From Mizuki's Transparent Vision, Zenitsu's body was already battered and tattered, held together only by a single breath, his willpower unimaginable compared to before.
But no matter how strong his will, when it was time to give out, he would still give out.
Without showing Mizuki any more training results, Zenitsu, holding his wooden sword, charged towards Tanjirou's figure, only to suddenly collapse midway, like a robot running out of power.
"Zenitsu?!" Tanjirou's expression changed slightly; he immediately dropped his wooden sword and quickly stepped forward, forgetting everything else.
Everyone: "..."
"It's good to be young, just fall asleep," Mizuki remarked with a strange sigh, then waved to Tanjirou.
"Tanjirou, carry him up."
"Miss Mizuki?" Tanjirou's face lit up with joy. He helped Zenitsu up and followed Mizuki to the guest room.
Kochou Shinobu gave Zenitsu a quick check-up, then shook her head and said, "He's fine, just overly exhausted. His body couldn't keep up."
"He'll be fine after two days of rest."
Zenitsu lay with his eyes open, staring at the ceiling.
His body... couldn't move.
It seemed he had reached his limit.
Mizuki nodded in agreement, saying, "This is what they call 'haste makes waste.'"
"See? You could have exercised every day, but now you have to lie in bed for two days."
"Who knows, the effects of your physical training might completely disappear during these two days you're lying down."
At this, Zenitsu gritted his teeth and propped his palms on the bed board, as if trying to get up.
"Zenitsu!" Tanjirou quickly pressed him back down.
A look of struggle flashed across Zenitsu's face: "Let me go, I can still..."
"Alright, alright, I'm really afraid of you, here," Mizuki said, ignoring Kochou Shinobu's speechless expression, and quickly pulled an envelope from her pocket, afraid that Zenitsu would really climb out of bed.
Seeing the envelope, Zenitsu and Tanjirou's struggling movements froze for a moment. Zenitsu took the envelope somewhat stiffly, his expression a little blank.
Zenitsu propped himself up with his hands, holding the envelope, his head bowed, lost in thought.
"Huh?" Mizuki seriously suspected he had misunderstood and couldn't help but prompt, "Why don't you open it and take a look?"
"It's good news."
Zenitsu suddenly looked up, his eyes fixed on Mizuki: "Good news?"
Mizuki nodded: "Good news."
Zenitsu's eyes lit up. He knew that although the person in front of him had a terrible personality, she would never joke around about something like this.
Zenitsu suppressed the joy in his heart and lowered his head to open the envelope.
His fingers were so excited that he failed to open the envelope several times, his movements visibly growing impatient, and the edges of the envelope began to crease.
While Zenitsu was clumsily tearing open the envelope, Tanjirou cast an inquiring gaze at Mizuki.
"Miss Mizuki?" he softly called out, as if asking a question.
"Mhm," Mizuki responded with a smiling nod.
Tanjirou's smile relaxed, and his gaze towards Zenitsu softened as he mumbled.
"That's great..."
Zenitsu was too engrossed to hear Tanjirou's murmur. He spent a lot of effort, as if even the beads of sweat on his back were startled out, and finally managed to open the envelope.
Zenitsu's hands, gripping the edges of the envelope, clenched unnaturally, and he unconsciously held his breath.
Tanjirou, sensing his mood, also held his breath, fearing to see an expression of false joy on his face... Approximately a few seconds later, under Tanjirou's slightly stunned gaze, a tear the size of a bean dropped onto the envelope, followed by an uncontrollable stream of tears.
Zenitsu's head was bowed, his shoulders trembling slightly.
"That's great..."
"That's great..."
He mumbled, his voice thick with tears.
Tanjirou felt a wave of relief wash over him; his tense shoulders relaxed, and a natural smile appeared on his face.
Zenitsu trembled for a while, clutching the envelope, then seemed to suddenly remember something. He hastily wiped away his tears and looked up.
"Miss Yu..." He paused, his peripheral vision catching something as he looked up. He couldn't help but lower his head and seriously examine the envelope again.
"Hm?" Mizuki questioned, confused.
Why was he suddenly calling her?
...About a few seconds later, Zenitsu's lips suddenly turned white, and his entire body began to tremble.
"Zenitsu?" Tanjirou's expression changed slightly.
Even Mizuki and Kochou Shinobu couldn't help but exchange glances.
Did something unexpected happen?
Before anyone could figure out the details, Zenitsu suddenly rolled his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling, with a white foamy substance bubbling from his mouth.
"???"
What the heck?
Mizuki involuntarily took the letter from his hand and quickly scanned it.
"…"
"I see," Kochou Shinobu stretched her neck over, sighing with emotion.
Tanjirou, not understanding but feeling impressed, leaned closer. A moment later: "I see..."
Mizuki: "..."
Because she had complained in the letter that Zenitsu woke up before dawn and disturbed the peace.
Zenitsu's grandfather had written in the letter that since Zenitsu had shamelessly survived, he hoped he would be rigorously trained.
He said that he hadn't seen the results of Zenitsu's efforts and apologized for bothering her for a while longer.
In short, the words were full of 'malice' towards Zenitsu.
Hm... it was concern, actually.
Mizuki said speechlessly, "It's nothing, right? Isn't he like this now?"
He usually always wanted to be lazy, but now he was even more 'rolled up' than Tanjirou.
Responding to her was Zenitsu, who moments ago was clamoring to get out of bed to train.
Zenitsu, trembling all over, said with a terrified expression, "No, I'll die~"
"With this kind of training, I'll definitely die..."
Tanjirou opened his mouth but couldn't speak, only his slightly twitching eye could prove his inner speechlessness...
It really was Zenitsu's personality.
Even Mizuki was stunned for a moment.
No?
You change that quickly?
Mizuki couldn't help but ask, "Just out of curiosity, how do you feel now?"
Zenitsu looked up, puzzled: "How do I feel about what?"
Mizuki pointed to her own shoulder, silently gesturing.
Zenitsu looked at his shoulder in confusion. There were marks from the wooden sword, a bruised purple... After a few seconds of silence, Zenitsu's wailing cries echoed through the room.
"It hurts so much~"
Zenitsu clutched his shoulders and rolled around on the bed, looking completely undignified.
Mizuki: "..."
She couldn't help but exclaim, this kid really is a talent.
Mizuki scoffed, "So, it really is 'mind over matter,' huh?"
One second he was a gloomy, melancholic type with a dark expression, the next he turned into a comedian.
Kochou Shinobu quietly leaned into Mizuki's ear: "Actually, it's not as bad as when you hit him that day."
Mizuki's face darkened: "You don't need to bring that up again."
She had already admitted her mistake, what more did they want from her?
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