"Impossible!"
Naruto's expression changed drastically when he heard White Hedgehog Head's words. He roared, "I clearly blew its head off at the time!" After speaking, he abruptly turned and was about to run back.
Although he spoke forcefully, Naruto actually believed White Hedgehog Head's words in his heart, which was why he wanted to go back and see for himself.
"It's too late!"
White Hedgehog Head raised his hand, grabbed Naruto as he tried to leave, and said coldly, "A month has passed. There's no point in you going back now."
"But… but…"
Naruto's body trembled. He clenched his teeth tightly as tears of self-blame streamed from his eyes.
He could already imagine the scene—after he left, the demon reviving and continuing to eat people.
"Hahaha!~"
Seeing Naruto cry, White Hedgehog Head suddenly burst into laughter and asked, "Kid, I'm suddenly a little interested in you. What's your name?"
"Naruto."
Naruto wiped away his tears and replied, "My name is Uzumaki Naruto."
"Uzumaki Naruto, huh?"
White Hedgehog Head nodded, sheathed the Nichirin blade in his hand, then turned and said, "Kid, aren't you looking for the Demon Slayer Corps? Follow me."
Naruto didn't hesitate and immediately followed him.
He had already guessed White Hedgehog Head's identity and knew he was very likely a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, so he followed without hesitation.
White Hedgehog Head's pace was extremely fast, forcing Naruto to jog just to keep up. He ran for over an hour.
By the time they arrived at the mountain, Naruto was panting heavily, his body drenched in sweat.
"Good physical endurance. I'm starting to believe you really could take down a demon with your fists."
White Hedgehog Head looked at Naruto, satisfaction flashing briefly in his eyes. He then raised his hand, beckoned with a finger, and said, "Come on. Throw a punch at me. If your punch satisfies me, I'll guarantee that it's not impossible for you to join the Demon Slayer Corps."
"Punch you?"
Naruto steadied his breathing and shook his head hesitantly. "I'm very strong. If I hit you, you might die."
"Huh?"
White Hedgehog Head was stunned for a moment, then roared in anger. "You stinking brat, are you looking down on me?! I am the Wind Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps—Shinazugawa Sanemi! Your untrained fists couldn't even move a single hair on me!"
As he spoke, he thrust the Nichirin blade aside and tore open the clothes on his chest, fully revealing the scars covering it. He looked at Naruto with disdain and said, "Come on. Clench your fist and hit right here. Use all your strength!"
"Wind Pillar?"
Naruto's eyes lit up slightly when he heard the title. He asked, "Are you stronger than those man-eating demons?"
"Nonsense. I've already slain over a hundred demons!"
Shinazugawa Sanemi snorted coldly and said, "If you can make me take even a single step back, I'll not only guarantee your entry into the Demon Slayer Corps—I'll personally train you."
"Over a hundred…"
Naruto's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Over the past month, Naruto had attempted Chakra cultivation. Although he failed, it caused his physical strength to increase rapidly. After a month of training, he could easily lift several hundred pounds of rock.
To be honest, Naruto didn't even know how strong he truly was anymore.
But if this man had slain over a hundred demons, he should be able to withstand one punch… right?
With that thought, Naruto clenched his fist, gathering strength as he walked toward Shinazugawa Sanemi.
This brat…
Shinazugawa Sanemi watched Naruto approach, sensing a drastic change the moment he clenched his fist. He was secretly shocked.
At that moment, Naruto felt like a beast about to strike—an oppressive presence advancing toward him. The change surprised Shinazugawa Sanemi and also made him look forward to the punch even more.
"Mr. Shinazugawa, please be careful."
Naruto stepped in front of him, took a punching stance, and warned, "I'm going to punch!~"
"Stop talking nonsense and come on!"
Shinazugawa Sanemi widened his eyes, puffed out his chest, and said, "Let me see how hard your fist really is!"
"Hoo-ah!~"
Naruto stopped talking, let out a loud shout, and swung his prepared fist straight toward Shinazugawa Sanemi's chest.
Whoosh!~
The punch whistled through the air. Before it even landed, Shinazugawa Sanemi's expression changed drastically.
How is that possible?!
From the wind pressure alone, he could already feel the terrifying power behind the punch.
Along with Naruto's fist came a suffocating sense of danger.
If this punch hits… I'll die!
In an instant, Shinazugawa Sanemi made his judgment. Taking it head-on would be fatal. Acting on instinct, he crossed his arms and overlapped his palms to block.
Bang!~
Naruto's fist collided with Shinazugawa Sanemi's arms. The terrifying force lifted him off the ground and sent him flying backward uncontrollably.
Shinazugawa Sanemi was thrown more than ten meters before flipping in mid-air and landing, his feet carving two deep grooves into the ground.
This brat…
Feeling the numbness in his palms, Shinazugawa Sanemi was filled with shock.
If he had taken that punch directly, even he would not have escaped without severe injuries—at the very least, several broken ribs.
An untrained ordinary human possessing such monstrous strength… No wonder Naruto claimed he had punched a demon's head off. He hadn't been exaggerating.
Still, Shinazugawa Sanemi maintained a disdainful expression and said, "Good strength. I acknowledge you, brat."
"Just 'good'?"
Naruto looked down at his hands, confusion in his eyes—as if silently asking why he had needed to block.
"Cough, cough!~"
Shinazugawa Sanemi quickly clasped his hands behind his back and coughed awkwardly. "That was just instinct. It doesn't mean Sanemi-sama needed to block your punch."
"However, your physical strength is indeed excellent. If you join the Demon Slayer Corps, you could become a Pillar in the future."