Demon Slayers: Swordsman
Chapter 4 - Fighting a Hashira, (Re-written)
Ren looked at Giyu.
"Well, that is indeed quite a proposal. And I myself was looking for the Demon Slayers."
Giyu nodded with his calm expression.
"I can recommend you to the former—"
Ren raised his hand.
"But I want you to fight me."
He drew Akatsuki and pointed it toward Giyu.
Giyu furrowed his brow.
"You are not strong enough," he said with a stern face.
But what he actually wanted to say was—
'You are not ready. Learn Breathing Styles and grow stronger.'
Ren didn't get offended.
"Well, it doesn't matter. Just fight me. Win or lose, I will join the Demon Slayers."
Giyu looked at him.
"Why do you want to fight me?"
Ren grinned.
"Well, I don't want to waste my time training under someone. So if you see I have enough skill, make me a Demon Slayer directly."
Giyu looked at him.
"You might have killed that Demon, but it was just a low-rank Demon."
"Pffft... well, you're not wrong. But if a Moon-level Demon was here, he would have run away the moment he saw me. I'm the nightmare of all Demons."
Ren said with a grin.
Shing!
Giyu drew his sword in one smooth motion and blocked the sword aimed at his neck.
CLANG!
Both swords clashed as sparks flew.
"Now fight me."
Ren said as he swung his sword.
Giyu blocked again.
"Give up."
Giyu said as he swung his sword.
Ren shifted his grip and rushed to meet Giyu head-on.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Both exchanged rapid attacks before jumping back.
Giyu's calm eyes rippled as he looked at Ren in surprise.
"Hah... that was fun. Now let's get a little serious, shall we?"
Ren smirked.
Giyu stayed silent but raised his sword.
He was now taking this a little seriously as well.
The earlier exchange had shown him that Ren wasn't merely a talented newbie.
His swordsmanship was good.
But not on a Hashira's level.
He also wanted to test Ren's limits.
On the other hand, Ren was also excited.
The earlier exchange had been great.
He had already noticed a few of his own mistakes.
"Fight is the best teacher."
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
The moment he opened them, the world changed.
Giyu, standing before him, now looked like a muscle dummy from some laboratory.
Transparent World—
An ability that let him see through the body.
Giyu moved, but Ren saw his muscles move before he actually did.
Whoosh!
Ren dashed forward as he met the strike.
Giyu also moved forward for the first time as both swords clashed.
CLANG!
Ren swung his sword from the right as Giyu blocked it.
Ren moved to the side.
Giyu also moved as both slashed at one another.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Giyu shifted his grip and attacked Ren rapidly.
Ren saw through every one of Giyu's attacks with the Transparent World.
Even the slightest shift in Giyu's muscles was visible to Ren.
Ren swiftly countered every attack Giyu launched.
The echoes of their swords colliding rang throughout the forest.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Finally, both separated and jumped back.
"So, what do you say? Do I need training to become a Demon Slayer?"
Ren asked with a grin.
After all, this spar was simply to show Giyu that he didn't need to waste a year or two training before joining the Demon Slayers.
Giyu looked at Ren.
"You are indeed strong. Strong enough to become a Demon Slayer without a trial. But Demon Slayer training isn't just about training you in swordsmanship. We also teach Breathing Styles, which can greatly increase your strength."
"Well, that's the longest sentence you've spoken."
"But I still want to join without training."
"As for this Breathing Style..."
"I'll just create my own by observing everyone."
Ren said with a smile.
Though, with Yoriichi's Character Card, learning every Breathing Style wouldn't be a problem.
But Ren wanted to create his own style like Shinobu and Mitsuri.
A unique style that would represent him.
Giyu looked at him.
"Fine. I will write a letter to the Master. We have to wait to hear his opinion and formal orders."
Giyu didn't want to lose a talent like Ren.
With only self-training, Ren was already stronger than most Demon Slayers.
He had the talent to become a Hashira—
No.
It was only a matter of time before he became one.
"Well, fine. There is a town ahead. Send the letter to your Master, and we can stay at the inn there. You can also tell me more about the Demon Slayers."
Ren said as he sheathed Akatsuki.
Click.
Giyu also sheathed his sword and nodded.
Both started walking toward the town as Giyu explained more about Demons and the Demon Slayers.
Ren listened carefully and occasionally asked a few questions.
As he got his answers, Ren figured out that he was around the same age as Mitsuri.
There was still time before the canon story started.
But most of the tragedies had already happened.
Though he wasn't someone who believed he had an obligation to save everyone or change those tragedies.
But if he had the strength, he would want to change them.
After all, he had nothing else to do and no real goal of his own.
'Hmm... now that I think about it... it should be around this time that Mitsuri was rejected for the first time.'
As Ren was thinking, Giyu didn't disturb him.
'He must be thinking about the Demon Slayers.'
Giyu thought.
After all, Ren had no obvious reason to fight Demons like he and the others in the Demon Slayer Corps did.
Most of them had lost their families to Demons, so they joined the Corps out of hatred for Demons.
But Ren was thinking about something completely different.
'If I meet that bastard... should I just beat him up?'
He was seriously considering beating the shit out of that guy.
While chatting and thinking, they arrived at the inn.
Ren waved and went to his room.
Meanwhile, Giyu booked a room at the inn and wrote a letter to Ubuyashiki about Ren.
He sent the letter with his crow.
Flap... Flap...
The crow disappeared into the night sky, carrying the letter toward the Demon Slayer Headquarters.
Giyu then quietly went to sleep.