The next day arrived, and Tanjiro woke up early in the morning to see Urokodaki Sakonji already training in his Water Breathing technique.
Watching the flexibility and adaptability of Water Breathing was fascinating for Tanjiro. With his Hyper Cognitive Mastery, he quickly grasped the basic pattern of the technique.
Learning Water Breathing involved a different approach than other techniques. Instead of taking a large mouthful of air for explosiveness, Water Breathing required gentle inhalation, true to its name, storing air gently in the lungs.
With every move Urokodaki performed, his breathing became gentler. By the time he reached the tenth form, Constant Flux, his breathing had transitioned to a rapid rhythm, like a rampaging wave that couldn't be stopped.
As Urokodaki finished his set of training with a deep breath, Tanjiro took this as a sign and walked towards him, offering a cloth to wipe off his sweat.
"That was a splendid display, Urokodaki-san," Tanjiro said, smiling as he circled Urokodaki with interest.
Seeing another breathing style piqued his curiosity. He might be lazy, but that didn't mean he wasn't interested in all the breathing styles.
Water Breathing had advantages such as versatility in techniques, fluidity of unpredictable and smooth movements, and accessibility for any beginner to build a solid foundation. However, it also had disadvantages like a lack of specialization and moderate firepower compared to Sun Breathing, Flame Breathing, Thunder Breathing, and Stone Breathing.
Sun Breathing, the origin of all breathing styles, had its own set of pros and cons. Its advantages included versatility, adaptability, enhanced physical abilities, and heightened lethality against demons, which was useful for Tanjiro during his hunts.
On the flip side, Sun Breathing required high skill due to its demanding physical requirements and the need for emotional stability to avoid mistakes and minimize bodily strain. Without these drawbacks, most, if not all, demon slayers would aspire to learn such a powerful breathing style.
A style so powerful it was specifically designed for slashing Muzan's seven hearts and five brains, killing him.
While observing Urokodaki, Tanjiro didn't forget his objective of learning the Water Breathing technique. His curiosity drove him to test and learn any breathing style he encountered.
Synchronizing his breathing with Urokodaki's, he felt something different yet familiar. The Water Breathing style was more gentle and tamed compared to his usual technique, but its prowess was subpar compared to Sun Breathing.
Of course, Urokodaki, attuned to Water Breathing, noticed Tanjiro's changes and was surprised at how easily he had copied the breathing style.
"You are a monster. To copy Water Breathing so effortlessly—I don't know what to say anymore. It seems sparring is useless for you," Urokodaki said, feeling conflicted.
Reflecting on the months it took him to master Water Breathing, Urokodaki couldn't help but feel astonished at how quickly Tanjiro had learned what took him so long.
"What can I say? I am blessed by a god. As for the sparring, we can still do it. I want to test your skill and see where I stand among demon slayers," Tanjiro replied.
Tanjiro wasn't joking; he knew he was stronger than most Hashira, but he wanted to know exactly where he stood and how strong he really was.
Urokodaki Sakonji nodded, equally eager to test the young child in front of him—a child so monstrous in potential that he couldn't wait to see his power.
Setting everything aside, Tanjiro picked up a wooden sword that fit perfectly in his hand and matched his height while Urokodaki took his stance.
Swinging the wooden sword, a smile crept onto Tanjiro's face as he picked up a stone from the ground. "When this stone hits the ground, we will start. Are you ready?" he asked, lightly tossing the stone into the air.
Time seemed to slow down as Urokodaki tensed, gripping his sword tightly and planting his feet firmly on the ground, ready to dash forward.
As soon as the stone hit the ground, Urokodaki immediately swung his sword horizontally at Tanjiro, who slightly deviated the trajectory to the ground. Tanjiro followed by jumping and aiming a strike at Urokodaki's left shoulder. However, Urokodaki, a seasoned veteran who had fought demons faster than any human, anticipated this. He dodged lightly and spun his sword upward, aiming to strike Tanjiro's right foot.
But Tanjiro, using the momentum of the incoming sword, flung it away by parrying it. With his Transcendent Swordsmanship, he could easily win the fight, but he wanted to gain valuable experience from this bout—an experience crucial for his future development.
He used Urokodaki Sakonji as a measure to test his strength and see where he stood in the world's standard of power.
Their exchanges spanned only one second. Every decision—the attacks, follow-ups, and strategic choices—was made in an instant, each assessing the strength of the other.
Urokodaki quickly realized the immense power the boy in front of him possessed. The gap between their strength and skills was vast, with Tanjiro clearly capable of defeating him with ease. Despite this, as the Water Hashira, Urokodaki had his pride and confidence in finding a way to land a successful hit.
So far, they had only used simple attacks, such as horizontal and vertical slashes, without employing their exclusive swordsmanship techniques tied to their breathing styles.
"Should we use it?" Urokodaki asked.
Understanding his intention, Tanjiro nodded, and Urokodaki finally decided to use the forms.
"First Form: Water Surface Slash," Urokodaki muttered, and with a burst of speed, delivered a powerful, singular slash toward Tanjiro. Tanjiro blocked the attack, but Urokodaki was not finished. He quickly followed up with another move.
"Third Form: Flowing Dance," Urokodaki announced as he unleashed a series of continuous slashes. Tanjiro effortlessly blocked and dodged each attack.
Although Urokodaki knew his attacks would likely have little effect on Tanjiro, he gave his best to prove himself worthy of his title.
"Fourth Form: Striking Stride," Urokodaki said, executing a multi-hit combo. Leveraging his extensive experience, he used this form as a relentless follow-up.
As with his previous moves, Tanjiro met Urokodaki's attacks with effortless blocks and dodges.
"My turn," Tanjiro said calmly, as he prepared to use his second form.
"Second Form: Clear Blue Sky." With this move, Tanjiro rendered Urokodaki's attacks ineffective and continued his assault with a new form.
"Eleventh Form: Fake Rainbow," Tanjiro declared. This form utilized deceit and illusion. Urokodaki, expecting a horizontal slash, was caught off guard when Tanjiro's real attack came from the side, striking vertically.
Before the attack could land, Tanjiro stopped abruptly. Urokodaki tensed up, then sighed in relief as sweat formed on his back.
If Tanjiro hadn't stopped his attack, Urokodaki would have been cut in half by the wooden sword. The fear Urokodaki felt was visceral, a profound terror of imminent death, leaving him feeling utterly helpless.
"What's that move? How can you move so fast that you leave an afterimage?" Urokodaki asked, his voice filled with awe.
He sat down, feeling drained from the spar.
"I am the fastest man alive... I am the Flash," Tanjiro said, striking a smug pose with his hands on his hips. Urokodaki chuckled, then got up and ruffled Tanjiro's hair.
"You're quite boastful, aren't you? With your strength, you could easily pass the Final Selection. Defeating me is akin to proving yourself worthy of being a Hashira. How about I recommend you to our leader? With your strength, you might show them that you are indeed capable of achieving that status.
Who knows, you might be the one we've been searching for—the person who will carry the banner and end this war between demons and humans."
Tanjiro considered Urokodaki's words. They aligned well with his plan, allowing him to study the breathing styles further with fewer obstacles if he became a Hashira. But first, he intended to face the Final Selection.
Tanjiro had a mission to complete at the Final Selection: to kill the Hand Demon and rescue the future potential of the Demon Slayer Corps.
"I'll think about it after the Final Selection. For now, I need a Nichirin sword. Can you help me with that?" Tanjiro asked Urokodaki.
As a Water Hashira, Urokodaki could easily arrange for a Nichirin sword. He nodded and asked Tanjiro about his preferred sword design. Tanjiro picked up a pen and paper, quickly sketching the sword he had in mind.
He requested a straight, all-black sword with a hilt featuring an arrow-shaped symbol. It was a simple design with no particular meaning—just something he thought looked cool.
Urokodaki rolled up Tanjiro's drawing and wrote a note for the blacksmith and the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps. After attaching the note to his crow, Urokodaki sent it off to deliver the message. He then turned to Tanjiro.
"It might take a few days for your sword to arrive. In the meantime, feel free to do as you wish," Urokodaki said, clearly unable to keep Tanjiro at his house indefinitely.
He briefly considered taking Tanjiro as his successor but quickly dismissed the idea, knowing he couldn't confine the young man to become the Water Hashira.
With Tanjiro's unique breathing style, it's only a matter of time before he becomes a Hashira in his own right—a completely new and distinct Hashira.