Breathing Style

"All right, let's start training!" Kyojuro said heartily when he saw Chiba Yo.

"Yes, I'll do my best." Chiba Yo nodded, his voice firm.

Chiba Yo then followed the Flame Hashira to the training grounds at the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters, where two other people were already present.

Both were girls. One had long black hair with purple tips at the ends of her bangs, a butterfly hair ornament, and purple eyes. She wore the Demon Slayer Corps uniform beneath a haori patterned like butterfly wings.

The other also had black hair and purple eyes. She wore the Demon Slayer Corps uniform with a knee-length black pleated skirt and tall white boots, along with a white cape fastened with a deep pink bow at the collar.

The two seemed to be practicing sword techniques. When they saw Kyojuro and Chiba Yo arrive, Shinobu Kocho and Kanao paused.

"You're back, Mr. Rengoku. How did the mission go?" Shinobu Kocho sheathed her sword and stepped forward with a smile to greet him.

Kyojuro said nothing, glancing at Chiba Yo behind him instead.

Seeing Kyojuro's reaction, Shinobu Kocho seemed to understand something. Her smile faded as she looked at Chiba Yo with sympathy. Kanao still wore her usual smile, looking somewhat vacant.

"This is my new Tsuguko, Chiba Yo!" Kyojuro broke the heavy silence first, introducing Chiba Yo to Shinobu Kocho and Kanao in his hearty voice.

Then he introduced Shinobu to Chiba Yo. "Yo-chan, she's our Demon Slayer Corps' Insect Hashira. She's a formidable fighter worthy of respect, who can develop poisons effective against demons and fight without letting her small stature hold her back!"

His voice was as hearty as ever.

"Lady Insect Hashira," Chiba Yo greeted Shinobu Kocho respectfully after hearing Kyojuro's introduction.

Kyojuro had already explained the Demon Slayer Corps' ranking system to him. Since the Hashira were the strongest members of the Corps, Chiba Yo felt he ought to show them respect.

"You're far too kind, Mr. Rengoku. And you don't have to be so formal, Yo-chan. Just call me Big Sister Shinobu from now on." Slightly embarrassed by Kyojuro's praise, Shinobu Kocho smiled at Chiba Yo.

"Yes, Big Sister Shinobu!" Chiba Yo greeted her respectfully again.

Shinobu Kocho could only feel a little helpless at that.

"This is my successor, Kanao Tsuyuri. You two should be around the same age, right? How old are you now, Yo?" Shinobu Kocho then introduced Kanao, who stood beside her.

"Fifteen," Chiba Yo replied.

"So you're a year younger than Kanao," Shinobu Kocho remarked.

"Kanao should be taking this round of the final selection soon, right?" Kyojuro asked Shinobu Kocho.

"Yes." Shinobu Kocho nodded.

"Give it your best!" Kyojuro called to Kanao.

Kanao simply smiled at Kyojuro again.

"All right, we're almost finished with today's training, so we'll head back now."

With that, Shinobu Kocho left with Kanao.

"Master Rengoku, what was that final selection you mentioned?" Chiba Yo asked Kyojuro after Shinobu Kocho and Kanao had left.

"The final selection is the last test you have to pass to become a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. You must survive seven days on Mount Fujikasane, where demons live. Once you pass, you'll receive your own Nichirin Blade and become a Demon Slayer swordsman," Kyojuro explained to Chiba Yo.

After hearing Kyojuro's explanation, Chiba Yo felt a little puzzled. The test seemed far too easy.

The Green-Skinned Demon he had encountered earlier had been easy for him to deal with. Although he had later learned that these demons could only be killed by sunlight or beheading with a Nichirin Blade, Chiba Yo still didn't think it would be difficult.

Besides, the final selection only required surviving seven days on that mountain. That meant it might be possible to pass without killing any demons.

Maybe the demons there are all incredibly powerful, Chiba Yo thought.

"But it's still too early for you to take the final selection. You'll need my approval before you can enter. So! Let's train hard! Start with two hundred push-ups!" Kyojuro shouted, brimming with enthusiasm.

"Yes, Master Rengoku!" Chiba Yo answered, immediately dropping to the ground and starting his push-ups.

At the same time, he quickly adjusted his breathing, exhaling a white Niji of vapor.

!

Kyojuro was instantly startled by what he had just seen.

A Breathing Style? But I haven't taught him that yet.

Unsure, Kyojuro walked closer to observe Chiba Yo.

"113! 114! 115! 116!..."

Chiba Yo focused on his push-ups, his breathing perfectly even. Despite doing so many in a row, not a single drop of sweat appeared on his face, and he looked completely at ease.

After watching him up close, Kyojuro finally saw it clearly.

It was indeed a Breathing Style, but it didn't resemble any existing school. He had even reached Total Concentration Breathing: Constant, maintaining Total Concentration Breathing continuously without conscious effort.

Kyojuro fell silent. This was beyond anything he had imagined.

"197! 198! 199! 200!"

Chiba Yo finished his two hundred push-ups and rose from the ground. There still wasn't a drop of sweat on his face, and he looked perfectly relaxed.

"Master Rengoku, I'm finished. What's the next exercise?" Chiba Yo asked.

It really is Total Concentration Breathing: Constant. He still hasn't stopped.

Kyojuro stared at Chiba Yo, deeply shaken. At Chiba Yo's question, he asked, "Yo-chan, when did you learn a Breathing Style?"

Chiba Yo froze for a moment.

"I've never learned a Breathing Style. You haven't taught me yet, Master..."

But he quickly realized something. He tapped his forehead and said in sudden understanding:

"Oh, do you mean the way I adjust my breathing, Master Rengoku? I figured that out when I was five or six. Adjusting my breathing gave me a lot more strength and stamina, letting me do all sorts of things I couldn't normally do. That way, I could help my moth..."

As he spoke, Chiba Yo couldn't help recalling the past again, and a wave of grief welled up within him.

But he soon regained his composure.

Mother must have wanted me to keep living and live well, just like how I felt when I saw her wanting to take her own life back then...

Chiba Yo fell silent for a moment, then asked Kyojuro, "So this is a Breathing Style?"

"Yes, it certainly looks like a Breathing Style. And you've already reached a very advanced level: Total Concentration Breathing: Constant. That means maintaining Total Concentration Breathing throughout the entire day," Kyojuro said with a nod.