Tanjirou took a deep, forceful breath.
After several cycles of inhaling and exhaling, he finally managed to calm down.
“Sis!
I’ll leave it to you, then!”
The usual determination returned to Tanjirou’s eyes.
While he was indeed shaken, if it was his sister, then wasn’t that a good thing!
Rather than his sister’s progress being slow, Tanjirou was definitely in favor of her progressing quickly.
If Chika had a fan club, Tanjirou would unquestionably be the number one fan, waving the flag the hardest.
The two quickly made their way to the open ground.
Chika gripped the ordinary longsword in her hands tightly.
As she changed her breathing rhythm, faint ripples resembling flowing water began to appear on the blade.
If this were the special “nichirin blade” unique to Demon Slayer Corps members, these watery ripples would be even more pronounced.
After shifting her Breathing Technique, Chika demonstrated Water Breathing’s Tenth Form, named “Constant Flux,” right in front of Tanjirou.
This swordsmanship technique accumulates the power of flowing water ripple sword energy through spinning and whirling motions.
It is the killing technique of Water Breathing.
When stacked to a certain degree, even the comprehensive-type Water Breathing can unleash power not inferior to other offensive Breathing Techniques.
Since this was just a demonstration, Chika didn’t whirl many times.
After slightly condensing a “small water dragon head,” she slashed at a nearby tree.
With a loud “BOOM!!!”, the large tree was cleanly blasted into two pieces.
“A-Amazing…
Wait, no!
Sis, you used such an incredible move.
How’s your body?
Are you tired?
Is anything sore?
Go…”
Thwack!
Before Tanjirou could finish his sentence, Chika’s free hand, not holding the sword, delivered a swift chop to his head.
“Don’t make such a fuss, okay?
Logically, she was the older sister, of higher seniority than him, the eldest son.
But after all this time together, Chika always felt Tanjirou was more like the senior “big brother.”
This wouldn’t do.
It was fine that Tanjirou was kind-hearted and caring, but she couldn’t lose her dignity and presence as an older sister!
Chika acknowledged that she had inherited the original owner’s memories and will, but she had no intention of following in her footsteps to become a gentle, elegant lady.
Being cute and ladylike—Nezuko alone was more than enough for that!
Chika nodded to herself, hands on her hips, while Tanjirou tilted his head in confusion.
He always felt his sister had changed somewhat, but not to the extent of being a completely different person.
Tanjirou could sense that his sister’s core was still just as gentle.
Perhaps the outwardly stronger demeanor was an effect of having witnessed their family being slaughtered by a demon.
Tanjirou: I must become even stronger!
Tanjirou gripped his longsword tightly and began practicing “Water Breathing Tenth Form: Constant Flux,” just as Chika had demonstrated earlier.
The scenes from just now and now all fell into the gaze of Urokodaki, who was watching from not far away.
Seeing the two of them training so diligently filled Urokodaki with both relief and a touch of distress.
He was relieved that at this pace, the two would soon complete their training.
If they didn’t meet an untimely end, they would undoubtedly become very strong in the future, not so easily killed in demon-hunting missions.
What distressed him was that the day’s training plan he had just formulated last night could be thrown out.
Not only had Chika already mastered the Tenth Form, Constant Flux, but judging by the look of it, Tanjirou probably wouldn’t take long to learn it either…
“What a bother.
Now I have to scrap it and start over.
But, oh well.
It’s better for me to work a little harder than for these two children to die by a demon’s hand later…”
Urokodaki muttered softly a few times before turning and heading back into the wooden cabin.
Tanjirou continued practicing Water Breathing’s Tenth Form, while Chika sat on a nearby rock, straining to recall past memories.
Hinokami Kagura.
This was the Kagura dance passed down through generations of the Kamado Family, originating from the strongest man in the Demon Slayer world, “Yoriichi Tsugikuni.” Yoriichi Tsugikuni and the Kamado Family’s ancestor were once friends.
After Yoriichi personally demonstrated a set of Sun Breathing, the Kamado ancestor recorded it, renaming it “Hinokami Kagura” and calling it a dance to pray to the Fire God for peace.
This Kagura dance wasn’t strictly passed down only to males; the entire Kamado Family had seen the complete set of dance postures every year before his death.
However, the unique breathing method was indeed known only to Tanjirou.
After all, one inheritor was enough.
The other boys were too young, and the girls weren’t interested.
Chika (Original): I have my kitchen knife, that’s enough.
Chika struggled to search her memories, only barely managing to recall the postures of the Hinokami Kagura dance.
As for the breathing method, she had absolutely no impression whatsoever.
Forget it.
Let’s just try to copy the motions first.
Chika acted immediately.
Holding her longsword, she began to dance gracefully according to the memory of her father’s movements.
Just one complete set left her drenched in sweat and gasping for air.
The Hinokami Kagura was inherently very physically taxing.
Combined with her current constitution, it was simply brutal.
Chika reached up to wipe the sweat beading on her forehead.
Tanjirou, who had seen her earlier dance, walked over quickly with a puzzled expression and asked, “Sis, that was…
our family’s Kagura dance, right?”
“Mhm.
Since you recognized it, that means my performance wasn’t too bad,” Chika replied while wiping the sweat from her brow.
“The breathing method isn’t like that.
Without the special breathing method, Hinokami Kagura consumes a tremendous amount of stamina.
Father taught me the breathing method; I can teach you…
Wait, the breathing method?”
Tanjirou froze for a moment, a “Could it be…?” expression suddenly appearing on his face.
“Sis, do you think the breathing method for our family’s Hinokami Kagura might be similar to Water Breathing?” Tanjirou turned to look at Chika, even he himself feeling his words sounded a bit absurd.
“We won’t know until we try.
What if it is?” Chika smiled inwardly, knowing her subtle guidance had succeeded.
Tanjirou wasn’t foolish.
Now, having learned Water Breathing, comparing it with the Hinokami Kagura breathing method, he immediately sensed the profound intricacies within the Hinokami Kagura’s technique.
“I…
I’ll give it a try!”
Tanjirou nodded, gripping his longsword tightly with both hands.
He opened his mouth and took a deep breath, recalling the breathing method his father had taught him.
A faint, sun-like flame began to shimmer on the blade he held…