Hearing Fang Hao's words, Zenitsu looked up, "Big Brother!"
Fang Hao was startled. What did that look mean? Was it mournful and resentful, or something else? He couldn't understand it.
"Big Brother is truly… too good," Zenitsu wiped away his tears. Zenitsu naturally knew about Fang Hao's improvements to the Breathing Style.
After all, experiments with Breathing Styles still required a sparring partner, or rather, a reliable successor of Thunder Breathing.
Precisely because he knew, Zenitsu understood how difficult it was for Big Brother to improve the Thunder Breathing, and yet, Big Brother wanted to pass on such a difficult improved Breathing Style to others immediately. Big Brother was truly too great!
Thinking of this, Zenitsu's eyes were filled with tears. He spread his arms and pounced towards Fang Hao, "Big Brother is truly too great!"
Fang Hao, having dealt with Zenitsu's self-delusions for the past year, already had experience. With one step and a turn, he pushed his palms forward. The set of movements was fluid, and Zenitsu once again hugged his dear grandfather.
Watching the perfectly synchronized duo, lost in their self-pity, Fang Hao always felt out of place with them.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
"Don't hold back, don't hesitate, be decisive in your attacks. Zenitsu, is this how you act when slaying demons?" Fang Hao's figure vanished from his original spot, and Zenitsu suddenly felt a chill behind him.
He quickly exerted force from his waist, turned, gripped his sword with both hands, and swung it horizontally in front of him. "Clang." A sharp metallic sound echoed as the blade met something. Zenitsu felt a tremendous force transmit through his sword.
He quickly coordinated his legs and hands, stabilized his stance, and parried with all his might.
Bang! Zenitsu, who only managed to adopt a force-deflecting posture, was kicked flying by a front kick from Fang Hao. He felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, his figure was disheveled, and a deep gully was left on the ground.
"Get up. Right now, I am your enemy. Treat me like a demon," Fang Hao said coldly.
Since Zenitsu had become his junior disciple, Fang Hao naturally wouldn't allow Zenitsu to be as cowardly as he was when he first appeared in the original work. Therefore, Fang Hao had not stopped training (disciplining) Zenitsu for the past year.
Although Kuwajima Jigorou was a renowned master, it was difficult for him to be truly harsh with Zenitsu. Zenitsu called him grandfather, and he indeed treated Zenitsu like his own grandson.
However, Fang Hao didn't care about such things. He would just call his junior brother to practice from time to time, sometimes even ambushing him. A few times, Zenitsu genuinely thought a demon was attacking and was so scared he almost couldn't move. After all, if a demon could truly reach Peach Mountain, Zenitsu would just be cannon fodder if he went up against it.
But Fang Hao saw that this wouldn't do. He at least needed to dare to draw his sword, so he became even stricter, and ambushed him more often. In short, Zenitsu's life was getting better and better, and Fang Hao also enjoyed training his junior brother. It was a win-win situation. (Zenitsu: !)
Zenitsu struggled to get up from the ground. He knew that even if he got up, he would still be beaten badly by Big Brother, but not getting up would have even more severe consequences.
Don't ask him how he knew; he could only say it was all based on experience. However, even though Fang Hao's fists and feet often made intimate contact with Zenitsu, Zenitsu couldn't harbor any resentment towards Fang Hao, as Fang Hao was indeed doing it for his own good.
Although this kindness was forced upon him, Zenitsu, knowing that he would eventually join the Demon Slayer Corps, understood Fang Hao's good intentions. He understood the reasoning, but just thinking about facing demons in the future still made him tremble with fear.
"Huff, huff, huff…" Zenitsu panted heavily, his eyes filled with seriousness. He knew the next attack was coming.
Fang Hao suddenly lunged forward like a leopard, his long sword swinging with him. Electricity swirled around Fang Hao's feet, adding to his speed. Like lightning, he moved with electric swiftness, reaching Zenitsu in an instant and delivering a slash.
Zenitsu, however, reacted, sidestepping the slash and counter-stabbing Fang Hao.
Fang Hao did not dodge this stab. His waist drove his entire body, and in an instant, his upper body was almost parallel to the ground. For a moment, Zenitsu's sword tip seemed to pass through Fang Hao's forehead.
At this moment, Fang Hao's long sword was already across Zenitsu's neck. "Don't be fooled by the opportunity for victory in front of you; it might be bait from the enemy," Fang Hao flicked Zenitsu's sword with his finger, stood up, and said slowly.
"But it's not bad; you've made progress."
Hearing Fang Hao's praise, Zenitsu hugged his sword and chuckled foolishly, "Thank you, Big Brother."
"Alright, stop grinning foolishly and go back," Fang Hao sheathed his long sword and patted Zenitsu's head.
Fang Hao was quite looking forward to the growth of his junior disciple, Zenitsu. In the original work, after Kuwajima Jigorou's death, Zenitsu sought out Kaidake, who had by then become Upper Rank Six. After a verbal barrage, he unleashed Thunder Breathing, Seventh Form: Honoikazuchi.
Honoikazuchi was a sword technique Zenitsu created himself, likely combining other Breathing Styles, as its art style and name differed greatly from the previous Six Styles. This demonstrated Zenitsu's talent.
So, of course, Fang Hao would pay attention to Zenitsu. Although with Fang Hao around, the possibility of him soloing Muzan in the future was quite high, whether due to his strength or for the sake of legendary records, he was still his own junior brother after all.
He had called Fang Hao "Big Brother" for a year now, so it would be unreasonable not to take care of him a bit. Of course, Fang Hao wouldn't pamper Zenitsu too much; otherwise, wouldn't he become a babysitter? Even if Fang Hao was willing to be Zenitsu's babysitter, the readers wouldn't be.
A junior brother, well, a little more beating will make him grow. This is, of course, a joke. Zenitsu was the first to learn the improved Thunder Breathing from Fang Hao, or rather, Zenitsu began learning it during Fang Hao's improvement process.
Fang Hao was quite touched by this, and afterwards, he put even more effort into his physical guidance of Zenitsu (chuckles).
Joking, Fang Hao and Zenitsu returned to their residence. "Master," they both called out in unison.
Seeing this scene of brotherly harmony, Kuwajima Jigorou was also very pleased. He then looked at Fang Hao, "Fang Hao, your physical condition is much stronger than before. You can begin training in Total Concentration Breathing, Constant. Zenitsu, you must work even harder during this time; the selection is about to begin."
Kuwajima Jigorou intended to have Fang Hao learn Constant, but he had no intention of having Zenitsu learn it. He felt that Zenitsu was not yet determined enough, and without determination, he wouldn't even be able to complete the first step.
Actually, with Fang Hao's strength, he already had the ability to pass the Demon Slayer Corps selection. However, time didn't allow it. The final selection a year ago was when Fang Hao was still training his body. As for Fang Hao at that time, well, let's not recall it. To participate in the final selection, he was still just a tiny bit short.
In short, a year later, Fang Hao had become a strong and robust young man and was about to begin training in Total Concentration Breathing, Constant. His future was visibly bright.
After this, Fang Hao began the much-anticipated (inhumane) gourd-blowing practice. "Is there an instrument to measure lung capacity? That would be more convenient, right? These gourds don't look the same at all. What if I pick the hardest one to blow? It's unscientific," Fang Hao muttered to himself.
Of course, there was also the enjoyable meditation session. He had to maintain Total Concentration Breathing even while sleeping, otherwise, Kuwajima Jigorou would wake him up with a slap.
Although Fang Hao's dark circles under his eyes deepened a bit, the thought of the improved basic stamina, reaction speed, and recovery ability that mastering Total Concentration Breathing, Constant would bring made Fang Hao have to cheer up, "Sigh."
Zenitsu had also been very happy these past few days. On one hand, he was receiving Kuwajima Jigorou's pre-departure guidance, and on the other hand, Fang Hao would visit him from time to time, ostensibly to understand the effects of Total Concentration Breathing, Constant in combat, and then test the effects on Zenitsu.
Seeing Zenitsu's forced smile after being guided by Fang Hao, one could tell Zenitsu's joy. Happiness doesn't disappear, but it transfers. Fang Hao, having finished guiding Zenitsu yet again, swept away the gloom from studying Total Concentration Breathing, Constant, and felt refreshed.
In short, everyone had a bright future.