Sakonji silently watched Allen, his expression beneath the tengu mask unreadable, the crackle of the fire exceptionally clear in the quiet hut.
"So, Nezuko is the perfect form Muzan dreams of?" His voice was low and hoarse.
Allen nodded slightly: "You could say that, but her current state is still unstable, and she needs time to grow."
Urgent footsteps came from outside, and Tanjiro stumbled in, pushing open the door, drenched in sweat.
"I... I'm back!" he panted, a victorious smile on his face.
Sakonji stood up and walked over to Tanjiro: "An hour earlier than I expected."
Tanjiro straightened himself with effort, a determined glint in his eyes: "I promised to protect Nezuko, so I must get stronger."
Allen leaned against the wall, the corners of his mouth slightly turned up; this boy's growth rate was indeed surprising.
"Rest for a bit." Sakonji turned and walked towards the door.
"Formal training begins tomorrow. I acknowledge you, Kamado Tanjiro."
Tanjiro nodded heavily, then collapsed onto the floor, falling asleep almost immediately.
Allen walked over and gently carried him to the bed, placing him next to Nezuko.
He stood by the hut's window, moonlight casting shadows on his face. Allen watched the sleeping Tanjiro and Nezuko; even in his sleep, the boy still held his sister's hand tightly.
"Aren't you going to rest?" Sakonji's voice came from behind him, the tengu mask glowing a dark red in the firelight.
"No need," Allen replied without turning his head.
"I want to see this world's moon."
"This world's moon." Sakonji stood silently beside him, and the two of them quietly watched out the window.
The mountain mist under the moonlight was like flowing silver gauze, and the cries of unknown birds came from afar.
"Are you... from another world?" Sakonji finally asked the question that had been circling in his mind for a long time. Since this young man had exposed himself, it meant he probably hadn't intended to hide it.
He really wanted to know what another world was like, if there were demons.
Allen did not answer immediately, just continued to gaze at the moon outside. After a moment, he said softly: "Yes, it is a world without demons, a very happy place."
Allen felt a little melancholic. He didn't know how strong he needed to become to return to his homeland. Although the China in Baki gave him a strong sense of belonging, he was not truly a person of that world.
Sakonji's eyes beneath the mask widened slightly, but quickly returned to calm. "So that's why you know so much about Muzan."
"Something like that, you can understand it that way." Allen walked to the corner of the hut, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to rest...
The morning sun streamed through the wooden window into the hut. Tanjiro suddenly opened his eyes to find himself lying on the bed, with Nezuko curled up in her bamboo basket beside him.
"Awake?" Allen's voice came from the doorway. He was leaning against the doorframe, swirling air currents wrapped around his fingertips. This was the effect of Psychokinesis combined with breathing techniques.
He knew it could be done. How could a nichirin blade, an external object, compare in energy conductivity to an ability belonging to oneself? The Demon Slayer Corps members were indeed too conservative, lacking any spirit of research.
Now, Allen could not only use Psychokinesis to perform Water Breathing but also use his body to perform it. This kind of thing was truly fascinating, capable of producing different effects on the body and Psychokinesis.
Psychokinesis used with Water Breathing truly produced an effect like flowing water, and it paired quite well with Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist.
Tanjiro quickly sat up: "Mr. Allen! How did I..."
"You were exhausted last night." Allen walked into the hut: "Sakonji said formal training starts today."
Tanjiro hurried out of bed but accidentally kicked the bedpost, wincing in pain.
Allen watched his clumsy movements, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Don't rush, he went to make breakfast."
Just as he spoke, Sakonji pushed open the door, carrying steaming hot porridge: "If you're awake, come eat."
After breakfast, the three of them went to the open space behind the hut. Sakonji handed a katana to Tanjiro. In fact, he had initially prepared a sword for Allen as well, but in the end, he didn't give him the sword.
Because Sakonji felt that the sword he prepared for Allen might not even be as hard as the other's hand blade.
"Tanjiro, you start by practicing your swings." He led Tanjiro to the straw bale he had prepared.
"Although a sword can withstand vertical force very well, it is difficult for it to withstand horizontal force. Therefore, when using a sword, you must apply force straight."
"The direction of the blade and the direction of the force when swinging must be exactly the same. And if you damage the sword, that is, break the sword, your bones will also break, understood?" Sakonji earnestly instructed Tanjiro.
"Yes!" Tanjiro nodded seriously, gripping the katana with both hands, and began practicing basic sword-swinging movements according to Sakonji's guidance.
"Your breathing must match your movements," Sakonji instructed from the side: "Inhale to gather strength, exhale to swing the sword."
Tanjiro adjusted his breathing rhythm, and his sword-swinging movements gradually became fluid.
Seeing Tanjiro on track, Sakonji approached Allen, who was resting with his eyes closed.
Allen opened his eyes, looked at Sakonji standing before him, and stood up: "I'm ready."
"Good, then I will now begin to explain my complete understanding of Water Breathing." Sakonji nodded and began his explanation.
"Water Breathing, it is gentler compared to other breathing techniques, but it requires a clear mind, a heart like still water, during practice. Once mastered, you will be able to unleash slashes with sword energy like flowing water."
He demonstrated it once in front of Allen.
After Sakonji finished his demonstration, Allen adjusted his breathing rhythm. With his control over his body, he could easily do this.
Allen drastically accelerated his heart rate, his body temperature gradually rising, easily breaking through thirty-nine degrees Celsius and still climbing. This level was nothing to him.
At the same time, his heart rate continued to increase, already far exceeding two hundred beats per minute.
This temperature and frequency, for members of the Demon Slayer Corps, would cause immense damage to their bodies, drastically shortening their lifespan, usually not living past twenty-five.
But for someone with a powerful body like Allen, it was nothing at all; he could even go higher. This was far from his limit.
Sakonji, standing beside him, looked at him with a strange gaze. Allen's upper body was bare, revealing several wave-like patterns. His breathing rhythm became exceptionally steady; each inhale seemed to draw the surrounding air dry, while each exhale was long and powerful, like the tide.
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