"Hey!"
The wooden sword heavily struck the wooden stake. Haruto, shirtless, moved with unpredictable footwork, circling the stake in a peculiar manner.
Elbows, knees, fist peaks... the attacks were not limited to the wooden sword; every part capable of inflicting damage was utilized. The sturdy wooden stake tottered under the storm of blows.
During these days waiting for Haganezuka Hotaru to forge a nichirin blade, Haruto transformed the experience gained from his battle with Douma into his own strength.
Demon Slayer Swordsmen grow stronger through adversity. Those who survive encounters with high-ranking demons consistently make significant progress, both in their Breathing Techniques and swordsmanship.
Haruto discovered that his swordsmanship, which had long stagnated, had become even sharper after this battle.
A small head peered out from behind a tree. Kotetsu, wearing a Fire Man mask, had been hiding and watching for a long time.
As the training neared its end, Haruto flicked his nichirin blade, picking up a half-ripe green peach from the ground and hitting it towards Kotetsu with a 'smack'.
The small green peach landed on Kotetsu's head, startling him, and he quickly adjusted the mask on his face.
Haruto chuckled softly, used the tip of his nichirin blade to pick up his uniform draped to the side, slung it over his shoulder, and strolled leisurely towards Kotetsu.
His hair was completely soaked, and his upper body muscles glistened with sweat, making Kotetsu shake his head repeatedly: "I say, do you all turn into savages once you go up the mountain? Why don't you wear clothes? You're like this, and Mr. Haganezuka is like this too!"
"Hmph." Haruto didn't answer his question, but instead flexed his bicep on his shoulder: "How's my swordsmanship?"
"I mean, it's average."
"Average?" Haruto eyed him askance: "In terms of swordsmanship alone, even Himejima is no match for me."
"Because Mr. Himejima doesn't primarily focus on swordsmanship, does he?!"
This little guy's mouth really made one want to tear it off.
Haruto shook his head disdainfully: "Such a stubborn mouth~"
"It's not stubbornness!" Kotetsu put his hands on his hips and turned his face away, the Fire Man's mouth on his mask almost pouting up to the sky: "The swordsmen I've seen, their swordsmanship is a hundred times! A thousand times stronger than yours!"
"You're only six years old, you haven't even left the village. Where would you find a swordsman a thousand times stronger than me? Just bragging!"
"I'm not bragging!" Children truly can't resist provocation. Haruto just poked him slightly, and Kotetsu spilled all his family's secrets like pouring beans: "My ancestors passed down a mechanical doll that can perform a total of 108 movements. It's the strongest swordsman I've ever seen!"
"Show me."
Kotetsu immediately covered his mouth: "No! That's my family's secret!"
Haruto scoffed and turned to walk down the mountain.
"Eh?"
Seeing him leave so decisively, Kotetsu found it strange and caught up to him in a few steps: "Aren't you going to ask more questions?"
"Will you tell me?"
...No!"
"Then that's that, isn't it?" Haruto shrugged: "I'm not interested in prying into other people's family heirlooms."
The mountain breeze swept over Haruto's sweat-soaked chest, making him feel a bit cold. After putting on his uniform, he saw Kotetsu still looking conflicted and asked him impatiently: "What exactly are you here for? Are you just here to pique my interest with half-sentences?"
"Master Godo has finished cooking, and he sent me to call you for dinner." Kotetsu scratched his head.
Godou River and Kotetsu's father had a good relationship. Since his father passed away some time ago, Godou River often kept him at home for meals.
Passing by the village chief's house, Haruto saw a strange, unfamiliar swordsman.
He had medium-length hair, was not tall, and had one blue and one gold eye, which looked very cool. If Uzui Tengen, that flamboyant eccentric, saw this person, he would surely exclaim, "Absolutely flamboyant!"
The swordsman wore a striped haori, and curiously, his face from the nostrils down was wrapped in layers of bandages.
Among the piled bandages, a beautiful, crystal-white long snake was coiled.
"That's..."
"Oh, that's the Snake Boy." Kotetsu put his arm behind his head and answered casually.
A child about three or four years old quickly ran past the heterochromatic boy, tripped on a stone, and fell to the ground with a splat.
The seemingly cold and strange boy immediately knelt down, picked him up, and brushed the dust off the child's clothes.
When the child, with a pouting mouth, was about to thank him, the boy returned to his cold demeanor and quickly distanced himself from the child.
"Hiss…" Haruto, who had witnessed the entire scene, raised a hand to stroke his chin and asked Kotetsu: "Do you think tsundere is a personality that can be mass-produced?"
"Eh?" Kotetsu didn't understand what he meant.
"Never mind... I mean, why do you call him Snake Boy? Is it because he has a snake around his neck?"
"His real name is Obanai Iguro. According to the elders in the village, he was rescued by Mr. Shinjuro from a snake demon a long time ago. I don't know much about the other reasons." Kotetsu shook his head: "Although he seems cold, strange, and unapproachable, he's actually a very kind-hearted person. But I heard people say he has mysophobia and body exposure shame, so he always stays in a pool far away from others when bathing in hot springs."
Haruto's gaze did not linger on Obanai Iguro for too long. He only thought of the two little owlets of the Rengoku Family—no, the two boys with bright, bright eyes—when Kotetsu mentioned Mr. Shinjuro's name.
Kyoujurou had sent him a letter. He had already learned all the Flame Breathing Techniques and was preparing to participate in this year's selection.
Truly worthy of being a Rengoku Family child; his talent in Flame Breathing is exceptionally good. It's only a pity that Senjuro doesn't have talent in swordsmanship, but perhaps that's for the best. Staying away from the destiny and grievances of the Demon Slayer Corps might also be a form of luck.
"But Haruto… brother," Kotetsu, walking ahead, turned around hesitantly: "Do you… really not want to see the mechanical doll?"
...After lunch, Haruto followed Kotetsu to the Iron Yuan River family's storage place for the mechanical doll.
"A relic from the Warring States Period, and it can still operate so precisely without any lag. What kind of advanced craftsmanship is this…"
Kotetsu pushed open the somewhat stiff iron door with force: "I say, Haruto brother, you could at least help out!"
The warehouse was filled with many mechanical parts, some covered with dust sheets, and those not covered were still dust-free, indicating they were regularly wiped.
"Phew… Every time I open this door, I get out of breath. I guess I'm not cut out to be a swordsman."
Looking at the room full of family heirlooms, Kotetsu sadly wiped his eyes under his mask: "If I can't even become a blacksmith, then our family will be ruined in my hands."
"You're only six, not sixty! Every moment of life is full of uncertainties! Don't underestimate yourself!" Haruto placed his hand on his head and ruffled it fiercely.
"I hope so." Kotetsu mumbled, then walked to a corner and lifted a dust sheet: "…It's here."
[Wow, a golden legend!]
[It's the Muzan Heart-Stopping Doll!]
[To be able to make this kind of robot during the Warring States Period, Demon Slayer Corps is indeed not in the same dimension as the real world…]
The veil of the mechanical doll was lifted, revealing its long-dormant true form.
Haruto's pupils contracted: "This is…"
Kotetsu nodded: "That's right, this is the combat-type doll crafted by my ancestor…"
"Yoriichi Type Zero."
Beneath the dust sheet, a man with six arms, each holding a nichirin blade, sat cross-legged. The Nichirin flower paper earrings on his earlobes swayed slightly as the dust sheet was removed.