Isekai Mizuki S1 - A World With Demons

Chapter 3 - Kanao & Tanjiro VS Inosuke and Zenitsu

Tomioka decided to try to shift the subject. "I think we should move on to the next exercise, before any more of this indecency happens. This one will allow you and your partner to test their coordination. We will be testing your weight, and the lighter one will be the rider, while the heavier one will be on horseback. The teams are..."

Team A - Tanjiro (Horseback) and Kanao (Rider)

Team B - Aoi (Horseback) and Isekai (Rider)

Team C - Murata (Horseback) and Ozaki (Rider)

Team D - Zenitsu (Horseback) and Inosuke (Rider)

"I let you four pairs in because you did the best in the exercise activities. Everyone else didn't put on much of a show. The first battle will be between... Team A VS Team D, and it should leave Team B VS Team C." he explained.

Tanjiro just sighed, then requesting "Kanao, hop on. Let's get ready for the fight." Kanao responded, saying "S-sure!" The petite girl then hops on Tanjiro.

"Alright. Come over here and pick up your equipment. The horseback should have a hard helmet, and the rider should have a fencing blade. Don't worry, it's made of rubber." he said, feeling the blade's texture. 

"The way this game is to be played is: Your opponent's rider has to be knocked off by the horseback in order for you to win. Tricks are allowed, but they cannot be destructive, and the horseback can only attack the opposing horseback using headbutts. Note that the rider cannot attack the horseback, neither can the horseback attack the rider." he gave off instructions as he ate up a pack of chips.

After two minutes of preparation...

"Are you four ready?" he asked. "Yes, sir!" they replied. Giyu nodded, putting his hand up. "Then we can commence!"

Kanao signals Tanjiro to rush forward, immediately colliding with Zenitsu in a few seconds. Zenitsu could immediately feel the pain, then saying: "Ow! Take it lighter, Tanjiro! Do you have a hard head or something?!" He responded proudly. "Yeah, and I'm proud of it! I got it from my mom!" He said as he bashed into Zenitsu again. He continued. "Alright, Kanao. Attack!"

Kanao skillfully thrusted at Inosuke three times, who dodged the attacks. He retaliated by slashing three times, which Kanao blocked by holding her blade up diagonally.

"WEHAHAHAHA! YOU'RE STRONG AND SKILLED! I LIKE YOU!" he complimented her in glee as he rapidly began to slash. Kanao was nearly knocked off, and would have been, if Tanjiro didn't leap backward."

"Inosuke, do... the plan." he requested. The guy in the boar mask understood immediately and chopped Zenitsu's throat. He stood up while he was fainted.

"I think I'll take this chance..."  Tanjiro thought as he was ready to ram the blonde boy with his hard head.

Zenitsu began to run around the room, nearly unseen. He tackled Tanjiro's back, and Inosuke hit Kanao with a swing attack to her right torso area. This happened over and over, and the other pair had no way to counter.

Tanjiro grunted in pain every time he was tackled, and Kanao yelped a slight bit, as Inosuke always usually hit one of her weak spots. Tanjiro knew what to do. He needed to analyze Zenitsu's movement patterns.

Tanjiro began to study Zenitsu's patterns, trying to locate a possible opening."Four... five... seven... four... six... four... five... seven... four... six. Zenitsu begins with four flashes before hitting me, then five times before doing it again. Seven before a third hit, four more before a fourth tackle, and then six. Kanao! I'll explain something to you. Grip my head for a bit, and watch my fingers. You'll understand in a bit." Kanao embraced his head with a slight blush, and Tanjiro did the five-step pattern using his hands.

"Four... five... seven... four... six... four... five... seven... four... six. What does he mean? Clearly, this links up to Zenitsu being fast... but how?" The young girl pays attention, and flashes five before a hit, and then seven before another. "Ah! I understand..."  she realizes, drawing her sword.

"You get it? Good. In any opening you see, strike Inosuke. I'll attempt to block as many of Zenitsu's tackles as possible." Kanao nodded in agreement, and prepared her rubber blade.

Zenitsu began the planned cycle, and flash tackled Tanjiro. He blocked with his head, and Kanao blocked Inosuke's strike.

Inosuke was surprised by Tanjiro and Kanao's sudden counter. "What?! No, this is clearly a fluke. AGAIN!" Zenitsu flashed around the room five times, and was blocked by Tanjiro's head again. Kanao blocked the next hit, and quickly struck Inosuke's left bicep. Inosuke grunted in pain, and Zenitsu was getting slower.

Zenitsu backed down, and flashed seven times. He tackled Tanjiro again, only to be blocked by his hard head. Kanao evaded Inosuke's strike, and retaliated with three quick swings.

"I'm starting to think Kentaro* (*Tanjiro) and Menao* (*Kanao) figured it out..."  he thought as Zenitsu continued to blitz around the room, and tackled Tanjiro, only this time he evaded the attack. Kanao immediately threw her fencing blade at Inosuke, hitting his head. Tanjiro headbutted Zenitsu three times, forcing him to suffer slight brain damage.

Kanao retrieved her blade, and Tanjiro yelled out: "Now, Kanao! Finish it! Zenitsu's been incapacitated!" Kanao went on a head-on battle with Inosuke. The yellow-haired boy could only walk backward and forward, as the brain damages didn't allow him to move faster. Unfortunately for Kanao, Inosuke locked horns with Kanao in a desperate blade grinding duel. He spun their blades, knocking the fencing sword out of Kanao's grip.

"Oh no... I only have time for one headbutt. This needs to COUNT!" Tanjiro depended on chance, as if he messed this up, Kanao would be knocked off. He prepared all of his force, and struck Zenitsu one more time with his hardest headbutt. Zenitsu stumbled backward, making Inosuke miss his swing. Inosuke's horseback fell down, causing him to go with Zenitsu.

Tomioka had been asleep, then snapped awake when he heard the noise, and then declared: "Team A wins! Kanao and Tanjiro, you make it into the next round!" It was around that moment that Zenitsu woke up, feeling dizzy. "I feel a bit dizzy... and... WAIT... WHY CAN I SEE BLOOD DRIPPING OFF MY FOREHEAD?! TANJIRO, WHAT DID YOU DO?!"

"Maybe I did go a LITTLE overboard with the headbutts... It was either that or Kanao and I lost." he answered, scratching the back of his head. "Oh, you are SO going to PAY for this, you bastard!" he threatened him as he threw Inosuke off his head and stomped to the side to sit down and recover.

"Yay!" She squealed, as she hugged Tanjiro's head. Tanjiro thought: "Warm... and soft... BUT ALSO REALLY TIGHT..."

The next round went as progressed. Ozaki was immediately knocked off by Isekai's instant dark bombing. Isekai then said: "What was that about you being able to beat us? You saw me and Tanjiro beat those eight kids, don't you start!" "Yeesh, I think he needs to shrink the scale of his powers a little..." Aoi muttered.

Tomioka just blinked, then announced: "Uh... Team B moves on to the final round, I guess. Well, it's come down to the four people: Kanao and Tanjiro, versus Isekai and Aoi!"

Isekai and Tanjiro locked their hands into a handshake, while saying: "May the best cavalry win!"

"Now, you four rest and freshen yourselves up. You don't want to be tired for the final round." he recommended.

Five minutes later...

"Alright, get into positions! It's time to start the final round!" Mr. Tomioka instructed.

Tanjiro stood there bravely with Kanao on his back. Isekai seemed highly excited, and Aoi was determined to win.

Mr. Tomioka fired a blank-shot gun, yelling "BEGIN!" beforehand.

Aoi and Tanjiro charged at each other, with Kanao and Isekai being ready to clash for the win.

To be continued...