipped over and jumped down from the rock, lightly patting his shoulder. "Just wait, someone will teach you, but it definitely won't be me."
He gave a charming smile, turned around, and left. It was about time, it was time for dinner. He wondered what delicious food Mr. Urokodaki had made today.
Tanjiro patted his head, confused. On this mountain, there was only him, Aoyama, Mr. Urokodaki, and his sister who was always sleeping. He hadn't seen anyone else.
Who else would come to teach him?
Two days later.
What should I do? I still can't split the rock. I've done everything I can, but...
Am I going to give up? Is Nezuko just going to die like this?
"Ah!!!"
Tanjiro heavily slammed his head against the rock. He was frustrated. Senior Aoyama had easily split a boulder even bigger than this one.
Why couldn't he do it?
"So noisy!"
Suddenly, a young boy wearing a fox mask appeared on the rock.
"A real man doesn't shout like that. It's pathetic!"
Tanjiro looked up at the boy on the rock, shocked. He hadn't even noticed when the boy had appeared. Even his usually sensitive nose hadn't smelled the boy's scent.
"No matter how painful it is, you have to silently endure it."
"That's only if you're a man!"
"If you were born as a man."
The boy slowly got up, holding a wooden sword. He jumped off the rock, raised the wooden sword high, made a chopping motion, and then kicked Tanjiro away with a flying kick.
"Sluggish, weak, immature! That's not a man!" The boy squatted on the ground, clearly enunciating each word.
Not far away, Seiji Takeshi leaned against a tree, watching the two of them, a smile on his face. As expected, Sabito had appeared. Makomo would be showing up soon.
Tanjiro was a little annoyed at the sudden appearance of the boy, who had suddenly attacked him.
"You... why are you suddenly doing this!"
"You..."
Suddenly, Tanjiro's mind clicked. Hadn't Senior Aoyama said a few days ago that someone would teach him? Could it be this person in front of him?
"Hey, how long are you going to sit on the ground? Get in position. Come on, bring it on!" Sabito beckoned, signaling Tanjiro to hurry up.
They had been watching Tanjiro in the dark for so long. They were truly worried that he couldn't split the rock, so they came out to help him.
Hearing him say that, Tanjiro immediately understood. This person must be the one Senior Aoyama had said would help him.
He gripped his sword tightly, ready to fight.
Seiji Takeshi raised his hand to shield his eyes. Next would be Sabito instantly defeating Tanjiro. The current Tanjiro was no match for Sabito.
I feel sorry for Tanjiro for one second, and not a second more.
When Seiji Takeshi lowered his hand, Tanjiro had already been beaten down by Sabito.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk!"
I should come back later, at least until Makomo appears. Watching two grown men fight isn't very interesting.
Mr. Urokodaki might have been influenced by Seiji Takeshi, the foodie, and started to enjoy eating.
Before, he would just eat whatever was available and not be hungry; now, it's different. If he doesn't eat something good for a day, he feels uncomfortable.
And so, that night, he grilled the fish that Seiji Takeshi had caught from the river and also stewed a big pot of meat soup. The whole house was filled with fragrance.
In the room, Seiji Takeshi sat beside Nezuko's bedding.
"Nezuko, listen to me, you should wake up. Sabito and Makomo have both appeared today. You should wake up too, and start our happy demon-slaying life."
Just as he finished muttering, he heard Mr. Urokodaki calling for dinner from outside.
"Coming, coming!"
Seiji Takeshi replied, and only then did he put Nezuko's little hand back into the bedding.
After eating his fill, Mr. Urokodaki suddenly remembered something: Tanjiro hadn't returned yet. Looking at the little meat soup left in the pot, and the two small fish remaining on the shelf...
Was that enough for Tanjiro to eat?
Seiji Takeshi saw what Mr. Urokodaki was thinking and said, "Add some water to the meat soup and boil it. I'll go call Tanjiro back for dinner."
Add two bowls of water to the thick meat soup to make a thin meat soup, just enough to get by; that should be enough to get his fill with water.
That was all they could do for now. Mr. Urokodaki got up to fetch water.
Seiji Takeshi went to the forest with light steps. Makomo must be there now! Now that he was full, it was a good time to chat with Makomo and digest his food.