Three days after the emergency Hashira meeting, Demon Slayers began arriving at Ryou's Nature Manor for their training, in batches with a three-day gap between each.
On the first day, 25 people arrived, standing in a 5x5 formation. Ryou stood before them, while Tatsuya, Haruka, Yui, and Hina stood on the sides.
"Under my guidance, you'll improve your reaction and perception. My training lasts three days—push yourselves and grow as much as you can," Ryou instructed.
He then divided the group of twenty-five into two teams. Each group formed a circle with a ball soaked in water in their hand, which was heavy and painful to be hit by. In the center of the circle stood several large poles that obstructed their vision to some extent.
The play was simple: one person would throw the ball, and another had to catch it. However, before catching the incoming ball, they had to throw the ball they were holding.
On top of this, no one was allowed to stand without a ball for more than four consecutive throws. If they did, the fourth person to throw the ball would face the punishment.
Anyone who fails to catch or throw correctly also faces punishment.
As for the punishment, they had to stand in the center while everyone tossed balls at them. If three balls hit them, they were out and had to repeat the routine until they succeeded.
At first, the players thought it was all fun and games. But once they began, they quickly realized how challenging it was.
They had to stay completely focused, reacting in an instant, without allowing any distractions, not even for a fraction of a second. Missing a catch or failing to throw the ball accurately became common mistakes, especially with the large poles blocking their vision.
On top of that, they had to constantly keep an eye on the person who was without a ball, as they had to throw him the ball within four throws.
The punishment was no joke either. Getting hit by the water-soaked ball felt like being struck by a rock, leaving painful bruises.
And that was just the beginning. Next came the dodgeball game, followed by an even tougher training where rocks were thrown at high speed, forcing them to react and dodge quickly. The training was relentless, pushing everyone's reaction to the brink, and sharpening their natural reflex.
With Ryou, Tatsuya, and Haruka overseeing the training, the slayers couldn't cheat, even if they wanted to. The day went on like this, and by the end, the slayers collapsed to the ground, mentally drained despite their physical strength.
After the training, the slayers were treated to full meals and a relaxing bath, allowing them to recover from the mental exhaustion with a good amount of rest.
--
The next day,
Once the demon slayers gathered in the training ground, Ryou introduced the next phase of their training: perception.
"Now that you've honed your reaction, it's time to work on perception. In battle, sensing the slightest sound, movement, or change in the air can be the difference between life and death.
You need to react before your eyes even register what's happening. To do that, you must perceive your surroundings instinctively."
He gestured toward a pile of black cloth on a nearby table. "For this exercise, you'll be blindfolded. You'll have to rely on your hearing and other senses to react."
Under Ryou's instruction, the slayers paired up into teams of two. One person was blindfolded, while the other wielded a wooden sword that Ryou had specially modified.
The wooden swords had small holes in them, causing a distinct sound with every swing. This allowed the blindfolded person to use their sense of hearing to make judgments and react accordingly.
The sudden darkness forced them to rely on their senses. As demon slayers with breathing techniques and enhanced strength, they were able to react to slight changes in sound or movement.
Some slayers adapted quickly, able to react to their partner's movements with impressive reaction, while others struggled to adapt.
As Ryou moved around the training field, he spoke, "When you lose one sense, the others sharpen. Use that to your advantage.
Those of you blindfolded are responsible for dodging, while the sword wielder is responsible for swinging the wooden sword. Don't use any breathing style, just basic sword moves. Now, Start!"
Under his instruction, the sword wielders began slowly, allowing the blindfolded slayers time to adjust to the darkness. After about ten minutes, the pace intensified, forcing quicker responses and reactions.
The training was effective, and the improvement was visible to the naked eye.
Tatsuya, overseeing the training, commented, "Ryou-san's reaction and perception training is unique. If they continue practicing this even after they leave here, they'll improve significantly."
"Indeed." Haruka nodded in agreement. Unlike the slayers who came solely for reaction and perception training, Ryou trained the two in every aspect—physical training, swordsmanship, meditation, flexibility, reaction, perception, and many more.
It's also one of the reasons why their strength has improved significantly in such a short period. Now, they have the strength and skill to fight and even kill demons with the strength of the Lower Moons.
--
After an hour, the demon slayers switched roles—those who were blindfolded now wielded the swords, while the sword swingers donned the blindfolds.
The longer the training continued, the more the slayers became sensitive to their surroundings. Deprived of sight, they were forced to rely on their other senses, sharpening their ability to perceive subtle changes.
By the end of the day, though mentally exhausted, they had shown noticeable improvements in both reaction and perception.
Ryou was satisfied with their progress, though it was just small steps. No drastic changes could happen in just a day or two, it takes time. But for now, it's enough.
The third day came, and Ryou introduced the final training. "Today, we combine reaction and perception. You'll stay blindfolded, but this time, you'll dodge balls thrown at you."
Thanks to the first two days of training, the slayers, with their sharpened reaction and perception, were able to react even with their blindfolds on.
With the fast-approaching battle against Muzan, every skill and advantage would be crucial. It may save their lives. Within the three days of training, Ryou pushed them as far as he could. And, it's what he can do in a short span of three days.
The next day, a fresh batch of slayers arrived, ready for their own training session.