Chapter 325

Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke gradually recovered from their injuries during physical conditioning, but the three still could not catch the fleet-footed Shinobu.

Among the practitioners of the Complete Collection of Breathing Techniques, Tanjiro, who had a foundation, was the first to blow up the gourd.

When Zenitsu and Inosuke saw the small, slender Shinobu blow up that enormous gourd, they were utterly stunned.

Both were deeply shaken.

The two trudged dejectedly toward the ward.

Tanjiro, hearing the news that the two had skipped training, hurried after them.

"You two… what's wrong?!"

They turned to look at him, their entire beings radiating 'defeat'.

"We really are useless, aren't we?"

Tanjiro urgently asked: "What exactly is going on with you two?!"

Zenitsu, dejected, said: "I'm the worst at putting in effort."

Inosuke: "Doing something steadily and tirelessly is the most exhausting thing of all."

Tanjiro still could not understand this.

In his view, striving with the determination to die was not the most normal thing imaginable?

"Alright, Tanjiro, don't worry about us—go back to training."

Zenitsu said gloomily, then turned and walked away with his head down.

Inosuke followed him, turning away as well.

"Zenitsu, Inosuke…"

Tanjiro wanted to stop them, but faced with their dejected state, he momentarily did not know what to say or do.

"Hahahaha."

At that moment, a bright laugh echoed from all around.

"Are you really going to give up over something like this?"

The three looked up.

A handsome young man in black robes sat atop a tree branch, holding a silver-blue wine jug with a poised stance; his deep blue eyes smiled down at the three below.

"You won't become strong swordsmen this way."

Inosuke, wearing a boar's head mask, looked up at the man: "Who… are you…"

He had not finished speaking.

A delighted cry came from beside him.

"Mr. Luo En!!"

"Mr. Luo En?"

Zenitsu stared at the man on the branch, puzzled.

He had never heard that name before.

The man atop the tree, Luo En, smiled at Tanjiro below, took a sip of wine, and continued: "I've watched your training. The reason you two are so dejected is because you lack confidence, right? Tanjiro taught you so carefully, yet you've made no progress at all—after seeing Tanjiro's improvement, you've only grown more convinced you're useless, haven't you?"

"Is that true?!"

Tanjiro stared in shock at Zenitsu and Inosuke.

Zenitsu and Inosuke lowered their heads in silence.

"The 'Constant Presence' technique from the Complete Collection of Breathing Techniques isn't that hard to master—it just requires sufficient effort. I've observed your training, and I've noticed something. The reason you two find it so difficult is actually because of a specific cause."

Hearing the mysterious man's words,

"A cause?"

Zenitsu and Inosuke felt a slight shock within.

Tanjiro couldn't help asking: "Mr. Luo En, do you know something?"

"So you still haven't realized… Tanjiro."

Luo En took another sip of wine and looked at him with a hint of exasperation: "It's because you teach terribly."

"…Huh?"

After a second of stunned silence, Tanjiro froze completely in place.

Luo En's figure flashed.

"He vanished?!"

Zenitsu jumped in fright.

Then a hand landed on his shoulder, nearly scaring his soul out of his body.

"Aaaah!"

He screamed, leaped backward, and landed hard on his rear, staring in terror at the black-robed young man who had suddenly appeared there.

"When…?"

Inosuke also stared at Luo En in shock—he hadn't noticed it when the man was on the tree, but now that he stood before them, Inosuke realized just how tall this man was!

He couldn't even reach the man's shoulders.

Luo En smiled at the three: "Come with me—I'll guide you."

…………

When the three followed Luo En to the small courtyard gate near Butterfly House,

All three smelled an intensely fragrant aroma of roasted meat.

"What an amazing smell…"

Tanjiro closed his eyes, inhaling the scent, his face filled with bliss.

"I've never smelled such delicious roasted meat."

Zenitsu's lips dripped saliva.

Inosuke swallowed saliva furiously.

When they pushed open the garden gate.

The three followed Luo En into the courtyard.

The rich aroma of roasted meat surged toward them.

When they saw the roasting rack inside the courtyard, and the enormous meat chop roasting on it, glistening with oil.

All three stared, mouths watering, stomachs rumbling.

"So, so big a chop!!"

"I can't take it anymore!"

Inosuke could no longer hold back—he lunged toward the meat chop.

But mid-air, a hand gripped his neck and slammed him to the ground.

Tanjiro and Zenitsu gasped, staring closely.

"It's Kanao!"

Kanao, smiling, pressed Inosuke's neck with her right hand, pinning him firmly to the ground; Inosuke, wearing his boar mask, struggled desperately but could not break free.

Luo En sat before the roasting rack, picked up a small knife, sliced off a piece of meat charred outside and tender within, and put it in his mouth.

The three watched, saliva dripping, their eyes filled with envy and longing.

Luo En held the small knife, turned his head, and smiled at the three: "Want some meat?"

All three nodded in unison.

"Fine, but first you must complete your training."

Zenitsu's eyes were bloodshot, steam puffing from his nose: "If I can eat meat, I'll do any training! I want meat!!"

35, Training Begins: Daily Life in the Demon Slayer Corps (Combined)

The three began their training.

"Zenitsu and Inosuke, run one hundred laps around the wall."

"Tanjiro and Kanao, practice sword combat with wooden swords."

Under the temptation of the delicious roasted meat, Zenitsu and Inosuke said nothing—they ran around the courtyard with bloodshot eyes.

Tanjiro, who had reached the Full Concentration – Constant State of Breathing Technique, and Kanao, whose swordsmanship had grown even sharper, sparred.

After twenty or so moves, he was forced back by Kanao's sword.

Tanjiro sat down hard on the ground, staring at the girl across from him, who still wore a smile, a flicker of shock in his eyes.