Chapter Twenty Four: Rehabilitation Traning.
Kyojuro Rengoku was preparing for his next mission when he was met by Shinobu Kocho. The Flame Hashira had explained that a powerful demon has suddenly appeared and that several Demon Slayers had been sent to slay the demon but they had all been killed and defeated and with the Corps losing personnel they couldn't stand by and do nothing.
'Do you think it could be one of the Twelve Kizuke?' asked Shinobu.
'It could even be an Uppermoon' added Kyojuro. That made Shinobu worry for her fellow Hashira, if it is indeed an Uppermoon then this mission will be extremely difficult and dangerous, but Kyojuro is strong and capable he will comeback alive and victorious, thought Shinobu brushing aside her concerns, she was confident in Kyojuro's ability.
'So what are you gonna do with those Tsugikuni siblings Shinobu?, i heard the you are looking for more Tsugukos' asked Kyojuro.
'It's not as if i'll gobble them up' Shinobu jokingly answered, Kyojuro agreed and laughed heartily as he left Headquarters, Shinobu bid him to be careful as she watched him leave.
Back at The Butterfly Mansion
Zenitsu was complaining about taking his medicine again. The head caretaker Aoi Kanzaki reminded Zenitsu again that he was the most injured and demanded that he take his medicine now!. 'Ahhh thank goodness at least you two are all right dealing with this yellow brat is exhausting enough!' said Aoi as she turned to Tanjiro and Nezuko...she found Zenitsu's antics unbelievable and things would have been worse if Tanjiro and Nezuko were also injured then she wouldn't have their help dealing with Zenitsu. 'Shhh be quiet we're in a hospital ward' said Tanjiro reminding his friend to quiet down.
'Ah Tanjiro, Nezuko you two look well' said Murata as he entered the room,the siblings were relieved to see him, 'So are you feeling alright Murata?' asked Tanjiro. 'I almost melted but otherwise i'm ok but the same can't be said for your friends there' Murata said pointing at Zenitsu and Inosuke. Murata tried to talk to Inosuke about his injured throat but Tanjiro told him to let Inosuke be...the poor boy had been through so much already. Zenitsu had Interrupted their conversation asking who Murata is, Tanjiro explained that Murata is the Demon Slayer who fought with them on Mount NATAGUMO.
'Zenitsu what happened to your arms?!' asked Murata, Zenitsu told him his horror story of how he almost got transformed into a hideous spider,causing Aoi to jump in and remind Zenitsu to take his medication, much to Zenitsu's plight. 'There is only so much gross a person can take!!!!' protested Zenitsu, Aoi just looked at him with anger and said 'Then don't come crying to me when you're arms don't grow back!'. Zenitsu thought that Aoi was being cold but Aoi said that Zenitsu has it easy compared to some of the other patients in the Butterfly Mansion, all Zenitsu had to do was just take his medication and get plenty of sunlight and he will make a full recovery and not endure any long term effects, 'Ha Ha Ha you two seem to be having tons of fun' said Murata his voice dripping with sarcasm as Zenitsu hid behind Tanjiro to escape Aoi's verbal lashing, shocking Tanjiro, Nezuko and Zenitsu with his despondent expression, Murata explained how he was also summoned to report on the Mount NATAGUMO incident to the Hashira, Murata gave his report at the Hashira meeting shortly after Tanjiro and Nezuko were finished giving their own report, and unlike Tanjiro and Nezuko, Murata was verbally beaten down and eviscerated by the Hashira who were so enraged by the new weaker Demon Slayers because some of them did not fallow orders on the mountain, Murata also mentioned how he was unfairly asked so much for someone of his rank. As Murata began to speak about how the Hashira terrify him, someone walked up behind Murata and it was non other than the Insect Hashira herself Shinobu Kocho. Frightened by Shinobu's sudden appearance, Murata quickly greeted her and then left the room in a hurry.
'Do you wish to take part in the Rehabilitation Training?' Shinobu asked the siblings. Tanjiro and Nezuko thought about it for a moment and decided to participate, Tanjiro wanted to see if his father's training methods were outdated and see what the modern Demon Slayers are doing...he also wanted to help his sister and friends with the training.
The training began with Tanjiro, Nezuko and Inosuke, Zenitsu joined them two weeks later. Zenitsu thought back to when he first met Shinobu on Mount NATAGUMO, Shinobu had a unique voice it was irregular and scary, but the way that all the transformed Demon Slayers came running straight to her for help with tears in their eyes had moved Zenitsu who was so touched by Shinobu's kindness, she also had a pretty appearance. As Zenitsu began to get excited at the prospect of training with Nezuko and Shinobu, he saw Tanjiro, Nezuko and Inosuke enter his room, Tanjiro and Nezuko looked great, looked absolutely fine, but poor Inosuke looked absolutely horrible!... the poor teenager was an absolute wreck!, what kind of training are they doing?!. Zenitsu was now scared because tomorrow he will be joining them. The next day Zenitsu had joined his friends in the Rehabilitation Training, the four had gathered in a large room and Aoi explained the three training exercises to Zenitsu. First was physical therapy and stretching exercises to help his body recover from being bedridden for so long, three girls had demonstrated on Inosuke who was tearing up in pain from the intense procedure. The next exercise was reflex training, it was a game of cups. Cups of medicated water were placed on the table and the goal is to throw them on your opponent before they can but the opponent can block the cup to stop their throw. Tanjiro was doing this training exercise with Kanao, it was intense! they both had incredible reflexes and their hands were moving incredibly fast and were constantly blocking each other but then Tanjiro finally grabbed a cup, he was about to throw it on Kanao but but he just rested the cup on top of her head instead wich was such a surprise, no one saw it coming!, Tanjiro had tasted a sip of the medicated water and it was horrible...he couldn't do it to this poor girl so he just put the cup on top of her head instead and he still won according to the rules. And the third and final exercise was full body training wich was simply a game of tag against Aoi and Kanao.
Now informed, Zenitsu asked Aoi a question before calling Tanjiro, Nezuko and Inosuke over, they didn't move so Zenitsu angrirly grabbed Tanjiro and Inosuke and dragged them outside the mansion with Nezuko running behind them, once they were in the yard, Zenitsu demanded that they listen to what he has to say, and suddenly he punched Inosuke sending him flying into the wall!, Tanjiro quickly rushed to check over Inosuke, Inosuke was thankfully unharmed and Tanjiro demanded that Zenitsu apologize, but Zenitsu demanded that they apologize instead for acting 'Like you'd come back from Hell when you were in Heaven!' Zenitsu asked why after 'Frolicking' with girls did Inosuke look so haggard, demanding that Tanjiro and Inosuke bow down, apologize and commit seppuku. 'Why would you say such absurd nonsense?' Tanjiro asked...Zenitsu was starting to get on his nerves, Zenitsu yelled for Tanjiro to listen, he tried to grab Tanjiro's hair but Tanjiro swiftly threw Zenitsu face first onto the ground and stepped on him and lifted his arm up and said 'do that again and i will break both your arms to pieces!!!!' Tanjiro was so fed up with people trying to pull his hair, first was that boy from Final Selection then there was that Hashira and now Zenitsu, he also did not like how Zenitsu harassed his sister back at the Wisteria mansion...Tanjiro knew that in his heart Zenitsu is a good person but his antics are so nerve-wracking and unbelievable,forcing Tanjiro to use harsh discipline on him.
'Ahhhh i-i-i'm sorry Tanjiro i-i really am n-no-now please let me go!' said Zenitsu, Tanjiro took pity on him and let the boy go. Once they were back inside Zenitsu went insane with happiness, this irritated Inosuke who began to criticize Zenitsu for not making any sense...for Inosuke losing to someone smaller than you destroys your soul. Zenitsu sarcastically pityed Inosuke for not being with a girl because he lived on a mountain, angering the boar headed Demon Slayer...Inosuke stated that he had been with girls by fighting them and stepping on them, Zenitsu furiously told Inosuke that's not how you get girls. Nezuko was absolutely bewildered by this entire argument as well as the other girls who had heard the entire argument from inside the room. Once they entered the training room, Zenitsu enthusiastically asked to be trained, Tanjiro, Nezuko and Inosuke all looked dumbfounded as Zenitsu enjoyed the stretching exercises, while in the reflx test with Aoi, Zenitsu had grabbed his cup first but decided to not splash her to be "Courteous" much to Aoi's chagrin. Zenitsu faced Aoi again in the full body training and with his superior speed Zenitsu was able to grab Aoi, leading her to punch Zenitsu but despite this Zenitsu was is satisfied holding her.Watching Zenitsu's success had re-motivated Inosuke...Inosuke quickly beated Aoi in the reflx test and grabbed her by the legs in the full body training, which hurt her. Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke were finally able to best Aoi but they were still lagging behind Tanjiro who is the only one if them that can beat Kanao so far. For the next five days of training Kanao continued to beat them with non of the three being able to challenge her, this drove Zenitsu and Inosuke to give up and stop attending the training sessions. It was just Tanjiro and Nezuko who attended the next training session, and after the session was over Nezuko tried to think of how fast Kanao is, she had concluded that even going all out will not be enough for success she also noted that Kanao possessed a similar aura to the Hashira.
As Nezuko sat there thinking her elder brother Tanjiro had called her over.
'I'm going to teach you total concentration breathing constant' said Tanjiro now that they were all gathered this confused them, Tanjiro explained that they have to learn how to maintain Total Concentration all the time even in their sleep. Tanjiro had already mastered this skill it was one of the first things that his dad ever taught him, dad said that Total Concentration Breathing and Total Concentration Breathing Constant are basic skills that every swordsman should know. The training started by going over the basics, then they went through some drills that Tanjiro's father had given him, then three girls appeared and gave them four gourds, one that was huge and almost as big as Tanjiro and three small ones. Tanjiro thanked the girls for their help and then he gave everyone a demonstratio, he took a deep breath and blew into the gourd shattering it into pieces.
'I want you to use total concentration breathing and blow into the gourd in your hands as strong as you can ' said Tanjiro. Using Total Concentration Breathing, Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke each blew into their gourd with all their strength, they were in agony due to using Total Concentration breathing for longer than they were used too and they were starteld when they all heard a loud sound in their ear drums,then the three collapsed due to the physical exhaustion.
'It's ok guys you tried your best, we will continue tomorrow' said Tanjiro trying to encourage his and friends to continue while the three girls watch their progress.
The training continued in the next day, they continued with the same drills and exercises that they had done yesterday. Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke did all this training while maintaining Total Concentration Breathing for as long as they can. They used the mansion's grounds as an obstacle course similar to Mount Fujikasane. Fifteen days later Nezuko,Zenitsu and Inosuke had improved their stamina, they were now able to run farther than ever before and felt their lungs getting stronger.
That Night On The Mansion's Roof
Tanjiro sat alone on the mansion's roof top meditating, he was thinking about his late family and his missing father,what was Kibutsuji doing to his father?...he hoped that the man was ok and that it wasn't too late to save him. Tanjiro's thoughts were interrupted when a voice called out to him,it was the Insect Hashira Shinobu Kocho, Shinobu sat beside Tanjiro,the Hashira commended the boy for his hard work and dedication, Tanjiro blushed at the sight of the young woman.
'Do you feel lonely up here?' asked Shinobu.
'I don't mind it...i just want to help Nezuko and my friends learn the techniques that i'm trying to teach them' replied Tanjiro.
Shinobu asked if she can entrust him with a dream that humans and demons can become friends, she believed that Tanjiro is the only one capable of accomplishing it.
Tanjiro picked up the scent of anger from Shinobu, she was shocked when he confronted her about it...he wanted to know why she is so angry despite her constant smiling, this shocked Shinobu but the young woman admitted that Tanjiro is right and that she had been in a state of constant grief and anger ever since her older sister was murdered by a demon, and seeing the pain of others who are going through the same thing has only fulled her anger, she then went on to mention that she and her fellow Hashira all have a deep disgust for demons that they can't fight. She then talked about her older sister who like Tanjiro was a kind-hearted person who also had sympathy for demons, even tell her death she had pity for them. Whereas Shinobu was never able to she had a sad look in here eyes as she said.
'How can you feel sorry for something that's killed humans? I've never heard anything so absurd. But if that is how my sister truly felt then i must carry on. If there's a way not to kill these pitiful demons, i have to keep trying to come up with it. Without ever extinguishing the smile my sister said she loved' and with that Shinobu left. Tanjiro got back to his meditation,as he remembered the murder of his family and the abduction of his father Tanjiro remembered his promise to save his father and avenge his family and find a way to turn demons back into humans.
Author's Note: thank you for your support and for your kind reviews it means the world to me, also a love that scen betwen Tanjiro and Shinobu in this episode, it's so touching and heart warming.