"Nii-san, we're going to Sagiri yama to learn how to slay demons, right?"
"I heard Grandpa Takeshi say there are demons at the foot of the mountain, and there are people who specialize in killing demons. Those people should be at Sagiri yama."
Sakata Takeshi was a friend of their father's, running a clothing shop. I heard he moved to Tokyo some years ago and then lost contact.
Roy only vaguely remembers him as a corpulent man with a lush beard, who liked to wear a double-breasted suit vest.
"It's me, not you," Roy said, strolling leisurely with a bamboo basket on his back. To his left ran a river named "Wangchuan."
Following the Wangchuan River westwards leads you to the town at the foot of the mountain.
"Why not take me along?" Tanjiro was anxious and jogged two steps forward, spreading his arms to block Roy: "Nii-san clearly promised to take me for training, you're going back on your word."
'I said I'd take you for training, but didn't say I'd teach you the Breathing Technique.'
Tanjiro's physical condition is still too weak... If he were thrown into the Zoldyck Family, even Mikai wouldn't notice him, he'd just be comparable to those regular people in the butler's quarters wishing to join the Zoldyck butler team.
So, before figuring out the Breathing Technique, Roy decided to model Tanjiro's development on the way his family trained him, at least to build his basics solidly before Tanjiro learned the Breathing Technique.
"Alright." The foolish Mamen Beans didn't know what he was about to face.
Seeing Roy agree, Tanjiro danced with excitement.
But the next moment—
He was dumbfounded.
"Nii-san, are you sure?"
Reaching the town at the foot of the mountain before the hour of the dragon, is this really something people can do?
Selling charcoal down the mountain and coming back takes four hours of travel, Roy now requires him to halve that... Tanjiro really couldn't figure out how to achieve it.
"Run."
Roy directly gave the answer.
If you can't reach it walking, then run with a basket of charcoal on your back!
There is no better way to exercise cardiopulmonary capacity and enhance constitution.
Roy flexed his ankle before Tanjiro's eyes, stepping towards the rushing river, without looking back, he said: "You run on the shore, I'll run on the water."
"Before the hour of the dragon, we must arrive."
"How to run on water?" Tanjiro widened his eyes, thinking he had misheard.
Then he saw Roy actually carrying the basket, leap into the river.
He let out a surprised cry...
Hurried to reach for his arm.
"Nii-san, I don't want to learn, I don't want to anymore, isn't it enough?"
"Get up here!"
The child cried in panic...
Never has he felt as guilty as now, with a persistent notion flashing in his mind—
"It's doomed, it's all my fault. If I hadn't insisted on Nii-san taking me for training, he wouldn't want to die."
Tanjiro was too kind-hearted, to the point that even when the Evil Ghost bullied his sister, he hesitated to go all out, almost missing the opportunity entrusted by Tomioka Giyu to bring Urokodaki Sakonji to assess him.
'Crying?'
"Reminder, crying also counts towards the time."
"Ah?" Just as Tanjiro fell into a deep abyss of despair...
A familiar voice came... Tanjiro looked and followed——
Behold,
Roy had stepped into the river, swayed a few times, and was standing steadily on the water.
"Walking on Water"... A small trick recorded in Jager's notebook specializing in "Nenryoku" Form Change.
By imagining, forming "Nen" into a duck-webbed shape attached to the soles, allowing the mimicry of ducks running on water.
Sure enough, Roy succeeded...
The young man's deep red hair fluttered in the wind, leaving behind a dazed Tanjiro, as he took a leap... drawing a long thin line on the water's surface.
"Nii-san~ Wait for me!" The certain Iron Head finally responded.
Both crying and laughing, not bothering to wipe away the tears, letting them dry freely in the wind, closely followed Roy....
[Reminder: The "Nenryoku Form Change" column has been activated.....]
["Form" +0.05...+0.05...+0.05....]
No waves rise without wind, Roy couldn't tell if he is riding the waves or creating artificial waves, but receiving a prompt from the panel is indeed a cheerful thing.
'According to the booklet, besides "Walking on Water" there are "Cliff Walking" and "Hookless Fishing"....'
'The focus of training lies in... overcoming the limitations imposed by natural laws by changing the form of "Nenryoku"....'
"Which means——man can conquer nature!"
Roy thought pensively, quickly moved his feet to try "Dark Step"....
Like walking on flat ground, directly creating afterimages on the water's surface, startling a flock of egrets.
"Tweet——"
The egrets soared into the sky, dropping some tail feathers.
Panting heavily, the trailing Tanjiro beheld the scene, brimming with unspeakable envy.
'I also want to be as cool as Nii-san....'
Tanjiro's heart blazed with fervor, giving a loud shout, he quickened his pace.
Soon, the two brothers could already see the outline of the town through the woods.
Rows of closely packed wooden houses, intertwined. Closer, one could hear the vendors calling and the snorting of mules and horses.
Before long, finally arrived....
Roy performed a Riding the Waves, gracefully landed ashore.
Behind him, an utterly exhausted Tanjiro lay there like a dead dog.
The foolish Mamen Beans' chest heaved up and down, like a broken bellows, gasping heavily, barely lifting his head... two rice balls flew over, landing into his palms.
"Eat something, take a rest." No matter what, he's still his own little brother, even in recognizing the world, he can't be treated as a mule.
With that, Roy took Tanjiro for a brief rest, then went into town side by side.
Thanks to their father Tanjuro's wide connections, the Kamado Family was quite renowned in the town, without calling out, they quickly sold out two baskets of charcoal.
Then to the market to buy two pieces of clothing for Nezuko, some candy for Takeo and Mao, and finally a rattle-drum for Hua Zi... Time ticked by, and soon it was afternoon.
Meanwhile, Tanjiro stopped before a blacksmith shop, unable to walk away.
"Nii-san, how about spending some money on a new katana for you?"
The scene of Roy slaying Sato Takeshi a few days ago, was still vivid in his mind.
Tanjiro strongly believed that if Nii-san had been holding a sword at the time instead of a hoe, it would have been smoother.
Unfortunately...
"Don't look, demons can't be killed by ordinary swords."
Roy had already inquired the direction to Sagiri yama from an acquaintance, turning to glance at Tanjiro.
Tanjiro muttered an acknowledgment, tightened the bamboo basket on his back, and followed.
As they walked he gleefully said: "The lady selling mushrooms said the mountain southwards is Sagiri yama."
"There's a shrine on the mountain, we can spend the night there."
Yes... spending the night at a shrine that specializes in luring in demons will surely be fascinating.
Roy squinted slightly, as if he could already smell a thick scent of blood.....