Breathing outwards, to calm his heavy breathing, Joichirou turned around to see an exhausted Tanjiro and Nezuko. Smiling at the sight he sat down and waited for the two Kamado's to get up to their feet.
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"Why…why are we training again?" Tanjiro asked as he looked up from the ground to Joichirou.
"I heard something interesting during your battle with Lower Moon Five." Was all Joichirou needed to say in order to grab the children's attention. Seeing this, he continued. "You, Tanjiro my boy, changed your breathing mid-way during battle. And you Nezuko, you created a new form. Not many can do what you did, especially me."
"But I've heard from Miss Kocho that you created new Breathing Techniques for the other Pillars." Nezuko followed with, which surprised Joichirou for a bit, but later composed himself.
"While that is true, it is also false." Joichirou stated. "I merely taught them a different way to breath, which I believed would be beneficial for them. But I wasn't the one who created it, but merely lead them to create it."
"So, you don't create new Breaths?" Tanjiro asked as he sat down.
"No, I'm not the First Breath User, Tanjiro." Joichirou answered.
"First?" Both Tanjiro and Nezuko asked simultaneously.
"You don't know of the First Breath User? Then what about the hanafuda earrings your currently wearing, Tanjiro?" Joichirou pointed toward the earring hanging from Tanjiro's ears.
"Is there something special about them?" Tanjiro asked with his airhead expression.
"Oh. I see, so you don't know anything about it, huh." Thinking for a second, Joichirou tried to come up with a sentence, then after a minute he came to a conclusion. "Tanjiro did your family have a dance or some type of technique you would always do as a tradition?"
"Oh, yes we do. It's known as the Hinokami Kagura Dance. Why do ask?" Tanjiro questioned, now curious as to where this conversation was going.
"Only curious, that is all." As Joichirou stood up, the sound of leaves rustling under the sound of footsteps could be heard coming from behind them. "Oh, that must be Kanroji."
"How do you know?" Nezuko spoke up after rising to her feet.
"She usually comes to me around this time." And sure enough, Kanroji made her appearance to the trio that stood in the center of the bamboo forest they were in. "What can I help you, Kanroji?" Joichirou spoke up with a soft smile.
"I just wanted to see you that's all." Kanroji answered with a bright smile.
"Is that so?" Joichirou replied, still keeping the soft smile plastered on his face. "But as a Pillar, you must set an example for the other Slayers. I suggest you continue to practice your breathing techniques, otherwise you'll never be able to surpass me."
"No, I will. I promised you that, remember?" Kanroji answered as she closed the distance between herself and Joichirou.
"Then, I'll be expecting that day to come." Was all Joichirou answered after seeing Kanroji leave. "That girl…she doesn't change, does she?" The looking up, Joichirou spoke up again. "Can I ask you watch over her a little longer, Iguro?" Catching their attention, both Kamado's looked up to see the Snake Pillar watching the scene from above the bamboos.
"You don't have to tell me that, old man." Iguro replied before swinging off to follow Kanroji.
"He won't get anywhere unless he makes a move." After whispering those words to himself, he turned his attention back to the siblings. "Let's continue tomorrow, shall we?"
"Okay." Was all Tanjiro replied before being sent off by Joichirou.
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After seeing the two off, Joichirou began to walk by himself and his thoughts. But what he remembered during his walk, was the day he brought Mitsuri Kanroji into the Demon Slayer Corp.
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5 years ago, …
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Walking through a lively town, far livelier than his own, Joichirou was sent by Kagaya to see about a young woman with immense strength. However, …
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"How am I, an old my supposed to win the trust of a young child such as the one you described?" Joichirou spoke to himself, contemplating whether or not he should go through with his mission. "Honestly, when it comes to slaying demons it's a piece of cake, but when it comes to convincing others, well I fail in that part."
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But just as he was about give up, he heard something that caught his attention. Hearing two young men speak to each other, one of them began to describe the exact girl he was searching for. Out of desperation, Joichirou spoke up.
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"Excuse me, young sir?" Joichirou caught their attention. "This woman you speak of, do you know where I can find her?"
"Oh, just at that house in the far distance." The young man answered. "You want to take this path all the way down, then make a right."
"Thank you for your generosity." Joichirou thanked the man and was about to leave when the young man spoke up once more.
"If your planning of marrying her, I suggest you don't." Looking back, he noticed the young man's expression change. "She's not your everyday girl. She's far to strong and has this crazy colored hair. And to top it all off, she eats far too much. I'm surprised she can keep her figure."
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After chatting with them, for who knows how long, Joichirou set off to see this young girl named Mitsuri Kanroji.
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At the Kanroji estate…
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Walking through the estate, Joichirou noticed how bigger it was than his, but knowing that sightseeing was not his purpose at the time, he began to search around for Mitsuri. After chatting with the parents, and lying of course about having a sick son, who looks to be at Death's door, and how other suitors for him were denied, caused the parents to relate and show him to their daughter.
Upon seeing her, Joichirou noticed a couple thing right away. First being that Mitsuri's hair color was dyed black. Second, she had a sadden expression shown on her face. And third, her stomach began to growl. Seeing this, Joichirou asked a few moments with her alone, to which the parents gave. Then walking up to her, he handed her a rice ball and sat next to her.
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"I finally found you, Mitsuri Kanroji." Joichirou spoke.
"I'm guessing you came because of the rumors. Have you come to laugh, too?" Mitsuri questioned, sounding defeated as she ate the rice ball she was given as lady-like as she possibly can.
"It's a woman's dream to get married to a nice man, who will always do their best to support them. Despite the hardships they have." Joichirou answered. "But unlike most men, I have not come here to ask for any marriage, in fact I have something else I wish to ask." Now catching her attention, she looked at the man, who looked like he had come back from battle, and was about to die any day. "Mitsuri Kanroji, will you like to come with me? For if you do, you will not have to restrain yourself to be this perfect woman everyone wants you to be, but in fact be the woman you were always meant to be?"
"What do you mean? Is there even a place for me like that?" Mitsuri asked.
"There is. It's a secret organization that is not recognized by the government, known as the Demon Slayer Corp. It's where exceptional beings, such as yourself go around and slay creatures known as demons who threaten the safety of humanity." Joichirou spoke, knowing that if he failed to convince her, the Demon Slayer Corp would be exposed to society.
"Demon Slayer Corp…demons." Then looking at the old man, Mitsuri gave of look of disbelief. "And how should I believe you?" She asked.
"See that boulder." Joichirou pointed at the boulder, which was half his high, but weighed far heavier than a full grown adult. "If I can move that it without carrying it or breaking it, will you believe me?"
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Shocked by his words, Mitsuri nodded ever so slowly. Then after seeing her response, Joichirou rose to his feet, and motioned Mitsuri to follow. Then standing in front of the boulder, Joichirou placed his palm on in and began to breath in deeply. After opening his eyes, he back up and placed himself in a stance that looked like he was about to pull out a blade from thin air, then as if on command, he began to once more breath in more deeply than he had done before.
Seeing the air around him change greatly, nearly caught Mitsuri off guard, and almost caused her to tumble backwards, but she stood her ground as she wanted to see how strong the man in front of her was.
Then lifting up his left hand and pulling it back, Joichirou began to hold his breath, and proceeded to wait. And wait. And wait, until he opened his eyes with such a force, that in the blink of an eye, his hand made contact with the boulder in front of him. After feeling a blast of wind blow on her, Mitsuri was pushed to the ground, to which she looked back at the man, then at the boulder. But what she saw completely shocked her to her core.
The boulder, which stood just in front of them had moved just one foot away from where it originally was. Thinking there was no way a blast such as that would not leave a giant crack, she went to investigate it on her own. But as she approached the boulder, she noticed not a single crack in it. It was just as smooth and rough as it was before, almost as if it hadn't been touched, but rather lifted from the ground and placed to where it was now. As she ran her hand above it, she still couldn't believe that such a man, who looked so thin and old, could do such a feat.
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"How did you…" Mitsuri cut herself off, and just stared at the man before her. "I found him. I found someone who is as strong as me." Then before she began to realize what was happening, Mitsuri found herself beginning to tear up.
"I take it you believe me now?" Joichirou spoke as he handed the young girl a handkerchief to dry her tears.
"Mm." Mitsuri answered.
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After the whole ordeal, Joichirou managed to convince her parents to let her go with him and they both left. As they made back to the Slayer Headquarters, Joichirou introduced Kanroji to the master of the Demon Slayer Corp. After introducing themselves to each other, Joichirou began to teach her a breathing technique.
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"Won't it be easier if you just taught me yours, Sensei?" Mitsuri asked.
"It will, but there won't be any originality for you." Joichirou answered. "Look there are certain names for Pillars. I'm the Dragon Pillar, and my breath is just a small piece of the First Breath. And because of that, I took it upon myself to teach the new members of the Corp odd breaths suited to them alone. Since your flexible, I think it's best if you had a breath that suits your style of fighting.
"Then, how about calling my breath the 'Love Breathing Technique'?" Mitsuri jokingly responded.
"Then that is what it will be called. Listen you must come up with your own style of fighting, I could only lead you in the direction I believe you could go in, but it's up to you to decide whether you want to follow it or not." Then opening the box that was at the side of his house, Joichirou pulled out a whip.
"Why a whip? Why not a sword like yours?" Mitsuri asked.
"Because with your flexibility, it will be difficult to control such a straight weapon, but with one that is difficult to control, it should be able to counteract, your movements. Try it, and don't be upset if you can't get it the first time. Just take your time and eventually you'll get stronger in no time.
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Present Time (Kanroji's Memories) …
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Remembering that day like it was yesterday, Kanroji held the whip she received from Joichirou. But that whip had seen better days, since the leather on the whip itself had begun to tear off and hang from the inner parts. Smiling at the broken, worn out whip, Mitsuri grabbed onto the handle and began throwing it around. Listening to the sound of the whip ripping through the air, exhilarated her to no end, since this is how she started, and this is how she'll continue for years to come.
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"Your still practicing with that broken toy of yours?" A voice spoke, whom Mitsuri knew well.
"Yes, am I, Iguro." Mitsuri smiled as she began to wrap the whip back up and placed it back in the box from where she grabbed it.
"Why not get a new one? Iguro asked after a few seconds of silence.
"There is no need. Because this is the one Master Joichirou gave me." Mitsuri answered while blushing slightly. Then realizing something, she turned around and spoke to Iguro. "Tell me, did you also learn from Master Joichirou, because isn't Serpent Breathing similar to his Dragon Breathing?"
"You barely realized that?" Iguro replied in defeat.
"But why did he teach you?! Why didn't he teach me?" Mitsuri nearly threw a fit but ended up getting flicked on her forehead.
"Because, I was the only one who actually fought back, but even then he didn't teach me his breath, but instead taught me a variation of it." Iguro answered. "So, in actuality, he didn't teach me his breath."
"Okay." Mitsuri replied with puffed cheeks.
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Later that night…
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Placing a box down, Joichirou looked at Mother Spider, who at this point had shrunk herself down so she could fit and placed herself in the box. After closing it, Joichirou lifted the box and placed the straps on his shoulders.
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"Are you alright in there?" Joichirou asked.
"I'm fine." Mother Spider responded. "Oh, and can you call me Ryoko from now on?"
"Ryoko meaning a woman who is like the dragon. Do you plan on being ferocious on our upcoming battle?" Joichirou jokingly asked.
"Yes." Ryoko answered from inside the box.
"Very well then. I'll be expecting the best from you, Ryoko." And with that both Joichirou and Ryoko both set off on their first mission together.