Genius

Kyojuro was momentarily stunned by Chiba Yo's abilities. He had met plenty of people in the Demon Slayer Corps, but every one of them had only learned a Breathing Style after joining, and reaching Total Concentration: Constant took at least several months of training. Yet Chiba Yo's starting point was already where some people finished.

"Let's do this. I'll demonstrate the Flame Breathing sword techniques for you now. Try using your Breathing Style to perform them. At this point, all you have left to do is study sword techniques and train your body!"

Kyojuro spoke to Chiba Yo, then took two bamboo swords from the training ground's weapon rack and handed him one.

"Yes, Master Rengoku!" Chiba Yo obediently answered at the top of his voice. Holding the bamboo sword, he stood to one side and watched Kyojuro's movements. Over the past few days with Kyojuro, he had noticed that his teacher's hearing wasn't very good, so he deliberately raised his voice when speaking to him.

"First is Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire. It lets you charge at your target with the explosive force of a burst of flame!"

Kyojuro demonstrated as he spoke, adjusting his breathing, planting his right foot, and gripping the sword with both hands.

The next instant, he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, then swung his sword horizontally. The flame-covered slash whistled through the air.

Chiba Yo saw every detail of what happened inside Kyojuro's body as he performed the technique. The movement of his lungs as he breathed, the flow of his blood, the contraction of his muscles-he committed all of it to memory.

"Hoo..."

Chiba Yo planted his right foot, lowered his center of gravity, and gripped the bamboo sword with both hands, taking the same stance Kyojuro had just used. His lungs expanded as he drew in oxygen.

"Watch closely..."

Kyojuro turned as he spoke, but he was quickly interrupted.

"Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire!"

Chiba Yo shouted, then shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow and swung his sword horizontally. A fiery slash identical to Kyojuro's swept through the air.

Kyojuro froze beside him, swallowing the rest of his unfinished sentence.

That was definitely Flame Breathing, a perfectly executed First Form. The Breathing Style he used while doing push-ups clearly wasn't Flame Breathing. Could he really have learned both Flame Breathing and its First Form just by watching me perform it once? That talent is even more frightening than Muichiro's, and he became a Hashira in just two months.

A tidal wave of emotion surged through Kyojuro. Chiba Yo's talent had reached a level he could barely comprehend.

Meanwhile, Chiba Yo frowned despite successfully reproducing Kyojuro's technique. Using that Breathing Style had felt uncomfortable, as though he was holding himself back. He could clearly have expanded his lungs further and taken in more oxygen.

"Master Rengoku, did I perform the First Form correctly?" Chiba Yo turned and asked.

Rather than answering, Kyojuro walked over to him and said, "Yo-chan, you should take part in this Final Selection too!"

What had just happened made Kyojuro realize that the child before him was a genius who appeared only once in a hundred years. The world's usual rules simply didn't apply to him. What took others one or two years to learn, this boy could master after seeing it once.

The boy was practically a child of the gods, with all their favor bestowed upon him alone.

"Huh? Didn't you just say it was too early for me, Master Rengoku?" Chiba Yo asked in confusion.

"My earlier judgment was wrong! With your talent and your current mastery of breathing, passing Final Selection will be a breeze!" Kyojuro declared loudly. There wasn't a trace of jealousy in his eyes as he looked at Chiba Yo, only joy and pride.

He knew the Demon Slayer Corps would soon gain another Hashira-level fighter. That was a blessing for the entire Corps and every human in the country.

"What about your test, Master Rengoku?" Chiba Yo asked.

"There won't be one! Your mastery of breathing already rivals mine and may even surpass it. I can't think of any test to give you!" Kyojuro folded his arms and spoke loudly.

Then he added, "But you still need to practice your sword techniques over the next few days and develop techniques suited to your own Breathing Style. Of course, I'll teach you all the Flame Breathing sword techniques too. I hope you'll gain something from them!"

Kyojuro's words felt almost unreal to Chiba Yo. How was he already about to finish his apprenticeship when he had only just become a student?

"Yes! I'll work hard!" Chiba Yo answered loudly.

Over the next few days, Chiba Yo developed sword techniques suited to his own Breathing Style under Kyojuro's guidance. With the aid of the Transparent World, he knew his body intimately, which allowed him to make rapid progress. He also learned Flame Breathing's five sword forms, along with its "Secret Art, Ninth Form: Purgatory."

He accomplished all of this in six days.

On the morning Final Selection was due to begin, Chiba Yo stood at the entrance to the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters. Beside him was Kanao Tsuyuri, who would also be taking part.

A sword now hung at Chiba Yo's waist. It was a spare Nichirin Blade Kyojuro had taken from headquarters. These blades were mainly provided to those taking part in Final Selection.

"Master Rengoku, I'm leaving now," Chiba Yo said to Kyojuro.

"Yes! I know you'll succeed!" Kyojuro encouraged him loudly.

Beside Kyojuro, Shinobu Kocho also gave Kanao a few instructions. As always, Kanao responded with a smile.

After exchanging farewells, Chiba Yo and Kanao set off together toward Mount Fujikasane, where Final Selection would take place.

Once the two had left, Shinobu Kocho asked Kyojuro in puzzlement, "Mr. Rengoku, is it really all right to send that child straight to Final Selection? Even if you started teaching him the moment you met him, it's only been a week."

Shinobu Kocho had been utterly shocked to learn that Kyojuro was letting Chiba Yo take part in Final Selection too. But she knew what sort of man Kyojuro was, so she had waited until now to ask him.

"He'll be fine! That child is a genius! He already has his own Breathing Style and has developed sword techniques to match. He's even learned Flame Breathing and all its sword techniques!" Kyojuro answered loudly. He wasn't worried in the slightest about Chiba Yo failing Final Selection.

"You must be joking... In seven days..."

Completely stunned by Kyojuro's words, Shinobu Kocho looked toward the figures that had already vanished into the distance, momentarily speechless.

Meanwhile, in a small cabin on Mount Sagiri, a red-haired boy put on a blue haori patterned with clouds and donned a fox-shaped Disaster-Preventing Mask.

"I'm heading out, Mr. Urokodaki!"