Demon Slayer : The Silent Journey

Chapter 151 - Idols to strive for

[Seiji's POV]

Guests?

I rarely had guests.

Actually, I never had guests before.

"Should I let them in?" Aoi asked.

"No, I'll come," I said and got up from the floor. Kanae and Sanemi were curious and were half waiting for me to say who it was.

But even I did not know who it was so I followed Aoi to the front door. When I reached the courtyard, I saw someone I was definitely not expecting. Since Aoi came to inform me, I knew it was not a Hashira so I thought it might be Hatori or another swordsmith.

Turns out I was wrong.

"Ohohoho, I can't believe my eyes! You are all grown now, aren't you young man?" A short man who looked even shorter due to his one-leggedness was standing in the courtyard.

I smiled after my initial surprise and replied to him in kind.

"Ohohoho, and the old man still lives!" I said and had to dodge his cane that flew right at my head.

"Shameless brat! You are on active duty, I should be the one saying that!" he bellowed.

"And you are, what, ninety year-" I continued with a smile but I stopped when I saw the person next to him. My eyes narrowed at him instantly and he cowered down like a turtle in its shell.

I was about ninety-nine per cent sure that was Zenitsu. But that was not enough to warrant a sharp reaction, was it? The reason why I paused abruptly was his inhumane nervous system.

My eyes were beyond human capabilities. I could see radiation, air movements, x-ray etc. Humans have a kind of small electric current running through their bodies. It was what connected never to the nerve.

But in normal humans, these were not actually connected. they were more like electromagnetic signals. By that standard, Zenitsu was no longer human because he had a real electric current connecting his nerves at all times.

This current was also very strong in his body. Supernaturally strong.

Interesting, most interesting. It was a unique biology much like Mitsuri's or Gymoei's.

From what I was seeing, I could only assume that he must have insane reaction and reflex.

"It's good that you did not finish that sentence. It appears you do have some respect for your teachers after all," Jigoro said, taking my silence for hesitance to disrespect him.

"I'd never disrespect Japanese ancient artefacts," I said and he faked a glare before we both ultimately laughed at our small banter.

"Bwhahahaha, truly, it's good to see you again Seiji boy. I was afraid of visiting a half-dead man, but I guess the rumours exaggerated your injuries," he said.

Actually, the rumours were true but it was just that after getting the Demon Slayer Mark and Sun Breathing, I could heal at a rate beyond human limits.

I stepped down from the veranda and took a lower ground. Then I initiated a bow that was low enough for a student to a master.

"Glad to see you healthy as well,"

Jigoro was all teeth. He was especially into these traditional manners. He even killed himself in canon because of his student's choices. That was how much these things meant to him.

"I've brought someone with me today. Zenitsu Agatsuma," he said and gestured to the young boy standing beside him, "He is my current student,"

"And Zenitsu, this is Seiji Shigan. The strongest user of Thunder Breathing in History and also the current strongest Demon Slayer," Jigoro gestured to me with unexpected praise in his tone. There was also a healthy amount of pride.

"The strongest huh," Zenitsu showed shyness mixed with fear in his body language, "Is that why he is so scary?"

"Bwahaha no, he just has really mean eyes," he said and then whispered the next part, "Don't tell him that though, he thinks they are cool,"

"I saw that,"

"Of course you did!!" Jigoro barked.

"You must be tired from your journey, please do join us for lunch," I said and Jigoro perked up immediately and so did Zenitsu.

"You don't have to ask me twice!!"

And so our numbers grew. Shinobu continued to be holed up in her room, unaware of our new guests and I let it stay that way. I didn't want to disturb her.

Zenitsu was very meek and ate his food quietly. He was the only kid in a room of adults so that was to be expected. Jigoro had much experience and he was curious about our current situation.

He was a former Hashira so we did not withheld any secrets from him. He even had useful advice about our next operations. He knew the lands better than most of us and told us suitable places to station demon slayers.

That was one of the few improvements that we made. Instead of answering calls after people already died, the Demon Slayer Corp was working on stopping demons before they could do harm.

After lunch was over, we went to the training ground. Sanemi was burning for a fight and I did not mind doing some stretches. I knew Kanae wanted none of that but she also understood me.

When you were with your teacher and junior, you just had to show off for a bit.

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[3rd POV]

"What the hell is this!!" was all Zenitsu could say to the scene before him.

*Boom*

*Boom*

*Boom*

Even the training ground of the Flower Mansion was not quite prepared for the intensity of Wind Breathing and Thunder Breathing. The Kocho sister's fighting style was gentle and elegant so the ground reveal the difference between that and the two most violent breathing styles.

Seiji and Sanemi were a blur of motion to the human eye. A flash of purple and green if one looked closely. They met in a clash of wooden swords and both the earth and air quaked in equal terror.

Funnily enough, Seiji suffered almost no injury to his legs so he could move without much trouble. His speed might as well be undisturbed at the level they were fighting which was definitely not their best.

He held a wooden katana in his left hand as his right arm was still unusable. But his left was just as good as his right. Perfect body control did that but there were still some issues mentally.

Sanemi was not really trying either. He limited himself only to two breathing forms as he matched the intensity of Seiji.

It was a sparring. The only thing they focused on was their technique. To everyone's surprise, Sanemi was almost as good as Seiji in the art of Wind Breathing. A competition had brought him to a new level of strength just like every other Hashira.

"I thought he was injured! Is that not why we came here in the first place? To visit a patient," Zenistu couldn't help but ask his master.

"Oh, he is injured all right. Don't be so surprised brat, at this level they are only stretching their limbs instead of actually fighting,"

That was an insane concept Zenitsu could not wrap his head around. But it was not as insane as one thing.

"No fucking way you were a Hashira on their level!!" Zenitsu declared and he received a bonk in return.

"I was known as the Roaring Hashira in my prime! This is nothing," Jihgoro huffed proudly.

The sparring session continued and it was climbing an inch higher and higher in intensity with every second. The wooden blades were barely holding on at this point and they both had to find ways to reduce the stress on their weapon.

That meant there was a lot of misdirection of force which in turn resulted in the ground being cracked all over.

"Look closely at that Zenitsu. This is the level of strength you should be aiming for if you really want to be strong enough to protect yourself and your family," Jigoro said, using the opportunity to teach his student.

Often times it is through experiencing the end goal that the path becomes clear in life. Zenitsu watched in a meaningful silence afterwards, absorbing the display of the pinnacle of strength.

"It's coming to an end," Jigoro said and not a second later, the two met in an explosive clash that sent them both sliding to the opposite side of the training ground.

They lowered their stance and locked their muscles, charging raw power.

"Wind Breathing : Third Form,"

"Thunder Breathing : First Form,"

Both warriors exploded out at the exact moment. Seiji timed the moment just right by predicting Sanemi's action. With a similar starting point, it became evident who was faster.

A single step.

After Sanemi took a single step, Seiji was already finished covering the entire length of the training ground.

"Thunder Clap and Flash,"

Sanemi on his part was not surprised though, such speed was to be expected from the fastest Hashira. But similar to how Seiji eclipse him in speed, Sanemi eclipse him in something else.

The force that took Seiji the entire training ground to generate, Sanemi did it after a single step. As a consequence, when Sanemi planted his second step the ground became cobwebs.

"Clear Storm Wind Tree."

*BOOOOOM!!!*

The collision was hidden by a cloud of smoke. The silence after the shockwave was deafening. The battle no longer ensued and left a big hole in the dimension, like the sun suddenly disappeared from the sun.

When the smoke cleared, you could see Seiji with a bare torso. His clothes were ripped apart by the wind blades. Sanmei's on the other hand faced no such consequence but his sword was broken in half.

If this were a real fight, Seiji would be sliced apart, and Sanemi would lose his head because his sword failed to block the attack.

The sparring session was a conclusive draw.

"Not bad," Seiji commented and relaxed his body.

Sanmei did the same but with a way more pissed expression. In his mind, he couldn't even beat a sick man.

Seiji's eyes shone with intensity. He did not voice it out but the form which Sanemi just used was a little different. In truth, it was never Seiji's intention to end things in a draw.

'Beast Breathing,' was the conclusion Seiji came up with.

Sanemi was affected by Innosuke and his unorthodox technique. This could snowball into something big. Like Snamei making a new Breathing style even more powerful than Wind Breathing.

He had the perfect example of Seiji and Inosuke after all.

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[IMAGE]

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Author : Exam is finally over and I am fully back!!

Double Chapter!!