Once all three had donned their weights and gripped their wooden katanas, Kuguruma Natsunishi had finished his warm-up.
"Let's begin."
He flexed his bandage-wrapped fists and casually lifted his wooden sword, his tone devoid of emotion.
"Today, I'll test your foundations. Attack me with your wooden swords—don't hold back."
All three had witnessed Kuguruma Natsunishi in combat before. Naturally, they didn't think for a second that he would be significantly weaker just because he wasn't wielding a Nichirin Sword.
Only Kondo spoke up with a hint of hesitation: "Are the three of us going at it together?"
After all, it was a three-on-one.
Kuguruma Natsunishi replied, "If you want to come up and duel me alone, you're welcome to try. You'd be a very brave Kanoe-ranked slayer."
Kondo shrank back. He decisively retreated to a spot between Dojima and Sashiko.
The three exchanged a look. Dojima was the first to let out a low growl and charge forward with his sword raised.
[Total Concentration!]
[Flame Breathing, Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun!]
The momentum of the Flame Breathing's flowing fire erupted first. The wooden sword, carrying a gust of hot wind, transformed into a crimson blade slashing toward Kuguruma Natsunishi.
[Total Concentration!]
[Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash!]
Sashiko refused to be left behind. Harboring some unknown spark of fury, her figure turned into a graceful water mist as she closed in rapidly from the flank.
Seeing both his partners engage, Kondo had no choice but to activate his breathing style and swing his wooden sword to follow the charge.
[Water Surface Slash!]
Kuguruma Natsunishi had no intention of mounting an aggressive offensive. Instead, he stared at the three imposing figures, his mind constantly deducing the "logic" of their movements. The [Insight] skill on his status panel glowed faintly.
While he hadn't fully grasped the Storm Hashira's [Sen no Sen] (taking the initiative), his period of bitter cultivation had not been without results. The "Circle" composed of consciousness and perception expanded silently.
It was a pure counter-instinct honed by Kuguruma Natsunishi over countless past games, particularly within the world of Demon Slayer Tale. It was the realm of anticipation, and also the realm of parrying and countering.
The moment Dojima stepped across the boundary of that "Circle," Kuguruma Natsunishi moved.
His speed wasn't much faster than Dojima's, yet he moved as if he had long foreseen the other's next move. A sidestep, a drop of the shoulder, a backstep. Then, he placed an indestructible fist directly in the path where the "hilt" of the sword was bound to travel.
The blazing flames came to a sudden halt. The wooden sword was intercepted by the fist.
Whether it was a slash or a strike, everything eventually boiled down to the application of power and speed. Kuguruma Natsunishi didn't need to confront them head-on; he only needed to give them a gentle, precise trip while they were sprinting toward their peak.
This was "Technique."
For Dojima, having his sword form and power forcibly stopped halfway through was naturally agonizing, to the point that his breathing rhythm faltered for a split second. However, years of experience slaying demons had given him decent adaptability. A second after his slash was interrupted, he abandoned the sword for a side kick, intending to cause Kuguruma Natsunishi some trouble.
Simultaneously, Sashiko's slash arrived from another angle.
[Water Breathing]...
Kuguruma Natsunishi's breathing rhythm changed abruptly. Along with it, so did the wooden sword in his other hand.
With a light flick, he pressed one palm against Dojima's ankle while his sword slapped against the side of Sashiko's wooden blade.
He forcibly diverted the "Momentum" of both individuals. Their original plan for a combined attack deviated entirely; Dojima's side kick hit Sashiko, and the girl's slash struck the swordsman.
In battle, "Technique" alone is not enough. It requires sufficient "Power" and "Consciousness" as support—just like the essential "four ounces" required to "deflect a thousand pounds."
And Kuguruma Natsunishi's breathing styles were the final puzzle piece that completed this logic.
Dojima and Sashiko went spinning and rolling away. This left only Kondo, who was standing there with his sword mid-swing, unsure whether to strike downward or retreat.
Kuguruma Natsunishi switched his breathing style again.
[Thunder Breathing]
Faint white mist seeped from his chest and between his teeth. Kuguruma Natsunishi looked at Kondo, who had stepped into his counter-domain and was riddled with openings. Then, he raised his wooden sword.
"Have you ever been hit at the speed of light?"
The moment the words fell, Kuguruma Natsunishi's figure turned into a bolt of lightning.
[Thunderclap and Flash!]
Though it wasn't a real sword, the massive gap in their strength made Kondo feel as if a giant wall was pressing down on him. It felt as if he would step into the afterlife in the very next second.
The wooden sword grazed past his ear, the resulting gale sent his hair flying wildly.
"He... He held back?"
No. It was a feint.
Because in the next second, Kondo felt a sharp pain in his calf.
[Storm Breathing]...
Like an unstoppable breeze sweeping through his lower body, he was sent spinning through the air by Kuguruma Natsunishi's leg sweep.
Kuguruma Natsunishi looked at Kondo, who was on the ground and hadn't gotten up yet. He wondered to himself: This kid... did I hit him a little too hard just now?
Not far away, Dojima and Sashiko scrambled to their feet. Perhaps having learned their lesson, they didn't attack immediately this time. They stood their ground, swords held in a defensive stance.
Senior Natsunishi / Master Tsuguko / Kuguruma Natsunishi-kun... is truly powerful.
The three "apprentices" marveled in their hearts simultaneously.
Seeing their momentum falter, Kuguruma Natsunishi tilted his chin up, his voice tinged with undisguised disappointment.
"I thought your resolve was firmer than this. Slaying demons, revenge, protecting others? You talk a big game. But if you don't even have the courage to swing your sword at me, then your grit and caliber are nothing more than this."
He stepped forward slowly, his gaze scanning their tense faces one by one. Suddenly, Kuguruma Natsunishi grinned, revealing a nearly malicious smile.
"If this is all you've got, then the three of you are the worst class I've ever led!"
Even if he hadn't lived it, he'd seen it a thousand times. Kuguruma Natsunishi could rattle off "Japanese Hot-Blooded Mentor Quotes" with ease. It had been a long time since he'd "smurfed" like this—not since Sabito and Giyu.
It felt great!
For the three swordsmen, if Kuguruma Natsunishi's words were spoken several hundred years in the future, they might have been seen as common motivational tactics. But for the swordsmen of this era who staked their lives on the path of demon slaying, every word was a heavy blow.
A sense of shame welled up within them. Sashiko couldn't help but ask herself if she really was too weak. Dojima questioned whether he had lost the edge to challenge those stronger than himself. Even Kondo hazily recalled the passion and determination he felt when he first joined the Demon Slayer Corps.
"I'm sorry, Senior."
"Master Tsuguko, I was careless."
"Next... I won't back down again."
Kuguruma Natsunishi nodded. It seemed his taunting was even more effective than he had anticipated.
"Continue."
Kuguruma Natsunishi extended his right hand and beckoned them.
Having regained their spirit, the three activated their breathing styles once more and charged at Kuguruma Natsunishi. For a time, the sounds of fists, feet, and wooden swords clashing echoed continuously through the courtyard.
The Thai God of War, Gaolang Wongsawat, once said: "Between unarmed combat and wielding a weapon, there is a high wall."
The human body can never compare to a sharp tool forged of steel. Even a martial artist faces the risk of injury or defeat when facing a criminal with a weapon. And if both sides are well-trained, the armed side naturally possesses a more insurmountable advantage.
It is like a high wall.
However... that is the law of "Realistic" combat. When combat shifts from Realistic to "Super-powered," as long as one's strength is overwhelming enough, it doesn't matter if the trio is holding wooden swords. Even with real Nichirin Swords, they would struggle against an opponent whose every attribute crushed theirs.
Half an hour later, even the strongest, Dojima, could barely hold his wooden sword steady. As for Sashiko and Kondo, they were already lying on the ground in a sorry state, clearly unable to fight any longer.
Yukiziri Sashiko, sporting a bruised eye, was currently staring at Kuguruma Natsunishi with a silent, resentful gaze. Kuguruma Natsunishi, being the perpetrator, naturally felt nothing. In training, there was no distinction between men and women.
Girls? Old people? He'd hit them all the same.
He looked at his status panel, seeing the proficiency of skills like [Instruction] and [Insight] had risen slightly. Additionally, the proficiency of all five breathing styles had increased. Even the progress of Flame Breathing, which he hadn't officially started, had ticked up slightly during the sparring with Dojima.
Aside from the few "Acceptable," "Average," and "Degraded" derivative breathing styles he'd cobbled together recently—which were a bit of an eyesore—Kuguruma Natsunishi wore a satisfied smile.
To the trio, however, this smile only confirmed Kuguruma Natsunishi's image as a "Demon Mentor."
Closing the panel, Kuguruma Natsunishi turned to Dojima. "Since they can't move anymore, let's practice one-on-one, Dojima."
The experience point bonus from this guy was higher than Sashiko's, or even Giyu's. Plus, it would help boost his Flame Breathing progress. He had to squeeze out every last drop.
Dojima: ...
Is it too late for me to lie down right now?
Dojima wiped away his sweat, looking at the approaching Kuguruma Natsunishi. For a fleeting moment, he felt as if he were back in his childhood, facing his strictest father once again.