"Kamado... Tanjiro?"
The squad leader muttered the name to himself.
But then...
The squad leader's eyes widened suddenly!
He stared intently at the dark red scar on Tanjiro's forehead and the iconic Sun Wheel Hanafuda Earrings on his earlobe.
He immediately recalled the day of the Hashira Meeting, when this guy was a ruthless person who was protected by the Water Hashira with his life and who created a mushroom cloud in the Ubuyashiki courtyard!
"Clatter!"
The brush in the squad leader's hand fell to the ground.
"Master Stove... Master Kamado!!"
The squad leader let out a shrill scream, whirled around, and roared at his still-dazed subordinates behind him:
"What are you blind fools doing?! Can't you see who has graced us with their presence?!"
"Quick! Get out the prepared supplies! Quickly move that soft leather chair over! Let's welcome Lord Kamado with our warmest hospitality!"
In the blink of an eye.
Under Tanjiro's completely bewildered gaze.
The originally deserted entrance to the barrier instantly transformed into an exaggerated "fan circle" welcome scene!
"Kamado! You must be exhausted from fighting your way all the way from the outer perimeter! Please have a seat! Enjoy the supplies we've prepared for you!"
"If your shoulders are sore, I can give you a shoulder massage! You can eat and drink your fill, take a nap, and then go to the inner circle!"
This series of breathtakingly luxurious VIP treatments startled Tanjiro so much that he took three steps back.
"No, no! Seniors! You've really misunderstood!"
Tanjiro suddenly stood up straight and politely bowed at a ninety-degree angle!
"Thank you all so much for your kindness! But I really don't need these! I'm completely exhausted and full of energy! I can't waste your precious resources!"
"Please leave these for the swordsmen who truly need healing later! I'm off to the inner circle to slay demons! Goodbye, seniors!"
After saying that, Tanjiro was afraid that these enthusiastic "fans" would rush up to massage him again, so he didn't even glance at the registration book. He turned around and rushed into the passage leading to the inner circle as if avoiding a plague.
At the entrance to the barrier.
Several members of the Kakushi Division stared blankly at Tanjiro's retreating figure.
"Waaaaah..."
The chubby member even took the lead in wiping away tears, loudly lamenting:
"What a noble character! He possesses such terrifying strength, yet he chooses to conceal his hardships!"
The squad leader was moved to tears and bowed deeply.
"What a humble and selfless man! No wonder that cold and ruthless Water Hashira Lord was willing to draw his sword against everyone at the Hashira Meeting for his sake!"
"To witness such a magnificent swordsman, it's all worth it for our Kakushi Division, even if we have to endure a cold night!"
The moment you step into the inner circle, the entire world undergoes a dramatic, precipitous change.
The temperature plummeted, and the air seemed to thicken.
Tanjiro's super sense of smell immediately sounded an alarm.
He stopped in his tracks, his gaze instantly becoming focused and sharp.
"The scent has changed! Six evil spirits are lurking around, and their aura is indeed much stronger than those on the outer perimeter! Their bloodlust is on a completely different level."
Tanjiro analyzed calmly.
"Rustle--"
Six strangely shaped figures simultaneously sprang out from the bushes, surrounding Tanjiro tightly in the center of the open space.
Leading the group was a gigantic demon, nearly three meters tall and of imposing size.
He let out a bloodthirsty grin and shouted arrogantly:
"Heh heh! Another fresh blood and flesh that doesn't know its own mortality has arrived!"
"Kid, scared out of your wits? Surrounded by the Shadow Six-Person Group,' you don't even have the courage to draw your sword? Just accept your death!"
The other demons joined in with piercing laughter, as if Tanjiro were already a fish on a chopping board.
However, they were surrounded by a horde of arrogant ghosts.
Tanjiro did not draw his sword.
"Because Mr. Giyu said that we should train our physical combat skills more... So, gentlemen of the demons, could you please have some mercy and be my punching bag for practicing hand-to-hand combat?"
These words enraged the ghosts!
"Arrogant human brat! You dare to speak so presumptuously without even using Nichirin Blade! Die!"
The lead demon roared, and six demons simultaneously pounced on Tanjiro from all directions!
The battle erupted instantly!
The next second, Tanjiro flashed forward like a tiger descending a mountain.
"Bang!"
A powerful uppercut landed squarely on the chin of the burly demon leader!
"Snap!"
The jawbone of the leading demon shattered instantly, and its massive body flew into the air!
"Bang bang--!"
In the next half minute,
Elbow strike!
Knee strike!
Over-the-shoulder throw!
Roundhouse kick!
Tanjiro is like a tireless pile driver.
In just thirty seconds!
The once arrogant and domineering "Shadow Six-Person Group" were all beaten into the mud by Tanjiro, their faces bruised and swollen, their bones broken.
The ringleader lay in the pit, clutching his shattered jaw, coughing up blood as it regenerated.
Tears streamed down his face from the pain, yet he still forced a defiant laugh.
"Heh heh! Idiot! No matter how strong you are, you're still just a human! No matter how powerful your punches and kicks are, as long as you don't use that damned Nichirin Blade to cut our necks, we're immortal!"
"Once we regain our strength, we'll devour you!"
Before he could finish speaking,
Tanjiro's smile became incredibly bright, even radiating a chilling kind of sunlight:
"This means... as long as I don't draw my sword, you can keep regenerating. I can use you to practice my martial arts repeatedly without worrying about damaging you with a single punch! That's fantastic!"
The sneers on the demons' faces froze completely in that instant.
"Wait, wait a minute! What are you doing?! Don't come any closer!"
The next five minutes.
The sounds of a brutal beating echoed through the inner woods.
These six evil spirits were completely reduced to being endlessly refreshed punching bags.
Every time their bones were set, they were met with an even more ferocious over-the-shoulder throw or spinning kick.
Their minds were filled with doubt about their existence as ghosts, and they even wanted to die, wailing loudly:
"Please! Draw your sword! Cut our necks off! Who the hell is the monster here?!"
Tanjiro only stopped, satisfied, after he had thoroughly enjoyed the training and had broken into a light sweat.
"Thank you all for your sparring partners, I'm fully warmed up!"
Tanjiro walked to the tree and took down the Nichirin Blade hanging on the branch with one hand.
"Zheng--"
With a crisp sound of being drawn from its sheath, the deep blue blade gleamed in the darkness.
"Sizzle--!"
Six heads flew smoothly into the air, and a sense of relief and peace appeared in the eyes of the demons before they all turned into ashes.
Tanjiro sheathed his sword, took a deep breath of the cold wind filled with Demon Aura, his eyes becoming more resolute than ever before, and continued to walk deeper into the inner circle.