Chapter 57: Young Miss Kanao, Please Speak Properly.
Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters, Butterfly Mansion.
"Just once, Kanao, you're the best, just once, I'm begging you!"
"Father wouldn't agree..."
Ryuji, lying on the hospital bed, turned his head to look at Kocho Kanae, who was sitting beside him peeling an apple while saying such suggestive lines, his mouth twitching slightly.
Good grief, Young Miss Kanao, please speak properly.
What do you mean Kocho Jiro wouldn't agree? It makes it sound like he, Ryuji, is about to do something inappropriate.
Also, why on earth are you blushing?!
"I just want to go out and exercise a bit. Besides, look, my body has already recovered."
As Ryuji spoke, he tried to remove the bandages and splints used for immobilization.
Just as he moved, he was pressed down by a fair little hand. Kocho Kanae blinked her purple eyes and said softly:
"That won't do. Your bones haven't healed yet. If you remove the splints, they'll grow crooked, and you'll end up as short as Ko-Shinobu. That wouldn't look good..."
Ryuji: "..."
That's a bit much. Even if he stopped growing now, Shinobu Kocho probably wouldn't ever reach his height.
After all, he was currently only slightly shorter than the Sound Hashira.
More importantly, his bones had already healed!
"You're also a medical practitioner; you should be able to see that I've already recovered..."
Ryuji said helplessly. Even though his body had fully recovered, he was still forced to lie in bed and rest.
Seven days.
For seven whole days, he had been lying in this room. Aside from exchanging some techniques with Uzui Tengen and Himejima Gyomei, he hadn't seen anyone else, let alone gone out to cultivate.
This kind of forced bed rest was truly torturous.
What was even more torturous was how many cultivation points he had lost over these seven days.
He just wanted more Advanced dual-type Haki and wanted to learn Conqueror's Haki Infusion.
Then kill some more lesser demons to gather enough military merit points to buy the azure dragon fruit.
Finally, break into the Infinity Castle, wake up Muzan, and let him out to get some sun.
Why was it so difficult?
"I know, but this is the Master's order..."
Kanao interrupted Ryuji, looking up with a smile and saying:
"You wouldn't want our family to be kicked out by the Master, right..."
She took a folded note from her bosom and gently placed it on the bedside table.
This was Ubuyashiki Kagaya's personal handwriting.
Ryuji could already recite the contents from memory: official talk about how the Pillar of the Fist is the cornerstone of the Demon Slayer Corps, having rendered great service, being severely injured, and so on.
The subtext was for him to rest for at least three months. If the Butterfly Mansion couldn't keep him there, then it might as well cease to exist.
Kocho Jiro had directly given a death order, telling Kanao to keep an eye on Ryuji.
Hearing this, Ryuji's temples throbbed.
It was like this again... and yet he couldn't even get angry.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya's concern was genuine, and Kanao's care was meticulous.
Kanao looked at the helpless Ryuji, a slight curve appearing at the corners of her lips. She sliced the peeled apple into pieces and fed them to Ryuji, saying:
"Alright, just lie there properly. Try these Takekan apples."
Ryuji chewed on the recently popular Takekan apple and sighed softly.
Seeing the sullen Ryuji, Kocho Kanae shook her head and said softly:
"Staying in the room all the time isn't good either. I'll push you out to get some sun in a bit."
Hearing this, Ryuji's eyes lit up, and he swallowed the sour apple that set his teeth on edge:
"Really?"
"Of course, but you can't do too much training, especially strength training. You definitely mustn't learn from the Stone Hashira."
"Alright! I promise not to learn from the Stone Hashira."
Ryuji immediately agreed.
Activities that didn't even count as a warm-up—if he couldn't do them, he wouldn't. Being able to do some light practice and earn a few more cultivation points was still good.
Soon, under Kanao's direction, several members of the Butterfly Mansion carefully lifted Ryuji onto a wheelchair.
The long-awaited sunlight spilled over him, bringing a hint of warmth and dispelling the irritability of the past few days.
Kanao pushed him through the courtyard toward the training grounds in the back.
Before they even got close, bursts of rapid and faint whistling sounds could be heard.
Ryuji raised an eyebrow: "Was this intentional?"
Kocho Kanae, behind him, shook her head: "No, it's just a coincidence... Since we've run into her, it's perfect. Please, Lord Ryuji, teach Ko-Shinobu."
Even the form of address had changed; she was serious, not joking!
Ryuji narrowed his eyes and looked toward the training grounds.
He saw a petite figure wearing a white haori swinging a wooden sword with all her might.
It was Shinobu Kocho.
Her movements were standard, but every swing seemed incredibly taxing. Sweat had already soaked her bangs, and the arm holding the sword was trembling slightly.
More importantly, Ryuji could tell at a glance that she was trying to imitate a certain Breathing Technique.
But she hadn't mastered the method; every breath placed unnecessary strain on her body.
Self-teaching a Breathing Technique?
He narrowed his eyes, turned his head back to look at Kocho Kanae, whose face was full of conflict and worry, and said softly:
"You're willing to let Shinobu Kocho face those kinds of monsters?"
His voice was very soft, yet it was like a needle, precisely piercing through the layer of gentle disguise on Kanao's face.
Kocho Kanae's body trembled slightly. She lowered her head, her long eyelashes hiding the struggle in her eyes.
"I'm not, but this is Ko-Shinobu's choice. I know her too well; if it's something she wants to do, she will definitely do it."
Kocho Kanae lowered her head, her voice slightly weak:
"Rather than letting her train blindly and hurt her body, it's better to find her a teacher. That way, she'll be a bit safer."
Ryuji understood and sighed softly. This was the unique tenderness of an older sister.
Silence spread between the two.
After a long while, Kocho Kanae looked up, her purple eyes that were always smiling now filled with entreaty:
"So, please, Lord Ryuji, teach me as well."
She took a step forward and bowed deeply.
"That way, I can also lend Ko-Shinobu a hand when she encounters danger."
Hearing this, Ryuji remained silent for a moment before saying, "Push me over... I'll help her find her own path."
Kocho Kanae nodded without saying much, just continuing to push the wheelchair, bringing Ryuji closer.
Shinobu Kocho, who was practicing swordsmanship, heard the movement and quickly stopped.
When she saw her sister pushing Ryuji over, she first breathed a sigh of relief and then put on a pleasing smile.
"Sister, don't tell Father; he'll nag me again."
She wiped her sweat, her curious gaze falling on Ryuji, and she winked at Kanao.
"Sister, is his injury still not healed? I remember his recovery ability is super strong..."
"Yes, he was very seriously injured this time."
Kanao walked to her sister's side, gently helping her tidy her messy hair, and then pointed at Ryuji in the wheelchair:
"So, to prevent you from ending up lying here like him, I've found you a teacher."
Shinobu Kocho's eyes lit up; she knew exactly how powerful Ryuji was.
This was the Genius swordsman who had become a Hashira just a few months after joining the Demon Slayer Corps!
Moreover, he was a swordsman capable of competing with an Upper Rank, and had even nearly killed Upper Rank Three!
If one were to say that powerful people aren't necessarily good at teaching, that definitely didn't apply to Ryuji.
Because he was also the Chief Instructor of the Demon Slayer Corps!
The man who had single-handedly changed the training of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Just by using the methods he taught to train, a swordsman's survival rate could be improved, and those were just methods learned from him, not even personal guidance.
Swordsmen who had received his personal guidance saw even greater improvements, and most of them had already begun to distinguish themselves within the Demon Slayer Corps.
Among them, the most talented were the twin stars, Shinazugawa Sanemi and Tomioka Giyu, who had been promoted to Kinoe-rank swordsmen almost simultaneously.
Both had the potential to become Hashira!
Even the Stone Hashira and Sound Hashira had discussed practice with Ryuji and obtained some techniques from him.
These things had already spread within the Demon Slayer Corps; even she, a non-combat member, was well aware.
As long as one could get his guidance, there was a chance to become a Hashira, or at the very least, improve one's survival rate and efficiency in slaying demons!
"I'll be in your care, please guide me!"
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