The next day at noon, Asuka finished drinking the warm medicinal soup and sat alone outside the tatami room, quietly gazing at the wisteria flowers climbing along the courtyard wall.
He tried to gently use his Breathing Technique, but the moment he applied even a little force, the slight expansion of his lungs brought a sharp, tearing pain.
No good...
Asuka wiped the blood froth he had coughed up from the corner of his mouth, a rare look of hesitation appearing on his face.
"Don't push yourself, child." Aunt Matsumoto was busy in the herb garden outside the tatami room, keeping an eye on Asuka as well.
She wiped her hands on her apron and walked over with concern. "Your wounds were just stitched up. They'll split open like this. Honestly, you don't know how to take care of your own body!"
"...Thank you. How long will this last?" Asuka wasn't good at dealing with people who showed him sincere kindness. He could only thank her softly and ask. (T/N: I like how he says "thank you" out of nowhere xD…)
"How long? You mean recovering?" Aunt Matsumoto replied sharply, as if she had seen through his thoughts. "At least another month!"
Her tone grew stricter. "Shinsuke already told me. It's far too early for you to be thinking about this! Forget the selection—you can barely run a few steps. Resting quietly is what matters most!"
A month? Then the Mount Fujikasane selection would already be over. Hesitation flickered in Asuka's eyes again.
Instinctively, he knew how important it was to recover properly. But he had made a promise to Teacher Arasaki. Was he really going to give up like this?
Maybe tomorrow? Or the day after? Once he recovered just a little more, it should be fine. After all, the teacher had said that Mount Fujikasane only had minor demons. Even if he didn't fight, just running away should be enough to pass...
Holding onto that thought, Asuka fell silent and continued staring blankly at the wisteria.
Several days passed. Although Asuka's recovery ability was already beyond normal, the damage to his internal organs healed only slowly, far from what he had hoped.
Stubbornly, he began preparing. While attempting deeper breathing, he tied his Asauchi to his body and used the corridor pillars to stretch, forcing his stiff limbs to move again.
Just then, as the setting sun dyed the courtyard a warm orange-red, steady and powerful footsteps sounded from the gate. Shinsuke had returned.
Ever since the Beninuma incident, he had been patrolling nearby, checking the extent of the damage caused by demons and whether any lower-ranked demon servants under Beninuma were still lurking around.
Dust-covered from travel, he stepped into the courtyard and happened to meet Asuka, who was preparing to head out.
Shinsuke was carrying a small bundle filled with fresh fruit and rice cakes from town. The moment he saw Asuka's expression, he understood his intentions and gently set the bundle down.
"Asuka, where are you going?"
Shinsuke asked in a calm, friendly tone.
"...Just moving around."
"Moving around?" He stepped closer, staring at Asuka's fully equipped appearance, his brow twitching. "You're planning to go to Mount Fujikasane? No! Go lie down right now!"
He reached out, intending to support Asuka.
But Asuka lowered his shoulder slightly, retreating half a step with remarkable speed and lightly brushing Shinsuke's wrist aside.
Shinsuke's wrist tingled faintly. He was surprised—Asuka's strength had recovered this quickly?
Those injuries were no joke. There was no way Shinsuke could let him leave like this.
Shinsuke persisted in trying to restrain him, while Asuka, though slowed by his injuries, relied on his extensive street-fighting experience and reflexes to dodge Shinsuke's attempts.
During the struggle, Asuka coughed violently several times, making Shinsuke tense each time he tried to grab him.
Still, Shinsuke was an experienced Demon Slayer. No matter how quick Asuka was, he couldn't fight at full strength while injured.
In a sudden movement, Shinsuke seized Asuka's shoulder and firmly locked him in place.
"Enough!"
Before he could finish speaking, Asuka suddenly dropped his weight downward, enduring dizziness and surging blood as he swept his left leg at Shinsuke's lower body. At the same time, his right hand shot like lightning toward the Nichirin Blade at Shinsuke's waist.
Shinsuke's pupils shrank. His breathing grew heavy, a gentle yet continuous blue airflow moving through his nose and mouth as he burst forth with astonishing speed and strength.
Bang!
He dodged the sweep, knocked Asuka's hand aside, and tightly grasped his wrist.
This time, Asuka was completely restrained.
"Tch..."
A tremendous force held him in place. Asuka tried to struggle, but the pain inside his body surged as a warning. If he forced it, he might worsen his injuries.
Reluctantly, he gave up resisting and allowed Shinsuke to secure both his Asauchi and the Nichirin Blade before guiding him back to sit beneath the eaves.
From afar, Aunt Matsumoto watched the scene, shook her head helplessly, and went inside to prepare dinner.
After putting the swords away, Shinsuke looked at Asuka with a grave expression. "Asuka, what are you trying to do? Go to Mount Fujikasane to die?"
"I can run. I can hide. Surviving seven days isn't that hard..." Asuka replied quietly. "I promised the old man I'd pass the selection."
"That still doesn't mean gambling with your life!"
Shinsuke's expression was unusually serious, carrying the sternness of an elder.
"The selection can wait until next time! But if your life is gone, everything is gone!"
"Asuka, your talent is enviable, and your strength is admirable. But the reality is that we're all human. We get hurt. We die. If we don't cherish our lives, even the weakest demon can kill us!"
"Listen to me. Even if the Demon Slayer Corps must die, it shouldn't be meaningless. Go next time!"
These heartfelt words left Asuka silent. He truly took them to heart.
Yes. Staying alive mattered most...
"...I understand." Asuka let out a long breath and rubbed his sore wrist. "You're right. I won't go."
Seeing this, Shinsuke finally relaxed.
He nodded. "That's more like it. Rest and recover properly. The Demon Slayer Corps will always open its doors to someone with your ability!"
Night fell. After dinner, Aunt Matsumoto retired early, leaving only Asuka and Shinsuke outside, staring at the moonlight.
"Your breathing... it's different from mine..."
Asuka suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.
He looked at Shinsuke's calloused hands and asked awkwardly, "What is it? It feels pretty impressive..."
Shinsuke paused, then smiled bitterly.
"...Impressive? Compared to real experts, I'm far behind."
He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "What I use isn't complete Water Breathing..."
Confusion flickered in Asuka's eyes.
Shinsuke rubbed his hands together, a self-mocking smile on his face.
"My talent is poor. Back at the trainer's place, even after giving it my all, I only learned the first two forms of Water Breathing. The teacher said I lacked understanding and that continuing would be a waste of time. He told me to focus on practical combat skills and basic sword forms instead—to work in logistics or support."
He sighed deeply, regret heavy in his voice. "I barely passed the selection in the end, but compared to a genius like you... I can't even measure up."
"You killed a powerful demon like Beninuma on your own. I... I really envy people like you."
As he spoke, Shinsuke's eyes glistened with tears, as if recalling painful memories.
Asuka listened quietly.
Until now, the only peers he had known were Kenichi and Rika.
This was the first time he realized that even powerful Demon Slayers carried their own limitations and regrets—and just how difficult Breathing Techniques truly were to master.
"I'm not a genius. There's nothing to envy," Asuka said calmly, his tone much gentler now. "I just want to survive."
Shinsuke looked at his calm face and nodded. "Yeah. Survive..."
"What will you do next, then? After you recover, will you return to Hayama, or..."
Asuka gazed into the distant sky, silent for a long time.
Return to Hayama... Would Teacher Arasaki be disappointed?
He had promised to return alive. Even if it was in such a miserable state, at least he would still be alive.
"Shinsuke."
"Hm?"
"Please take a message to Teacher Arasaki in Hayama for me..." Asuka turned to Shinsuke, his usually vigilant eyes showing rare guilt and unease.
"Tell him... Asuka cannot participate in the selection this year and failed to live up to his expectations.... I am truly sorry."