Chapter Twnty Five: Tsuguko Kanao Tsuyuri.


To help Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke maintain Total Concentration Breathing, Tanjiro had enlisted the help of the mansion's three helpers: Naho, Kiyo, and Sumi. The three girls wore white dresses, and each girl had tied a different colored ribbon around her dress. Naho wore a green ribbon, while Kiyo wore a red ribbon, and Sumi wore a blue ribbon. Each girl wore butterfly-patterned hair ties that matched the color of her ribbon. Naho, Kiyo, and Sumi had been helping Tanjiro train his sister and friends. Today, Tanjiro gave the three girls carpet beaters and instructed them to hit Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke if they stopped their breathing technique while they were asleep.

"What?!!! Tanjiro, please tell us that you're joking! You can't be serious! What if Inosuke and I get hurt again! Those things look absolutely painful!" whined Zenitsu. He was absolutely dreading this training exercise.

"Yes, I'm serious! I remember when my father was teaching me this same thing. Every night, he would beat me awake with a stick if I broke total concentration while breathing during sleep. It was the only time my father ever laid a hand on me," said Tanjiro. Nezuko remembered those nights very well; the house would be filled with Tanjiro's screams. Now, she, along with Zenitsu and Inosuke, will have to endure the same training, but it will be worth it.


Later That Night


Naho, Kiyo, and Sumi were watching Nezuko, Zenitsu, and Inosuke in their beds. They saw that the boys were maintaining Total Concentration Breathing, but soon they began to snore. The girls beat them awake with carpet beaters, startling the three Slayers. The boys tried again to maintain Total Concentration Breathing. At first, they succeeded, but eventually, they started snoring again. The girls beat them awake once more, as Tanjiro had told them. This led the three boys to ask for another attempt.

In the morning, Aoi was dismayed that only Tanjiro and Nezuko had shown up for training.

"My sincere apologies, Aoi-san. I have tried asking our friends to come, but they refused." Tanjiro said as he bowed to Aoi in apology, but the young girl brushed his concerns aside.


Tanjiro and Nezuko continued to train, and Nezuko could feel herself getting used to doing the training while maintaining total concentration. Even though she couldn't sustain it unless she pushed herself, Nezuko was nonetheless able to do it longer due to her boost in stamina. The next day, during full-body training exercises and facing Kanao, Nezuko for the first time was able to keep up with Kanao! Much to both their surprise, but despite this, her attempt to grab Kanao's hand failed when Kanao dodged her at the last second. Though Kanao was amazed to see Nezuko able to contend with her.

At the end of the day, the Tsugikuni siblings thanked Aoi, but the girl suddenly glanced away in discontent. Zenitsu and Inosuke were peering behind the door, but they soon walked away, refusing to train again.

"Zenitsu! Inosuke! Come, I have something to show you," Nezuko said as she called out to her friends.

'Oh no, I want nothing to do with this!' Aoi said, making it clear that she would not be involved. With Naho, Kiyo, and Sumi cheering her on, Nezuko had broken the small gourd, shattering it with her breath. Zenitsu and Inosuke were amazed by this. Now all that was left for her was to break the large gourd. Nezuko celebrated with her brother and the girls, thanking them for helping her. Zenitsu and Inosuke watched them unseen, with Zenitsu shocked to see his crush's increased strength.


The Following Day


Zenitsu had seen that the siblings had already left their beds to train, and Inosuke was still asleep.

'What if I can't do this? What if I'm not strong enough? After all, I wasn't trained since birth by a legendary sword master like Tanjiro and Nezuko, or survived in the wilderness like Inosuke. Hard work and perseverance aren't my thing; it's not who I am, and it's draining to do it every single day,' Zenitsu muttered to himself. Then, Chuntaro appeared and landed on Zenitsu's hand. Zenitsu spoke to the little sparrow, explaining how despite the feeling of being left behind panicking him, he is still unable to learn what Tanjiro and Nezuko are doing, even when shown. He claims that he and Inosuke are a lost cause. Chuntaro chirped in agreement, annoying the thunder breath user.

'Would it kill you to be nice just this once?' Zenitsu asked the sparrow. Chuntaro told him to work harder. Realizing there was no way around it, Zenitsu took the first step to improve and took his medication, albeit still grossed out.

'Come on, Monitsu,' muttered Inosuke as he suddenly awakened. The two consulted the Insect Hashira, Shinobu Ko, and she explained that the skill Tanjiro is trying to teach them is called Total Concentration Breathing. By maintaining it throughout the whole day, their stamina can skyrocket. Shinobu asked them to give it an initial try, only for the two to suddenly collapse from physical exhaustion, with Zenitsu yelling at its seeming impossibility. How were Tanjiro and Nezuko able to learn such an impossible skill? How was anyone able to learn this, and how were there people like Tanjiro who have completely mastered it?


'If I push myself, I can only do it,' said Nezuko when they asked her. Tanjiro described the process of the lungs strengthening, how their bodies' strength and stamina would grow.

"It's very basic and it's actually a beginner skill. Why are you unable to learn it?" asked Shinobu as she suddenly appeared behind Tanjiro. She added that mastering the skill takes tremendous effort. Addressing them one after the other, Shinobu motivated each of them in their own unique way. She playfully mocked Inosuke for being unable to do Total Concentration Breathing, claiming that he can't be helped being unable to do something simple. This enraged him and gave him the push just to prove her wrong. She then got close to Zenitsu, held his hand, and encouraged him by being his "Biggest cheerleader." Her words caused Zenitsu to be overjoyed at being touched by the young woman.


Outside, Zenitsu and Inosuke were doing the exercises that Nezuko uses, sprinting along the fence to build stamina and lifting rocks to gain strength. Kanao watched them from the side when her sensei approached her. Shinobu encouraged her to train with them, but instead, Kanao bowed to her and walked away. She watched Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Inosuke pushing Zenitsu to lift his weights harder at a well near the other side of the mansion. Kanao took a coin out of her pocket, flipped it, caught it, saw its flipped side, and reminisced about her past.


As a child, Kanao Tsuki was a nameless girl from a poverty-stricken household along a river. Her parents were horrifically abusive, and Kanao had several siblings who also suffered. Her entire life back then was filled with nothing but pain, hunger, and hopelessness. The poor child inevitably suffered a psychological breakdown, she started suffering from depression and became numb, and stopped feeling pain and emotions. She was then sold into slavery by her parents, but was too numb and apathetic to think. Her master met two girls, Shinobu and her elder sister Kanao.

Kana asked the man why the child was tied up. The man said that it was to prevent the girl from escaping. Kana approached the little girl, introduced herself, and asked the child for her name, but the girl didn't respond. She just stared blankly at Kana, which shocked and disturbed her.

The man attempted to brush away Kanae's attempts to talk to the nameless girl, but his hand was hit away by Shinobu.

'Don't you dare touch them!' Shinobu threatened. The man grew irritated and demanded that the girls pay if they want to talk to her, in response Shinobu said that they will purchase her and throws money into the air. As the man was distracted, Shinobu grabbed the nameless girl's rope and the Kocho sisters fled. Kanae was unsure about their brazen theft, but Shinobu claimed that it was fine. As they were running away the nameless girl finally had a glimmer of hope in her eyes.


Once they made it to the Butterfly Mansion, Shinobu began caring for the nameless girl, she cleaned her up and gave her some clothing to wear, it was then that the Kocho sisters realized just how broken the poor girl really was. Shinobu expressed how worried and frustrated she is at the girl's inability to think for herself and make her own choices, the poor girl wouldn't even eat unless she was ordered to do so even if she was starving.

'Shinobu don't be so angry little sister,don't lose your beautiful smile' said Kanae much to Shinobu's chagrin she looked at her in the eye and said, 'But Kanae it's dangerous to have a child who can't think for herself'

To help with this Kanae gave the girl a coin to aid the girl with making her decisions. Shinobu was irritated by the seemingly nonsensical solution,and Kanae said that the reason she is doing it was because the girl who they named Kanao (meaning fulfillment) was 'so adorable', annoying her sister even more so, but nonetheless Kanae said that given a chance a person's soul will eventually open up, telling Kanao that if she ever falls in love, she can change too.

Kanao stared at her coin and continued to watch Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke train, looking at Tanjiro. Ultimately Kanao decided not to be with them and walked away to let them continue training.


Soon Tanjiro received a message from his Kasugai Crow, the boy quickly rushed to Nezuko and Inosuke to tell them the good news.

'Nezuko! Inosuke! Your new swords have arrived! Their Finally here!' announced Tanjiro.

'That's wonderful!' said Nezuko

'Time for lord Inosuke to pick up his new swords!' yelled Inosuke, the two were absolutely delighted to finally receive their new Nichirin blades.

Tanjiro sensed Haganezuka's sent and Tanjiro ran out to greet him at the gate, with Nezuko and Inosuke at his side, the three Demon slayers saw that Haganezuka wasn't alone and that he was accompanied by an other person.

Unfortunately the swordsmith was less than happy to see Nezuko again and attempted to stab Nezuko for snapping his blade.

'I'm sorry Haganezuka sensi! i didn't want to break your blade but i was fighting a powerful demon and-and he almost killed me and broke your sword' said Nezuko trying to calm the man down but Haganezuka only smacked Nezuko in the face and pined all the blame on the young Demon Slayer, claiming that her weakness is why sword broke. Haganezuka continued chasing Nezuko, but Tanjiro Intervened.

'You dare threaten my sister!!!!' shouted Tanjiro as he gave Haganezuka a mighty headbutt knocking him out instantly.


'Don't worry he's only unconscious' said, Tanjiro reassuringly, everyone was shocked at what they just witnessed, Shinobu and Aoi couldn't believe their eyes!.

Once they went inside, the second swordsmith explained that Haganezuka is extremely passionate about his creations.

'He's a good man but he has some serious anger issues!' said Nezuko in agreement, Tanjiro was staring at Haganezuka who had just woke up with anger in his eyes, that made the swordsmith very nervous and worried.

Now that things have calmed down, the second swordsmith was finally able to introduce himself, his name is Kanamori and he is the swordsmith who forges Inosuke's swords. Inosuke finally got to hold his new swords and they turned a beautiful shade of grayish-blue, wich Kanamori admired, but as they see Inosuke walking outside into the yard, Kanamori asked what the boarhead was doing and then Kanamori watched in horror as Inosuke picked up a stone and used it too chip gouges into the blade's edges!.

Kanamori was absolutely outraged at Inosuke for destroying his hard work, the man had threatened to kill the boarheaded Demon Slayer and had to be restrained by Tanjiro.


Now that he has finished chipping the edges, Inosuke was now satisfied with the chips on the blade, angering his swordsmith, Inosuke proceeded to do the same with the second blade causing Kanamori even more outrage!.

After that debacle Haganezuka and Kanamori prepared to leave the mansion, Kanamori was still yelling at his client Inosuke for having the audacity to break his swords with a stone!.

'I apologize on behalf of my friend,he is ignorant and still learning how to live in normal society, please forgive him' said Tanjiro apologizing on behalf of Inosuke.


That Night


Nezuko was finally able to sleep while maintaining Total Concentration Breathing, Naho,Kiyo and Sumi commend her success and they decide to treat her to some onigiri rice balls when she awakens.

Now adept at Total Concentration Breathing Constant, Nezuko faced Kanao in the full-body training exercise once more, Nezuko chased Kanao throughout the whole match with out slowing down. Nezuko couldn't wait to swing her Nichirin sword again. Nezuko grabbed Kanao's hand and won the game!.

Next they faced off in the reflx test, they were neck to neck but eventually Nezuko grabbed a cup of water and successfully avoided Kanao's attempt to stop her. But as she was about to splash her, she realized that it would be cruel to splash Kanao with the foul-unpleasant liquid, so she copied her brother and rested the cup on top of Kanao's head, wining the match. Tanjiro, Naho, Kiyo and Sumi saw Nezuko succeeded and celebrated. Her victory was seen by Zenitsu and Inosuke, giving them the last motivation to push themselves.

Outside Zenitsu runs on the fence with new vigor and speed while Inosuke lifts more weights then ever before.


Zenitsu and Inosuke went to Shinobu's office for a final medical exam, the Hashira determined that the two are now fully healed and can go on missions without any misgivings. Happy that their friends rehabilitation is complete Tanjiro took the time to ask the Insect Hashira a question.

'Shinobu may i ask you something, what do you know about the Hinokami Kagura?' asked Tanjiro, but to his surprise Shinobu knew nothing about it. He tried to ask if she knew anything about Fire Breathing only to receive the same response. Tanjiro explained that the Hinokami Kagura was a Kagura dance that was passed down through his family specifically on his mother's side and that he learned the dance from his grandfather who would preform the Hinokami Kagura every new years eve. After hearing this Shinobu wondered if Tanjiro's grandfather was a user of Fire Breathing wich was different from the more familiar Flame Breathing, though Shinobu made it very clear that it is essential not to mismatch each Breathing Style with the other. Shinobu suggested that they can perhaps ask the Flame Hashira Kyojuro Rengoku, though he is away on a mission. Tanjiro and Nezuko thanked Shinobu for her help and made their way out, but before they can exit, Shinobu had one last word for them.

'I'm expecting great things from you two' beamed Shinobu.


That Night


Tanjiro and Nezuko had finished preparing for their new mission, now that their friends Zenitsu and Inosuke are healed, and with Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke fully mastering Total Concentration Breathing, they were one step colser to achieving their goals.


Meanwhile On A Moving Train


The passengers screamed in horror as an innocent woman was devoured by a giant three-eyed demon, that was on board.


Author's Note: thank you for reading and for takeing the time to leave review, and for those asking me about ships, this will not be a romance story so ships will not be a majore part of the plot but there will be one couple that will get together in the end.