Shinobu turned and gave Su Chen a playful punch. "Alright, hurry up and explain the rules!" she said teasingly.
Su Chen just smiled, ignoring her small gesture. Instead, he began to state the additional rules he had proposed. Everyone listened intently.
"The main part of the rehabilitation training competition is the same as what Shinobu said," Su Chen explained. "However, everyone can add one new item to the training. This is to help patients recover better and to improve the Butterfly Mansion's training options! Since it's getting late, we will each choose five patients to work with. Finally, the winner will be decided by the number of positive reviews from those patients. Oh, and one last reminder for Shinazugawa-san."
Su Chen paused for a moment, then looked at Shinazugawa. "If you want to beat me, you'll have to work very hard."
Shinazugawa didn't say anything, but the twitch at the corner of his mouth said it all.
After Su Chen finished his explanation, Kyoujurou spoke up with interest. "I think this competition sounds very interesting!" he boomed. "The Demon Slayer Corps usually focuses on slaying demons. Even our competitions are about combat and physical training. But after a day of rescue missions, I've found that the medical staff of the Butterfly Mansion are also incredible! They are just as important as our frontline warriors! I approve of this rehabilitation training! And I approve of these treatment personnel even more!"
Kyoujurou's powerful voice reached everyone. Their reactions were all different. Shinazugawa looked stunned. Shinobu smiled slightly. Su Chen nodded in approval.
The Butterfly Mansion was, indeed, very important to the Demon Slayer Corps. It represented their support and supplies, a part of the Corps that they couldn't live without. Hearing Kyoujurou say this made Su Chen feel a sense of comfort.
But the happiest person of all was Kanzaki Aoi, who was nearby washing quilts and sweeping the floor. As a key member of the Butterfly Mansion, it was the first time she had ever received recognition from a Demon Slayer Corps member. And it was the Flame Hashira!
She glanced over in Su Chen's direction. It turned out that the gentle young man hadn't lied to her. People did see what she was doing, and she was contributing to the Corps. She had just been living in the shadow of her past, unwilling to believe it. She just couldn't get past that feeling in her heart.
The Flame Hashira's words had acknowledged her efforts. Su Chen's words, on the other hand, had planted a seed in her heart. Now, that seed had sprouted. This made her feel secretly overjoyed. The girl with the pigtails clutched her broom, sweeping faster and working harder. Her heart was blooming with joy.
Thank you so much, Su Chen-san! she thought.
On the other side, Su Chen and the others finished their discussion. It was time to select their "rehabilitation training patients." The process was simple. They just needed to pick five injured Demon Slayer Corps members from the crowd in front of them.
But right away, one of them had a problem.
Shinazugawa had an incredulous expression on his face. He stared at the empty floor in front of him, lost in thought.
Why are there no members coming to me for training? Did I see that wrong?
Shinazugawa rubbed his eyes hard, but there was still no one there. He was furious.
Am I really that bad?!
He scowled and turned to look at the other two. In front of the Flame Hashira, there were exactly five patients. They were chatting and laughing, and when they got excited, they would high-five each other. The lively scene was a sharp contrast to his own empty space.
Shinazugawa turned his head again to look at Su Chen. The next moment, he froze like a statue.
In front of Su Chen... there were dozens of people! More than half of them were girls from the Demon Slayer Corps!
They were all eagerly raising their hands, rushing forward faster than they would to slay a demon. They squeezed in front of Su Chen and shouted excitedly.
"Su Chen-kun! Pick me, pick me, pick me!"
"Su Chen-kun is so gentle! He's the one who cured me in the gynecology department! He's a miracle doctor!"
"Ever since Su Chen-san saved me, my back doesn't ache, my legs aren't sore, and even slaying one of the Twelve Kizuki doesn't seem hard anymore!"
"Get out of the way! You're as weak as a Lower Moon, how dare you compete with me for Su Chen-san!"
"You get out of the way! Doesn't the Wind Hashira-sama still have five spots? Go over there!"
"I'm not going! The Wind Hashira-sama is so fierce! He's not gentle like my Su Chen-san!"
"Isn't the Wind Hashira-sama gentle too? He's your husband, you go!"
"I'm not going! He's your husband! You go!"
The members pushed and argued. The chaos was as bad as a demon-slaying scene. Some were pulling hair, some were still shouting "Su Chen-san," and some were even saying they would bear his children when he came of age.
In this state, where was the serious attitude of a Demon Slayer Corps member? And with this much energy, how could they be called patients?
Su Chen shook his head. It was his first time seeing such... enthusiasm... from the Demon Slayer Corps. How was he supposed to choose only five? He was in a dilemma.
[You begin to think, naturally entering a state of contemplation.] [You discover that you are very popular and suddenly have many fans. Your every move begins to be widely noticed, and your words gradually begin to have public influence!] [You decide to pay attention to your image. A basic plan forms in your mind.] [You begin to deduce.] [You discover that you have a great talent for being an idol. You mentally rehearse your idol life. With a single thought, you comprehend the skills related to "Idol Self-Cultivation" and "Demon Slayer Trainee."] [Your behavior begins to become elegant. Your speech is upgraded. Your temperament is upgraded.]
In front of the crowd, Su Chen silently opened his eyes. At that moment, his entire body seemed to change from the inside out.
First, his appearance. Su Chen looked more mature. His originally youthful, fourteen-year-old face now had a faint hint of melancholy between his brows.
His posture also changed. Su Chen was 170 cm tall, but because of long periods of meditation, thought, and practice, he usually hunched his back slightly. But now, he stood perfectly straight.
It was confidence. It was grace!
If the previous Su Chen was all substance but no flash, he now had both strength and splendor. He looked like a young version of the Sound Hashira, a man whose temperament could rival Uzui's.
Su Chen lowered his head. He unconsciously touched his chin.
But it was this small gesture that instantly drove the crowd below into a frenzy.