Tanjiro and Muichiro Tokito stood in the courtyard, blades in hand, facing each other.
The Demon Slayer Marks on their faces flickered in and out of view, and even maintaining that much had taken constant training.
Still, keeping their heart rates above 200 and their body temperatures above 39 degrees Celsius at all times-the conditions for awakening the marks were so punishing that it was no wonder marked swordsmen died young.
With a Hashira standing before him, Tanjiro felt a little nervous.
Although they had quickly grown close after the Swordsmith Village incident, and Tanjiro had trained under Tokito during the Hashira Training, earning a huge smile from him for doing so well, this was different.
Things were nothing like they had been back then.
Master Haruto had only told them to fight and grind their blades together quickly and with great force.
But Tanjiro had no idea how they were actually supposed to do that.
...Don't look at me. I don't know either.
Haruto pursed his lips guiltily and dodged the look young Tanjiro sent his way.
After a little thought, Tokito nodded to Tanjiro. "Come on. Attack me as hard as you can."
Tanjiro nodded, turned the edge of his Nichirin Blade, then spun and brought it down hard at Tokito.
Tokito met his attack, and the two Nichirin Blades collided in a shower of sparks.
The tremendous force traveled from the blade into Tanjiro's limbs. He was knocked a step back and heard Muichiro's voice: "Not enough! Harder!"
He steadied himself, tensed the muscles in his arms, and roared, "Aaah-!"
As their blades flashed back and forth, Haruto's brow gradually furrowed.
It wasn't working.
Whether that was because Tanjiro wasn't as strong as Tokito, or because they were going about it the wrong way...
In any case,