While the Swordsmen marveled at Kanao's speedrunning achievement, Kanzaki Kumo, who knew everything, looked at them with eyes full of schadenfreude and a hint of pity.
A girl who was not very old had passed every assessment ahead of everyone else with exceptionally outstanding results.
So, would the training intensity and assessment difficulty go down or up next? What a tough guess. (Hehe.jpg.)
The Swordsmen who had just escaped Tengen Uzui's "clutches" seemed to realize this, so their admiring gazes toward Kanao also carried a measure of resentment.
Unfortunately, it was already a done deal. They would ultimately be "ravaged" by even harsher training.
Everyone: The future looks so dark.
Kanzaki Kumo: Nice and cool, then.
Everyone: ...
Elsewhere, Zenitsu staggered along looking alive but barely, his unsteady steps making it seem as though he might collapse at any moment.
"I'm exhausted... Tanjiro, you jerk, why did you have to do so much extra training for no reason?"
The "Grind King Four-Person Group" had just passed Giyu's Swordsmanship Basics Assessment and, after receiving an evaluation of "still needs work," was preparing to head to the next training ground.
Beside Zenitsu, Yuichiro was in much the same state, radiating resentment that said, "I want to slack off, but I'm being forced to grind."
Only Tanjiro and Inosuke could still march forward brimming with energy, heads high and chests out.
After spending this time together, Inosuke had more or less become part of their little group.
Inosuke: No one can refuse Tanjiro's enthusiasm. If anyone can, they'll face Tanjiro's shameless persistence. Don't ask me how I know.
"Because we really are falling behind in strength. Of course we have to work harder to catch up." Tanjiro turned back and answered Zenitsu's mostly complaining question with complete seriousness.
"Falling behind? Behind who?"