At the same time as Shinichi's return, in a vast clearing temporarily prepared behind the Moriki Conglomerate estate, the Demon Slayer Corps' unprecedented Hashira Training was in full swing!
This training, aimed at enhancing the abilities of all Demon Slayers, was built upon the foundation of the Hashira, preparing them for the imminent all-out war against the demons.
The moment Shinichi rejoined the ranks, he went to observe the training sessions led by each Hashira.
First, he arrived at the basic physical training led by the Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen.
The wide training ground was filled with the heat of evaporating sweat and the exhausted groans of Demon Slayers pushed to their limits.
Though the bandages wrapped around his waist and arms still faintly showed traces of blood, Uzui Tengen stood tall like a resplendent god of war.
His training ground had no flashy techniques—only the most primal, direct physical exertion!
Heavy stone locks, specially weighted vests filled with iron sand...
Under his booming commands, the Demon Slayers labored like tireless worker ants, enduring hellish rounds of weighted shuttle runs, squats, and presses!
This high-intensity training would last the entire day.
The Demon Slayers' muscles screamed and trembled at their limits, often leaving them too exhausted to even eat by day's end—despite the delicious meals prepared by Tengen's three wives.
During training, Tengen would sometimes wield his signature dual swords single-handedly, mercilessly striking sluggish or poorly positioned trainees with the flat side of his blades.
"Endure with flair! If you can't handle this much pain, how will you slay Demons?! Imagine your lungs as horns! Your blood as molten lava! Burn brighter!!"
His training aimed to forge bodies of steel, capable of sustaining combat through prolonged, high-intensity battles.
"Though this level of training might damage the body, isn't it better to break down here than to die powerless against a Demon?"
At a simple wooden table, Tengen remarked to Shinichi, who nodded in agreement.
Physical training was indeed the most fundamental training.
"Speaking of which, that boy Tanjiro left quite an impression. He cleared my training in just eight days—faster than some Kinoe," Tengen mused.
The red-haired youth who fought alongside them in the red-light district had earned his respect.
"Tanjiro? He really is a good kid," Shinichi agreed wholeheartedly, setting down his chopsticks.
This was already his fifth bowl of rice—Tengen's wives were truly exceptional cooks.
Ever since Shinichi gained control over his demon blood, his taste buds seemed to have normalized.
The upside? He could savor delicious food again, even if his body didn't strictly need the energy.
After bidding Tengen farewell, Shinichi headed to the Flame Hashira Rengoku Kyoujurou's explosive power training.
The temperature in Kyoujurou's training area was noticeably higher than elsewhere.
Instead of intense sparring, he had his disciples seated in a circle while he stood at the center.
His golden-red eyes burned with intensity, his voice booming and penetrating.
"Focus! Feel the rise and fall of your chest! With every inhale, draw power into your core! With every exhale, channel that energy through every limb!"
As he spoke, Kyoujurou demonstrated personally.
Flame Breathing ignited and his body erupted with blazing red aura—like a miniature sun!
He guided his disciples in compressing and detonating their Breathing Techniques in an instant, pursuing the ultimate destructive principle.
"Concentrate all power into a single breakthrough!"
"Don't hold back! Don't hesitate! Turn your will into sparks that ignite your fighting spirit! Flame Breathing, Second Form: Rising Scorching Sun!!"
He swung his wooden sword fiercely, sending a concentrated flames soaring into the sky.
Under his guidance, the Demon Slayers repeatedly practiced compressing their breathing and delivering strikes that concentrated their full strength, the air constantly ringing with the sharp sounds of bursting fighting spirit.
Break time arrived.
"That was quite an impressive training session, Kyojuro. This training method—I remember Shinjuro-san used to train you like this, didn't he?" Shinichi recalled the scenes he had witnessed during his visit to the Rengoku estate.
"Ah! That's right! But I don't think Father would mind me teaching everyone this method! After all, it might help many of our comrades protect themselves!" Kyojuro's voice was loud and confident, brimming with trustworthiness.
At Kyojuro's place, Shinichi happily joined him in devouring over a dozen servings of beef bowls and sweet potato rice.
The taste was undeniably excellent.
Moreover, Shinichi noticed that while eating the sweet potato rice, Kyojuro would continuously exclaim.
"So delicious! So delicious!" (UMAI! UMAI!).
The training after Kyojuro's session was a swordsmanship coordination drill jointly led by the Water Hashira, Tomioka Giyuu and the Wave Hashira, Sabito.
Sabito and Giyuu's training ground was a quiet valley.
Standing side by side, their movements synchronized and their breaths aligned, they taught the profound secrets of Water Breathing as once passed down by Urokodaki Sakonji—endless and ever-changing.
There were no overly intense clashes, nor was there a pursuit of sheer explosive power.
Instead, there were countless repetitions of sword swings, striving for absolute precision, fluidity, and seamless transitions.
"Water has no fixed form; it changes with the situation. This is the essence of Water Breathing," Giyuu's voice was calm and indifferent, sounding utterly cold.
However, anyone who had spent time with Giyuu would know that this was his normal demeanor—in fact, it was even better than usual.
Compared to Giyuu, Sabito paid more attention to details, patiently correcting each Demon Slayer's posture.
"Focus on the rotation of your wrists. The power should build steadily, originating from your waist, transferring through your arms, and channeling into your blade—unbroken, like a continuous flow of water."
They had the Demon Slayers pair up, mimicking their movements to practice synchronized swordsmanship, feeling the rhythm and coordination akin to flowing water.
Then, they guided them through offense-defense transition drills—one attacking like a raging torrent, the other defending like a deep pool—demanding seamless shifts between offense and defense.
Their training aimed to forge the most fundamental swordsmanship foundations, cultivating a combat rhythm and synergy as relentless and pervasive as water.
The reserved Giyuu and the gentle Sabito truly embodied the serene and adaptable nature of Water Breathing.
Here, Sabito even called upon several of his fellow Demon Slayers from Mount Sagiri to demonstrate, helping the others better grasp the techniques.
-----------------------------
Please read my new fic : One piece : Scum of the Marine!
Read 45 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator