Morning arrived, and it was time for our protagonist to wake up. A lot had happened since his arrival at the home of his acquaintance's master, the previous Water Pillar. It was five in the morning when he looked outside. There was little sunlight, and he could hear small animals nearby. He drank a glass of water and stepped outside to start his routine.
Something had kept him up at night: his encounter with the previous Water Pillar. He knew Urokodaki was a master and someone strong, but something felt off, particularly considering the backstory Umi had shared with him.
Tanjiro: "I slept like a log last night... An early rest and good hours of sleep always set me right. That old man... I knew he is strong as he is a Pillar, but I doubt that he would match my strength. Comparing him to Umi he brings a far superior aura.... But how come Umi survived and Sabito didn't if they were under the guidance of someone stronger than them?.... I'll think of this later. These thoughts are already coming into my head... oh.... It's around five now; time to get to work."
Knowing it wasn't right to train in front of someone else's house, he headed deep into the forest to find an open space. Unbeknownst to him, someone noticed him and decided to follow.
???: "Who is he? Is he a new student? I need to check him out..."
As Tanjiro ventured deeper, he noticed the forest was dense and unfamiliar.
Tanjiro: "The forest on these mountains is much deeper and denser than what I'm used to..."
While walking, he stopped suddenly as a log on ropes swung toward him. He sensed the trap and destroyed the log with a single punch. The person hiding nearby was about to warn him but was left speechless by his quick reaction.
Tanjiro: "This place is full of traps, likely because it's Urokodaki's property... Impressive."
He observed various hidden traps—spike pits camouflaged with leaves, mechanisms for throwing knives, and trap doors. Tanjiro found it interesting and cautiously continued, destroying or avoiding traps along the way. The person following him remained hidden, amazed by his skills.
He finally arrived at a clearing and let out a sigh, noticing a large boulder with many cuts.
Tanjiro: "Finally... wait, a boulder? What's it doing here, and why does it have so many cuts? Is this a training spot? Well, who wouldn't mind if I use this?"
The unknown person hid in the bushes, watching as Tanjiro started his warm-up exercises. He did arm stretches, neck stretches, knee bends, hip and back stretches, and then deep breaths before launching into push-ups, pistol squats, and sit-ups—doing 1,000 of each rapidly.
The observer, a girl, was impressed by his physique and speed.
???: "I can't believe he's one of Sensei's students. He's so strong! How does he do it so fast? Even I couldn't do that."
After ten minutes, Tanjiro finished his workout, feeling slightly disappointed. He sensed someone watching him and scanned his surroundings, quickly spotting a black-haired girl with cyan eyes hiding in a bush.
Tanjiro: (That girl... She's good at hiding, but who is she? Based on her training outfit, she must be one of Urokodaki's students. She must be responsible for those cuts on the boulder... I hope she wouldn't mind if I give her a little show.)
He walked toward the boulder and, with a serious look, prepared to demonstrate his strength. The girl, Makomo, was confused and curious.
Makomo: (What is he going to do... WAIT!? Don't tell me—)
Tanjiro raised his arm and, with a slight chop, turned the boulder into dust. Makomo was terrorized by his power.
Makomo: "That guy is so strong! I couldn't even cut that boulder in half, and yet he turned it into dust. How!?"
YOU ARE READING
Tanjiro Hanma
ActionThe story of a boy who became the strongest creature in the world and would not be bested by anyone.
