Chapter 324

"Listen to Lord Luo En; take him inside."

Kanha, who had been smiling silently, spoke, her voice soft and delicate.

The two Insect Hashira members blinked in surprise.

"Yes!"

…………

The building where the Hashira housed injured personnel.

After Tanjiro was carried in by a Hashira member.

Mitsuri Kanroji, seeing Tanjiro still alive, felt his eyes slightly damp: "T-Tanjiro…"

"Sanemi… you're awake."

Tanjiro smiled at him: "It's truly good that you're safe."

"Waaahhh—"

Sanemi, tears streaming down his face, lunged at Tanjiro and cried out: "Tanjiro—listen to me! I was stared at and bitten by a stinking spider, poisoned, in excruciating pain, forced to drink medicine so bitter it felt like death, and just now I was yelled at by a girl's eyes! It's absolutely terrible!"

He cried out with a face full of grievance.

The Hashira member carrying Tanjiro snapped: "Get away from me, you idiot! I'm an outsider—don't smear your snot and tears all over my clothes!"

"You're so cold-hearted! Can't you see how pitiful I am?!"

"Who cares?!"

"You two~~"

Shinazugawa Kyojuro crossed her arms, eyes fierce, black aura radiating from her: "Quiet down, all of you!!"

The three fell silent.

"Sorry…"

Tanjiro was assigned a bed between Mitsuri Kanroji and Inosuke Hashibira.

The battle at the Spider Mountain of Natsuki.

Tanjiro had multiple abrasions on his face, arms, and feet; his entire body ached with muscle soreness and strains.

Mitsuri Kanroji's right hand and right leg had shortened due to spider transformation; his left hand spasmed.

Inosuke Hashibira suffered damage to his vocal cords and severe loss of confidence.

Nezuko suffered from lack of sleep.

……

The next day.

The three were placed in the ward to recuperate.

Tanjiro endured the pain in his body.

Mitsuri Kanroji was still causing trouble.

Inosuke Hashibira remained despondent, while Mitsuri and Tanjiro both offered him verbal encouragement.

Nezuko stayed inside her box, sleeping endlessly to restore her strength.

In a small courtyard near the Hashira residence.

Luo En, who had just met Tanjiro, sat beneath a cherry tree on a reclining chair, listening as Kanao Tsuyuri spoke about the battle at the Spider Mountain of Natsuki and the blood test for Nezuko.

Kanao stood quietly beside him.

"…That's the general situation."

Kanao stood before Luo En.

She could barely meet his gaze while he leaned back in the chair.

"You went to the Hashira residence just now, didn't you?"

Luo En sat up and looked at her.

Kanao nodded.

"What do you think of those three?"

Kanao thought for a moment: "Aside from Tanjiro, the other two boys also have great potential. With sufficient harsh training and combat, their strength should grow rapidly."

Luo En took a sip of the pirate world's sparkling wine and smiled at her: "Well said. All three have the potential to become Pillars, but they're not mature enough. If you want them to become combatants against Muzan Kibutsuji, they need even more brutal training."

"You mean…"

Kanao's eyes flickered slightly: "Special training for them?"

"Exactly."

"But who will do it? All the Pillars are busy—beyond slaying demons, they must train in Flame Breathing and Total Concentration…"

As Kanao spoke, she noticed Luo En's smile and froze: "Could it be…"

"Is there anyone in the Demon Slayer Corps more idle than me?"

Luo En stood up: "I might as well find something to do. But first, let them recover from their injuries."

Thus,

Kanao subjected the three to strict physical recovery training and full-spectrum Breathing Techniques drills.

Kanao accompanied them in training in the morning and went to Luo En in the afternoon for sword instruction.

Kanao, after finishing her daytime duties, came to Luo En's courtyard at night to absorb the essence of his sword technique.

She was drawing ever closer to that realm.

…………

One day.

Luo En was walking toward the Hashira training ground, intending to observe the training progress.

On the road, he met someone he hadn't expected.

Water Column, Tomioka Giyu.

He stood on the road ahead of Luo En, hand resting on the hilt of his waist sword, gazing at Luo En with a blank expression:

"Luo En… Mr.?"

Luo En stood with his hands behind his back and smiled at him: "What do you want?"

"I heard from them about Tanjiro and Nezuko."

"And?"

Tomioka Giyu fell silent for a moment, then spoke: "Does Tanjiro know about using Nezuko as bait?"

"He probably doesn't know yet."

"I think… you should tell him."

"Why don't you tell him yourself?"

Tomioka Giyu fell silent again.

Luo En stepped over to his side and looked at him with a smile: "I heard you were cold and serious, but now it seems you're a warm-hearted fellow who cares about his junior."

"Want to go eat daikon salmon together?"

Tomioka Giyu's eyes lit up.

Then the two walked off together in another direction.

"Do you like daikon salmon too?"

Tomioka Giyu asked.

"I like it well enough. How about you?"

"I love it."

"Really? Do you drink alcohol?"

Tomioka Giyu shook his head: "I've never drunk."

"Then let me buy you a drink. Alcohol's a fine thing—especially for swordsmen. A swordsman who doesn't drink isn't a true swordsman."

"Then I'll try it."

The two walked farther and farther away, heading opposite to Butterfly House.

I'll check the training ground again tomorrow…

34, I want to eat meat!

That day.

Inside the training ground.