"Nii-san, we're going to Mount Sagiri to learn how to slay demons, right?"
Tanjiro's eyes lit up with excitement as they walked along the mountain path. "I heard Grandpa Takeya say there are demons down the mountain, and people who specialize in killing demons. Those people should be on Mount Sagiri, right?"
Sakata Takeya was Father's friend who ran a clothing shop. Years ago, he'd reportedly moved to Tokyo, and they'd lost contact. Roy only vaguely remembered him as a pot-bellied man with luxuriant sideburns who liked wearing double-breasted suit vests.
"It's me, not you." Roy walked leisurely with his bamboo basket, the river called "Sanzu" flowing on his left side.
Following the Sanzu River westward would lead to the town at the mountain's base.
"Why aren't you taking me?" Tanjiro panicked, running a few steps to spread his arms and block Roy's path. "Nii-san clearly promised to train me with you. You're not keeping your word."
'I said I'd train you, not that I'd take you to learn breathing techniques.'
Tanjiro's physical condition was still too weak. Thrown into the Zoldyck family, even Mike probably wouldn't spare him a glance—he could only compare with those ordinary people in the butler's villa desperately wanting to join the Zoldyck butler ranks.
Before fully understanding breathing techniques, Roy decided to emulate his family's training methods on Tanjiro. At least before Tanjiro learned breathing techniques, he'd build a solid foundation.
"Fine." The foolish little brother still didn't know what he was about to face.
Seeing Roy agree, he danced with excitement. But the next moment, he was dumbstruck.
"Nii-san, are you sure about this?"
Reaching the town at the mountain's base before midday—was this really something humans could accomplish?
Going down the mountain to sell charcoal required four hours round trip. Roy was now demanding he cut travel time in half. Tanjiro really couldn't imagine how to do it.
"Run." Roy gave the answer directly.
Since walking wouldn't make it in time, they'd run—run with the weight of a basket of charcoal on their backs! There was no better method for training cardiopulmonary capacity and enhancing constitution.
Roy stretched his ankles in front of Tanjiro and walked toward the rushing river, saying without looking back, "You run on shore, I'll run on water. We must arrive before midday."
"How do you run on water?" Tanjiro's eyes widened, thinking he'd misheard.
When he saw Roy actually jump into the river with his basket, he screamed and hurried to grab his arm.
"Nii-san, I won't learn anymore! I won't learn! Isn't that enough? Come up quickly!"
The child was crying desperately. He'd never blamed himself like this before, one thought flashing repeatedly in his mind: 'It's over… It's all my fault. If I hadn't forced Nii-san to train me, he wouldn't have lost hope."
Tanjiro was too kind—to the point that even when the demon bullied his sister, he hesitated and couldn't strike a killing blow.
"Crying?" Roy's voice cut through his despair.
"Reminder—crying counts against time too."
"Huh?" Just as Tanjiro was sinking into despair's abyss, a familiar voice came. Tanjiro looked over and saw Roy step into the river, sway left and right a few times, then stand steadily on the water's surface.
"Water walking"—a little trick for practicing Nen ability shape transformation recorded in Jig's notes. Through imagination, spreading Nen into webbed feet shapes and attaching them to the soles, one could mimic ducks running on water.
Sure enough, Roy succeeded. The young man's deep red hair swayed in the wind as he left the stunned Tanjiro behind, then leaped forward, creating a thin water trail on the surface.
"Nii-san~ wait for me!" A certain blockhead finally reacted.
Crying and laughing simultaneously, not bothering to wipe his tears and letting them dry naturally, he closely followed Roy.
[Reminder: "Nen Ability Shape Transformation" column has been activated...]
["Shape" +0.05...+0.05...+0.05...]
No wind, no waves. Roy couldn't say whether he was riding waves or creating them artificially, but receiving status panel notifications was cause for celebration.
'According to the book, besides "water walking," there's also "cliff walking" and "hookless fishing." The training focus is all about overcoming natural law limitations by changing Nen ability shapes. In other words—man can conquer nature!'
Roy pondered thoughtfully, then tried "Shadow Step" in the next moment.
As if on flat ground, he directly created afterimages on the water surface, startling a line of white herons.
"Chirp—" White herons soared skyward, dropping several tail feathers.
Tanjiro, trailing behind while panting heavily, watched this scene with indescribable envy. 'I want to be as cool as Nii-san too...'
Tanjiro's heart burned with passion. He roared and quickened his pace.
Soon, both brothers could see the town's shadow through the trees. Rows of closely-packed wooden houses, interlocking like dog teeth. Drawing closer, they could hear vendors' calls and horses snorting.
Before long, they finally arrived. Roy performed an ethereal water-crossing technique, gracefully reaching shore. Behind him was Tanjiro, exhausted like a dead dog.
The foolish little brother's chest heaved like a broken bellows, wheezing as he barely lifted his head. Two dumplings flew over, landing in his palm.
"Eat something and rest a bit." No matter what, this was still his own brother—even in the cognitive world, he couldn't treat him like a pack animal.
So Roy let Tanjiro rest briefly before they entered the town together.
Thanks to Father Tanjuro's wide connections, the Kamado family had a good reputation in town. Without hawking their wares, they quickly sold both baskets of charcoal.
Then at the market, buying two outfits for Nezuko, some candy for Takeo and Shigeru, and finally a rattle drum for Hanako. Time passed minute by minute until afternoon arrived.
Tanjiro stopped in front of a blacksmith shop, unable to move.
"Nii-san, how about spending a bit more money to buy you a sword?"
The scene of Roy slaying Sato Takeichiro days ago remained vivid in his memory. Tanjiro felt that if Nii-san had held a sword instead of a hoe then, things would've gone more smoothly.
Unfortunately...
"Stop looking. Demons can't be killed with ordinary swords."
Roy had already learned Mount Sagiri's direction from a regular customer and glanced back at Tanjiro. Tanjiro made an "oh" sound, adjusted the bamboo basket on his back, and followed.
Walking along, he said happily, "The mushroom vendor lady said crossing the southern mountain leads to Mount Sagiri. There's a shrine on the mountain where we can spend the night."
Right... spending the night at a shrine where demons specifically lure people. That would surely be quite exciting.
Roy narrowed his eyes, seeming to already smell thick, bloody air drifting on the wind.