Chapter 200: Who Says She Can Only Breathe Flower?
The next morning.
Ren woke up early.
After washing up, he left his room and stepped into the courtyard.
"Good morning, Mr. Ren!"
The moment Ren stepped outside, he ran into Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho.
The three little girls raised their hands high and greeted him with bright, energetic smiles.
"Good morning."
Ren nodded and returned their greeting politely.
"Good morning, Mr. Ren."
Kanzaki Aoi followed close behind.
She was carrying a wooden tub filled with white clothes.
"Mr. Ren, do you have any clothes that need washing?"
As she spoke, Aoi entered Ren's room and began taking his dirty clothes out.
Ren initially refused, but after politely declining several times, he eventually handed over his clothes.
He couldn't help sighing inwardly.
She really is the hardest-working person at the Butterfly Mansion. The Butterfly Mansion can't function without Aoi, just as the West can't do without Jerusalem.
Ren turned and headed toward the courtyard.
He skillfully avoided the injured patients resting in the front yard and arrived at the training grounds, where Kanao was doing her morning exercises.
Kanao recognized him at once.
"Ren!"
She immediately lowered her sword and rushed toward him like lightning.
Seeing this, Ren couldn't help nodding.
Her speed is pretty good.
She had improved considerably since the last time he had seen her.
Her reaction speed was impressive as well. She had noticed him the instant he arrived and recognized him without hesitation.
"Good morning, Kanao."
Ren smiled and stopped the girl as she rushed toward him.
"Careful. We're family now, so don't be so reckless."
Kanao smiled shyly.
For some reason, being held by Ren made her entire body feel weak and tingly, leaving her unable to say a word.
She simply wanted to remain in his embrace like this.
After a while, she raised her head.
"Ren, are you going to the Swordsmith Village?"
Ren was startled for a moment before quickly realizing what had happened.
Shinobu must have told her.
After all, it wasn't exactly a secret.
Since he was going anyway, he might as well bring Kanao along.
There were only two Demon Slayer Corps members at the Butterfly Mansion who needed Nichirin swords, so taking Kanao to have a new sword forged was the obvious choice.
With Ren's superb knowledge of forging, he could still distinguish the quality of a Nichirin sword.
For example, the one he currently carried.
In fact, Ren felt that sword was rather awkward to use.
All the demons he had killed before had been defeated only after Ren adapted himself to the Nichirin sword.
The sword itself had never adapted to him.
As a result, Ren's combat ability was somewhat limited.
One of the purposes of his trip to the Swordsmith Village was therefore to have a Nichirin sword forged specifically for himself.
One sword for each of them.
Three in total.
Kanao noticed the look in Ren's eyes and gently buried her face against his chest.
She asked softly, "Ren, can you forge a Nichirin sword too?"
"A little."
"Then, Ren, can you forge a Nichirin sword for me?"
"Of course. That's actually one of the reasons we're going. We'll have a batch of Nichirin swords made for everyone at the Butterfly Mansion."
"Really?"
Kanao smiled happily.
"Then, Ren, wait for me a moment."
With that, Kanao quickly ran off.
A moment later, the girl's figure appeared at the edge of the courtyard again.
This time, she was holding a Nichirin sword in her hand.
Clearly, she had gone to retrieve her sword.
Ren remembered that Kanao had been practicing with a wooden sword before.
Now that she had brought out a real sword, it was obvious that it had something to do with what she had just said.
Kanao rushed over and handed her Nichirin sword to Ren.
"Ren, my Nichirin sword is too light."
"Too light?"
Ren glanced at Kanao's Nichirin sword.
He then gently picked it up, instantly taking in the sword's entire weight.
It was neither particularly light nor particularly heavy. For an ordinary Demon Slayer Corps member, it was more than adequate.
But for someone at the level of a Hashira, it was far from enough.
Ren understood perfectly well that mass was a source of force.
When someone swung a sword, the quality and weight of the blade itself were extremely important.
Generally speaking, the heavier the sword, the greater the force it could generate when swung.
Could it be because Kanao's strength has already reached the level of a Hashira, making her Nichirin sword too light?
No.
That wasn't it.
After awakening the Domain of Time, Ren's reaction speed and thought-processing ability had undergone a qualitative transformation.
With a little thought, he quickly deduced the general reason.
Is it because Flower Breathing has made you stronger?
Kanao nodded.
Her response indirectly confirmed that Ren's analysis was correct.
Ren gently stroked the Nichirin sword in his hand.
"It seems this Nichirin sword really isn't suitable for you anymore. Once your strength increases further, even a Nichirin sword of moderate weight will feel too light."
"You won't be able to exert your full strength."
"But don't worry. I promise you, Kanao, that when we go to the Swordsmith Village, I'll have a Nichirin sword forged specifically for you."
"Mm. Okay."
Kanao obediently nodded.
"R-Ren..."
Kanao raised her head again, looking at him somewhat nervously.
"What is it?"
Ren noticed her hesitation and asked, "Is something wrong?"
"Mm."
"Is it about your training?"
"Mm."
"Does it have something to do with your Breathing technique?"
"Mm."
Kanao nodded obediently like a well-behaved child, her head bobbing up and down like a little chick pecking at grain.
Ren understood her purpose and the problem she was facing.
After spending so much time together, he could already detect what was troubling Kanao from only a few words.
"First, I'll correct the mistakes in your Flower Breathing movements. Then I'll teach you a completely new Breathing technique."
"A new Breathing technique?"
Kanao's small face froze.
She seemed unable to understand what Ren meant.
What did he mean by directly teaching her an entirely new Breathing technique?
Other than Flower Breathing... I can learn another Breathing technique?
A trace of confusion appeared on Kanao's fair face.
Normally, a Demon Slayer swordsman only needed to learn a single Breathing technique.
Just like Kanao's Flower Breathing.
It was the Breathing technique best suited to her, and all she needed to do was continue developing it.
In other words, as long as Kanao continued refining her Flower Breathing, she would become stronger and stronger.
That was also how most Demon Slayer Corps members trained.
But now, Ren had casually mentioned teaching her an entirely new Breathing technique.
That was precisely why Kanao was so shocked.
This way of communicating is really strange...
Ren, can I really learn another Breathing technique?
Kanao looked somewhat shyly at her own hands, feeling confused.
And, for some reason, a little insecure.
Ren smiled.
"Of course."
Who said Kanao could only learn Flower Breathing?