Anime/Manga: Bankai Starting with Demon Slayer

"Are you going to Mount Fujisa?" The female team member looked at Asuka in his kendo uniform, then glanced in the direction he was heading, and asked softly, "No, you can't go to Mount Fujisa in this condition. It's no different from suicide!"

Lin Taro, disregarding his previous embarrassment, hurriedly added:

"Yes! You...you are indeed very strong, I admit it! But you went to the selection with serious injuries, you couldn't possibly last more than three days!"

"I never expected you to be a trainee who hasn't even gone through the selection process... I thought you were at least a captain of your rank..."

At this moment, the young man in the lead spoke kindly, "I am Shinsuke, as you can see, a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. This is Akemi, and that guy is Rintaro!"

"Boy who uses the Breath of Wind, you're strong! That Red Swamp girl... she's a powerful demon who's devoured at least fifty people! And she's cunning, fast, and her Blood Demon Art is incredibly troublesome. We've been chasing her for a long time without success..."

Is it just a giant demon, and not one of the Twelve Demon Moons?

A hint of surprise flashed in Asuka's eyes, and her assessment of the so-called Ghost Month's danger level rose another notch.

But whether it's a great demon or one of the Twelve Demon Moons... they're just stumbling blocks on the path to power.

His goal has never changed—revenge...

"Therefore, your survival is very important to the Demon Slayer Corps and to our Master!"

Shinsuke's tone was stern and resolute: "This power should not be wasted, it should not be lost in the selection process! My lord needs a swordsman as strong as you!"

"Lord?" Asuka was unfamiliar with this title; it sounded like the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps.

He remained silent, but his heart was no longer so resistant.

This guy's in the Demon Slayer Corps... which means he's with Arashi-sensei. Can he be trusted...?

And what he said makes some sense; forcing your way through might really lead to death...

Seeing Asuka's silence and the barely concealed dizziness and trembling in her body, Shinsuke knew that his persuasion had worked.

"There's a treatment center not far ahead that can help us. Let me take you there!"

As he spoke, he reached out to grab Asuka's arm, but Asuka instinctively shook off his hand.

Cough cough--

He finally couldn't hold back any longer and coughed up a mouthful of dark red blood with the bird's violent movements, which made his vision go black and almost made him lose his balance.

The three team members' expressions changed drastically.

"Quick! Help him up!"

"...No need!"

Asuka, supporting herself, forcefully refused Akemi and Rintarou's help, and leaned on her hind legs...

"...Lead the way."

The so-called health resort is a quiet courtyard hidden away from the main road and close to the mountains and forests.

The courtyard wall was covered with blooming wisteria flowers, which emitted a strong fragrance that evil spirits hated, filling the air with a strange soothing power.

The courtyard is small, with only two Japanese-style rooms and a simple pharmacy.

A kind-faced middle-aged woman, whom the team members called Aunt Matsumoto, was in charge here.

The walls here are painted with wisteria patterns, which means that this family once received help from the Demon Slayer Corps. In return, they will provide the Demon Slayer Corps members with any help they can without compensation.

When Aunt Matsumoto saw the three team members appear with Asuka, who was covered in blood and limping, she was startled and quickly welcomed them into a clean Japanese-style room.

"Oh dear, this child is badly injured!"

Aunt Matsumoto, with her extensive experience, immediately recognized the severity of Asuka's injuries.

His expression grew even more grave when he saw the unnatural rise and fall of his chest as he breathed and the suppressed cough, as well as his kendo uniform that was already soaked with blood.

"Quick, take off his clothes, be careful not to touch the wound."

“Young man, go fetch a basin of clean, warm water! Akemi, go to the pharmacy and get my sewing kit and wound medicine! Shinsuke, please hold his shoulder down; it will hurt a lot when cleaning the wound, so try to keep him from moving around.”

Shinsuke nodded, carefully approaching the bird, trying to soften his tone:

"Young man, bear with it. Aunt Matsumoto is very good at treating external injuries. It will heal quickly! You have to cooperate, otherwise the wound will get infected and cause trouble."

Before Shinsuke could make a move, Asuka frowned and unbuttoned his clothes, revealing his strong upper body covered with old and new wounds. Blood gushed out from his wounds, making Aunt Matsumoto's brows twitch.

The gruesome, gaping wound in his chest was horrifying; the skin and flesh around the wound were turned inside out, and with each breath, the damaged lung tissue could be seen rising and falling slightly. The penetrating wound on the outside of his right thigh was deep enough to expose the bone; although the blood flow was barely suppressed by breathing techniques, it was still slowly seeping out. There were also several deep, dark, and painful wounds on his shoulders and back. It was truly a heart-wrenching sight.

"...No need to press, just do it yourself."

"This child..."

Although she didn't know Asuka's story, Aunt Matsumoto could see his resistance and could only sigh and shake her head at Shinsuke.

She placed clean, warm water, a cloth, needle and thread, a plaster with a cool, medicinal scent, and some oral pills on the small table in front of Fei Niao, and earnestly instructed her:

"Child, it will hurt a bit now, but your internal wounds need to be treated and stitched up, otherwise they will get worse, do you understand?"

"Thank you...."

Aunt Matsumoto paused for a moment, then gestured for the team members to leave. The three of them quietly left the room and gently closed the door.

Only Aunt Matsumoto and Asuka remained in the Japanese-style room, from which came occasional muffled groans of pain and gasps for air.

Several hours later, Aunt Matsumoto finally opened the door, her face covered in sweat, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"What a strong child... He's alright now..."

"Akemi, go and cook some hot soup and rice. Everyone's tired..."

Chapter 16 The Missed Trial

The next day at noon, after taking a warm herbal decoction, Asuka quietly leaned against the outside of the door, gazing at the wisteria blossoms on the courtyard wall.

He tried to use gentle breathing techniques, but as soon as he exerted even a little force, the slight expansion of his lungs would bring a sharp, throbbing pain.

no...

Asuka wiped the blood foam from the corner of her mouth, revealing a rare look of hesitation.

"Don't push yourself, child." Aunt Matsumoto was busy in the herb garden outside the house, also observing the birds' movements.

She wiped her hands with her apron and walked over with concern. "Your wound just got stitched up, it'll burst open like this. You really don't know how to take care of yourself!"

"...Thank you. How long will I have to continue like this?" Asuka wasn't good at dealing with such a kind person who genuinely cared about others, so she could only thank her softly and ask.

"Continue? You mean recovery? It'll take at least another month!"

Aunt Matsumoto's tone was stern, as if she had seen through Asuka's plan to participate in the selection despite her injury.

"Shin-suke and the others told me that it's too early for you to be thinking about this! Forget about the selection, you can't even run a few steps. The most important thing is to rest and recover from your injury!"

A month?! The selection process for Fujisaki Mountain was already over! Asuka's gaze hesitated again.

Driven by his survival instinct, he naturally knew the importance of taking good care of his health, but after all, he had made a promise with Arashi-sensei. Should he just give up like that?

Maybe tomorrow? The day after? I'll recover a little more, right? After all, the teacher said that there are only kids in Fujisayama, and I can get through even if I don't fight, just by running away...

With this thought in mind, Asuka fell silent and quietly continued to stare blankly at the wisteria flowers.

Several days have passed, and although Asuka's physical recovery ability is already quite extraordinary, the damage to his organs is only slowly healing and has not reached the level he expected.

He stubbornly began to prepare, trying to take deeper breaths while stretching his body against the pillars to move his somewhat stiff limbs.

Just then, as the setting sun bathed the courtyard in a warm orange hue, Shinsuke's steady and powerful footsteps echoed from the gate.

Ever since the last Red Swamp incident, he has been patrolling the area, checking the extent of the damage caused by the demons, and checking for any other lower-ranking demon servants residing under Red Swamp's command.

As he stepped into the courtyard, weary from his journey, he happened to encounter Fei Niao, who was preparing to leave.

Shinsuke was carrying a small package containing fresh fruit and rice cakes he had bought in town. When he saw Asuka's expression, he instantly understood her plan and gently placed the package on the ground.

"Asuka, where are you going?"

Shinsuke, who had already briefly introduced himself to Asuka, asked in a friendly tone.

"...Let's get moving."

"An event?" He took a few steps closer, staring at the other person's fully armed attire, his brow twitching. "You want to go to Fujisaki Mountain? No way! Go back and lie down!"

He reached out, intending to support the bird's body.

But Asuka simply slumped her shoulders, swiftly pulled her body back a small half-step, and gently pried Shinsuke's wrist away.

Shinsuke felt a slight numbness in his wrist and was surprised that Asuka's strength had recovered so quickly.

His injuries are no joke! Shinsuke absolutely cannot let him leave like this!

So Shinsuke continued his relentless attempt to subdue Asuka, and although Asuka's movements were hampered by the injuries of an injured person, she still managed to evade Shinsuke's attacks thanks to her rich street fighting experience and physical reflexes.

During this time, Asuka would occasionally cough violently, which made Shinsuke, who was trying to catch him, a little nervous.

However, he was, after all, an experienced Demon Slayer Corps member. Although Asuka's movements were unexpectedly swift, she was injured and unable to unleash her full power.

In a flash, Shinsuke grabbed Asuka's shoulder, firmly holding him in place.

"Stop making a scene!"

Before she could finish speaking, Asuka's body plummeted downwards. Despite the dizziness and surging blood, she swung her left leg at Shinsuke's lower body! At the same time, her right hand swiftly grabbed at the Nichirin Blade hanging at Shinsuke's waist!

Shinsuke's pupils contracted, and his breathing unconsciously became heavy. A gentle, long stream of blue air flowed in and out of his mouth and nose, instantly unleashing astonishing speed and power!

boom!

He dodged the sweeping leg, knocked the bird's hand away, and firmly gripped its wrist.

This time he completely subdued the bird!

"Tsk..."

A tremendous force struck, immobilizing the bird. Although he tried to struggle, the pain within him warned him that further resistance might result in injury...

Left with no other choice, he gave up resisting, letting Shinsuke lick his legs.

Aunt Matsumoto, watching this scene from afar, shook her head helplessly and went inside to prepare dinner.

Shinsuke carefully placed Asuka's sword down and looked at him with a grave expression. "Asuka, what are you trying to do? Are you going to Mount Fujisu to die?"

"I can run away, I can hide, surviving seven days isn't that difficult... I made a promise with the old man, I have to pass the selection..."

"You can't joke about life!"

Shinsuke's expression was unusually serious; though older than Asuka, he carried the sternness of an elder.

"Selections can be done another time! But if you lose your life, you lose everything!"

"Asuka, your talent is enviable, and your strength is admirable, but the reality is that we are all human! We can get hurt, we can die, and if we don't cherish life, even the weakest demon has the chance to kill us!"

"Listen to me, even if we Demon Slayer Corps members are going to die, we shouldn't die meaninglessly! Let's go again next time!"

Feiniao listened to these heartfelt pieces of advice and fell into silence, truly taking them to heart.

Yes, being alive is the most important thing...

“…I understand.” Asuka breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed her sore wrist. “You’re right, I won’t go.”

Seeing him like this, Shinsuke finally felt relieved.

He nodded. "That's right. Focus on recovering! The Demon Slayer Corps will always open its doors to someone as capable as you!"

As night fell, Aunt Matsumoto, having finished dinner, went to rest early, leaving only Asuka and Shinsuke outside, gazing blankly at the moonlight.

Your breathing... is different from mine...

The bird suddenly spoke, breaking the silence.

He looked at Shinsuke's hands, which were covered in calluses, and asked with a somewhat awkward politeness, "What's that? It seems pretty impressive..."

Shinsuke paused for a moment, then gave a wry smile:

"...What's so great about him? He's nowhere near as good as a true master..."

He paused for a moment, seemingly hesitant, but finally spoke, "What I'm using isn't the complete Water Breathing technique..."

A hint of doubt flashed in Asuka's eyes.

Shinsuke rubbed his hands together, a self-deprecating smile appearing on his face:

“My talent is terrible… I tried my best at training, but I only managed to learn the first two forms of Water Breathing… My teacher said I lacked an understanding of breathing, and that continuing to practice would be a waste of time. He suggested I learn some practical martial arts and basic sword techniques to do logistics or support work…”

He sighed, his tone filled with deep regret, "Although I eventually stumbled through the selection process, I'm no match for a genius like you... I simply can't compare."

"You were able to kill a big demon like Red Swamp all by yourself. I... I really envy people like you."

As he spoke, tears welled up in Shinsuke's eyes, as if he were recalling some past pain and sorrow.