"Alright, let's start training!" Kyojuro said cheerfully upon seeing Musashi.
"Okay, I'll do my best," Musashi nodded and said firmly.
Musashi then followed the Flame Pillar to the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters training ground, where two other people were present.
Both were girls; one had long black hair with purple tips at the front bangs, a butterfly hair ornament on her head, purple pupils, and wore the Demon Slayer Corps uniform with a haori featuring a butterfly wing pattern over it.
The other also had black hair and purple eyes, wearing the Demon Slayer Corps uniform, with a knee-length black pleated skirt and white long boots, and a white cape with a dark pink bow tie over her uniform.
At this moment, the two seemed to be practicing sword techniques, and upon seeing Kyojuro and Musashi arrive, Kochou Shinobu and Kanao Tsuyuri temporarily stopped.
"Mr. Rengoku is back, how was the mission?" Kochou Shinobu put away her Nichirin Sword and stepped forward with a smile to greet him.
Kyojuro didn't speak, looking at Musashi behind him.
Upon seeing Kyojuro's reaction, Kochou Shinobu seemed to understand something, her smile fading as she looked at Musashi with a sympathetic expression. Kanao, as usual, had a somewhat blank smile on her face.
"This is my new Tsuguko, his name is Musashi!" Kyojuro broke the silence first, introducing Musashi to Kochou Shinobu and Kanao in a cheerful voice.
He then introduced Kochou Shinobu to Musashi: "Musashi, she is the Insect Hashira of our Demon Slayer Corps. She is a respectable strong individual who can develop poisons targeting demons and fights without being affected by her physical disadvantage!"
His voice was as cheerful as ever.
"Insect Hashira-sama," Musashi respectfully greeted Kochou Shinobu after hearing Kyojuro's introduction.
Kyojuro had previously introduced him to the Demon Slayer Corps' ranking system, and as the strongest existences in the Demon Slayer Corps, Musashi felt it necessary to be respectful towards them.
"Mr. Rengoku truly overpraises me. Musashi, you don't need to be so respectful. You can just call me Shinobu-nee-san from now on," Kochou Shinobu said with a smile to Musashi, feeling a little embarrassed by Kyojuro's praise.
"Yes! Shinobu-nee-san," Musashi replied, greeting her respectfully again.
Kochou Shinobu was a bit helpless at this.
"She is my Tsuguko, Kanao Tsuyuri. You two should be about the same age, right? How old are you, Musashi, now?" Kochou Shinobu then introduced Kanao next to her to Musashi.
"15 years old," Musashi replied.
"He's even a year younger than Kanao," Kochou Shinobu sighed.
"Kanao should be participating in the Final Selection soon, right?" Kyojuro asked Kochou Shinobu.
"Yes," Kochou Shinobu nodded.
"You can do it!" Kyojuro loudly encouraged Kanao.
Kanao merely smiled back at Kyojuro.
"Alright, our training for today is almost complete, so we'll be heading back now."
After saying this, Kochou Shinobu left with Kanao.
"Rengoku-sensei, what is the Final Selection you just mentioned?" Musashi asked Kyojuro after Kochou Shinobu and Kanao left.
"The Final Selection is the final assessment to become a Demon Slayer Corps member. The content is to survive for seven days on Mount Fujikasane, which is inhabited by demons. As long as you pass this assessment, you can obtain your Nichirin Sword and become a Demon Slayer Corps swordsman," Kyojuro explained to Musashi.
After hearing Kyojuro's words, Musashi felt a bit confused; he felt this assessment seemed too simple.
The Green-skinned demon before was something he could easily deal with, and although he later learned that these demons must be killed by sunlight or beheaded by a Nichirin Sword, Musashi still felt it wasn't difficult.
Moreover, this Final Selection only required surviving for seven days in that mountain, so it was possible to pass even without killing any demons.
Perhaps the demons there are all extremely powerful, Musashi thought to himself.
"However, the Final Selection is still too early for you. You must first gain my approval before you can participate in the Final Selection. So! Start training hard! First, do two hundred push-ups!" Kyojuro shouted to Musashi with full enthusiasm.
"Yes! Rengoku-sensei!" Musashi replied, then immediately lay on the ground and started doing push-ups.
At the same time, he quickly adjusted his breathing, exhaling a white mist from his mouth.
!
Kyojuro was instantly startled by what he had just seen.
Breathing Technique? I haven't taught him that yet.
Unsure, Kyojuro approached Musashi and observed him.
"113! 114! 115! 116!..."
Musashi focused on his push-ups, his breathing rhythm extremely even. After doing so many push-ups in a row, there wasn't a single drop of sweat on his face, and he looked very relaxed.
After observing closely, Kyojuro finally saw it clearly.
It was indeed a Breathing Technique, unlike any specific style, and it had even reached the level of Total Concentration Breathing, Constant, where he unconsciously maintained Total Concentration Breathing at all times.
Kyojuro was silent; the current situation was beyond his imagination.
"197! 198! 199! 200!"
Musashi finished two hundred push-ups, stood up from the ground, still without a single drop of sweat on his face, looking very relaxed.
"Rengoku-sensei, I'm done. What's the next training?" Musashi asked Kyojuro.
It was indeed Total Concentration Breathing, Constant; it hadn't stopped even now.
Kyojuro was staring at Musashi, his heart filled with shock. Hearing Musashi's words, he asked, "Musashi, when did you learn Breathing Technique?"
Musashi was stunned by the question.
"I haven't learned a Breathing Technique. Sensei hasn't taught me yet…"
However, he quickly realized something, slapped his forehead, and said with sudden understanding:
"Oh, is Rengoku-sensei talking about my method of adjusting my breathing? I figured this out when I was five or six years old. By adjusting my breathing, I can greatly increase my strength and stamina, allowing me to do many things I normally couldn't. This way, I can help my mo—…"
As he spoke, Musashi couldn't help but recall past events, and a wave of sadness washed over him.
However, he quickly composed himself.
Mother must have wanted me to live well, just like how I felt when I saw her wanting to end her life back then…
Musashi was silent for a moment, then asked Kyojuro, "Is this what a Breathing Technique is?"
"Yes, it certainly seems to be a Breathing Technique, and it has already reached a very high level of Breathing Technique, Total Concentration Breathing, Constant, which means maintaining Total Concentration Breathing all day long," Kyojuro nodded and said.