Tatsuya had originally thought he would stay at Mount Sagiri for ten days at most before his Nichirin Sword was delivered and his first mission arrived. He never expected this period to become one of his most cherished memories. To be honest, he felt a twinge of guilt toward Master Kuwajima—the half-month at Mount Sagiri was exceptionally lively, comforting, and fulfilling.
Perhaps because Water Breathing is inherently peaceful, a disproportionately large number of gifted individuals are suited for it. Under Master Urokodaki's wing were Sabito, Giyu, and Makomo. This was even after the elder had drastically reduced his recruitment due to the tragic loss of many previous students during the Final Selection. Had he not, Mount Sagiri would have been even more crowded.
Furthermore, practitioners of Water Breathing often carry a certain gentle trait, making the atmosphere incredibly comfortable and free of petty politics. Everyone shared a singular goal: get stronger and slay demons. Tatsuya found a rare sense of "collective striving" here, a stark contrast to the solitary effort he felt at Mount Momoyama.
—To be clear, he definitely didn't mean that as a slight against Kaigaku. Tatsuya promised.
Tatsuya trained daily with Sabito and Giyu, the two closest to his level. They competed in every drill: who had the most endurance, who was the fastest in a sprint, and who could swing their sword the most times.
Outside of training, Tatsuya liked to practice "riddles" with Giyu. He found that by simply sitting and listening to Giyu struggle to tell a story, his own puzzle-solving skills improved rapidly. Once Giyu ran out of things to say, Tatsuya would drag Sabito along to hunt for wild game to enrich their dinner.
Once, the two got competitive about who could catch more rabbits. By the end of the afternoon, they hauled back over fifty. Master Urokodaki, with a dark face, forced them to eat rabbit meat for five straight days.
Afterward, Makomo asked curiously, "How did you catch so many?" Sabito gave Tatsuya a side-eye of pure disdain. "He used Thunder Breathing to chuck pebbles at them. He's terrifyingly accurate. When he retires, he can go into the wholesale game meat business." At dinner, as everyone looked at the bubbling pot of rabbit soup, a shrill wail echoed: "RABBIT SOUP AGAIN!! Izumo Tatsuya! This means war!!"
"Ahem... this is the last one," Master Urokodaki said, taking a sip of the delicious broth. "If you lack an appetite, I could tell some embarrassing stories about Tatsuya's master to help the food go down."
"YES PLEASE!!" everyone shouted in unison, Tatsuya's voice being the loudest.
The next day. The mountain's rabbit population had finally been decimated—a fact Tatsuya knew was his fault. To make amends, he volunteered to go down the mountain for supplies. Urokodaki and the others stayed behind to forage for wild greens and mushrooms.
Before leaving, Tatsuya shouted toward the clearing, "Giyu!! If you ever make me eat poisonous mushrooms again, I'll bring back another fifty rabbits!!" Before he finished, Sabito's voice drifted over: "Get me ten sticks of tri-color dango!"
"Sigh, one moment of impulsiveness, a week of regret..." Tatsuya muttered as he walked. He sped down the path, his feet flying over the stones. "I hope the dry goods shop in town has stock. I'll never forget Urokodaki-san's mushroom soup." Thinking of how the master could turn ordinary ingredients into a glowing, divine meal, Tatsuya picked up his pace.
Another winter had arrived, and snow began to fall. As he neared a small hill buried in fresh snow, Tatsuya spotted an anxious figure.
It was a young woman wrapped in a dark headscarf. Despite the freezing cold, she was drenched in sweat, trudging frantically through the snow. Her face was a mask of exhaustion and panic. When she saw Tatsuya in his training gear with a sword at his waist—a rare sight in the Taisho era—she flinched but then ran toward him with desperate resolve.
"Sir! Please, wait!"
Tatsuya stopped immediately. "What happened? Do you need help?" He could feel the intense anxiety radiating from her.
"My name is Kie Kamado..." she gasped, her voice trembling. "Sir, have you... have you seen a child? A boy, about this high," she gestured to her waist. "He has distinct reddish-dark hair and a burn scar on his forehead! His name is Tanjiro; he's my son!"
"He... he slipped away this morning while I wasn't looking, telling his brother he wanted to find some fresh berries. He hasn't come back! The snow is so heavy, and it's almost dark..." She choked up, tears welling in her eyes.
A small child lost in this weather?!
Tatsuya's expression turned grave. "Ma'am, don't panic. I'm Izumo Tatsuya, a practitioner from the nearby mountain. I've noted his features. Red hair, forehead scar, Tanjiro. I'll find him! Don't go deeper into the woods. Find a sheltered spot and wait for my word. Do you know a safe shack nearby?"
Kie nodded, clinging to hope. "Thank you, Mr. Izumo! There's an abandoned charcoal kiln halfway up the slope... I'll wait there! Please, find my Tanjiro!"
"Count on it!" Tatsuya lunged toward the forest. His Thunder Breathing left only a blur on the snow. Tanjiro, kid, don't you dare die on me!
Deep in the woods, the snow was thick, and visibility was poor. Finding a child here was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Thunder Breathing, Seventh Form!!
Tatsuya focused, expanding Silent Listening to its maximum range. He filtered the wind and the snapping branches until he heard it—a low, menacing growl and a series of sharp, panicked whines.
It was a wolf pack. They were closing in for the kill.
Tatsuya's heart sank. This time, this place... the prey couldn't be Tanjiro! He pushed his Breathing to the limit, shooting through the trees like a bolt of lightning.
Through the snowy haze, he saw eight pairs of glowing green eyes surrounding a tiny figure.
Found him!
A five-year-old boy in a thick cotton coat was backed against a large beech tree. His dark-red hair was matted with sweat. His face was pale, but he held a burning stick, waving it frantically to keep the beasts at bay.
Smart kid! But that fire won't last. My turn!
Tatsuya cut into the battlefield like a black gale. "Hey, beasts! Over here!" He shouted to draw their attention.
The wolves snarled at the intruder. Tatsuya kicked off the ground, spinning like a top, and delivered a devastating roundhouse kick.
THUD!
The first wolf was sent flying into a tree and went silent instantly. Simultaneously, Tatsuya's hand went to his hilt. He didn't draw fully; he used the metal pommel as a hammer.
CRACK!
He smashed the pommel into the skull of a second wolf lunging at his leg. Bone shattered. Two down in a second. He rolled forward, dodging a third wolf aiming for his throat. As its paws hit the ground, Tatsuya's hand shot out like a hook, grabbing the fur at its neck.
"Up you go!"
He swung the hundred-pound beast like a sack of grain, slamming it into a fourth wolf lunging at Tanjiro! The two collided in a mess of broken limbs and howls.
Tatsuya didn't stop. He charged the alpha. The wolf realized Tatsuya was the real threat and signaled the remaining three to attack from multiple angles.
Smart. But you're still just animals!
Tatsuya leaned back, letting the alpha's teeth miss his throat by an inch, then slid beneath its belly and drove his knee upward with the force of a cannonball.
BOOM!
The alpha arched in mid-air and crashed into the snow, unable to rise. In the same motion, Tatsuya pushed off the ground, his hands catching the forelegs of the two side-attackers.
Snap! Snap!
The sickening sound of dislocation echoed. He tossed them aside like trash. The final wolf yelped and fled with its tail between its legs.
Tatsuya exhaled, a cloud of white vapor rising in the cold air. Using Thunder Breathing on wolves felt like bullying. He turned to the stunned Tanjiro.
He's strong! Just as terrifyingly strong as Father! Tanjiro thought.
Tatsuya knelt and gave a reassuring smile. "It's okay now. You're Tanjiro, right? Your mom is waiting for you." He reached out and patted Tanjiro's head. "Time to go home, little guy."
Wait... why is his head so hard?