After leaving the Corps residence, Chiba Yang planned to head to the training grounds to practice his swordsmanship. Now that he had obtained his Nichirin Blade, it was only a matter of time before he would be assigned his first mission. Before that happened, he wanted to strengthen himself as much as possible.
So far, every demon he had encountered had fallen in a single strike. However, there was no guarantee he wouldn't face far stronger demons in the future. Only by becoming stronger could he achieve his dream of eradicating demons and protecting more people.
As he passed by the Butterfly Mansion, Chiba Yang noticed Kanao Tsuyuri standing in the courtyard, holding a large gourd and blowing into it. Shinobu Kocho stood beside her, offering guidance and encouragement. Three small girls were cheering from the side as well.
"Come on, Lady Kanao!"
"You can do it!"
"It's about to break!"
The three girls clenched their fists excitedly as they cheered.
What kind of training is this? Another breathing exercise?
Curious, Chiba Yang stopped and watched.
Kanao's face had turned slightly red from the effort. After a while—
Crack!
The gourd, nearly half the size of her body, burst apart.
"We did it!" the three girls shouted together, jumping happily.
Shinobu Kocho smiled and gently patted Kanao Tsuyuri on the head.
"Wonderful. To reach this level of breathing control in such a short time… your talent might even surpass mine, Kanao."
Hearing the praise, Kanao Tsuyuri lowered her head shyly. The intense effort had left her slightly short of breath, so she quietly adjusted her breathing.
At that moment, Shinobu Kocho noticed Chiba Yang standing outside the courtyard, watching them.
"Yang, would you like to give it a try?" she asked with a gentle smile.
Caught off guard, Chiba Yang hesitated for a moment before walking into the courtyard. Truthfully, he was quite interested in Kanao Tsuyuri's training.
"Hello, Shinobu," he greeted politely.
Shinobu Kocho smiled in return.
"So your Nichirin Blade has arrived already. And you're wearing new clothes too. You look much more spirited now."
Her gaze briefly fell on the blade at his waist and his new outfit.
"These clothes were a gift from Rengoku-sensei," Chiba Yang explained.
"I see. Rengoku always enjoys taking care of others," Shinobu Kocho said warmly. "Especially since you are his successor."
"Besides, he speaks very highly of you," she added. "He says you are a once-in-a-century genius."
Chiba Yang quickly waved his hands in embarrassment.
"No, no, that's not true. It's only because Rengoku-sensei teaches so well."
Even though he said that, hearing such praise still made him feel incredibly happy inside.
"Passing the Final Selection after only seven days of training isn't something that can be explained by good teaching alone," Shinobu Kocho replied with a soft laugh.
"Would you like to try the training Kanao just completed?"
She wanted to personally witness Chiba Yang's talent and see whether it truly matched Rengoku's description.
"Alright. So I just need to blow the gourd until it breaks?" Chiba Yang asked.
"Yes. Let's start with this one."
Shinobu Kocho handed him a gourd about half the size of the one Kanao Tsuyuri had just broken.
After all, Kanao Tsuyuri had trained in breathing techniques for many years to reach that level. In Shinobu Kocho's understanding, Chiba Yang had only recently begun practicing Breathing Techniques, so she intentionally chose a smaller one.
Chiba Yang accepted the gourd and examined it. It felt quite sturdy.
This must be meant to strengthen lung capacity for breathing control.
He placed his mouth on the opening and blew.
The next instant—
Pop!
The sturdy gourd shattered immediately.
That felt… surprisingly easy.
Chiba Yang stared at the broken pieces in his hands. It had required almost no effort.
"Wow! That's amazing!" the three girls exclaimed with sparkling eyes.
It seems extremely easy for him… Just as Rengoku said. He truly is a genius.
Shinobu Kocho observed quietly, her thoughts confirming what she had heard.
"That size is clearly too easy for you," she said with a smile. "Try this one."
She picked up another gourd from the side of the mansion. This one was the same size as the one Kanao Tsuyuri had just broken.
The moment Chiba Yang blew into it—
Boom!
The half-body-sized gourd exploded instantly.
Once again, Chiba Yang looked completely relaxed.
Can this really be considered training?
He wondered silently but chose not to say anything aloud. He had enough social awareness to keep that thought to himself.
"It seems Rengoku was right after all," Shinobu Kocho said with a light sigh of admiration.
Chiba Yang wasn't quite sure what to say in response, so he simply remained silent. Just as he was about to excuse himself and head to the training grounds to practice sword techniques—
A man walked into the Butterfly Mansion courtyard.
He had spiky white hair and a body covered in scars, even across his face.
"Welcome back, Mr. Shinazugawa," Shinobu Kocho greeted him with a smile. "What brings you to the Butterfly Mansion?"
To Chiba Yang's surprise, the fierce-looking man appeared slightly embarrassed.
"Well… I wanted to go see…"
Sanemi Shinazugawa hesitated.
"Oh, you mean you want to visit your sister?" Shinobu Kocho asked, immediately understanding.
"…Yes," Sanemi Shinazugawa replied with a relieved nod.
Soon after, Shinobu Kocho led him away.
"Who was that just now?" Chiba Yang asked curiously, turning toward Kanao Tsuyuri.
Unfortunately, he had asked the wrong person. Kanao Tsuyuri simply smiled quietly without saying a word.
At that moment, Aoi Kanzaki stepped out of the Butterfly Mansion carrying a stack of bedsheets.
"That was the Wind Hashira," she explained. "His name is Sanemi Shinazugawa. He's an extremely powerful swordsman."
Chiba Yang remembered her as the girl who had been cooking when he visited Rengoku earlier.
"I see…"
He glanced at Sanemi Shinazugawa's departing figure before standing up.
"I should head to the training grounds and practice my sword techniques. See you later."
With that, Chiba Yang left the Butterfly Mansion and headed for the training field.
However, the moment he arrived, he encountered a familiar face—the boy with the pompadour hairstyle from Mount Fujikasane during the Final Selection. The boy was currently practicing, repeatedly swinging his Nichirin Blade.
After a moment of thought, Chiba Yang decided to approach him.
"Hello. My name is Chiba Yang. Since we've both joined the Demon Slayer Corps, we'll be fighting as comrades from now on. There's no need to hold on to that small misunderstanding from before."
"Besides, I only stepped in back then because it looked like you were about to hit that child."
As he spoke, Chiba Yang extended his hand.
The boy seemed surprised by the gesture.
"My name is Genya Shinazugawa," he replied.
Now that he had obtained his Nichirin Blade, Genya Shinazugawa seemed far less aggressive than before. However, he didn't shake Chiba Yang's hand and simply continued practicing his sword swings.
Genya Shinazugawa… Sanemi Shinazugawa…
Those names sound awfully similar. Could they be brothers?
Chiba Yang quietly withdrew his hand, unable to stop the thought from forming in his mind.