From the beginning, Young Miss Mizuki sought him out because she felt he could learn Sun Breathing and help defeat Kibutsuji Muzan.
But even after learning Sun Breathing, he hadn't reached the level of power Young Miss Mizuki had described.
Forget Muzan, he struggled immensely even against the Twelve Demon Moons.
After meeting Young Miss Mizuki's elder brother, that sense of despair grew even stronger.
When facing other Upper Ranks, even if Tanjirou knew they were strong, he wouldn't completely lose confidence.
But facing that monster, he couldn't find even a sliver of a possibility of victory.
Young Miss Mizuki successfully saved them.
He felt it was because he hadn't yet mastered the Demon Slayer Mark and his body hadn't been trained to the limit.
So he trained desperately and became the second person in the Demon Slayer Corps, after Young Miss Mizuki, to achieve a permanent Demon Slayer Mark.
...
But it was useless; the gap still clearly existed.
It wasn't even the kind of gap that could be easily crossed.
It had nothing to do with the strength of the Breathing Technique or the Demon Slayer Mark; after knowing Tokito-kun, he understood it was a gap in talent.
Sun Breathing... he actually preferred to call it Hinokami Kagura, but since he felt it was inherited from Young Miss Mizuki's elder brother and he needed to respect Mr. Yoriichi, he changed how he addressed it.
He didn't start learning this Breathing Technique from Young Miss Mizuki in his teens.
In fact, he had already been learning this Breathing Technique under his father's guidance when he was young.
He wasn't a Genius and didn't have as much talent as others.
But...
He was unwilling to accept it.
Perhaps it was to remember Mizuki's kindness, or perhaps he was just a fool who wanted to help others when he saw them facing misfortune.
He didn't want to give up here...
He wanted to help Young Miss Mizuki... to slay... Muzan...
...
Tanjirou gritted his teeth so hard it seemed he was forcing blood from his gums; the metallic taste of rust flooded his mouth, seemingly awakening a bit of his animalistic nature.
Tanjirou stepped forward with stiff strides.
Mizuki noticed his abnormality and subconsciously looked over.
Hmm?
When she saw Tanjirou's distorted face and the way he stubbornly raised his Nichirin Blade despite the stiffness in his body, Mizuki's heart tightened.
Had she offended Tanjirou somewhere?
Why was he still thinking about rushing forward to attack her?
Was it because the usual training was too harsh?
While Mizuki's mind wandered, Tanjirou actually began to move faster and faster, transitioning from slow steps.
Everyone couldn't help but look over.
What does that guy want to do?
Tanjirou's movements became faster and faster, even starting to run despite his stiff gait.
Mizuki's pupils contracted slightly, and she subconsciously took half a step back.
She couldn't understand.
In her Transparent World, which she dared not neglect, the Cold Qi was eroding his whole body through the wounds, and even the blood circulation was nearly coming to a halt.
In that physical state, he clearly should have reached his limit.
Why could he still run?
She wasn't a doctor, but her Transparent World vision gave her an understanding of the human body that surpassed Tamayo's.
She knew very well that it was absolutely impossible to run in that state; even moving slightly should have been a struggle.
Tanjirou's heart began to beat more and more intensely, and the blood in his meridians seemed to regain vitality, breaking through the shackles of the Cold Qi.
His speed returned to normal.
Orange-red flames erupted from the Nichirin Blade he held, once again lighting up the dark night.
How on earth did he do it?
How could that kind of body move?
Mizuki even had a moment of daze, subconsciously ignoring the fact that they were still training.
This child is coming to cut her.
This thought appeared in Mizuki's mind.
It had been a long time since she had felt this way, this feeling of being about to be cut.
Tanjirou held his Nichirin Blade, and under the illumination of the orange-red flames, the Demon Slayer Mark on his forehead became clearer. Those determined red eyes caused Tanjirou's figure to gradually overlap with a certain figure in her memory.
Elder brother...
Mizuki unconsciously raised her Nichirin Blade, her mind devoid of any extra thoughts, only...
Counterattack.
She didn't want to be cut.
She had been cut many times before.
Mizuki raised her Nichirin Blade and slashed through the air toward Tanjirou.
...
That figure raising the Nichirin Blade was deeply embedded in Tanjirou's mind, and the world seemed to suddenly slow down.
Tanjirou's eyes suddenly widened.
He saw it!
All of Young Miss Mizuki's muscles, blood vessels, and bones were clearly seen by these eyes of his.
That movement!!
He swerved and leaped toward the front right.
Mizuki was stunned; she couldn't stop her hand in time, and the blood-colored Sword Qi slash grazed past Tanjirou's body.
It didn't hit.
Was it an accident?
Before Mizuki could think further, Tanjirou had already closed in, bringing his flame-wrapped Nichirin Blade down toward her neck.
Mizuki wasn't fragile to that extent; Tanjirou's movements indeed brought her much surprise, but his body hadn't recovered to its peak state.
Mizuki simply swung her blade, and the powerful force after her Demonization sent Tanjirou flying.
In the end, this strike didn't land on her neck.
Mizuki's back felt a bit cold; he clearly wasn't that strong, but Tanjirou's Aura just now...
"You seem very surprised?" Sanemi Shinazugawa's harsh voice came from behind once again.
"When?" Mizuki's pupils contracted slightly, and she turned back to see that she had been surrounded by everyone again at some point.
Sanemi Shinazugawa, Iguro Obanai, Kanroji Mitsuri, Tomioka Giyu, Kanae, Kanao, Kyoujurou...
All of them...
Had they crept up to her side in that state?
Mizuki noticed their slightly trembling bodies and was incredibly shocked.
Because of the erosion of the Cold Qi, maintaining the Constant Concentration Breathing Technique was already very difficult; everyone was almost gasping for breath as they slashed at her quite straightforwardly.
Mizuki was surprised they could move in that situation, but under the erosion of the Cold Qi, those movements had become incredibly slow and weren't even a threat.
She didn't want to lose, or perhaps she didn't think at all.
Mizuki casually swung a massive slash that forced everyone back, vomiting blood as they were sent flying.
But it wasn't over yet.
A flash of flame suddenly rose in her peripheral vision, growing brighter and brighter.
Behind her!
She quickly turned around and saw Tanjirou raising his Nichirin Blade high again, slashing toward her.
?
Hadn't she already... Tanjirou...
Mizuki suddenly saw Uzui Tengen behind Tanjirou.
Did he catch him?
As if sensing Mizuki's gaze, Uzui Tengen gave her a difficult smile.
Have you felt their hot-blooded bonds?
...
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