“Total Concentration Breathing Constant!!!”
Hearing this unfamiliar term from Urokodaki’s mouth, Tanjirou couldn’t help but draw out a long sound of surprise.
After finishing the exclamation, Tanjirou blinked and continued with a sincere expression, “Total Concentration Breathing Constant…
what’s that?”
“Um…
you’ve already learned Total Concentration Breathing.
Constant Breathing is about maintaining that breathing state for long periods, allowing every step and every strike to be at 100% speed and power.
Also, because you’re in a state of concentrated breathing for so long, your physical fitness improves.
However, this technique is very difficult to learn; very few people in the Demon Slayer Corps reach this level.”
Within the Demon Slayer Corps, only the “Pillars” and those with the potential to become “Pillars” in the future can master this technique.
Under normal circumstances, a Trainer would never teach this technique to their disciple during the training phase, but this was clearly not a normal situation.
Come on, if we’re doing this, let’s go all out!
The first year: lay a solid foundation and learn Water Breathing.
The second year: begin cultivating Total Concentration Breathing Constant.
Chika felt a distinct sense that she was grinding her level to the max right here in the starting village.
If she could truly cultivate this “Constant Breathing,” wouldn’t killing demons in the Final Selection be as easy as chopping cabbage?
However, cultivating “Total Concentration Breathing Constant” was no easy feat.
The state of concentrated focus and bearing the physical strain it imposed was the foundation for using breathing sword techniques—that was Total Concentration Breathing.
Constant Breathing meant maintaining this state for long periods, making it the norm.
It was a bit like Super Saiyan 1 and Super Saiyan 1 Full Power?
Chika and Tanjirou immediately began their “Total Concentration Breathing Constant” training without delay.
From being able to sustain it for only a few minutes at the start, they progressed to being able to maintain it for dozens of minutes, even several hours.
It sounded simple, but a very long time passed.
One day, night.
Tanjirou was writing in his diary as usual.
What?
What kind of proper person keeps a diary?
Let me tell you, there are only two kinds of people in this world who write diaries: one is the extremely *improper* kind, who just use the diary for show, and the other is the super *proper* kind.
Tanjirou belonged to the latter category.
After condensing the day’s events into a few sentences and recording them in his diary, Tanjirou put away his pen, closed the diary in his hands, and let out a heavy sigh. Get faster updates on g.com.
Just as he turned his head, intending to look at Nezuko lying asleep beside him, Chika, who had just finished washing up, happened to drop by and saw Tanjirou’s unusually weary face.
“What’s wrong?
Still worried about Nezuko?”
“Mhm…
yeah, Sis.
Ever since we came here to train, Nezuko hasn’t woken up once.
She won’t…
never wake up again, will she?”
Tanjirou gazed at Nezuko lying on the floor with deep concern.
Over all these days, the only reason he could endure her prolonged slumber was by constantly hypnotizing himself and keeping himself extremely busy with tasks, tiring himself out so he wouldn’t overthink it.
But this wasn’t a long-term solution.
As the day’s training gradually ended and he relaxed, his worry for Nezuko surged up like a tide.
In the original story, Tanjirou always maintained an optimistic and positive attitude.
But whether watching the anime or reading the manga, one could only see what was presented on the screen or page.
But the current Chika was different.
She could feel every minute and every second of this world.
The moments that flashed by or weren’t shown in the anime or manga were, for Chika, real, tangible experiences she had lived through.
“Tanjirou, don’t think about it too much.
Both Nezuko and I were affected by the same demon blood.
I have a vague sense that Nezuko is simply asleep and will wake up before long.”
“Really?!
If that’s true, that would be great.
I’ll definitely work hard to find a way to restore Nezuko to being human.”
Hearing Chika’s comfort, Tanjirou immediately felt much more at ease.
However, this “vague sense” Chika mentioned…
of course, that was just something she said casually.
Chika felt nothing of the sort; knowing the original plot was far more useful than any vague intuition.
“It’s getting late.
Time to sleep.”
Day by day, time passed.
While learning “Total Concentration Breathing Constant,” the two also quietly practiced “Hinokami Kagura.” Although its endurance was still not high, its power was leagues beyond Water Breathing.
Both considered it their secret weapon to use against opponents that Water Breathing couldn’t handle.
Soon, two years had passed since they came here to train.
In Chika’s eyes, this was the true beginning of the demon slayer main storyline; everything before was merely akin to a “prologue.”
Demon Slayer Corps · Final Selection!
As long as they passed this selection, they could become members of the Demon Slayer Corps and obtain the newbie gear—also the ultimate weapon against demons—the “nichirin blade.”
Chika was already itching to go.
Similarly, Tanjirou had also waited for this day for far too long.
After hearing from Urokodaki that they could go participate in the Final Selection, Tanjirou was so excited he couldn’t sleep.
The next day, when he woke up, not only did he have no dark circles under his eyes, but his vigor and spirit still looked several times stronger than an ordinary person’s.
And Chika’s condition wasn’t much “better.” Tanjirou longed to become a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, and how could Chika not eagerly anticipate the official start of this main storyline?
Although she had transmigrated to this timeline, and many regrets and tragedies before this point were now beyond her reach, thanks to the devilish skill of the author, she would have plenty of opportunities later to reverse tragedies.
Early the next morning, Chika walked up to the mirror in the wooden cabin.
While slightly tidying her hair, she also saw the wheelchair placed behind her reflection in the mirror.
A sudden thought flashed through Chika’s mind: maybe she should ride the wheelchair for a while longer later, and then enact the classic xuanhuan novel trope of “acting low-key and weak—being looked down upon—being mocked—the protagonist takes action—face-slapping—continuing to act weak—continuing to be looked down upon…” However, this thought only appeared in her mind for an instant before she quickly dismissed it herself.
Showing off and face-slapping is certainly satisfying, but in that trope, Chika couldn’t stand being mocked super frequently.
Even if she later showed off and slapped back at the mockery, Chika would still feel uncomfortable.
Being low-key is fine, but the deliberate low-key act followed by infinite face-slapping trope?
Let’s just forget about that.
Moreover, Chika didn’t really believe there were that many straightforward people in this world who would bluntly show mockery or disdain on their faces, or even say it directly to someone’s face…
oh no, should say, that many idiots.
She just needed to be her truest self.
And my name now is…
Kamado Chinatsu!
Chika looked at her reflection in the mirror, took a deep breath, quickly turned, left the room, the wooden cabin, and stepped outside.
Today, she and Tanjirou would leave this mountain together and head to Mount Fujikasane to participate in the Demon Slayer Corps’ Final Selection!