Nanako's small body moved swiftly through the dense forest, her surroundings dim and ever-shifting, resembling towering ghostly figures.
Not only did she have to force back the fear gnawing at her heart, but she also had to constantly stay alert to hidden traps.
Bang!
"Ah!"
A large piece of wood struck Nanako, sending her flying with a scream.
Struggling to stand, Nanako spat out a mouthful of blood and wiped her lips with the back of her hand.
Despite the pain, she pushed herself to continue running down the mountain.
Although her physical endurance was beyond normal, her young age and lack of proper training meant that she was constantly battered by obstacles, her body covered in wounds.
Her clothes were stained red with blood from her injuries.
Panting heavily, the thin air made it difficult for her to breathe, and dizziness clouded her vision.
Her body felt so tired, but a deep-seated belief kept urging her on, making her unwilling to give up.
"I want to stop… I really want to stop…"
Her thoughts began to blur, the relentless toll on her body wearing her down.
Her eyelids drooped, urging her to rest.
Though exhausted, Nanako pressed on, but the traps in her path never relented, continually hindering her progress.
Each time she fell, she would get up again. Even as her wounds began to heal, new ones would appear, one after another.
"Mother…"
Nanako murmured in confusion.
Yet all she faced were the merciless traps, and from the shadows, Sakonji Urokodaki watched her, feeling a twinge of sympathy.
"The children from back then were all older than this one…"
Sakonji muttered to himself.
"Perhaps… she's already reached her limit…"
Nanako was struck by a large piece of wood and collapsed motionless on the ground.
Sakonji was about to reveal himself to take her back for treatment, for in his heart, he had already acknowledged Nanako. Whether or not she could make it down the mountain before sunset, she had already earned the right to be a swordsman.
Just as he was about to act, he paused in surprise when he saw Nanako shakily rise again on her own.
"I… I… won't give up…"
Nanako gritted her teeth and spoke.
Then, as if some unknown strength surged within her, Sakonji noticed that her speed had increased, and her reactions had become much sharper.
Though still caught in traps, she was now able to avoid some of them.
This signified something—Nanako had made progress.
Looking at her frail figure, yet so resilient, Sakonji's eyes seemed to reflect another figure overlapping with hers.
"Makomo…"
Sakonji saw in Nanako the same indomitable will he had once witnessed in Makomo.
Meanwhile, Nanako continued to endure hardship, dodging traps, and Tanjiro also faced his own trials.
Bang!
Tanjiro was sent flying again, crashing into the base of a large tree.
A closer look revealed that the bark of the tree had been torn off, exposing the yellowish trunk underneath, now mixed with streaks of red.
Seeing Tanjiro fall, Fēng Yǔ shook his head, taking up a nearby wooden stick in silence.
"I can't bear this anymore…"
"Tanjiro…"
Beside him, Xiao Hei looked at Fēng Yǔ, walking towards the fallen Tanjiro, and asked, "Boss… are we being too harsh?"
Xiao Hei glanced at Tanjiro, who lay motionless on the ground, a hint of compassion in his eyes.
Xiao Bai, however, shook his head.
"What are you afraid of? As long as Tanjiro isn't dead, Master will find a way to bring him back."
"Master must have his reasons for doing this."
"Alright, Xiao Bai… I just… forget I said anything…"
Xiao Hei was about to speak in Tanjiro's defense, but when he saw Xiao Bai's unwavering gaze on him, he felt a chill run down his spine.
Fēng Yǔ slowly approached Tanjiro, crouching beside him.
"Do you hate me?" he asked.
Tanjiro didn't open his eyes, or rather, he lacked the strength to do so. The intense pain from his injuries kept surging, but he held back his screams, only managing to emit a low grunt.
"Ha… I… I don't hate you, Fēng Yǔ-shixiong."
Tanjiro slowly opened his eyes, his voice weak but sincere.
"I know you're doing this for my own good. I don't hold any grudges. What I hate is that I'm not strong enough… if only I were stronger, Nezuko and everyone wouldn't have ended up like this…"
"Mmm… As long as you understand…"
Fēng Yǔ nodded, satisfied with Tanjiro's response.
He then took out a Healing Pill and a Marrow Cleansing Pill and fed them to Tanjiro.
Before long, Tanjiro regained his strength, and the pain in his body faded away.
After a brief rest, Tanjiro began his next round of training.
…
Soon, the day's training came to an end.
Tanjiro, bruised and exhausted, followed closely behind Fēng Yǔ as they returned to the cabin.
At the same time, Sakonji, wearing his red tengu mask, carried the unconscious Nanako back to the cabin.
Fēng Yǔ saw Nanako's wounds had healed, signaling that she had been given the Healing Pill by Sakonji.
"This child… she's excellent. She has the potential to become a swordsman!"
Sakonji said to Fēng Yǔ.
"Mm."
Fēng Yǔ nodded and signaled Tanjiro to enter the house.
Upon entering, Fēng Yǔ mysteriously walked over to a stove where a medicinal brew was simmering.
"Xiao Hei, Xiao Bai, strip Tanjiro down and place him in the wooden tub. Then, pour in warm water, followed by the medicine from this stove."
Xiao Hei and Xiao Bai quickly followed the instructions. Soon, Tanjiro was placed in the tub, his body relaxing as his drooping eyelids closed in exhaustion.
In front of everyone, he fell into a deep sleep.
"Master, what is this thing?"
Xiao Hei asked, looking at the strange-smelling brew wrapped in Xiao Bai's tail.
"This… is a special brew. Tonight, let Tanjiro soak in it for the whole night."
Fēng Yǔ gestured for Xiao Bai to pour it in. Xiao Bai, understanding, didn't pour it all at once, but first mixed it with water before adding it to the tub.
Tanjiro lay in the dark green water, his tightly shut eyes began to twitch as beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"Master?"
Xiao Hei asked, concerned at Tanjiro's condition.
"Don't worry. This will improve his physical constitution!"
Fēng Yǔ assured.
"After all, this medicinal bath cost 1 million swings of the sword…"
As he looked at Tanjiro soaking in the medicinal bath, Fēng Yǔ felt a pang of pain in his heart. The cost of the bath was truly steep—1 million swings of the sword. That was enough to deal with two low-tier demons with special abilities.
Just last night, when the Wànwù Mall had refreshed, the purple glow had instantly caught his attention. Upon further inspection, he realized it was a one-time-use medicinal bath.
The price of 1 million sword swings had made him hesitate, but once he saw the effects, he had bought it without second thoughts.
Medicinal Bath: Increases physical constitution, and when the body has suffered heavy damage, the absorption effect is enhanced!
That's why Tanjiro had to undergo this intense training today.
Of course, besides Tanjiro, Fēng Yǔ had also bought something special for Nanako…