The next morning, sunlight filtered through thin clouds onto the streets of Yamada Town, lending the old neighborhood a measure of peace and tranquility.
"Boss, five more dumplings and a serving of miso soup, please!"
A booming voice broke the quiet of the street and echoed through the dumpling shop.
The shopkeeper sprang into action at the sound, deftly placing five steaming dumplings and a bowl of fragrant miso soup on a tray before bringing them over to the boy wolfing down his food. He could not help cautioning him:
"Sir, you've already eaten a lot. Perhaps... you should eat a little less?"
The boy, Teiichi, chewed his dumplings and replied indistinctly, "Don't worry, boss. I'm fine. I just have a slightly bigger appetite. I'm only seventy percent full right now. I might need another serving in a bit."
To prove his point, Teiichi raised his head and looked the shopkeeper straight in the eye, a hint of a smug smile appearing on his face.
Seeing nothing unusual in his expression, the shopkeeper felt a little less worried, but still could not help stealing a few more looks.
No one knew what he had been through so early that morning. When the boy before him had ordered his first extra serving, he had treated him like an ordinary customer. At the second, he had given him another look. At the third, he had been amazed, and at the fourth, terrified. This had just been the boy's fifth extra serving. Afraid the boy would stuff himself to death in his shop, he had been forced to speak up.
Yet Teiichi seemed to have no intention of stopping. He kept eating in great mouthfuls, only stopping at last after finishing his sixth extra serving. He paid and stood to leave. Watching his retreating figure, the shopkeeper let out a long sigh of relief, the weight on his mind finally lifted.
"Burp~"
Walking down the street, Teiichi let out an enormous burp, and only then did his stomach feel a little more comfortable.
He had nearly starved yesterday. To carry out his mission, he had run around all afternoon and then staked the place out all night, going an entire day without food.
A Breathing Style was not immortal cultivation, which let someone sustain themselves on the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The extraordinary physiques of Demon Slayer Corps members were fueled entirely by food. The stronger they were, the more they ate.
Still, feeling how full his stomach was, Teiichi had to admit he had eaten a little too much this time. It felt as though the food was almost up to his throat.
Was there some way to speed up digestion? Teiichi began turning the question over in his head, and his eyes suddenly lit up.
I remember the original story seemed to mention that breathing could help stop bleeding. Could it help digest the food in my stomach, then?
With that thought, Teiichi found a deserted spot and sat down.
"Hiss~"
He closed his eyes and intensified his Breathing Style. He imagined his stomach secreting gastric acid faster and his body digesting food more quickly.
As time passed, he gradually entered a meditative state.
Within a vast expanse of nothingness, he seemed to sense the shape of a stomach. The gastric acid inside him seemed to begin forming faster, and his body seemed to start absorbing the nutrients in his food more efficiently.
Teiichi could not help feeling a surge of delight. He relaxed his mind further, immersing himself completely in this state.
After an unknown length of time, a pang of hunger came from his stomach.
Teiichi slowly opened his eyes and realized he had been sitting there for a long time. He looked up at the sky and estimated that it was around ten in the morning.
A smile lifted the corners of his mouth, and he stood to find something to eat.
Yes, a Breathing Style really can speed up digestion and nutrient absorption.
But meditating with all my concentration only sped things up by an hour or two. I still need to train; I don't have that much time to spend meditating. I need to find a way to make this a constant state for my body, like Total Concentration Breathing.
Three days later, night fell.
The forest north of Yamada Town was particularly quiet and mysterious.
Moonlight filtered through sparse clouds, falling over winding paths and uneven trees, draping this deep forest in a silvery veil.
Teiichi sat in an ancient tree with his back against its thick trunk, his head tilted up as he gazed at the bright moon in the sky. His gaze was deep and resolute, as though he were waiting for something.
An unknown amount of time passed.
"Creak."
After an unknown amount of time, a faint creak suddenly sounded in the forest, breaking the silence of the night.
Teiichi immediately lowered his head in astonishment and looked toward the house nearby.
The door slowly opened, and a short figure appeared in the doorway. The demon was probably less than a meter and a half tall, but his body was unusually muscular. He effortlessly lifted a corpse and tossed it into the house.
When did this demon get here?
I didn't notice him at all!!
No, who cares how he got here? Get down there and cut him down!
Teiichi's initial shock swiftly turned to happiness.
This mission was finally going to end!
Bracing his right hand against the branch he sat on, Teiichi twisted his body and leaped down.
Thud!
His body struck the ground with a dull impact.
Drawn by the sudden noise, the demon turned its head toward its source.
When it saw Teiichi's familiar attire, a cruel smile curled its lips. Its voice was hoarse and grating, like a saw rasping back and forth through wood.
"Why is this Demon Slayer a little late? Not that it matters. You're all here to die anyway." The demon's voice was full of disdain and contempt.
Teiichi's expression darkened at the demon's words. Clenching his fists, he slowly drew the Nichirin Blade from behind his waist. Its blade gleamed coldly, exuding a sharpness that seemed capable of slicing through the air.
"I don't know about being late, but you're certainly not going to have a good time today! Don't worry. I'll give you a couple of extra cuts before sending you on your way!"
The demon gave a disdainful laugh at Teiichi's words. It seemed to think nothing of him and even began considering its next plans.
"Fine, then. I've stayed here long enough this time anyway. I'll kill you today, kill someone else in the village up ahead in a few days, then move somewhere else."
Teiichi did not continue chatting with the demon. He lowered his long blade until its tip rested against the ground and took a few steps toward the demon, the tip scraping along the ground with a piercing hiss.
Suddenly, Teiichi leaned slightly forward and drove hard with both legs, shooting ahead like an arrow loosed from a bow. He was incredibly fast, like a bolt of lightning splitting the night sky, vanishing from his spot in an instant.
Whoosh!
When his figure appeared again, he was already standing before the demon. His Nichirin Blade was raised high, gleaming coldly as he brought it down viciously at the demon.
That speed!
The demon only had time to widen its eyes before seeing Teiichi's Nichirin Blade slash toward it. Terror surged within it. This speed far exceeded its expectations.
Damn it, is this guy a Hashira?
The demon cried out inwardly. It strained with all its might to throw its body forward and to the left, trying to evade Teiichi's attack.
No, he's too fast. There's no time!
Whoosh!
With a rush of cleaving air, Teiichi's Nichirin Blade struck the demon's right arm hard. The demon screamed as its arm was severed instantly, blood gushing out.
"Aaargh!"
The demon screamed, its voice filled with pain and terror.