The Hashira all have mansions at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, and Tomioka Giyu's residence isn't far from the Butterfly Mansion.
They arrived shortly after.
"What a big house~" A soft voice, tinged with surprise, came from outside.
Sitting formally inside, Tomioka Giyu, who was in meditation, didn't pay attention to the exclamations from outside.
But then, his heart gave a violent lurch.
"Excuse us! Mr. Tomioka!"
It was Tanjirou's voice.
Tomioka Giyu's eyes snapped open. Although there was no reason, he felt that guy might do something unexpected.
His heart suddenly became uneasy.
Sure enough, it perfectly matched Tomioka Giyu's anxious heart.
Tanjirou's voice rang out again, and even worse, an unfamiliar female voice also shouted along.
"Hello! Mr. Tomioka!"
"Sorry for the intrusion!"
What? What are you apologizing for?
"Then, shall we come in?"
Tomioka Giyu's eyes widened even further.
Come in?
No... he meant go back, right?
I misheard... Creak~
Tomioka Giyu trembled all over... "Is he not here, Mr. Giyu?" Nezuko tilted her head in confusion.
Mizuki's eyelids lowered slightly. After sensing for a moment, she said, "No, he is."
As Mizuki spoke softly, three heads peeked in through the door one after another.
Three pairs of red eyes stared in unison.
A drop of sweat trickled down Tomioka Giyu's temple.
"Good morning, Mr. Giyu." Tanjirou, with a simple-minded smile, sat in front of Giyu.
"…" Tomioka Giyu looked at the three with an expressionless face.
No, he wasn't good at all.
Perhaps he'd feel better if they left.
Tanjirou didn't mind his coldness and turned to Mizuki: "Young Miss Mizuki has something to ask Mr. Giyu, right? Why not ask first?"
Tomioka Giyu:...What? How many things do you have to ask him about?
Mizuki was also not reserved and asked Giyu, "Mr. Giyu, I wanted to ask you about the Eleventh Form of Water Breathing that you created yourself."
Currently, there are only ten forms of Water Breathing. Urokodaki-sensei only taught up to the Tenth Form: Constant Flux.
And after the Tenth Form, there is an Eleventh Form called 'Calm'.
Meaning 'calm waters and still winds', it is a unique skill created by the current Water Hashira, Tomioka Giyu.
From the name, it seems to be a sword Move completely opposite in technique to Rengoku Kyoujurou's self-created Flame Breathing, Ninth Form: Purgatory.
One sounds light as the wind, while the other makes one feel passionate.
It seems to perfectly encapsulate the common perception of water and flame.
She had already witnessed Rengoku's form; it was a sword technique that charged forward like fiercely burning hellfire.
Because she wanted to develop subsequent Snow Breathing Sword Forms, she followed Kochou Shinobu's suggestion to learn about the sword techniques of other Hashira.
Although the Demon Slayer Corps' Hashira were not as strong as her, that was because she had lived for hundreds of years longer and had the strong body of a demon as a foundation.
In terms of talent for the Five Great Breathing Styles alone, she might not necessarily be stronger than the Hashira.
Before Giyu could speak, Tanjirou couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Young Miss Mizuki, why do you want to know about this?"
Giyu resisted the urge to nod in agreement and calmly looked at them.
Mizuki replied, "I want to see if other forms can help in the development of Snow Breathing Sword Forms."
"The current Snow Breathing Sword Forms are a bit too weak."
Tanjirou was stunned for a moment: "Is... is that so?"
He thought the Snow Breathing Sword Forms were incredibly powerful, alright?
If Sun Breathing wasn't their family's inherited Hinokami Kagura Dance, a Breathing Technique suited to his Physique, he would have wanted Mizuki to teach him Snow Breathing.
Tanjirou, who had always been tormented by Mizuki, had a deep understanding of Mizuki's Moves.
Mizuki explained, "I mean pure Snow Breathing Sword Forms."
Pure?
"But I think all of Young Miss Mizuki's Sword Forms are amazing," Tanjirou scratched his head. He didn't know much about Snow Breathing Sword Forms, but he felt that no Move struck by Young Miss Mizuki was weak.
"Is that so?" Mizuki was also startled.
She felt her Sword Forms were too monotonous, too easy to see through.
And Shinobu thought she could draw experience from other Hashira.
Tanjirou, on the other hand, felt her Sword Forms were already very powerful.
This was probably like a thousand people having a thousand views of something.
However, whether it was to continue developing her own Sword Forms or to draw inspiration from other Breathing Techniques' Sword Forms, Mizuki felt it was necessary to understand others' sword techniques.
She turned her gaze to Tomioka Giyu, who had remained silent.
Tomioka Giyu's vacant eyes met hers. After a moment of silence, he said, "I can't teach someone like you."
...Silence.
Dead silence.
Tanjirou's mouth slightly agape.
Oh no, are they going to argue?
Are they going to argue?
They're going to argue, aren't they?
Young Miss Mizuki definitely isn't the type to be contradicted and not talk back.
Tanjirou's brain raced, already starting to think about who to help.
Help Young Miss Mizuki? Then Mr. Giyu would definitely be disappointed.
Help Mr. Giyu? Then Young Miss Mizuki would definitely also be disappointed.
Just as Tanjirou's mind went blank, Mizuki's voice suddenly chimed in: "Is that so? No, I think Mr. Giyu is also very amazing."
"Huh?" Tanjirou and Nezuko simultaneously cast puzzled glances.
Mizuki smiled slightly, explaining nothing.
She had just deciphered the meaning of Giyu's words.
'I can't teach someone like you.'
What he really wanted to express was, 'How can a good-for-nothing like me teach someone as talented as you?'
Mm-hmm, those were words of praise for her.
Tomioka Giyu's eyes widened slightly, as if he had seen something incredible, and he looked at Mizuki with a surprised expression.
She understands my words?
Others always misunderstood him.
"You..." Tomioka Giyu had just opened his mouth.
"Mr. Giyu, there's no need to belittle yourself. From your breathing rhythm, I can feel that you have great talent in Water Breathing cultivation. Even the Water Hashira of the Sengoku Period might not have been able to achieve this level."
Giyu was shocked, and then felt he didn't deserve such words.
Tomioka Giyu's eyelids drooped slightly, and his hands on his thighs clenched a little: "No, I... I'm not that amazing."
Mizuki waved her hand: "No, no. Breathing Techniques have been passed down to this day, and there have been countless Water Hashira and other users. Very few people can independently develop Sword Forms."
Of course, some lost or unsuitable Sword Forms might not have been passed down.
But it is always something that only talented people can achieve.
Seeing that the two seemed to genuinely be communicating, Tanjirou and Nezuko were also shocked, looking from one to the other in a daze.
What's going on?
They don't seem to be arguing.
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