In the following few days, Kanzaki Kumo’s daily routine was extremely regular.
He would wake up early in the morning, spend the morning studying the theoretical knowledge of the Breathing Technique, and begin to gradually attempt to control his breathing rhythm, preliminarily touching the threshold of Thunder Breathing.
The afternoons were dedicated to practicing sword forms, ranging from basic slashing to the Second through Fifth Forms of Thunder Breathing, interspersed with physical conditioning training.
The training method was simple: run down Mount Momo and then run back up.
During the run, he had to constantly maintain the rhythm of Thunder Breathing, and his speed could not slow down.
Kuwajima Jigorō would also randomly ambush Kanzaki Kumo along the route.
It was said that he got this inspiration from the training methods of an old friend.
Kuwajima Jigorō: This is my first time being a Cultivator, I don’t have much experience.
It shouldn’t be a problem to seek advice from another experienced person, right?
Kanzaki Kumo: Urokodaki Sakonji, I really thank you so much!
convex(艹皿艹)!
A week of continuous training resulted in a significant improvement in Kanzaki Kumo’s physical fitness.
He had also mastered the basics of Thunder Breathing, increasing the longest duration he could maintain Total Concentration Breathing from ‘try it and die’ to ten minutes.
Ten minutes was enough time to complete several sets of Thunder Breathing sword forms.
The only drawback was that he would be completely exhausted for a period after ten minutes.
Furthermore, as he gradually mastered the Breathing Technique and his body was strengthened, Kanzaki Kumo’s appetite grew day by day.
There was no choice; the strengthening of the body through the Breathing Technique did not happen out of thin air; it required sufficient energy intake.
Because of this, during his rest periods, Kanzaki Kumo couldn’t help but ponder why Kamado Tanjuro, who was practically a mini Tsugikuni Yoriichi, was so frail.
A part of the reason must be that he practiced the Breathing Technique long-term but, due to his poor family circumstances, could not maintain sufficient energy intake, leading to a long-term overdraft of his life force.
However, since starting his training, Kanzaki Kumo had encountered a problem—he still hadn’t learned the First Form.
For the Second through Fifth Forms of Thunder Breathing, Kuwajima Jigorō only needed to demonstrate them once, and Kanzaki Kumo could practice them slowly on his own, quickly learning the movements, and even making minor adjustments based on his own condition to make the movements smoother and more natural.
But the First Form was an exception.
The First Form of Thunder Breathing, Thunderclap and Flash, was the ultimate instantaneous burst move, the true core of Thunder Breathing.
Even the subsequent Five Great Forms needed to rely on the First Form to exert their full power.
It was the foundation, the core, and the starting move.
Yet, for such a crucial form, Kuwajima Jigorō, due to his leg disability, could not demonstrate it.
And three days had already passed since Kuwajima taught him the essentials of the First Form, and Kanzaki Kumo could be said to have made no progress whatsoever.
During the rest time before dinner, Kanzaki Kumo was sitting outside the door, watching the sunset in deep thought.
“Thwack—”
“Ouch!
Old Man, why are you hitting me?”
Kanzaki Kumo clutched his head, looking at Kuwajima Jigorō standing just behind and to his side.
“I’m trying to wake you up!
You’ve only failed to learn the First Form for three days, and you’re already getting stuck in a rut?
Do you know how long it took me when I was learning to your level?
And you’re still not satisfied.
What, do you think you can reach the heavens in one step just because you have some talent?”
Kuwajima Jigorō lectured indignantly while walking over and plopping down next to Kanzaki Kumo.
“You are the most talented child I have ever seen.
You can learn every form with just one look.
That is your talent, but it is also a shackle.
You subconsciously rely too much on your powerful eyes, thereby ignoring other strengths.”
“Thunderclap and Flash emphasizes the ultimate burst by concentrating all power into a single point.
If you haven’t truly explored and mastered your own strength, how can you concentrate and unleash it?”
As Kuwajima Jigorō taught him, Kanzaki Kumo’s eyes gradually brightened, and the vexation in his heart swept away.
The overly smooth learning process before had given Kanzaki Kumo some unrealistic fantasies, leading him to become impatient at the slightest obstacle.
Logically, he shouldn’t be like this.
After years of struggling in society in his previous life, and experiencing life as a wanderer in this life, his temperament shouldn’t be this poor.
But perhaps it was precisely because he awakened his past life’s memories that Kanzaki Kumo subconsciously believed he was different, uniquely gifted, and a cut above everyone else in this world.
Whether it was his casual internal assessment of Muzan, the dark cloud that had hung over the Demon Slayer Corps for centuries, or the unintentional casualness he displayed toward others, it all stemmed from this subconscious belief. This chapter was taken from novelping.com without permission.
It was only because he was young and had a tragic background that others didn’t hold his casualness against him.
Moreover, the overly smooth learning period recently had further deepened this subconscious perception.
Ultimately, this led to him becoming restless after being stuck on the First Form for three days.
He, Kanzaki Kumo, was ultimately just one member of the teeming masses of this world.
Although he possessed some talent and knew some secrets and futures unknown to others, he was still just a mortal, not some lofty existence.
Once he corrected his mindset, Kanzaki Kumo naturally wouldn’t be bothered by a few days of stagnation.
Seeing Kanzaki Kumo quickly adjust his state, Kuwajima Jigorō nodded with satisfaction.
A week passed, and Kanzaki Kumo, with his effort and talent, successfully made Kuwajima abandon the idea of persuading him to quit.
Instead, Kuwajima began to wholeheartedly cultivate him, intending to nurture a powerful swordsman for the Demon Slayer Corps, a new generation Sound Hashira who would surpass him, the former Sound Hashira.
“Remember, you must learn to master your talent, not just rely on it.” Gazing into Kanzaki Kumo’s eyes, he finished speaking earnestly, then lightly tapped Kanzaki Kumo’s head before getting up and heading toward the kitchen.
He had discovered Kanzaki Kumo’s distress midway through preparing dinner, which is why he came over to counsel him.
After the counseling session, he naturally had to return to cooking; he couldn’t let his precious disciple go hungry.
Kanzaki Kumo looked at Kuwajima Jigorō’s not-so-tall back, and the gratitude in his heart deepened.
He had no doubt that if he had continued to dwell obsessively on failing to learn the First Form for a long time, this Little old man would have demonstrated the First Form for him, even at the risk of aggravating his leg injury or becoming paralyzed from the waist down.
This was because Kuwajima believed that just one look would allow his uniquely gifted disciple to learn the moves of the First Form, and mastering this crucial move would give him a better chance of victory when facing demons in the future.
Thinking of this, Kanzaki Kumo silently rubbed the corners of his moist eyes, silently cursing all of Kaigaku’s relatives one more time in his heart.
He turned and hurried back into the room to grab paper and pen.
He needed to write to Ubuyashiki Kagaya to confirm whether that guy Kaigaku had been dealt with.
Such a good Little old man could not be ruined by that scoundrel, not even with the slightest possibility!
Not only that, Kanzaki Kumo also planned that once he became an official swordsman, he would try to find Agatsuma Zenitsu and give him to the Little old man as company.
This way, even if Kanzaki Kumo couldn’t visit Kuwajima Jigorō often in the future, the Old Man wouldn’t feel too lonely.
As for whether Kuwajima Jigorō, after witnessing Kanzaki Kumo’s top-tier talent, would increase the training intensity for Zenitsu when they met, that was no longer Kanzaki Kumo’s concern.
After all, the Little old man wouldn’t train anyone to death.
A slightly higher training intensity might mean fewer injuries in the future.
Kanzaki Kumo: I am truly too kind.
Agatsuma Zenitsu: Don’t you come over here—!