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Chapter 30

Tanjiro held his nose, probably because of how terrible this smelled.

"No. It's a new medicine Master Kocho assigned you so you can train as soon as possible."

I hesitate, looking down at this murky, almost slimy liquid, my stomach turning just at the thought of how this tastes.
"Please don't tell me you'll throw a fit too?"

I shake my head.
"N-No, no! Don't worry about it. It's just... Really... Pungent."

I take a deep breath, downing it all in one go, shuddering at how gross it tastes, covering my mouth, instantly regretting my choice. I force it down, my throat aching with its horrid taste. It was the most bitter, cold, slimy and just awful thing I've ever tasted!

"Don't throw it up!"
Aoi yelled at me, crossing her arms.

"It's horrible! What even is this?!"
I can't help my tone of voice after I swallow and keep it down, disgusted.

"It's a mixture of herbs and spirit water. Master Kocho wants you up and ready as soon as possible."

I sigh, accepting it.
"Th-Thank you, anyway. I really appreciate you and the other girls taking care of us."

She seemed a little surprised, but huffed.
"It's my job. And you're welcome."

Zenitsu still refused to take his meds, making a fuss about it and running over the beds, hiding behind me as he clung to my shirt.
"Gross is gross! No two ways about it!"

Murata seemed down suddenly.
"Looks like fun. Lucky you."

"M-Murata?"

"I got summoned to the Hashira Meeting to give my report on the Mount Natagumo incident. And it was like hell! Those Hashira are terrifying!"

I sigh, smiling apologetically at him.

"They were all pissed at how the quality of newer Demon Slayers has really gone downhill. All because some of us didn't follow protocol on Mount Natagumo. They were all like : "Who trained them?". What good would it do to ask someone of my rank, anyway? Hashira terrify me!"

I tense up, Kocho-Sama walking up behind him, smiling cheerfully, her voice just the same.
"Hello."

Murata jumped and screamed, startled.
"Hashira! Lady Kocho!"

She turned to him, repeating.
"Hello."

He quickly bowed.
"Oh, hello! Goodbye!"
And with that, he sprinted out the doorway as quickly as he could.

Kocho-Sama just chuckled.
"My, my! Goodbye!"
Then she turned to us.
"How is your recovery coming along?"

I smile.
"We're doing a lot better now, thank you."

"Then let's have you start your rehabilitation training, shall we?"

"Rehabilitation training?"
Tanjiro asked, peaking my curiosity as well.

"Yes!"
She smiled again, pressing her fingers together.

《•|•-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-•|•》

Two week have passed, and we've gotten much better physically, but the training is so unbearably hard! I feel like I'm trying to train with Urokodaki again! The training is supposed to better our stamina and reflexes, and every time we'd come back, we'd be so exhausted that we'd collapse into bed immediately.

I opened the door, Zenitsu greeting us like usual. He's gotten better too, but his limbs aren't back to full size yet, though, he should start to train with us soon.

"Welcome back, you three. How did it go today?"

We all go to our beds, pulling the covers over us.

"What's the matter? Hey-!"

"Sorry... Zenitsu..."
I grumble.

"I'm sorry too."
Tanjiro apologized too.

"Don't mind us."

He panicked at how drained we'd return each time, worried.
"You gotta tell me about it! I'm gonna join you three later tomorrow!"

I don't remember anything after that. I just know I woke up the next day.

《•|•-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-•|•》

"Zenitsu... Get up."
I tug at his collar, the poor boy clinging to the bed as hard as he could, terrified.

"NO! I'M SCARED! WHAT KIND OF HELLISH TRAINING DO YOU GUYS ENDURE TO COME BACK LIKE THAT, HUH? TELL ME!"

With a tired sigh, I just forcefully pull him away, dragging him along with us.
"You'll see."

He whimpered along the way, tightly holding my sleeve.
"Scary... Scary... I don't wanna go..."

When we entered the dojo, Aoi greeted us.
"Alright, since you'll be joining us from today, Zenitsu, I'll explain the process again for you."

She pointed over to the three beds.
"You start over there. Those girls will make your bodies limber again after being bed-ridden for so long."

I smile and wave at the little girls like usual, finding their tough expressions cute. Inosuke had to go first, and his annoyed yells and growls as he got his limbs pulled at never got any better as he dropped to the floor the second he was released.

"Next, reflex training."
I looked over, seeing Kanao sitting at the table like usual, smiling.
"Those cups contain medicated water. The objective is to throw the medicated water on the other person. If your opponent blocks your cup before you can pick it up, you can't move that cup."

Tanjiro went up next, but as soon as it started it was over, Kanao splashing him instantly with no hesitation.
"Again!"
Still soaked, he stared at the cups for a while.
"Now!"

This time he did manage to grab a cup, but Kanao stopped him and doused him again...
"That's it! Last up, full-body training. In simpler terms, you'll be playing tag. You'll be up against myself, Aoi, and Kanao over there. Y/N, come here."

I sigh, Zenitsu and the others already feeling down.
"The rules include no bending. This is to help train your bodies better and remove the advantage against non-benders."

Zenitsu raised his hand.
"Excuse me. May I ask you something?"

"Hm? Is there something that's unclear to you?"

"No, it's not that. Come on, you two."
He got up and walked a few steps back, waiting for the guys to follow him.

"Not going."
Inosuke grumbled, while Tanjiro just seemed confused.

"Just shut up and come with me! Come on!"
He yelled, startling us all.

Aoi turned to me, looking for an answer as I just shrug, watching Zenitsu drag them both by their collars.
"Come on, dammit! You lowlifes! You dirtbags!"

Once they were dragged away, the yelling began.

...

"Sit up straight! I said sit up straight! You miserable bastards!"
Zenitsu yelled at them, angering Inosuke.

"What did you say?!"

A loud thud came, followed by Tanjiro's voice.
"Inosuke! What were you thinking, Zenitsu? Tell Inosuke you're sorry!"

"You guys say you're sorry! Apologize to me! All you did was frolic with girls all day, so why do you look so haggard?! Get down on your hands and knees and apologize! Commit seppuku!"

"How can you say such a thing?!"

"Shut up, you goody-goody, talking forehead! Just shut up and listen, you got that?!"
"You're allowed to touch girls! You get to have your bodies massaged! When you play that cup game, you get to touch their hands! When you play tag, you get to touch their whole freakin' bodies!"

I facepalm.

"Each girl has two boobs, one behind and two thighs! They smell so nice when they pass by, and it's mad fun to just look at them!"
He screamed louder.
"Heaven! Sheer heaven!"

"Cut the crap! You're not making any sense! When you lose to someone smaller than you, it destroys your soul!"

"OH, POOR YOU! Inosuke, you've never been chummy with a girl before, right? Right, you were raised in the mountains! No wonder you're a late bloomer! I feel so sorry for you!"

"HAAAAH?! I've stomped on female kids before!"

"That's the worst thing you could do! No good, no good! That's not gonna get you any girls!"

I-
These idiots...

I slammed the door open, arms crossed as they stopped arguing.
"Get back inside, you morons."

They got in, and Zenitsu seemed awfully excited about everything, giggling as it was his turn to train. I stood and watched with Tanjiro and Inosuke, all of us surprised at how casually he took this.

"That guy has what it takes. I'm always fighting back tears from the pain, but he's laughing."
Inosuke seemed genuinely taken aback.

"I think he's way too excited about this."
I mumble, Tanjiro nodding in agreement.

It was now Zenitsu's turn in the cup game, and he went against Aoi, blocking her from lifting her cup. And yet he didn't splash her, just smiling.
"I would never splash a girl."

I facepalmed again, Aoi growing annoyed.

Next, full-body training.
Naho announced the beginning of the exercise, and Zenitsu was incredibly fast, tackling Aoi in an instant; though, he did punched to hell and back because of the way he grabbed, walking over to me as he sniffled.
"I won the battle but lost the war!"

Inosuke perked up with excitement as it was his turn.
"I'm gonna kick some butt, too!"
And he did not lie. He went all-out, winning each round quickly against Aoi.

Tanjiro and I weren't as lucky, though...
He failed at all of them, and I only won at tag.

But, still, none of us could ever beat Kanao. None of us could grab the cup before her, and none of us could outrun her during tag. Even after more days of hard work and training, we only got so lucky as to only slightly extend our time before we inevitably lost.
We couldn't even lay a finger on her, and she effortlessly won each game.

It's no wonder she's a Tsuguko. She truly is extraordinary.

《•|•-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-•|•》

One day, though, Inosuke and Zenitsu stopped coming to training.

"I-Inosuke! Zenitsu!"
They ignored me and Tanjiro, slamming the door shut and walking away.
We both sigh and look at each other, nodding before turning back to Kanao.

"Please train us!"

It was so physically exhausting to train even more with her, but absolutely worth it.
We thank her before leaving, our entire bodies sore as we walked back to our room.

Her reflexes are so fast... I don't even think I'm that agile in the Avatar State, let alone like this. She gives me such a strong energy, too. Much like the Hashira...

My attention is caught by a small tug.
"-Master Tanjiro? Miss Y/N? Are you alright?"

Sumi looked up at us, slightly worried.
"We've been calling your names over and over..."

"Ah! I'm sorry! We didn't hear you."
I apologize.

"What's up?"

They fiddled nervously before handing each of us a towel.
"Here's some towels for you."

Tanjiro smiled and wiped the sweat off his face.
"Thanks! That's a big help!"

I nod, taking the towel from them.
"You're all so kind, thank you."

Kiyo perked up.
"Uhm, Master Tanjiro, Miss Y/N, do you maintain the Total Concentration Breathing state around the clock?"

We both tilt our heads.
"Hm?"

"Morning, noon and night. And all throughout the night when you're asleep. Do you use the Total Concentration Breathing technique non-stop?"

"N-No, we don't do that. Is that even possible?"
I pat my face with the towel, listening on.

"Yes! We're told that being able to do that makes all the difference in the world!"

Tanjiro seemed surprised.
"Even just using that technique for a short while really takes its toll on me, but I should do it around the clock, huh?"

Are normal people even able to do that? What kind of training do you need if you can use it every single second of the day?

"A lot of people already mastered it. Every Hashira and Miss Kanao! Please work hard at it!"

I smile wider as I look at Tanjiro.
"I see. Thank you! We'll try it!

《•|•-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-•|•》

The next day, Tanjiro and I couldn't convince Inosuke and Zenitsu to come back and train.
"C'mon, you guys. Sulking won't do you any good."

I lean down to look at Inosuke.
"Inosuke, isn't time for you to come back to training? You were doing really well, you know."

He just huffed, ignoring me.
"Please?"

He said nothing, Zenitsu jumping off without a care, ignoring us both.
Tanjiro sighed, patting my shoulder.
"Alright, then. Y/N, are you coming?"

I get up and nod.
"Yeah."

We both went out into the courtyard to start our Total Concentration Breathing training.
After a few minutes though, I kept messing up.

Tanjiro's doing so well already, but I can't seem to concentrate at all.
The Master's words are still stuck in my head...

"It goes without saying that the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps have phenomenal skills. [...]I'm sure they will prove themselves to you as your bending masters, if you choose them to train you, Y/N."

Bending masters... Bending masters...
That's right. I'm the Avatar, and I've barely learned proper waterbending, and I still have earth and fire to learn...

Who's gonna teach me, though? I don't think any of the Hashira like me enough to train me, and I don't want to force them, either. Would Tanjiro be willing to teach me? I'm worried I might be asking too much of him. He's already trying so hard, and he's so determined.

Still, this is important. I have to ask eventually, better now than later.

"...Tanjiro?"

He stops and looks at me.
"Hm?"

"I need to ask you something really important."
I hold myself back for a moment, but...

"Is something wrong, Y/N?"

"I need you to teach me waterbending."

《 •|• 《♡》 •|• 》

End
● Chapter : ●
● "Rehabilitation Training" ●