In Urokodaki Sakonji's eyes, Tanjiro looked as though he were just wildly swinging his sword. From time to time, he would suddenly roll across the ground as if he'd been attacked, as though he were fighting something unseen.
He ended up in a complete mess. If that wasn't madness, then what was?
Just as Urokodaki was about to step forward, Yuko reached out and stopped him.
"Wait, Master Urokodaki."
She pressed her fingernail into her palm, preparing to cut it, but when she looked into Urokodaki's eyes, her hand paused.
"…Could I trouble you to remove your mask? There's something I'd like you to see."
She can't apply eye drops through a mask!
Although Urokodaki was anxious, he knew Yuko wouldn't be indifferent to something like this. Seeing her serious expression, he removed the tengu mask from his face.
As expected, beneath it was the face of a kind old man.
With a face like that, it made sense that he couldn't intimidate demons—hence the mask.
"Please bear with it for a moment. Don't resist," Yuko reminded him. She lightly cut her palm and squeezed out a few drops of fresh blood.
"What are you—"
Though still confused, the days they had spent together had made Sakonji accept Yuko.
Yuko dripped the blood into Urokodaki's eyes and said, "All right, Master Urokodaki, you can open your eyes now."
Urokodaki held on for a moment before opening them. At first, he didn't notice anything unusual.
He looked at Yuko in confusion. She smiled and took a small step to the side.
When Urokodaki looked down at the frenzied Tanjiro below, his entire body froze.
"…Sabito… Makomo…" Urokodaki's hands trembled slightly as his feet unconsciously moved forward.
Yuko said softly, "Please wait a little longer."
Tanjiro… was about to grasp Total Concentration Breathing.
The battle between the two ended in an instant. Tanjiro's blade sliced through Sabito's mask—and split the massive boulder in front of him.
At that sight, Urokodaki was no longer as calm as usual. His pace quickened with every step.
Tanjiro, who had been confused by the sudden disappearance of Sabito and Makomo, lit up with joy when he saw Urokodaki arrive.
"Master Urokodaki! I cut the rock!"
But at that moment, Urokodaki's attention was no longer on him at all.
Yuko waved her hand and signaled to Tanjiro.
"Come with me."
Tanjiro glanced at Master Urokodaki, then followed Yuko.
Yuko turned her head slightly to look at Urokodaki, who was standing motionless before the boulder.
Perhaps this was the true meaning behind the existence of spirits.
"Here will do," Yuko said as they reached an open clearing and came to a stop.
Tanjiro, covered in dirt, his shoulder-length hair in disarray, looked around in confusion.
"Is there something you need, Miss Yuko?"
Yuko explained, "There are still a few months before the Demon Slayer Corps' Final Selection. During this time, I'll be the one training you."
Because of her intervention, the time it took Tanjiro to grasp Total Concentration Breathing had been significantly shortened.
Tanjiro blinked.
"Miss Yuko's… guidance…"
After a brief moment of adjustment, he said loudly and resolutely,
"I'll give it everything I've got!"
It was impressive that he could still shout with such energy after being completely exhausted.
Yuko drew the Nichirin Blade at her waist.
Is she going to fight me?
Tanjiro couldn't help but drift into a daze.
Yuko lifted her gaze and said, "The kagura dance passed down through your family—the Hinokami Kagura. You remember it, right?"
Tanjiro exclaimed in surprise, "Miss Yuko knows the kagura dance too?"
Yuko nodded. "Its original form is actually what's known as Sun Breathing."
"The kagura… is a breathing style?" Tanjiro had never thought of it that way.
"More precisely, it's a sword form."
Yuko took her stance. "Watch first."
Watch?
"Hiss—"
A strange, slightly piercing breathing sound escaped from Yuko's lips.
A wisp of flame coiled around the black blade, and blazing orange-red fire suddenly burst forth from its surface.
"Hinokami Kagura!"
Tanjiro exclaimed in shock. Someone else actually knew their family's kagura dance—and it looked even more spectacular than when his father performed it.
The sight of that figure swinging her blade amid the flames filled Tanjiro with a strange sense of familiarity, as though he had seen it somewhere long before.
The twelve forms of the Sun Breathing were briefly demonstrated by Yuko in one continuous sequence.
"Cough…" She lightly cleared her throat and casually spat out a mouthful of blood.
Tanjiro hurried forward in alarm.
"Miss Yuko!"
Yuko waved him off. "It's nothing."
Her body had already recovered.
This was one of the benefits of being a demon. Even when using Sun Breathing—which normally inflicted severe self-damage—she could use it freely.
"My constitution isn't suited for Sun Breathing," Yuko said in explanation as she looked at Tanjiro. "But yours is."
"Mine is?"
"You've probably heard that there's no hierarchy among breathing styles, right?"
Tanjiro nodded. "Yes."
Because of individual differences in physique, one chooses the breathing style best suited to them. In the end, any of them could reach the pinnacle—this was what Master Urokodaki had told him.
Yuko shook her head.
"But when it comes to restraining demons, Sun Breathing is unquestionably the strongest."
Tanjiro asked in confusion, "Why is that?"
"Sun Breathing suppresses a demon's regenerative ability."
Moon Breathing might have surpassed it in range and raw power, but it still lacked the Sun Breathing's ability to counter demon regeneration.
"Suppress regeneration…"
At that time, Tanjiro still couldn't truly comprehend the power of Sun Breathing
After assessing Tanjiro's condition, Yuko said, "For today, we'll start with constant practice."
"Constant?" Tanjiro was already feeling dizzy. Hadn't they just been talking about Hinokami Kagura?
"Constant means maintaining Total Concentration Breathing at all times," Yuko explained. "Sun Breathing places extremely high demands on the body. Merely mastering Total Concentration Breathing isn't enough to use it freely."
"At all times?" Tanjiro's eyes widened.
Yuko nodded slightly. "Even while sleeping."
Tanjiro couldn't help but ask, "Is there really anyone who can maintain that state all the time?"
Just using Total Concentration Breathing alongside sword forms already made his lungs feel like they were going to burst.
"Of course. Someone you know—Tomioka Giyu—can do it."
Tanjiro sucked in a sharp breath.
"From now on, you'll try to maintain Total Concentration Breathing for as long as possible. Extend the duration little by little through diligent practice."
"It's not something you can master overnight. As for practicing Sun Breathing—we'll begin that tomorrow."
"I understand!"
Tanjiro had an incredibly strong will. As long as he had a goal, he would grit his teeth and push forward no matter what.
He tried to maintain Total Concentration Breathing under Yuko's guidance, but the moment he began, before he could hold it for long, he felt like he was about to die.
Is it really possible for someone to maintain this nonstop?
Tanjiro collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, his worldview shaken.
Watching Tanjiro repeatedly attempt it, Yuko smiled in quiet satisfaction.
The reason she had Tanjiro familiarize himself with all of this ahead of time was because she had saved his family.
And within the storyline of Demon Slayer, there existed a crucial element.
The life-flashing-before-your-eyes moment.
---
Currently at chapter 348 for advance chapters
https:// ko-fi.com/rabi08