"The Nichirin Sword is also called the Color-Changing Blade. It changes color based on the wielder," Mori Tessei explained as he handed the sword to Tomioka Giyu.
Tomioka accepted the Nichirin Sword, gripping the handle firmly before drawing the blade fully.
In the next moment, the initially silvery-white blade shimmered and turned a deep blue, like it had been dipped into the ocean.
Seeing this, Mori Tessei couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "As expected of your disciple, Urokodaki. The color of his blade is even more beautiful than yours."
The corners of Urokodaki Sakonji's mouth lifted beneath his tengu mask. He grew even more certain that Giyu would surpass him one day.
Giyu sheathed the sword and bowed his head respectfully. "It feels like an extension of my own body. Thank you for forging this Nichirin Blade. I'll be relying on your craftsmanship from now on."
"No need, no need-" Mori Tessei said, clearly flustered. He quickly stood up.
"Then I'll take my leave. I hope you can use that sword to slay many demons!"
After watching Mori Tessei leave, Giyu stepped outside and called out, "Kanzaburō!"
A black Kasugai crow immediately swooped down and landed on his shoulder.
That's right—this was Tomioka Giyu's messenger crow, Kanzaburō.
"Please deliver this letter to Oyakata-sama."
"Understood! I will deliver it with all haste!" Kanzaburō squawked, gripping the letter in his beak before flying off.
Urokodaki turned to him and said, "Giyu, the training ground you requested has been completed. You may begin whenever you're ready."
"Thank you, Master!" Giyu replied, eyes gleaming. He had discussed this with Urokodaki before—he wanted to spend a full year training in seclusion before rejoining the Demon Slayer Corps.
This training regime was based on his own recollections and knowledge—an imitation of the Pillar Training Program (Hashira Geiko). It included:
Physical conditioning
Flexibility training
High-speed movement drills
Sword refinement
Continuous combat training
Muscle reinforcement
Although it couldn't perfectly recreate the official regimen, the extended time and intensity would more than compensate.
The letter to Oyakata-sama was simple: a humble request for one full year of isolated training.
At this point in time, the absence of one low-level demon slayer wouldn't tip the scales—so it was better to become stronger first.
Once the year was over, he vowed to slay fifty demons—or even a member of the Twelve Kizuki—in rapid succession and officially claim the title of Water Hashira.
Giyu Tomioka had that confidence.
***
One month later, Giyu no longer trained with a wooden sword. He held his Nichirin Blade and returned to the large boulder on the mountain.
Sabito—his fallen sparring partner from the Final Selection, who now appeared as a ghost—was already sitting atop the rock, smiling.
"You finally came, Giyu. That's your Nichirin Blade, huh? Not bad. You look like you're ready to beat me now."
Giyu smiled faintly, resting his right hand on the hilt.
"Give it your all, Sabito."
Now free from past pain and doubt, Giyu held only one belief: to become stronger.
Total Concentration—Constant!
'Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!'
In a flash, a powerful wave-like strike surged toward Sabito. But Sabito calmly shifted, drawing his blade and aiming the tip forward.
"Water Breathing, Seventh Form: Drop Ripple Thrust."
This move combined defense and offense. He blocked the attack and, with a fluid motion, followed up with a sweeping slash.
After countless days of sparring and imitation Hashira training, Giyu had grown far stronger. He anticipated Sabito's patterns and responded with swift counters.
As he evaded the sweep, Giyu dropped his center of gravity, pivoted his wrist, and retaliated, keeping the pressure on.
"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!"
Sabito attempted to retaliate but was interrupted repeatedly by Giyu's technique. Instead of frustration, he grinned with pride.
"Good! That's it, Giyu—that's the spirit!"
With a powerful swing, Sabito forced Giyu back—but he also stepped back himself, creating distance between them.
"Let's end this with one final move!" Sabito shouted.
Giyu's eyes narrowed, and a confident smile formed on his lips. Gripping his blade with both hands, he shouted in unison:
"Water Breathing, Tenth Form: Constant Flux!"
Two water dragons roared forth from their blades, clashing in midair with thunderous intensity!
But the exchange didn't end there. Both warriors pressed on, slashing and dodging, clashing again and again.
"Come on! That's not nearly enough to take me down, Giyu!" Sabito yelled.
Giyu's breathing grew heavier. He realized he couldn't win through brute force.
"In a head-on clash of power, the weaker side loses. I must use water's nature—to yield, to flow, to resolve."
As Sabito swung again, Giyu adjusted the angle of his blade, redirecting the attack with a soft, flowing motion.
Caught off guard, Sabito's posture faltered—just for a moment.
A blue flash split the air.
The two stood still, and then Sabito began to fade. But his face was full of peace.
"Giyu… I was right about you. Go. Do what you must. Slay the demons in my place."
Giyu didn't speak, but his gaze remained fixed on Xuantu until the apparition vanished completely.
"No need to worry, soon our junior will avenge all of us—those who fell before we even had the chance to fight."
Only after Sabito's form completely disappeared did Giyu turn and leave, heading back to the training field.
A year passed. Not too long, yet not short either.
During this time, Giyu focused solely on training. Aside from sleep, he immersed himself in simulated Hashira instruction every day.
Only a month after defeating Sabito, he had already mastered the basics of the program.
Perhaps it was Sabito's guidance.
Perhaps it was the memory of the manga from his previous life.
Or perhaps… it was simply talent.
Regardless, his growth astonished even himself.
One morning, Urokodaki Sakonji called him.
He had already sensed that his apprentice was preparing to leave.
"Come sit. You've worked hard this year. It's time you set out."
As he spoke, Urokodaki took out a pair of scissors and handed them to Giyu.
"Your hair's gotten long. Let's cut it."
"Master… please do it for me. I don't know when I'll return next, so I'll treat this as a parting gift."
It's worth noting—Giyu's hair was naturally stiff and easy to style.
Urokodaki wrapped a white cloth around him and quietly began trimming.
While cutting, he imparted more knowledge: deeper insights into Water Breathing, the classifications of demons, the intricacies of Blood Demon Arts.
Ten minutes later, he stepped back.
"Done. It doesn't need to be perfect—your hair will settle into its own style anyway."
Then, Urokodaki retrieved something else—a haori, stitched in a patchwork pattern.
"This haori carries the will of your sister, Tsutako, and Sabito. Wear it with pride and keep moving forward."
"Thank you, Master."