Demon slayer: Breath Of The Eclipse

Chapter Sixty Four: The strongest of the Demon Slayer Corps

The next day, Tanjiro was walking with Zenitsu in the middle of a mountain forest.

"I pity Genya, his brother is an even bigger lunatic than him, i hope that he and the trainees are ok i wish i could have helped them more". said Tanjiro, Zenitsu looked at him with a terrified expression on his face and said.

"What happened yesterday will haunt me for the rest of my life, you were so terrifying, you even made the sound that demons make!." said Zenitsu, Tanjiro gave Zenitsu his deepest and most sincere apologies, he did not mean to traumatiz his friend and the trainees but Sanemi had gone way too far and crossed so many red lines, Tanjiro had to stand up to him. Zenitsu began to angrirly rant at the mountainous location of the Stone Hashira's home, when he heard something in the distance, Zenitsu lead Tanjiro to a waterfall in a clearing. There they saw trainees including their friend Inosuke, chanting the Nembutsu as they attempted to keep standing beneath the waterfall.The two were shocked by the scene when they heard a voice behind them,which told them that extinguishing the heart and mind can make even fires cool. Tanjiro and Zenitsu were dumbfounded when they saw the Stone Hashira Gyomei Himejima, bearing heavy logs and rocks while atop fiery grounds as he welcomed them to his training.

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At Gyomei's training grounds, Tanjiro and Zenitsu listened carefully as Gyomei emphasized the importance of their core, their lower body. The Stone Hashira explained that by establishing a firm foundation, their attack accuracy and defense will increase. The training began by immersing themselves in the water, the boys saw trainees struggle to stand upright. Afterwards they must lift a set of large logs tied together, and finally to complete the training, they must push a boulder for one chō which is about 109.1 meters. Gyomei believed that his stage was simpl, having only three tasks, and he had decided not to include setting fire beneath them, deeming it too dangerous. Tanjiro had to interrupt to inform Gyomei that Zenitsu had fainted.

"Forgive me Himejima san for being rude and interrupting but Zenitsu has fainted!." said Tanjiro, the mere thought of having to go through that training again was enough to make the yellow clad Demon Slayer faint.

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Gyomei instructed Tanjiro to throw Zenitsu in the river, and upon being placed in the water, Zenitsu abruptly awoken from the cold, feebly attempting to reach dry land as he bemoaned having to be in a river during winter. As Tanjiro called out to him, he yelled that his internal organs were in agony, as if crying out in fear of death. Even out of the river, Zenitsu continued to shiver uncontrollable and believed he will freeze to death. He then sensed something behind him and saw Murata, who told him to cling to the boulders for warmth. Zenitsu instantly lunged towards one and was greeted by the heat, he remarked that he had never imagined that they could be so warm.

"It's like i'm in my mother's arms" claimed Zenitsu happily, and then he began calling out for his mother. Meanwhile Tanjiro was standing under the waterfall, meditating peacefully, while Inosuke was beneath the waterfall.

"Coming through" chanted Inosuke enduring the torrent.

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A nearby trainee abandoned his attempt and walked out of the falls, Tanjiro commended the trainee for for giving it his all, encouraging him to try again next time, Tanjiro soon noticed that Inosuke had fallen silent, Tanjiro quickly realized that something was wrong and pulled his friend onto dry land and removed his mask and quickly administered cpr, Inosuke eventually woke up and Tanjiro cryed tears of relief. After that traumatic experience, Tanjiro began helping the trainees, Tanjiro instructed them to chant the Nembutsu to concentrate and to signal that they were conscious, before standing beneath the waterfall and chanting the Nianfo himself. Tanjiro put his hands together and begin chanting "Nembutsu". The trainees efforts soon run out as they reach their tolerance for the cold. At the boulders, the trainees told Tanjiro that despite the straightforward task, it proved harsh, claiming that had they relaxed their bodies, their necks would have snapped from the wight of the water.

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Tanjiro commended the trainees for their efforts, with Tanjiro and Gyomei's guidance the trainees will become strong Demon Hunters. After a few days of training, the trainees were now able to stand for two hours, they could now begin the log training, Impressed Tanjiro gave the trainees and Murata words of encouragemen, though Murata did mention that he had been struggling with training and had been training for ten days. During a break, Tanjiro grilled some fish for the trainees, Inosuke gobbled his food, and while he was eating, the boar headed Demon Slayer remarked his amazement at the "Old guy with the Rattlin Beads.". Tanjiro chided Inosuke for the nickname that he gave Gyomei.

"Oh well, at least it's better than what they're calling me and Nezuko" said Tanjiro. Inosuke claimed that he felt chills upon first meeting the Stone Hashira, and then everyone noticed Inosuke eating the bones of the fish as well which was a shock, Inosuke said that they tasted good as he took his tenth fish.

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"The only one stronger than the old guy is you Tanjiro." said Inosuke, Tanjiro also mentioned that Gyomei's scent was different from the other Hashira as well. Inosuke remembered Gyomei pounding him to the ground. The other trainees were completely lost, they couldn't keep up with the conversation of those who ranked up quickly, those people were on whole different level, especially Tanjiro, the trainees were also very pleased with Tanjiro's cooking. After their break, everyone went back to training, under Gyomei and Tanjiro's watchful eyes. Inosuke put his mask back on, fulled with determination, while Zenitsu was fulled with derid.

"You did it once, you can do it again." said Tanjiro giving his friend words of encouragement.

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Within the nearby town, Nakime the Biwa Demon's eyes continue to stalk the townsfolk into the night until she spots a Demon Slayer, she informed her master Muzan Kibutsuji, that she had located sixty percent of the Demon Slayer Corps, and she had found Tanjiro and Nezuko training. Muzan was delighted by Nakime's growth, she grew beyond his imagination. Nakime expressed gratitude for her master's words, before Muzan instructed her to look in a new location. Strumming her biwa, Nakime accesses the view from the detached eye in the area as she followed two more Demon Slayers. Muzan believed that it was only a matter of time until he launchs his final plan.

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As a reward for a successful training session Tanjiro had prepared Miso flavored Onigiri as a treat, the trainees were absolutely delighted by Tanjiro's cooking, it fulled Tanjiro and the trainees with nostalgia, Tanjiro happily recalled memories of cooking for his family, while the trainees recalled memories of their mothers cooking. Everyone marveled at Tanjiro's cooking skills, it's because he is the grandson of a charcoal burner and knows that cooking is about the right heat. As they were enjoying their meal, Murata began taking about how the Hashira don't have many Tsugukos, the trainees all agreed that it was because the training was very harsh and everyone is frightened, or in Zenitsu's case, they grow dejected at the gap between them and the Hashira. As the trainees continue to marvel at Tanjiro and the Hashiras strength, Tanjiro told them that with everyone's effort they will finally sever the head of Muzan Kibutsuji.

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It was now the sixth day of training and they were now working on Repetitive Action, a technique that strengthened concentration with a predetermined action, in Gyomei's case it was reciting the Nembutsu. That evening Tanjiro Tanjiro went to visit Genya, he heard that Gyomei had placed the younger Shinazugawa under house arrest and scolded him as punishment, so Tanjiro wanted to check on him and see if he was ok. Genya was barred from seeing Sanemi, but he ignored it and the situation ended with Tanjiro being involved. Genya apologized for getting Tanjiro involved and thanked the Eclipse Hashira for defending him.

"And i'm sorry for hurting your brother, i hope that you will reconcile soon" said Tanjiro with a warm smile, Genya had finally accepted Tanjiro as a friend.

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Author's Note: if you could train under one Hashira who would it be?