Anime/Manga: Bankai Starting with Demon Slayer

Such fast movements, the breathing rhythm is like the wind... but not quite...

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the treetops, casting a warm golden glow on the tranquil floor of the Ubuyashiki mansion.

Asuka and Muichiro put away their wooden swords, washed up briefly, and sat respectfully in front of the beautiful white-haired woman.

As the wife of her lord, Ubuyashiki Amane often received Pillar-level swordsmen on his behalf. Even Muichiro was a genius swordsman whom she had repeatedly visited and invited from her small mountain village.

Therefore, the mistress of the house was treated with exceptional respect.

Beside her, several children who looked very similar and had equally beautiful faces knelt down.

These are all the lord's children. The black-haired boy is named Kiriya, and the remaining four white-haired girls are named Hinai, Nika, Kanna, and Kanata.

"Please use it, you've worked hard during training."

Lady Tianyin smiled and personally served soup to the two young swordsmen. Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze blowing through the bamboo forest, carrying a magical power that could calm their restlessness.

Chapter 47 Finding Your Own Breath

When it comes to food, Asuka is never picky; as long as it fills its stomach, that's enough.

When they were in Hayama, although Ms. Rika often prepared some tea and snacks for them, her skills were really not good, and apart from Asuka, not many people were willing to try.

The food in front of me was not luxurious, but it was very exquisite and delicious—crystal clear rice balls, perfectly grilled sweetfish, bright green blanched wild vegetables, a small bowl of miso soup, and several kinds of seasonal fruits.

This caused the birds, who had been engaged in a high-intensity battle all morning, to unusually develop a sense of hunger.

Beside Madam Tianyin, the young children sat quietly, their little faces filled with innocence and a hint of curiosity about the guest.

They inherited their mother's gentle and calm temperament, and every move they made exuded good manners.

Asuka, who was used to living alone, knew nothing about fine dining. She could only kneel down like Muichiro and eat slowly and awkwardly.

The only sounds under the eaves were the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the occasional whispers of children.

The bird ate silently, its gaze unconsciously sweeping over the tranquil mansion.

He noticed that apart from himself and the hidden troops standing not far away, he didn't seem to see the figure of his lord, who had a gentle and approachable demeanor.

"Madam, why is the Lord not dining with us?"

As the question arose, the air under the corridor seemed to stagnate.

The members of the Hidden Division who were standing there turned their gazes toward them, and the children around them fell silent. Even Muichiro put down his chopsticks and looked at Asuka with a hint of dissatisfaction in his eyes.

This question may seem a bit presumptuous, but Asuka certainly doesn't have any bad intentions; she's just curious.

Lady Tianyin's smile did not disappear, but a faint sadness lingered beneath it.

She gently put down the ladle in her hand and looked at Asuka with a calm gaze: "Asuka-kun, thank you for your concern, but Kagaya is unwell and cannot come with us."

"Is the lord's illness very serious?" Asuka thought of the hideous scars on the other's face, which seemed to be spreading, and couldn't help but ask with genuine concern.

Lady Tenon nodded slightly: "Yes, Asuka-kun."

"Kakaya's body has been weak since childhood, and he has always suffered from illness. This is... a hereditary disease passed down through generations of the Ubuyashiki family, which cannot be avoided."

She brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, her eyes filled with sorrow: "Therefore, he can only eat the mildest, most easily digestible food. Every outing, every breath, and every thought is a great burden for him. I hope you can understand."

“Of course, Lady Amane…” Asuka replied, “Our lord is the heart of the Demon Slayer Corps, so naturally we must take good care of him.”

Ubuyashiki Amane gazed at the vibrant greenery in the courtyard, as if drawing strength from it to fight against the darkness, and said solemnly:

“Kyoya dedicated everything to the cause of exorcising demons, and he would not give up even if he were to perish in body and mind. He slayed evil spirits and protected the will of the living without ever wavering.”

"With such outstanding children like you, this mission will surely be accomplished..."

Asuka felt a heavy weight of respect pressing down on her heart.

According to his understanding, the Demon Slayer Corps has been established for hundreds of years, and the lord of the Ubuyashiki family has changed countless times from generation to generation.

Their enemy, Muzan Kibutsuji, the ancestor of all demons, is still alive today.

Why is the lord so determined to organize the Demon Slayer Corps to fight against demons when he is already so weak?

He thought of Tanjiro's words about finding joy in helping others, but felt that his lord's actions went even further.

Protection—this was a power he didn't quite understand yet.

"I see..." Asuka murmured softly, mimicking others' gestures of prayer, she clasped her hands together: "I hope my lord recovers soon and regains good health..."

The topic shifted, and the tea break ended with pleasantries between Madam Amane and Asuka.

Sitting in the corridor, Asuka rubbed her wrist, which had been struck by Muichiro and was now bruised.

He was still savoring the feeling of fighting Muichiro Tokito, the feeling of being seen through, suppressed, and having every move guessed when using only sword techniques, which made him somewhat irritated.

"Mr. Arashizaki, your teaching style needs a change..." he thought to himself.

Just as he was lost in thought, a calm, even voice, like a feather gently drifting down beside him:

"Perhaps the Breath of the Wind is not entirely suitable for you."

Asuka turned to look at Muichiro, who seemed lost in thought, as if those words had not come from him.

"What does that mean?"

"Your body is resisting it."

In the early stages of sparring with Asuka, Muichiro observed Asuka's Breath of Wind.

It's very solid and refined. You can't have such a deep and lingering aura without putting in a lot of hard work. In this respect alone, it's almost on par with the Shinazugawa-senpai.

However, when it was actually put into practice, the effect was not so harmonious.

“I have also learned the Breath of the Wind. The wind is free, unrestrained, fierce and swift... I know this very well.”

Muichiro pointed to Asuka's body, his tone flat: "But your body is neither free nor fierce, as if something is always pulling at your will, preventing you from truly giving your all in battle..."

Yes, that's the feeling.

After Muichiro pointed it out, Asuka suddenly realized that the reason why she always felt that her Breath of the Wind was not perfect was actually here.

His conviction to slay demons wasn't strong; his most recent determined desire to kill a demon was to avenge Arasaki-sensei...

If it was just an order from the Demon Slayer Corps, he suspected that if he encountered a demon he couldn't defeat, he might give up the fight...

As for freedom... Professor Arasaki had explained this concept to him many times, but Asuka simply couldn't grasp it at its core...

Asuka's voice hesitated slightly: "...But this was taught to me by Arasaki-sensei, and I've always used it in battle."

"Being usable and being suitable are two different things. This isn't to say you should give up Breath of the Wind..."

As he spoke, Muichiro walked to the center of the arena and slowly raised his wooden sword.

He lightly touched the ground with his left foot, and the aura around him changed instantly. A white mist appeared out of thin air and floated along the blade, as if the blade itself was a diffused rosy light.

"Breath of the Mist, Third Form: Mist Scattering and Spraying".

Muichiro spun around and drew his sword. In an instant, the sword light transformed into hundreds of tiny, silvery droplets, wrapped in a pale blue mist, shimmering with starlight in the air and rippling with twisted waves.

Although it looked beautiful, Asuka knew very well that the murderous aura and sword intent contained within were absolutely genuine, and if it were to strike a demon, it would immediately tear flesh and bone apart.

Muichiro, who had unleashed this strike, brandished his wooden sword: "See that? That's the Breath of Mist. Does it look familiar?"

Before Asuka could reply, Muichiro continued, "The Breath of Mist originates from the wind, yet it is entirely different, more unpredictable and elusive... It is the kind of breathing that suits my body."

"Birds, each person's body is a unique battlefield."

"The structure of the skeleton, the texture of the muscles, the rhythm of the breath, and the fighting desire of one's own soul are all different."

"Forcing yourself into a style that doesn't suit you is like wearing shoes that don't fit... Maybe you should find a style that suits you."

Although his tone was cold and empty, it was indeed a friendly suggestion from the heart.

Given Muichiro's personality and his troublesome memory problem, he wouldn't normally talk to others so much.

But Asuka was, after all, his apprentice, personally assigned to him by his lord, and it was his mission.

Therefore, he shared his understanding with the other party without reservation, hoping to help him complete the training as soon as possible.

After all, the Pillar's time is very precious, and he doesn't have time to spend sparring with others all the time.

"...My own breathing." Asuka repeated softly, as if something in her heart had been touched.

In his hands, the techniques of Breath of the Wind can sometimes be distorted into more violent and unreasonable forms.

Even though she had practiced the Breath of the Wind sword technique countless times, when she actually used it, Asuka would still subconsciously react physically and use the sword moves as she understood them.

Perhaps... this is simply the body seeking a more suitable expression.

"Then what should I do?"

"Fight, fight on and on." Muichiro threw away his wooden sword, his lifeless eyes staring directly at Asuka: "Only in the face of life and death will the body's 'truth' be revealed without reservation..."

"Starting tomorrow, let's train with real swords."

Chapter 48 Birds and Butterflies (Part 1)

"..."

Does it hurt a little? Just bear with it.

After carefully applying anti-inflammatory and analgesic ointment to the bird's wound, Butterfly gently wrapped a medical bandage around his forearm.

"You still need to be careful. If you keep getting injured, your body won't be able to recover."

Asuka's training has entered its third week, and according to Muichiro, it can basically be over.

Without using breathing techniques, Asuka's mastery of swordsmanship is already quite proficient, and her reactions in life-or-death situations are more natural and swift; at least she no longer relies solely on brute force.

It is also because after today, Muichiro will be leaving the Ubuyashiki mansion to carry out other missions.

So this time he used all his strength against Asuka and asked Asuka to use breathing techniques to fight him as well.

The battle was fierce. Asuka was stabbed four times, the most serious blow severing his collarbone. This shocked Lady Tenon, who was watching the battle, and she was worried that Asuka might be seriously injured.

As for Muichiro, he did not receive a single sword strike.

However, his Nichirin Blade was broken in two by Asuka.

Looking at Asuka, who remained silent and still immersed in the afterglow of the battle, Butterfly sighed: "Mr. Asuka, training should also be done in moderation. Muichiro's situation is a bit special. You can't just let him do whatever he wants."

"...Thank you, I will be careful."

"Sigh, you always say that, but the injuries keep getting worse. You..."

Shinobu Kocho reluctantly put away the medicine and Asuka's torn feathers: "The clothes I just finished are torn again. I'll give them to you after I mend them."

"Would Ninja-senpai still do something like this?"

"Of course, I altered Kanao's clothes. What do you think? They're quite different from the regular Demon Slayer Corps uniforms, aren't they?"

Kanao Tsubaki is the girl who chased Nezuko and fought Asuka that day.

She is also Shinobu Kocho's adopted sister and stepsister, and has always lived with her in the Butterfly Mansion.

Asuka tried to greet her, but he didn't expect the girl to be even more taciturn than him. She just smiled at him without saying a word, so he stopped trying.

"Then I'll trouble you, Shinobu-senpai."

"Oh, is it just my imagination? I feel like Mr. Asuka is getting more and more polite." Shinobu covered her mouth, looking incredulous. "He used to be so cold and difficult to get along with, just like Mr. Tomioka."

Asuka frowned seriously: "Really?"

He thought about it carefully and realized that perhaps it was because he had spent time with Tanjiro, Lady Amane, and the members of the Butterfly Mansion that he had been influenced by them.

Sometimes I feel that if you're teammates, it might be better to be as friendly as possible.

"Haha, things have really changed, Mr. Asuka." Seeing his confused look, Butterfly suppressed a laugh and stopped teasing Asuka: "That's a good thing. People should always trust and support each other. It's too tiring to be alone."

As Shinobu finished packing and was about to leave, Asuka couldn't help but call out to her:

"Nin-senpai".

Shinobu stopped and turned back, her eyes filled with a gentle inquiry:

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"you...."

Asuka originally wanted to ask whether the woman Shinobu was holding in his strange dream was real or just his imagination.

...But looking at Shinobu's smile and the reassuring spiritual pressure emanating from her, Asuka was certain that her smile wasn't forced.

At least for now, let's not remind her of sad things.

"...It's nothing, goodnight."